Research

2026

1. 

   Evaluating Large Vision-Language Models for Visual Framing Analysis in News Imagery: A Theory-Driven Benchmark

   Linqi Lu, Zihan Wan, Hyerin Kwon, and 5 more authors

   In Proceedings of the 59th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS-59), 2026

   Accepted

   PDF

2025

1. 

   Visual Constructs of Conflict and Solidarity: The Role of Visual Framing on Public Perceptions and Engagement Intentions with Social Protests

   Linqi Lu, Ran Tao, Hyerin Kwon, and 5 more authors

   Visual Communication Quarterly, 2025

   Abs DOI

   This study investigates the role of visual framing in shaping public perceptions of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests through an online experiment, informed by news value and protest paradigm theory. It specifically examines the effects of conflict versus solidarity visual frames on audience reactions when paired with textual framing of protest goals. Results indicate that solidarity visuals significantly decrease negative perceptions about protesters compared to conflict visuals, increase positive affect, and boost engagement intentions. Furthermore, the interaction between visual and textual framing demonstrates that “defund” and “reform” messages paired with solidarity visuals effectively reduce negative perceptions. These findings underscore the impact of visual elements in news coverage, highlighting the need for ethical considerations in visual journalism and suggesting that such framing can significantly influence audience attitudes and engagement with social issues.

2. 

   Leveraging the Power of ChatGPT: Evaluating Its Effectiveness for Content Analysis and Framing Research in Mass Communication

   Hyerin Kwon, Linqi Lu, Jiwon Kang, and 1 more author

   In Proceedings of the 58th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, 2025

   DOI PDF

3. 

   Pictorial warning labels reduce sharing intentions, blunt self-relevance processes elicited by social media posts promoting cannabis edibles

   Matt Minich, Lynne M Cotter, Lauren A Kriss, and 3 more authors

   Journal of Communication, 2025

   Abs DOI PDF

   The implementation of warning labels has been shown to slow the spread of harmful content on social media, but the mechanisms by which these interventions affect individuals’ sharing decisions are not yet known. This study sought to establish the efficacy of these interventions and to explore the mechanisms of their influence using two parallel studies conducted within the United States: an online experiment that tested the effects of cannabis warning labels on sharing intentions (N = 1,776), and a neuroimaging study (N = 40) to examine how warning labels influenced activity in brain regions implicated in sharing decisions. Results demonstrated that warning labels paired with cannabis posts reduced intentions to share and were associated with decreased activation of brain regions associated with self-processing compared to cannabis posts alone. These results suggest that warning labels may discourage sharing by negatively influencing perceptions of self-relevance.

4. 

   Cannabis warning labels, sensory marketing, and electronic word-of-mouth: AI-facilitated textual analysis of a randomized experiment among youth and young adults

   Linqi Lu, Hyerin Kwon, Wei Wang, and 6 more authors

   International Journal of Advertising, 2025

   DOI

2024

1. 

   Detecting Visual Triggers in Cannabis Imagery: A CLIP-Based Multi-Labeling Framework with Local-Global Aggregation

   Linqi Lu, Xianshi Yu, and Akhil Perumal Reddy

   2024

   PDF

2. 

   Purrfessor: A Fine-tuned Multimodal LLaVA Diet Health Chatbot

   2024

   PDF
3. J Behav Decis Mak

   

   Equivalence Framing and the Construction of Advocacy Messages

   Jiawei Liu, Douglas M. McLeod, and Linqi Lu

   Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 2024

   DOI

4. 

   Countering online marketing and user endorsements with enhanced cannabis warning labels: An online experiment among at-risk youth and young adults

