Recognizing People (facial recognition)

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As I read more and more about autism since my son's diagnosis, I am considering my own quirks.

One of my quirks is having a heck of a time remembering faces. I remember being in elementary school and I did not know half the people in my class by the middle of the year. It is not that I didn't care - I just had trouble remembering all the faces.

Even in high school, I did not know all the faces (My grad class was around 200 or so). When watching a movie - I will sometimes recognize a face and know I have seen them before, but can't place the movie. Other times, I will not recognize actors at all. When watching some movies with multiple characters, unless the characters are very distinctive looking, I will have trouble telling one character apart from another.

I work as a nurse in long term care and am lucky because my clients are all very individual (older adults are very individually distinctive, with unique features, mannerisms and styles), I know all 150 of them by name and face. Interestingly, I have trouble with some of my co-workers when they are new hires. Most are young, shorter and Asian (mostly from the Phillipines). They all speak with a Phillappino accent. They are also all distinct and unique individuals, but when everyone is the same height, has shoulder length black hair, slim, wears similiar uniforms and has similiar intonation when speaking, I get faces mixed up and subtly look at name id tags when addressing people until I get to know them better - then I'm okay. God help me if someone forgets their name badge!! I am worried that people will think that I am "racist" because I have trouble "telling 'em apart." It is not racism, it is genuine difficulty with facial recognition. Of course, I keep my difficulty to myself and people don't really know that I struggle with it.

All in all - I do okay, but it is something that I have noticed.

For the adults who are autistic/aspie or have traits - how are you with recognizing faces?

BTW - my son does not seem to have this problem.

I'm horrible with recognizing faces, especially from photos. Unless they're very distinctive, I'd have great difficulty picking them out of a crowd.

I don't have trouble recognizing faces. It's names I have real trouble with.

I am horrible at facial recognition.. I work in customer service and am often scolded for not using our customers' names when they come in. It just takes me at least a dozen times before I recognize someone on sight...there is usually a sense of deja vu though, they look familiar but I don't know from where or if I am confusing them with someone else.

I have NLD rather than AS, and I am horrible with both faces and names! However, when it comes to pageants, for some reason I'm extremely good with faces and names then! I know, I'm weird.

the more generically, "conventionally" plain-pretty they are, the harder it is. i usually have to go by hair or clothing.

I can't read faces so well, so I learned to recognize people by their hair. Though now, I occasionally mistake people for others if they have similar hair ^^; I can usually catch myself on that before it gets too awkward though.

I do this all the time! Usually it's with people from my church or people that my parents know; I know 100% that I know them, I just have no idea who they are or where I've seen them. Then I just be my usual self (adults always love me for whatever reason) and no awkwardness arises.

I've only done this a couple times with my peers. Once was at TIP (nerd camp; major props to anyone who's been there). I met a girl and hung out with her and some others for about an hour (very cute, she would be very memorable normally) and then saw her the next day. I said "You look really familiar, were you here last year?" "I'm Jenna, Patrick. You met me yesterday." Luckily she seemed amused by it. Another time was last year; I met a girl for the fifth time before I remembered her; I still feel really bad about it.

I have zero trouble with faces after I see them along with a name (such as on Facebook), however. Then, I can instantly recognize a face, even if I've never talked to the person.

I think part of my problem is that I am rather oblivious. Unless I am required to notice or retain something it goes "in one ear and out the other" (though visually in this scenario). I tend not to retain any information unless I deem it pertinent and I rarely care about appearances so they don't leave a lasting impression on me.

I can't recognize anyone outside of my family and extremely close friends (meaning people I see almost everyday). If I see someone I am supposed to know but not in the usual place, I won't recognize them but they will say "hi" to me and I still won't know who they are. I had this for 26 years and am 26 years old. Man am I ancient!