Affective reactions evoked by masks with an implied mouth

Wearing a mask often disrupts social interactions because it covers parts of the face. Hence, masks with a printed smiling mouth (smiling masks) were designed to overcome this problem. In this study, we examine how wearing a smiling mask evokes affective impressions. The results show that people wearing a smiling mask are evaluated more eerily than those with a typical cloth mask or without any masks (Experiments 1). Moreover, people wearing a transparent mask (i.e., a mask whose area around the mouth is transparent) are evaluated less eerily than those with a smiling mask (Experiments 2). Our findings suggest that the realism inconsistency between facial features in the upper area and the printed mouth causes devaluation effects for people with a smiling mask. Our findings can be used as a reference for future mask designs that can promote healthy social interactions in a mask-wearing society, considering the potential return of infectious diseases and pandemics in the future.