<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
    <rss version="2.0">
      <channel xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/">
        <title>Frontiers in Communication | Visual Communication section | New and Recent Articles</title>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/communication/sections/visual-communication</link>
        <description>RSS Feed for Visual Communication section in the Frontiers in Communication journal | New and Recent Articles</description>
        <language>en-us</language>
        <generator>Frontiers Feed Generator,version:1</generator>
        <pubDate>2026-08-09T20:57:09.467+00:00</pubDate>
        <ttl>60</ttl>
        <item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1840532</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1840532</link>
        <title><![CDATA[A systematic literature review on national image in film]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-07-24T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Systematic Review</category>
        <author>Lina Bai</author><author>Nurzihan Hassim</author><author>Shamsiah Abd Kadir</author><author>Qun Li</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Film, emerging as a powerful propaganda tool since the early 20th century, has evolved into an important cultural carrier for the construction of national image, drawing increasing interest from researchers. Although many studies have been conducted to explore how films construct national image, there is still a lack of systematic literature review in this field. Therefore, this study aims to conduct a systematic literature review (SLR) concerning the construction of national image in film. This study included five key methodological steps, including developing the review protocol, formulating research questions, conducting a systematic search, adopting the MMAT tool to conduct quality appraisal and screening, and data extraction and synthesis. Three main themes were discovered: (1) the elements of film in constructing national image; (2) the narrative strategy of film in constructing national image; (3) the cross-cultural communication strategy of national image in film.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1852341</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1852341</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Could changes in visual identity impact student attachment?]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-07-07T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Radomír Masaryk</author><author>Lucia Peterec</author><author>Marek Števček</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Universities increasingly use marketing and branding tools to appeal to prospective students, yet the role of visual identity in shaping how students and staff relate to their institution remains underexplored. This study examines the 2021 redesign of the visual identity at Comenius University Bratislava and its perceived impact on the university community. Using a mixed-methods approach, we combined three questionnaire surveys (N = 2,710; 2,562; 3,019) with 29 focus groups involving 137 students. The surveys assessed how participants evaluated the new university logo and how strongly they identified with the institution. We found a positive relationship between logo evaluation and attachment: individuals who felt more connected to the university tended to rate the new logo more favourably. The qualitative findings provided further insight, revealing how students interpreted both the old and new logos and how these symbols related to their broader perceptions of the university. Many associated their sense of attachment with the university's efforts to engage them through events, improved communication, and a more modern visual style. Although the study cannot determine causality, the results suggest that visual identity may play a complementary role in strengthening student attachment and can support broader branding and communication strategies within higher education.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1875332</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1875332</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Formal and strategic trends in corporate visual identity: a comparative analysis of the corporate logos of organizations listed in the best global brands ranking and the Ibex 35]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-07-07T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Brief Research Report</category>
        <author>Santiago Mayorga-Escalada</author><author>Isabel Delgado-Laguna</author><author>Fernando Olivares-Delgado</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The corporate logo is a central strategic element in the construction of corporate visual identity. This article analyses and compares the formal and strategic characteristics of the corporate logos of organisations listed in Interbrand's Best Global Brands ranking and the Spanish stock market index Ibex 35, with the aim of identifying the main visual trends shaping contemporary brand identity design. The study adopts a quantitative-comparative design based on visual content analysis of a sample of 135 corporate logos, representing 100% of the target population, and employs an analysis protocol structured around the plastic, iconic and linguistic sign. The results reveal a widespread trend towards formal simplification, two-dimensionality, chromatic reduction and the predominance of logotypes, especially among global brands, which exhibit greater homogeneity and visual standardisation. Ibex 35 brands, while sharing these trends, show greater formal and strategic diversity, conditioned by historical, sectoral and cultural factors. The study is proposed as an exploratory and systematic approach to an object of analysis that has rarely been studied comparatively, and provides an empirical basis for future research on the relationship between international projection, economic value and the visual configuration of corporate identity.