Another perspective on the veil...

[Karina]

I just wanted to add another perspective to the veil/niqab/burqa discussion.

Personally, I'm sitting on the fence with it all, I'm neutral – I haven't researched the topic and I don't know enough to have an opinion. However, for the purposes of this thread, I'm a Psychology student and I love to look at things from a Psych angle.

Question: Psychologically, do we have an innate urge to identify the faces of those around us? Does failure to do this result in psychological discomfort?

From a psychological perspective, it is suggested that facial identification is essential in our instinct for survival.

For example, we had a lecture last semester which focused on the consequences of damage to certain parts of the brain, and it is thought that there is a particular region of the brain dedicated to facial recognition. It is completely different from those areas which handle the recognition of everyday objects.

If you think about it, I suppose it makes sense that this area is so specialised. It helps us instantly make the decision between “friend or enemy” and, along with facial expressions, gives us cues for our own behaviour. And it appears that newborn babies posses this ability too – after all it is essential they recognise the face of their carer and protector, their mother.

I wondered if (forgetting about political/racially prejudiced explanations) one of the reasons that many people are so uncomfortable with the covering of a human face is because of this 'innate' urge to identify others?
What do you think?

I think that if I was in an everyday situation where strangers around me were wearing for example, masks or balaclavas... whatever the intention.... It would be really difficult not to feel a little uneasy, but not be entirely sure why. Sometimes I even feel like I can't fully identify someone when they're wearing a hooded top over their head.

Please, I didn't start this thread to enter into any political discussions, it's not something I feel equipped to discuss!

I'm just interested in what you think about our potential underlying urge to recognise and identify those in our vicinity, and the psychological consequences of not being able to do so.

[Uthman]

Greetings Karina,

I would be interested in reading some of the answers given by others but it's interesting that you're looking at this from a psychological perspective because, as Muslims, we believe that all human beings are born with an innate desire to submit to their creator. I'll leave it at that and see what others have to say regarding your specific points.

[Asiyah3]

I wondered if (forgetting about political/racially prejudiced explanations) one of the reasons that many people are so uncomfortable with the covering of a human face is because of this 'innate' urge to identify others?
What do you think?

Hmm... I don't think this is the way it is. This does apply in cases where the people know each other, I believe. But I don't see this 'innate' urge to see a stranger's face.

Please, I didn't start this thread to enter into any political discussions, it's not something I feel equipped to discuss!

You don't have to say that :statisfie This is another point of view, an interesting one. Though I feel like there is an assumption that human's can't use their common sense.

and the psychological consequences of not being able to do so.

Like I said, I don't believe this applies to strangers but if they're close then ---> curiosity

[hanif_]

Peace be to you Katrina:

When a group of people have been nurtured with a structure of morals, values and views that becomes their reality. Their dress, mannerism and communication are the norm.

Islam is a way of life for over 1.6 Billion people so a woman not being dressed modest for a practicing Muslim invokes a sense of discomfort.

33:59 (Y. Ali) O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad): that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And Allah is Oft- Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Because your study of psychology is general you know that modern day psychology has been shaped by Philosophers such as Rene Descartes.

Contemporary psychology concentrates on human behavior and mental process from the neural level to the cultural level.

Psychology only became a separate discipline from a science separate from physiology and philosophy in the late 1800's.

The use of science depends totally on the bias or non-biases of the scientist.

The urge for people to identify someone unrecognizable is usually based upon their learned behavior of acting on a racism, prejudice, kindness or love. It is easy to hate someone you have been taught to hate.

In every civil culture women and children always put people at ease. If a woman or child walks behind a person they lower their guard and if a man approaches the guard is up until intention is established.

Muslims answer to a higher authority. Man's opinions that conflict are discarded.

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[Ummu Sufyaan]

Greetings Karina =)

I wondered if (forgetting about political/racially prejudiced explanations) one of the reasons that many people are so uncomfortable with the covering of a human face is because of this 'innate' urge to identify others?
What do you think?

it really depends on the society and the mindset of that society you are in, i believe. if you live somewhere where the niqaab is not common, then maybe you will feel a fear (but even then i think it is subjective-see below). but if you live somewhere where it is, then i highly doubt you will fear anything because you are used to it, you know the women aren't scary and you have developed the mindset that women/people covering their faces isn't something bad. go to places like the Gulf, no one will have a fear towards a woman covering her face because everyone has the same type of mindset.


sometimes i'll meet people (non-Muslims) and straight away i can tell if they have lived in a Muslim society or not, based on the body language they express. sometimes they seem immediately very comfortable/talkative (means they have resided with Muslims) and sometimes they seem neutral/hesitancy/friendly, but not as friendly (means they haven't lived amongst Muslims). so what im getting at is that sometimes will depend on what type of experience you have encountered towards people to have developed a postive or negative reaction towards them.


also regarding the psychology behind it, did they mention anything about having a fear towards something that replaces the face. what i mean by this is that not seeing someones face, is different from seeing something that "replaces" the face. are there variables?
also, not being able to see someones face/recognize it, how much fear will actually build in :? is it just an anxiety or...? like sometimes initally when you see someone/something, then a little fear/anxiety will tend to develop, but after a while (i dont mean befriending that person, but just merely being around them for a few minutes) you see that the person is relaxed around you.

another thing to take into consideration is the amount of interaction you have had with a people. what i mean by this is that when i see a niqaabi, i dont fear her because i know-as my brethren in faith-she isnt scary. the fact that i know the reasons why she has chosen to wear it, and what motivates her to wear it (i.e her faith) isn't something alien to me for me to be scared of. in other words, im practically in the same shoes as her, so why would i fear her?

so there are alot of variables to take into consideration before rendering something as scary or not :)