The Configuration of Space: Probing the Way Social Interaction and Perception are Affected by Task-Specific Spatial Representations in Online Video Communication

Yihuan Chen; Kexue Fu; Qianyi Chen; Zhicong Lu; Ray LC

doi:10.1007/978-3-031-92826-0_8

The Configuration of Space: Probing the Way Social Interaction and Perception are Affected by Task-Specific Spatial Representations in Online Video Communication

Yihuan Chen, Kexue Fu, Qianyi Chen, Zhicong Lu, Ray LC^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Creative Media

Research output: Chapters, Conference Papers, Creative and Literary Works › RGC 32 - Refereed conference paper (with host publication) › peer-review

Abstract

Humans live and act in 3D space, but often work and communicate on 2D surfaces. The prevalence of online communication on 2D screens raises the issue of whether human spatial configuration affects our capabilities, social perception, and behaviors when interacting with others in 2D video chat. How do factors like location, setting, and context subtly shape our online communication, particularly in scenarios such as social support and topic-based discussions? Using Ohyay.co as a platform, we compared a normal gallery interface with a scene-based Room-type interface where participants are located in circular arrangement on screen in a social support task, and found that participants allocated attention to the group as a whole, and had pronounced self-awareness in the Room format. We then chose a two-sided topic for discussion in the Gallery interface and the Room interface where participants on each team face-off against each other, and found that they utilized spatial references to orient their allegiances, expressing greater engagement with those farther away in digital space and greater empathy with those closer, in the Room over the Gallery format. We found spatial effects in the way participants hide from the spotlight, in perspective-taking, and in their use of expressive gestures in time on the screen. This work highlights the need for considering spatial configuration in 2D in the design of collaborative communication systems to optimize for psychological needs for particular tasks.

© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025

Original language	English
Title of host publication	HCI in Business, Government and Organizations
Subtitle of host publication	12th International Conference, HCIBGO 2025, Held as Part of the 27th HCI International Conference, HCII 2025, Gothenburg, Sweden, June 22–27, 2025, Proceedings, Part II
Editors	Keng Leng Siau, Fiona Fui-Hoon Nah
Publisher	Springer, Cham
Pages	113–132
ISBN (Electronic)	978-3-031-92826-0
ISBN (Print)	978-3-031-92825-3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-92826-0_8
Publication status	Published - 26 May 2025
Event	12th International Conference on HCI in Business, Government and Organizations (HCIBGO 2025) - Gothia Towers Hotel and Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre, Gothenburg, Sweden Duration: 22 Jun 2025 → 27 Jun 2025 https://2025.hci.international/hcibgo

Publication series

Name	Lecture Notes in Computer Science
ISSN (Print)	0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)	1611-3349

Conference

Conference	12th International Conference on HCI in Business, Government and Organizations (HCIBGO 2025)
Abbreviated title	HCIBGO 2025
Place	Sweden
City	Gothenburg
Period	22/06/25 → 27/06/25
Internet address	https://2025.hci.international/hcibgo

Bibliographical note

Research Unit(s) information for this publication is provided by the author(s) concerned.

Research Keywords

video conferencing
spatial influence
video analysis
seating arrangement

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10.1007/978-3-031-92826-0_8

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Chen, Y., Fu, K., Chen, Q., Lu, Z., & LC, R. (2025). The Configuration of Space: Probing the Way Social Interaction and Perception are Affected by Task-Specific Spatial Representations in Online Video Communication. In K. L. Siau, & F. F.-H. Nah (Eds.), HCI in Business, Government and Organizations: 12th International Conference, HCIBGO 2025, Held as Part of the 27th HCI International Conference, HCII 2025, Gothenburg, Sweden, June 22–27, 2025, Proceedings, Part II (pp. 113–132). (Lecture Notes in Computer Science). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-92826-0_8

Chen, Yihuan ; Fu, Kexue ; Chen, Qianyi et al. / The Configuration of Space : Probing the Way Social Interaction and Perception are Affected by Task-Specific Spatial Representations in Online Video Communication. HCI in Business, Government and Organizations: 12th International Conference, HCIBGO 2025, Held as Part of the 27th HCI International Conference, HCII 2025, Gothenburg, Sweden, June 22–27, 2025, Proceedings, Part II. editor / Keng Leng Siau ; Fiona Fui-Hoon Nah. Springer, Cham, 2025. pp. 113–132 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science).

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title = "The Configuration of Space: Probing the Way Social Interaction and Perception are Affected by Task-Specific Spatial Representations in Online Video Communication",

abstract = "Humans live and act in 3D space, but often work and communicate on 2D surfaces. The prevalence of online communication on 2D screens raises the issue of whether human spatial configuration affects our capabilities, social perception, and behaviors when interacting with others in 2D video chat. How do factors like location, setting, and context subtly shape our online communication, particularly in scenarios such as social support and topic-based discussions? Using Ohyay.co as a platform, we compared a normal gallery interface with a scene-based Room-type interface where participants are located in circular arrangement on screen in a social support task, and found that participants allocated attention to the group as a whole, and had pronounced self-awareness in the Room format. We then chose a two-sided topic for discussion in the Gallery interface and the Room interface where participants on each team face-off against each other, and found that they utilized spatial references to orient their allegiances, expressing greater engagement with those farther away in digital space and greater empathy with those closer, in the Room over the Gallery format. We found spatial effects in the way participants hide from the spotlight, in perspective-taking, and in their use of expressive gestures in time on the screen. This work highlights the need for considering spatial configuration in 2D in the design of collaborative communication systems to optimize for psychological needs for particular tasks.{\textcopyright} The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025",

