ORCID

Abstract

Human faces are critical for social communication, enabling individuals to make rapid judgments about traits like trustworthiness and competence. Previous research suggests that face masks can enhance perceptions of trustworthiness and, to a lesser extent, competence, although findings on competence are more variable and context-dependent. Additionally, age-related facial cues influence social judgments, with older and younger faces being evaluated differently. This research examined the impact of face masks on perceptions of trustworthiness and competence across two age groups: young adults (Study 1) and old adults (Study 2). Study 1 revealed that face masks increased perceptions of trustworthiness and competence for young faces. In contrast, Study 2 found no significant effects of face masks on trustworthiness or competence for older faces, suggesting that age-related facial features and stereotypes may overshadow mask-induced perceptual biases. Altogether, the findings indicate that the impact of face masks on social perceptions, particularly trustworthiness and competence, may not generalize reliably across different age groups.

Publication Date

2026-02-18

Publication Title

Psychological Reports

ISSN

0033-2941

Acceptance Date

2026-02-12

Deposit Date

2026-02-27

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Keywords

age-related stereotypes, competence, face masks, social perception, trustworthiness

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