Masking (behavior)

In psychology and sociology, masking, also known as social camouflaging, is a defensive behavior in which an individual conceals their natural personality or behavior in response to social pressure, abuse, or harassment. Masking can be strongly influenced by environmental factors such as authoritarian parents, social rejection, and emotional, physical, or sexual abuse. Masking is interconnected with maintaining performative behavior within social structures and cultures. Masking is mostly used to conceal a negative emotion (usually sadness, frustration, and anger) with a positive emotion or indifferent affect. Developmental studies have shown that this ability begins as early as preschool and becomes more developed with age. The concept of masking is particularly developed in the understanding of autistic behaviour. For individuals with autism, masking behaviors are sometimes automatic. They may not even realize that they are doing them. This is not always the case though, as some behaviors take constant effort and conscious social monitoring to maintain. Masks represent an artificial face, in the "saving face" sense. Seeing life as theatre is the core of the closely related social perspectives of dramatism, dramaturgy and performativity. Masks are a tool of impression management and stigma management, which are parts of reputation management.