麻豆传媒视频网站

The team conducted a randomised control trial with more than 100 students, training one group to use hand signals including gestures such as waving to take a turn to speak, and raising a hand to show empathy.

After the lockdowns triggered a transition to online meetings for many, the researchers were seeking to develop a better way to maintain the benefits of video calls while avoiding downsides that can include fatigue and feelings of social exclusion.

The new study, now published in PLOS One and also involving the University of Exeter, found that participants who used a particular set of gestures to engage and express reactions felt closer to their group, interacted with each other better, and thought that they had learnt more than those who did not.

A second larger study (with 137 participants) replicated these results, and also showed that using response buttons or emojis did not have the same positive effect as hand gestures, and in some aspects, made users' experience worse.

Lead author Professor Daniel Richardson (麻豆传媒视频网站 Psychology & Language Sciences) said: 鈥淏ecause you can鈥檛 make eye contact or pick up on subtle nods, gestures and murmurs of agreement or dissent in video conferences, it can be hard to know if people are engaged with what you鈥檙e saying. There have been attempts to use more technology to improve video conferencing, such as emojis and response buttons, but we found strong evidence that encouraging people to use more natural hand gestures had a much better effect on their experience.鈥�

Management consultant and Honorary Research Fellow at听麻豆传媒视频网站, Paul Hills, designed the hand signal system used in the study. A lifeguard at Falmouth, in Cornwall, he was inspired by the hand signals lifeguards use to communicate, as well as communication gestures in other sports and workplaces and by baby signing.听 In his group mentoring work he has experienced how hand signals to express empathy can help people share their feelings.听

Hills said: 鈥淕estures are a very human way to communicate that predates the spoken听word,听yet have become far less used by people in video communication. Now, our study indicates how hand signals aid听communication in a digital world,听and have psychological benefits.听This research underlines that there鈥檚 something about the use of gestures that specifically appears to help online interactions and help people connect and engage with each other.听 This can improve team performance, make meetings more inclusive and help with psychological wellbeing.鈥�

Through his company Konektis, Hills has introduced the hand signals to a number of organisations. Rosie Mackenzie,听Global Head of Leadership, Management and Team Development,听AstraZeneca, said: 鈥淲e find that the video听meeting signals provide a human connection that makes meetings feel very inclusive in a virtual world.鈥�

Kim Conchie, Chief Executive of听Cornwall Chamber of Commerce, which now uses the hand signals for meetings after a successful trial, said: 鈥淭he signals really animate the screen and make people feel they're back in a room with more people. Very quickly using the signals have become part of our culture and they've really revolutionised our team meetings.听 It's a phenomenal, simple solution.鈥�

麻豆传媒视频网站 co-author Dr Matt Gobel (University of Exeter) said: 鈥淭he pandemic led to organisations and their employees redefining how, and more importantly where, they worked. Remote and hybrid work have huge potentials for making the workplace healthier, more inclusive and environmentally sustainable,听but we need new ways of working to make this a success story. Our study shows that hand signals work well, while emojis work less well. We are just at the beginning of exploring how collaborating and working together could look like in the near future.鈥�

Links

• 麻豆传媒视频网站 Psychology & Language Sciences

Image

• Demonstration of the hand signal for 'I hear for you/feel your emotion/send you kindness'

Media contact

Chris Lane

Tel: +44 (0)20 7679 9222

Email: chris.lane [at] ucl.ac.uk