Ph.D. - Experimental Psychology
Brown University - 1988
Alice O'Toole
Aage and Margareta Møller Professor
Professor - Department of Psychology
Endowed Professorship - Behavioral and Brain Sciences
Research Interests: Face, body, and person recognition by humans and deep learning neural networks; neural processing of faces and bodies
Professional Preparation
M.S. - Experimental Psychology
Brown University - 1985
Brown University - 1985
B.A. - Psychology
The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC - 1983
The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC - 1983
Research Areas
Research Interests
I am a Professor in the Cognition and Neuroscience program at The University of Texas at Dallas. My research interests include perception, memory, and cognition, with special interests in recognition memory for faces, bodies, and people. Recent work in my lab is concerned more generally with how we recognize people, in real world viewing conditions. We have also developed and tested deep learning models of face and body recognition and have compared the performance of these models to the characteristics of human performance on similar tasks. Combined, the human memory and computational studies are useful for developing theoretical ideas about how the brain represents the highly complex visual information in human faces.Publications
Metz, T. M., Hill, M.Q., Myers, B., Gandi, V., Chilakapati, R. & O’Toole, A.J. (2025). Dissecting human body representations in deep networks trained for person identification. In the Proceedings of the 19th IEEE International Conference on Automatic Face and Gesture Recognition.
2025 - publications
2025 - publications
Phillips, P. J., Jeckeln, G., Hahn, C. A., Yates, A. N., Fontana, P. C., & O'Toole, A. J. (2025). Unlocking the power of partnership: How humans and machines can work together to improve face recognition. arXiv preprint arXiv:2510.02570.
2025 - publications
2025 - publications
Jeckeln, G., Hu, Y., Yates, A. N., Hahn, C. A., Tang, L., Phillips, P. J., & O’Toole, A.J. (2023). Face identification proficiency test Designed using item response theory. Behavior Research Methods, 1-10. 2023 - publications
Jeckeln, G., Mamassian, P., & O’Toole, A. J. (2023). Confidence judgments are associated with face identification accuracy: Findings from a confidence forced-choice task. Behavior Research Methods, 55(8), 4118-4127.
2023 - publications
2023 - publications
Myers, B., Jaggernauth, L., Metz, T. M., Hill, M. Q., Gandi, V. N., Castillo, C. D., O’Toole, A. J. (2023). Recognizing eople by body shape using deep networks of images and words. Proceedings of the IEEE International Joint Conference on Biometrics.
2023 - publications
2023 - publications
Parde, C. J., Strehle, V. E., Banerjee, V., Hu, Y., Cavazos, J. G., Castillo, C. D., & O’Toole, A. J. (2023). Twin identification over viewpoint change: A deep convolutional neural network surpasses humans. ACM Transactions on Applied Perception, 20(3), 1-15. 2023 - Publication
Hu, Y. & O’Toole, A. J. (2022) First impressions: Integrating faces and bodies in personality trait perception. Cognition:105309 2022 - Publication
Parde, C. J., Colón, Y.I., Hill, M.Q., & Castillo, C. D., Dhar, P. & O’Toole, A. J. (2021). Face recognition by humans and machines: Closing the gap between single-unit and neural population codes: Insights from deep learning in face recognition. Journal of Vision, 21(8), 15. 2021 - Publication
Appointments
Professor(tenure)
The University of Texas at Dallas [1999–Present]
The University of Texas at Dallas [1999–Present]
Associate Professor(tenure)
The University of Texas at Dallas [1995–1999]
The University of Texas at Dallas [1995–1999]
Assistant Professor
The University of Texas at Dallas [1989–1994]
The University of Texas at Dallas [1989–1994]
Postdoctoral Fellow
Universitie de Bourgogne, Dijon, France [1989–Present]
Universitie de Bourgogne, Dijon, France [1989–Present]
Postdoctoral Fellow
Universitie de Bourgogne, Dijon, France [1988–1988]
Universitie de Bourgogne, Dijon, France [1988–1988]
Research Assistant
Brown University [1985–1988]
Brown University [1985–1988]
Research Assistant
Brown University [1983–1984]
Center for Cognitive Science
Brown University [1983–1984]
Center for Cognitive Science
Research Assistant
The Catholic University of America [1982–1983]
The Catholic University of America [1982–1983]
Projects
Analysis of deep neural networks for person recognition
Metz, T. M., Hill, M.Q., Myers, B., Gandi, V., Chilakapati, R. & O’Toole, A.J. (2025). Dissecting Human Body Representations in Deep Networks Trained for Person Identification. In the Proceedings of the 19th IEEE International Conference on Automatic Face and Gesture Recognition. https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.15934Myers, B., Jaggernauth, L., Metz, T. M., Hill, M. Q., Gandi, V. N., Castillo, C. D., O’Toole, A. J. (2023, in press). Recognizing People by Body Shape Using Deep Networks of Images and Words. Proceedings of the IEEE International Joint Conference on Biometrics. (also available arXiv:2305.19160)
Modeling the human face recognition system using deep networks
Strehle, V. E., Bendickson, N. & O’Toole, A. J. (2024). Deep convolutional neural networks are sensitive to face configuration. Journal of Vision. 24:6. doi:https://doi.org/10.1167/jov.24.12.6Parde, C. J., Strehle, V. E., Banerjee, V., Hu, Y., Cavazos, J. G., Castillo, C. D., & O’Toole, A. J. (2023). Twin identification over viewpoint change: A deep convolutional neural network surpasses humans. ACM Transactions on Applied Perception, 20(3), 1-15.
