Research foci & interests

In a nutshell:

  • Visual communication research

  • Interpersonal communication in close social relationships

  • (Visual) journalism research

  • (Visual) media and communication technologies & norms (e.g., social norms, journalistic norms, etc.)

  • Media usage and audience perception (e.g., hate speech)

  • Qualitative research (e.g., pair and individual interviews, focus groups, content analyses, visual analyses), in particular, visual research methods (e.g., photo-elicitation/visual elicitation, network drawings, visual/verbal prompts) & multi-method research

  • Multilingual research

Currently, my goal besides conducting qualitative research on all things visual, is to also expand my knowledge in quantitative research methods and computational methods with learning Python, and experimental visual research in self-study, academic workshops and events, and cooperations with brilliant colleagues in these fields/methods.

Research projects

Current projects

Evaluation of the media promotion measure “Free subscriptions for young people” in the cantons of Fribourg and Geneva (2024-2026), (PIs: Prof. Dr. Sina Blassnig & Prof. Dr. Manuel Puppis), 12/2024-05/2026

In this project, we look at the connection between media promotion (Medienförderung) and media use and political knowledge and behavior among young adults in the cantons of Fribourg, Geneva, Neuchâtel and Basel-Stadt (CH). Specifically, we are evaluating the cantonal promotion measure (Fördermassnahme) in Geneva and Fribourg, which offers a free subscription to a local newspaper in the year of majority. We are investigating whether the goals formulated in the promotion measure are being achieved, formulating recommendations for future measures for policy makers and their concrete implementation by media companies. For the methodological implementation, we are working on the basis of a mixed-methods design, which includes two waves of online surveys of young adults in the four cantons with and without the option of a free subscription, focus groups with young adults who use the free subscription (in the cantons of Fribourg and Geneva) and expert interviews with media professionals in Fribourg and Geneva. In this project, I’m in charge of the project management, and will be conducting the focus groups and expert interviews in German and French.

Past projects

Governance of digital hate speech from the users’ perspective, (PI: Prof. Dr. Katharina Lobinger), 12/2022-07/2023

The project investigated online hate speech on social media and in comments of Swiss media (in German-speaking, Italian-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland) from the users’ perspective. Therefore, the project analyzed affordances (i.e., functions, features, and information for users against hate speech) on social media platforms and comment sections of Swiss news sites. Additionally, focus groups were conducted in the three main language regions in Swiss German, French and Italian, allowing for examining users’ perception regarding functions, potentials and problems in terms of hate speech governance, analyzed through thematic analysis using NVivo after verbatim transcription. The project was funded by the Federal Office of Communications of Switzerland (OFCOM). I’ve worked as a research assistant in this project.

For further information, see the final report.

Visualized relationships - social uses and conflicts. A repertoire-oriented study of visual and image-related communication between close friends and couples in Switzerland, (PI: Prof. Dr. Katharina Lobinger), 11/2018-11/2022

The project investigated visual communication practices in close social relationships in Switzerland. We conducted 90 qualitative problem-centered, in-depth pair and follow-up individual interviews with 30 couple relationships and close friends in the three major language regions of Switzerland in (Swiss) German, French, Italian and English. In addition, with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020, the previously conducted interviews were complemented by a quantitative online survey and follow-up qualitative individual video call interviews to examine changes in visual communication practices in these times of big change. In all interviews, we applied creative visual methods (e.g., network drawings, photo-elicitation) to enable more in-depth insights into habitualized everyday visual communication practices (e.g., archiving and storage practices) and to approach the topic from a repertoire-oriented perspective (i.e., that all means of communication are intertwined and must be analyzed in their entirety for understanding the role of visuals within). Interviewees were asked to bring particularly meaningful and typical images to the interviews and showed us much more visual examples during the interviews. In total, we gathered 1255 visuals (!). We transcribed the interviews verbatim, while being careful of anonymizing potential in both the verbal and visual data material. The verbal data was then analyzed following thematic analysis, while connecting also the visual data in this analyis. Additionally, visuals were analyzed following a texto-material approach of image type analysis developed in the project, as well as in-depth visual analysis. The project was funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). I’ve worked as a doctoral student and research assistant in this project.

For further information, see the official project website, and the list of publications below.

Service public: Audience acceptance and future opportunities, (PI: Prof. Dr. Matthias Künzler, Prof. Dr. Ulla Autenrieth, Prof. Dr. Neumann-Braun), 05-12/2018

The research project led by Prof. Dr. Neumann-Braun, Prof. Dr. Matthias Künzler and Prof. Dr. Ulla Autenrieth, was a cooperation project between the University of Basel and the University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons (FH Graubünden). The project aimed at analyzing usage habits, usage preferences, and attitudes of young target groups in an increasingly online, mobile and non-linear media environment, with a focus on public service media offerings in Switzerland and the role of (audio)visual communication. Therefore, the project comprised an affordance analysis of public service media offerings, as well as discussion groups, that were analyzed qualitatively. The project was funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). I’ve worked as a student research assistant in this project during my Master studies.

For further information, see the official project website.

Scientific contributions & publications

Monographs

  • Project monograph of the SNSF research project “Visualized Relationships” together with Prof. Dr. Katharina Lobinger and Dr. Federico Lucchesi forthcoming (in 2025, hopefully!).

