2024 Top Paper Awardees
First Place
The Interplay of Deference, Ideology, and Risk/Benefit Perceptions in Shaping Support for Human Brain Organoids
Isabel Villanueva, University of Wisconsin – Madison
Dayeon Eom, University of Wisconsin – Madison
Ashley Cate, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Nicky Krause, Morgridge Institute for Research
Dietram Scheufele, University of Wisconsin - Madison; Morgridge Institute for Research
Dominique Brossard, University of Wisconsin - Madison; Morgridge Institute for Research
Second Place
AI Chatbot Use for Mental Health: Evidence from a Field Experiment on Stress Reduction Through Perceived Message Contingency and Social Support
Hanyoung Kim, University of Kentucky
Weilu Zhang, University of Kentucky
Jeong-Yeob Han, University of Georgia
Hye Jin Yoon, University of Georgia
Ja Kyung Seo, University of Georgia
Jiyoung Yeon, University of Georgia
Third Place
Unveiling Imperfections: How Scientists’ Self-Presentation Can Influence Public Perceptions, Science Advocacy, and Information Seeking Intentions
Annie Zhang, University of Michigan
Hang Lu, University of Michigan
Fourth Place-Tie
Mediating Sustainability at the World’s Fair: How the Socioeconomic Conditions in Countries Shape their Discursive Narratives
Kyungsun Karen Lee, Zayed University
Michael Dokyum Kim, SUNY New Paltz
Fourth Place-Tie
Sit is Not Lit: Influence of Social Media Messaging on Reducing Sedentary Behavior
Mahar Nirmala, Nanyang Technological University
Huanyu Bao, Nanyang Technological University
Brenda Jansen Koh, Nanyang Technological University
Melissa Wen Ai, Nanyang Technological University
Kok Li Wen, Nanyang Technological University
Jasmine Jiemin, Nanyang Technological University
Lee Edmund Wei Jian, Nanyang Technological University
Fourth Place-Tie
Parental Support, Social Media Disorder, and Depressive Symptoms Among Early Adolescents in the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands: The Case of Guam
Francis Dalisay, University of Guam
Masahiro Yamamoto, University of Albany
Yoshito Kawabata, University of Guam
Pallav Pokhrel, University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center
Scott Okamoto, University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center
2023 Top Paper Awardees
First Place (Tied)
Re-Routing Persuasion: How Conversion Messages Boost Attitudes and Reduce Resistance Among Holdouts Unvaccinated for COVID-19
Jeff Conlin, University of Kansas
Sushma Kumble, Towson University
Michelle Baker, Pennsylvania State University
Fuyuan Shen, Pennsylvania State University
Second Place
The Role of Media in Addressing Opioid Use Disorder
Hyojung Park, Louisiana State University
Ruobing Li, Stony Brook University
Chun Yang, Louisiana State University
Josh Grimm, Louisiana State University
Lance Porter, Louisiana State University
Third Place
Social Media and Substance Use among EDM Attendees: A Perspective on Prototype Perceptions
Weirui Wang, Maria Elena Villar, and Jessica Rodriguez, Florida International University
Fourth Place
Extending the Purview of Risk Perception Attitude (RPA) Framework: Genetic Technology-Based Modern Food for Individual and Collective Well-being
Hyeseung Koh
Top poster award
Are interactive and tailored data visualizations effective in promoting flu vaccination among the elderly? Evidence from a randomized experiment.
Lynne M. Cotter and Sijia Yang, University of Wisconsin – Madison.
Top poster award (Honorable Mention)
What’s the benefit? Examining effective benefit appeals for plant-based foods.
Soobin Choi and P. Sol Hart, University of Michigan.
2022 Top Paper Awardees
First Place (Tied)
How Partisan News Associates with Support for Climate Policies through Risk and Efficacy Perceptions
Soobin Choi and P. Sol Hart, University of Michigan
First Place (Tied)
Time Perspective, Temporal Distance, and Narrative’s Roles in Curbing E-cigarette Use
Sixiao Liu, University of Pennsylvania
Second Place
Aversion and Control: An Experiment Examining How Social Correction Works
Xizhu Xiao, Qingdao University
Porismita Borah, Washington State
Danielle Ka Lai Lee, Washington State
Yan Su, Peking University
Sojung Kim, George Mason University
Third Place (Tied)
“I Know News Will Find Me”: A moderated mediation model of news-finds-me perception, information avoidance, need for cognition, and misperceptions about COVID-19
Yan Su, Peking University
Lianshan Zhang, Shanghai Jiaotong University
Shaohai Jiang, National University of Singapore
Third Place (Tied)
Communicating health literacy about pharmaceutical medication on social media: “it works for me, but may not for you”
Erin Willis, Kate Friedel, Mark Heisten, and Melissa Pickett, University of Colorado Boulder
2021 Top Paper Awardees
First Place (Tied)
Integrating Psychometric Paradigm of Risk and Issue Attention Cycle: A Study of Risk Information in News Coverage of Avian and Swine Influenza
Timothy Fung, Hong Kong Baptist University
Kang Namkoong and Jiyoun Kim, University of Maryland
Po Yan Lai, Hong Kong Baptist University
First Place (Tied)
Examining Antecedents to Accuracy- and Defense-Motivated Information Insufficiency in the COVID-19 Pandemic
Timothy Fung and Po Yan Lai, Hong Kong Baptist University
Robert Griffin, Marquette University
Sharon Dunwoody, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Second Place
Facing the Strain: The Persuasive Effects of Conversion Messages on COVID-19 Vaccination Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions
Jeff Conlin, Michelle Baker, Bingbing Zhang, Heather Shoenberger and Fuyuan Shen, Pennsylvania State University
Third Place
The Growth and Disciplinary Convergence of Environmental Communication: A Bibliometric Analysis of the Field (1970-2019)
Karen Akerlof, Katherine E. Rowan and James L. Olds, George Mason University
Julia Hathaway, Stony Brook University
Kristin Timm, University of Alaska, Fairbanks
Fourth Place
How Lay Audiences Evaluate Scientific Uncertainty Disclosure: The Roles of Source and Preference for Communication of Uncertainty
Chelsea Ratcliff and Rebekah Wicke, University of Georgia
2020 Top Paper Awardees
First Place
Fear, Anticipated Regret, and Efficacy Perceptions for Active Depression Coping
Soojin Roh, Peking HSBC Business School
Second Place
“I Just Saw on Twitter that Tom Hanks Has Coronavirus”: A Mixed Method Examination of a Theoretical Model of Celebrity Illness Disclosure Effects
Jessica Myrick, Pennsylvania State University
Jessica Willoughby, Washington State University
Third Place
Are Productive Scientists More Willing to Participate in Public Engagement?
