Research

Research Interests

My research examines how emerging media and artificial intelligence systems shape socio-emotional functioning, interpersonal interaction, and user agency. I approach these questions from a communication science and human-centered computing perspective, integrating computational methods, experiments, surveys, qualitative inquiry, and design-oriented research.

My current work centers on Human–AI Interaction (HAII), with a particular focus on social and affective dynamics in AI-mediated communication. I am especially intrigued to dissect the human factors and psychological mechanisms that underlie HAII dynamics, as well as the design implications of these processes.

Across projects, my ultimate goal is to develop evidence-based design interventions that that promote effective, meaningful, and ethical human-AI interaction, and support user agency and digital well-being.

My research interests include:

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

Publications & Manuscripts

1. Wang, Y., & Qian, J. (2026). Quantifying intimacy: How datafied parenting practices reconfigure intimacy-making in urban China. Journal of Children and Media. https://doi.org/10.1080/17482798.2026.2615925
2. Sumter, S. R., & Wang, Y. (2026). Is AI wingman innocent or inauthentic? User perceptions and attitudes toward AI-mediated communication in mobile dating [Manuscript under review]. Amsterdam School of Communication Research, University of Amsterdam.
3. van der Goot, M. J., Yan, J., Wang, Y., & Zi, Y. (2026). Talking about evocative communication: Emotional connections with AI-enabled chatbots [Conference paper accepted at ICA]. Amsterdam School of Communication Research, University of Amsterdam.

Work in Progress

1. Wang, Y., Sumter, S. R., & Khanna, S. AI sycophancy and self-effects [Master’s thesis WiP]. Amsterdam School of Communication Research, University of Amsterdam.
2. Zhao, X., & Wang, Y.. Deceptive by design: How dark patterns in Chinese money-making apps manipulate users—A case study of short-video lite platforms [Manuscript in preparation]. Amsterdam School of Communication Research, University of Amsterdam.
3. Wang, Y., & Wang, S. Striving for visibility in platform peripheries: Rural women’s algorithmic tactics and collective networks on Kuaishou [Extended abstract].

Research Experience

• AI-Mediated Communication in Mobile Dating | Research Assistant (2025)
  • Literature review and conceptual model designn
  • Prepared pre-registration and open science materials
  • Data collection and analysis using R
  • Manuscript draft and review
• Emotional Connections with AI-Enabled Chatbots | Research Assistant (2025)
  • Literature review and theoretical framework design
  • Conducted semi-structured interviews and qualitative data analysis
• Who Gets “Deepfaked”? A Multimodal Analysis | Researcher (2025)
  • Designed a multimodal analytical framework integrating visual, audio–text, and metadata features
  • Applied DeepFace and NLP techniques for visual analysis, topic modeling, and sentiment analysis
• Covering (In)equality: Organizations and Media | Research Assistant (2025)
  • Codebook development and refinement
  • Quantitative content analysis
• Digital Labor on Food Delivery Platforms in China | Project Lead (2021–2022)
  • Led a longitudinal mixed-methods study combining surveys and in-depth interviews
  • Secured municipal funding and national research recognition

Conference Presentations

• World Art History Institutes Conference (2022)
  Image and data: Computational visual analysis of Expressionist art
• UK–China Humanities Alliance Summit (HEYTA) (2021)
  Gender representation in the media field: A case study of Take Me Out

Academic Service

• Manuscript Reviewer: Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies; ICA 76th
• New Media Editor: Journal of Online Media and Global Communication (2022)
• Dept. Director:: Academic Development Department of SISU (2021 - 2022)