Can Face Identification Ability Be Trained?

Abstract

Is it possible to train face identification ability? To answer this question, we review the literature on professional training for facial image comparison practitioners, and the broader psychology literature on training for prosopagnosia patients and the general population. Our review of these literatures finds very little evidence that training can improve face recognition or face-matching accuracy. However, one group of specialist practitioners—facial examiners—throw this conclusion into question. Facial examiners consistently outperform novices and show qualitative differences in how they perform matching tasks, suggesting they have acquired their expertise via professional training. To account for these findings, we propose that there are two routes to expertise in face identification: The core face recognition system, which cannot be trained, and an alternative feature-based route, which can be trained. We encourage academics and practitioners to work together to identify effective and efficient training methods to teach facial image comparison practitioners to extract maximal identity information from facial features.