The retrieval of semantic and episodic information from faces and voices: A face advantage.

Recent findings indicate that semantic and episodic information is more likely to be retrieved from faces than voices [Damjanovic & Hanley, 2007, Memory and Cognition, 35(6), 1205-1210]. Previous studies investigating this 'face advantage' over voice used famous faces and voices as stimuli, which induced several methodological difficulties. We present four studies aimed at further examining the differential retrieval of semantic and episodic information from faces and voices. Study 1 and 2 compare the retrieval of semantic and episodic information from pre-experimentally personally familiar faces and voices [Brédart, Barsics, & Hanley, 2009, European Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 21(7), 1013-1021; Barsics & Brédart, 2011, Consciousness and Cognition, 20(2), 303-308]. In Study 3, an associative learning paradigm is used in order to strictly control the frequency of exposure with faces and voices. The recall of semantic information is subsequently assessed from faces and voices. In Study 4, distinctiveness impact on semantic information retrieval from faces and voices is assessed, as it could constitute a key factor underlying the face advantage over voice. All results are in line with the face advantage. These findings are discussed at the light of current models of person recognition. An account in terms of expertise is finally proposed.