One study conducted by researchers at the University of Sussex in the UK found that people were less likely to trust someone who was wearing a face mask than someone who was not. The researchers attributed this to the fact that face masks can obscure facial expressions, making it more difficult for people to read emotions and intentions.
Another study conducted by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley in the US found no significant effect of face masks on perceived trustworthiness. However, when participants were asked to identify the emotion of someone wearing a face mask, they were more likely to identify negative emotions, such as anger and fear, than when the same person was not wearing a mask.
Finally, a study conducted by researchers at the University of Vienna in Austria found that participants who were wearing face masks were actually perceived as slightly more trustworthy than those who were not. The researchers attributed this to the fact that face masks can create a sense of anonymity, which can make people appear less threatening.
In conclusion, there is no clear consensus on whether wearing a face mask makes you seem more or less trustworthy. Some studies have found that people wearing face masks are perceived as less trustworthy, while others have found no significant effect or even a slight increase in perceived trustworthiness. More research is needed to definitively answer this question.
