Graphic by Eilidh McNaughton By julia staszelisYou’ve probably heard the saying “A smile is worth a thousand words” one too many times. As clichéd as it may be, there is no escaping the fact that it holds a considerable level of truth from a cognitive and psychological standpoint. The ability to produce and recognise facial expressions is oftentimes completely overlooked as a vital component of social interaction because of how instinctive it feels to the average person. A smile can transcend the barriers of language to connote messages in instances where words may not suffice, making it a primary method of communication between friends, family, and strangers alike. Social interaction is one of the countless aspects of ordinary life that COVID-19 has driven us to sacrifice in order to protect public health. Facial expressions, including smiles, pouts and grimaces have given way to face coverings, which play a vital role in preventing the spread of the virus and have hence become a staple accessory in every pandemic-era wardrobe. Though they generally leave the eyes unobstructed, masks still cover 60-70% of the facial area relevant to emotional expression. This occlusion of the mouth, nose and surrounding muscles can significantly impair our ability to recognize and process emotions accurately (Nestor, Fischer & Arnold, 2020). Psychological research on the topic long precedes the pandemic but has become overwhelmingly relevant to all of us in the past year, both as mask-wearers and as observers. With the bottom portion of the face no longer visible, an observer is most likely to turn to the eyes of the mask-wearer as a means of deciphering their emotions. Research conducted at the University of Bamberg suggests that this can lead to notable misinterpretations. Masked positive emotions are oftentimes confused with fear or perceived as less sincere, whereas negative emotions produced by frowning appear more severe, with particular confusion between anger, sadness and disgust (Carbon, 2020). We tend to subconsciously reciprocate the facial expressions we perceive around us in an attempt to align with behavioural norms. This means that in social settings such as at the grocery store or on the bus where everyone is both a mask-wearer and an observer, one misinterpreted emotion can impact the mood of a room full of people. The reciprocal nature of facial expressions is rooted in the facial feedback hypothesis, which asserts that emotion is embodied, at least to a certain extent. In other words, facial expressions are not only the result of emotions, but can also play a role in evoking them. Electromyography records have been used to establish a correlation between engagement of facial muscles and self-reported mood. Study participants who were shown negative imagery concurrently displayed greater engagement of frown muscles and low mood (Nestor, Fischer & Arnold, 2020). So, according to these findings, the next time someone proposes that you smile when you’re having a bad day, as banal and frustrating as it may sound, it could be worth considering from a psychological standpoint. The evidence also suggests that misinterpreting a mask-wearer’s facial expressions can directly impact the observer’s mood. Consistent exposure to masked faces which seem to display lessened positive emotions and heightened negative emotions could lead to a physical response that engages the facial muscles associated with a decline in mood. In the long run, this could play a role in the deterioration of an individuals’ general mental wellbeing. It is apparent that social and psychological repercussions of mask-wearing reach far beyond the surface-level issue of possible misinterpretation. Thankfully, we are equipped with methods of interaction that can be implemented irrespective of mask mandates, including body language, hand gestures, and verbal communication. We therefore can and should keep covering the mouth and nose with masks for health and safety reasons. Nevertheless, the rise in popularity of face coverings has served as a learning experience in the psychological realm and provided valuable insight to the significance of facial expressions not only in terms of social interaction, but also our mental well-being. The research being conducted on this topic will serve a purpose beyond the pandemic, shedding light on possible implications of face coverings worn in other medical contexts or for religious and cultural reasons. References:
Nestor, M. S., Fischer, D., & Arnold, D. (2020). “Masking” our emotions: Botulinum toxin, facial expression, and well-being in the age of COVID-19. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 19(9), 2154-2160. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.13569 Carbon, C.-C (2020). Wearing Face Masks Strongly Confuses Counterparts in Reading Emotions. Frontiers in Psychology, 11. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.13569
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