CHICAGO
SOCIAL MEDIA
LAB

Our Research.

The University of Illinois Chicago Social Media Lab (chiSOCIAL) researches social, communication, and psychological processes on social media, mobile phones, AI, and other digital technologies. We are interested in how people live, love, and relate in digital spaces. Our research investigates the impact of social media on well-being, relationships, and society. We are focused on the future of media and designing technologies to better support well-being and social relationships. 💻😘

Graduate and undergraduate students interested in working on empirical social science about communication technologies and human behavior are welcome to join us. Contact Dr. Samuel Hardman Taylor for questions.

Collaborators.

Current and Past Members of chiSOCIAL

Breigha Adeyemo

PhD Alumni

Manda Coupe

MA Alumni

Cait Lackey

PhD Candidate

Hossein Fathollahian

PhD Student - Computer Science

Samuel Hardman Taylor

Associate Professor

Yueyang Yao

PhD Candidate

Recent Events and Publications.

Chen, Y. A., & Taylor, S. H. (2026). When the algorithm understands you (or doesn’t): LGBTQ+ youth’s interaction with algorithmic media and identity formation. Communication Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/00936502261459750

May 2026 - Spring 2026 Research Pop-up Presentations

December 2025 - Manda Couple defended her Master's Thesis entitled "POV: You Have Undiagnosed ADHD" – Algorithm Responsiveness and Mental Health Communities on TikTok."

November 2025 - Fall 2025 Research Pop-up Presentations

Taylor, S. H., & Chen, Y. A. (2024). The lonely algorithm problem: The relationship between algorithmic personalization and social connectedness on TikTok. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcmc/zmae017.

Yao, Y., Taylor, S. H., & Leiser, S. (2024). Who’s viewing this?: Extending the imagined audience process model towards affordances and self-disclosure goals on Instagram. Social Media + Society, 10, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051231224721.

Yao, Y., & Taylor, S. H. (2024). Algorithmic intimacy: Rethinking relational maintenance on social media. Paper presented at the 2024 annual meeting for the International Communication Association, Gold Coast, AU. Top Student-led Paper Award, Interpersonal Communication Division

Lackey, C., & Taylor, S. H. (2023). Algorithmic folk theories of online harassment: How social media algorithms enable online harassment and prevent intervention. Paper presented at the 2023 annual meeting for the Association for Internet Researchers, Philadelphia, PA.

Our Research Network.