The rise and fall of face recognition awareness across the lifespan

A core component of metacognition is cognitive awareness, insight into how one’s cognitive abilities compare to others. Previous studies of cognitive awareness have focused on basic aspects of perception, memory, and learning. Further, studies of the awareness of one’s social cognitive abilities have been limited to examining awareness of others’ thinking (i.e., theory of mind). The current study characterizes awareness of one’s own social cognitive abilities, specifically face recognition awareness, and examines its change across the lifespan. We used a large, web-based sample (N=4,143) with a broad age range (ages 10-70), administering well-validated measures of objective (Cambridge Face Memory Test 3) and self-reported (Cambridge Face Memory Questionnaire) face recognition. We found a robust overall association between objective and self-reported face recognition (r=0.42 in females, r=.36 in males). While we found that face recognition ability peaked in the early-to-mid 30s, face recognition awareness peaked in the early-to-mid 20s, was relatively stable throughout the 20s-40s, and declined in the 50s-60s. Relative subjective vs. objective face recognition bias measures demonstrated that 10-18- and 51–70-year-olds overestimated their self-reported face recognition abilities in comparison to 19-50-year-olds. Finally, compared to males, females had greater face recognition awareness and a bias to relatively underestimate their face recognition abilities.