© University of Kent - Contact | Feedback | Legal | Cookies
The University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NZ, T +44 (0)1227 764000
Professor Bob JohnstonProfessor of Cognitive Psychology |
 |
Research Interests
My main areas of current research relate to the cognitive processes underlying face and object processing, (i) accessing and representing information about familiar people; (ii) recognising other-race faces; (iii) understanding how unfamiliar faces become familiar; and (iv) determining how age-of-acquisition influences object identification. I would welcome applications from potential doctoral students in these areas.
Key Publications
Johnston, R.A. & Barry, C. (2006). Age of Acquisition and lexical processing: A review. Visual Cognition, 13, 789 -845.
Johnston, R.A. & Barry, C. (2006). Repetition priming of access to biographical information from faces. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 59, 326-339.
Johnston, R.A. & Barry, C. (2005). Age of Acquisition effects in the semantic processing of pictures. Memory and Cognition, 33, 905-912
Johnston, R.A. & Barry, C. (2001). Best Face Forward: Repetition priming of familiar face recognition. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 54A, 383 -396.
Also view these in the Kent Academic Repository
Articles
Johnston, R.A. and Edmonds, A.J. (2009)
Familiar and unfamiliar face recognition: Areview.
Memory, 17 (5). pp. 577-596. ISSN 0965-8211.
Abstract
Since the 1970s there has been a continuing interest in how people recognise familiar faces (Bruce, 1979;
Ellis, 1975). This work has complemented investigations of how unfamiliar faces are processed and the
findings from these two strands of research have given rise to accounts that propose qualitatively
different forms of representation for familiar and unfamiliar faces. Evidence to suggest that we process
familiar and unfamiliar faces in different ways is available from cognitive neuropsychology, brain
scanning, and psychophysics. However, in this review we focus on the evidence, available from
experimental investigations of how people recognise faces, for different types of representation existing
for each type of face. Factors affecting recognition are evaluated in terms of how they apply to familiar
and unfamiliar faces and categorised according to the nature of their impact. In the final section this
evidence, along with recent advances in the field, is used to explore the way in which unfamiliar faces
may become familiar and the factors that may be important for the development of familiar face
representations.
Johnston, Robert A and Tomlinson, Eleanor and Jones, Chris et al. (2009)
Face classification in schizophrenia: Evidence for a sensitivity to distinctiveness.
Perception, 38 (5). pp. 702-707. ISSN 0301-0066.
Abstract
The face-processing skills of people with schizophrenia were compared with those of
a group of unimpaired individuals. Participants were asked to make speeded face-classification
decisions to faces previously rated as being typical or distinctive. The schizophrenic group
responded more slowly than the unimpaired group; however, both groups demonstrated the
customary sensitivity to the distinctiveness of the face stimuli. Face-classification latencies made
to typical faces were shorter than those made to distinctive faces. The implication of this finding
with the schizophrenic group is discussed with reference to accounts of face-processing deficits
attributed to these individuals.
Catling, J.C. and Johnston, R.A. (2009)
The varying effects of age of acquisition.
The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 62 (1). pp. 50-62. ISSN 1747-0218.
Abstract
There are a number of theories that suggest that age of acquisition (AoA) effects are not uniform across different tasks. Catling and Johnston (2006a) found greater AoA effects within an object-naming task than in a semantic classification task. They explained these findings by suggesting that AoA effects might accumulate according to how many levels of representation a task necessitates access to. Brysbaert and Ghyselinck (2006) explain the difference in AoA effects by proposing two distinct types of AoA (frequency dependent and frequency independent), the first accounted for by a connectionist-type mechanism and the latter situated at the interface between semantics and word production. Moreover, Moore, Smith-Spark, and Valentine (2004) and Holmes and Ellis (2006) have suggested that there are two loci of AoA effects: at the phonological level and somewhere within the perceptual level of representation. Again, this could account for the varying degrees of AoA effects. This study sets about testing these ideas by assessing the effect size of AoA across a series of different tasks that necessitate access to various levels of representation. Experiments 1-4 demonstrate significant effects of AoA in a novel picture-picture verification task, an object classification task, a picture verification task, and an object-naming task. Experiment 5 showed no effects of initial phoneme on the naming of the critical objects used within Experiments 1-4. The implication of the varying AoA effect sizes found within Experiments 1-4 in relation to explanations of AoA are discussed.
