Are You Face Blind?

The study can lead to better facial recognition software to identify criminals.

The inability to recognise faces is more common than most people think. Two per cent of all people are born with ‘face blindness’, scientifically known as prosopagnosia. A specific area in our brains is responsible for processing data about human and animal faces, both how we recognise them and interpret expressions.

Research shows we are better able to recognise faces when we regularly see and interact with them in meaningful settings. It’s as though the face-processing sections of the brain— the one located in the fusiform gyrus being the most distinct—recognise faces holistically. Additions to your face, such as a beard or glasses, are assimilated or incorporated into the face recognition gestalt of the brain, unlike other elements like the chair you’re sitting on. 

Dr Galiut Yovel’s research, published in the Journal of Neuroscience and Human Brain Mapping, apart from helping those with face blindness, may also help business executives better match names with faces. It can lead to better facial recognition software to identify terrorists or criminals.

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