Abstract
People are inherently linked to the contexts in which we encounter them. The classic “butcher on the bus” phenomenon demonstrates that we are more likely to remember and identify a face when presented in the associated context in which the individual is typically found. In the current study, we examined how context affects face discrimination more generally. The pandemic brought upon new regularities when encountering faces. For example, in the early part of the pandemic, when using public transportation, it was the norm to encounter faces with a mask covering the nose and mouth. We utilized these new regularities and asked whether the context of public transportation may modulate the ability to discriminate faces with a mask. We predicted perception of a masked face would be enhanced when primed with a context where face masks are typically worn (public transit) compared with when primed with a context where face masks are not typically found (restaurant). To test this, participants (N=54) determined whether two faces were the same or different. The faces were presented either in full-view, with a face mask, or with sunglasses, primed with a public transit or public dining image. As predicted, participants were better at discriminating masked faces when primed with a public transit scene. In contrast, when faces were presented with sunglasses, a situation not associated with either context, face discrimination was matched. These results implicate that context can modulate face discrimination when the face is presented in its typical context. How this effect generalizes to other contexts, and how context may affect face matching in discrimination and criterion measures will be discussed.