A professor of psychological sciences at Tarleton State University in Stephenville has received a $419,534 research grant from the National Institute of Health (NIH) to gain a better understanding of how people are affected by extended exposure to virtual meetings.

This is the second federal grant that Jonali Baruah has received to conduct research on the effects of video-based meetings on cognitive performance.

“Currently, video-based meetings are widely used in both organizations and educational institutions,” Baruah said in a statement. “However, it remains unclear whether these meetings are as effective as face-to-face interactions. This research will examine the physiological responses of attendees and explore the impact of prolonged virtual meetings on Zoom fatigue and anxiety.”

Tarleton State said the goal is to create a computational tool that utilizes machine learning techniques to predict fatigue and performance by providing real-time feedback for meeting organizers and participants. The study will focus more on the long-term impact of such exposure on mental health and overall productivity in creative thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making in virtual group interactions.

“In Tarleton State’s College of Education, we recognize that mental well-being is essential to learning, performance and overall health,” Lesley Leach, dean of the College of Education, said in a statement. “This research on Zoom fatigue reflects our commitment to advancing knowledge at the intersection of education and health by studying the cognitive and physiological impacts of prolonged video conferencing.

“By developing tools to detect and mitigate this emerging mental health concern, not only are Dr. Baruah and her team contributing to scientific discovery, they are also equipping educators, students and professionals with strategies to promote well-being in an increasingly digital world.”

‘Optimizing learning and performance in virtual groups’

Baruah said she will conduct her research with Jugal Kalita, a computer science professor at the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs. Kalita will be working to develop a machine learning-based prototype that will use static and dynamic meeting-related information, text transcripts, screenshots, videos, self-reports, performance, and physiological measures to automatically measure how likely fatigue and exhaustion are to individuals attending a video-based meeting.

The researchers said their discoveries will be used to develop software to aid meeting hosts in knowing when to take breaks and how to structure their meetings in a way that enhances productivity while promoting healthy practices for virtual learners and workers.

Tarleton said that funds from the grant will go toward supporting student workers in conducting research and analyzing data, as well as buying equipment needed to perform the study.

“I am excited about this new project and optimistic that through this interdisciplinary research, our findings will make a meaningful contribution to optimizing learning and performance in virtual groups,” Baruah said. “This is just the starting point, and I hope it will pave the way for further studies in this area.”

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