Image, appearance and vanity in the use of media spaces and video conference systems

ABSTRACT

Media spaces and videoconference systems are beneficial for connecting separated co-workers and providing rich contextual information. However, image sharing communication tools may also touch on sensitive spots of the human psyche related to personal, perceived image issues (e.g., appearance, self-image, self-presentation and vanity). We conducted two user studies to examine the impact of self-image concerns on the use of media spaces and videoconference systems. Our results suggest that personal, perceived image concerns have a considerable impact on the comfort level of users and may hinder effective communication [8]. We also found that image filtering techniques can help users feel more comfortable. Our results revealed that distortion filters, which are frequently cited to help preserve privacy, do not tend to be the ones preferred by users. Instead, users seemed to favor filters that make subtle changes to their appearance, or, in some instances, they preferred to use a surrogate instead.

REFERENCES

• 1: Aseem Agarwala , Aaron Hertzmann , David H. Salesin , Steven M. Seitz, Keyframe-based tracking for rotoscoping and animation, ACM SIGGRAPH 2004 Papers, August 08-12, 2004, Los Angeles, California
• 2: Ron Baecker , Steve Harrison , Bill Buxton , Steven Poltrock , Elizabeth Churchill, Media spaces: past visions, current realities, future promise, CHI '08 extended abstracts on Human factors in computing systems, April 05-10, 2008, Florence, Italy [doi>10.1145/1358628.1358660]
• 3: Victoria Bellotti, Design for privacy in multimedia computing and communications environments, Technology and privacy: the new landscape, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1997
• 4: Victoria Bellotti , Abigail Sellen, Design for privacy in ubiquitous computing environments, Proceedings of the third conference on European Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work, p.77-92, September 13-17, 1993, Milan, Italy
• 5: Michael John Boyle, Privacy in video media spaces, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta., Canada, 2005
• 6: Michael Boyle , Christopher Edwards , Saul Greenberg, The effects of filtered video on awareness and privacy, Proceedings of the 2000 ACM conference on Computer supported cooperative work, p.1-10, December 2000, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States [doi>10.1145/358916.358935]
• 7: Michael Boyle , Saul Greenberg, The language of privacy: Learning from video media space analysis and design, ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction (TOCHI), v.12 n.2, p.328-370, June 2005 [doi>10.1145/1067860.1067868]
• 8: Campbell, J. Media richness, communication apprehension and participation in group videoconferencing. Journal of Information, Information Technology, and Organizations, 1, 87--96, 2006.
• 9: James L. Crowley , Joëlle Coutaz , François Bérard, Perceptual user interfaces: things that see, Communications of the ACM, v.43 n.3, p.54-ff., March 2000 [doi>10.1145/330534.330540]
• 10: Paul Dourish , Sara Bly, Portholes: supporting awareness in a distributed work group, Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems, p.541-547, May 03-07, 1992, Monterey, California, United States [doi>10.1145/142750.142982]
• 11: Ellison, N., Heino, R., and Gibbs, J. Managing impression online: Self-presentation processes in the online dating environment. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 11, 415--441, 2006.
• 12: Robert S. Fish , Robert E. Kraut , Robert W. Root , Ronald E. Rice, Evaluating video as a technology for informal communication, Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems, p.37-48, May 03-07, 1992, Monterey, California, United States [doi>10.1145/142750.142755]
• 13: Robert S. Fish , Robert E. Kraut , Barbara L. Chalfonte, The VideoWindow system in informal communication, Proceedings of the 1990 ACM conference on Computer-supported cooperative work, p.1-11, October 07-10, 1990, Los Angeles, California, United States [doi>10.1145/99332.99335]
• 14: Gangestad, S. W., and Synder, M. Self-monitoring: Appraisal and reappraisal. Psychological Bulletin, 126, 530--555, 2000.
• 15: William Gaver , Thomas Moran , Allan MacLean , Lennart Lövstrand , Paul Dourish , Kathleen Carter , William Buxton, Realizing a video environment: EuroPARC's RAVE system, Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems, p.27-35, May 03-07, 1992, Monterey, California, United States [doi>10.1145/142750.142754]
• 16: Goffman, E. The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. Doubleday Anchor Books, Garden City, New York, 1959.
