Face recognition: a model specific ability
Citation
Wilmer, Jeremy B., Laura T. Germine, and Ken Nakayama. 2014. “Face recognition: a model specific ability.” Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 8 (1): 769. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2014.00769. http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2014.00769.Abstract
In our everyday lives, we view it as a matter of course that different people are good at different things. It can be surprising, in this context, to learn that most of what is known about cognitive ability variation across individuals concerns the broadest of all cognitive abilities; an ability referred to as general intelligence, general mental ability, or just g. In contrast, our knowledge of specific abilities, those that correlate little with g, is severely constrained. Here, we draw upon our experience investigating an exceptionally specific ability, face recognition, to make the case that many specific abilities could easily have been missed. In making this case, we derive key insights from earlier false starts in the measurement of face recognition’s variation across individuals, and we highlight the convergence of factors that enabled the recent discovery that this variation is specific. We propose that the case of face recognition ability illustrates a set of tools and perspectives that could accelerate fruitful work on specific cognitive abilities. By revealing relatively independent dimensions of human ability, such work would enhance our capacity to understand the uniqueness of individual minds.Other Sources
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4193262/pdf/Terms of Use
This article is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Other Posted Material, as set forth at http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of-use#LAACitable link to this page
http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:13347396
Collections
- FAS Scholarly Articles [18256]
- HMS Scholarly Articles [17917]
Contact administrator regarding this item (to report mistakes or request changes)