ABSTRACT
Although the Categorization-Individuation Model predicts that differential
categorization of own-race and cross-race faces can elicit differential
attention to category-versus identity-diagnostic information, what sets the
CIM apart from other models that predict similar phenomena (see Levin,
1996, 2000; Sporer, 2001) is that we argue that a variety of cues
(categorization among them) can also elicit differential motivation to
individuate faces of different categories. Thus, the CIM also predicts that
perceivers will only individuate faces deemed sufficiently worthy of their limited attention. In other words, we adopt the long-standing and well-
validated assumption that enhanced motivation can trigger selective
attention (and deeper processing), which can facilitate encoding (Chun &
Turk-Browne, 2007). In short, the unique identities of members of some
categories (e.g., own-race faces) frequently seem more important to us than
the identities of members of other categories (e.g., cross-race faces). Because
many people in our environment are not personally relevant to us, and hence
encoding their unique facial identities is not subjectively useful, they are simply treated categorically. For example, one can successfully ride the bus
without knowing or remembering the driver or other passengers; instead,
category information is often sufficient. However, if one happens to be a
brand new college student in a bus full of new college students, the potential
for friendship may motivate superior face memory in this context. Similarly,
the face of the elderly cashier at the grocery store may be difficult to
remember, but the face of one’s new dean may remain etched in one’s mind* even if these two faces are nearly identical.
