Die Gruppe auf dem Bildschirm: Wenn Blicke sich nicht begegnen können / The Group On The Screen: When Eyes Cannot Meet

Summary The Group On The Screen: When Eyes Cannot Meet Direct eye contact is impossible in the virtual encounter over the screen. This paper examines the role of this basic aspect of human interaction and what its absence in communications over the screen means for the work with psychotherapy groups in online video settings. While there is a considerable body of research into the role of eye contact and gaze in human development and social interactions, its role in psychotherapy groups has not attracted much attention so far; therefore, the authors resort largely to own observations and reflections on its role and the effects of its absence. It is argued that in the virtual group on the screen, the setting is more fundamentally altered than in individual psychotherapy, with the absence of the signaling and regulatory functions of eye contact, and the possibility to watch others without being known to watch. The leader of the group does not have subtle interventions via eye contact to his or her disposal, which can have an important holding function. Furthermore, it requires more effort to access an intermediate space for reflection, as the space in the centre of the circle is missing which would allow a focus for the gaze away from the faces on the screen.