Research on Video Call Disruptions and Trust
A series of experiments published in Nature indicates that brief video freezes, lags, or audio echoes during video calls can lead to reduced trust in the individual on screen. These technical disruptions may impact interactions in professional and personal contexts, including job interviews, sales presentations, and legal proceedings.
Study Methodology and Findings
Researchers Melanie Brucks of Columbia University and Jacqueline Rifkin of Cornell University, along with colleagues, initiated a study to investigate the impact of video quality on teleconferences. Initial interviews with business professionals suggested that momentary technical problems were not considered significant.
To test this, an experiment was conducted where participants observed a sales pitch from a financial advisor. One group viewed a video without technical issues, while another group watched a version manipulated by researchers to include brief freezes during pauses in speech, without loss of information. Participants who viewed the altered video reported significantly reduced interest in working with the salesperson.
Further experiments were designed to evaluate other interaction types:
- Health Consultation: In a simulated health consultation about sunscreen, an actor portraying a healthcare worker introduced glitches during pauses. Only 61% of viewers reported trusting the health worker, compared to 77% in a glitch-free interaction.
- Job Interview: A simulated job interview demonstrated that candidates whose video calls experienced glitches were less likely to be considered for hiring.
- Court Hearings: Analysis of data from 472 online court hearings revealed an association between problematic video calls and a lower likelihood of parole. The presence of glitches correlated with a 12 percentage-point difference in the rate at which incarcerated individuals regained their freedom.
The study noted that these effects primarily occurred during face-to-face conversational interactions. When participants were sharing computer screens for purposes such as displaying charts, glitches did not appear to have the same impact on viewer perception.
Theoretical Context and Potential Mitigations
Researchers suggest that the contemporary realism of video calls, which creates a sense of face-to-face interaction, is abruptly interrupted by technical anomalies. This interruption is hypothesized to create an "uncanny" sensation, similar to effects observed in computer animation and robotics where nearly human, but imperfect, simulants can elicit discomfort. This "eeriness" is proposed as the underlying factor for the observed negative effects on hiring, medical advice acceptance, and social engagement.
One potential mitigation identified in the study involved the use of humor immediately following a technical glitch. For example, a financial advisor's lighthearted comment about internet quality after a disruption was observed to partially restore viewer trust.
Broader Implications
Stefano Puntoni, from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, commented on the study's findings, noting its systematic investigation into an important effect. He highlighted the findings related to parole hearings as particularly significant, suggesting an impact on judicial outcomes based on technical factors. Puntoni emphasized the importance of ensuring a stable internet connection, expanding the discussion of digital inequality beyond mere access to include the quality of that access.