Fewer Faces Displayed Simultaneously, Less Videoconference Fatigue in Distance Learning? An Experimental Study

In the last two years, there has been a massive use of videoconferencing tools for distance learning all over the world. However, a feeling of fatigue has been found among students. Researchers have proposed multiple problems in the online interaction with human faces that may contribute to videoconference fatigue (VCF). To contribute to this upcoming new research domain, this study investigates whether VCF can be reduced if we change the unnatural interaction with multiple enlarged faces on videoconferencing tools. We compare Zoom’s “speaker view” with “gallery view”, and based on theoretical insights from the information processing and brain research domains, we argue that Zoom “gallery view” leads to higher fatigue and stress levels than “speaker view”. Moreover, we investigate whether the face manipulation (“gallery view” vs. “speaker view”) affects learning outcome and learning satisfaction, as well as the role of fatigue and stress as mediators in this relationship.