Effect of mask coverage on face identification in Taiwanese men and women

Challenges of face identification with varied mask coverage in the post COVID-19 era

Introduction

Recent studies have shown that wearing masks can influence face recognition abilities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, people became increasingly familiar with seeing masked faces, leading to a reduced familiarity with fully uncovered faces. With Taiwan now transitioning to a post-COVID-19 phase and the removal of mask mandates, this study investigates how varying levels of mask coverage affect face identification accuracy and response times.

Methods

We examined three levels of mask coverage-full coverage (FC), coverage up to the middle of the nose bridge (MB), and coverage up to the bottom of the nose bridge (BB)-to determine their effects on identification performance. A computer-based simulation was conducted with 100 university students (50 men and 50 women), where participants completed 30 trials (5 trials for each mask coverage level across two target sexes). Each trial presented a masked target face corresponding to one of the three coverage levels, alongside four full-face images. Participants were instructed to choose the image that best matched the masked target face, with an option to select "None" if no match was found.

Results

The findings indicate that faces with FC were identified both faster and more accurately, while those with MB coverage were the most challenging and time-consuming to recognize, particularly for female targets. The performance with BB coverage was intermediate between the other two levels.

Conclusion

This study highlights a notable shift in face identification processes in the aftermath of the pandemic, with FC now leading to quicker and more accurate recognitions, suggesting a significant adaptability in human perceptual mechanisms. These results emphasize the importance of further research into face recognition as we continue to adapt to the pandemic's lasting effects on social interactions and identity verification.

Perceived interpersonal distance changes in young Taiwanese pre and post SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

The persistent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, spanning over three years, has profoundly impacted daily life worldwide. Crucial measures like interpersonal distance (IPD) and mask-wearing have become paramount in preventing infection. With SARS-CoV-2 now resembling an endemic condition similar to influenza, it is vital to assess the changes in IPD influenced by relevant factors during and after the pandemic. This study concentrated on two specific stages (the pandemic stage and the post-pandemic era) and investigated variations in IPD with different test combinations. Variables taken into account encompassed the pandemic stage, participant gender, target gender, and mask-wearing status. We examined IPD data from 100 young individuals (50 males and 50 females) at each stage, with a one-year interval between tests. The results highlighted the substantial impact of all variables on perceived IPD during the pandemic phase (all p < 0.001). However, in the post-pandemic stage, only mask-wearing demonstrated a notable effect on IPD (p < 0.001). As the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic subsides, the enduring influence of mask usage on IPD persists. Nevertheless, the gap between the two mask-wearing scenarios diminishes, contracting from around 50 cm during the epidemic phase to 20 cm in the post-epidemic phase. Across these two pandemic stages, there was an overall reduction of approximately 90 cm in IPD, indicating a noteworthy decrease in perceived personal space and a consequential shortening of social proximity during the post-pandemic stage. This decrease in IPD may suggest the successful socio-cultural adaptation of the young Taiwanese individuals in our study during the post-pandemic era.