Negotiating Dyadic Interactions through the Lens of Augmented Reality Glasses

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Augmented Reality (AR) glasses separate dyadic interactions on different sides of the lens, where the person wearing the glasses (primary user) sees an AR world overlaid on their partner (secondary actor). The secondary actor interacts with the primary user understanding they are seeing both physical and virtual worlds. We use grounded theory to study interaction tasks, participatory design sessions, and in-depth interviews of 10 participants and explore how AR real-time modifications affect them. We observe a power imbalance attributed to the: (1) lack of transparency of the primary user's view, (2) violation of agency over self-presentation, and (3) discreet recording capabilities of AR glasses. This information asymmetry leads to a negotiation of behaviors to reach a silently understood equilibrium. This paper addresses underlying design issues that contribute to power imbalances in dyadic interactions and offers nuanced insights into the dynamics between primary users and secondary actors.