Spatial frequency characteristics in recognizing the age and sex of faces

Abstract

The present study investigated the role of spatial frequency components in recognizing age and sex in facial images. In Experiment 1, low (LSF) and high spatial frequencies (HSF) of facial images were morphed between different age groups (one-year-olds, teens, twenties, and sixties), and the participants were required to estimate the age. The results showed that the manipulation of spatial frequency affected age recognition more for the faces including aged than for the faces including infant, suggesting that people use different cues for them. In addition, the recognized age was affected more by HSF components throughout. Recognition of sex was investigated in Experiments 2a and 2b, using the same faces but morphing male and female. In the judgment of sex, unlike for age estimation, the recognition system clearly depended on the LSF. These results were discussed in terms of the different roles of age and sex information and the development of the visual system in early infancy.