Yanyan Z

◆ Designing and conducting media user experience using a variety of quantitative methods, in-person and remote, in the Institute for Communication Research (ICR) ◆ Recruiting and screening participants, scheduling sessions, and preparing research ◆ Analyzing data using a variety of statistical analysis methods, including regression modeling, mathematical modeling, causal inference, and social network analysis ◆ Collaborating with other researchers to identify and prioritize research opportunities in an ambiguous and fast-changing environment ◆ Published seven peer-reviewed articles, including five first author ones, related to media effects related to discrimination and aggression against minorities

Independently designed and taught three classes: 1. Media Industries and Management: This course provided students with an overview of institutional practices in media industries generally, as well as historical background and current issues in specific media industries, including radio, TV, newspapers, video games, and the Internet. Students have also learned to perform basic industry- or company-level media business research. The course helped students to utilize their knowledge of these industries to understand how to search for jobs within their fluid and increasingly fragmented networks of business interrelationships. 2.Sex in the media: The course examined the portrayal of sex and sexuality in the media and the effects of these portrayals. Course objectives include: (1) identify the key concepts of sexual selection and sexual socialization, (2) explain the role of media in shaping sexual beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors, (3) analyze depictions of sex and sexuality in popular media, (4) design a sex-related education campaign that incorporates the concepts and practices relevant to studying sex and sexuality in the media, and (5) become both critical consumers and producers of sexual content in the media 3. Gender and media from a social scientific perspective: This course focused on the representation of gender in the media and the effects of these representations. The course examined modern gender issues ranging from the sexualization of women to toxic masculinity portrayals of men to heteronormative depictions of relationships in mass media. Students learned key terms, ideas, and theories surrounding gender socialization and are able to apply this new knowledge to their own media landscape.

Consultant of studying abroad Taught reading and writing part of TOEFL and GRE test

Worked with other talent spotters to find the beautiful and versatile girls for the competition of Miss Changsha. Successfully found the champion and the third place winner of the competition.

My dissertation project contributes to building a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms of violent pornographic content on aggressive thoughts and attitudes against women. For my dissertation, I undertook an experiment involving more than 400 participants to examine how combinations of different levels of sexual explicitness and violence severity in sexually explicit materials (i.e., pornography) influence viewers’ implicit memories, attitudes, and emotions toward sex and violence in a co-activated system. Results from the project clarify how individuals learn sexually aggressive attitudes against women, as well as suggest interventions for sexual aggression from a cognitive psychology perspective. My dissertation reflects my long-term interests in aggression against marginalized groups, which has also driven my studies addressing depictions of non-white women and LGBTQ+ groups in media, as well as the consequence of media exposure to such content.