Research

Research Interests

I am fascinated by the intersection of emerging media technologies and socio-emotional functioning, approaching these topics through computational, experimental, survey-based, qualitative methods, and design practice. My current research primarily focuses on Human–AI Interaction (HAII), with particular interest in its social and affective dimensions. I am especially intrigued to explore the human factors and psychological mechanisms that underlie HAII dynamics. Ultimately, my goal is to contribute to the development of evidence-based design interventions that better support effective, meaningful, and ethical human–AI partnerships.

My research interests include:

• Human–Computer Interaction (HCI) & Human-Centered AI
• AI-Mediated Communication (AI-MC)
• Social & Affective Computing
• Interaction & Experience Design / Research through Design (RtD)
• Computational Social Science Methods

If you are interested in collaborating or discussing related topics, please feel free to contact me by email.

Publications & Work in Progress

1. Sumter, S. R., & Wang, Y. (2025). Is the digital wingman innocent or inauthentic? Perceptions and attitudes towards the use of AI-WTs to communicate with dating app matches [Manuscript in preparation]. Amsterdam School of Communication Research, University of Amsterdam.
2. Wang, Y., & Qian, J. (2025). Quantifying intimacy: How datafied parenting practices reconfigure intimacy-making in urban China. Journal of Children and Media [R&R].
3. Zhao, X., & Wang, Y. (2025). Deceptive by Design: How Dark Patterns in Chinese Money-Making Apps Manipulate Users — A Case Study of Short Video Lite Platforms [Paper work in progress]. Amsterdam School of Communication Research, University of Amsterdam.
4. Wang, Y. (2024). Beyond the feed: Youth literacy, attitudes and coping strategies in navigating social media recommendation systems and the algorithmic divide [Manuscript in preparation]. School of Communication, Shanghai International Studies University.
5. Wang, Y., & Wang, S. (2024). Striving for Visibility in Platform Peripheries: Rural Women’s Algorithmic Tactics and Collective Network on Kuaishou [Extended abstract].

Research Experience

• Emotional connections with AI-enabled chatbots| Research Assistant (2025)
  • Literature review and conceptual model design
  • Qualitative data analysis
• Covering the (in)equality: organizations and media | Research Assistant (2024)
  • Codebook development and refinement
  • Quantitative content analysis
• Key Lab of Applied Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences | Research Assistant (2022)
  • Systematic literature review
  • Experiment design and interview transcription
• Digital labor on food delivery platforms in China | Project leader (2021 - 2022)
  • Led a longitudinal field survey and conducted in-depth interviews
  • Won 2nd Place in Social Research Competition and awarded municipal grant (¥ 50000)
• The Paper Fact Check | Research Assistant & Freelancer (2022)
  • Conducted fact-checking research on misinformation about the Ukraine war on social media and published on The Paper
  • Delivered presentations on fact-checking methods and tools at invited workshops

Conference Presentations

• World Arthistory Institutes Conference (2022)
  Image and Data: Computational Visual Analysis of Expressionism Art
• UK-China Humanities Alliance Summit HEYTA Conference (2021)
  Gender Representation in the Media Field – With Take Me Out as a Case Study

Academic Services

• Manuscript Reviewer: Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies
• New Media Editor: Journal of Online Media and Global Communication (2022)
• Department Director: Academic Promotion Department of SISU (2021 - 2022)