Coronavirus: how to see the emotions behind the masks

Properly used, the mask covers the nose and half of the face. How are the people who wear it perceived?

Your perception – positive or negative – of those who wear a mask will mainly depend on how you feel about this protective measure. If you think she's going too far, you're likely to find them gullible, if not downright foolish. On the other hand, if you are a fan of the mask yourself, you will probably tend to find them rather sympathetic.

It is often helpful to smile at others to ease social tensions. But how to recognize a smile when the mouth is hidden?

In a study to be published soon, my colleagues and I have discovered that it is not nearly as difficult as one might think: the ability to recognize emotional expressions is not worse when the mouth and the nose are covered. A real smile mobilizes several facial muscles, such as the zygomaticus major, which straightens the corners of the mouth, and the orbicularis, which wrinkles the edges of the eyes – so it is not expressed just with the lips. In our study, looking at the area around the eyes was usually enough to recognize someone's feelings. We showed it with scarves, niqabs and masks. Only certain emotions caused confusion.

Which ones?

Fear and surprise. For these two emotions, we usually widen our eyes, but we also rely heavily on our mouths. We open this one when we are surprised and widen the opening further to express fear. If the mouth and nose are covered, these movements are invisible.

Still, the eyes are a powerful vector of expression, thanks to which we recognize even subtle mental states, such as reflection. This is also well highlighted by the Reading the mind in the eyes test (literally “Reading the mind in the eyes”), developed by the British psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen and his colleagues.

This test is used to diagnose autism spectrum disorders, right?

Exactly. The principle is to try to guess the emotional state of someone by observing different areas around their eyes. If people with autism struggle to do this, particularly because they tend to avoid eye contact and find it harder to empathize with others, most people do very well.

These experiments and tests are conducted in the laboratory, but what about in real life? Are we as good in everyday situations, for example at the supermarket checkout?

Our studies show that when we communicate with someone, we don't rely on the sight of their mouth to recognize their emotions. Meetings at the supermarket checkout, at the bakery or in the street even have a definite advantage: people interact with their whole body. Thus, whether a person is sad, angry or happy is expressed not only by their facial expressions, but also by the way they speak and move. And if someone is smiling or looking serious, it can be heard, because changes in the configuration of the mouth affect the modulation of the voice.

What does a smile sound like?

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The voice seems brighter. A serious face, on the other hand, sounds darker.

Recognizing emotions is one thing, but actually feeling them is another. When we see someone smile, our mirror neurons cause us to smile too, at least internally. If we are in a bad mood, this reaction often helps us feel better. Does it also work with a mask?

Human beings have a tendency to imitate each other, a habit that researchers call social mimicry. Thus, when our interlocutor sees us crossing our legs or putting our chin between our hands, he often does the same. Thanks to this mirrored behavior, we feel closer to him and we judge the interaction more positive overall. Conversely, someone who does not imitate the other at all gives the feeling that something is wrong in the relationship. But masks don't seem to prevent this mimicry: In the study I mentioned, participants mimicked the smile of the person they were seeing even when their mouth and nose were covered.

However, masks seem to disturb the impression left by those who wear them: in Hong Kong, a study showed that patients judge their doctor to be less empathetic when he is equipped with them…

Here we come back to the question of the perception of people who wear a mask and the influence of our pre-existing opinions. Also in our studies, a person was considered “colder” if they wore this accessory, but comparatively “warmer” if they wore a scarf – which homemade masks are more like. Not to mention that many people continue to perceive doctors, especially surgeons, as distant and unemotional…

How do children react to masks? Do they have more difficulty than adults in understanding emotions?

Children of primary school age are only slightly less able than adults to recognize emotions. For toddlers, the sight of faces that look different disrupts their bearings and can therefore be stressful. Many babies cry when they see a bearded person for the first time. If the nose, mouth and chin of the person they are looking at suddenly disappears, they are likely to be particularly confused.

How to help them?

Parents can familiarize their children with the mask in a playful way, for example by placing it in front of their face for a short time and then taking it off again. Toddlers learn quickly and will get used to the new situation. It is different for people who have hearing problems, as they are often dependent on lip-reading. The current situation is therefore a challenge for them. Some projects aim to make transparent masks around the mouth, but will these be accepted by the population? This remains to be determined.

Is there a way to improve our social interactions when we wear masks?

Yes, using them as a sign of solidarity. If we view covering our face as a mark of consideration for others, it can bring us together and create a sense of community. Perhaps this reaction will even give us back a little of the well-being lost in this extraordinary situation...