During the pandemic, when much of our working lives shifted online, the new work patterns afforded a glimpse into the lives of our colleagues as never before. The ubiquitous video calls provided us with a literal window into the home lives of our peers, and it prompted a fascinating exploration of the right kind of backdrop to our calls.
For instance, research from the University of Durham found that our background has a clear impact on how we’re perceived by others. For instance, when we have a bookcase in the background, we’re viewed as more trustworthy by our peers, whereas those of us with living rooms or funny pictures in the background were viewed as less competent.
“This research shows how our Zoom backgrounds can affect the first impressions we make,” the authors explain. “If you want to come across as trustworthy and competent there are some backgrounds you should use and some you should definitely avoid.”
Tiring us out
Research from the Nanyang Technological University suggests that our backgrounds may also impact our fatigue levels. The concept of “zoom fatigue” came to the fore during the pandemic, with research from Stanford showing that large amounts of screen time can drain our energy levels.
The researchers argue that when we have an excessive amount of eye contact up-close with people it is unnatural and therefore extremely draining. They suggest that when we meet people in person we often cast our gaze around a bit, whether to look elsewhere, take notes, or, of course, to look at our colleague. On Zoom, however, we tend to look at others the majority of the time. This can make us more tired than we would normally be.
The Singaporean researchers wanted to understand whether our backgrounds can impact this phenomenon at all. They found that different backgrounds contribute to Zoom fatigue more than others, with virtual backgrounds the worst culprits, especially compared to those of us who blur out our backgrounds.
In the background
The researchers quizzed several hundred participants on the kinds of virtual backgrounds they used. For instance, some used static images, while others used blurred images, and, of course, some used none at all.
They also measured the levels of fatigue respondents experienced while using video conferencing across a range of measures, including visual, motivational, emotional, and social fatigue. All of the participants worked at home for approximately three days per week.
The results found that backgrounds are far from equal when it comes to tiring people out, with video backgrounds the most exhausting. Even blurred backgrounds are tiring however, which may be worth remembering as this remains common for people. This may not be an issue for an isolated call, but if the call is longer it could result in unnecessary fatigue.
“Our brains automatically react to new information in the environment. This consumes cognitive resources, which then increases cognitive load and consequently leads to VF,” the authors explain.
Processing information
The key to the level of fatigue is the amount of new information we have to process. The backgrounds people use typically contain a degree of new information, but they allow us to shift our attention elsewhere over time. The researchers believe that blurred backgrounds don’t really do that, but do nonetheless provide a slight glimpse of the real environment.
By contrast, video backgrounds are always providing new information so are a constant source of distraction and are therefore constantly draining our mental reserves.
The study also found that the type of background can also influence the fatigue levels of users, with nature-themed backgrounds generally better than more artificial or man-made backgrounds. The researchers believe this could be because those backgrounds encourage users to place themselves in those kinds of settings, which are generally stress-inducing and therefore tire us out. This is born out by studies showing that walks in nature can be great at helping us to detox and feel more energized at work.
The researchers say their findings provide a useful starting point for improving video call experiences and helping users make better decisions. These insights could be especially helpful for people who use video calls for work, allowing them to protect their well-being while getting the most out of this way of communicating.
That said, the authors note that more research is needed to explore how age and the purpose of the call affect the link between virtual backgrounds and eye strain. Also, given how often users focus on their own image during calls, the effect of other people’s backgrounds on eye strain needs further study.
“A more comprehensive understanding of the role of virtual backgrounds in videoconferencing could provide more targeted recommendations for future research and practice,” they conclude.
