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Li AY, Rawal DP, Chen VV, Hostetler N, Compton SAH, Stewart EK, Ritchie MB, Mitchell DGV. Masking our emotions: Emotion recognition and perceived intensity differ by race and use of medical masks. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0284108. [PMID: 37285323 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Although medical masks have played a key role in decreasing the transmission of communicable disease, they simultaneously reduce the availability of nonverbal cues fundamental to social interaction. In the present study, we determined the collective impact of medical masks on emotional expression recognition and perceived intensity as a function of actor race. Participants completed an emotional expression recognition task involving stimuli with or without medical masks. Across six basic emotional facial expressions, medical masks were associated with significantly more emotional expression recognition errors. Overall, the effects associated with race varied depending on the emotion and appearance of masks. Whereas recognition accuracy was higher for White relative to Black actors for anger and sadness, the opposite pattern was observed for disgust. Medical mask-wearing exacerbated actor-race related recognition differences for anger and surprise, but attenuated these differences for fear. Emotional expression intensity ratings were significantly reduced for all emotions except fear, where masks were associated with increased perceived intensity. Masks further increased already higher intensity ratings for anger in Black versus White actors. In contrast, masks eliminated the tendency to give higher intensity ratings for Black versus White sad and happy facial expressions. Overall, our results suggest that the interaction between actor race and mask wearing status with respect to emotional expression judgements is complex, varying by emotion in both direction and degree. We consider the implications of these results particularly in the context of emotionally charged social contexts, such as in conflict, healthcare, and policing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Y Li
- Brain and Mind Institute, Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, Room 3190, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Disha P Rawal
- Brain and Mind Institute, Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, Room 3190, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Vanessa V Chen
- Brain and Mind Institute, Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, Room 3190, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nathan Hostetler
- Brain and Mind Institute, Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, Room 3190, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shannon A H Compton
- Brain and Mind Institute, Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, Room 3190, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Emma K Stewart
- Brain and Mind Institute, Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, Room 3190, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Science, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mary B Ritchie
- Brain and Mind Institute, Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, Room 3190, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Science, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Derek G V Mitchell
- Brain and Mind Institute, Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, Room 3190, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Science, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
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