Luye Bao, Mikhaila Calice, Dominique Brossard, and Dietram Scheufele, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Fourth Place
Seeking Information About an Emerging Technology: Fairness, Uncertainty, Systematic Processing, and Information Engagement Intentions
Hang Lu, University of Michigan
Hwanseok Song, Purdue University
Katherine McComas, Cornell University
2019 Top Paper Awardees
First Place
The Power of Emotional Appeal in Motivating Behavior to Mitigate Climate Change
Weiting Tao, Shiyun Tian, Wanhsiu Tsai, and Michelle Seelig, University of Miami
Second Place
Users’ Responses to Public Discourse of HPV Vaccination on YouTube
Yanqing Sun, Fangcao Lu, and Stella Chia, City University of Hong Kong
Third Place
Young Adults’ (Mis)use of Prescription Opioid Drugs: An Exploratory Study
Jie Xu, Villanova University
Xiaoxia Cao, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Fourth Place
Tweeting the #Flushot: Beliefs, Barriers, and Perceived Threat at Different Points of the Flu Season
Jeanine Guidry, Virginia Commonwealth University
Ioana Coman, Texas Tech University
Lucinda Austin, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Nicole O’Donnell, Virginia Commonwealth University
Alessandro Lovari, University of Cagliari
Marcus Messner, Virginia Commonwealth University
2018 Top Paper Awardees
First Place
In the Crosshairs: The Perils of Environmental Journalism
Eric Freedman, Michigan State University
Runner-Up
We Drink So We Are: Effects of Perceived Similarity with a Drinker on Observational
Mira Mayrhofer and Jörg Matthes, University of Vienna
Runner-Up
The Role of Counterfactual Thinking in Narrative Persuasion: Its Impact on Patients’ Adherence to Treatment Regimen
Timothy Fung, Hong Kong Baptist University
Runner-Up
Social Media and Concerns about Global Climate Change: News Use and Political Ideology in 20 Countries
Trevor Diehl, Brigitte Huber, and Homero Gil de Zúñiga, University of Vienna
James H. Liu, Massey University
Runner-Up
The Interplay Between Attribution of Cause and Narrative Persuasion: Exploring Public Perception of Depression
Nanlan Zhang and Taylor Jing Wen, University of South Carolina
2017 Top Paper Awardees
First Place
Risk as Anxiety in Mental Illness: Negative Emotions, Coping Responses, and Campaign Engagement Intention
Jiyoung Lee and Hua Jiang, Syracuse University
Second Place
Exploring the Effects of Character and Cued Typicality in Health Narratives
Jiangxue (Ashley) Han and Shanshan Lou, Appalachian State University
Third Place
Promoting Multivitamins to College Women: An Examination of Source, Message, and Audience Characteristics
Jennifer Ball, Temple University
Allison Lazard, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Michael Mackert, University of Texas, Austin
Fourth Place
Communicating the Flood: The Role of Communication During Extreme Weather Events in Shaping Climate Change Engagement
Ashley Anderson, Colorado State University
2016 Top Paper Awardees
First Place
Science in the Social Media Age: Profiles of Science Blog Readers
Paige Jarreau and Lance Porter, Louisiana State University
Second Place
Using Weight-of-Experts Messaging to Communicate Accurately about Contested Science
Patrice Kohl and Sharon Dunwoody, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Third Place
Sharing Health-Related Information on Facebook: An Integrated Model
Ming-Ching Liang, Metropolitan State University
2015 Top Paper Awardees
First Place
Does Stigma against Smokers Really Motivate Cessation? A Moderated Mediation Effect of Anti-smoking Campaign
Jinyoung Kim and Eric Meczkowski, Pennsylvania State University
Xiaoxia Cao, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Second Place
Communal Risk Information Sharing: Motivations behind Voluntary Information Sharing of Late Blight Infection in U.S. Agricultural Communities
Wang Liao, Connie Yuan, and Katherine McComas, Cornell University
Third Place
“Weight-of-Evidence” Risk Messages about Genetically Modified (GM) Foods: Persuasive Effects and Motivated Reasoning
Beatriz Vianna and Chris Clarke, George Mason University
Fourth Place
Social Representation of Cyberbullying and Adolescent Suicide: A Mixed-Method Analysis of News Stories
Rachel Young, University of Iowa
Roma Subramanian, University of Missouri
Stephanie Miles, University of Iowa
Amanda Hinnant, University of Missouri
Julie Andsager, University of Tennessee