Cultural differences in how we recognise each other

Published on Wednesday 20 August 2008 00:55

CULTURAL differences can affect how people recognise faces, scientists said yesterday.

Researchers uncovered differences between how Europeans and East Asians register facial appearances.

Direct or excessive eye contact is considered rude in some East Asian countries, and scientists believe this may be behind the findings.

The University of Glasgow study contradicts previous research, which considered facial recognition to be a natural mechanism among all humans and not affected by external environment.

It also appears to support the view that westerners have a more individualistic approach to life, whereas easterners' outlook is more collectivistic.

Scientists behind the study, Culture Shapes How We Look at Faces, were surprised to find differences between racial groups.

A total of 14 Europeans, including several from the Glasgow area, and 14 people from Japan, South Korea and China, took part in a series of eye movement studies.

Europeans involved in the research tended to focus on specific features when recognising faces, such as the eyes and mouth, and their approach was more analytical.

But the East Asians generally looked at the nose or the centre of the face. This gave them a more general view of all features and their approach was more global, trying to gather as much information as possible in one glance.

Cognitive neuroscientist Dr Roberto Caldara, lead researcher, said: "

East Asians focus more on the central region of faces to extract information in a holistic, global fashion."