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Personality: Self concept · Personality testing · Theories · Mind-body problem
Masking illustrated by autistic artist Luna Rose
Masking (Personality Theory) - Masking is a process in which an individual changes or "masks" their natural personality or behavior to conform to social pressures, abuse, and or harassment.
Most people adjust their behavior somewhat to adapt to their environment. The degree of how much they adjust, and how stressful it is, can vary. Some people, especially neurodivergent people, face additional pressures and adverse mental health outcomes.[1][2]
Children as young as preschool age may gain the ability to mask.[3]
Reasons[]
Masking can be strongly influenced by environmental factors such as authoritarian parents, rejection, and emotional, physical, or sexual abuse.
Examples[]
Some examples of masking are a single overly dominant temperament, or humor, two incongruent temperaments, or displaying three of the four main temperaments within the same individual.
People may mask negative emotions such as sadness, frustration or anger by feigning indifference or positivity.[4]
In minority groups[]
The black man has two dimensions. One with his fellows, the other with the white man. That this self-division is a direct result of colonialist subjugation is beyond question. — Frantz Fanon, Black Skins, White Masks[5]
People of non-dominant races or cultures may mask by taking on aspects of the dominant race or culture. This can help them avoid prejudice and discrimination. "Anything is possible if you sound Caucasian on the phone," quipped teen Savanna Tomlinson in a viral yearbook quote.[6]
Neurodivergent masking can include suppressing the need to fidget, forcing eye contact despite discomfort with it, and pretending to be fine while experiencing sensory pain.[7]
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ Pryke-Hobbes A, Davies J, Heasman B, Livesey A, Walker A, Pellicano E, Remington A. The workplace masking experiences of autistic, non-autistic neurodivergent and neurotypical adults in the UK. PLoS One. 2023 Sep 6;18(9):e0290001. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290001. PMID: 37672533; PMCID: PMC10482295.
- ↑ "Masking Is Life": Experiences of Masking in Autistic and Nonautistic Adults
- ↑ Cole, Pamela (Dec 1986). "Children's Spontaneous Control of Facial Expression". Child Development. 57 (6): 1309–1321. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.1986.tb00459.x.
- ↑ De Gere, Dawn (2008). "The face of masking: Examining central tendencies and between-person variability in display management and display rule". ProQuest Dissertations and Theses.
- ↑ Fanon, Frantz (1967). Black Skin, White Masks. New York: Grove Press. pp. 45–52. ISBN 0802150845.
- ↑ High School Senior’s Yearbook Quote About White Privilege Goes Viral
- ↑ Hull, Laura; Petrides, K. V.; Allison, Carrie; Smith, Paula; Baron-Cohen, Simon; Lai, Meng-Chuan; Mandy, William (2017). ""Putting on My Best Normal": Social Camouflaging in Adults with Autism Spectrum Conditions". Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 47 (8): 2519–2534. doi:10.1007/s10803-017-3166-5. PMC 5509825. PMID 28527095.
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