Turning the Camera Off in Virtual Interactions Can Harm the Reputation

Virtual communication on digital-meeting platforms is increasingly common in work, educational and other settings. One contentious issue concerns camera use. Some suggest keeping the camera off to mitigate 'Zoom fatigue', whereas others argue that keeping the camera on is a sign of dedication and engagement. Here, we conducted an experiment to examine the effects of camera use from two perspectives: the perspective of actors and observers. Participants were randomly assigned to have their camera on or off while working in small groups over Zoom; we further varied whether everyone in the group had the camera on or off or whether the camera use was mixed. Following the virtual interactions, participants reported their experiences of the interaction and their perceptions of others in a round-robin design. Turning the camera off (vs. on) resulted in being perceived as less engaged, less moral and less suitable for a leadership role by other group members, but had minimal impact on the actors' experiences (self-reported engagement, fatigue or well-being). One exception was higher self-reported fatigue levels in participants who had a natural preference to be off camera but were assigned to switch the camera on. A comparison of self and observer reports showed that people underestimated the engagement of off-camera targets. Our findings inform the social psychological research on the differences in self and other perceptions and the research on digital communication and well-being.