Research Interests

My program of research examines the role of communication technology in processes of impression management, impression formation, social influence and support-seeking. To illustrate, my research on impression formation has investigated how people evaluate online self-presentations and how such evaluations affect offline relationships. Related to social influence, I've examined how features of new media--such as viewer-generated commentary--complicate the way traditional mass-mediated messages are received. Relevant to health communication, I've sought to identify the causal determinants of online help-seeking and clarify the reasons why people seek support online over other more traditional outlets.