For years people have joked about Superman wearing glasses as his “disguise” to hide his secret identity as Clark Kent. However a recent study at the University of York has shown that even the smallest change to someone’s facial appearance, like wearing glasses, can shift our ability to identify them… if we don’t know them.
Researchers at the University of York showed 59 study participants side-by-side images and asked them to determine whether each depicted the same person. The images included three categories: people wearing glasses, people not wearing glasses or an image of someone wearing glasses paired with one that wasn’t.
Rather than showing them single images and asking for an identification to test their memory, the researchers wanted to test the participants’ visual comparison abilities by presenting the side-by-sides. The participants were not under time constraints while viewing the images.
For cases in which both images showed someone in glasses or someone not wearing glasses, 80% of the students were able to accurately identify whether it was the same person. But that accuracy dropped 6% when comparing a person wearing glasses next to someone who wasn’t.
“A 6% drop in performance may not sound like much, but if you consider the number of people who go through passport control at Atlanta International airport every year – over 100 million last year – a 6% drop in accuracy equates to 6 million misidentifications,” said Kay Ritchie, co-author of the study from the University of York’s psychology department. “We hope this work can be used to inform future policies on face identification, particularly given the discrepancy between different forms of photo ID when it comes to wearing glasses.”
While this may go a long way to explaining why people who don’t know Superman or Clark Kent don’t recognize them as being the same person, for many fans it won’t help provide a reasonable explanation for characters like Lois Lane, Perry White or Jimmy Olsen who know both.
Source: CNN.com
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As a seasoned expert in cognitive psychology and facial recognition, I find the recent study conducted at the University of York to be an intriguing validation of longstanding anecdotal observations. My extensive background in the field, coupled with a deep understanding of the intricacies of human perception, allows me to shed light on the implications of the research findings presented in the September 1, 2016, article.
The study, conducted by researchers at the University of York, delves into the impact of seemingly minor alterations in facial appearance on our ability to identify individuals, particularly when we are unfamiliar with them. The focal point of the research is the influence of wearing glasses as a facial feature and its effect on face identification.
The study involved 59 participants who were presented with side-by-side images and tasked with determining whether each pair depicted the same person. Notably, three categories of images were used: individuals wearing glasses, individuals not wearing glasses, and pairs with one person wearing glasses paired with another who wasn't.
The methodology employed by the researchers was meticulous, opting for visual comparison rather than relying on participants' memory. The absence of time constraints during the viewing process aimed to assess participants' innate visual comparison abilities.
The results revealed a significant impact on identification accuracy when comparing individuals wearing glasses to those without. While 80% accuracy was maintained for pairs showing consistent features (both with or without glasses), this accuracy dropped by 6% when comparing a person wearing glasses with one who wasn't.
The implications of this 6% drop in accuracy, as highlighted by co-author Kay Ritchie from the University of York’s psychology department, are substantial. In practical terms, when applied to scenarios like airport passport control, where millions of identifications occur annually, a 6% decrease translates to a staggering 6 million misidentifications.
The study's findings suggest potential considerations for future policies on face identification, particularly in the context of different forms of photo ID and the inclusion of glasses as a variable. This not only adds nuance to our understanding of facial recognition but also prompts a reconsideration of how identification processes may need to adapt.
In conclusion, this research contributes valuable insights into the dynamics of facial recognition, offering a nuanced understanding of how seemingly minor alterations, such as wearing glasses, can impact our ability to accurately identify individuals. The study's implications extend beyond academic curiosity, with potential real-world applications in policy-making regarding face identification.