Dent, K. and Johnston, R.A. and Humphreys, G.W. (2008)
Age of Acquisition and Word Frequency Effects in Picture Naming: A Dual-Task Investigation.
Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning Memory and Cognition, 34 (2). pp. 282-301. ISSN 0278-7393.
Abstract
In 2 experiments, the authors explored age of acquisition (AoA) and word frequency (WF) effects in
picture naming using the psychological refractory period paradigm. In Experiment 1, participants named
a picture and then, a short time later, categorized 1 of 3 possible auditory tones as high, medium, or low.
Both AoA (Experiment 1A) and WF (Experiment 1B) effects propagated onto tone discrimination
reaction times (RTs), with the effects of AoA being stronger. In Experiment 2, the to-be-named picture
followed the auditory tone by a varying interval. As the interval decreased, picture naming RTs increased.
The relationship between the interval and AoA (Experiment 2A) was reliably underadditive; AoA effects
were eliminated at the shortest interval. In contrast, WF (Experiment 2B) was additive with the effects
of the interval. These results demonstrate an empirical dissociation between AoA and WF effects. AoA
affects processing stages that precede those that are sensitive to WF. The implications for theories of
picture naming are discussed.
Riddoch, M.J and Johnston, R.A. and Bracewell, R.M. et al. (2008)
Are faces special? A case of pure prosopagnosia.
Cognitive Neuropsychology, 25 (1). pp. 3-26. ISSN 0264-3294.
Abstract
The ability to recognize individual faces is of crucial social importance for humans and evolutionarily necessary for survival. Consequently, faces may be "special" stimuli, for which we have developed unique modular perceptual and recognition processes. Some of the strongest evidence for face processing being modular comes from cases of prosopagnosia, where patients are unable to recognize faces whilst retaining the ability to recognize other objects. Here we present the case of an acquired prosopagnosic whose poor recognition was linked to a perceptual impairment in face processing. Despite this, she had intact object recognition, even at a subordinate level. She also showed a normal ability to learn and to generalize learning of nonfacial exemplars differing in the nature and arrangement of their parts, along with impaired learning and generalization of facial exemplars. The case provides evidence for modular perceptual processes for faces.
Dent, K. and Catling, J.C. and Johnston, R.A. (2007)
Age of acquisition affects object recognition: Evidence from visual duration thresholds.
Acta Psychologica, 125 (3). pp. 301-318. ISSN 0001-6918.
Abstract
The impact of age of acquisition (AoA) on object recognition was explored in three experiments measuring visual duration threshold (VDT) for the identification of pictures labelled with early and late acquired names. Participants viewed briefly displayed images preceded and followed by a pattern mask. The minimum display duration required for correct identification was shorter for pictures labelled with early names than for those labelled with late names. In Experiments 2 and 3 we explored the effects of two forms of visual degradation on VDT for pictures with early and late acquired names. Both degradation by superimposed visual elements, and degradation by contrast reduction extended VDT, but only the former interacted with AoA. We conclude that both AoA and degradation by superimposed visual elements affect the efficiency of visual object recognition, but only degradation by contrast and not AoA affects the efficiency of earlier pre-recognition processes. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved
Johnston, R.A. and Barry, C. (2006)
Age of Acquisition and lexical processing: A review.
Visual Cognition, 13 (7-8). pp. 789-845. ISSN 1350-6285.
Abstract
Following a brief history of age of acquisition (AoA) research and consideration of measures of AoA, this review examines AoA effects in lexical processing tasks (such as object naming, word reading, and word recognition in the lexical decision task), and in object recognition and semantic processing tasks. It also considers AoA effects in: Memory tasks; face processing tasks; multiple-task studies; and different groups of participants (including bilinguals, aphasics, and deep dyslexics). The review then discusses theoretical accounts of AoA effects, especially within connectionist models, and outlines a number of new and outstanding empirical and theoretical issues in AoA research that are addressed by the papers in this Special Issue.