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author = "Yihuan Chen and Kexue Fu and Qianyi Chen and Zhicong Lu and Ray LC",

note = "Research Unit(s) information for this publication is provided by the author(s) concerned.; 12th International Conference on HCI in Business, Government and Organizations (HCIBGO 2025), HCIBGO 2025 ; Conference date: 22-06-2025 Through 27-06-2025",

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Chen, Y, Fu, K, Chen, Q, Lu, Z & LC, R 2025, The Configuration of Space: Probing the Way Social Interaction and Perception are Affected by Task-Specific Spatial Representations in Online Video Communication. in KL Siau & FF-H Nah (eds), HCI in Business, Government and Organizations: 12th International Conference, HCIBGO 2025, Held as Part of the 27th HCI International Conference, HCII 2025, Gothenburg, Sweden, June 22–27, 2025, Proceedings, Part II. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Springer, Cham, pp. 113–132, 12th International Conference on HCI in Business, Government and Organizations (HCIBGO 2025), Gothenburg, Sweden, 22/06/25. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-92826-0_8

The Configuration of Space: Probing the Way Social Interaction and Perception are Affected by Task-Specific Spatial Representations in Online Video Communication. / Chen, Yihuan; Fu, Kexue; Chen, Qianyi et al.
HCI in Business, Government and Organizations: 12th International Conference, HCIBGO 2025, Held as Part of the 27th HCI International Conference, HCII 2025, Gothenburg, Sweden, June 22–27, 2025, Proceedings, Part II. ed. / Keng Leng Siau; Fiona Fui-Hoon Nah. Springer, Cham, 2025. p. 113–132 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science).

Research output: Chapters, Conference Papers, Creative and Literary Works › RGC 32 - Refereed conference paper (with host publication) › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - The Configuration of Space

T2 - 12th International Conference on HCI in Business, Government and Organizations (HCIBGO 2025)

AU - Chen, Yihuan

AU - Fu, Kexue

AU - Chen, Qianyi

AU - Lu, Zhicong

AU - LC, Ray

N1 - Research Unit(s) information for this publication is provided by the author(s) concerned.

PY - 2025/5/26

Y1 - 2025/5/26

N2 - Humans live and act in 3D space, but often work and communicate on 2D surfaces. The prevalence of online communication on 2D screens raises the issue of whether human spatial configuration affects our capabilities, social perception, and behaviors when interacting with others in 2D video chat. How do factors like location, setting, and context subtly shape our online communication, particularly in scenarios such as social support and topic-based discussions? Using Ohyay.co as a platform, we compared a normal gallery interface with a scene-based Room-type interface where participants are located in circular arrangement on screen in a social support task, and found that participants allocated attention to the group as a whole, and had pronounced self-awareness in the Room format. We then chose a two-sided topic for discussion in the Gallery interface and the Room interface where participants on each team face-off against each other, and found that they utilized spatial references to orient their allegiances, expressing greater engagement with those farther away in digital space and greater empathy with those closer, in the Room over the Gallery format. We found spatial effects in the way participants hide from the spotlight, in perspective-taking, and in their use of expressive gestures in time on the screen. This work highlights the need for considering spatial configuration in 2D in the design of collaborative communication systems to optimize for psychological needs for particular tasks.© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025

AB - Humans live and act in 3D space, but often work and communicate on 2D surfaces. The prevalence of online communication on 2D screens raises the issue of whether human spatial configuration affects our capabilities, social perception, and behaviors when interacting with others in 2D video chat. How do factors like location, setting, and context subtly shape our online communication, particularly in scenarios such as social support and topic-based discussions? Using Ohyay.co as a platform, we compared a normal gallery interface with a scene-based Room-type interface where participants are located in circular arrangement on screen in a social support task, and found that participants allocated attention to the group as a whole, and had pronounced self-awareness in the Room format. We then chose a two-sided topic for discussion in the Gallery interface and the Room interface where participants on each team face-off against each other, and found that they utilized spatial references to orient their allegiances, expressing greater engagement with those farther away in digital space and greater empathy with those closer, in the Room over the Gallery format. We found spatial effects in the way participants hide from the spotlight, in perspective-taking, and in their use of expressive gestures in time on the screen. This work highlights the need for considering spatial configuration in 2D in the design of collaborative communication systems to optimize for psychological needs for particular tasks.© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025

KW - video conferencing

KW - spatial influence

KW - video analysis

KW - seating arrangement

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105007132297&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.scopus.com/record/pubmetrics.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105007132297&origin=recordpage

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DO - 10.1007/978-3-031-92826-0_8

M3 - RGC 32 - Refereed conference paper (with host publication)

SN - 978-3-031-92825-3

T3 - Lecture Notes in Computer Science

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BT - HCI in Business, Government and Organizations

A2 - Siau, Keng Leng

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PB - Springer, Cham

Y2 - 22 June 2025 through 27 June 2025

ER -

Chen Y, Fu K, Chen Q, Lu Z, LC R. The Configuration of Space: Probing the Way Social Interaction and Perception are Affected by Task-Specific Spatial Representations in Online Video Communication. In Siau KL, Nah FFH, editors, HCI in Business, Government and Organizations: 12th International Conference, HCIBGO 2025, Held as Part of the 27th HCI International Conference, HCII 2025, Gothenburg, Sweden, June 22–27, 2025, Proceedings, Part II. Springer, Cham. 2025. p. 113–132. (Lecture Notes in Computer Science). Epub 2025 May 26. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-92826-0_8

The Configuration of Space: Probing the Way Social Interaction and Perception are Affected by Task-Specific Spatial Representations in Online Video Communication

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Bibliographical note

Research Keywords

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