New experimental study on the acceptance for face masks in the times of the COVID-19 pandemics

Wearing face masks in times of COVID-19 is one of the essential puzzle stones for to effectively decrease the rate of infections and to mitigate the negative consequences for society. Acceptance of wearing masks is still low in Europe—many people feel strange when wearing masks just because others do not wear them. This induces a severe problem for imposing recommendations of wearing masks and so for mitigating the pandemic. In this paper, we offer experimental data that clearly show how the feeling of strangeness is substantially reduced by increasing the frequency of mask wearers in social groups—people then seem to feel not odd any more. This result is important for enabling high acceptance and a, probably, sustainable wearing of such masks. Our result will also assist decision makers to predict future acceptance of wearing masks when generally more people apply to these new hygienic practices.

You can easily read the results of our new experimental study via preprint server SSRN:

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3584834

Important conclusions for all people who still feel strange when wearing a face mask in the public:

We will feel strange when wearing masks as long as others do not wear them. So let's start to wear them consequently whereever it is needed, whereever it is required!