The world is facing a 'video call fatigue' and missing real-time face-to-face interactions of communicating through eyes, gestures and tone that make it easier to connect and understand each other
Nona Walia
The world is hiding behind screens. In a self-distancing world, Zoom and Skype have digitally given an emotional oxygen to many people. Our ability to connect digitally has rescued many individuals’ sanity. But a world communicating through Zoom calls, text messages -- is world on tenterhooks. We are missing the beauty of face-to-face conversations. A bad network connection can lead to misunderstandings and bad mood. According to Psychology Today, when we send someone a text, we wrongly assume that the other person understands our frame of mind, as he would if we were speaking in person. There's a gap communicating in person and digitally. You can gently tease a friend in person, but in a
text those same words can seem hostile, no matter how many winking emojis you add. Our emotional self and digital self receives communication signals differently.
A pandemic world communicating on digital technology is more prone to misunderstandings and reactionary outbursts. Albert Mehrabian, a major figure in the study of non-verbal communication, introduced an equation about contradictory feedback in
his 1971 book Silent Messages: “Total feeling = 7% verbal feeling + 38% vocal feeling + 55% facial feeling.” In other words, “the degree of liking conveyed by the facial expression will dominate and determine the impact of the total message.”
There's no eye contact when we communicate over Skype or Google Hangouts. We are just staring at screens and talking into screens. In a recent study, by Norihiro Sadato at the National Institute for Physiological Sciences in Okazaki, Japan, participants viewed each other online in a real-time “live” or a 20-second delay “replay” condition, with the researchers alternating the conditions. They found that participants’ eye blinks were more synchronized in the live condition. This means the participants were paying attention to each other and responsive to each other, but the time delays common to video-conference disrupted their sense of attunement. Emails are great, but face to face meetings are 34 times better, talking is better than typing. The world is sensing the loss of face to face meet-ups.
People bond through hugs and handshakes. The emoji-isation of our digital lives cannot fill the emotional vacuum. Another difference between digital and in-person communication is the quality of the conversation. Meeting a good friend for coffee was all about opening up to each other, it was intimacy and empathy. Contrary to how people in quarantine or self-isolation keep themselves engaged through virtual games, chats and online playdates for kids. What we are missing is real-time empathy and quality conversations with friends over coffee. Just to have someone listening to our stories. To meet people that are not just transactional. The world post pandemic, will nourish non-transactional relationships.
The new abnormal is fast becoming the new normal. Meeting and talking to people through face masks and mask shields is almost inaudible. It's like everyone is screaming at each other, so the other person can hear us better. In real-life with masks on, in digital lives, with bad network.
We are already witnessing a video call fatigue. Some video conferencing users are complaining of exhaustion after continual online meetings. Psychologists say “video call fatigue” could be due to factors including excessive self-awareness and over-scheduling.It describes the feeling of being worn out by endless virtual meetings, chats and quizzes, borne witness to by widespread complaints on social media. And academics say the reasons behind it include having to perform for the camera and missing real people. The BBC cites a German study published in the International Journal of Human-Computer Studies that finds speech transmission delays of little over a second can cause participants to perceive those on the video call as “less attentive, extraverted and conscientious". Here are 3 Ways to FeelGood Without Face to Face Interactions, yet create that intimacy of bonding:
Send a letter by post: If you cannot meet someone face to face, a physical letter can be a wonderful gesture. Says Katheryn Maguire, a professor in the department of communication at Wayne State University, talks how “there is something special about holding something they held.The paper was in their hand; you see their writing, if they wear perfume [you
can smell it], that makes it very special."
Gift a houseplant: Nurturing a houseplant given by someone you had regular face to face interaction with is a gentle reminder of their in-person presence.
Send them a memory book of your photographs together: Good times in real world make for great memories. Make a book of photos with great memories and send your real world friends.