# What covered part of the face do you think conceals identity more? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 23, 2013, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-covered-part-of-the-face-do-you-think-conceals-identity-more/648080 "2013-01-23T06:22:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Altivu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a8b319/32.png) [@Altivu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Altivu)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-covered-part-of-the-face-do-you-think-conceals-identity-more/648080/1 "2013-01-23T06:22:12Z")
Poll to follow. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-covered-part-of-the-face-do-you-think-conceals-identity-more/648080/2 "2013-01-23T08:08:45Z")
Mouth/lower face. I recall reading many years ago about studies that apparently showed that to be so. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-covered-part-of-the-face-do-you-think-conceals-identity-more/648080/3 "2013-01-23T14:42:58Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Mouth/lower face. I recall reading many years ago about studies that apparently showed that to be so. I don’t know nothin’ bout no studies, but I always identify people by their mouths. Eyes mean nothing to me. ---
**Author:** ![Krouget](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b38774/32.png) [@Krouget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krouget)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-covered-part-of-the-face-do-you-think-conceals-identity-more/648080/4 "2013-01-23T14:54:26Z")
I think the eyes are more unique identifiers. I mean, if it works for [Superman](http://heavemedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/clark-kent.jpg), how can they not be? The question is, does [this](http://retrorebirth.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/batman-robin-1966-tv-adam-west-wallpaper.jpg) apply? You can see his eyes _and_ mouth, but you’d never be able to tell that was Adam West. Never. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-covered-part-of-the-face-do-you-think-conceals-identity-more/648080/5 "2013-01-23T15:11:30Z")
I’d have to go with eyes unless the lower face has a distinctive characteristic - beard, mustache, unique lip configuration. Human recognition of eyes seems to be embedded at a low level of brain function and the smallest changes are noticeable - which is why portrait artists need to master eyes or flip burgers. ---
**Author:** ![Altivu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a8b319/32.png) [@Altivu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Altivu)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-covered-part-of-the-face-do-you-think-conceals-identity-more/648080/6 "2013-01-24T03:29:43Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Mouth/lower face. I recall reading many years ago about studies that apparently showed that to be so. I’d be curious as to what sort of experiments they’d be doing… > [@Krouget](#): > > The question is, does [this](http://retrorebirth.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/batman-robin-1966-tv-adam-west-wallpaper.jpg) apply? You can see his eyes _and_ mouth, but you’d never be able to tell that was Adam West. Never. Well yeah, it’s pretty obvious that stuff like [this](http://www.opednews.com/populum/uploadnic/ski-mask-jpg_25058_20121030-804.jpg) is common for concealing YOUR ENTIRE FACE IN GENERAL. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-covered-part-of-the-face-do-you-think-conceals-identity-more/648080/7 "2013-01-24T13:21:37Z")
If we go by what sunglasses cover up, then eyes aren’t that important. If we go by that whole general area above the nose and below the forehead, they’re really important. I’ve never not recognized someone because they were wearing sunglasses. But with those who wear the cosmetics they do for stuff like Star Trek, they look like different people, even though their mouths are the same. Sunglasses only seem to hide emotions.