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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Psychol.
Sec. Media Psychology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1408481

Exploring the links between type and content of virtual background use during videoconferencing and videoconference fatigue

Provisionally accepted
Benjamin J. Li Benjamin J. Li Heng Zhang Heng Zhang *
  • Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The popularity of remote working in recent years has led to a rise in the use of videoconferencing tools. However, these communication tools have also given rise to a phenomenon known as videoconference fatigue (VF). Using the limited capacity model of motivated mediated message processing and impression management theory as the theoretical framework, this study explores how different types and content of virtual backgrounds in videoconferencing influence people's VF and well-being. A survey of 610 users of videoconferencing tools revealed significant variations in the content and type of virtual backgrounds used during videoconferences. Our findings highlight three main points: first, there is a significant relationship between the use of virtual backgrounds and VF; second, pairwise comparisons showed that the type of virtual background significantly influences the amount of VF experienced by users; third, the content of virtual backgrounds also significantly impacts the level of VF experienced by users. These results suggest that careful selection of virtual backgrounds can mitigate VF and improve user well-being. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

    Keywords: Videoconferencing, Videoconference Fatigue, Well-being, virtual backgrounds, LC4MP

    Received: 01 Apr 2024; Accepted: 17 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Li and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Heng Zhang, Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637718, Singapore

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.