Hyeonchang Gim

Hyeonchang "Kay" Gim earned a Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Arizona in 2024. Dr. Gim is an intergroup communication scholar working at the interface of mediated and interpersonal communication. He is interested in understanding how messages influence people's attitudes toward various social groups, including ethnic and cultural groups. In recent years, his research has explored different forms of mediated communication (e.g., user-generated short-form videos and social media) that influence intergroup attitudes within domains such as music and sports. As a quantitative behavioral scientist, he approaches his work using experimental and computational methods. His recent publications have appeared in Communication Monographs, Media Psychology, Journal of Media Psychology, and Communication Research Reports among others. He has received multiple awards, including top papers from ICA's Intergroup Communication and NCA's Mass Communication Divisions.

Reflecting his dedication to fostering social cohesion through research, his career as an educator mirrors his enthusiasm for establishing inclusive classroom settings that facilitate the success of all students. He teaches classes in intercultural communication, persuasion, research methods, small group communication, and music as communication. For further information about Dr. Gim, you can explore his personal website by clicking here.

Research Interests

Intergroup Communication

Interpersonal Communication

Media Content and Effects

Natural Language Processing

Selected Publications 

Gim, H., & Harwood, J. (in press, 2024). What people do matters during intergroup communication: Immediate and delayed effects of intergroup contact via cognitive, affective, and behavioral mediators. Communication Monographs.

Gim, H., & Harwood, J. (2023). Music and sports as catalysts for intergroup harmony: What is more effective, and why? Journal of Media Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-1105/a000385

Gim, H. (2023). How do people tweet about gay and bisexual people surrounding the 2022 monkeypox outbreak? An NLP-based text analysis of tweets in the U.S. Communication Research Reports, 40(5), 238-249. https://doi.org/10.1080/08824096.2023.2263351 

Gim, H., Gahler, H., Harwood, J., & Paolini, S. (2023). Seeking others’ sounds: Predictors of voluntary exposure to outgroup music. Media Psychology, 26(1), 54-71. https://doi.org/10.1080/15213269.2022.2097095