Jinxu Li
  • PhD Program

Biography

Jinxu Li is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Communication & Journalism at Texas A&M University. She is a strategic communication scholar whose research lies at the intersection of health communication, digital persuasion, and human–AI interaction. Her work explores how persuasive messaging, influencer-driven narratives, and emerging technologies can be used to promote mental health, reduce stigma, and foster public engagement. She is particularly interested in how persuasive message design and human–AI interaction shape audience perceptions and behavioral responses, with the goal of advancing ethical and effective strategies for nonprofit and advocacy campaigns.

 Grounded in theories of mass communication, public health, psychology, and human–computer interaction, her scholarship bridges conceptual insights with practical applications in public health and nonprofit contexts. As a quantitative researcher, she uses experiments, surveys, and content analysis, complemented by computational and qualitative approaches. Her research has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Mass Communication and Society, Health Communication, International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction, and Digital Health.

Courses Taught

Instructor of Record

  • COMM 370: Health Communication
  • COMM 210: Group Communication and Discussion
  • COMM 203: Public Speaking

Teaching Assistant

  • COMM 323: Strategic Communication
  • COMM 308: Research Methods in Communication

Awards & Honors

    • Texas A&M Institute of Data Science Student Ambassador Award
    • Bonnie R. ’70 and James A. Creel ’69 Health Communication Award
    • 2024 Kentucky Conference on Health Communication Philip C. Palmgreen Top Student-Led Paper Award

Selected Publications

      • Li, J., Pu, