How Communication Mediums Shape the Message

Communication is an integral part of everyday life. Consumers chat with friends, for example, search for information, and complain to customer service. Salespeople pitch products, market researchers ask questions, and employees answer them. But communication doesn’t occur in a vacuum. Consumers communicate through modalities (e.g., speaking or writing), channels (e.g., text, phone call, or email), and devices (e.g., smartphone or computer). While these mediums often seem incidental, might they impact communication, and if so, how? This paper offers a comprehensive framework for understanding how these mediums shape the message. Specifically, we argue that modality, devices, and channels all shape communication through the same two key drivers: deliberation and audience salience. This work sheds light on the psychology of content production, provides insight into the drivers and consequences of communication, and highlights how emerging technologies may shape communication in the future.