Discover the Impact of Eye Contact in Live and Video Interactions

Psychophysiological responses to eye contact in live and video interactions

• Eye contact is important in social interaction, indicating attention and positive social signals

• Previous studies have focused on the sensory input of eye contact or the psychological mechanism of being seen

• Autonomic arousal and positive affective facial reactions are only elicited by a live person's gaze, not pictures or videos

• Being seen by another person is essential for many of the affective and cognitive effects of eye contact

• Previous studies have not investigated the role of physical presence in eye contact effects

• The study compared the effects of live eye contact, eye contact over a video call, and watching a video of the other person

• Autonomic arousal and facial muscle responses associated with positive affect were measured

• If physical presence is necessary, only live eye contact will elicit greater responses than averted gaze

• If being seen is the only essential prerequisite, both live and video eye contact will elicit responses

• Perceived gaze direction is not expected to have an influence when watching a video

• 32 adults participated in the study with an average age of 27.8 years

• The study aimed to investigate the role of physical presence in the psychophysiological responses to eye contact in different interaction modes.Title: Experimental Setup and Procedure for Investigating Gaze Perception

• The study recruited 63 participants aged between 20-42 years, all native Finnish speakers with normal vision and no reported history of neurological or psychiatric disorders.

• The experiment consisted of three conditions: live interaction, video call on a computer, and watching a mere video on a computer screen.

• The stimuli were the face of a model person of the same sex as the participant presented against a black background, and the model maintained a neutral expression.

• The size and location of the stimuli were controlled in all conditions, and the direct gaze looked direct in all conditions.

• Physiological measurements were taken from the participant's left hand and face, including skin conductance and EEG.

• Each condition began with 16 trials of stimulus presentation for 5 seconds at a time during which physiological responses were measured.

• After each trial, there was an interstimulus interval of at least 14.5 seconds during which the shutter window was opaque.

• Subjective valence and arousal evaluations were assessed with the Self-Assessment Manikin in response to direct and averted gaze in all conditions.

• After the three conditions, the measurement sensors were removed, and participants were administered a questionnaire unrelated to the study, debriefed, thanked, and given the participation rewards.

• Skin conductance was measured with two electrodes coated with isotonic paste and attached to the palmar surface of the medial phalanges of the index and middle fingers on the participant's left hand.

• SCR data were resampled to 100 Hz and filtered with a 10 Hz low-pass filter, and response was defined as the maximum, continuous increase in amplitude within a time frame of 0.9-6.5 seconds after stimulus onset.

• For each participant and for each condition, mean SCR magnitude was calculated by averaging the data from all accepted trials, including those with zero responses.Psychophysiological Responses to Eye Contact: Autonomic Arousal and Facial EMG Reactions

• Autonomic arousal was measured using skin conductance responses (SCRs).

• Facial muscle activity was measured over the zygomaticus major and corrugator supercilii muscle regions.

• Trials with artifacts due to excessive muscle movements and blinks were rejected (6.9% of all trials).

• Change scores were calculated by subtracting the baseline muscle activity from the average value of each 500-ms epoch and averaged across all accepted trials within each experimental condition.

• Within-subjects analyses of variance (ANOVA) with condition (live vs. video call vs. video) and gaze direction (direct vs. averted) as within-subjects factors were used to compare the psychophysiological and subjective responses.

• A main effect of gaze direction was found for SCRs, with direct gaze eliciting greater responses than averted gaze.

• The main effect of condition was not significant for SCRs.

• There was a statistically significant interaction between gaze direction and condition for SCRs.

• Direct gaze elicited more positive affective facial reactions (greater zygomatic and smaller corrugator EMG activity) than averted gaze in all three conditions.

• No significant differences in subjective ratings of valence and arousal were found between gaze directions in these three conditions.

• Participants' arousal responses to direct gaze were elevated in live interaction and in video call, but no such effect was observed in the mere video condition.

• The effect of direct gaze on SCRs was of similar magnitude in the live and video call conditions.Eye Contact Effects in Live and Video Call Interactions

• Autonomic arousal is heightened in live eye contact but not in video presentations of direct versus averted gaze.

• Perception of direct gaze elicits greater arousal response than averted gaze in both live and video call interactions.

• The effect of heightened arousal in response to direct gaze does not require the other person's physical presence.

• Limited interactional contingencies, such as the model blinking, were possible in live and video call interactions.

• Autonomic arousal response to direct gaze is elicited by an experience of being seen by another individual.

• The perception of direct gaze elicits an increase in zygomatic and a decrease in corrugator muscle activity as compared to averted gaze.

• Facial reactions are dissociated from emotional arousal and may reflect communication of social motives.

• Subjective evaluations of valence and arousal were not found to differ between gaze directions or conditions.

• The present study supports a second-person approach to social cognition research.

• The present study design imposes limitations on the implications of the results.

• Affiliative facial reactions are automatically elicited by the mere perception of direct gaze.

• Mutual gazing constitutes the dramatic élan of true encounter between persons.