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1849839</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1849839</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Visual metaphors for sustainability: exploring digital media students’ practices through Midjourney]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-07-02T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Soufien Abidi</author><author>Hatem Alsridi</author><author>Mohammed Fadel Arandas</author><author>Abdulkrim Ziani</author><author>Suliman Saleh</author><author>Abdelmohsen Hamed Okela</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionEnvironmental communication faces challenges representing invisible climate phenomena, necessitating innovative strategies to promote sustainable behavioral change within Corporate Social Responsibility frameworks. Grounded in Lakoff and Johnson's conceptual metaphor theory and Peircean semiotics, the study positions visual metaphors as constitutive in environmental discourse. This study examines semiotic depth versus literal reproduction, investigating how outputs bridge invisible phenomena to comprehension and what interpretive orientations toward GVAI can be inferred from student artifacts.MethodsThrough systematic semiotic analysis, this study examined workshop materials produced by seven Tunisian digital media students using Midjourney. Participants were given a three-hour self-directed creative session with Midjourney and instructed to produce imagery related to environmental communication, with no constraints on content, style, or metaphorical strategy.ResultsThe analysis identified three emergent deployment modes within this exploratory dataset: reproductive logic (n=2), documentary intensification (n=2), and transformative semiotic innovation (n=3). Findings suggest that the interpretive depth of GVAI applications is closely linked to users' conceptual frameworks. While reproductive cases used exhausted iconography, transformative cases employed categorical transgression and defamiliarization. Interpretations of semiotic strategies are inferred from artifact analysis and iterative prompt sequences rather than from direct access to participants' cognitive processes.DiscussionFindings indicate that environmental communication education should cultivate integrated semiotic competence, enabling meaningful visual metaphor construction with generative artificial intelligence to enrich sustainability discourse.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1825714</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1825714</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Analysing visual narratives: the representation of floods through photojournalism in the context of disaster reporting]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-06-26T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Tigere Paidamoyo Muringa</author><author>Bibi Ayesha Mall</author><author>Alicia Gil-Torres</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Flooding incidents in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa, have increased significantly since the 20th century, with the April 2022 floods regarded as among the most disastrous recorded in the province. Literature recognises the role of photojournalists in disaster communication and management, as images provide visual evidence of devastation, human suffering, property damage, and the scale of disasters. The 2022 KZN floods constitute a significant case because their scale, visibility, human loss, infrastructural destruction, and extensive media coverage provide a strong basis for examining how visual journalism frames disaster, vulnerability, and public responsibility in South Africa. Although studies have examined photojournalism in flood reporting, no published study has specifically analysed the visual framing of the 2022 KZN floods. This study used visual framing analysis to examine photographic coverage of the floods on IOL and News24. It also explored the ethical implications of depicting dead and mutilated bodies, grief, and gender stereotyping. Using qualitative content analysis and purposive sampling, 50 photographs, including hard news photos, stand-alone photos, and feature story photographs published between April and June 2022, were analysed. Findings show that the significant frames include human interest, economics, and gender. The study highlights the need for ethical guidelines and best practices in disaster photojournalism.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1848472</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1848472</link>
        <title><![CDATA[How AI micro-short dramas shape users’ sharing behavior: visual persuasion, emotional empathy, and communication transformation—evidence from China]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-06-24T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Wei Luo</author><author>Yuqi Song</author>
        <description><![CDATA[BackgroundUnder the background of media convergence, micro-short dramas have become a popular form of communication because of their serial narrative structure and lightweight viewing features, and they are increasingly being integrated with digital technologies such as Artificial Intelligence Generated Content.MethodsDrawing on survey data from Chinese users with prior exposure to AI micro-short dramas, this study develops an integrated framework to examine users' sharing behavior. Grounded in media convergence, the framework combines visual persuasion theory, the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), and the SIPS model, and incorporates visual persuasion features, immersive experience, perceived information density, emotional empathy, and sharing behavior to construct a sequential explanatory framework of “visual features–cognitive/experiential processing–emotional empathy–sharing behavior”.ResultsThe results show that the visual persuasive features of AI micro-short dramas significantly promote users' sharing behavior by creating immersive experiences, increasing perceived information density, and triggering emotional empathy.DiscussionThis study enriches the research on the sharing behaviors of users of AI micro-short dramas, and provided useful references for improving content creation and dissemination methods in practical scenarios such as “AI + content dissemination”.