From face-to-face to face-to-screen: Social animals interacting in a digital world

Introduction

Over millions of years, human survival has crucially depended on rapport building, seeking others' social support, and sharing resources in groups. This social context has created constant evolutionary pressure to develop specific biological systems geared to interacting face-to-face with physically present others.

The Shift to Digital Interactions

For just a few years, we have been living in a rapidly developing digital world where interactions across society (education, friendship, health care) shift to face-to-screen interaction, strongly accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. How does this core change affect our social interactions?

Research Approach

In SODI, I will contrast face-to-face with face-to-screen live interactions of many individuals, taking a multi-method, biopsychological approach. According to my theoretical working model, face-to-screen interactions fail to entirely engage specific, socially relevant hormonal systems (oxytocin, -opioids, testosterone), which evolved to process context-dependent stimuli from face-to-face contact (mutual eye gaze, physical contact, social odour).

Hypotheses

Consequently, hormone-mediated beneficial social effects should be attenuated, while adding social stimuli should ameliorate this difference. To test my model's assumptions, I will tackle three objectives:

1. How do face-to-screen interactions differ from face-to-face ones?
2. Can we socially enrich face-to-screen interactions by adding previously lacking social stimuli?
3. Does experimentally modulating hormone levels in the brain affect differences between face-to-face and face-to-screen interactions?

Innovative Research Methodology

In a radically innovative approach, my research combines experimental-psychological interaction paradigms, neurophysiological and subjective measures, and hormone administration to understand the merits and flaws of interacting in a digital reality.

Future Implications

Moreover, my project aims to strike new paths for socially enriching face-to-screen interactions, thereby unfolding the full potential of the digital (r)evolution.