Zoom Usage and Cognitive Load

Self-evaluation during Zoom meetings is suspected to contribute to cognitive load. The current experimental study investigated the effects of having access to view oneself during a Zoom meeting on cognitive load, where participants either did or did not have access to view themselves, while on camera. During the call, cognitive load was assessed through performance on a task. Women in comparison to men, and those high on public self-consciousness, were expected to experience more cognitive load, especially when they could see themselves. The results found that at a low level of public self-consciousness, participants who could see themselves experienced higher cognitive load. Unexpectedly, the opposite occurred at a high level of public self-consciousness; participants who could not see themselves experienced higher cognitive load. Further investigation is required to determine the factors contributing to these results. Nonetheless, this work adds to the limited understanding of the psychological consequences of Zoom usage.