Scholarship

Journal Publications

• Leith, A. P., & Gheen, E.* (2022). Twitch in the time of quarantine: The role of engagement in needs fulfillment. Psychology of Popular Media, 11(3), 275-280. https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000372
• Foxman, M., Beyea, D., Leith, A. P., Ratan, R. A., Chen, V. H. H., & Klebig, B. (2022). Beyond genre: Classifying virtual reality experiences. IEEE Transactions on Games, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.1109/TG.2021.3119521
• Leith, A. P. (2021). Parasocial cues: The ubiquity of parasocial relationships on Twitch. Communication Monographs, 88, 111-129. https://doi.org/10.1080/03637751.2020.1868544

Conference Proceedings

• Foxman, M., Ratan, R., Bouzek, D., & Leith, A. P. (in press). Virtually limited: Boundaries of play in virtual reality production. To be published in DiGRA 2023 Extended Abstract Proceedings. Seville, Spain.
• Leith, A. P., Foxman, M., Onuche, M.*, Ratan, R., & Lim, C. (in press). Mixed feelings and realities: Joyful to nauseating sentiments about VR on Twitter. To be published in DiGRA 2023 Extended Abstract Proceedings. Seville, Spain.
• Foxman, M., Leith, A. P., Beyea, D., Klebig, B., Chen, V. H. H., & Ratan, R. (2020). Virtual reality genres: Comparing preferences in immersive experiences and games. In CHI PLAY '20: Extended Abstracts of the 2020 Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play (pp. 237-241). ACM Digital Library. https://doi.org/10.1145/3383668.3419881
• Leith, A. P. (2019). Playing games for others: Constructing a gameplay livestreaming taxonomy. In R. Ratan, B. Winn, & E. LaPensée (Eds.), Proceedings of Meaningful Play 2018 (pp. 372-379). ETC Press. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/9995969

Conference Papers + Presentations

• Foxman, M., Leith, A.P., Ratan, R., & Bouzek, D. (2023, May). Playfully Virtual: Finding Authentic Communication in Videoconferencing and Online Meetings. Paper presented at the International Communication Association 73rd Annual Conference. Toronto, ON.
• Leith, A.P., Foxman, M., Onuche, M.*, & Bouzek, D. (2023, May). Diffusion of gratification: The reception of VR as a modality for remote work and meetings. Paper presented at the International Communication Association 73rd Annual Conference. Toronto, ON.
• Leith, A.P., Foxman, M., Ratan, R., & Lim, C. (2023, May). Feelings for meetings: A sentiment analysis of videoconferencing platforms a year apart. Paper presented at the International Communication Association 73rd Annual Conference. Toronto, ON.
• Foxman, M., Leith, A. P., Sulzdorf-Liszkiewicz, A., Beyea, D., Klebig, B., Graciano, L., Bouzek, D., & Ratan, R. A. (2022, October). Playing at work: Finding and designing play into virtual meetings. Paper presented at the 2022 International Conference on Meaningful Play. East Lansing, MI.
• Foxman, M., Beyea, D. G., Leith, A. P., Ratan, R. A. Chen, V. H. H., & Klebig, B. (2021, May). Hardly just hardware: Understanding games and genres in virtual reality experiences. Paper presented at the International Communication Association 71st Annual Conference. Virtual.
• Leith, A. P., & Baker, S.* (2020, November). Cmonbruh, trihard: Using machine-learning to identify racial harassment in Twitch chat messages for Black and White streamers. Paper presented at the National Communication Association 106th Annual Convention. Indianapolis, IN [Virtual].
• Foxman, M., Leith, A. P., Beyea D., Klebig, B., Chen V. H. H., & Ratan, R. (2020, November). Virtual reality genres: Comparing preferences in immersive experiences and games. Paper Presented at CHI Play ’20. Virtual.
• Leith, A. P. (2020, May). When Watching Isn’t Enough: Human Agents and their Influence of Gameplay and Gamespace through Synchronous Chat. Paper presented at the International Communication Association 70th Annual Conference. Gold Coast, AUS [Virtual].
• Leith, A. P. (2019, August). Communicating closeness: Verbal immediacy as a predictor of parasocial relationships on Twitch. Paper presented at the International Communication Association 70th Annual Conference. Gold Coast, AUS [Virtual].
• Leith, A. P. (2019, August). The affective messaging of gameplay livestream viewers. Paper presented at the 2019 Digital Games and Research Association Conference. Kyoto, Japan.

* Asterisks signify an SIUE student.