We all involuntarily touch our mouths, rub our eyes, scratch our chins, and even pick our noses many times a day. Among the many behavioral traits that distinguish us from other animals, there is one that can be extremely dangerous during an epidemic. We are the only known species in nature (except for a few primates) that touches our face without realizing it. And this contributes to the spread of viruses, including the Covid-19 coronavirus. But why do we always touch our face – and is it possible to get rid of this involuntary habit?
We all touch our faces surprisingly often. A 2015 study of medical students in Australia found that even novice doctors can’t control themselves. It would seem that they should have had some idea of the risks involved, yet the students involuntarily touched their noses, touched their mouths, or rubbed their eyes at least 23 times per hour. Meanwhile, professional and public health organizations, including the WHO, are warning of the dangers of such “touching” behavior. Recommendations for the prevention of Covid-19 emphasize the importance of not letting your hands go.
The eyes, mouth, and nose are the gateways through which infections enter our bodies. It seems that humans and some primates can’t do anything about it: it’s the kind of joke that evolution has played on us. Most species focus on their own faces to groom themselves or deter parasites, but we and our closest relatives – the human-like apes – do it for a variety of other reasons as well. According to Dacher Keltner, professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, sometimes touching is calming, sometimes it is unconscious flirting, or such touch “plays the role of a curtain on a stage, separating one act of a social spectacle from another. Other behavioral specialists believe that touching the face helps us manage our emotions or concentrate. For example, Martin Grünwald, a professor of psychology at the University of Leipzig, believes that it is one of the foundations of our species’ behavior.
Humans and some primates are the only species that inexplicably grab their face (muzzle). “Touching yourself is an act of self-regulation that is not intended to convey information and is often done unconsciously,” Grunwald said in an interview with the BBC. “Such touches play a key role in cognitive and emotional processes and occur in all people,” says a German professor. The problem with these contacts, however, is that the eyes, nose, and mouth are gateways to our bodies through which all sorts of “nastiness” can enter. For example, the Covid-19 virus is transmitted from person to person through airborne droplets, but it is also possible to become infected simply by touching objects and surfaces on which the virus has settled. Specialists continue to study the peculiarities of the new coronavirus, but it is no secret that this family of viruses is known for its resilience, and some can survive on surfaces for up to nine days.
You can easily become infected by touching objects and surfaces where the virus has settled. This increased survivability of viruses, combined with our habit of touching our faces, increases the risk of infection. In 2012, a group of scientists from the U.S. and Brazil found experimentally that people touch different surfaces in public places more than three times per hour. And they touch their nose or mouth about the same number of times per hour.
“The medical mask primarily protects us from ourselves. This is certainly much lower than for Australian students, but this may be explained by the fact that students were observed in the classroom during lectures, rather than outside where there are many more distractions. In fact, some health professionals believe that medical masks are more helpful in combating the habit of touching the face than in actually filtering viruses. But is there anything you can do to stop grabbing your face so often? Michael Hallsworth, a behavioral scientist and professor at Columbia University, acknowledges that this is very difficult to do in practice. “This is a classic puzzle: how to get people to do or not do something that happens subconsciously,” the professor explained in an interview with the BBC. “It’s much easier to get people to wash their hands more often than it is to get them to touch their face less often.”
How can you consciously not do something when you don’t even notice your actions? However, Professor Hallsworth is certain that “persuasion methods” still exist. One of them is to try to pay attention to every case of hands reaching for the face. “If you have a physical need to touch your face, such as when it itches, you can find alternative behaviors, such as scratching the back of your hand,” Holsworth says. “Although it’s not an ideal solution, it does reduce the risk of infection.” In addition, Professor Hallsworth strongly recommends understanding what exactly makes us attracted to a person. “If we learn to recognize situations in which we want to touch our face, we will be able to react appropriately,” explains the expert. “For example, people who like to rub their eyes can wear sunglasses, or they can simply sit on their hands when the irresistible desire to touch their face arises.”
Washing your hands is still important! You can also keep yourself occupied with something else, such as spinning a fidget spinner or squeezing a special stress-relief ball. Just don’t forget to disinfect these items. “Ментальные зарубки” also help, which is a reminder to yourself that touching your face is not good. “If someone knows they have compulsive behavior, they can ask their family or friends to warn them when they are about to have an attack,” says Michael Hallsworth. Maybe wearing gloves as a reminder? It’s a bad idea, says the professor, unless you change or wash them as often as you wash your hands, because gloves get dirty, too. Finally, the benefits of good old-fashioned, thorough and regular hand washing should not be underestimated. As WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at the February 28th press conference, “We don’t have to wait for a vaccine and a therapy, there are things everyone can do today to protect themselves and others”.