Investigating the distribution of face recognition ability in a Turkish sample
Project no. 1089 · Status: Kapanmış · 2016
Summary
Large individual differences in processing of unfamiliar faces have been well documented with the recent discovery of super-recognizers who are individuals with extraordinary face recognition skills (Russell, Duchaine, & Nakayama, 2009). Therefore, in order to evaluate face processing skills of individuals effectively, it is important to use measurement tools and tests that can capture face processing abilities ranging from poor performance of individuals suffering from developmental prosopagnosia to exceptional performance of super-recognizers. Although the Cambridge Face Memory Test (CFMT) (Duchaine & Nakayama, 2006) is the most frequently used face processing assessment, reliability of this test for Turkish sample have not been assessed. In order to address this issue, we asked samples of both university students and security officers (who are supposed to have more experience with face recognition) to complete the CFMT. Results confirm reliability of CFMT for samples of both university students (alpha = .898) and security officers (alpha = .848). However, observing university students’ higher performance than security officers’ indicates that different norm values might be used for evaluating face processing skills of different sample groups.