Catling, J.C. and Johnston, R.A. (2006)
Age of acquisition effects on an object-name verification task.
British Journal of Psychology, 97 (1). pp. 1-18. ISSN 0007-1269.
Abstract
Naming latencies for words, objects and faces have been shown to be affected by the age at which an item is acquired (AoA). Originally, this effect was explained in terms of differential access to name representations. However, a number of recent studies have found AoA effects in tasks which do not require access to names (e.g. Brysbaert, Van Wiinendaele, & De Deynes, 2000; Lewis, 1999; Moore, Smith Spark, & Valentine, 2004; Moore & Valentine, 1999). Ellis and Lambon Ralph (2000) propose an alternative account of AoA, predicting that the effect should arise in any task where previously stored information is retrieved. The current study explored the effect of AoA on an object-name verification task. Experiments I and 2 demonstrated that early acquired objects were verified significantly faster than later acquired objects. A third experiment collected naming latencies for the same picture stimuli in order to allow a comparison of the magnitude of the AoA effect for object verification and naming. The implications of these findings for accounts of AoA and its locus of effect are discussed
Catling, J.C. and Johnston, R.A. (2006)
The effects of age of acquisition on an object classification task.
Visual Cognition, 13 (7-8). pp. 968-980. ISSN 1350-6285.
Abstract
The age at which an item is acquired (age of acquisition; AoA) affects naming latencies for words, objects, and faces. Ellis and Lambon Ralph (2000) proposed an account of AoA that predicts its effect in any task requiring access to stored information. AoA effects have been found in non-naming tasks for faces (e. g., Lewis, 1999) and words (e. g., Brysbaert, van Wijnendaele, & de Deyne, 2000) but not for pictures (e. g., Morrison, Ellis,& Quinlan, 1992). The current study explored the effect of AoA on a manmade/natural picture classification task, but extended previous work by implementing a matched groups design. Early acquired objects were classified significantly more quickly than later acquired objects. Experiment 2 collected naming latencies for the same picture stimuli to allow a comparison of the magnitude of the AoA effect for semantic classification and naming. The AoA effect was significantly greater for the naming task. The implications of these findings in relation to accounts of AoA and its locus of effect are discussed
Johnston, R.A. and Barry, C. (2006)
Repetition priming of access to biographical information from faces.
Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 59 (2). pp. 326-339. ISSN 1747-0218.
Abstract
Two experiments examined repetition priming on tasks that require access to semantic (or biographical) information from faces. In the second stage of each experiment, participants made either a nationality or an occupation decision to faces of celebrities, and, in the first stage, they made either the same or a different decision to faces (in Experiment 1) or the same or a different decision to printed names (in Experiment 2). All combinations of priming and test tasks produced clear repetition effects, which occurred irrespective of whether the decisions made were positive or negative. Same-domain (face-to-face) repetition priming was larger than cross-domain (name-to-face) priming, and priming was larger when the two tasks were the same. It is discussed how these findings are more readily accommodated by the Burton, Bruce, and Johnston (1990) model of face recognition than by episode-based accounts of repetition priming.
Tomlinson, E.K. and Jones, C.A. and Johnston, R.A. et al. (2006)
Facial emotion recognition from moving and static point-light images in schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia Research, 85 (1-3). pp. 96-105. ISSN 0920-9964.
Abstract
It is well established that schizophrenia is associated with difficulties recognising facial expressions of emotion. It has been suggested that this impairment could be specific to moving faces [Archer, J., Hay, D., Young, A., 1994. Movement, face processing and schizophrenia: evidence of a differential deficit in expression analysis. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 33, 517-528]. The current study used point-light images to assess whether people with schizophrenia can interpret emotions from isolated patterns of facial movement in the absence of featural cues. Emotion recognition from moving and static images was assessed using a forced choice design with two sets of three emotions (anger, sadness and surprise; disgust, fear and happiness). The schizophrenia group was significantly better at recognising the emotions from moving images than static images. Although the control group was more accurate overall than the schizophrenia group, both groups presented the same characteristic patterns of performance across tasks. For example, in terms of which emotions were better recognised than others and the types of misidentifications that were made. Hence, it is concluded that people with schizophrenia are sensitive to the motion patterns which underlie individual expressions of emotion and can use this information to accurately recognise emotions.
