Media Psychology | Social Media | User Engagement | Mental Health Messaging | Dynamic Changes

Hello! I am Hanjie, currently a Ph.D. candidate at Department of Media and Information at Michigan State University (Advisor: Prof. David R. Ewoldsen). As a theory-driven scholar, I explore the bidirectional relationships between technological platforms and users’ cognitive, attitudinal, perceptual, and well-being changes. 

My research sits at the intersection of social media engagements, mental health messaging, algorithmic influence, and psychological processing. I am especially interested in two core challenges in cyberpsychology: 1) the bidirectional relationship between normative mental health messages and social media users’ dynamic shifts in cognition, attitude, and engagement, and 2) the implicit influence of algorithmic-driven social media platforms on the psychological processing and well-being of users experiencing mental struggles.

I approach this work from an empirical social science perspective, primarily using quantitative surveys and experimental designs. To understand the dynamic nature of social media users' cognitive changes, I have been utilizing experience sampling methods (ESM) and implicit association tasks (IAT) to track users' behavioral and cognitive dynamic changes over time.

My work has appeared in the annual conferences of International Communication of Association (ICA), National Communication Association (NCA), Association of Educators of Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), International Conference on Research in Advertising (ICORIA).

I was featured at the ICA Member Spolight: Member Spotlight: Hanjie Liu

Currently, I also serve as the editorial assistant for the Journal of Communication, one of the flagship journals of the ICA. I love supporting editors, reviewers, and authors throughout the publication process. I also manage JoC’s social media accounts, helping to spotlight and share the journal’s current research with the broader community!

Before joining MSU, I earned my M.A. in Mass Communication from the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota in July 2021.