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1797425</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1797425</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Designing the future: Star Trek as visual culture, speculative design, and imagination activator in human–technology interaction]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-06-05T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Cristián Londoño-Proaño</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Science fiction audiovisual narratives function as spaces for cultural and design experimentation in which technological interfaces, interactions, and imaginaries are visually articulated before their material realization. From this perspective, the present study aims to analyze Star Trek as a paradigmatic case of visual culture and speculative design, examining how its audiovisual narratives operate as triggers of the imagination that shape expectations about human-technology interaction and contemporary landscapes of communication. The research adopts a qualitative methodology based on non-participant observation and focused audiovisual content analysis, based on the systematic review of episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation, in order to identify and categorize technological artifacts according to their communicative, interactional and design functions. These representations were later analyzed in a comparative way with technological developments documented through a bibliographic review in specialized databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar. The results show that devices such as portable communicators, voice-controlled interfaces, immersive virtual environments, telepresence systems and diagnostic tools operate as visual and communicative prototypes, influencing interaction paradigms and design expectations present in contemporary technologies. Rather than establishing direct causal relationships, the study concludes that science fiction audiovisual narratives symbolically contribute to technological innovation by mediating meanings, imaginaries, and design logics, positioning Star Trek as a form of speculative design within visual culture that articulates design, communication, and human-technology interaction in contemporary media environments.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1807079</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1807079</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Personal political rebranding through visual framing: the transformation of prabowo Subianto's visual self-presentation on instagram (2015–2024)]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-05-28T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author> Eriyanto</author><author>Achmad Jamil</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This study examines how personal political rebranding is constructed through visual framing by analyzing the transformation of Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto's visual self-presentation on his official Instagram account (@prabowo) between 2015 and 2024. The observation period spans four political phases: opposition, the 2019 presidential campaign, his tenure as Minister of Defense, and the campaign leading to his victory in the 2024 election. Using visual content analysis and adapting the visual framing typology of Grabe and Bucy (2009), the study analyzes 1,236 Instagram posts to identify patterns of continuity and change in visual representation over time. The findings indicate that Prabowo's visual framing evolved across political periods in response to shifting institutional roles and electoral contexts. While ordinariness was more visible during opposition and electoral competition, and compassion and mass appeal intensified in the 2024 campaign, the statesmanship frame remained consistently dominant, forming the core of his symbolic identity. This continuity reveals that personal political rebranding operates through a balance of change and consistency. Despite adaptive shifts in visual narratives, Prabowo consistently maintained key symbolic elements (leadership authority, patriotic imagery, and association with influential figures) ensuring that his constructed image remained recognizable and credible over time. By positioning visual framing as a mechanism of personal political rebranding, this study demonstrates how political actors strategically recalibrate visual meaning to preserve legitimacy while transforming political identity in a dynamic digital environment.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2025.1649275</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2025.1649275</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Visual framing of vaping: How Instagram influencers shape perceptions of vaping through images]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-05-27T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Bente Schøning</author><author>Sarah E. Rosenbaum</author><author>Torkjel M. Sandanger</author><author>Charlotte Wien</author><author>Olaug S. Lian</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionThe increasing popularity of vaping among teenagers and young adults has raised public health concerns, with social media influencers playing a key role in shaping perceptions. This study examines how Instagram influencers use visual framing to construct and disseminate messages about vaping.MethodsA qualitative semiotic analysis of 45 Instagram posts from seven international influencers was conducted, with ten posts selected for in-depth analysis. Visual elements were described, coded, and categorized into sign categories and explored using NVivo software. AI tools supported influencer identification and category validation. Ethical approval was obtained to conduct the study in the