The Goldsmiths Unfamiliar Face Memory Test

Unfamiliar face identification ability varies widely in the population. Those at the extreme top and bottom ends of the continuum have been labelled super-recognisers and prosopagnosics, respectively. It remains unclear what distinguishes super-recognisers from individuals with typical face processing ability and what mechanisms underpin exceptional face processing skills. Here we describe the development of a new test - the Goldsmiths Unfamiliar Face Memory Test (GUFMT) that has been designed to measure different aspects of face identity ability across the spectrum. The GUFMT design draws on theories suggesting face identification is achieved by the recognition of facial features, the consistency across time of configurations between those features, and holistic processing of faces as a Gestalt. In four phases, participants (n = 16737), recruited using different methods, allowed evaluations to drive GUFMT development, the creation of likely population norms, as well as correlations with established face recognition tests. Recommendations for criteria for classification of super-recognition ability are also made.