Presentation
Investigating the Ability to Perceive Nonverbal Behaviors in Different Interaction Formats
DescriptionAs videoconferencing becomes standard for job interviews, medical visits, and other consequential conversations, an important question arises: do virtual formats change how well we read other people? This study examined how interaction format (face-to-face vs. virtual) and role (active participant vs. passive observer) affect the ability to notice nonverbal behaviors and judge whether someone is being genuine.
Forty-nine undergraduates either conducted or observed mock job interviews with trained interviewees displaying either genuine or non-genuine nonverbal cues. Afterward, participants identified the specific behaviors they had noticed and rated how authentic the interviewee seemed.
Two clear patterns emerged. First, people recognized nonverbal behaviors far more accurately in person than on video, and they more easily distinguished genuine from non-genuine behavior face-to-face. Second, passive observers outperformed active participants, suggesting that the cognitive demands of holding a conversation reduce how much we actually perceive about the other person.
These results matter for hiring, telehealth, and any high-stakes remote interaction. Virtual platforms are not simply a different medium — they reshape what people notice, remember, and conclude about each other.
Forty-nine undergraduates either conducted or observed mock job interviews with trained interviewees displaying either genuine or non-genuine nonverbal cues. Afterward, participants identified the specific behaviors they had noticed and rated how authentic the interviewee seemed.
Two clear patterns emerged. First, people recognized nonverbal behaviors far more accurately in person than on video, and they more easily distinguished genuine from non-genuine behavior face-to-face. Second, passive observers outperformed active participants, suggesting that the cognitive demands of holding a conversation reduce how much we actually perceive about the other person.
These results matter for hiring, telehealth, and any high-stakes remote interaction. Virtual platforms are not simply a different medium — they reshape what people notice, remember, and conclude about each other.
Event Type
Lecture
TimeTuesday, October 20th1:30pm - 1:50pm PDT
Location