October 7, 2013

Facial Recognition is More Accurate in Photos Showing Whole Person



Researchers Find People Use Body Cues to Accurately Identify People Even When Faces are Obscured

Subtle body cues allow people to identify others with surprising accuracy when faces are difficult to differentiate. This skill may help researchers improve person-recognition software and expand their understanding of how humans recognize each other.

A study published in Psychological Science by researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas demonstrates that humans rely on non-facial cues, such as body shape and build, to identify people in challenging viewing conditions, such as poor lighting.