Digital Media and Communication
At the Digital Media and Communication (DMC) research group, we study how we communicate and interact with digital media about health and political issues. We conduct theory-based, culturally sensitive, and interdisciplinary research using quantitative research methods. If you have any questions, please email Dr. Sun Hong at sunhong@unm.edu.
Our Research
Choi, M., Hong, Y., & FitzGerald, C. A. (2026). Mitigating Parental Vaccine Hesitancy: The Moderating Role of Perceived Prevalence of COVID-19 Vaccination. Journal of Creative Communications. https://doi.org/10.1177/09732586261428214
Choi, M., Hong, Y., & Kwon, H. (2025). Identifying Instagram user profiles: Who uses Instagram to get information about current public issues? Atlantic Journal of Communication, 33(2), 295-310. https://doi.org/10.1080/15456870.2024.2431288 - This study was featured in the UNM Newsroom. You can read Sunny Choi’s interview here.
Hong, Y., & Hashimoto, M. (2023). I will get myself vaccinated for others: The interplay of message frame, reference point, and perceived risk on intention for COVID-19 vaccine. Health Communication, 38(4), 813-823. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2021.1978668
Kim, L., Hong, Y., Abrar, S., & FitzGerald, C. A. (2023). Relationships Between Social Media Use, Exposure to Vaccine Misinformation and Online Health Information Seeking Behaviour. Journal of Creative Communications, 18(2), 199-213. https://doi.org/10.1177/09732586231166111
Current Projects
Social Media, Health Communication, and Contraceptives
This line of research examines how social media environments shape the communication, perceptions, and decision-making processes surrounding contraceptive use and reproductive health. We are conducting multiple projects.
- Exposure to social media information about contraceptives and information seeking intention: The role of anticipated discrimination (Taylor & Hong)
- How social media influencers affect perceived norms about taking birth control pills (Hong & Taylor)
- What you see matters: The mediating role of informational subjective norms on social media content and information seeking from healthcare professionals (Ndebunu & Choi)
AI and Health Communication
This line of research examines the effects of AI use for health information and the processing of Human-AI Chatbot communication.
- Exposure to conflicting HPV vaccine information and parental communication: Use of AI for health information and descriptive norms (Choi)
- Human-AI Chatbot communication: Communication styles and emotional and cognitive consequences (Yi)
Research People
Program Chair
Yangsun Hong
Associate Professor
Interests
Social determinants of health inequities, communication inequalities, social norms approach, perception of media bias, misinformation, intersectionality, public opinion, political conversation, political participation, stigmaGraduate Students
Jayita Chakraborty
Ph.D. student
Interests
Health communication, Gender and sexuality, New media, Information dissemination
Moonsun Choi
Ph.D. candidate
Interests
Normative influence, Gender norms, Media effect, Social media use, Family communication, Sexual and reproductive health
Yi Ji
Ph.D. student
Interests
Media uses and effect from cognitive and psychological perspectives, Media Psychology, Health Communication, Emerging media artificial intelligence, disinformation, misinformation.
Alumni
Courtney FitzGerald
Sr. Research Scientist, Prevention Research Center, University of New Mexico
Mika Hashimoto
Research Coordinator, Project ECHO
Hyerin Kwon
Ph.D. student, School of Journalism & Mass Communication, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Sumaira Abrar
Data Analyst II, Accountability & Compliance Bureau, Albuquerque Police Department
