The Effect of Attitudes Toward Masks on Group Formation

Abstract

This study examined whether mask-wearing behavior predicted group formation. In this mixed-methods study, participants rated masked and unmasked faces under the guise that they were choosing potential travel companions for an upcoming study abroad trip. A total of 80 participants were recruited from psychology courses at a small liberal arts college and completed this in-person study. Participants viewed 50 unique photographic images for two seconds each. For every trial, participants rated whether they would want the pictured individual as a member of their tour group, and the reaction times for these ratings were recorded. After rating each image, participants answered questions about their mask-wearing behavior and their opinions about mask and vaccine mandates. Participants then were divided into two groups based on their self-reported mask wearing: those who regularly wore masks, and those who reported little to no mask usage. Next, within- and between-group analyses were performed to compare preferences for masked and unmasked images both within and across these groups. We found that participants who reported regular mask use rated masked images more favorably than unmasked images. This group also showed a greater preference for masked photographs in comparison to the group that reported less mask usage. No differences were found for ratings of masked and unmasked images for participants who reported little to no mask usage. In addition, all participants provided ratings for masked faces faster than unmasked faces. These findings suggest that during the pandemic, individuals who reported regular mask usage may have used mask wearing as a criterion when forming new social groups, indicating that mask wearing has become part of their social identity.