The impact of a YouTuber’s lively gesticulation on his image. The case of Wojtek Drewniak and his Historia bez cenzury

• Main Author: Anna Barańska-Szmitko
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lodz University Press 2020-09-01
• Series: Acta Universitatis Lodziensis. Folia Litteraria Polonica
• Subjects: image; popular science discourse; youtube; body language; image-related communication
• Online Access: https://czasopisma.uni.lodz.pl/polonica/article/view/8864

The aim of the article is to verify the importance of gesticulation on one’s image in the popular science discourse based on YouTube videos by Wojciech Drewniak, a historian. The study employed the formula of an experiment in which subjects watched a video and defined the image-related characteristics of the YouTuber, and then were asked to write on what bases they assigned individual characteristics. Gesticulation became key for the construction of such image-related characteristics as: “energiczny” (energetic), “pasjonat” (enthusiast), “charyzmatyczny” (charismatic), “o wyrazistej mowie ciała” (with expressive body language), “ciekawie opowiada” (talks in an interesting manner), “chaotyczny” (chaotic), “szalony” (mad), “irytujący” (irritating), “pewny siebie” (confident), and “wyluzowany” (chill). Apart from gesticulation also tone and the pace of talking as well as expressive facial expressions had a major significance. It is necessary to conduct other studies to check to what extent the achieved results are typical for this type of YouTube communication and to what extent they are specific for Wojciech Drewniak only.