EXPERTS RESPOND IS ZOOM FATIGUE A MYTH OR REALITY? Imagine that you're walking through an office being followed every step of the way by a colleague holding a mirror in their hands - which is why you spend most of your time at work watching your own reflection. This sounds like the summary of some really exciting thriller - except the fact that it's not a bizarre scenario, rather it's a reality D oing business during the time of the COVID-19 crisis has normalised regular physically distanced meetings and vid- eo conferences that represent a „non- verbal overburden“ and lead to „Zoom fatigue“, according to the conclusions of a study by Jer- emy Bailenson, professor of communications at Stan- ford University.
His research (recently published in professional journal Technology, Mind and Behavior) outlines the aforementioned consequences of intensifying eye con- tact with others and confronting one‘s own reflection during longer video meetings. „Decades of research by behaviourists show that when we look at ourselves - we carefully examine ourselves, assessing ourselves - and over time that causes stress and negative emotions,“ said Bailenson speaking to BBC Radio 4. „When we are compelled to look at ourselves in a video or mirror in real time, our instinct is to act like an idealised version of ourselves. In other words, we strive to be the best person we can be - but that comes at a price. When another person‘s face is extremely close to ours physically - the brain develops an intense reac- tion. What actually happens when you use Zoom for a few hours is that you are in a hyper-stimulated state that will exhaust you,“ claims Bailenson. People can communicate much more harmonious- ly in person than is the case via video, but the regime of working from home caused Zoom to grow into a life-saving solution for many employers - because it is free, efficient and easy to use. The platform has be- come ubiquitous and its stock market value has almost quadrupled, but the negative sides of our psyche have bubbled to the surface, Bailenson suggests.
Tekst/Words: Ivan Radojčić Fotografije/Photography: iStock
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