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A new study published in the journal PLOS One analyzes how Zoom backgrounds can influence first impressions. (Photo: New York Post)
JAKARTA – Screening someone’s personality online can be done by paying close attention to their background when they conduct a teleconference via Zoom.
A new study reported by the New York Post, Monday (2/10/2023) found that a plant background is a good marker of a trustworthy employee.
A new study published in the journal PLOS One analyzes how Zoom backgrounds can influence first impressions. According to researchers, people who sit in front of houseplants or bookshelves are considered the most trustworthy people. While those who use backgrounds such as beaches or animals are seen as the most unreliable.
“With video conferencing, most of what the other person sees – most of your screen – is taken from your background,” said one of the researchers Paddy Ross.
A psychology professor at Durham University in England told New Scientist that individuals no longer need to worry too much about their appearance in front of other people, but also about what is around them. This is especially important in the post-pandemic era, where hybrid work schedules mean more and more meetings are held via digital platforms.
To determine what certain backgrounds say about Zoom-ers, Ross and his colleagues collected 72 photos of 36 white adults from a compendium of human facial photos collected for researchers. Subjects were divided equally into 18 men and 18 women who smiled or showed neutral expressions.
The researchers then superimposed the faces in six different backgrounds, namely a living room, a blurry living room, a bookshelf, a cupboard lined with potted plants, a blank wall, and a walrus in front of an iceberg – and framed each face to resemble a scene. during a typical Zoom call.
Finally, the scientists asked 167 participants to rate the people based on how trustworthy and competent they were on a scale of 1 to 7. According to this category, the most liked faces were those with plants and bookshelves in the background, while the faces that were considered the most Disliked are faces facing the living room and walruses.
Meanwhile, the blurry living room and blank walls rank somewhere between on the first impression scale. As for expressions, smiling faces are considered more competent and trustworthy than neutral faces, which Ross says refers to the fact that smiling is seen as synonymous with self-confidence. On the other hand, most women make a better first impression – although Ross says more research is needed to explain this digital gender gap.
(msf)