In developmental psychology, the Rouge Test is used to test self-recognition in children. We discuss the origins and significance of this classic test which assesses a child’s ability to identify themselves in a mirror.

Developed by Gordon Gallup Jr in 1970, using rouge makeup, an experimenter discreetly puts a red dot on the child’s face. Then the child is placed in front of a mirror to see how they react. Babies between 6-12 months will typically see a “playmate” in the mirror that they try to interact with. But babies around 18 months old will look in the mirror and start poking the red dot on their face, indicating they recognize themselves in the mirror.

This is crucial for a child to develop their sense of self—an individual’s awareness and understanding of their own identity and that they are a thing that exists in the world that is separate and distinct from other things. A sense of self develops over time and can include many facets but one of the earliest aspects of it is being able to recognize yourself.

Check out the video version of this episode on YouTube.