I'm Jian Raymond Rui, a professor at College of Journalism and Communication, South China University of Technology
I'm Jian Raymond Rui, a professor at College of Journalism and Communication, South China University of Technology
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Personal Introduction
Personal Introduction
After I received my PhD in Communication from University at Buffalo, the State University of New York in 2014, I worked at Texas Tech University and Lamar University. I moved back to China in 2018, and since then, I have been working as a professor at College of Journalism and Communication, South China University of Technology. In addition, I'm serving as the Vice Chair of Department of New Media and Communication, as the Vice Director of the Center for Public Health Surveillance and Information Communication in Guangdong Province, as the Director of the Health Communication Commission of the Chinese Society for the History of Journalism, and on the editorial board of Asian Journal of Communication.
As a health communication scholar, my research focuses on health message design and message effect, with an emphasis on how health messages can increase the public's perception of efficacy in implementing health behaviors. I focus on efficacy because I believe that people do not engage in health behaviors not because they lack knowledge, but because they are unsure if engaging in health behaviors can reduce health risks (low response efficacy), or because they are unsure if they can accomplish the behaviors on their own (low self-efficacy), or because they believe that their individual behavior is insufficient to cause real changes (low collective efficacy), or because they believe that the external environment does not provide them with the necessary support for performing the health behaviors (no external efficacy). Therefore, rather than focusing on spreading health knowledge, my research focuses on improving people's confidence in implementing health behaviors. Just as Ed Diener, a renowned psychologist, was known as Dr. Happiness, I hope I can be known as Dr. Confidence.
In addition to health communication, my research has also extended to science communication and public communication. This is because my research essentially explores the relationship between the public and the message, specifically, how the public and the message influence each other. For example, how the psychological characteristics of the public influence the effect of the information, and how the content of the information changes the public's cognition and behavior. This line of research allows my research to be applicable to many fields.
Of course, as someone living in the age of artificial intelligence, my current research embraces AI. My PhD students and I are currently conducting research on AI + health communication. While the health communication research I'm currently doing focuses on message content, AI-mediated health communication focuses on both content and channel. I'm looking forward to seeing what suprises will come out of this line of research, and waiting for you to join my research team!
Awards
Awards
The First-Place Award, Ats, Humanities, and Social Science Track in Guangdong Province, 2021
Highly Cited Scholars, Elsevier, 2022-2024
Teaching Excellence Award, South China University of Technology, 2023
Top Paper Award, Human Communication and Technology Division of the National Communication Association, 2016
Top Student Paper Award, Human Communication and Technology Division of the National Communication Association, 2013
Publications (*Student Author)
Publications (*Student Author)
English publications
40. Yao, Y.*, & Rui, J.R. (2025). Thinking outside of yourself: The potential of awe in mitigating psychological reactance via inspiring self-transcendence. Advance online publication at Health Communication. Doi: 10.1080/10410236.2025.2456490
39. Wang, L., Rui, J.R., & Zeng, J. (2025). When trait reactance moderates the effect of controlling language on state reactance: Cross-cultural comparisons. Advance online publication at European Journal of Psychology.
38. Ren, M., Wang, L., Chen, J., & Rui, J.R. (2024). How digital media usage predicts Chinese children’s intention to consume unhealthy food: Mediated by accessibility and moderated by digital media engagement. Advance online publication at Health Communication. Doi: 10.1080/10410236.2024.2433821
37. Rui, J.R., & Wang, D*. (2024). Promoting HIV self-testing via emotional support messages among men who have sex with men in China. Patient Education & Counseling, 127, 108360. Doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2024.108360
36. Rui, J.R., Guo, J*., & Yang, K. (2024). How do provider communication strategies predict online patient satisfaction? A content analysis of online patient-provider communication transcripts. Digital Health, 10. Doi: 10.1177/20552076241255617.
35. Yao, Y*., & Rui, J.R. (2024). Who likely experiences reactance to quitting messages: How individual cultural identification moderates the effect of controlling language on psychological reactance. Patient Education & Counseling, 123, 108245.