   Sijia Yang, Lynne M. Cotter, Linqi Lu, and 5 more authors

   Preventive Medicine, 2024

   Abs DOI PDF

   As cannabis legalization expands and online marketing intensifies, this study examines whether online social cues can amplify youth-targeted cannabis advertising and whether cannabis warning labels (CWLs) can counteract these influences. A U.S. online sample of 970 adolescents and 1776 young adults susceptible to cannabis use were recruited from Qualtrics in summer 2022. Each participant was randomly assigned to one of the 3 (CWLs: none vs. textual vs. pictorial) by 3 (comments: none vs. anti-cannabis vs. pro-cannabis) conditions in an online experiment. Participants were exposed to three online marketing posts promoting marijuana edibles (randomly selected from a large pool, N = 1260), each with either no warning label, a textual warning, or a pictorial warning (text and picture), and with either five comments (pro- or anti-cannabis in valence) or none. Results showed that among adolescents, pro-cannabis comments increased product appeal (vs. anti-cannabis comments: b = 0.18, p = .025; vs. no comments: b = 0.21, p = .021), and did so more than young adults. For adolescents, only pictorial warnings reduced product appeal (b = −0.20, p = .028). For young adults, both pictorial (b = −0.18, p = .002) and textual warnings (b = −0.12, p = .029) reduced product appeal. Furthermore, both textual (adolescents: b = −0.20, p = .004; young adults: b = −0.15, p = .005) and pictorial (adolescents: b = −0.30, p < .001; young adults: b = −0.18, p = .001) warnings reduced cannabis use intentions. Findings support requiring enhanced CWLs accompany online marketing ads.

5. 

   The Effects of Numerical Evidence and Message Framing in Communicating Vaccine Efficacy

   Linqi Lu, Jiawei Liu, Sang Jung Kim, and 3 more authors

   Journal of Health Communication, 2024

   Abs DOI PDF

   To examine the effects of numerical evidence and message framing in communicating vaccine efficacy information about infectious diseases, an online experiment presented to U.S. adults different versions of a vaccination promotional message that vary by numerical vaccine efficacy evidence: (low efficacy rate: 60% vs. high efficacy rate: 95%), outcome framing (preventing disease-related infection vs. preventing disease-related severe illness), and gain vs. loss framing, using a factorial between-subjects design. While there was no significant interaction between numerical vaccine efficacy evidence and message framing, findings showed that a higher vaccine efficacy rate increased positive beliefs about vaccination and outcome framing emphasizing infection prevention increased message processing fluency. Given that infectious diseases pose higher risks for severe illness among older adults, follow-up analyses by age showed that only younger adults were sensitive to message framing where outcome framing emphasizing infection prevention increased processing fluency.

6. J Med Internet Res

   

   mHealth Engagement for Antiretroviral Medication Adherence Among People With HIV and Substance Use Disorders: Observational Study

   Ranran Z Mi, Ellie Fan Yang, Alexander Tahk, and 7 more authors

   Journal of Medical Internet Research, 2024

   Abs DOI

   Background: Despite the increasing popularity of mobile health (mHealth) technologies, little is known about which types of mHealth system engagement might affect the maintenance of antiretroviral therapy among people with HIV and substance use disorders. Objective: This study aimed to use longitudinal and detailed system logs and weekly survey data to test a mediation model, where mHealth engagement indicators were treated as predictors, substance use and confidence in HIV management were treated as joint mediators, and antiretroviral therapy adherence was treated as the outcome. We further distinguished the initiation and intensity of system engagement by mode (expression vs reception) and by communication levels (intraindividual vs dyadic vs network). Methods: Tailored for people with HIV living with substance use disorders, the mHealth app was distributed among 208 participants aged >18 years from 2 US health clinics. Supervised by medical professionals, participants received weekly surveys through the app to report their health status and medication adherence data. System use was passively collected through the app, operationalized as transformed click-level data, aggregated weekly, and connected to survey responses with a 7-day lagged window. Using the weekly check-in record provided by participants as the unit of analysis (N=681), linear regression and structure equation models with cluster-robust SEs were used for analyses, controlling within-person autocorrelation and group-level error correlations. Racial groups were examined as moderators in the structure equation models. Results: We found that (1) intensity, not initiation, of system use; (2) dyadic message expression and reception; and (3) network expression positively predicted medication adherence through joint mediators (substance use and confidence in HIV management). However, intraindividual reception (ie, rereading saved entries for personal motivation) negatively predicts medication adherence through joint mediators. We also found Black participants have distinct usage patterns, suggesting the need to tailor mHealth interventions for this subgroup. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of considering the intensity of system engagement, rather than initiation alone, when designing mHealth interventions for people with HIV and tailoring these systems to Black communities.

7. 

