Recognition is a measure of memory in which a person need only identify items previously learned, as in a multiple-choice test or a police lineup. It is generally easier than recall because the items themselves serve as cues.

Recognition relies on a sense of familiarity and on the retrieval of specific details. Dual-process theories distinguish familiarity, a fast feeling of having seen something before, from recollection, the slower retrieval of contextual details. Recognition is used in everyday life when identifying faces, objects, and words.

Key points

• Identify previously learned items
• Easier than recall
• Involves familiarity and recollection
• Used in multiple-choice tests and lineups