Abstract
Sanitary masks improve the physical attractiveness regardless of wearers’ ages. This effect occurs because masks occlude unfavorable facial features. However, it is unclear whether this effect of occlusion applies to other facial cognitions beyond physical attractiveness. Given that wearing a mask occludes wrinkles around the mouth as a characteristic feature of the elderly, the wearer’s age would be perceived as younger than that of the mask-free face. The present study examined whether wearing a mask produces positive effects on seven facial dimensions (age, attractiveness, likeability, distinctiveness, goal orientation, energy, and mood) of elderly and young wearers’ faces. The results indicated that mask-worn young faces were perceived as younger than mask-free faces. Moreover, those faces were perceived as more attractive and likable. However, no such effects occurred for elderly faces. These findings suggested that the occlusion effect of sanitary masks depends on the age of the wearers.