Johnston, Robert A. and Barry, Chris (2006)
Age of acquisition and lexical processing.
Visual Cognition, 13 (7/8). pp. 789-845.
Abstract
Following a brief history of age of acquisition (AoA) research and consideration of
measures of AoA, this review examines AoA effects in lexical processing tasks (such
as object naming, word reading, and word recognition in the lexical decision task),
and in object recognition and semantic processing tasks. It also considers AoA
effects in: Memory tasks; face processing tasks; multiple-task studies; and different
groups of participants (including bilinguals, aphasics, and deep dyslexics). The
review then discusses theoretical accounts of AoA effects, especially within
connectionist models, and outlines a number of new and outstanding empirical
and theoretical issues in AoA research that are addressed by the papers in this
Special Issue.
Barry, C and Johnston, R.A. and Woods, R.F. (2006)
Effects of age of acquisition, age, and repetition priming on object naming.
Visual Cognition, 13 (7 & 8). pp. 911-927. ISSN 1350-6285.
Abstract
The effects of age of acquisition (AoA) and long-term repetition priming on object naming times were studied in young (20- to 33-year-old) and old (80- to 95-year-old) adults. In the first stage of the experiment, participants performed one of three priming tasks: Picture naming, word reading, or lexical decision. There was an AoA effect in all tasks (although it was not reliable for word reading) that did not differ reliably for old and young participants. In the second stage of the experiment, all participants named pictures. The repetition priming effect was large from the prior naming of the same pictures, less from reading aloud the object names, and was not reliable from making lexical decisions to the object names. There was a reliable AoA effect on naming times that did not differ reliably for old and young participants (and, indeed, was actually slightly larger for the older participants). The results offer no support for the cumulative frequency hypothesis and suggest that the accessibility of words for spoken production is determined by when a word is acquired and remains broadly fixed throughout life.
Catling, J.C. and Johnston, R.A. (2006)
Effects of Age-of-acquisition and short term priming on picture naming.
Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 9 (8). pp. 1443-1453. ISSN 1747-0218.
Abstract
Four experiments examined the interaction of age of acquisition (AoA) and priming on picture naming. Experiment 1 found that initial-letter priming and AoA significantly affected picture-naming latencies, but there was no interaction between them. Experiment 2 found that initial-phoneme priming and AoA significantly affected picture-naming latencies, but again there was no interaction. Experiment 3 repeated Barry, Hirsh, Johnston, and Williams's (2001) priming study using a very short interval between prime and target. Experiment 3 replicated previous findings of a significant interaction between priming and AoA. Experiment 4 repeated this investigation with a procedure that did not require participants to articulate the prime. Once again, there were significant effects of priming, AoA, and the interaction between them. The implications of these findings in relation to accounts of AoA and its locus of effect are discussed
Catling, J.C. and Johnston, R.A. (2005)
Age of acquisition effects on word generation.
European Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 17 (2). pp. 161-177. ISSN 0954-1446.
Abstract
An early demonstration of the impact of when words were learned was found by Loftus and Suppes (1972). They showed that children's vocabulary had a significant effect on adult word generation times. However their stimuli were not explicitly rated for age of acquisition (AoA). Two experiments in the current study used an adaptation of their methodology but made use of explicit AoA ratings and implemented a matched list design. Stimuli consisted of a category followed by an initial letter of a category member, e.g., Vegetable: C. In the first experiment two groups of early and late acquired words were selected. These groups were balanced on all of the relevant independent variables. Results showed that the earlier acquired target words were produced significantly faster than the later acquired target words. In the second experiment two groups of high and low frequency words were selected. These groups were balanced for AoA and on other relevant variables. There was no significant effect of frequency on word generation tasks. A third experiment employed a delayed word naming task, to eliminate any confounding effects of the initial phoneme onset of the stimuli used
Clutterbuck, R. and Johnston, R.A. (2005)
Demonstrating how unfamiliar faces become familiar using a face matching task.
European Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 17 (1). pp. 97-116. ISSN 0954-1446.
Abstract
Two experiments examine a novel method of assessing face familiarity that does not require explicit identification of presented faces. Earlier research (Clutterbuck Johnston, 2002; Young, Hay, MeWeeny, Flude, & Ellis, 1985) has shown that different views of the same face can be matched more quickly for familiar than for unfamiliar faces. This study examines whether exposure to previously novel faces allows the speed with which they can be matched to be increased, thus allowing a means of assessing how faces become familiar. In Experiment 1, participants viewed two sets of unfamiliar faces presented for either many, short intervals or for few, long intervals. At test, previously familiar (famous) faces were matched more quickly than novel faces or learned faces. In addition, learned faces seen on many, brief occasions were matched more quickly than the novel faces or faces seen on fewer, longer occasions. However, this was only observed when participants performed "different" decision matches. In Experiment 2, the similarity between face pairs was controlled more strictly. Once again, matches were performed on familiar faces more quickly than on unfamiliar or learned items. However, matches made to learned faces were significantly faster than those made to completely novel faces. This was now observed for both same and different match decisions. The use of this matching task as a means of tracking how unfamiliar faces become familiar is discussed.
Johnston, R.A. and Barry, C. (2005)
Age of Acquisition effects in the semantic processing of pictures.
Memory & Cognition, 33 (5). pp. 905-912. ISSN 0090-502X.
Abstract
In two experiments, we investigated the role of age of acquisition (AoA) in the categorizing of objects in semantic tasks that do not require access to the object names. In both a found inside or outside the house (Experiment 1A) and a smaller or larger than a loaf of bread (Experiment 2A) classification task, objects with earlier-acquired names were categorized more quickly than those with later-acquired names. Experiments 1B and 2B also showed AoA effects on object-naming times for the same pictures. We conclude that AoA operates within the identification process in a fashion not simply restricted to name retrieval. These effects may be better explained in terms of the connectionist model proposed by Ellis and Lambon Ralph (2000) or by accounts that locate AoA within the semantic system (e.g., Brysbaert, Van Wijnendaele, & De Deyne, 2000; van Loon-Vervoorn, 1989).
Clutterbuck, R. and Johnston, R.A. (2004)
Matching as an index of face familiarity.
Visual Cognition, 11 (7). pp. 857-869. ISSN 1350-6285.
Clutterbuck, R. and Johnston, R.A. (2004)
Demonstrating the acquired familiarity of faces by using a gender decision task.
Perception, 33 (2). pp. 159-168. ISSN 0301-0066.
Clutterbuck, R. and Johnston, R.A. (2002)
Exploring Levels of Face Familiarity by Using an Indirect Face-Matching Measure.
Perception, 31 (8). pp. 985-994. ISSN 0301-0066.
Abstract
An experiment is reported in which participants matched complete images of unfamiliar, moderately familiar, and highly familiar faces with simultaneously presented images of internal and external features. Participants had to decide if the two images depicted same or different individuals. Matches to internal features were made faster to highly familiar faces than both to moderately familiar and to unfamiliar faces, and matches to moderately familiar faces were made faster than to unfamiliar faces. For external feature matches, this advantage was only found for "different" decision matches to highly familiar faces compared to unfamiliar faces. The results indicate that the differences in familiar and unfamiliar face processing are not the result of all-or-none effects, but seem to have a graded impact on matching performance. These findings extend the earlier work of Young et al (1985 Perception 14 737-746), and we discuss the possibility of using the matching task as an indirect measure of face familiarity.
Johnston, R.A. and Barry, C (2001)
Best face forward: Similarity effects in repetition priming of face recognition.
Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology: A - Human Experimental Psychology, 54 (2). pp. 383-396. ISSN 0272-4987.
