A Clinical Test Battery of Face Processing

Abstract

This paper proposes a clinical tool to investigate face processing by brain-injured patients. A test battery is described, which is organized according to the cognitive model of face recognition proposed by Bruce and Young (1986), as well as Ellis' (1981) suggestion of an early facial decision stage. The battery consists of 6 basic tests tapping several loci of the cognitive architecture, together with 13 optional subtests provided to explore in greater depth defects eventually detected by means of the basic tests. The performances of 72 normal subjects are described and the battery is then illustrated by the analysis of performance by a prosopagnosic subject.