The psychological impact of masks

Our lives have changed in a rapid and drastic way. As a society we have faced a situation for which we were not previously prepared. We are currently immersed in a "new normal" in which among other great changes is the use of the mask... How is it affecting us?

In PsicoAlmería we are observing many changes at the cognitive and behavioral level, both individual changes and in the new patterns of society.

• Related article: "What is social psychology?"

How does the new habit of wearing a mask affect us psychologically?

Focusing initially on the individual, one of the most important changes experienced has been the initial rejection of the mask.

As individuals with ingrained beliefs of feeling free and with decision-making power and freedom, the mandatory nature of the new measure of the use of the mask is framed as incongruous with our belief system, so our response is rejection despite being a measure that we protect.

It is not an isolated case, since it has occurred in our history with other imposed measures, such as the anti-smoking law or points on the driving license. These measures, although initially they have produced criticism and rejection by a part of society, after a period of habituation they seem normal to us, forming part of our lives.

Denial Movement and Cognitive Biases

Fortunately, most of the population is being responsible with this measure of the use of the mask and other related measures for the prevention of infections by COVID-19. However, a small part of our society is generating a new denialist movement against the use of these measures. How does psychology explain it?

We are detecting important cognitive biases. At the individual level, for example, it may happen that we have a personality in which we do not like to appear weak and the use of the mask makes us think that we seem vulnerable and afraid of infecting ourselves, avoiding its initial use.

Another mistake we are making is the result bias: “I have not been infected and I have not worn a mask, Why use it? ”, Therefore believing that we are not going to get infected in the future and not changing our habits.

But surely the most dangerous psychological effects that best explain the current denial movements are the bandwagon effect or drag effect, in which we do and believe in something simply because others in my environment or group do it. This effect is related to group thinking or herding behavior; we need to feel included in our social group, so it is easy to believe and act as my closest environment, or with whom I identify. This psychological tendency occurs proportionally depending on how many people already have it, reflecting Currently in the movements denial against the use of masks or falsifying the disease of the COVID-19.

Finally, another important psychological effect is the cognitive bias of underestimating danger, in which we believe that we are not going to get it or that the disease (if we do get it) will be mild without complications, mistakenly believing that this bad luck happens to others, like other serious existing diseases with a low probability of incidence.

Cognitive Behavioral Changes

After several months of using this garment, the mask, we have been adjusting to new patterns of behavior. One of the most important and possibly the one that is costing us the most to modify, is our social way of greeting each other., being custom the "two kisses" or the good handshake and the smile, among other similar contact greetings.

As a consequence, we feel more "cold and distant", which can easily cause changes in the personality. and self-concept, and in the worst case being a trigger or a bad predictor in some disorders psychological.

On the other hand, with the use of the mask the importance of non-verbal behavior and expressions on faces becomes evident. In verbal communication we rely a lot on the gestures of other people, such as a smile, which makes us redirect our way of speaking and communicating. With the mask, we have lost that social, communicational and empathizing part.

Another important fact is that we have experienced an increase in people who do not hear well and are unaware of this deficit for the simple fact that they relied on complementary lip reading in their communications.

Something positive about the use of masks is the hypothesis that makes us look more handsome. In addition to the fact that we can take them personalized, having almost half of the face covered forces our brain to reinterpret the part that is missing in the faces we see. Following the concept of modal termination, our brain reinterprets what is missing in the most symmetrical and flattering way possible.

Some final tips

It is very important that the masks we use are approved so that they are safe and effective; This protection can also be achieved with hygienic fabric masks with built-in and reusable filters, also taking care of the environment.

Masks will be safe if they are certified and have passed all required laboratory tests.

Finally, this time is being difficult, and unfortunately not everyone can face it in the best way. If you experience anxiety or difficulties, in PsychoAlmeria you will find specialized professional help (online and face-to-face).