Prosopagnosia: How Common Is It?
Prosopagnosia, or face blindness, is the physical impairment that makes it difficult to recognize faces, including one’s own. Once considered a rare brain disorder that was the result of a stroke or head injury, now thanks to the internet, many of those who suffer from this disorder are able to connect on-line, and researchers are beginning to learn just how prevalent it is.
Some data indicates that as many as 6 million Americans (roughly 2%) are face blind. One startling implications of this has to do with national security. Just how many screeners and ID checkers out there are face blind? No one knows.
Here is a link to the research site, faceblind.org. And Wired magazine has an extensive piece about one particular researcher in the field. Check it out here.