Editorial: Face Recognition Difficulties in Children: Hits and/or Correct Rejections?

Abstract

Face recognition difficulties during childhood are well-documented. However, mixed results were obtained regarding the precise nature of these difficulties using different experimental tasks. Using recognition memory paradigm (learning a set of faces followed by an old/new recognition test using the previously studies faces mixed with an equal set of distractors, children under the age of ten were found to have lower rates of hits (the correct identification of previously-seen faces) and correct rejections (the rejection of previously-unseen faces) than older individuals. In contrast, using the eyewitness identification methodology (seeing a target person through a video or live staged crime followed by an identification test using two target-present and target-absent lineups, children over five years of age were found to produce a hit rate that is comparable to adults but older children still produce lower correct rejections .