Abstract

Face recognition is one of the most important skills in primate social cognition, enabling the formation of long-lasting, interindividual relationships. This article summarizes existing research on face processing in non-human primates with the goal of understanding the evolution of this important socio-cognitive skill. It describes different levels of configural processing and the importance of early visual expertise in face processing. By reviewing studies on the well-known face inversion effect, evidence for configural face processing in non-human primates is reviewed. The study examines the social salience of faces by employing a variety of gaze tracking and visual orienting techniques. It deals with the ability to recognize individuals across various viewpoints and manipulating configural cues directly. Neuroimaging studies aid in understanding whether the neural correlates of face recognition in non-human primates involve a similar brain regions as humans.