Face category differentially influences face memories after a delay. Issue 7 (2nd October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Westerberg, Carmen E.; Wofford, Nathan; Menssor, Safia; Reininger, Bryant P.; Deason, Rebecca G.
• Is Part Of: Journal of cognitive psychology. Volume 32:Issue 7(2020)
• Page Start: 587
• Page End: 597
• Publication Date: 2020-10-02
• Subjects: Memory -- face recognition -- memory consolidation -- response bias; Cognitive psychology -- Periodicals; 153.05
• DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2020.1809432
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2044-5911

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Faces belonging to the same category as the perceiver are better recognised than faces from different categories when tested immediately. After a delay, the same-category benefit persists and response bias becomes more liberal for other-category but not same-category faces. These effects are typically attributed to better encoding of same-category than other-category faces. To determine whether bias effects after a delay persist when immediate accuracy differences are minimised, Hispanic and Caucasian participants were given more study time for other-category than same-category faces. Memory was tested immediately and after a two-day delay. Discrimination accuracy was higher for other-category than for same-category faces during both test sessions. Bias was equivalent immediately, but after the delay, bias was more conservative for same-category than for other-category faces, especially in Caucasian participants. These results suggest that post-encoding processes differentially influence face memories from different categories, which may have implications for evaluating face memory in everyday situations.