In an increasingly digitally connected world, video conferencing has become a fundamental part of professional and personal communication. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of video conferencing platforms such as Zoom skyrocketed, reaching more than 200 million daily participants in March 2020. Something that characterizes this type of application is the range of wallpapers that can be used. use when making the video call and replace the real background of the space from where the conference is held, if desired.
Now, the choice of this background causes an effect on the others; in how they perceive you. A recent study carried out by researchers Paddy Ross, Abi Cook and Meg Thompson from the University of Durham (United Kingdom), and which has been published in the journal PLOS ONE, has concluded that “first impressions are significantly affected by factors contextual visuals. For this reason, “the background of the video could differentially influence evaluations of first impressions compared to in-person meetings.”
To carry out the study, 167 adults were recruited who evaluated still images that simulated screenshots of video conferences. These images showed male and female faces with neutral or smiling expressions, superimposed on various virtual backgrounds. These backgrounds ranged from houseplants and bookshelves to living rooms, novel images, and blurred backgrounds.
The results of the study revealed that participants tended to perceive as more competent and trustworthy individuals whose faces were superimposed on backgrounds with houseplants or bookshelves, which were associated with positive characteristics, such as literacy, intelligence, and economic success. On the other hand, the “homey and novel funds received lower ratings for reliability and competence”, as the study specifies.
In addition to the choice of background, the study also revealed that facial expression and gender played an important role in the perception of competence and confidence. Smiling expressions were associated with greater trustworthiness and competence, while feminine faces, in general, “were rated as more trustworthy.”
However, there was one interesting exception: male faces superimposed on living room backgrounds were perceived as less trustworthy compared to other backgrounds. This suggests that the choice of background had a more significant impact on men’s perception.
The authors of the research believe that this study offers useful recommendations for those who regularly use video conferencing platforms, “as the video background affects trait evaluations, particularly as video conferencing becomes a permanent feature of the professional environment.
“The current study demonstrates the power and influence of background video on first impressions, as well as the importance of being able to negate these influences to leave the best possible first impression,” they concluded.