Sex Differences in Facial Recognition: Biology vs. Culture

Introduction

Do men and women read faces differently? Current research suggests that when it comes to biological sex differences, women have an advantage in their ability to read emotion in faces better than men (Wingenbach, Ashwin & Brosnan, 2018). One possible explanation for this difference is that sociocultural factors influence the extent to which men and women are able to recognize both familiar and unfamiliar faces (Mishra et al., 2019). Cognitivism is another possible explanation, as a person learns to use new information and apply it to a current situation (Rosser-Majors, 2017). This paper examines whether cognitivism — the ability to learn facial recognition — or sociocultural factors are more important in explaining facial recognition differences between men and women. It shows that both play an important role in determining recognition, but that there is no clear-cut answer to whether biological or cultural differences constitute the bigger factor.

Facial Recognition Differences Between Men and Women

Facial recognition differences exist between men and women (Rennels & Cummings, 2013). Studies conducted with male and female infants as well as adults have shown that these differences are real. Males tend to process facial information holistically, while females tend to process it using second-order relations. Encoding features is an important aspect of what drives females to recognize emotion in faces. However, when it comes to recognizing familiar versus unfamiliar faces in general, there appears to be a skew toward a male advantage (Mishra et al., 2019). What Rennels and Cummings (2013) have shown is that hemispheric activity in the brain differs between males and females in the context of facial recognition.

Wingenbach et al. (2018) have pointed out that facial expressions are important aspects of communication. Facial recognition is therefore not just a matter of identifying a face but also of reading it and interpreting what is being communicated. Because males and females read faces differently — as observed through studies of infants and adults — it stands to reason that when women see a face, something different is occurring in the processing of that information than when men see a face. Men tend to focus more on identifying the face, whereas women tend to focus more on reading it (Wingenbach et al., 2018). Yet in some parts of the world there appears to be no difference in male versus female recognition of faces (Mishra et al., 2019). Scherf, Elbich, and Motta-Mena (2017) have shown, moreover, that face recognition is a social skill that can be acquired equally by men and women alike. Because facial recognition is an important aspect of social interaction, the differences between male and female ability to recognize and read faces must be influenced by both biological factors and environmental ones — that is, by social circumstances.

Part of facial recognition and reading is the ability to demonstrate emotional and social intelligence (Hendon, Powell & Wimmer, 2017). Social and emotional intelligence skills are related to how well an individual can interpret non-verbal communications, including facial expressions. This is a skill that requires one to use cognitivism by building on prior knowledge and applying it to a given situation. However, in cultures that are more male-dominated, it may be more difficult for women to develop these skills, which can facilitate facial recognition. At the same time, because women encode information differently from men, it may be that women can bridge the sociocultural gap that exists in male-dominated cultures by using their biological abilities to read and recognize faces, placing them on more of an even footing with men.

Conclusion

Whether one is reading emotion in a face or recognizing the identity of a face, recognition skills, encoding processes, cognitivism, and sociocultural factors all play a part in how well that person performs the function. Facial recognition differs between males and females, as demonstrated in studies of biological differences in infants. However, as people grow, they also develop cognitive, social, and emotional skills — or at least some have the opportunity to do so. Not everyone possesses these skills to the same degree. Those who do may be better at recognizing and reading faces than others. Nonetheless, the degree to which socialization and culture influence these processes remains something of a mystery.

Men and women both have the ability to recognize faces, but they do so differently because their biological structures differ — particularly in the way they recruit regions of the brain. Future research may seek to focus on the degree to which memory, working memory, false memories, and cognition contribute to facial recognition processes in men and women. It must not be forgotten, however, that culture also plays a role in mediating these differences. Socialization will always be a cultural outcome, shaped by limits and social distinctions for as long as meaningful differences between men and women exist.

References

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