We've all sat through Zoom meetings gazing forlornly at the bored faces of our friends and colleagues -- except, of course, for those who leave their cameras turned off and show us a picture of the Rocky Mountains or the Pacific Coast Highway.
Why do they do that? Are they antisocial? Shy? An undercover operative? No, sadly, in most cases they're victims of "facial appearance dissatisfaction," a rampant but often unrecognized disorder that affects millions of everyday Americans and an unknown number of aliens, human and otherwise.
“Our study highlights that dissatisfaction with facial appearance contributes to Zoom fatigue, leading to reduced adoption of virtual meeting technologies," said the authors of a new academic study that examines this previously ignored phenomenon.
"This dissatisfaction also drives the use of impression management features, emphasizing the need to address worker well-being in virtual communication environments,” they continued. The study was published in the open-access journal PLOS Oneby Chaeyun Lim from Michigan State University, and colleagues.
The increasing reliance on VMs has led to a pervasive experience of VM fatigue, commonly referred to as Zoom fatigue, the researchers said, adding that there are "significant implications for workplace productivity and individual well-being."
In the new study, Lim and colleagues responded to what they called "the pressing need to understand the mechanism of VM fatigue and its consequences for virtual workplace technology inclusion."
Specifically, the researchers investigated impression management features—tools that enable users to adjust their self-video to manage their appearance.
They recruited 2,448 U.S.-based workers to participate in a 15-minute survey. The sample included professional, technical, or scientific workers who worked remotely at least sometimes and who participated regularly in virtual meetings for work.
The survey assessed participants’ negative perceptions of their facial appearance, as well as impression management behaviors such as the use of touch-up to enhance self video and the use of video filters or avatars.
“Our study highlights that dissatisfaction with facial appearance contributes to Zoom fatigue, leading to reduced adoption of virtual meeting technologies. This dissatisfaction also drives the use of impression management features, emphasizing the need to address worker well-being in virtual communication environments,” they added.