34. Yao, Y*., Ma, Q., Wu, N., Zhang, Y., Rui, J.R. (2023). “Exercising like my sporty idol”: Sporty prototype perceptions associated with adolescents’ physical activity in an integrative behavioral prediction model. Current Psychology, 43(17), 15859-15871. Doi: 10.1007/s12144-023-05547-4
33. Chen, J., Du, Y*., & Rui, J.R. (2023). How foods and beverages are promoted online: A content analysis of the digital food environment in China. Nutrients, 15(24), 5067. Doi: 10.3390/nu15245067
32. Hu, J*., & Rui, J.R. (2023). Examining the relationship between preference for online social interaction and affective well-being via compulsive dating app use: The moderating role of algorithmic beliefs. CyberPsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, 17(4). Doi: 10.5817/CP2023-4-2
31. Rui, J.R., & Du, Y*. (2023). The more the better? The relationship between social support and perceived barriers to tuberculosis treatment across groups of different socioeconomic statuses in China. Patient Education and Counseling, 115, 107874. Doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2023.107874
30. Du, Y.*, Rui, J.R., & Yu, N. (2023). Shaping audience's attitude towards product placement in online videos: The mediating role of psychological reactance. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 16, 1315-1329. Doi: 10.2147/prbm.s406558
29. Rui, J.R., Chen, J., Wang, L., & Xu, P*. (2023). Freedom as right or privilege? Comparing the effect of power distance on psychological reactance between China and the United States. Health Communication, 39(7), 1320-1332. Doi: 10.1080/10410236.2023.2212138
28. Yuan, S., Rui, J.R., & Xu, P*. (2023). Trust in scientists on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and vaccine intention in China and the U.S. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 86, 103539. Doi: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2023.103539
27. Rui, J.R. (2023). Health information sharing via social network sites (SNSs): Integrating social support and socioemotional selectivity theory. Health Communication, 38(11), 2430-2440. Doi: 10.1080/10410236.2022.2074779
26. Rui, J.R. & Guo, J*. (2023). Differentiating the stress buffering functions of perceived versus received social support. Current Psychology, 42(16), 13432-13442. Doi: 10.1007/s12144-021-02606-6
25. Liang, S., Rui, J.R., & Xu, P*. (2022). Risk or efficacy? How age and seniority influenced the usage of hearing protection devices: A cross-sectional survey in China. Safety Science, 154. Doi: 10.1016/j.ssci.2022.105858
24. Rui, J.R., & Cui, X. (2022). How technological affordances predict political expression via Quora: Mediated by risk appraisal and moderated by social motivation. CyberPsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, 16(1). Doi: 10.5817/CP2022-1-1
23. Yang, Q., Liu, J., & Rui, J.R. (2022). Association between social network sites use and mental illness: A meta-analysis. CyberPsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, 16(1). Doi: 10.5817/CP2022-1-1
22. Rui, J.R., Yuan, S., & Xu, P*. (2022). Motivating COVID-19 mitigation actions via personal norm: An extension of the norm activation model. Patient Education & Counseling, 105, 2504-2511. Doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2021.12.001
21. Rui, J.R., & Liu, S. (2021). How do social network sites influence workout intentions: A social norm approach. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. Doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.753189
20. Rui, J.R., Cui, X., Xu, Q., & Yu, N. (2021). How public interactions via WeChat Moments predict the emotional well-being of Chinese seniors and emerging seniors: The moderating roles of perceived self-network discrepancy and age. CyberPsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, 15(3). Doi: 10.5817/cp2021-3-2
19. Xia, T., Chen, J., Rui, J.R., Li, J*., & Guo, Y*. (2021). What affected Chinese parents’ decisions on tuberculosis treatment: Implications based on a cross-sectional survey. PLOS One, 16(1), e0245691. Doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245691