public interest without requiring influencer consent.ResultsWe identified three dominant themes in the Instagram posts: Freedom of Choice, Lifestyle, and Superpower. The Freedom of Choice frame emphasized personal choice and resistance to vape regulations, often contrasting vaping with smoking. The Lifestyle frame glamorized vaping by associating it with luxury, trendiness, and masculinity, integrating it into aspirational narratives. The Superpower frame appealed to younger audiences through playful imagery, such as references to manga and gaming, normalizing vaping as a symbol of creativity and empowerment. Visuals and hashtags reinforced these frames, fostering community and engagement.DiscussionThe findings highlight how influencers use culturally resonant visual frames to glamorize vaping and challenge public health narratives. Freedom of Choice framing redefined vaping as a fight for autonomy, while Lifestyle and Superpower frames linked vaping to desirable identities and maturity. Warning labels, intended to deter use, may inadvertently reinforce rebellious and mature connotations. This study underscores the need for public health strategies to counteract the influence of social media content on youth vaping behaviors. Future research should explore audience interpretations and extend the analysis to other platforms like TikTok and YouTube.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1774920</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1774920</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Indigenous visual cosmology as ritual communication system: a semiotic analysis of Senyawa’s Vajranala album artwork]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-05-22T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Ichsan Satrio Pambudi</author><author>Ekky Imanjaya</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Visual communication research has traditionally emphasised information transmission models, often neglecting the role of ritualised visual systems in sustaining shared cultural realities. This study examines Vajranala, the album artwork of the experimental group Senyawa, as an indigenous visual communication system that preserves and rearticulates cosmological knowledge within contemporary media contexts. Employing Barthes’s semiotic framework and Carey’s ritual model, this qualitative multimodal analysis investigates the album’s cover, inner sleeve, and label as components of an integrated visual system. Monumental forms, anthropocosmic figures, vertical axes, cyclical symbols, and spatial hierarchies are analysed at denotative, connotative, and mythic levels to elucidate how cosmological meaning is visually structured and stabilised. Contextual grounding for the semiotic analysis is provided through interviews with key creators and experts. The findings indicate that Vajranala can be read as a ritual communication system, wherein meaning emerges through patterned visual repetition rather than linear information transfer. Cosmological concepts of time, spatial order, and human-cosmos relations are maintained through symbolic participation rather than didactic explanation. Relational and ecological meanings arise implicitly as outcomes of indigenous visual cosmology. By conceptualising indigenous visual systems as communicative media logics, this study expands visual communication scholarship beyond representational models, demonstrating how non-verbal symbolic structures actively sustain cultural memory, identity, and value transmission in contemporary media. These findings highlight the importance of indigenous visual systems in shaping meaning in modern visual communication by framing the album artwork as a ritual system that sustains cosmological knowledge.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1790186</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1790186</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Visual strategies used by labels of Spain's best wines]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-05-11T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Brief Research Report</category>
        <author>Fernando Suárez-Carballo</author><author>Marcos Rodríguez-Basas</author><author>Juan-Ramón Martín-Sanromán</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This study analyses the visual strategy of the labels of the 100 highest-rated Spanish wines included in the 2025 edition of the Guía Peñín, the leading wine guide in Spain, with the aim of identifying graphic patterns and assessing the degree of homogeneity in the visual communication of wine quality. The research is based on a content analysis focused on manifest visual variables, structured according to three semiotic dimensions (plastic, iconic and linguistic signs). Using a final sample of 63 labels—after excluding graphic variations of the same product—a reliability test was conducted on 10% of the initial sample, retaining only those variables that achieved a minimum agreement of 80%. The results, analysed through descriptive statistics and chi-square tests, reveal a high level of visual similarity—stronger in the plastic and linguistic dimensions than in the iconic one—as well as a significant association between the Denomination of Origin and certain visual components of the labels, suggesting that superior wine quality tends to be communicated through largely traditional graphic approaches rather than through explicitly transgressive designs.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1703638</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1703638</link>
