Individual differences in face memory and eye fixation patterns during face learning

This study examined the relationship between individual differences in face memory and eye fixation patterns during face learning. Participants watched short movies of 20 faces and were divided into high and low face memory groups based on their performance in a recognition memory test. No qualitative difference was observed in the eye fixation distribution between high and low groups. Both groups mostly fixed on the internal region of faces, especially the eyes. A difference in the eye fixation pattern by groups was observed in the number of fixations and total fixation time on the eyes, which reflected high face memory participants moving their eyes between the left and right eyes more frequently than low face memory participants. These findings suggest that fixation on the eyes has a functional role in face memory and is related to individual differences in face memory.

Research Highlights► Eye movement on faces was compared between high and low face memory participants. ► High and low groups showed no qualitative difference in eye fixation distribution. ► High participants gazed at the eyes more frequently than low participants. ► This difference reflected the difference in the number of eye-to-eye transitions. ► Fixation on the eyes is shown to be related to individual differences in face memory.