In Person Communication Creates Brain Boosting Benefits
In today’s world, when personal communication is required, personal presence often is not. Whether meeting personally or professionally, virtual technologies present an easy, cost-efficient option.
This is especially true when people are teleworking or geographically separated.
But at what expense?
When the stakes are high, credibility is key, or building rapport is an important goal, electronic communication misses the mark.
Research explains:
A Zoom Room is Not a Conference Room
Nan Zhao et al. (2023) compared meetings in person and on Zoom.
They compared neural activity occurring during two conditions of live interaction, both face-to-face — but one condition taking place in person and the other on Zoom.
They found that face-to-face conversations resulted in a higher amount of neural activity, arousal, and overall greater engagement.
Specifically, their use of behavioral eye-tracking measures revealed that interaction partners visually dwell longer on a real face, and increased arousal was indicated by increased pupil diameters.
Zhao et al. (ibid.) conclude that the interpersonal exchange of social cues is higher when interacting in-person than online.
How does it work? Zhao et al. (supra) note that detection of facial micromovements might be more difficult in a virtual setting.
They consider that dynamic social cues that occur in person through interacting live faces are not replicated virtually.
They cite shorter dwell times with virtual communication as potential evidence that less information was conveyed visually.
They also recognize the very practical reality that due to camera angles, virtual communication is not really "face-to-face."
In most cases, they note that current webcam technology does not facilitate looking directly at a conversation partner and the screen simultaneously, which causes direct line-of-sight interaction to be compromised.
Even Familiar Faces are Better in Person
In their experiment, Zhao et al. (supra) maintained a constant presence of all relevant social factors including familiarity, prior experience, and associations, since they used the same partners for both conditions: in-person and on-line.
And the faces in both conditions were different only with respect to physical presence of the face during the interaction.
These findings suggest that in circumstances where the goal is to build rapport, increase intimacy, or deepen a relationship, in-person communication might be a better option.
We can imagine that as a practical matter, any type of communication that is important, confidential, or is expected to include discussion of sensitive information is better done in person, even between people who know each other well.
Presence is Better in Person
Overcoming the post-pandemic practice of initiating conversation by sending a Zoom link instead of meeting for coffee or a walk is important both personally and professionally.
To maximize bonding and relational maintenance, assuming conversation partners are geographically desirable, take advantage of proximity by meeting in person.
Personal presence and shared experience facilitate chemistry, compatibility, credibility, and companionship. We know this instinctively, which is why the most important meetings are always in person. Whether you are proposing marriage or an employment promotion, celebrating life together involves physical presence.
This article was originally published in Psychology Today.
Wendy L. Patrick, JD, MDiv, Ph.D., is an award-winning career trial attorney and media commentator. She is host of "Live with Dr. Wendy" on KCBQ, and a daily guest on other media outlets, delivering a lively mix of flash, substance, and style. Read Dr. Wendy L. Patrick's Reports — More Here.
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