Datasets (open data)

  • Lobinger, K., Lucchesi, F., & Tarnutzer, S. (2025). Pair and individual interviews with couples and friends in Switzerland (ViRe) (Version 1.0) [Data set]. FORS (https://doi.org/10.48573/f6ad-wx07)

Journal articles (peer-reviewed)

  • Tarnutzer, S., Lobinger, K. (2024) Where it all began: A qualitative analysis of photographs in couple relationship initiation. Visual Communication Quarterly, 31(4): 259-273 (https://doi.org/10.1080/15551393.2024.2412506)

  • Tarnutzer, S., Lobinger, K., Lucchesi F. (2024) Image type analysis revisited. A texto-material approach for creating image types. Studies in Communication Sciences, 24(1), 103-121 (https://doi.org/10.24434/j.scoms.2024.01.3894)

  • Tarnutzer S., Lobinger K., Lucchesi F. (2023) Baked bunnies, couple selfies, and video-call gardening. Visual communication in couple relationships during COVID- 19. MedieKultur. Journal of media and communication research, 38(73):122-151 (https://doi.org/10.7146/mk.v38i73.130783) 

  • Lobinger K., Venema R., Tarnutzer S., Lucchesi F. (2021) What is Visual Intimacy? Mapping a Complex Phenomenon. MedieKultur. Journal of media and communication research, 37 (70):151-176 (https://doi.org/10.7146/mediekultur.v37i70.119750) 

Conference presentations

  • Tarnutzer S., Blassnig, S. (2024) „We don’t publish photo-realistic images generated by an AI“ - A qualitative examination of editorial guidelines on the use of generative visual AI in Swiss newsrooms. DGPuK Visual Communication Division: „Generative Images - Generative Imageries: Challenges of Visual Communication in the Age of AI.“ Bremen. November, 20-21

  • Lobinger K., Lucchesi F., Tarnutzer S., Venema R. (2024) Beyond the Flag: User Expectations and Perceived Affordances for Moderating Hate Speech on Social Media Platforms and Swiss News Sites. SACM annual conference / SGKM Jahrestagung. Neuchâtel. 18.-19.4.2024

  • Tarnutzer S., Lobinger K., Lucchesi F. (2023) How do couples and friends in Switzerland communication and connect? A repertoire-oriented perspective on the role of media and communication technologies in close social relationships. SACM Annual Conference 2023 | SGKM Jahrestagung 2023. Luzern. April, 20-21

  • Tarnutzer S., Lobinger K., Lucchesi F. (2022) Enge soziale Beziehungen in der Schweiz im Zeitalter der vernetzten Fotografie. Studienergebnisse und Plädoyers für die Erforschung von Bildern und bildbezogenen Praktiken. SACM Annual Conference | SGKM Jahrestagung 2022. Zurich. 21.04.22- 22.04.22 

  • Tarnutzer S., Lobinger K. (2022) “Firsties” - Where it all begins. A visual analysis of photographs taken during the initiation phase of couple relationships. ICA. Full Paper Presentation at the 72nd Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA) “One World, One Network?”. Paris. 26- 30 May 2022 

  • Tarnutzer S., Lobinger K., Lucchesi F. (2021) Baked bunnies, home-made banana bread and video call- gardening. Transformation and stability of visual communication practices in close social relationships in times of COVID-19. Full Paper Presentation at the 71st Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA) “Engaging the Essential Work of Care: Communication, Connectedness, and Social Justice” Virtual Conference. 27-31 May 2021 

  • Lucchesi F., Tarnutzer S., Lobinger K. (2021) Let’s play together: Fostering intimacy through playful visual practices in close social relationships. Digital Intimacies Conference 7. Digital Presentation. Brisbane. December, 6-7 

  • Lucchesi F., Tarnutzer S., Lobinger K. (2020) Adapting methodologically to COVID-19: The combination of visual and verbal data for grasping changes in visual intimacy practices. Digital Intimacies Conference 6 “Connection in Crisis,”

  • Digital Presentation. Sydney. December, 7-9

  • Lobinger K., Venema R., Tarnutzer S., Lucchesi F. (2020) Visual Intimacy.
    Conceptualization of a Complex Concept. Full Paper Presentation at the 70th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA) “Open Communication”. Virtual Conference. May, 20-26 

  • Tarnutzer S., Lucchesi F., Venema R., Lobinger K. (2019) Content and Context in Visual Elicitation. Where is the Visual Content in Visual Methods? International Visual Methods Conference 6 (IVMC6). Bucharest. July 16-19 

  • Lucchesi F., Tarnutzer S., Lobinger K., Venema R. (2019) Follow (up) the Visual. Building Continuity within Sets of Interviews through Visual Methods. International Visual Methods Conference 6 (IVMC6). Bucharest. July 16-19 

  • Tarnutzer S., Lucchesi F., Lobinger K. (2019) Methods on the Move. Grasping the Complexities of Visual Communication Practices with Repertoire-oriented Approaches. ECREA TWG Visual Cultures Conference. Ljubljana. September, 4- 6 

  • Lucchesi F., Tarnutzer S., Lobinger K. (2019) Visual Intimacy – Moving towards an overall conceptualization. ECREA TWG Visual Cultures Conference. Ljubljana. September, 4-6

Poster presentations

  • Tarnutzer, S. (2022) Falling in Love with the Process. The role of visuals in turning points. Poster Presentation at the Kommunikations- und Medienwissenschaftliche Tage (KMWT22). Salzburg, 14-16 September, 2022 

  • Tarnutzer S., Lobinger K. (2022) Image Type Analysis Revisited. A visual analytical approach for analyzing visuals in communication practices, Poster Presentation at the 72nd Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA) “One World, One Network?.” Paris, 26-30 May 2022