Just Wear the Mask.  It’s Not a Big Deal! Or, is It? A Developmental Psychologist’s Concerns Regarding Masks on Children—and All of Us!

We’re bringing you another segment of our “Love & Life:  Let’s Talk About It” series. 

These are topics that can be hard to broach and in some cases, conversations around these issues have been censored—either by social media platforms, or by social agreement—because,”Let’s not talk about it. We’ll just get into a fight.” 

But avoiding subjects to preserve harmony doesn’t foster true intimacy—and because Elliott and I are all about deep, meaningful, intimate relationships, we’re going to speak honestly about those issues which are most important to us. 

Today’s “Love and Life:  Let’s Talk About It!” topic? Masks.

Over the past several years of the pandemic, masks have become an insanely contentious topic. The debate has waged for 3, almost 4 years now, so I’m sure you have your opinion and I’m not trying to change anyone’s mind. 

I just want to bring up some relevant factors that I’ve rarely heard expressed in the debate.

I’m approaching this from my vantage point as a developmental psychologist because there are several theories I learned about in my grad work which have implications for masks on children—and on all of us!

Join us to learn the research suggesting masking IS a big deal. Children have suffered and research shows there may be lasting effects to this experiment we all entered in by covering our faces over the last several years.

Citations

COVID rules are blamed for 23% dive in young children's development: Disturbing study shows scores in three key cognitive tests slumped between 2018 and 2021, with face mask rules among possible culprits

https://www.dailymail.co.

uk/news/article-10247315/Face-masks-harm-childrens-development-Study-blames-significantly-reduced-development.html

Early maternal mirroring predicts infant motor system activation during facial expression observation

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-12097-w

Early origins of mental disorder - risk factors in the perinatal and infant period

https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-016-0982-7

EQ vs. IQ Which is Most Important in the Success or Failure of a Student?

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042812021477?ref=pdf_download&fr=RR-2&rr=813ff5c13d7c140a 

Imitation in Infancy: A Critical Review

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0065240708604176

The Mask of Ignorance

https://www.city-journal.org/article/the-mask-of-ignorance

Mothers with a mask or… the still-face experiment?

https://eipmh.com/mothers-with-mask-or-the-still-face-experiment/

Possible toxicity of chronic carbon dioxide exposure associated with face mask use, particularly in pregnant women, children and adolescents – A scoping review

https://www.cell.com/heliyon/pdf/S2405-8440(23)01324-5.pdf

Dr. Karin & Pastor Elliott Anderson

Website: http://loveandlifemedia.com/

Empowered Dating Playbook: smarturl.it/EmpoweredDatingBook

Instagram: @dr.karin | @pastorelliottanderson