A novel blurred-face test for detecting concealed face recognition

Citation

Millen A, Mayer L, Newman S, Olszenka L, Zimmerman C & Hancock P A novel blurred-face test for detecting concealed face recognition [A NOVEL BLURRED-FACE CIT]. Psychological Science.

Abstract
Detecting familiar face recognition is useful in many contexts, from uncooperative eyewitnesses to clinical memory assessment. We developed a novel blurred-face ‘concealed information test’ to detect face recognition when individuals denied recognising someone they knew. Participants made recognition responses to photographs of familiar and unfamiliar faces as they were gradually deblurred; blur level at response was recorded. Across three experiments (Ns = 49, 43, 150), earlier responding to familiar faces reliably signalled recognition in deceptive responders even when they were informed that higher blur level responses signalled recognition. However, participants explicitly instructed to delay responses to evade detection did not reliably show earlier responding; some exhibited reversed effects. Recognition effects were larger for faces known for longer and for familiar faces rated as less similar to unfamiliar control faces. These findings support our test as a promising method for detecting concealed recognition and confirm conditions under which sensitivity is optimised.

Journal
Psychological Science