Attitudes toward Wearing a Face Mask and Its Effects on Interpersonal Communication: A Comparison between Thai and Japanese People

Abstract

This study aims to identify and compare the behaviors of Thai and Japanese people while wearing a face mask in conversation and their respective attitudes in this matter and its effects on interpersonal communication. An online questionnaire was used to collect data from 527 Thais and 397 Japanese. The results show that the behaviors and attitudes toward wearing a face mask were different between the Thai and Japanese respondents. Before the COVID-19 crisis, the Japanese had used face masks on various occasions. During the pandemic, both Thai and Japanese people formed negative attitudes toward wearing a face mask due to subsequent inconvenience and discomfort when talking through the mask; however, the Japanese respondents tended to have more positive attitudes in this regard. Yet, both parties believed that wearing a face mask affected the quality of communication as they needed to make more effort when talking with a face mask on, for example, enunciating more clearly and loudly, listening with close attention, and reading the body language of the speaker more frequently. The Thai respondents felt they needed to make special efforts to communicate more than their Japanese counterparts did. It is likely that Japanese people are more accustomed to wearing a face mask than Thai people are and thus find it less difficult to talk with a face mask on. Additionally, Thai and Japanese people tend to interpret facial expressions differently in that the former have more difficulties interpreting facial expressions without seeing the other speaker’s mouth, but the latter find it more difficult to interpret without seeing the person’s eyes. The study implies that wearing a face mask is more likely to affect the feelings and interpersonal communication of Thai people than their Japanese counterparts.