In your face

A recent study (1) demonstrates that people who are adept at remembering faces, are holistic processers of information. They also show proclivity to Composite Face Effect (CFE) and Whole-part effect (WPE), traits that further illustrate holistic processing. It has been noted that those who can remember names and segmented technical details are generally less able to remember faces and vice versa. This study provides a clear framework to differentiate between those who process information holistically and those who do not.

Holistic processing may be less costly and more effective in reaching decisions quickly and this may have had survival benefits. However, it does appear that such a process also disadvantages the individual from more precise tactics, as these abilities appear mutually exclusive. It will be interesting to correlate traits such as innovation and curiosity against holistic processing. If a correlation exists, it may provide valuable insights into organization and societal structures that may be optimal.

As most people have suspected, there appears to be a divide between those who could describe the specific details of the components of a face and those who can only recognize the face in whole. Both of these skills may be useful and there may be an optimal combination of them for successful organizations.

(1) Why Do Some People Never Forget A Face? Liu  Ruosi Wang, Jingguang Li, Huizhen Fang, and Moqian Tian. Psychological Science. For more information about this study, please contact: Jia Liu at liujia@bnu.edu.cn.