Videoconferencing and fatigue: a first study on the subject

This is a first. Researchers from the Universities of Gothenburg (Sweden) and Stanford (USA) have looked at the fatigue resulting from video conferencing. The use of videoconferencing has increased dramatically in 2020 due to global lockdowns.

In a qualitative study, the researchers created the Zoom Exhaustion & Fatigue Scale (ZEF Scale) and developed an interview schedule based on previous work on media use. From the responses of 395 people, they identified five dimensions of fatigue: general, social, emotional, visual and motivational. Finally, in a validation study based on 204 respondents, they were able to demonstrate two points in particular:

the frequency, duration and speed of Zoom meetings were associated with higher levels of fatigue;
fatigue was associated with negative attitudes towards Zoom meetings.

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