Feeling of knowing for faces

This study examined metamemory for faces. More specifically, feeling of knowing (FOK) ratings were solicited when recall of faces failed during both a semantic task (Experiment 1) and an episodic task (Experiment 2). In addition, participants reported on the strategies that they used to make their ratings. In both experiments FOK ratings were fairly accurate; that is, participants were successful in predicting their performance on a subsequent recognition test when recall failed. Also, in both experiments participants gave higher FOK ratings when they reported using the target retrievability strategy (e.g., Hart, 1965). However, these FOK ratings were no more accurate than the FOK ratings participants gave when they reported using the cue familiarity strategy (e.g., Schwartz & Metcalfe, 1992).