Impact of seating positions on group video communication

Abstract

In this study, we examine how changes in seating position across different sites affect video-mediated communication. We experimentally investigated the effects of altering seating positions on conversations in four-person group communication, two-by-two at identical locations: distant parties seated across from each other vs. distant parties seated side-by-side. In the latter seating arrangement, we found that speaker switches were more evenly distributed between distance-separated participants and co-located participants at points without verbal indication of the next speaker. Participants shared a higher sense of unity and reached a slightly better group solution. These findings demonstrate the importance of providing people with various seating arrangements across distant sites to facilitate different group activities.

Using F-formations to analyse spatial patterns of interaction in physical environments

“…The type of Fformation configuration taken up can be influenced by environmental features, such as standing next to a wall or path, but the details of how environmental features influence spatial patterns of interaction have not been studied in depth [15,16]. F-formations are already known to researchers in CSCW, having been discussed in relation to distributed technologies such as virtual environments (e.g., [17]) and video conferencing (e.g., [31]). However, for the purposes of this paper, studies that have used F-formations in the analysis of co-located interactions by people around technology are more pertinent.…”

Designing Socially Embedded Technologies in the Real-World

“…While there is a general agreement that we can extract requirement specifications and recommendations from ethnography for a particular user group, it is much more difficult to figure out how exactly ethnographic insights can add to design. This has led to several papers dedicated to producing findings in either one area (e.g., ethnography (Hartswood et al 2003;Svensson et al 2007;Møller and Bjørn 2011) or design (e.g., design (Dourish and Bly 1992;Gutwin and Greenberg 2002;Yamashita et al 2008). However, it is not easy to find papers that aim to contribute to both fields.…”

Temporal encoded F-formation system for social interaction detection

“…This concept is commonly used in computer-supported cooperative work, where the interaction is established with an appropriate spatial relationship between participants. For example, Yamashita et al [26] examined how changes in seating position across different sites affect the video-mediated communication by exploring the F-formation. While in [17], the F-formation knowledge is used to navigate the robot to join an interaction group using a socially adapted behavior with lower risk of collision The temporal encoded IS are used to detect the interaction center, their respective interactants, and the best view camera.…”