Researchers at Standford University have created a 15-item scale measuring 5 dimensions of fatigue
The term “Zoom Fatigue” has become commonplace in the media over the last year – owing to both the sudden increase in video conferencing necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic and the associated reports of participants feeling more drained and exhausted after interactions utilising these platforms.
Now there is an empirical way to measure these levels – researchers at Stanford University have created and validated the Zoom Exhaustion and Fatigue (ZEF) scale.
From an original survey containing 49 items, data from nearly 400 participants was used to create the final 15 item scale – focused around 5 dimensions of fatigue:
1) General
2) Social
3) Emotional
4) Visual
5) Motivational
In terms of the psychological effects that can explain this phenomenon, early research has suggested a number of causal factors:
An increase in cognitive load (the result of having to work harder to send and receive non-verbal cues)
Long periods of direct eye gaze with close up faces (a gaze pattern previously reserved only for close relationships)
Limited physical mobility (back-to-back meetings with no travel or commute)
Increased self-evaluation and negative affect (due to viewing our own image constantly)
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