• 17: Greenberg, S. and Kuzuoka, H. Using Digital but Physical Surrogates to Mediate Awareness, Communication and Privacy in Media Spaces. Personal Technologies, 4(1), 182--198, 2000.
• 18: Kirstie Hawkey , Kori M. Inkpen, Privacy gradients: exploring ways to manage incidental information during co-located collaboration, CHI '05 extended abstracts on Human factors in computing systems, April 02-07, 2005, Portland, OR, USA [doi>10.1145/1056808.1056934]
• 19: Hinds, P. J. The cognitive and interpersonal costs of video. Media Psychology, 1, 283--311, 1999.
• 20: Scott E. Hudson , Ian Smith, Techniques for addressing fundamental privacy and disruption tradeoffs in awareness support systems, Proceedings of the 1996 ACM conference on Computer supported cooperative work, p.248-257, November 16-20, 1996, Boston, Massachusetts, United States [doi>10.1145/240080.240295]
• 21: Kimmerle, J., Cress, U. Group awareness and self-presentation in computer-supported information exchange. International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning 3(1), 85--97, 2008.
• 22: Logitech Video-effects. disponible on-line at: http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/webcam_communications/video_software_services/video_effects/
• 23: Marilyn M. Mantei , Ronald M. Baecker , Abigail J. Sellen , William A. S. Buxton , Thomas Milligan , Barry Wellman, Experiences in the use of a media space, Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems: Reaching through technology, p.203-208, April 27-May 02, 1991, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States [doi>10.1145/108844.108888]
• 24: Carman Neustaedter , Saul Greenberg , Michael Boyle, Blur filtration fails to preserve privacy for home-based video conferencing, ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction (TOCHI), v.13 n.1, p.1-36, March 2006 [doi>10.1145/1143518.1143519]
• 25: Noll, A. M. Anatomy of a failure: Picturephone revisited. Telecommunications Policy, 16, 307--316, 1992.
• 26: Leysia Palen , Paul Dourish, Unpacking "privacy" for a networked world, Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems, April 05-10, 2003, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA [doi>10.1145/642611.642635]
• 27: Patil, S., and Kobsa, A. Privacy in collaboration: Managing impression. Proceedings of Online Communities and Social Computing, 2005.
• 28: Scott, C.R. and Timmerman, C.E. Relating computer, communication, and computer-mediated communication apprehensions to new communication technology use in the workplace. Communication Research, 32, 683--725, 2005.
• 29: Storck, J., and Sproull, L. Through a glass darkly: What do people learn in videoconferences? Human Communication Research, 22, 197--219, 1995.
• 30: Asimina Vasalou , Adam N. Joinson , Jeremy Pitt, Constructing my online self: avatars that increase self-focused attention, Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems, April 28-May 03, 2007, San Jose, California, USA [doi>10.1145/1240624.1240696]
• 31: Jens Riegelsberger , Asimina Vasalou , Philip Bonhard , Anne Adams, Reinventing trust, collaboration and compliance in social systems, CHI '06 extended abstracts on Human factors in computing systems, April 22-27, 2006, Montréal, Québec, Canada [doi>10.1145/1125451.1125763]
• 32: Walther, J. B., Slovacek, C., and Tidwell, L. C. Is a picture worth a thousand words? Photographic images in long term and short term virtual teams. Communication Research, 28, 105--134, 2001.
• 33: Williams, E. Teleconferencing: social and psychological factors. Journal of Communication, 28, 125--131, 1978.
• 34: Wolfe, R. N., Lennox, R. D., and Cutler, B. L. Getting along and getting ahead: Empirical support for a theory of protective and acquisitive self-presentation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50, 356--361, 1986.
• 35: Zhang, C., Rui, Y., and He, L. Lightweight background blurring for video conferencing applications. Proceedings of ICIP 2006, 481--484, 2006.
• 36: Qiang Alex Zhao , John T. Stasko, Evaluating image filtering based techniques in media space applications, Proceedings of the 1998 ACM conference on Computer supported cooperative work, p.11-18, November 14-18, 1998, Seattle, Washington, United States [doi>10.1145/289444.289450]

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.4 INFORMATION SYSTEMS APPLICATIONS
      H.4.3 Communications Applications
          Subjects: Computer conferencing, teleconferencing, and videoconferencing

Additional Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.2 User Interfaces (D.2.2, H.1.2, I.3.6)
          Subjects: Screen design (e.g., text, graphics, color); User-centered design

General Terms:
Experimentation, Human Factors

Keywords:
appearance, image, image filter, media space, privacy, self presentation, telepresence, vanity, videoconference