Abstract
Two experiments examined the graded similarity effect in the repetition priming of familiar face recognition. From the model of repetition priming proposed by Burton, Bruce, and Johnston (1990) it was predicted that similarity effects may be a confound of stimulus preparation. Experiment 1 was used to discount this hypothesis, but failed to replicate a pattern of graded priming related to the similarity of prime and target faces. Experiment 2 attempted a more extensive investigation using two different measures of prime-target similarity. The results replicated Ellis, Young, Flude, and Hay's (1987) finding that similar primes confer more priming than dissimilar ones, but found no correlation between amount of priming and the degree of prime-target resemblance for either similarity metric used. In view of these findings the mechanism of repetition priming in familiar face recognition is discussed
Barry, C. and Hirsh, K. and Johnston, R.A. et al. (2001)
Age of Acquisition, Word Frequency, and the Locus of Repetition Priming of Picture Naming.
Journal of Memory and Language, 44 (3). pp. 350-375. ISSN 0749-596X.
Abstract
We examined the roles of age of acquisition (AoA) and word frequency in picture naming latencies and studied repetition priming to illuminate the locus and mechanism by which the effective variable has its effect. Experiment 1 found that AoA affected naming latencies when frequency was controlled, and Experiment 2 found that frequency had no effect when AoA was controlled. Experiment 3 found no effects of either AoA or frequency in delayed picture naming. Picture naming was facilitated by the prior naming of identical pictures and, to a lesser extent, by the prior reading aloud of the names. Repetition priming interacted with AoA but did not interact with frequency. We conclude that both AoA and long-lasting repetition priming operate at the level of lexical-phonological retrieval and that repetition interacts with AoA because it facilitates the retrieval of lexical-phonological elements required for naming, which benefits late-acquired words differentially.
Conference Items
Johnston, R.A. and Pisitsungkagarn, K. and Ariyabuddhiphongs, K. (2009)
Own Race Bias in a Sequential Face Matching Task.
In: 21st APS Annual Convention, San Francisco.
Abstract
Asian and Caucasian participants performed a sequential matching task to pairs of Asian or Caucasian faces. Different patterns of own race bias were observed for making same or different responses. These findings are used to determine the locus of the disadvantage for processing other race faces.
Johnston, R.A. and Barry, C (2009)
Own race bias in matching upright and inverted faces.
In: Experimental Psychology Conference (EPC 09), Wollongong.
Lech, Agnieskza and Johnston, Robert A and Solomon, Chris (2008)
The influence of exposure time on facial composite construction for own-race and cross-race condition.
In: BPS Annual Conference, 2nd April - 4th April 2008, Dublin.
Rogers, R. and Johnston, R.A. (2008)
Interactions between identity specific and visually derived semantic codes in face processing.
In: 49th Annual meeting of the Psychonomic Society, November 13th - 16th, 2008, Chicago, USA.
Abstract
Contemporary models of face recognition distinguish two sorts of semantic information available from a face: identity-specific semantic codes and visually-derived semantic codes (Bruce & Young, 1986). Access to the former (e.g., biographical information) has been extensively investigated, but the latter have mainly been used as marker variables for examining other aspects of face recognition (e.g., attractiveness, distinctiveness. masculinity/femininity). It is usually assumed these attributes are invariant. This may be true for unfamiliar faces, but in experiments employing familiar faces perception of these characteristics may vary with participantsÂ’ knowledge of the stimuli. In a series of experiments, participants were familiarised with attributes of previously unfamiliar people and then required to make ratings of various physical characteristics. The findings reveal a complex inter-relationship between facts known about a person and the derivation of visually derived codes from their face. The implications for employing these variables in face processing experiments are discussed.
Edited Books
Barry, C. and Johnston, R.A. (2006)
Age of Acquisition Effects in Word and Object Processing.
Psychology Press, United Kingdom, 224 pp. ISBN 9781841698045.
