Since the pandemic, they have reported a reduction or complete absence of facial distortions when observing masked faces.Īll three experts agreed that many opportunities for face research have bubbled to the surface with the arrival of face masks. People with PMO are known to see distortions - a drooping eye, a melting face, a crooked lip - in the faces of unmasked others and even themselves. People living with prosopometamorphopsia (PMO), a visual disorder that disrupts the ability to properly perceive faces, can also experience a positive side effect of interacting with masked individuals, said Dartmouth College psychology and brain sciences professor Bradley Duchaine. “If masks have led people to become more inclusive because we cannot see facial differences, we can take away that positive acceptance of people who look different from us even when we take off the masks.” For people with visible facial differences, wearing a mask may remove their face from the scrutiny they usually experience without a mask, in some way “leveling the playing field,” she said. Helms said the shared, nearly universal experience of mask wearing presents an opportunity to tap into compassion and better understanding of others.įor a moment, people can begin to understand the challenges and social disadvantages faced by those on the autism spectrum who might be unable to convey or recognize the emotions behind our expressions, Helms said. When a perceiver misses such cues, their ability to successfully navigate social situations is compromised.īecause masked facial expressions become more ambiguous, people may try to enhance their message with body language, vocal affect, or even exaggerated facial expressions behind a mask to ensure their meaning is properly communicated and interpreted. In addition to conveying emotion, expressions can also provide insights into the person’s intentions (what they may do next) as well as their attitude towards an event or object. Misinterpreting facial expressions can start a domino effect, according to Niedenthal’s work. Additionally, not being able to see a masked person’s full expression reduces our ability to mimic their expression, an act that often facilitates feelings of empathy. Researchers believe that masks deter our ability to match the expressions we see on faces with the meanings we have for them in our memories. Further research conducted on more nuanced facial expressions, like types of smiles, yielded the same takeaways – masks can obscure the signals that facial expressions intend to convey. Participants in Niedenthal’s study tended to rate happy facial expressions as less happy and disgusted expressions as less disgusted at higher rates than when judging expressions of anger or surprise. Experts contend this is because happiness and disgust involve more facial signals in the lower face that gets hidden with a mask, as opposed to facial signals occurring in the top of the face like in anger or surprise. When masked, expressions of happiness and disgust are more vulnerable to misinterpretation than masked expressions of anger or surprise. One repercussion of face masks involves how they hinder people’s ability to interpret emotional expressions displayed beneath a mask - and some facial expressions are more susceptible to this than others, according to research led by Paula Niedenthal, a psychology professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison. 20 talk at the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting to tease out the varying impacts of face masks on perception, expression, and identity. Helms joined experts in psychology and brain science during a Feb. “Compared to other parts of our anatomy, our face is most important in how others see us and in how we see ourselves,” said Jill Helms, a professor of plastic and reconstructive surgery at Stanford University. What is missed or acquired when faces are hidden? Recent research tackles this question by investigating the human face’s role in our lives from biological, psychological, and social standpoints. Mentored and edited by Jeff Grabmeier.įace masks worn during the pandemic unveiled insights into the ways humans process and interact with faces, scientists say.
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