Gestures in the virtual environment: the use of deixis in Youtube gaming tutorials

Manley, Rachel Anna (2023). Gestures in the virtual environment: the use of deixis in Youtube gaming tutorials. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

As natural communicators, humans establish meaning by anchoring their language to the space around them. One method that is used to establish communication is through the use of deictic gestures and expressions. Much of the research to date has focused on use of deictic behaviors in face-to-face interactions within the physical world. However, with the advent of new technology and new ways to communicate, researchers have taken interest in the ways humans interact in the virtual environment. This thesis investigates a small portion of virtual communication by examining the use of deictic behaviors in YouTube gaming tutorials. The goal of the creators of these tutorials is to communicate with their audience, in this research I posit that one of the ways they do so is through deictic behaviors that have parallels to those used in the physical world. In order to examine if this is the case, I analyzed video data through the program ELAN and formulated a unique typology of virtual deictic gestures that have roots in previously established gesture theory.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):