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If even the pros can’t agree, it’s no wonder ordinary people sabotage the wearing of masks. American society has been divided almost in half, defending and against masks. In Germany, various actions were carried out against quarantine restrictions and the use of masks. According to government research, in the UK, only 21 percent of women wear masks in public places. population. According to the study authors, this indicator is average on a European scale.
Why such a reaction?
There are many reasons why people don’t want to wear masks. One of the most important is that the WHO and the official medical structures of almost all countries are far from agreeing immediately, which raises doubts. There is also a political component. Donald Trump, for example, openly mocked the beginning of a pandemic and did not use them demonstratively. Officials in other countries also don’t set a good example during quarantine. The result is clear: people, seeing that the leaders do not wear masks, conclude that they do not need them either, the image is more eloquent than a thousand words. Furthermore, many see the government’s instructions to wear masks as a restriction on freedom. Also, masks are not worn because they are paid for or simply because they are uncomfortable.
What does psychology show
However, the emotional storm that accompanies the discussion about wearing masks on social media suggests that for many it is not just a matter of “convenience / inconvenience”.
In February, when Italy became the first European country to face a pandemic and restrictions began, Professor Massimo Marchiori from the University of Padua set out to study people’s reaction to the new reality. It has 12 thousand. He divided the volunteers into two groups and suggested that one group wear masks and the other not. The participants of the experiment had sensors that counted the people who approached them and the distance to them. It turned out that those who wore masks were able to maintain social distance more easily than those who did not. Those around them approached people without masks more often and closer than those wearing masks.
M.Marchiori explains this by the ability of people to try to get close to living creatures that are as similar to him as possible. However, “home / foreign” recognition occurs in a fraction of a second. Thus, if a large part of the face is hidden, the object is evaluated as potentially dangerous, so people with masks withdraw, concludes M. Mariori. Therefore, the use of masks can increase anxiety levels. An article describing MM Mioriori’s research has yet to be reviewed or published, but is available online.
American psychiatrists Rajendra Persaud and Peter Bruggen provided a similar explanation in the journal Psychology Today. In their article, the experts explain in detail how and why the brain needs to evaluate the faces of those around it. Ultimately, the reason is in the experience: when the face is completely open, it is possible to understand the opponent’s state of mind in a fraction of a second and, if it is aggressive, to grab something. Interestingly, if the face is covered but visible (for example, hair falls over the face, translucent sunglasses that can be worn, or a thin veil), the attractiveness of the subject increases. And if most of the face is covered (and a properly used mask covers more), it is alarming.
And the fashion?
Realizing that masks, a possible object, appeared in our lives seriously and for a long time (as, for example, in Asia, where they have been a completely natural part of everyday wardrobe since the beginning of this century), designers fashion drew attention to them. If many already fear the unification provided by a standard medical mask, then it would make sense to offer designer-created masks of various sizes and shapes.
However, bright and unusual masks evoke associations no less subconscious than a covered face.
In the ХХ century, masks were from time to time in the field of vision of designers. One of the most striking periods of admiration for this accessory began in the late 1930s, when Elsa Schiaparelli offered her versions. A fan of surrealism and non-standard lifestyle and lifestyle solutions, E. Schiaparelli came up with, for example, a hat-shoe and a dress with lobster-shaped embroidery. And she suggested complementing the clothing with masks with surreal drawings; This was supposed to enhance the effect of the image.
In the 1970s, masks became part of punk and gothic costumes, wearing cloth masks, kerchiefs and leather masks, which were often decorated with metallic details.
In the first decade of this century, masks penetrated pop culture, becoming an attribute of stage costumes. The mask was used mainly by Lady Gaga, who chose the most extravagant variants: cover the whole face, decorate with glitter, etc. With the appearance of street style posters such as “Off-White” on the fashion scene, the external appearance of the masks was simplified. Before the pandemic, Off-White produced cloth masks with the brand’s logo. But the message has been the same for almost a century: a mask, an accessory for those who want to stand out from the crowd.
Most likely, the upcoming fashion season (the first post-quarantine fashion weeks should take place in September) will present a sensible compromise, for those who don’t want to wear masks as purely utilitarian products, but aren’t ready to go. become the ones to be shown. It will be interesting to see how attitudes towards masks will change if they become part of the fashion mass market.
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