Whether it’s at a job interview, a trip to your new partner’s parents’ house or a Tinder date at the local chicken shop, we all know that first impressions count.
But these days, with video calls becoming an increasingly common way of meeting and communicating, how do we ensure we are presenting our virtual selves in the best possible light?
It turns out you should position yourself in front of a bookcase or collection of houseplants and smile, a study carried out at Durham University has found.
The researchers showed 167 volunteers still images mocked up to look like people on video calls. Each one showed a man or woman, either smiling or with a neutral expression, in front of a background featuring a living space, a blurred living space, houseplants, a bookcase, a blank wall or a novelty image of a walrus lying on an iceberg.
The volunteers were then asked to rate how competent and trustworthy they perceived each person to be.
Those with houseplants and bookcases visible in the background were rated as the most competent and trustworthy, with blurred or blank backgrounds coming in middling and regular living spaces and the novelty walrus bringing up the rear.
Notably, blank backgrounds scored slightly lower than blurred backgrounds for trustworthiness but slightly higher for competence.
People with happy expressions were also perceived as more competent and trustworthy.
Additionally, females shown those with a living space background were perceived as no less trustworthy than those with houseplants or a bookcase. This suggests that a living space visible in the background – such as a bedroom or kitchen – is particularly damaging for men, the researchers say.
“We were surprised at the strength of the effects and the consistency of the findings across males and females faces, as well as happy and neutral expressions," said lead researcher Dr Paddy Ross.
"The backgrounds really made a significant difference to first impression ratings, illustrating the importance of considering what you are sitting in front of when online.
“You should do all the things you would do normally, present yourself well, smile and be amicable. But additionally, you should consider your background to try and ensure you make the best possible first impression. It could be the difference between missing out on or getting that job.”
The team now plan to repeat the experiment using video footage to see if the same effects are seen.
Read more about video calls: