Can't see you, in a crowd!

Ever wondered why we find it difficult to pick out a familiar face in a crowd? Well, according to a new study, searching for a face in a crowd is difficult in part because images of upright faces interfere with each other, and that the phenomenon might have implications for individuals with face-recognition disorders and visual-attention related ailments.

In the study, the research team conducted five experiments to measure participants’ recognition of a familiar face or house that was located in a crowded display of other faces or houses.

The analysis found that face recognition was more difficult when target faces were surrounded by upright faces (as seen in crowds). This effect was not present for images of houses, or when upside-down faces were used as targets.

The results indicate that searching for a face in a crowd is difficult in part because images of upright faces interfere with each other.
The finding can help scientists develop an artificial visual system that approaches the sophistication of human visual perception.