Research
My research examines how message features and digital environments shape audience perceptions and health-related behaviors. I integrate experimental, neurophysiological, and computational methods. Three programs of work organize my current projects.
Programs of Work
1 · Persuasive health messages
Designing and testing public-service announcements — particularly for vaping prevention and cancer-related risk — using fMRI, eye-tracking, and interpretable machine learning to identify the cognitive, social, and emotional profiles that drive behavior change in young adults.
2 · AI-generated content & misinformation
Examining the visual realism, misinformation potential, and surrealist signatures of photorealistic AI-generated images across platforms; cross-platform analyses of their content, context, and impact on audiences.
3 · News, norms, & emotional engagement
How news headlines, user comments, and emotional framing — including mixed emotional appeals — shape norm perceptions and engagement in digital media environments.
Published
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2026Liu, X., Lu, Y., Peng, Q., Qian, S., Peng, Y., & Shen, C. Seeing the surreal: Mapping surrealism in photorealistic AI-generated images using large language models. Computational Communication Research, 8(2), 1–48.
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2025Peng, Q., Lu, Y., Peng, Y., Qian, S., Liu, X., & Shen, C. Crafting synthetic realities: Examining visual realism and misinformation potential of photorealistic AI-generated images. CHI Extended Abstracts (CHI EA '25), 1–12. ACM.
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2020Hong, J., Peng, Q., & Williams, D. Are you ready for artificial Mozart and Skrillex? An experiment testing expectancy violation theory and AI music. New Media & Society, 23(7), 1920–1935.
Under Review & In Progress
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2026Rathje, S., Asimovic, N., …, Peng, Q., …, & Van Bavel, J. J. Testing the causal impact of social media reduction around the globe. Nature. Stage 1 RR Accepted
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2026Worsdale, A., …, Peng, Q., …, & Liu, J. Depressive symptoms alter the predictive value of neural responses to vaping prevention messages in young adults who vape.
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2026Peng, Q., Duong, H., Shi, R., & Liu, J. Contradiction disrupts and reinforcement plateaus: The interplay of news and user comments on norm perceptions in the digital age.
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2026Ismail, I.*, Peng, Q.*, Liu, J., & Oh, V. Y. Specific mixed emotional headlines drive online media engagement over and above positivity and negativity.
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2026Gonzales, A. L., Wang, L. H., Kim, Y. W., & Peng, Q. Meso-level theorizing the digital divide: A model of institutional capacity for digital equity.
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2026Liu, J., Peng, Q., Malik, M., Wang, Y., Norton, E., Markey, C., Ye, T., & Sweet, L. H. Identifying optimal cognitive, social, and emotional profiles of anti-vaping messages for young adult vapers: Insights from interpretable machine learning analysis.
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2026Peng, Q., & Liu, J. Generative AI for scalable message tailoring: Differential persuasive effects across socioeconomic and value-based subgroups.
Selected Conference Presentations
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2026JunFour papers presented at the 76th ICA Annual Conference, Cape Town, South Africa — on mixed-emotional headlines, anti-vaping ML profiling, mapping surrealism in AI images, and the third-person effect in social-appeal messages.
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2026MayGenerative AI for scalable message tailoring.
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2026MarOptimal profiles of anti-vaping messages via interpretable ML.
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2024NovCongruent and incongruent norms: The impact of news and user comments on norm perceptions in the digital age.
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2024SepMisinformation potential of AI-generated images (poster).
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2024JunA first analysis of the misinformation potential of AI-generated images.
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2019JunAre you ready for artificial Mozart and Skrillex?
For the complete list, see my CV.