[moses lawn (OP)]

If you see someone you knew many years ago, you are likely to recognise them, even though they, like you, have aged during that time, and their appearance may well be substantially different to how it was then.

How does the recognition process compensate for the effect ageing has on those we know?

[DrN]

I saw a TV program about this not so long ago, but i can't remember what they said axactly. I know they said about a completely separate part of the brain was used for facial recognition that for other seeing and recognising function. very interesting.

[neilep]

Good question !!..in fact such a good question that I asked an almost identical one a while ago, here's the link, http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1052&SearchTerms=recognize  

Check the thread , there are some good answers there already that also relate to your exact query.


'Men are the same as women...just inside out !'

[Ylide]

The other day I was reading about a mental disorder where people lose this exact ability...to recognize faces.  One man was on his way out of the house and thought his wife's face was his hat and tried putting it on his head.

This message brought to you by The Council of People Who Are Sick of Seeing More People

[OmnipotentOne]

I wonder why he did that, maybe he wears his hat everyday and kisses his wife goodbye every day before work, and just got slightly confused!

To see a world in a grain of sand.

[moses lawn (OP)]

"The man who mistook his wife for a hat" is one of the fascinating case studies by the Psychologist Dr. Oliver Sacks, in his book of that name.

This particular patient had had a stroke which dramatically altered his cognitive functioning.

[bezoar]

But some people have an inability to recognize faces.  Agnosia?  Isn't that the word?  They recognize by other features, ie voice, gait, etc.  What a weird thing.  Don't know if it's brought about by some disease process or it's a congenital thing.