Visual rhetoric and cultural expectations: An online perspective

The spread of online access creates an environment in which cultural groups interact via visual media for many purposes including commerce, virtual work, education and training, and social exchanges. Because cultural differences influence rhetorical expectations of how information should be presented visually, individuals and organizations wishing to participate in the global online dialogue will need to understand cultural expectations related to visual rhetoric. The paper introduces a framework (based on ideas from rhetorical theory and prototype theory) that individuals can use to analyze visual displays in order to create more rhetorically effective materials for audiences from different cultures.