Visual ecology of human communication: presence, directionality, and a serious problem with Zoom
Natural, dynamic eye contact behaviour is critical to social interaction but is dysfunctional in video conferencing. In analysing the problem, I speak about general differences between perception of pictorial material and vision in the real world, then introduce the concept of directionality emphasizing the critical role of motion parallax and perspective-taking to establish and maintain a sense of place. I then sketch methodological approaches towards establishing directionality and re-enabling natural, dynamic eye contact in video conferences.