Facial Recognition in Men and Women and Their Differences

Abstract

This paper addresses the problem of difference in terms of how men and women recognize faces. The central question is whether this function of facial recognition is a biological phenomenon only or if it is something affected by cognitivism, which can in turn be influenced by sociocultural factors. The paper first examines what previous research has shown in terms of the biological differences in how men and women recognize faces. Then it addresses the evidence suggesting that sociocultural factors impact the cognitive processes involved in this function. It concludes that facial recognition is as much impacted by biology as it is by sociocultural phenomena.

Introduction

Do men and women read faces differently? Current research suggests that when it comes to biological sex differences, women have an advantage in terms of having an ability to read emotion in the faces better than men (Wingenbach, Ashwin & Brosnan, 2018). One possible explanation for this difference is that sociocultural factors influence the extent to which men and women are able to recognize both familiar and unfamiliar faces (Mishra et al., 2019). Cognitivism is another possible explanation, as a person learns to use new information and apply it to a current situation (Rosser-Majors, 2017). This paper examines whether cognitivismthe ability to learn facial recognitionor sociocultural factors are more important in explaining facial recognition differences among men and women. It shows that both play an important role in determining recognition, but that there is no clear cut answer to the question of whether biological or cultural differences are the bigger factor.

Differences

Facial recognition differences exist between men and women (Rennels & Cummings, 2013). Studies conducted with male and female infants as well as adults have shown that facial recognition differences do exist. Males tend to process information holistically while females tend to process information using second-order relations. Encoding features is an important aspect of what drives females to recognize emotion in faces. However, when it comes to recognizing familiar vs. unfamiliar faces in general, there appears to be a skew towards a male advantage (Mishra et al., 2019). What Rennels and Cummings (2013) have shown is that hemispheric activity in the brain is different for males and females when it comes to facial recognition.

Wingenbach et al. (2018) have pointed out that facial expressions are important aspects of communication. Thus facial recognition is not just a matter of identifying a face but also of reading the face and interpreting what is being said there. Because males and females read faces differently, as observed through study of infants and males, it stands to reason when women see a face something different is going on in the processing of that information that what happens when men see a face. Men tend to focus more on identifying the face, whereas women tend to focus more on reading the face (Wingebach et al., 2018). Yet in some parts of the world there appears to be no difference in terms of male vs. female recognition of faces (Mishra et al., 2019). Scherf, Elbich and Motta-Mena (2017) have shown, moreover, that face recognition is a social skill that can be acquired equally by men and women alike. As facial recognition is an important aspect of social interaction, the differences between male and female ability to recognize and read faces must be influenced both by biological factors as well as by environmental ones, i.e., by social circumstances.

Part of facial recognition and reading is the ability to demonstrate emotional and social intelligence (Hendon, Powell & Wimmer, 2017). Social and emotional intelligence skills are related to how well an individual can interpret non-verbal communications, including facial expressions. It is a skill that requires one to use cognitivism by building on prior knowledge and applying to a given situation. However, in cultures that are more male-dominated, it may be more difficult for women to possess these skills, which can facilitate facial recognition. At the same time, because women encode information differently from men, it may be that women can bridge the sociocultural gap that exists in male-dominated cultures by using their biological abilities to read and recognize faces, putting them at more of an even keel with...

…difference in terms of recognizing the unfamiliar faces of males or femalesperhaps an outcome of male exposure to people in a culture that gives them more room to maneuver and engage with both sexes (Mishra et al., 2019).

The point is that socialization plays a part in the cognitive development of individuals, and this can come by way of ones exposure to media, groups and peers. If women are more isolated in terms of a social setting or circle to interacting with other women, their ability to recognize the faces of women more than men is understandable. Because there is some degree of gender inequality in most cultures, these factors appear to be universal. Nonetheless, the biological differences in the way men and women recognize faces still standsbut it does not preclude that cognitive development and learning do not take place to also impact facial recognition abilities.

Conclusion

Whether one is reading emotion in a face or recognizing the identity of a face, recognition skills, encoding processes, cognitivism, and sociocultural factors all play a part in how well that person performs the function. Facial recognition is different for males and females, as shown in studies of biological differences in infants. However, as people grow, they also develop cognitive and social and emotional skillsor at least some have the opportunity to do so. Not everyone possesses these skills to the same degree. Those who do possess them may be better at reconizing and reading faces than others. Nonetheless, the degree to which socialization and culture influence these processes remains something of a mystery. Men and women both have the ability to recognize faces, but they do this differently because their biological structures are different, particularly when it comes to using parts of the brain. Future research may seek to focus on the degree to which memory, working memory, false memories, and cognition work to play a part in facial recognition processes among men and women. But it must not be forgotten that culture also plays a role in mediating these differences. Socialization is always going to be a cultural outcome, with limits and…