The pandemic has changed our world in many ways; everything from the air we breathe to the places we visit. During these tough times, people have shown the strength and willingness to protect themselves and those around them by adhering to precautionary safety measures. Some measures such as maintaining social distancing, regular sanitisation and wearing a mask in public spaces have been rightfully deemed essential across countries. (1) While the protective advantages of wearing a mask outweigh its temporary inconvenience, the global impact of this significant behavioural change is worth bringing to light.
Verbal communication is drastically affected by having an added layer of covering over the mouth. One of the most evident difficulties would be the muffling of voices, making it straining to hear what another person has to say. (2) Furthermore, many people, such as those who suffer from hearing loss, heavily rely on lip reading and facial expressions to interact with others. (3) A mask takes away this guiding factor and increases the communication barrier, further isolating an already socially vulnerable group. Additionally, the lack of extra support can be especially intimidating, and individuals may be discouraged from asking for help when they need it. This can lead to increased feelings of anxiety and stress in social settings. (3)
Body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions are strong mediums of non verbal communication when expressing feelings and attitudes. (4)(6) These mediums have been known to make up the ‘93% of total communication is non-verbal’ rule, credit to two studies conducted by Albert Mehrabian in 1968. (5) (7) Although there has been much discussion over the extent to which this rule can be generalised, it serves its purpose in the realm of feelings and attitudes conveyed in conversation. These non-verbal gestures provide context to the words being said verbally—“If I say, ‘You’re being a jerk,’ but you can see my smile, you know that I’m kidding,” says Mark Frank, PhD, a professor at the university of Buffalo. (8) Social smiling is also an overlooked characteristic in everyday interactions. A small smile when passing by someone can indicate friendliness, approachability, and politeness. However, this important gesture when hidden under the mask can make people appear to be detached and aloof, and may generate feelings of “danger, isolation, or paranoia”. (8)
A study conducted by Wong et al. in 2013, following the Influenza and SARS pandemic, looked at the effect of doctors wearing masks on the patient’s perception of them. The results suggested that doctors who wore masks during consultation were perceived to be less empathetic towards the patients. From this, It can be inferred that the hidden facial expressions and other non-verbal cues by the doctor caused disruption in the recognition of their feelings and emotions by the patient, resulting in the lack of positive, friendly interaction required during a consultation. (9) During the recent COVID-19 pandemic, a study reported an increase in the search intensity of words such as ‘loneliness’, ‘worry’ and ‘sadness’. (10) An empathetic disconnect, even with strangers, can increase the frequency and intensity at which negative emotions are experienced. When vulnerable groups, such as senior citizens and people suffering from hearing loss, are already prone to depression as a result of additional life stressors and the consequential social isolation, recognising the need for positive social interactions is now more important than ever. (11, 12)
Wearing masks, along with other measures such as regular hand washing and practicing social distancing, are the need of the hour in order to avoid potential health risks. Keeping that in mind, there are ways to overcome communication barriers posed by face masks: in the words of William Shakespeare, “Eyes are the windows to your soul.”. There are 6 universal emotions (anger, fear, grief, joy, surprise and disgust) which are distinguished by facial cues such as laugh lines near the eyes for joy or furrowing of the eyebrows to portray anger. (13) By paying close attention to others’ eye and eyebrow movements, feelings and reactions can be understood comfortably. Hand and head movements, and other such gestures can help avoid misinterpretation of words that may not have been heard clearly. (8) Technology is also a friend in making information more accessible—using notes or image references can be a more straightforward way to communicate.
Recognising the social limitations of face masks and actively modifying behaviour to accommodate for these environmental changes is a promising step towards positive and enriching social interactions, helping society build resilience and grow together.
1 - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Considerations for wearing masks. United States of America.
2- Ong, S. (2020). How face masks affect our communication. Retrieved 29 August 2020, from https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200609-how-face-masks-affect-our-communication
3 - Betteley, C. (2020). Mask wearing 'risks isolating' deaf people. Retrieved 29 August 2020, from https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-52659083
4- Mehrabian, A. (1972). Nonverbal communication. Transaction Publishers.
5- Strain, K. (2020). How Much of Communication is Really Nonverbal? [Blog]. Retrieved from https://in.pgi.com/blog/2020/03/how-much-of-communication-is-really-nonverbal/
6- Frith, C. (2009). Role of facial expressions in social interactions. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 364(1535), 3453-3458.
7 - Mehrabian, A. (1968). Some referents and measures of nonverbal behavior. Behavior Research Methods & Instrumentation, 1(6), 203-207.
8 - Heid, M. (2020). I See You but I Don’t: How Masks Alter Human Connection. Retrieved 29 August 2020
9 - Wong, C. K., Yip, B. H., Mercer, S., Griffiths, S., Kung, K., Wong, M. C., Chor, J., & Wong, S. Y. (2013). Effect of facemasks on empathy and relational continuity: a randomised controlled trial in primary care. BMC family practice, 14, 200. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2296-14-200
10- Brodeur, A., Clark, A. E., Fleche, S., & Powdthavee, N. (2020). Assessing the impact of the coronavirus lockdown on unhappiness, loneliness, and boredom using Google Trends. arXiv preprint arXiv:2004.12129.
11 - Kaland, M., & Salvatore, K. (2002). The psychology of hearing loss. The ASHA leader, 7(5), 4-15.
12 - Fiske, A., Wetherell, J. L., & Gatz, M. (2009). Depression in older adults. Annual review of clinical psychology, 5, 363-389.
13 - Ekman, P. (2003). Emotions revealed: Recognizing faces and feelings to improve communication and emotional life. Times Books/Henry Holt and Co.
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