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You've undoubtedly heard some version of this racial statement: All [insert ethnicity] look the same. I can't tell [ethnicity] apart.

Why?

I think I might have the answer, given what I learned in my physio psychology class.

In our chapter on vision, we learned about something called the fusiform face area (FFA). Basically, when we see something a lot, we become "experts" on it - we can pick apart the fine details of it. When we look at faces, this part of our brain lights up. A mechanic might have the same affect when seeing cars, as a bird watcher might when seeing birds. If this area of the visual association cortex is damaged, then a bird watcher can't tell species of birds apart like he or she once did. A farmer might not recognize which cows are his own.

The FFA is stronger for whatever ethnicity we see most often. Someone who lives in an area where 90% of the popular is one ethnicity has a very strong FFA for that race, but not for others. It's easy to tell apart people apart. If someone lives in a more evenly mixed community, their FFA will be slightly higher for the race of the people they live with, but still high for other races that they interact with or see on a daily basis.

Perhaps the reason people often can't tell Asians apart (the ethnicity I hear most often with relation to this remark) is because people of Asian decent are the smallest minority in the US (less than 5%).

Just a random thought. =D

Yeah, you're right.

Evolutionarily speaking, there's no logical reason for racism. Humans are a social species of animal - judgement based on color creates danger (in fighting, limited number of allies/friends).

My thread isn't really about that, though. I'm referring to vision and cognition. It really doesn't have to do with racism. You could be in a family where you're the only family of a certain ethnicity and everyone in your neighborhood is of a different ethnicity. Theoretically (assuming you never saw people outside of those in your community), you'd have a high FFA for people of another ethnicity and a lower FFA for your own.

There's a hypothesis or something that suggests kids with autism may have a low FFA for (all) human faces because they tend to avoid eye contact.

Since I've always had Philippine/Chinese/Japanese friends, I can honestly tell the difference between the far easterners, at least usually.

Like,

Catherine (to me) is obviously Philippine in ethnicity and my mom's like "how do you know, she barely looks asian"
xd

It's in the eye of the beholder all the same.

Also, Tom Cruise is secretly Asian.
Proof:

Fix'd.
And yeah, I've seen Filipinos who've looked Chinese, Indonesian, Latino, even Indian once. x,x; I'd no idea.
I can only sometimes name a nationality, really.

☁ these clouds just never stop pouring
xxx

^ EXACTLY.

Not sure where you read that, but I say it's rather a misunderstanding. <.<

Not good at explaining right now. Headache.

Oh, I've heard this statement before. I suppose the theory Cleo has given does make sense. However, there is a lack of effort on the part of those who make such a claim, as all things are easily distinguishable if you try.