Our lives have changed quickly and drastically. 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?
At PsicoAlmería we are observing many changes at a cognitive and behavioral level, both individual changes and new patterns in society.
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 deep-rooted beliefs of feeling free and with the power of decision and freedom the mandatory nature of the new measure of wearing a mask is framed as incongruent with our belief system, so our response is rejection despite it being a measure that protects us.
It is not an isolated case, since it has happened in our history with other imposed measures, such as the anti-smoking law or points on the driving license. These measures, although they have initially produced criticism and rejection by part of society, after a period of habituation they seem normal to us, forming part of our lives.
Denialist Movement and Cognitive Biases
Luckily, the majority of the population is being responsible with this measure of using the mask and other related measures to prevent COVID-19 infections. 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 becoming infected, avoiding its initial use.
Another mistake we are making is the outcome bias: “I have not been infected and I have not worn a mask, why use it?”, therefore believing that we are not going to be infected in the future and not changing our habits.
But surely the most dangerous psychological effects that best explain the current denialist movements are the Bandwagon effect or drag effect, in which we do and believe in something for the simple fact that others in my environment or group do it. This effect is related to groupthink or gregarious behavior; We need to feel included in our social group, so it is easy to believe and act like my closest environment, or the one I identify with. This psychological tendency occurs proportionally depending on how many people already have it, currently being reflected in the denial movements against the use of masks or falsifying the COVID-19 disease.
Finally, another important psychological effect is the cognitive bias of underestimating danger in which we believe that we are not going to get infected or that the disease (if we get infected) 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.
After several months of using this garment, the mask, we have been adapting to new behavioral patterns. One of the most important and possibly the one that is most difficult for us to modify, is our social way of greeting each other with “two kisses” or a good handshake and smile being customary, among other similar contact greetings.
As a consequence we feel more “cold and distant”, which can easily cause changes in personality and self-concept, and in the worst case scenario be a trigger or a bad predictor in some psychological disorders.
On the other hand, with the use of the mask the importance of non-verbal behavior and facial expressions becomes evident In verbal communications 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, communication and empathy part.
Another important fact is that We have experienced an increase in people who do not hear well and who were 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 wear 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 completion, our brain reinterprets what is missing in the most symmetrical and flattering way possible.
It is very important that the masks we use are approved so that they are safe and effective ; We can also achieve this protection 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 PsychoAlmería you will find specialized professional help (online and in person).
