Face recognition in self-other discrimination task: Effects of familiarity and mask wearing

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of familiarity on the self–other discrimination task of face recognition using morphed images of the participant's own face and the face of other people (same-sex friend or unknown), as well as the effect of wearing a mask, which is a habit during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants performed the self–other discrimination task in four experimental sessions: (morphing between self and friend, morphing between self and unknown) x (with and without masks). Fifteen morphed images were used in the experiment, varying in the ratio of self. The result showed that the threshold (the ratio of self in the morphed image where the performance of self/other discrimination task is at chance level) was lower in the morphed image condition with the friend than that with the unknown.