title: Conjunction faces alter confidence-accuracy relations for old faces.
abstract: The authors used a state-trace methodology to investigate the informational dimensions used to recognize old and conjunction faces (made by combining parts of separately studied faces). Participants in 3 experiments saw faces presented for 1 s each. They then received a recognition test; faces were presented for varying brief durations and participants made 3 responses: old/new judgments, confidence judgments, and an indication of whether each response was based on memory for a feature or in general familiarity. Experiments 1 and 3 showed that, given equal confidence, familiarity-based responses were more accurate than feature-based responses; these results provide strong support for a multidimensional model in which 2 separate types of information contribute to confidence and accuracy responses. Experiment 2 showed that this feature/familiarity difference disappeared when conjunction faces were included in the test, supporting a unidimensional model in which confidence and accuracy are based on a single type of information. Inclusion of conjunction faces fundamentally alters the way that previously encountered faces are processed; participants apparently rely entirely on feature-based information to recognize them. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Puget Sound.
authors.forename: Mark Tippens
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Reinitz
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Washington.
authors.forename: Geoffrey R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Loftus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005145:Face; D000066499:Facial Recognition; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011581:Psychological Tests; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D055815:Young Adult