        <title><![CDATA[From heritage to digital fashion: a curriculum integration framework for art and design education]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-05-01T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Nouf Alsuwaida</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionThe deserts of Saudi Arabia are rich in rock art and cultural heritage sites, with ancient murals in the AlUla region holding significant symbolic meaning. Heritage plays an important role in preserving cultural values and strengthening national identity. Fashion designers often draw inspiration from heritage sites because they offer a wealth of shapes, structures, and historical contexts. Although some studies have focused on cultural heritage sites, little is known about how fashion design instructors use heritage sites, such as rock art, in education, or incorporate technological tools during the learning process. The current study aims to ingrate a curriculum integration (CI) theory to explore how educators can effectively integrate fashion design, heritage, and technology to enhance learning outcomes. Additionally, it investigates the researcher’s application of CI theory within a project-based learning (PBL) framework, focusing on the symbolic meanings associated with rock art in AlUla in Saudi Arabia as a form of human communication by analyzing details using Perkins’ model. This analysis includes the development of fashion designs using technological tools such as FashionDraw and Procreate applications.MethodsThis study employs practice-based research (PBR) methods, including action research, experimentation, and autoethnography, to gain a deeper understanding of how fashion design, cultural heritage, and technology can be integrated. The research involves the investigator visiting various locations in t AlUla city at the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to acquire practical knowledge of rock art heritage, which serves as a source of inspiration.ResultsThe findings highlight two main themes: (1) applying CI theory to design on cultural heritage, fashion, and technology in PBL, (2) explore and analyze cultural context of the rock art of AlUla using Perkins’ model, and (3) developing Innovative fashion collections inspired by AlUla rock art through technology. The study produced six innovative fashion illustrations and recommends integrating Saudi heritage and technology into fashion education and practice.DiscussionThis study examines the significance of AlUla rock art as a vital component of cultural heritage in Saudi Arabia. It analyzes intricate artistic details and employs the FashionDraw and Procreate applications to develop design concepts. Further research is needed to investigate cultural heritage at local and international levels and to incorporate innovative technological tools into educational contexts.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1813101</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1813101</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Hybrid visual rhetoric across cultural contexts: a mixed-methods study of Chinese and international print advertising]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-10T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Siyu Wang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This study examines how visual rhetoric varies across distinct institutional contexts by comparing award-winning print advertisements from a Chinese student competition and an internationally recognized professional festival. Drawing on a mixed-methods design, the analysis combines quantitative content analysis of 1,052 advertisements (2014–2019) with qualitative illustration to investigate variation across three dimensions of visual grammar: image, composition, and style. Results reveal systematic differences in symbolic prevalence and stylistic execution, with student campaigns relying more heavily on metaphor, deformation, and illustrative techniques, while professional entries more frequently employ photographic realism and restrained visual modification. In contrast, foundational compositional structures—such as balance and primary–secondary layout—show relatively limited differentiation across contexts. Effect sizes were largest for stylistic variables and smallest for compositional organization, suggesting that differentiation between the two competitions appears more pronounced at the level of aesthetic execution than structural visual grammar. A supplementary longitudinal comparison of post-pandemic student works provides exploratory observations suggesting continuity in visual rhetorical tendencies within the competition. By foregrounding competitions as sites of aesthetic legitimation, this study suggests that hybrid visual forms may be associated not only with cultural expression but also with institutional environments of training and professional evaluation. The findings contribute to visual communication research by integrating multimodal theory with institutional analysis and clarifying how global visual communication can exhibit both structural convergence and expressive divergence.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1795336</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1795336</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Biocultural memory in Latin America: perspectives through the visual narrative analysis of moving images]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-31T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Perspective</category>
        <author>Lucia Picarella</author><author>Emiliana Mangone</author><author>Flor María Ávila Hernández</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This article analyses the connection between biocultural memory, visual analysis, and moving images as a tool for cultural resistance and deconstruction of hegemonic environmental and ecological narratives. The hypothesis is that the universe of narrative with moving images offers interesting possibilities in Latin America (the context of reference) for co-constructing communication practices capable of strengthening critical thinking and awareness of the risks and impacts of climate and environmental crises. Considering this hypothesis, the objective of this article is to study initiatives that intertwine digital moving images and biocultural memory to transmit ancestral and local environmental and ecological knowledge and traditions as an alternative development model built on the narratives and memories of territories and communities. The article adopts a form of visual analysis that differentiates narrative from storytelling, since the Latin American perspective that interprets the climate crisis as a social problem is based on the signification of the past in a future perspective, a typical function of narrative and not storytelling. The emerging evidence reflects the idea that moving images become a barrier of biocultural and biosemiotic resistance, opening future research perspectives on the use of digital platforms and ecosystems as tools for counterbalancing and bottom-up care.