* cough coronavirus masks kaye pkg vpx _00010130 cough coronavirus masks kaye pkg vpx _00010130 JUST WATCHED See how a mask affects how a cough travels Replay -- (16 Videos) cough coronavirus masks kaye pkg vpx _00010130.jpg cough coronavirus masks kaye pkg vpx _00010130.jpg See how a mask affects how a cough travels John King: It's a horrific time to become president -- Images) Biden urges mask wearing after receiving second vaccine dose Carvalho says protocols to stop the spread of Covid are being followed -- Age, pregnancy, allergies. Is the vaccine right for you? The psychology behind why some people won't wear masks By Scottie Andrew, CNN -- Updated 1653 GMT (0053 HKT) May 6, 2020 (CNN)Most Americans have never had to wear a mask for their health before, let alone while they shop for groceries or go for a run. So, even as businesses or states increasingly require them, rebellion -- Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Division of Infectious Diseases and professor of medicine. But he urges Americans to think of the mask guidance not as forced conformity, but as a necessary act of solidarity: Wearing a cloth mask could stop seemingly healthy people from infecting others with coronavirus if they're asymptomatic. Coronavirus, face masks and America's new fault line Coronavirus, face masks and America's new fault line Coronavirus, face masks and America's new fault line "We're all hopeful that this pandemic disappears," he said. "Then we can stop doing as much risk mitigation. But for now, we really depend on the trust and kindness of others to protect our wellbeing. And that's part of being an American." READ MORE: How to make your own face mask, whether or not you know how to sew -- Read More Unmasked protesters in Michigan try to enter the state's House of Representatives chamber but are blocked by masked Michigan State Police. Unmasked protesters in Michigan try to enter the state's House of Representatives chamber but are blocked by masked Michigan State Police. Unmasked protesters in Michigan try to enter the state's House of Representatives chamber but are blocked by masked Michigan State Police. Even though wearing masks isn't compulsory in much of the US, adhering to these rules may feel like, to some, a forfeiture of their freedoms. People naturally rebel when they're told what to do, even if the -- indignant or morally outraged when people are trying to encroach on their freedoms." Aronoff compared the mask guidance to the ban on smoking cigarettes in restaurants or schools. "There are rules about not smoking in enclosed restaurants and bars -- said. "Now we're in a situation where, if I'm infected with the Covid-19 virus, my breath can be lethal to someone else." But while that legislation is permanent, wearing masks won't be, Aronoff said. But to vocal opponents, even temporary guidance is too much of a concession. A security guard was shot after telling a customer to wear a face mask, officials say. His widow calls the killing 'senseless and stupid' A security guard was shot after telling a customer to wear a face mask, officials say. His widow calls the killing 'senseless and stupid' A security guard was shot after telling a customer to wear a face mask, officials say. His widow calls the killing 'senseless and stupid' In Michigan, where up to 700 protesters recently descended on the state Capitol to protest stay-at-home orders, masks are required in stores and businesses. This month, police say a Michigan Family Dollar security guard was shot and killed by customers who he'd asked to wear masks before entering the store. Also in Michigan, a customer wiped his face on a Dollar Tree employee's shirt after police say the employee told him to wear a mask. And within a day of issuing an emergency proclamation requiring masks, the city of Stillwater, Oklahoma, amended the proclamation after citizens threatened violence. "Many of those with objections cite the mistaken belief the requirement is unconstitutional, and under their theory, one cannot be forced to wear a mask," city manager Norman McNickle said in a statement. "No law or court supports this view." Some think it could make them look weak To some, wearing a mask means admitting a fear they may not have consciously confronted yet, said David Abrams, a clinical psychologist and professor of social and behavioral science at New York University's School of Global Public Health. Many view the mask as a walking symbol of vulnerability that tells others you're scared about contracting the virus. So to compensate for that fear, and as a show of strength, they may reject the masks entirely, he said. READ MORE: How to stop your glasses from fogging up when you wear a mask To the people who choose not to wear them, "Putting on that mask is about as blatant as saying, 'Hey, I'm a scaredy cat,'" Abrams said. But this moment in history is scary, he said, and even though fear is -- Some find the guidance confusing Within three months, masks went from unnecessary for healthy people to recommended for anyone who goes out in public. The conflicting guidance has given Americans a bit of whiplash. But that guidance has changed when researchers learned about the high probability of asymptomatic transmission. Wearing a cloth mask isn't foolproof, but if someone is infected and doesn't know it, the mask prevents their breath from traveling far and potentially infecting others. -- said. And people who followed the CDC's initial advice -- to avoid wearing a mask if you're healthy -- may have felt cheated or wronged when the CDC recommended them in mid-April. Vice President Mike Pence visited the Mayo Clinic on April 28 without a mask, in violation of the health care facility's rules. He later said he should've worn one. Vice President Mike Pence visited the Mayo Clinic on April 28 without a mask, in violation of the health care facility's rules. He later said he should've worn one. Vice President Mike Pence visited the Mayo Clinic on April 28 without a mask, in violation of the health care facility's rules. He later said he should've worn one. There are also mixed messages at the federal level: While the CDC recommends the public wear masks, President Donald Trump didn't wear a mask during a visit to a Honeywell mask factory. Vice President Mike Pence apparently flouted hospital policy when he visited the Mayo Clinic without a mask on. All that muddles the message even further for Americans, Abrams said. "The ambivalence of mixed messages makes it far easier for people to do -- Some find it uncomfortable A woman adjusts her child's mask as they wait in line to be screened for Covid-19 in New York. A woman adjusts her child's mask as they wait in line to be screened for Covid-19 in New York. A woman adjusts her child's mask as they wait in line to be screened for Covid-19 in New York. In the presence of uncertainty, people tend to seek out rituals that make them feel secure. For many Americans, wearing masks in public isn't one of those, Abrams said. "When people are told what to do, and it's not the conforming, usual -- said. "It's the psychological tendency to react to people telling you what to do." Up until this point, Americans haven't been asked to wear masks in public. It's a phenomenon they may associate with some east Asian countries, where wearing face masks in public is widely accepted and perhaps a reason why some of those countries have been successful in reining in outbreaks. "If everybody started wearing masks, suddenly, the old way of life is gone," he said. "You've suddenly admitted that this is the new normal. But you don't want to believe that." Not to mention, masks aren't physically comfortable either. That may be enough to steer some people away from them.