Researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) Okanagan campus have found no advantage to attending an in-person meeting over video conferencing in making a first impression.
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It did find, however, that poor audio and video connections were more likely to result in meeting attendees being left with a negative impression of one another.
The paper, published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, also explored how accurately first impressions are formed over video compared to in person.
Dr Lauren Human, an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of British Columbia, wanted to test the assumptions that people have made about videoconferencing ever since being forced to integrate it into their business and personal lives: “The pandemic abruptly shifted in-person interactions to videoconferencing for first impressions like meeting classmates, job interviews, and doctor’s appointments.”
“[With a video conferencing platform such as] Zoom, people might feel they can’t quite ‘get a read on’ new acquaintances and don’t feel as connected to them as they might in person.”
Is this subjective experience grounded in reality? Or are first impressions through videoconferencing different from in-person?”
Making a Good Impression
UBC researchers undertook three research aims to determine the true effects of video conferencing on impressions compared to in-person.
First, they wanted to see whether people form a positive and accurate view of each other during video calls.
Second, they wanted to see if these impressions resulted in better or worse connections than they would following in-person interactions.
Finally, the team assessed the consequences of poor audio and video quality on the accuracy of people’s impressions and whether or not it impacted how positively or negatively they felt about each other.
Human says the results surprised her. People’s first impressions were just as positive no matter whether they were meeting for the first time over video call or in person.
Some inaccuracies were uncovered, however, including people’s perceptions of traits like extraversion and neuroticism.
The implication is that people are using different information to form their opinions over video conferencing, citing the backgrounds we choose as one example of this.
Choosing artwork or bookshelves as your background could influence the impressions people have of you.
This is not to say that your perception will be any less accurate compared to in-person, but it could be different.
A poor internet connection is something to try and avoid if you choose to meet over video for the first time, as it can negatively impact impressions, whether or not it is your fault.
Human explains:
We thought [impressions] would differ. However, we didn’t see any overall difference between the two, so we are just as accurate about assessing personalities when we meet people for the first time on Zoom versus in person.”
“This is interesting because often it is something outside of our control, so we wouldn’t necessarily expect that we would like someone less just because their computer froze during the interaction.”
“But we think it creates some frustration or negative affect, tainting the impression they form of their interaction partner. This seems unfair, but it’s also important to know.”
“So, don’t be afraid of technology, but ensure you have a good internet connection.”
These findings will be welcome news to those who may feel anxious about giving off a good first impression over video, and it will be another positive for UK workers who already feel more productive in a hybrid working model.
