The self in communication research: a historical review, 1951–2020

Abstract The field of self-relevant communication lacks clearly defined boundaries, largely due to its fragmented nature. This study addresses this gap by proposing a definition of the field, offering a preliminary overview of its current state, and tracing its evolution through a historical review. We conducted a computational content analysis of over 1,700 self-related articles from 137 communication journals listed in the ComAbstracts database from 1951 to 2020. Guided by Thomas Kuhn’s theory of scientific evolution and Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation Theory, our findings reveal that self-relevant communication research has progressed through 7 distinct cycles across 4 evolutionary periods: the initial period (1951–1972), the initial growth period (1973–1982), the transitional period (1983–2003), and the rapid growth period (2004–2020). While interpersonal communication was initially a focal point, it has become increasingly implicit in self-relevant research. The advent of social media has significantly accelerated the expansion of self-relevant research and it would seem likely to continue impacting its growth.