Why a Classic Phone Call Is Better Than Video Calls or Texting

A science-backed explanation for why you should rely more on your voice and less on your face in our brave new world

Angela Lashbrook
Debugger
Published in
7 min readNov 19, 2020

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Man smiling as he talks on the phone with someone.
Photo: 10'000 Hours/Getty Images

When the pandemic hit the U.S., most of us found ourselves socially, and thus emotionally, isolated. Even essential workers, compelled to interact with others…

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Angela Lashbrook
Debugger

I’m a columnist for OneZero, where I write about the intersection of health & tech. Also seen at Elemental, The Atlantic, VICE, and Vox. Brooklyn, NY.