Parde, C. J., Strehle, V. E., Banerjee, V., Hu, Y., Cavazos, J. G., Castillo, C. D. (2022) Twin identification over viewpoint change: A deep convolutional neural network surpasses humans. arXiv:2207.05316
O’Toole, A. J. & Castillo, C. D. (2021). Face recognition by humans and machines: Three fundamental advances from deep learning. Annual Review of Vision Science, 7.
Colón YI, Castillo CD, O'Toole AJ. (2021). Facial expression is retained in deep networks trained for face identification. Journal of Vision, 21(4)-4. doi: 10.1167/jov.21.4.4. PMID: 33821927; PMCID: PMC8039571.
Parde, C. J., Colón, Y.I., Hill, M.Q., & Castillo, C. D., Dhar, P. & O’Toole, A. J. (2021). Face recognition by humans and machines: Closing the gap between single-unit and neural population codes: Insights from deep learning in face recognition. Journal of Vision, 21(8), 15.
Noyes, E., Parde, C. J., Colón, Y. I., Hill, M. Q., Castillo, C. D., Jenkins, R., & O'Toole, A. J. (2021). Seeing through disguise: Getting to know you with a deep convolutional neural network. Cognition, 211, 104611.
Hill, M. Q., Parde, C. J., Castillo, C. D., Colon, Y. I., Ranjan, R., Chen, J. C., Blanz, V. O’Toole, A. J. (2019) Deep convolutional neural networks in the face of caricature Nature Machine Intelligence, 1 (11), 522-529https://doi.org/10.1038/s42256-019-0111-7
Additional Information
Personal Statement
My research interests include human perception, memory, and cognition, with an emphasis on computational approaches to modeling human information processing. We are currently examining how face representations created in deep learning convolutional neural networks compare to human face representations.Professional Service
Ad hoc Reviewer (selected, last 3 years):Acta Psychological, Brain & Cognition, British Journal of Developmental Psycholgy, Child Development, Cognitive Psychology, Current Biology, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, Memory & Cognition, Nature, Nature Neuroscience, Perception, Psychological Science, Science, PloS Biology, Vision Research, Visual Cognition
Associate Editor
British Journal of Psychology
IEEE: Transactions on Biometrics, Behavior, and Identity Science
Recognition/Honors
Postdoctoral Fellow, supported by the French Embassy to the United States, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France.Post-Doctoral Fellow, January-July, 1989, Continued funding and joint affiliation, Ecole Nationale Superieure des Télécomrnunications, Paris and Laboratoire de Psychologie, Universitéde Bourgogne, Dijon, France.
Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellow, (Aug., 1994 - Jan.,1995; Aug., 1995 - Jan., 1996), Max Planck Institiit iiir biologische Kybemetik, Tubingen, Germany.
News Articles
Prof Shares Facial Recognition Security Research
A UT Dallas professor recently presented her research on biometric security technology to officials of the United Kingdom’s Home Office, which oversees the nation’s anti-terrorism and crime-fighting efforts. Dr. Alice O’Toole, a professor of cognitive neuroscience in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, went to London to present her findings at the Biometrics Exhibition and Conference. There, she participated in an international panel discussion of leading-edge applications for biometrics. Biometrics is the measurement of physical characteristics to identify individuals, such as fingerprints, DNA, retinal patterns or facial features. During the October conference, the United Kingdom’s Home Office hosted a smaller meeting for prominent academics and government officials. The Olympics are slated for London in 2012, so security leaders were particularly interested in how biometrics might be used to protect against terrorism or other types of crime, O’Toole said.
Research Gives Second Look to Facial Recognition Decisions
Two heads are better than one — so goes the common adage. But are two heads collaborating really more effective at making decisions than two working independently?When it comes to the task of face recognition, the answer is “no,” according to a study from The University of Texas at Dallas’ Face Perception Research Lab.
Dr. Alice O’Toole, professor in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and holder of the Aage and Margareta Møller Endowed Chair, was senior author of the study published recently in the British Journal of Psychology.
Study Recognizes Value of Forensic Expertise in Facial Identification
Analysts with training and experience are much better at the forensic art of facial recognition than either computer algorithms or other people, according to a new study co-authored by a UT Dallas professor. Dr. Alice O’Toole, Aage and Margareta Møller Professor in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, said forensics are key to investigations and court cases. She said studies such as this one are important when considering the veracity of evidence in the investigations.
BBS Team Evaluating Facial Recognition Techniques
Rapid improvements in facial-recognition software mean airport security workers might one day know with near certainty whether they’re looking at a stressed-out tourist or staring a terrorist in the eye.A research team led by Dr. Alice O’Toole, a professor in The University of Texas at Dallas’ School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, is evaluating how well these rapidly evolving recognition programs work. The researchers are comparing the rates of success for the software to the rates for non-technological, but presumably “expert” human evaluation.
Psychological Study Explores How Bodies Shape First Impressions
When you first meet someone, it’s likely that you judge their personality based on what little information you have.While what we infer from faces has been well studied, new research from The University of Texas at Dallas suggests that people also form first impressions from body shapes.
Ying “Nina” Hu, a doctoral student in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, is the lead author of the study, recently published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. Hu works in the Face Perception Research Lab of Dr. Alice O’Toole, professor of cognition and neuroscience and the Aage and Margareta Møller Professor.