Face Perception & Recognition
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| PSGY3051 | Psychology | 3 | 10 | Spring Malaysia |
- Code
- PSGY3051
- School
- Psychology
- Level
- 3
- Credits
- 10
- Semesters
- Spring Malaysia
Summary
Humans are incredibly adept at recognising (familiar) faces and decoding subtle information conveyed by faces. Not only are faces useful for recognising identity, they also contain an abundance of social signals. Based on facial features, most of us can make sophisticated judgments about age, emotion, gender, race, attractiveness, traits (e.g. trustworthiness, perceived dominance, etc). However, people who suffer from a cognitive disorder of face perception – prosopagnosia or “face blindness” – are unable to recognise faces, even those of their friends and acquaintances. These related topics will be explored in detail, to demonstrate how scientific evidence can inform us about the underlying mechanisms of face perception. The existing theoretical models and current controversies regarding human face processing will be discussed. The approach in this module will be interdisciplinary, combining perspectives from cognitive, evolutionary, developmental and social psychology with those from neuroscience perspectives.
Target Students
BSc Psychology / BSc Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience students at UNM. The module would also be suitable for psychology postgraduate research students and as a subsidiary module for undergraduates in other schools and faculty.
Classes
- One 2-hour lecture each week for 10 weeks
This module will be presented through face-to-face lectures. Lectures are intended to provide a basic introduction to each topic and should be supplemented with independent reading of the literature. Suggested reading will be provided for each lecture topic. To encourage active learning and student participation, a short interactive discussion will be held after every lecture.
Assessment
- 100% Exam (2-hour): 50 MCQs + 1 essay question (choose 1 out of 3)
Assessed by end of spring semester
Educational Aims
This module will offer students an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the cognitive mechanisms that allow us to perceive and recognise faces. Students will be exposed to several contemporary debates in face research, where they will encounter evidence-based arguments both against and in favour of different theoretical accounts. Students will be encouraged to think critically about empirical evidence, evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different arguments and develop their own opinions. Students will also learn about the application of experimental techniques as well as different theories of face processing drawn from a few related disciplines (e.g. psychology, neuroscience, evolutionary biology, computer science).Learning Outcomes
- Knowledge and understanding – Students will be able to demonstrate in-depth understanding of the mechanisms (psychological, biological, social and evolutionary factors) in face processing and to describe different sources of information available within faces.
- Intellectual skills – Students will critically evaluate the methodological approaches in various related disciplines (e.g. the contribution of neuroimaging research to understanding face perception)
- Professional/practical skills – Students will develop critical thinking and writing skills through evaluating relevant literature. Students will also demonstrate their ability to communicate ideas and arguments clearly by participating in small-group discussions of research and theory.
- Transferable skills – Students will develop skills in critical thinking, working in small groups and scientific writing. They will also demonstrate basic understanding of commonly used face ability tests in applied settings and advanced techniques (e.g. eye-tracking) in academic research.
Conveners
- Dr Wong Hoo Keat