An Investigation into the Stress-Buffering Effects of Nature Virtual Backgrounds in Video Calls

Videoconferencing technologies provided a lifeline for businesses and people to stay connected during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it also brought to light the unique stressors associated with video calls. This research explored the potential of utilizing virtual backgrounds as a strategy to mitigate against stress experienced during video calls. A between-subjects experiment was conducted (N = 131) where undergraduate research participants completed a 5-min mock job interview over Zoom. The interviewer’s virtual background was manipulated to be a nature image or an office image (control). Results found no differences in physiological and behavioral stress between the conditions. However, among male participants, self-reported stress was marginally lower in the nature condition compared to the control condition. Based on these responses to the stress-induction task, our findings suggest that nature virtual backgrounds have the potential to buffer against stress during video calls. With video calls now a permanent fixture of modern life and workplaces, the findings contribute towards the nascent research into virtual backgrounds and have important theoretical and practical implications.