Never forget a face?

[Miss Neecerie]

Some people claim to never forget a face. And the ability can prove to be socially awkward.

A new study finds some people can remember faces of people they met years ago and only in passing. Others of us, of course, aren't blessed with that ability. In fact about 2 percent of the population have prosopagnosia, a condition characterized by great difficulty in recognizing faces.

Super-recognizers recognize other people far more often than they are recognized. So they often compensate by pretending not to recognize someone they met in passing, so as to avoid appearing to attribute undue importance to a fleeting encounter, Russell said.

"Super-recognizers have these extreme stories of recognizing people," says Russell. "They recognize a person who was shopping in the same store with them two months ago, for example, even if they didn't speak to the person. It doesn't have to be a significant interaction; they really stand out in terms of their ability to remember the people who were actually less significant."

Often, super-recognizers are able to recognize another person despite significant changes in appearance, such as aging or a different hair color. http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20090519/sc_livescience/somepeopleneverforgetaface


This is -so- me....I recognize people in the store that I knew in elementary school....etc....

I have actually stopped mentioning all the people I see and recognize...because its just rather pointless...and odd..


So...who else? or are you all normal?

 

[Paisley]

I didn't recognize an old boyfriend I was looking for. I walked right past him. :eusa_doh:

I'm better with voices.

 

[scottyrocks]

I'm good with faces. Not super-good, perhaps, though . . . :eusa_doh:

 

[goldwyn girl]

I'm hopeless, hubby on the other hand can recall faces from eons ago.

 

[DutchIndo]

Oh I never forget a face it's the names that kill me. I worked at a job where I got transfered every two years. I have gotten to know alot of people. It is akward as I've forgotten many a name. In fact it just happened to me last week.

 

[JennyLou]

I was never good at recognizing faces. I also think it is because I used to be so shy that when I talked to people I didn't look at their faces, but now I do. I'm still bad with faces though.

 

[Foofoogal]

I can remember faces from eons ago also but cannot for the life of me remember names from 2 minutes before. I can though remember names of glass companies and antique stuff. (selective remembering perhaps?)
Only one time some women walked up to me chatting away like I was her best buddy and I finally had to say I didn't remember her. She got all huffy and stormed off. What was I supposed to do? Lie? maybe she had it all wrong!
I once knew a pastor that could remember everyones name. Guess it was good for his call.
I try to associate people with words. It helps a bit to go thru the alphabet but not much. A,B,C...
I have with age now look people square in the eyes. You would be amazed how much you see.

 

[donCarlos]

I don´t even remember names and faces of people I just met. I´m not very social

 

[Lady Day]

Super-recognizers recognize other people far more often than they are recognized. So they often compensate by pretending not to recognize someone they met in passing, so as to avoid appearing to attribute undue importance to a fleeting encounter...

Yeah thats me to a tea. What I rarely equate are look-a-likes, I never see those.
I often purposefully try and 'forget' people so I dont have them in my mental catalog.

LD

 

[Fletch]

I recognize people, sometimes people I'd have no clue what to converse about. I also mistake people for others - that freaks 'em but good sometimes...

 

[Undertow]

Unfortunately, I'm plagued with remembering faces but absolutely cannot remember names.

 

[Lily Powers]

Clothing and details seem to stay in my mind for years, and depending on the actions associated with the face, I can have excellent recall. Apparently my face conjures up memories for many folks because I always remind people of someone they knew.

 

[HadleyH]

I never forget a face, but always forget the name! [huh]

 

[Foofoogal]

I wonder if this is left brain/right brain differences in people.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,22492511-5005375,00.html

I see her counter clockwise.

 

[J.J. Gittes]

I can recognize people I've just seen around befor, such as on the bus. I've seen the same people around the city numerous times I've seen on the bus.

Like alot of people though, I have trouble with names sometimes of people I've been briefly introduced to.

My employer noticed someone from kindergarten at Viva Las Vegas just from seeing them walking by. Talk about super recognizer.

 

[JJWord]

Like Undertow and Hadley, I'm quick to remember the face but the name is either completely lost to me or it takes me several minutes to come up with it.

I always tell my wife its a spatial recognition thing.

 

[MrNewportCustom]

Sometimes I can, sometimes I can't. I once rendezvoused with a girlfriend in Pittsburgh. I got off the plane and walked right past her. :eusa_doh: She was a little less than pleased.


Lee

 

[cecil]

I wonder if this is left brain/right brain differences in people.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,22492511-5005375,00.html

I see her counter clockwise.

Could be! She's clockwise to me but I concentrated really hard and made her go the other way for a few seconds.

I super recognise all the time. Though I'm one of those dorky people who will approach the person and tell them that I recognise them. :eusa_doh: i really should stop it, it probably just embarasses both parties. Aww.

 

[Talbot]

I'm often recognized by people I have no recall of. Can be a bit awkward sometimes.

I usually ask them what they are up to these days, and eventually the bits fall into place.

 

[anon`]

I wonder if this is left brain/right brain differences in people.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,22492511-5005375,00.html

I see her counter clockwise.

I call shenanigans! She was turning clockwise for me and I could not for the life of me get her to turn anti-clockwise... until I started reading the list of right-brain functions. Then she wouldn't go back the other way! :eusa_doh:

What's weird about that is that, by and large, I'm much more an "anti-clockwise" individual. Maybe the sides of my brain take turns? That would actually explain quite a lot...

Anyway, back to the original question of the thread: I am thoroughly, superbly mediocre here. Sometimes I can't even recognise a face from yesterday, other times I'll instantly know someone I've not seen for years. Same goes for names. About the only constant is that I tend to remember lots of little details about someone long after they've forgotten them. And that sometimes leads to some very awkward conversation moments!