Faces

### Cold Open

"Your face is pretty remarkable. And whether you've got a baby face, a poker face, or a face only a mother could love, your identity is deeply rooted in your own unique face. With over 40 muscles twisting and contorting your face allows you to express a near infinite number of emotions and feelings. But not only are you capable of making faces, your brain is also highly adept at recognizing what other people's faces are saying to you. Now obviously, we all see the world differently. But is that true when it comes to faces?"

## Games

### Game #1: One Face

Dick Cheney & George W. Bush are in this image.

Result: But it's just one face.

Why: If we take out accessories and other facial features besides just the plain face, both faces belong to the same person. But if we zoom out, two faces seem visible. Because outside facial features are just as important as internal features, is why you mistook Dick Cheney's face.

### Game #2: Pick Em' Out

Identify faces based on a characteristic.

Result: Your brain probably did pretty well.

Why: Because your brain's ability to recognize other human faces was a trait that helped humans evolve as a species. Facial recognition within our own species allows us to know when someone is interested in us, when someone is unhappy, or if someone is a potential threat. And you may have even spotted angry faces faster than happy or sad ones. You often spot those faster because in order to survive, you need to detect a potential threat, wherever it may lurk. But that doesn't mean it can't make mistakes.

### Game #3: Staring Face

Spot the staring face.

Result: You probably spotted it very quickly. It might have even made you feel uncomfortable.

Why: We're very sensitive to each other's eyes, since they convey content. If someone fixes our gaze upon us, all we know is that we're the object of their attention.

### Game #4: Center of Attention

What will happen when many people stare at someone at a barber shop?

Result: The stress builds up in and it made them feel like maybe they had done something wrong.

Why: By staring, they are showing disapproval. It dates back to pre-language human times and just as effective today. It can increase stress levels, increasing bodily functions.

But how will some others react?

Result: After a walk out the door, and the staring becoming closer to them, the stress is even higher.

But why did they stay?

Why: Some took it as a challenge, and never felt too intimidated to walk out.

### Game #5: Missing That

Identify celebrities without eyes.

Result: You probably did pretty well, despite the challenge.

But it's time to change things up a bit. Now, the eyebrows are gone.

#### Brain Booster:

Ever wonder why it seems like cars are looking at you?

The phenomenon scientists call "Pareidolia" refers to:

A. Seeing Faces In Inanimate Objects

B. An Obsessive Interest in cars

C. The Scientific Term for an imaginary friend

The correct answer is A. After car designers caught on to it, it prompted them to create cars with characteristics we find appealing in people's faces.

Result: It may have been harder.

Why: Eyebrows are very important is recognizing faces. The reason is because they're large and create a high contrast to the rest of your face, which makes your brain faster at recognizing faces and can inform your brain of gender and age.

### Game #6: Eric's Face is King

Pay attention to Eric's face while our volunteers try to describe it. A sketch artist will make visual drawings. You can play along by picking different options.

Result: You may or may have not been able to, but if our brains evolved to recognize faces, why is this game so difficult?

Why: A face is like a jigsaw puzzle to your brain. It can only be understood once all the pieces are in place. When you see individual parts, you don't know who it is, unless you know that face very well. The Occipital Lobe recognizes individual parts of a face.

## List of Experts

* Jim Coan
* Eric Leclerc(Illusionist)
* Capt. Daniel Solliti(Sketch Artist, FBI)