Junwen Hu

I am a Ph.D. candidate (all-but-dissertation) at the Department of Communication, Michigan State University. PhD'ing at the first Communication Department in the US, known for its rigorous scientific training, I am passionate in developing scientific theories that address social problems. My research approaches emotions and social behaviors through relational communication messages, networks, and technologies. Findings appear in journals like Journal of Social and Personal Relationshops and Computers in Human Behavior and are covered by scientific media like PsyPost (2024, 2025).

In my leading or independent investigations, I identify critical questions and employ various data types (e.g., experimental, longitudinal, network) and advanced statistical models (e.g., SEM, MLM) to answer these questions.

About Me | Publication --------------------- Selected Work
A longitudinal analysis of how romantic and friendship involvement are associated with depressive symptoms
Junwen Hu
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Feb, 2025.
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Key concern
Applying mixed effects models, I found that compared roles of romantic and friendship involvements over time and revealed findings that lead to reflections on common perceptions. Click to read more.

Does online dating make relationships more successful? Replication and extension of a previous study
Junwen Hu, Rui Zhu, and Yue Zhang
Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, Jul, 2024.
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Key concern
Are relationships beginning in online dating more successful than those that begin offline? We had different findings than research conducted a decade ago and revealed a moderator. Click to read more.

The relationship between preference for online social interaction and affective well-being via compulsive dating app use: The moderating role of algorithmic beliefs
Junwen Hu and Jian (Raymond) Rui
Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, Sep, 2023.
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Key concern
Using moderated mediation models, we uncovered positive roles of algorithimc beliefs, which motivate me to continue a whole line of follow-up research that explores communication strategies to promote online social experiences. Click to read more.