   Fighting Fire or Fighting War: Examining the Framing Effects of COVID-19 Metaphors

   Ran Tao, Sang Jung Kim, Linqi Lu, and 2 more authors

   Health Communication, 2024

   Abs DOI PDF

   Metaphorical language describing the COVID-19 pandemic as a war has been pervasive in public discourse (e.g. “the pandemic is a war,” “the virus is an enemy,” and “the vaccine is a weapon”). This study employs an online survey experiment (N = 551 U.S. adults) to examine the impact of war metaphors compared to non-metaphorical literal frames and fire metaphors (e.g. “the pandemic is a wildfire”). War metaphors exhibited little advantage over literal frames across a variety of desirable outcomes (i.e. the adoption of pro-health behaviors against COVID-19, perceived solidarity and collective responsibility to curb the pandemic, and intentions to discuss and share the health news with others). However, this study revealed some benefits of war metaphors over fire metaphors. Compared with fire metaphors, health news featuring war metaphors increased both positive emotions and perceived threats of COVID-19, which in turn promoted pro-health behaviors against COVID-19 and perceived solidarity to cope with the public health crisis. Moreover, positive emotions in response to war metaphors also indirectly encouraged the retransmission of science-based COVID-19 health news. This study thus showcased the benefits and limitations of war metaphors and revealed the mediating roles of perceived threats and positive emotions in explaining war metaphorical framing effects. Implications of using war and fire metaphors for communicating about public health crises are also discussed.

8. 

   Learning Through Rewards: Priming and Identification as Psychological Mechanisms of the Effects of LGBTQ+ Narratives on Inclusive Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions

   Ran Tao, Nguyen Nguyen, Linqi Lu, and 4 more authors

   Media Psychology, 2024

   DOI

2023

1. Disruptive versus Nondisruptive Advertising In Online Streaming Video Services

   Katheryn R. Christy, Ranran Z. Mi, Ran Tao, and 1 more author

   Journal of Advertising Research, 2023

   Abs DOI

   YouTube and other video-sharing platforms have soared in popularity. Less loved, however, are the disruptive advertisements on these channels. This study investigates the impact of disruptive versus nondisruptive advertisements on advertising effectiveness and on consumers’ perceptions of the advertisements and media content. The authors also assessed whether these advertisements have different effects in different content environments such as narrative content versus nonnarrative content. They tested two competing sets of hypotheses (disruption versus spillover) in a 3 (Advertisement Placement) × 2 (Content Type) experiment that included 506 U.S. participants. The results have important implications for advertisers on these channels.

2. 

   The Effects of Vaccine Efficacy Information on Vaccination Intentions Through Perceived Response Efficacy and Hope

   Linqi Lu, Jiawei Liu, Sang Jung Kim, and 3 more authors

   Journal of Health Communication, 2023

   Abs DOI PDF

   Response efficacy information indicating the effectiveness of a recommended behavior in risk reduction is an important component of health communication. For example, many messages regarding COVID-19 vaccines featured numerical vaccine efficacy rates in preventing infections, hospitalizations, and deaths. While the relationship between disease risk perceptions and fear has been well established, we know less about the psychological factors involved in communicating vaccine efficacy information, such as response efficacy perceptions and hope. This study examines the effects of numerical vaccine efficacy information and message framing on vaccination intentions and their relationship to perceived response efficacy and hope, using a fictitious infectious disease similar to COVID-19. Findings suggest that communicating a high efficacy rate of the vaccine in preventing severe illness increased perceived response efficacy, which in turn boosted vaccination intention directly and indirectly through increasing hope. Also, fear about the virus was positively associated with hope about the vaccine. Implications of using response efficacy information and hope appeals in health communication and vaccination promotion are discussed.

2022

1. 

   Psychological antecedents of COVID-19 information sharing within strong-tie and weak-tie networks

   Linqi Lu, Jiawei Liu, Y. Connie Yuan, and 2 more authors

   PEC Innovation, 2022

   Abs DOI PDF

   Objective This study investigates the psychological mechanisms underlying people’s sharing of COVID-19 information within their strong-tie networks and weak-tie networks. Methods A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between March and April 2020 (N = 609 Chinese adults). Measures included emotions and behavioral beliefs about COVID-19 information sharing, risk perceptions, and COVID-19 information acquisition and sharing behaviors. Multiple linear regression was performed to examine the psychological predictors of COVID-19 information sharing. Results People were more likely to share COVID-19 information within their strong-tie networks when they experienced more negative emotions (β = .09, p = .01) and had stronger beliefs that information sharing would promote disease prevention (β = .12, p = .004). By comparison, negative emotions were the only significant predictor of COVID-19 information sharing (β = .12, p = .002) within weak-tie networks (β = .04, p = .31 for beliefs about sharing). Conclusion People may share COVID-19 information within weak-tie networks to cope with negative emotions regardless of whether they perceive information sharing as beneficial to disease prevention. Innovation Health educators should raise people’s awareness of the psychological motivators of COVID-19 information sharing to create a healthy information environment for disease prevention.

