How COVID-19 Masking Shaped Children's Emotion Recognition
Type of Presentation
Poster Session
Location
University Library
Start Date
4-9-2026 11:30 AM
End Date
4-9-2026 12:45 PM
Abstract
COVID-19 changed many aspects of everyday life. One effect pf the COVID-19 pandemic that lingered across many domains of everyday life was masks. They quickly became a household item due to mandates across the country. Masks covered parts of the face that are crucial for reading and recognizing emotions, making it difficult for some individuals to accurately recognize others’ emotions. Many children experienced this barrier during sensitive periods of development. This literature review examines how mask usage during COVID-19 affected children’s emotional recognition. This review primarily focuses on studies involving child participants, but it also includes some studies with adult participants for comparison. Most of the studies included in this review examine participants' emotion recognition ability by showing photographs of individuals with and without masks and comparing their reactions. Findings across the literature indicate that masks reduce the participants' ability to accurately recognize emotions, even if it is by a small margin. Findings also highlight the holistic nature of facial recognition and suggest that multiple distinct parts of the face work together to support emotional recognition. The literature suggests that children may struggle more with emotional recognition than adults. Overall, the literature indicates that children may be at greater risk for difficulty accurately recognizing emotions due to mask usage. It is important to consider the potential long-term impact of children who experienced prolonged exposure to heavy mask usage environments. Implications for future research should consider how mask usage during COVID-19 may have affected children with autism who often rely heavily on the ability to recognize emotional cues.
Faculty / Staff Sponsor
Dr. Cipra
How COVID-19 Masking Shaped Children's Emotion Recognition
University Library
COVID-19 changed many aspects of everyday life. One effect pf the COVID-19 pandemic that lingered across many domains of everyday life was masks. They quickly became a household item due to mandates across the country. Masks covered parts of the face that are crucial for reading and recognizing emotions, making it difficult for some individuals to accurately recognize others’ emotions. Many children experienced this barrier during sensitive periods of development. This literature review examines how mask usage during COVID-19 affected children’s emotional recognition. This review primarily focuses on studies involving child participants, but it also includes some studies with adult participants for comparison. Most of the studies included in this review examine participants' emotion recognition ability by showing photographs of individuals with and without masks and comparing their reactions. Findings across the literature indicate that masks reduce the participants' ability to accurately recognize emotions, even if it is by a small margin. Findings also highlight the holistic nature of facial recognition and suggest that multiple distinct parts of the face work together to support emotional recognition. The literature suggests that children may struggle more with emotional recognition than adults. Overall, the literature indicates that children may be at greater risk for difficulty accurately recognizing emotions due to mask usage. It is important to consider the potential long-term impact of children who experienced prolonged exposure to heavy mask usage environments. Implications for future research should consider how mask usage during COVID-19 may have affected children with autism who often rely heavily on the ability to recognize emotional cues.