Effects of Anti-COVID Face Masks on Contagion Risk Evaluation: Wearing a Mask Intensifies Moral Judgments Towards Risky Behaviors

We investigated the effects of complying with measures aimed at offsetting the risks of spreading COVID-19 on the evaluation of risks themselves. We concentrated on the effects of wearing anti-COVID faces masks, representing one of the most widespread, effective, and debated preventive measures to deal with the pandemic. From the individual's perspective, wearing face masks should be justified as far as there are prudential or moral reasons to avoid the risks posed by COVID-19. Consequently, wearing masks without accepting these reasons is a condition that can trigger inconsistency. The attempt to prevent or reduce such inconsistency should thus promote attitude change with respect to the risks associated with the pandemic, including altering beliefs and emotions about the risks themselves or about the morally appropriate behaviors related to these risks. Based on cognitive dissonance theory (Festinger, 1957) and self-perception theory (Bem, 1967; 1972), we hypothesized and tested whether wearing an anti-COVID face mask causes people to be more sensitive to the risks of the pandemic, perceiving a higher risk of contagion and showing stronger respective emotions and cognitions. To test this prediction, an experiment (N = 118) measured the attitudes toward risks associated with COVID-19 of three randomized groups of participants: a group wore face masks, a second one received no specific instructions/requests, and a third one wore an item of clothing unrelated to the pandemic. Results showed an effect of mask-wearing on the moral judgments towards behaviors at risk of COVID-19 contagion, with no significant results for other morality-unrelated attitudes towards risks. Theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.