2. 

   Cultural Differences in Cancer Information Acquisition: Cancer Risk Perceptions, Fatalistic Beliefs, and Worry as Predictors of Cancer Information Seeking and Avoidance in the U.S. and China

   Linqi Lu, Jiawei Liu, and Y. Connie Yuan

   Health Communication, 2022

   Abs DOI PDF

   Cancer is one of the most common causes of death in China and the United States. Past studies found that cancer risk perceptions, fatalistic beliefs, and worry were prominent predictors of health-related behaviors. Perceived cancer risks, fatalistic beliefs, and worry were associated with cancer information acquisition in the United States. However, little is known about whether these factors played comparable roles in China. This study investigates the psychological antecedents of cancer information acquisition using data from Health Information National Trends Surveys (HINTS) in both countries. Results showed that cancer worry was negatively related to cancer information avoidance in the U.S. but positively related to information avoidance in China. Also, whereas cancer fatalistic beliefs were negatively associated with cancer information seeking in the U.S., the relationships between fatalistic beliefs and cancer information seeking exhibited more complex patterns in China. Implications for cancer communication in different cultures are discussed.

2021

1. 

   Source Trust and COVID-19 Information Sharing: The Mediating Roles of Emotions and Beliefs About Sharing

   Linqi Lu, Jiawei Liu, Y. Connie Yuan, and 3 more authors

   Health Education & Behavior, 2021

   Abs DOI PDF

   Health information sharing has become especially important during the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic because people need to learn about the disease and then act accordingly. This study examines the perceived trust of different COVID-19 information sources (health professionals, academic institutions, government agencies, news media, social media, family, and friends) and sharing of COVID-19 information in China. Specifically, it investigates how beliefs about sharing and emotions mediate the effects of perceived source trust on source-specific information sharing intentions. Results suggest that health professionals, academic institutions, and government agencies are trusted sources of information and that people share information from these sources because they think doing so will increase disease awareness and promote disease prevention. People may also choose to share COVID-19 information from news media, social media, and family as they cope with anxiety, anger, and fear. Taken together, a better understanding of the distinct psychological mechanisms underlying health information sharing from different sources can help contribute to more effective sharing of information about COVID-19 prevention and to manage negative emotion contagion during the pandemic.

2020

1. 

   The Effects of Framing and Advocacy Expectancy on Belief Importance and Issue Attitude

   Jiawei Liu, Min-Hsin Su, Douglas M. McLeod, and 2 more authors

   Mass Communication and Society, 2020

   Abs DOI PDF

   Message frames have been found to influence relevant issue attitudes by influencing the weight of issue considerations emphasized in the message. As such message frames often originate from advocacy interest groups, this study investigates differences in the framing effects of advocacy groups, depending on whether the message fits readers’ expectations for the communicators’ issue position (expected advocacy) or not (unexpected advocacy). Across two issue topics, findings suggest that unexpected advocacy significantly influenced readers’ perceived belief importance, which in turn influenced issue attitudes, whereas the same mediated path of framing effects was not supported in the case of expected advocacy.

2. Health Information Seeking Behaviors and Source Preferences between Chinese and U.S. Populations

   Linqi Lu, Jiawei Liu, and Y. Connie Yuan

   Journal of Health Communication, 2020

   Abs DOI

   This study examined similarities and differences in health information-seeking behaviors between American and Chinese people using data from the 2017 U.S. Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) and the 2017 China HINTS. It is one of the first studies that use comparable samples and survey instruments to make direct comparisons of the two populations’ health information-seeking behaviors. Results showed that Americans (including different racial/ethnic groups in the U.S.) were more likely to actively seek health information than Chinese people. Americans were also more likely to use mediated communication as their primary sources of health information while Chinese people favored interpersonal sources. Chinese people reported lower quality of doctor-patient communication than their American counterparts. These differences between the two countries highlight the importance of using different information sources to reach specific populations, and the need to develop tailored public health intervention programs in different cultures.