Transcript Presence Conference, 2006

From Film to the Web:
Presence and the Medium
Kimberly A. Neuendorf, Ph.D.
Director, Communication Research Center @ Cleveland State University
and Professor, School of Communication, Cleveland State University
[email protected]
A Model, rather than a List
This presentation lays a foundation for the
development of a model of presence that
considers the form and content characteristics of
a medium, the various types of presence, and
the range of outcomes of presence. This model
development process relies on five assumptions:
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Assumption #1: Form is important
Media form has influenced presence potential,
and differentially across the types of presence
(e.g., Lombard & Ditton et al.’s (2000) six types;
or, Biocca, Harms, & Burgoon’s (????) work
toward three “orders” of social presence in
mediated communication).
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Film has been called “the original immersive medium”
(Neuendorf, 2004). It includes many unique presence-inducing
characteristics, especially when experienced in the darkened
environment of a movie theater (Steuer, 1995).
Radio, recordings, and pod-casting have capitalized on the
auditory capacity, while print media have emphasized the
pictorial.
The evolving online environment has introduced new modes of
presence induction, such as the immediacy of both visual and
auditory cues.
Gaming has adopted much of the “language” of film to ensure a
level of familiarity that may be presence-invoking (Manovich,
2001).
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Assumption #2: Content is important
While the importance of considering content as
well as form has been acknowledged on
occasion (e.g., Bracken & Botta’s (2002)
inclusion of TV genre type; Lombard & Ditton,
1997), the majority of presence studies have
emphasized form over content.
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Assumption #3: Interactions are possible
Possible interactions between form and content
should also be considered.
e.g., For example, a study of reactions to presidential
candidates during the 2000 debates indicated that large-screen
presentations may lead to decreased presence evaluations
(Bracken, Neuendorf, & Jeffres, 2003). Here, the content (i.e.,
faces of politicians) and form (i.e., large-screen closeups) may
have interacted; large-screen closeups of other content types
(e.g., sports footage, nature scenes) have tended to result in
higher presence outcomes.
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Assumption #4: Critical variables
should come from existing literature
Existing theories from media and communication
literatures need to be accessed to help identify
“critical variables” in the study of presence.
Neuendorf’s (2002) notion of “critical
variables”—e.g., ????
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Neuendorf (2004)--An examination of classic film
literature is illustrative for the investigation of form
attributes of film, including Hugo Munsterberg’s (1916)
analysis of film form as mirroring mental activity; Sergei
Eisenstein’s work during the 1920’s that considered
precise filmic techniques that generate cross-modal
(synesthetic) sensations; Pudovkin’s contention that
sound reproduction has greater veracity than pictorial
reproduction.
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Other media and communication theories may
be accessed—e.g., genre theory, expectancy
theory, and uses and gratifications may aid in an
understanding of the contribution of content
elements in the cases of film, radio, television,
gaming, and recorded music.
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Assumption #5: Outcomes/effects
of presence are ???
Efforts should be made to develop a more
comprehensive approach to modeling presence types,
media form and content, and theory and effects.
Seminal attempts to typologize media by presence
potential have maintained a narrow focus on particular
presence types (e.g., Short, Williams, & Christie’s
(1976) treatment of social presence) or on specific
applied contexts (e.g., Rice’s (1992) exploration of
media in organizational task settings).
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The Resulting Model
Thus, a model ought to be developed that
considers:
–
–
–
–
(a) both the main effects and interactions of
(b) form and content in
(c) producing various types of presence, and
(d) leading to presence profiles that moderate
communication effects in different ways,
– (e) and outcomes that are also influenced by other
important variables.
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The Resulting Model
communication
exposure
form
interactions of
form & content
presence
profiles
content
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communication
outcomes
other
variables
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Example:
Magic Lantern Shows
(1600s through 1800s)
The original “4D” experience >
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Example: Magic Lantern Shows
(1600s through 1800s)
communication
exposure
form
interactions of
form & content
presence
profiles
content
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communication
outcomes
other
variables
Neuendorf, Presence 2006
Example: Magic Lantern Shows
(1600s through 1800s)
Large image
Multiple senses
e.g., Horror + Multiple
senses = greater visceral
response
Group exposure
Occasional exposure
High physical presence
Low social presence
Horror
Fantasy
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Fear
Flight reaction
Audience effects
Low wearout potential
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Example: Hale’s Tours
(Years???)
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Example: The Website and Social
Presence
Karen Derby thesis
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Example: The home film
viewing experience—
emulating the theatrical
experience
Some, notably those who grew up with theatrical movie-going, are
outfitting their environment--e.g., popcorn machines, theater
seating. . . a
“pseudo-theatrical” viewing context
A type of second-order “theatrical presence,” the feeling that one is
viewing in a theater surrounded by others, is something that some
want to recapture—so some new DVDs are including audience
reactions! (e.g., Robert Rodriguez) >
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Early Film and Presence Types
(from Marsh, 2003)
Voyeuristic:
Actualities (e.g., Lumieres)
Visceral: “Cinema of Attractions”
(e.g., Melies)
Vicarious Narrative form (e.g.,
Hepworth, Porter, Griffith)
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