Communication Theories in Media, Social Media, and Video Games

Communication

The process of meaning-making through symbols, language, and media.

Humphreys' View on Communication

Communication is not just transmission but also records and tracks everyday life.

Yee's Perspective on Communication in Games

In games, communication is more than just words into actions, avatars, and rules.

Old Media

Traditional, top‑down mass communication where a few producers broadcast to passive audiences. (print, radio, TV)

New Media

Digital platforms and online tools that enable interactive, user‑driven communication. (Social media, video games)

Humphreys on Social Media

Treats social media as another form of long‑standing media documentation

Yee's View on New Media

New media (games) reshape identity and social interaction.

Remediation Theory

New media refashion old media while adding interactivity.

Shannon-Weaver Model of Communication

A message that goes from a sender → to a message → through a channel → to a receiver.

Shortcomings of Shannon-Weaver Communication Model

It Ignores context, identity, and feedback.

Social Media Model of Communication

Networked, participatory communication shaped by algorithms

Humphreys on Social Media's Nature

It functions as both archive and performance, where metrics and documentation influence identity

Humphreys' Critiques of Social Media

We feel pressure to document ourselves, our identities become numerical, and public/private blur.

Cultural Impact of Social Media

Commodification of everyday life.

Effective Social Media Use

Requires awareness of surveillance and commodification.

Strategy for Social Media

Authenticity, transparency, and metrics-driven refinement.

Evaluating Social Media Metrics

Metrics are not neutral—they shape identity and community.

Engagement Rate

Shows not just popularity but how identity is performed and validated.

Yee's Video Game Model of Communication

Games are rule-based communication systems.

Communication in Video Games

Players communicate through avatars, choices, and shared narratives.

Critiques of Video Games

Stereotypes of gamers as antisocial or escapist mirror earlier critiques of other media.

Moral Panic and New Media

Each new medium sparks moral panic before normalization.

Why Study Video Games in Communication

Games reveal how identity, community, and communication evolve in digital spaces.

What is Humphreys' critique of the traditional model of communication?

A linear sender→receiver view ignores identity and surveillance; social media adds layers of complication

What is Yee's addition to the traditional model of communication?

Games show communication is rule-based + participatory, not linear.

What is Yee's parallel to social media communication?

Games = immersive communication spaces, avatars as identity performances.

What is Humphreys' critique of social media?

Commodifies everyday life, pressures self-documentation, blurs public/private.

What is the impact of social media on individuals and communities according to Humphreys?

identity pressure; and shifting norms; also

culture is turned into data which is sold

What are Humphreys' ethical concerns regarding social media?

Metrics + surveillance must be used responsibly.

What is an effective strategy for ethical social media use?

Authenticity, transparency, balance metrics with community impact.

How should metrics be applied according to Humphreys?

Evaluate engagement and reach by how they shape identity and community approval

What is Yee's model of communication in games?

Games = rule-based systems; communication via avatars, choices, narratives.

What paradox emerges in Yee's model of communication in games?

Freedom to reinvent identity, but players often conform to real-world norms.

What is Yee's view of critiques of video games?

Critiques (violence, addiction) = moral panics, same as novels, TV, social media.

What pattern does Yee identify in critiques of new media?

New media → panic → normalization.

What is Yee's argument for studying video games?

Games = laboratory for new media. Reveal identity, community, digital economies.

Why is studying video games important for communication?

Games combine text + visuals + audio + rules, showing how communication evolves.

Media Accounting

Social media continues older practices of documenting life.

Public Documentation

Documentation is now public, persistent, and monetized.

Curated Identity

Individuals feel pressure to curate identity; society normalizes surveillance.

Commodification of Everyday Life

Platforms turn personal experiences into data for profit.

Identity as Brand

Identity becomes a brand, and relationships become metrics.

Visibility vs. Authenticity

Society shifts toward valuing visibility over authenticity.

Blurring Public/Private Boundaries

Social media mixes all your audiences into one.

Loss of Control

Individuals lose control over who sees what.

Redefining Privacy Norms

Society redefines norms around privacy, exposure, and accountability.

Conditional Benefits of Social Media

Humphreys says social media can benefit individuals and society conditionally.

Community Strengthening

Social media can strengthen community, support identity exploration, and enable collective memory.

Understanding Affordances and Risks

Benefits occur only when users understand the affordances and risks of platforms.

Ethical Use of Social Media

Ethical use requires intentionality, transparency, and awareness of data practices.

Affordances

Features like sharing, tagging, liking shape behavior and identity performance.

Attributes of Social Media

Persistence, visibility, and searchability amplify social pressure and documentation.

Uses & Gratifications

People use social media to fulfill needs like connection, identity, and entertainment.

Spreadability

Content spreads because platforms encourage sharing and remixing.

Network Theory

Shows how information travels through social graphs.

Influencers and Weak Ties

Explains why influencers and weak ties matter.

Community Theory

Social media builds affinity groups that can support identity and belonging.

Echo Chambers

Community theory can also create echo chambers.

Ecological theory (McLuhan):

Media environments reshape perception.

Relationship

Media are vehicles of communication; communication theories explain how meaning flows through them.