The effect of masks on cognitive performance.

Unmasking the effects of masks on thinking

31 May 2023

Donning a mask causes the games of top chess players to dip temporally.

Despite the wide implementation of masks during the COVID-19 pandemic, little is known about whether they affect the ability to think. Some have speculated that they could reduce cognitive ability through reducing the flow of oxygen to the brain, but this has little scientific backing.

Now, a researcher from the University of Queensland in Australia has shown that wearing a mask does cause a substantial reduction in the decision-making ability of top chess players, but the effect wore off after a few hours of playing.

Using computer software to analyse nearly four million moves made by more than 8,500 players during tournaments, the researcher observed the drop in elite players who were playing in high-stake games. But masks had no observable effect on players at lower levels, which suggests that the impediment is a psychological one.

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References

1. PNAS 119, e2206528119 (2022). doi: 10.1073/pnas.2206528119