Effects of lateral reversal on recognition memory for photographs of faces

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Abstract
Recognition memory for photographs of faces, which were initially shown in the normal orientation the tested either normally (unchanged) or laterally reversed (changed), was examined in 4 experiments involving different experimental designs (between and within group) and different methods of testing (yes-no and forced-choice). Although the overall effect of the transformation was not as powerful as others (e.g., hairstyle change) which have been applied to faces, and even failed to attain statistical significance in a 5th experiment in which all the photographs were initially reversed at presentation then tested unchanged or changed back to their normal orientation, the main findings were as follows: subjects recognized fewer reversed (changed) than normal (unchanged) photographs whether or not they were informed of the transformation; the adverse effect of reversal occurred on faces looking straight ahead (full-faces) and, to a slightly lesser extent, on those looking to the left of the observer (left-lookers); left-lookers and right-lookers (the left-lookers initially reversed in experiment 5) were less well recognized then full-faces; and subjects had difficulty identifying orientation, where accuracy fell almost to chance level. A feature (rather than Gestalt) model of facial recognition in which the 2 sides of the face are differentiated in its memory representation was supported.