• Erin Sumner is a west-coast native who came to Trinity after earning her Ph.D. at Arizona State University’s Hugh Downs School of Human Communication. Her research focuses on the role of computer-mediated communication (e.g., social media, online dating, and other communication technologies) in social and personal relationships. Blending theory with application, she worked as a doctoral research intern with the Socio-Digital Systems group at Microsoft Research Cambridge, and spoke at the 2016 South-by-Southwest Interactive convention. She has co-authored more than 25 scholarly publications in edited volumes and journals such as Communication Monographs, Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, New Media & Society, Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, and Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. She received the 2018 “Distinguished Early Career Faculty Teaching and Research Award” from Trinity University, and the 2013 “Outstanding Dissertation Award” from the Human Communication & Technology Division of the National Communication Association. Her work has also received “Top 4 Paper” awards from multiple divisions of the National Communication Association.

    • Ph.D., Arizona State University
    • M.A., Washington State University
    • B.A., Chapman University
    • Sumner, E. M., Hayes, R. A., Carr, C. T., & Wohn, D. Y. (2020). Assessing the cognitive and communicative properties of Facebook Reactions and Likes as lightweight feedback cues. First Monday, 25(2-3), doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5210/fm.v25i2.9621
    • Sumner, E. M., Scarduzio, J. A., & *Daggett, J. (2020). Drama at Dunder-Mifflin: An examination of workplace bullying on The Office. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 35, 127-149. doi: 10.1177/0886260516681158
    •  Sumner, E. M., & Ramirez Jr, A. (2019). The effects of multimodal communication frequency, geographic distance, and coresidence on parent-child relationship quality during emerging adulthood. Communication Research Reports, 36, 114-125 doi: 10.1080/08824096.2019.1583552
    • Sumner, E. M., Brody, N., & Ramirez Jr., A. (2019). Textual harassment as a form of bullying, drama, and obsessive relational intrusion. In R. West & C. S. Beck (Eds.), Handbook of Communication and Bullying (pp. 241-251). New York, NY: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781315148113-26
    • Ramirez Jr., A., & Sumner, E. M. (2019). Initial impressions. In J. Ponzette, M. Blankemeyer, S. Horan, H. Lyons, & A. Shigeto (Eds.), Macmillan Encyclopedia of Families, Marriages, and Intimate Relationships (Vol 2, pp. 466-467). New York, NY: Macmillan Reference.
    • Sumner, E. M., *Ruge-Jones, L., & *Alcorn, D. (2018). A functional approach to the Facebook Like button: An exploration of meaning, functionality, and potential alternative Facebook buttons. New Media & Society, 20, 1451-1469. doi: 10.1177/1461444817697917
    • Carr, C. T., Hayes, R. A., & Sumner, E. M. (2018). Predicting a threshold of perceived Facebook post success via paralinguistic digital affordances: A test of explanatory mechanisms. Communication Research Reports, 35, 141-151. doi: 10.1080/08824096.2017.1409618
    • McEwan, B., Sumner, E. M., Eden, J., & Fletcher, J. (2018). The effects of Facebook relational maintenance on friendship quality: An investigation of the Facebook Relational Maintenance Measure. Communication Research Reports, 35, 1-11. doi: 10.1080/08824096.2017.1361393
    • Ramirez Jr, A., Sumner, E. M., & Spinda, J. (2017). The relational reconnection function of social network sites. New Media and Society, 19, 807-825. doi: 10.1177/1461444815614199
    • Sumner, E. M., & Ramirez Jr., A., (2017). Social information processing theory/hyperpersonal perspective. In P. Roessler (Ed.), International Encyclopedia of Media Effects. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell. doi: 10.1002/9781118783764.wbieme0090
    • Sumner, E. M., & Ramirez Jr., A., (2017). Media and technology studies. In M. Allen (Ed.), SAGE Encyclopedia of Communication Research Methods (pp. 957-960). Los Angeles: SAGE.
    •  Sumner, E. M., & Ramirez Jr, A. (2016). Multimodal communication, idealization, and relational quality in college students' parental relationships: A model of partner idealization in ongoing relationships. Electronic Journal of Communication, 26(3-4), Accessible at http://www.cios.org/getfile/026343_EJC
    • *Wagner, C., *Aguirre, E., & Sumner, E. M. (2016). The relationship between Instagram selfies and body image in young adult women. First Monday, 21(9). doi: 10.5210/fm.v21i9.6390
    • Ramirez Jr, A., Sumner, E. M., & Hayes, J. (2016). Reconnect on Facebook: The role of information seeking behavior and individual- and relationship-level factors. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 19, 494-501. doi: 10.1089/cyber.2015.0630
    • Ramirez Jr, A., Sumner, E. M., Fleuriet, C., & Cole, M. (2015). When online dating partners meet offline: The effect of modality switching on relational communication between online daters. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 20, 99-115. doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12101
    • McEwan, B., Fletcher, J., Eden, J., & Sumner, E. M. (2014). Development and validation of a Facebook relational maintenance scale. Communication Methods and Measures, 8, 244-263. doi: 10.1080/19312458.2014.967844
    • Ramirez, Jr., & Bryant, E. M. (2014). Relational reconnection on social network sites: An examination of relationship persistence and modality switching. Communication Reports, 27, 1-12. doi: 10.1080/08934215.2013.851725
    •  Bryant, E. M., & Marmo, J. (2012). The rules of Facebook friendship: A two-stage examination of interaction rules in close, casual, and acquaintance friendships. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 29, 1013-1035. doi: 10.1177/0265407512443616
    • Bryant, E. M., Harper, R. & Gossett, P. (2012). Beyond search: A technology probe investigation. In D. Lewandowski (Vol. Ed.), Library and Information Science Series: Web Search Engine Research (pp. 227-250). Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    • Bryant, E. M., & Sias, P. (2011). Sensemaking and relational consequences of peer coworker deception. Communication Monographs, 1, 115-137. doi: 10.1080/03637751.2010.542473
    • Bryant, E. M., Marmo, J., & Ramirez Jr., A. (2011). A functional approach to social networking sites. In K. B. Wright & L. M. Webb (Eds.), Computer-mediated communication in personal relationships (pp. 3-20). New York: Peter Lang.
    • Bryant, E. M., & Marmo, J. (2010). Relational maintenance strategies on Facebook. The Kentucky Journal of Communication, 28, 129-150.
    • Bryant, E. M. (2008). Real lies, white lies, & gray lies: Towards a typology of deception. Kaleidoscope, 7, 23-48.
    • Interpersonal Communication
    • Computer-Mediated Communication and Social Relations
    • Quantitative Research Methods
    • Conflict and Human Communication