Grondin Frédéric, Lomanowska Anna M, Poiré Vincent, Jackson Philip L
École de Psychologie, Université Laval, 2325 All. des Bibliothèques, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration (Cirris), 525 Wilfrid-Hamel Blvd, Québec City, QC G1M 2S8, Canada.
J Clin Med. 2022 Jun 16;11(12):3461. doi: 10.3390/jcm11123461.
Eye contact is frequently associated with an increased perception of empathy and telepresence, but the currently used videoconferencing (VC) technologies diminish the possibility of naturally conveying eye contact. This study compared the empathy, telepresence, and eye gaze patterns of clients in simulated VC teletherapy sessions where eye contact was altered or facilitated. Forty-two would-be clients met with one of four therapists in training for one 20-min simulated teletherapy session taking place via VC. The session either altered or facilitated eye contact perception by manipulating the positioning of the webcams and of the clients in their chair. Eye-tracking data focusing on the eyes, face, and general body regions of interest were obtained for 25 clients. The results show that facilitating eye contact in VC did not increase the clients' perceptions of empathy or telepresence. However, empathy was associated with greater time spent looking at the eyes and faces of the therapists, but only in the sessions facilitating eye contact. We suggest that clients successfully rely on other verbal and nonverbal cues to detect therapist empathy when eye contact is altered in teletherapy sessions.
眼神交流常常与更强的同理心感知和临场感联系在一起，但目前使用的视频会议（VC）技术降低了自然传达眼神交流的可能性。本研究比较了在模拟VC远程治疗会话中，当眼神交流被改变或得到促进时，来访者的同理心、临场感和目光注视模式。42名潜在来访者与4名正在接受培训的治疗师之一进行了一次20分钟的模拟远程治疗会话，该会话通过VC进行。通过操纵网络摄像头和来访者在椅子上的位置，该会话改变或促进了眼神交流感知。对25名来访者获取了聚焦于眼睛、面部和全身感兴趣区域的眼动追踪数据。结果表明，在VC中促进眼神交流并没有增加来访者对同理心或临场感的感知。然而，同理心与花更多时间注视治疗师的眼睛和面部有关，但仅在促进眼神交流的会话中如此。我们建议，在远程治疗会话中眼神交流被改变时，来访者会成功地依靠其他言语和非言语线索来察觉治疗师的同理心。
