Dual Mechanisms in Mask Effects on Facial Attractiveness: Physical obstruction versus Social Symbolism Hypothesis

Research purposes: In this study, we examined the effects of facial masks on facial attractiveness during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. We also looked at how facial expressions and mask coverings interact to influence perceptions of attractiveness. Additionally, we explored whether the impact of masks on facial attractiveness is due to physical covering or social symbolism.
Expected results：we anticipate that during the pandemic, the sight of masks will trigger health protection motives, attributing positive social symbolism to masks, thereby enhancing attractiveness evaluations when wearing masks. However, post-pandemic, the sight of masks may activate social connection motives, assigning negative social symbolism to masks, such as increasing social distance and suppressing emotional expression. Consequently, the attractiveness enhancement effect induced by wearing masks may decrease, potentially leading to lower attractiveness evaluations for faces with masks than those without. If the gray squares generate a mask effect similar to Experiment 2, the influence of facial masks on facial attractiveness ratings is derived from a physical covering mechanism. However, if the gray squaresgenerate a different or decreased mask effect, it could be speculated that the impact of masks on facial attractiveness in Experiment 2 stems from the dominance of social symbols.