Mask-Wearing Increases Immoral Behaviour Post-COVID-19

This study investigates the impact of mask-induced anonymity on moral behavior in a post-pandemic context using a modified Ultimatum/Dictator Game. Participants were assigned to conditions with and without masks under both visual and verbal communication settings. Findings reveal that individuals wearing masks retained more cash for themselves in conditions where their faces were visible, suggesting that the visual anonymity provided by masks may promote more self-serving—and potentially immoral—behaviors. These results diverge from earlier research by Lu et al. (2022), which identified masks as moral symbols that reduced deviant behavior during the pandemic. The study proposes that the symbolic meaning of masks has diminished post-pandemic, shifting their influence towards anonymity-related behavioral changes.