18. Rui, J.R., Yang, K., & Chen, J. (2021). Information sources, risk perception, and efficacy appraisal’s prediction of engagement in protective behaviors against COVID-19 in China: Repeated cross-sectional survey. JMIR Human Factors, 8(1), e23232. Doi: 10.2196/23232
17. Liang, S., Chen, J., Rui, J.R., Guo, J*. (2021). The boomerang effect of tuberculosis knowledge and self-efficacy on Chinese patients’ intention to seek timely treatment and adhere to doctors’ regimens. Patient Education and Counseling, 104(6), 1487-1493. Doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2020.10.030
16. Rui, J.R., Cui, X., & Liu, Y. (2020). They are watching me: A self-presentational approach to political expression on Facebook. Mass Communication and Society, 23(6), 858-884. Doi: 10.1080/15205436.2020.1740741
15. Rui, J.R. (2020). How a social network site profile affects employers’ impressions of the candidate: An application of norm evaluation. Management Communication Quarterly, 34(3), 328-349. Doi: 10.1177/0893318920916723
14. Rui, J.R., Yu, N., Xu, Q., & Cui, X. (2019). Getting connected while aging: The impact of WeChat network characteristics on the well-being of Chinese mature adults. Chinese Journal of Communication, 12, 25-43. Doi: 10.1080/17544750.2018.1530270
13. Rui, J.R. (2018). Objective evaluation or collective self-presentation: What people expect of LinkedIn recommendations. Computers in Human Behavior, 89, 121-128. Doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2018.07.025
12. Rui, J.R., & Li, S. (2018). Seeking help from weak ties through mediated channels: Integrating self-presentation and norm violation to compliance. Computers in Human Behavior, 87, 121-128. Doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2018.05.022
11. Rui, J.R. (2018). Source-target relationship and information specificity: Applying warranting theory to online information credibility assessment and impression formation. Social Science Computer Review, 36, 331-348. Doi: 10.1177/0894439317717196
10. Rui, J.R. & Stefanone, M.A. (2018). That tagging was annoying: An extension of expectancy violation theory to impression management on social network sites. Computers in Human Behavior, 80, 49-58. Doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2017.11.001
9. Liu, Y., Rui, J.R., & Cui, X. (2017). Are people willing to share their political opinions on Facebook? Exploring roles of self-presentational concern in spiral of silence. Computers in Human Behavior, 76, 294-302. Doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2017.07.029
8. Cui, X., Rui, J.R., & Su, F. (2016). From immediate community to imagined community: Social identity and the co-viewing of media event. Global Media and China, 1(4), 481-496. Doi: 10.1177/2059436416681177
7. Rui, J.R., & Stefanone, M.A. (2016). The desire for fame: An extension of uses and gratifications approach. Communication Studies, 67, 399-418. Doi: 10.1080/10510974.2016.1156006
6. Rui, J.R., & Wang, H. (2015). Social network sites and international students’ cross-cultural adaptation. Computers in Human Behavior, 49, 400-411. Doi:10.1016/j.chb.2015.03.041.
5. Rui, J.R., Covert, J.M., Stefanone, M.A., & Mukherjee, T. (2015). A communication multiplexity approach to social capital: On- and offline communication and self-esteem. Social Science Computer Review, 33, 498-518. Doi: 10.1177/0894439314552803.
4. Rui, J.R., Chen, Y., & Damiano, A. (2013). Health organizations providing and seeking social support: A Twitter-based content analysis. CyberPsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 16, 669-673. Doi:10.1089/cyber.2012.0350.
3. Rui, J.R., & Stefanone, M.A. (2013). Strategic image management online: Self-presentation, self-esteem, and social network perspectives. Information, Communication, and Society, 16, 1286-1305. Doi: 10.1080/1369118X.2013.763834.
2. Rui, J.R., & Stefanone, M.A. (2013). Strategic self-presentation online: A cross-cultural study. Computers in Human Behavior, 29, 110-118. Doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2012.07.022.
1. Xu, W., Stefanone, M.A., & Rui, J.R. (2013). The benefits and burdens of network diversity: Political engagement on social networking sites. First Monday, 18. Doi: 10.5210/fm.v18i9.4822.
