Wearing face masks during an infection gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Carbon (2020) examined effects of masks on facial emotion perception and revealed reduced accuracy and confidence in a forced-choice task with six expressions (angry, disgusted, fearful, happy, neutral, sad). Our data (N = 195) was originally gathered to assess the role of maladaptive relationship styles that lead to reduced accuracy, increased perceived intensity and decreased reaction times without affecting confidence. The current re-analysis aims to replicate and expand the findings of Carbon (2020). In contrast to the original study, we restricted the viewing time to 500ms, omitted the option “neutral” and included an estimation of intensity to increase compatibility between trials and render the task demand more realistic. In line with Carbon (2020), subjects were more prone to errors and less confident in their judgement of masked faces. Masked expressions were also perceived as less intense which is in line with an increased tendency to choose “neutral” in the previous study. However, the current data suggests that this effect might be restricted to disgusted, happy and sad faces. Furthermore, our data indicates that neutral faces are generally prone to be perceived as sad (50.26%) and that masked neutral faces are less likely to be seen as angry but more likely to be seen fearful or happy. While rendering the assessment of emotions more difficult, masks might also contribute to a more defensive judgment with potential benefits for social interactions.

C. C. Carbon, Front. Psychol. 11:566886 (2020)