Eyes in the room trump eyes on the screen: effects of a responsive co-viewer on toddlers’ responses to and learning from video chat

Scaffolding may be important for children to overcome puzzling aspects of video chat. We examined whether live co-viewer behavior (responsive or unresponsive), video chat partner’s eye gaze (aligned or misaligned), and object similarity (similar or dissimilar) impacted 24- to 30-month-old children’s responsiveness to (and short-term learning from) video chat. Co-viewer behavior was the primary factor influencing children’s responsiveness and learning; the on-screen Partner’s eye gaze was only influential in the presence of a responsive co-viewer; and object similarity did not impact the outcomes measured. Co-viewing provides essential support for children to respond to and learn from video chat interactions because it demonstrates the relevance and usefulness of the on-screen information. Findings suggest that children depend primarily on their live social partners to make sense of their media experiences.