Up, Down, On, Off? Effects of Camera Decisions on Interpersonal Perception During Videoconferencing

Abstract

Videoconferencing rapidly rose in popularity with the COVID-19 pandemic. With this recent interest in videoconferencing, discussions of how to appear one’s best on camera became similarly popular. However, despite the current interest in how one appears on camera, there is relatively little empirical research on this topic. This exploratory analysis investigates how camera usage and angle impact perceptions of videoconference users. Participants watched a brief video vignette of two actors completing a social negotiation task and evaluated the actors’ perceived experience, competence,and effort The results suggest that camera decisions can impact interpersonal perception; however, individual differences in users may moderate these effects.