Your ID, please? The effect of facemasks and makeup on perceptions of age of young adult female faces.

Hannah Davis,Janice Attard‐Johnson

doi:10.1002/acp.3923

Abstract

During the COVID‐19 pandemic, wearing facemasks was mandatory in the United Kingdom except for individuals with medical exemptions. Facemasks cover the full lower half of the face; however, the effect of facemasks on age perception is not yet known. The present study examined whether age estimation accuracy of unfamiliar young adult women is impaired when the target is wearing a facemask. This study also examined whether makeup, which has previously been shown to increase error bias, further impairs age estimation accuracy when paired with a facemask. The findings indicate that both facemasks and makeup tend to result in overestimation of the young women's age compared to neutral faces, but the combination of both is not additive. Individual level analysis also revealed large individual differences in age estimation accuracy ranging from estimates within 1 year of the target's actual age, and age estimates which deviated by up to 20 years.

Highlights

Accurate age estimation of strangers is paramount in situations relating to forensic age identification in criminal investigations (Thorley et al, 2018) and age verification for age restricted sales (Willner & Rowe, 2001)
Use of facemasks potentially presents a challenge for salespeople selling alcohol, knives, or other age restricted items, the effect of facemasks on age estimation accuracy is not known
The challenge is further compounded by individuals who may unintentionally or deliberately attempt to appear older when wearing a facemask by applying facial cosmetics to alter the visual cues of the visible facial features

Summary

Introduction

Accurate age estimation of strangers is paramount in situations relating to forensic age identification in criminal investigations (Thorley et al, 2018) and age verification for age restricted sales (Willner & Rowe, 2001). The effect of obscuring other facial features on age perception is less known. Use of facemasks potentially presents a challenge for salespeople selling alcohol, knives, or other age restricted items, the effect of facemasks on age estimation accuracy is not known. The challenge is further compounded by individuals who may unintentionally or deliberately attempt to appear older when wearing a facemask by applying facial cosmetics to alter the visual cues of the visible facial features. The question of whether facemasks, and makeup, distort age perception will likely continue to be relevant even after restrictions have been lifted

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