Abstract:
Amidst debates about remote work and the return to office, less is known about how video conferencing reshapes gender differences in interpersonal behaviors, potentially mitigating or reproducing gender inequality. This study explores how individuals experience gendered interpersonal behaviors in video conferencing and identifies which of its features reshape these behaviors. Based on 26 interviews with professionals working in small-to-medium workgroups, the findings suggest that video conferencing can mitigate gender disparities in interpersonal behaviors. The absence of physical copresence and limited visual information can enhance women's participation by reducing gender performativity and status cues. Additionally, digital tools like virtual hand-raising and technological constraints (e.g., limited voice overlap) foster turn-taking norms, promoting equal participation and reducing interruptions. However, potential drawbacks include enhanced visual bias, limited social feedback, and the adverse impact of mirrored self-view, which may decrease women's participation. Contrary to previous research, close-distance eye gaze does not appear to contribute to gendered interpersonal behaviors. This study highlights how gendered interpersonal behaviors are shaped by both cultural beliefs and the structural affordances of virtual environments, offering both opportunities and challenges for greater gender equity.
