How does the use of a face mask influence our daily communication?
Although a part of Japanese culture since the Meiji Era (1868–1912), face mask usage has only recently become ubiquitous across the world during the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2.
Facial expression is one of the most efficient channels to communicate our feelings to others. Among these expressions, smiling is a fundamental facial expression to communicate positive affect.
A smile results when the corners of the mouth are raised by the contraction of the zygomaticus major. It strongly influences attention, brain activity, and various behaviors in others.
As the mask hides the mouth, it is perhaps unsurprising that recent studies have argued that facial mask-wearing interferes with the recognition of the wearer’s emotion and impression.
In this project, researchers investigated the effect of face mask-wearing on facial expression, including the area around the eyes.
They measured surface electromyography from zygomaticus major, orbicularis oculi, and depressor anguli oris muscles when people smiled and talked with or without a mask.
Only the actions of the orbicularis oculi were facilitated by wearing the mask. We thus concluded that mask-wearing may increase the recruitment of the eyes during smiling.
In other words, we can express joy and happiness even when wearing a face mask.
Published: 13 October 2021
source:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-99872-y
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-99872-y
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