Current Research Students
Agnieszka Lech: Forensic evaluation of witnesses’ performance in creation, identification and recognition of offenders’ facial composites; the question of their confidence and accuracy
Rachel Rogers: An analysis of non-physical factors which influence how a face is processed to form attractiveness judgements
Olga Zubko : Sources of individual variability in face recognition
Brian Spisak: The evolution of facial characteristics: Cues for leadership emergence (with Professor Mark van Vugt)
Past Research Students
Eleanor Tomlinson: Face processing and emotion recognition in schizophrenia
Jonathan Catling: Age of Acquisition effects: towards a unified account
Ruth Clutterbuck : An experimental assessment of the acquiistion of face familiarity
Michael Lewis: A computational and empirical investigation into the face space
Leslie Scanlan: Face and object recognition in adults and children
2003 2005 |
R. A. Johnston, G. W. Humphreys (Birmingham),
C. Barry & T. Lloyd-Jones. |
£54,264 |
2005 2007 |
R. A. Johnston |
£118,456 |
2004 |
R. A. Johnston |
£4,576 |
Ideas for Year 3 Projects
I am interested in supervising projects on most topics related to Face, Person or Object recognition. I can supervise people working on their own or in pairs.
If you already have an idea that might be worked into a project please feel free to contact me.
Alternatively, the following areas relate directly to my own research interests and you might like to discuss possible projects linked to these more specific topics. I generally supervise projects that recruit adult participants from our RPS scheme. However, almost all the topics I suggest could also be applied to specific groups of individuals (e.g., children, policemen, people with autism) but you would need your own access to such groups.
Naming and recognising familiar people: It seems effortless to be able to recognise familiar people from their names or faces – but sometimes the process breaks down. Have you ever been unable to remember the name of an actor and yet know lots of other facts about them? What can such phenomena tell us about the way we store information about people we know? Do we store memories about celebrities and acquaintances in the same way? Are some biographical details easier to access than others?
Recognising other race faces: For a long time it has been known that it is more difficult to recognise faces of people from another race than people from our own. Why might this arise? Is it due to how we store memories or the way that we perceive faces? Could we eliminate the effect by artificially exposing people to large numbers of other race faces?
Learning new faces: There seems to be a difference in the way we deal with faces we have seen before. However, recognising that a face is one we saw in the car park yesterday feels a very different process to realising a face belongs to a known person (e.g., Tony Blair or your brother). How do faces become ‘known’ rather than simply seen before? Could it be the number of encounters we have with them or the length of time we see them for? Could it be the process of learning ‘facts’ about people?
Individual differences in face recognition: Face recognition is a process that many people claim to be good or bad at, however, it is not likely to be a single process. For example, faces might be recognised as merely familiar or might be named. Are people equally proficient at all stages of face identification or could they be poorer at particular tasks (face naming only)? Alternatively, how does a person’s face recognition skill compare to their expertise on other face processing tasks? Is a good face recogniser also good at judging expression or deciding if faces are male and female?
Face processing not involving recognition: Although we often focus on recognition when we consider how we use faces, there are many other processing tasks that we can apply. We are able to estimate the age of faces or judge their attractiveness. We can assess the emotional state of a person by their expression or decide if they are male or female. We might investigate what information is extracted from a presented face in order to make these decisions? Do we use the same information with all types of faces? For example, do we rate attractiveness of faces of people much older or younger than ourselves in the same manner as we judge faces of our own age group? If differences exist, do they extend to other task like judging expression?
Similarities between face and object recognition: There is a continuing debate about whether face and object recognition are separate processes? Could faces simply be a subset of objects? We might investigate how people perform different tasks with faces and objects. Are face and object naming helped by the same primes? Hindered by the same distractors?
AoA effects in object recognition: The age at which we first learn an item seems to influence how easily we can later recognise it? This variable is called Age of Acquisition (AoA). Items encountered earlier are usually easier to recognise. However, objects we encounter more frequently are also easier to recognise. Are these two factors (frequency and AoA) different effects or simply different descriptions of the same effect? Do they both influence the same stages of object identification – naming, categorising, recognising, etc.
Other academic activities
Director of Graduate Studies
Stage 2 and 3 Chief Examiner
Programme Director: MSc in Cognitive Psychology/Neuropsychology
Editorial Board
Visual Cognition 1997 - 2005
Editor of a special issue of the journal Visual Cognition (with Christopher Barry)
School of Psychology
Keynes College
University of Kent
Canterbury, Kent
CT2 7NP
United Kingdom
Tel. +44 (0)1227 827145
Fax. +44 (0)1227 827030
Email:
R.A.Johnston@kent.ac.uk
Office: Keynes A 3.04
Office Hours: Monday 12 -2pm