Chinese Publications
7. 芮牮（2024），《娱乐至死？——娱乐手段对防诈骗短视频点赞量的影响》(Amusing ourselves to death?: The impact of entertainment techniques on the number of likes received by anti-fraud short videos)，《国际新闻界》，46（07），114-136
6. 芮牮、李林燕*，（2024），《媒介接触还是媒介互动：新媒体使用行为对健康类产品推广效果的影响研究》(Exposure to or interaction with media: How media use behaviors are associated with health product promotion)，《新闻春秋》，4，52-62
5. 芮牮、郝红燕*、王潇*，（2023），《微信公众号制造焦虑的机制研究》(The mechanism by which WeChat public accounts create anxiety: A case study of job-seeking public accounts)，《青年记者》，2，47-49
4. 徐鹏*、芮牮，（2021），《规避风险还是遵从规范？——社交媒体对女大学生接种HPV疫苗意向的实证研究》(Risk aversion or norm compliance: The effect of social media on the intention to take HPV vaccination of female college students)，《中国网络传播研究》，9，145-168
3. 刘双庆、芮牮，（2021），《社交媒体接触对用户运动规范感知与健身意向影响机制研究》(How social media exposure affects users’ perceived norm of workout and workout intention)，《新闻记者》，6，53-64
2. 芮牮、刘颖*，（2020），《健康传播效果研究的缺失与路径重构》(Health communication effect: Research gaps and bridges)，《新闻与写作》，8，59-67
1. 芮牮、陈宏亮，（2020），《社会资源还是父母示范——大学生微信阅读的数字鸿沟研究》(Social resources or parental modeling: An investigation on the digital divide by college students in the context of WeChat reading)，《新闻记者》，5，50-59
Grants
Grants
As PI, funded by government-related institutes:
Strategic Approaches to Enhancing the Effect of Health Communication by Chinese Media, 2021, National Social Science Fund of China (200,000 RMB)
Bottom-Up Approaches to Health Communication in the Community, 2019, Department of Education in Guangdong Province (100,000 RMB)
As PI, funded by nongovernment-related institutes:
Evaluations of Health Education Offered by Local Health Departments in Guangdong Province, 2024, the Education Center of Guangdong Provincial Health Commission (200,000 RMB)
Writing Environmental Conservation Articles for Local Laypersons in Shenzhen, 2023, Guangdong Society for Environmental Science (70,000 RMB)
An Intervention on the Prevention and Management of Hypertension in Enterprises in Bao'an District, 2020, Shajing Health Supervision Institution (100,000RMB)
As investigator, funded by nongovernment-related institutes:
An Investigation On the Digital Marketing of Unhealthy Food and Beverages for Chinese Children, 2022, UNICEF China ($50,000)
Teaching
Teaching
PhD course
Social Science Research Method
MA course
Theories of Health Communication
Academic Writing and Norms
New Media Communication
BA courses
New Media User Analysis
Survey and Data Analysis
New Media and Society
Introduction to Data Analysis
Working Philosophy
Working Philosophy
Research Philosophy
I'm not a scholar dedicated to writing papers in the office because I believe that the purpose of doing research is to benefit the society. That's why I focus on health communication because health is related to the well-being of all people and is critical to a society. My research has noted the unequal effects of social support in the field of health because health is everyone's right no matter whether you are rich or poor. My research has also noted the negative effects of media on the unhealthy diets of Chinese children because improving individual health needs not only individual effort but also the support from the society. I hope that I can help more people and contribute to the progress of the society through my research so as to benefit the development of the society.
Teaching Philosophy
Since 2019, I have supervised 14 master's students and 3 PhD students, of which 7 have graduated. I want my students to become independent thinkers and researchers, because thinking and research are the most important abilities that determine one's accomplishments, no matter whether you work in academia or not. Therefore, my work is to guide them to discover what they are interested in, and teach them how to find problems, think about problems, and collect information to solve problems. I hope that students can discover their own interests in research rather than just working on my research because although I am a leader in my team, my duty is not to create followers but future leaders. I hope my students can become leaders in their own field when they graduate.
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