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1789512</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1789512</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Visual identities and phygital branding in video games: symbolic consumption strategies among Spanish Generation Z]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-27T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Gema Bonales Daimiel</author><author>Sergio Gutiérrez-Manjón</author><author>Sergio Álvarez-García</author><author>Federico Peinado</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This study explores how Spanish university Generation Z students interpret phygital branding in video games and how these dynamics shape digital identity and symbolic consumption through avatars. Using a mixed-method design, it combines structured observation and comparative content analysis of five platforms (Zepeto, Roblox, Fortnite, Horizon Worlds, and Spatial) with two university focus groups. Results show differentiated strategies: Zepeto concentrates aspirational self-presentation via extreme customization and strong phygital continuity; Roblox displays the most intensive monetization and highest user participation; Fortnite stands out for brand integration through events and narrative spectacle; Horizon Worlds prioritizes immersive socialization and world-building with lower commercial pressure; and Spatial emphasizes hyperrealistic identity performance in cultural-professional contexts. Overall, findings indicate that phygital environments normalize spending on digital aesthetics, intensify social validation, and position the avatar as a key mediator of belonging, distinction, and desire.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1808537</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1808537</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Visual design and accessibility settings: an exploratory study on their role in technology adoption among older adults]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-26T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Raquel Ávila-Muñoz</author><author>David Alonso-González</author><author>Andrés Arias-Astray</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Mobile navigation is often perceived as simple and intuitive due to the apparent ease with which users can perform complex tasks. However, it remains a significant source of frustration for older adults, representing a substantial barrier to the adoption and appropriation of digital technologies. This study focuses on users aged 65 and older, a group that faces specific challenges such as difficulty performing certain gestures and interpreting the meaning of icons, with the visual style in which these are rendered being the most important factor. The research explores whether older adults are aware of and use accessibility settings, and to what extent these features enhance their user experience. Data were collected through two focus groups with participants aged 65 and older, with particular attention paid to their understanding of graphical user interface iconography in mobile apps and their ability to configure accessibility options. Findings reveal that activating accessibility features can, in some cases, negatively impact usability and user experience by altering the original visual design of the application. Moreover, many older users struggle to independently configure these settings. The study highlights the pivotal role of family members and close contacts as “warm experts” who assist older adults in the process of technology adoption.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1748774</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1748774</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Coding the ocean: methodological reflections on image-based grounded theory and visual content analysis in children's marine-themed drawings]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-16T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Ting-Yu Hou</author><author>Ming-Hung Cheng</author><author>Yao-Ju Wu</author><author>Shih-Min Liu</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This study explores children's conceptualizations of the ocean to bridge gaps in marine literacy assessment and overcome “textual bias” in traditional research. Integrating image-based grounded theory (IBGT), content analysis, and hermeneutics, we examined 954 drawings from a national competition in Taiwan through a four-phase analytical framework: compiling, disassembling, reassembling, and interpreting. The analysis identified 39 subcodes across three thematic dimensions, revealing significant age and gender differences; younger children favored imaginative and emotionally expressive imagery, while older children depicted more functional and socially interactive scenarios. These findings introduce the concept of “Visual Ocean Literacy” and position the “ship” as a symbolic link between humans and the sea. The results highlight critical gaps in marine industry awareness, offering insights for developing differentiated marine education curricula tailored to children's cognitive development.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1731105</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1731105</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Visualizing conflict: tracing aesthetic patterns in AI-generated images of the 2023 Israel-Hamas war]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-09T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Zenonas Theodosiou</author><author>Venetia Papa</author><author>Georgios E. Markou</author>
