On a video call? Keep bookcase or plant behind you to appear trustworthy: Study

We've taken online quizzes to 'evaluate' our personalities, at least once in our online lives. We've liked some results while laughed off others. Whatever may be the degree of accuracy of these results, we always give off some vibes others sense to make an opinion based on. And in post-pandemic world, not only our actual persona but even the background during a video call matters.

Can there be some backgrounds that make us look trustworthy? Are there any that make us appear less so? Researchers at Durham University's psychology department looked into this.

The study, reported by The Guardian involved some images that were shown to 160 people. They were then asked about their opinions. These 72 images were of 18 caucasian men and 18 caucasian women. In the images, they were either smiling or had a neutral expression. The face were then superimposed on six different backgrounds. These were: a living room, a blurred living room, a bookcase, house plants on a cupboard, a blank wall and a walrus in front of an iceberg. A finishing touch was then given to make these images look like those during a Zoom call.

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“In a world where Covid has turned a lot of first impressions online, in making a first impression, you no longer just have to think about how you look, you also have to think about how your background looks," said Paddy Ross, an associate professor at Durham University as quoted by The Guardian.

“What we wanted to know was: do I look more trustworthy or competent if, for instance, I was in front of some plants, or a bookcase, or my living room, or maybe I have a messy living room and I want to blur it, or just a blank wall or a novelty background?”

The study found that if you had a bookcase behind you or plant, there was a higher chance that the person on the other end of the video call would deem you trustworthy and competent. With Walrus in the background? Prospects didn't seem as bright.

“Will a background really make you look less trustworthy than someone else who uses a different background? If you can sit in front of a bookcase or some house plants we found those to be the best for ratings of trust and competence in the person. Try to avoid having a novelty background or your living space behind you. We found those to be the worst for ratings of trust and confidence. Blurred backgrounds are OK but if you can show plants or bookcases that’s the best for first impressions for trust and competence.”

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