Do Face Masks Degrade our Ability to Remember Face-Name Associations?

Date

2022-05-07

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Honors Program, The University of Tampa

Abstract

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, face masks have become a required item of attire. Holistic face processing refers to how the human visual system integrates facial features into a whole rather than as separate parts. However, face masks obstruct the bottom portion of our faces, restricting us from standard holistic processing upon meeting someone new. The present study examined the influence face masks have on memory predictions and memory performance for new face-name associations. Participants studied face-name pairs presented for 8 seconds (Experiment 1) or 10 seconds (Experiment 2). Half of the face-name pairs included a face mask obstructing the nose and mouth of the pictured face, counterbalanced across participants. Participants provided item-by-item memory predictions (judgements of learning, JOLs) and completed subsequent recall and recognition memory tests. Both experiments demonstrated that face masks impaired memory for newlylearned names, however, the magnitude of the impact was under-predicted by participants. Therefore, the presence of a face mask negatively influences memory performance to a greater degree than expected. Results from this experiment have implications for name learning during pandemics, as well as in other settings where face masks are common (e.g., the medical field).

Description

Recommended Citation: Rodriguez, Alexandra. “Do Face Masks Degrade Our Ability to Remember Face-Name Associations?” Honors Program, The University of Tampa, 2022. https://doi.org/10.48497/DY0T-WK51.

Keywords

Face Mask, Holistic Face Processing, Face-Name Associations

Citation

Rodriguez, Alexandra. “Do Face Masks Degrade Our Ability to Remember Face-Name Associations?” Honors Program, The University of Tampa, 2022. https://doi.org/10.48497/DY0T-WK51.