Israeli psychologists saw a lack of medical masks, making people less likely to recognize faces. This is reported in an article on EurekAlert!
The study involved 496 volunteers. Scientists from Ben-Gurion University asked subjects to take a face memory test, consisting of hundreds of photographs. There was also a modified version of the test, in which the lower half of the faces was hidden by a mask. It turned out that in the second case, recognition dropped by 15 percent. Also, instead of instant recognition, the subjects spent a lot of time and effort trying to “finish painting” the hidden part of the face.
Psychologists warned that such a disadvantage is dangerous not so much by everyday embarrassment with confusing a person on the street. According to scientists, a closed face can have a significant impact on situations related to personal interaction, for example, in an educational environment. Also, they noted, given the now normal wearing of masks, it is necessary to study the social and psychological consequences for human behavior.
Earlier, American researchers found out which masks are most effective in a pandemic. According to the research, the different types of masks are dramatically different from each other. So, the greatest protection against the virus is provided by N95 respirators, followed by surgical masks with ties and procedural masks with additional protection in the form of a nylon stocking on top and secured with rubber bands. Among household masks, double-layer nylon masks showed good results. Cotton bandanas, polyester masks, balaclavas protect 50 percent or less. The lowest results are for masks made of non-woven polypropylene and three-layer cotton.
