Putting a Face to Face Blindness: Prosopagnosia
Kaylee Engle
Imagine that there is a camera inside of your head. Each time you meet someone, you use this camera to take a photo of their face and then store the photo away for future reference. Now imagine that you take a photograph when you meet someone, but never store away the photos. This is the analogy used by blogger Glenn Alperin to describe the condition known as prosopagnosia.
Prosopagnosia, also known as face blindness, is a condition in which people are unable to recognize faces. People with this condition struggle to recognize family, friends, and partners. Some may not even recognize their own face. In addition, they may struggle to judge someone’s facial expressions or determine a person’s age and gender. Many people with prosopagnosia have learned to identify people using other noticeable features, such as a person’s hair, clothing, or voice. Unfortunately, this strategy does not always work. It may be more difficult to recognize someone if they have changed their appearance or are in an unfamiliar location. For example, if a person with prosopagnosia recognizes someone by the baseball cap they always wear, they will have a hard time recognizing that person without the cap.
According to the National Health Service, researchers have identified two different types of prosopagnosia. The first is referred to as developmental prosopagnosia. People who are diagnosed with this type are born with the disorder. Developmental prosopagnosia is thought to have a genetic component and runs in families. The second type is referred to as acquired prosopagnosia. People with this kind of prosopagnosia develop the condition after they are born. This occurs when a person develops prosopagnosia as a result of brain trauma, such as a head injury. Developmental prosopagnosia is much more common than acquired prosopagnosia.
Prosopagnosia can have negative effects on a person’s well-being. Many people with this condition avoid social situations and struggle to develop relationships. They often feel socially isolated and disconnected from the world around them. People with prosopagnosia may also avoid exploring new places, as it can be difficult to recognize locations and navigate a new area. It is common for people with this condition to develop social anxiety or depression as a result of their limited social interactions.
Unfortunately, there is currently no treatment available for prosopagnosia. However, researchers have identified several ways that people with this condition might improve their ability to recognize others. As mentioned earlier, people with prosopagnosia often learn to recognize certain features on a person, such as their hair, clothing, voice, or how they walk. It can also be helpful to memorize distinctive physical features of a person, such as freckles or birthmarks. Some people use recognition aids. They might study photographs, write down a person’s name and identifying features, or obtain identifying information before meeting a new person. While there is no cure for prosopagnosia, people with this condition may use strategies like these to adapt to their circumstances.
Prosopagnosia is an invisible disability-we cannot tell that someone has it just by looking at them. This condition can be difficult to live with, but there are some things that we can do to help alleviate the stress that people with prosopagnosia experience.
We can reintroduce ourselves to people we are less familiar with during a conversation (this can also help with name recognition).
At work, we can make sure our name tag or ID is always visible.
If possible, it might be helpful for us to make some aspect of our appearance easily recognizable: carrying the same bag, wearing a piece of jewelry, or the same glasses each day.
While prosopagnosia is a serious disorder, most people with this condition live happy and fulfilling lives. By being aware of prosopagnosia and the challenges it presents, we can adjust our behavior to make the world more accessible.
References
Chowhan, S. (2013, September 24). Living with face blindness. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/09/living-with-face-blindness/279898/
Lewis, J.G. (2013, September 19). Prosopagnosia: Why some are blind to faces. Mind Read: Connecting Brain and Behavior. https://www.nature.com/scitable/blog/mind-read/blind_to_faces_the_neuroscience/
National Health Service. (2019, May 1). Prosopagnosia (face blindness). National Health Service. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/face-blindness/