Mask wearing behavior across routine and leisure activities during COVID-19

Despite the effectiveness of face masks in reducing the spread of COVID-19, many people refused to wear them. Previous studies have shown how a variety of demographic and individual difference factors (e.g., political orientation, stress, perceived risk of infection) predict use of masks. However, people’s health protective behavior can vary depending on the context they are in – a fact that has been thus far neglected in the mask wearing literature. Here, we surveyed an international sample of participants (N = 634, August, 2020) about their use of masks while engaging in routine and leisure activities during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic. People were more likely to use masks during routine than during leisure activities. In addition, wearing masks during routine activities was positively associated with pandemic-related stress, the intention to protect oneself and others, and feeling safe when others wear masks in public. Wearing masks during leisure activities was only positively associated with the intention to protect oneself and the belief that wearing masks is the right thing to do. Results also suggest that political orientation and future time orientation may have different effects on mask wearing in routine activities vs. leisure activities, warranting further study. Understanding the person by situation interactions that predict protective behaviors might help us combat future airborne transmissible diseases.