The Effects of Face Mask Wear and Social Anxiety on Character Judgment Formation
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Graduate
Major
General Experimental Psychology
2nd Student Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Graduate
2nd Student Major
General Experimental Psychology
3rd Student Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Graduate
3rd Student Major
General Experimental Psychology
8th Student Minor
jhackathorn@murraystate.edu
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Jana Hackathorn, PhD.
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
Previous research has shown that humans form judgments that are essential to the formation of interpersonal relationships such as trustworthiness, warmth, competence, and attractiveness, using facial features. However, presently, a person may find it difficult to form these judgments due, in part, to the restricted view of a person’s face when he or she wears a facemask. This study aims to understand how facemasks affect these judgments and how factors like intolerance of uncertainty, gender, and anxiety may exacerbate this problem. We predict that participants will form more negative judgments of models with facemasks than without and that anxiety will moderate this relationship. In this study, undergraduate participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions that measured participant judgment formation of a human model that varied by gender and face mask presence. Participants rated the target on trustworthiness, attractiveness, and likability. Additionally, social anxiety was measured as a potential moderator. Preliminary analyses show that there is an effect within the relationship between judgment formation and the variables listed as well as a moderating effect of social anxiety symptoms. If our hypotheses are supported, it will provide evidence that aligns with previous research and a step toward understanding the impact that COVID-19 related prevention methods have on judgment formations.
Keywords: Attractiveness, COVID-19, Face Mask, Likability, Prevention Method, Social Anxiety, Trustworthiness,
Spring Scholars Week 2020 Event
Psychology: Completed Projects
The Effects of Face Mask Wear and Social Anxiety on Character Judgment Formation
Previous research has shown that humans form judgments that are essential to the formation of interpersonal relationships such as trustworthiness, warmth, competence, and attractiveness, using facial features. However, presently, a person may find it difficult to form these judgments due, in part, to the restricted view of a person’s face when he or she wears a facemask. This study aims to understand how facemasks affect these judgments and how factors like intolerance of uncertainty, gender, and anxiety may exacerbate this problem. We predict that participants will form more negative judgments of models with facemasks than without and that anxiety will moderate this relationship. In this study, undergraduate participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions that measured participant judgment formation of a human model that varied by gender and face mask presence. Participants rated the target on trustworthiness, attractiveness, and likability. Additionally, social anxiety was measured as a potential moderator. Preliminary analyses show that there is an effect within the relationship between judgment formation and the variables listed as well as a moderating effect of social anxiety symptoms. If our hypotheses are supported, it will provide evidence that aligns with previous research and a step toward understanding the impact that COVID-19 related prevention methods have on judgment formations.
Keywords: Attractiveness, COVID-19, Face Mask, Likability, Prevention Method, Social Anxiety, Trustworthiness,