Visual Communication and Digital Media: Exploring the Science behind Visual Communication in Digital Age

Abstract

This thesis research intends to explain the effects of visual communication and visual media on individuals, both on conscious and subconscious levels. We live in a highly visual world surrounded and triggered by visual signs, images and movement every single moment. It is claimed that visual media has become central to living contemporary life. Due to technological development, visual communication products are used more than ever in today’s consumption society. At the same time, individuals are especially selective in terms of objects of their attention. Moreover, as a result of evolutionary development of our perception system, we continue to learn from mediated experience and from actual experience alike. Qualitative research methods such as literature review and interviews were applied for gathering data for this thesis. This study confirms that digital media and technology have a tremendous influence on our life affecting the way we live, work and interact with each other. The role of visual communication in today’s digitized world is significant to the extent that we have become dependent on digital technology. Nonetheless, criticism towards media, news outlets, businesses and advertising has grown due to overload of information. Positively, according to this study, this has led to increase visual literacy and critical thinking.