        <description><![CDATA[While much discussion is focused on the relation between generative artificial intelligence and visual culture, its implications for journalism and public perception require a more in-depth critical examination. This study examines 28 AI-generated images created using DALL-E and DeepAI tools by addressing the ways artificial intelligence constructs visual narratives of the 2023 Israel-Hamas conflict. By employing a visual discourse analysis combined with social actor theory, this essay explores how civilians are represented, categorized, and positioned within digitally rendered conflict imagery. The study highlights how AI-generated imagery reproduces dominant tropes from traditional war photography while simultaneously reshaping them within new technological frameworks. The analysis reveals that the AI-generated visuals consistently foreground the civilian experience, particularly focusing on themes of destruction, resilience, motherhood, and childhood, while omitting direct representations of the primary political actors involved in the conflict. This pattern likely reflects the characteristics of the data used to train contemporary generative AI systems, including biases toward humanitarian imagery and constraints that discourage the depiction of identifiable political actors, thereby privileging emotionally resonant civilian narratives over politically explicit representations.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1715497</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1715497</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Generative AI and the transformations of visual language: an experimental study of audiovisual production in Kuwait]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-27T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Mohammad Qudah</author><author>Husain A. Murad</author><author>Mohammed Habes</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming audiovisual production, yet empirical research on Gulf media ecosystems is limited. This study examines how generative AI reconfigures visual language in the Kuwaiti context, conceptualized as shifts in aesthetic conventions, stylistic patterning, and symbolic repertoires of audiovisual materials, rather than in narrative structures or production workflows, alongside audience negotiations of credibility regarding synthetic media. We constructed a multi-layered corpus of publicly accessible videos, audience comments, and metadata drawn from Kuwaiti audiovisual platforms and applied a Python-based computational research design. Visual change was operationalized using the Shot Dynamics Index (SDI), which captures pacing and editing rhythms, and the AI-Visual Index (AVI), measuring the prevalence of AI-associated visual cues. These visual measures were integrated with audience discourse analysis, including a Credibility Lexicon Score (CLS), topic modeling, sentiment analysis, and network-based diffusion, community, and centrality metrics. Descriptive fixed-effects models link these analytical layers without making causal claims and are supported by extensive robustness checks. The results showed that a sustained increase in AVI, partially decoupled from pacing (SDI), was accompanied by intensified verification discourse (higher CLS) and clustering around AI-tagged content within central network hubs and cross-platform bridging nodes. The study contributes cross-cultural evidence on algorithmic aesthetics and advances transparent, transferable measurement frameworks, highlighting provenance labeling and dialect-aware NLP as viable mechanisms for supporting credibility in AI-mediated audiovisual environments.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1759350</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2026.1759350</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Non-verbal communication in financial reports: ethnic diversity, intersectionality, and the construction of meaning in facial images]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-16T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Tiago Alves Ferreira</author><author>Fabiola Jeldes</author><author>Rodrigo Ortiz-Henriquez</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This study investigates how companies visually represent ethnic diversity through facial imagery in financial reports and how such representations contribute to the construction of corporate identity and legitimacy through impression management. Drawing on social semiotics and impression management theory, the analysis examines whether these visual portrayals reflect substantive inclusion or function primarily as aesthetic forms of compliance with prevailing social expectations. Using a mixed-methods approach that combines qualitative and quantitative techniques, the dataset was compiled through web scraping of annual financial reports issued by firms regulated by the Chilean Financial Markets Commission (CMF) between 2004 and 2020. From 3,670 PDF reports, facial images were extracted and matched with firm-level data, yielding a final yearly sample of 2,085 reports from 234 unique firms. The results indicate that higher levels of displayed happiness and periods of stronger economic growth are associated with lower levels of ethnic diversity in visual disclosures. In addition, ethnic diversity shows limited intersection with stereotypical portrayals of women—typically depicted as young and smiling—pointing to the persistence of gendered and aestheticized visual patterns. Overall, the findings suggest that firms selectively mobilize visual diversity to signal inclusivity while simultaneously reproducing dominant norms embedded in corporate identity. This study contributes to research on visual corporate communication by providing large-scale evidence on intersectional diversity in financial reporting and highlighting the limitations of inclusion strategies based solely on visibility.]]></description>
      </item>
      </channel>
    </rss>