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From Mandate to Choice: How Voluntary Mask Wearing Shapes Interpersonal Distance Among University Students After
Yi-Lang Chen1, Che-Wei Hsu1,2, Andi Rahman1,3
1Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, Ming Chi University of Technology, New Taipei 243303, Taiwan.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
|August 28, 2025
Summary
Voluntary mask wearing and interpersonal distance preferences were studied in Taiwan. Masked individuals preferred greater distances, with females showing stronger associations between mask use and distancing.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Social Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- COVID-19 policy shifts emphasize individual responsibility.
- Understanding voluntary protective behaviors is crucial for public health.
- Taiwan's context offers insight into post-mandate social interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- Examine the association between voluntary mask wearing and interpersonal distance (IPD) preferences.
- Investigate the role of mask status and gender in shaping spatial interactions.
- Analyze behavioral adaptations in a post-mandate public health landscape.
Main Methods:
- Online interpersonal distance (IPD) simulation task with 100 university students in Taiwan.
- Participants adjusted avatar distance based on target gender and mask status.
- Four-way ANOVA analyzed effects of participant/target gender and mask wearing on IPD.
Main Results:
- Voluntary mask wearing higher in females (72%) than males (44%).
- Masked individuals maintained greater IPDs; masked targets elicited smaller IPDs.
- Females exhibited stronger associations between mask use and distancing behavior.
Conclusions:
- Voluntary behavioral adaptations continue to shape social interaction norms post-mandates.
- Mask wearing influences interpersonal distance preferences, reflecting risk perception and social signaling.
- Digital behavioral tools can support culturally adaptive, person-centered public health strategies.
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