Jonathan Lizotte
 Position Paper #5
 November 11, 1996

 Faces and Voices: Comparing the impact on person identification

     I would agree  that some people remember others better by seeing them rather than
 hearing their  voice.  I was interested about the comment on the bottom of page 358 
where it is said that characteristics such as age, height, weight and obviously gender can 
"be objectively determined by acoustic analysis or trained listeners."  I am a person that 
often can't remember the names of the people I just met if I either have met more than two 
or three new people or I am in a new situation.  However,  I find that I can easily identify 
and recall voices. Often times when people call (people that I do not know well) for my 
roommates I know who it is and who they want to speak to when they say hello.

     I have been thinking about this since I read the article and have come to my own 
conclusion of sorts.  When I meet someone in person there is a great deal more information 
to take in when compared to just hearing their voice.  There are numerous characteristics
about a person that one usually tries to remember, all while trying to make a good first
impression and carry on an intelligent conversation.  I usually try to 
remember everything and end up forgeting rather quickly . In contrast when you are simply 
talking to someone on the phone that you do not know you have only to listen to their voice. 
I have found that this forced concentration on only the persons voice has made it easier to
remember them.   Or at least the voice I'm talking to.  In this study a tape was played of
different voices to see if people could later recall or identify them.  Perhaps this is why the 
results "partially confirmed superiority of  face identification."  While not to 
the same degree as  face to face contact, sitting in a room listening to a tape recorder 
still provides plenty  of  distractions compared to the focused attention one usually gives to 
a telephone.