Facial expressions make it harder to recognize faces

People's faces change all the time. During a conversation, a person's facial expressions and head angle change, and over time, people's appearances also change if they lose weight, grow a beard, or change their hairstyle. If we know someone, we can recognize them despite these changes - but if a face is unfamiliar, research has shown that people are generally very bad at matching together two images of the same face. If we know someone, we can recognize them despite changes in facial expressions - but if a face is unfamiliar, research has shown that people are generally very bad at matching together two images of the same face. Pictured is Jim Carrey in the film'A Series of Unfortunate Events' How the human visual system manages to overcome the challenge of face changes and allow us to recognize people it still mostly unknown.