Self‐Body Recognition in Late Adolescence

Male and female student volunteers (N = 149) were photographed in three orientations: front, side and rear, after eliminating clothing, facial and situational clues to identity. One week later, each S was asked to identify himself from an array of seven photographs grouped according to height and linearity. Three arrays of seven photographs were presented to each S, one array for each orientation. While there were no sex differences in correctness of indentifications, females took significantly longer to identify themselves than did the males. for both sexes, front identifications were made faster and were more often correct than were rear identifications, which, in turn, were made faster and more often correct than side identifications. The results are discussed in terms of familiarity, ego‐involvement, and the increased attention given to the body during adolescence. 1976 Australian Psychological Society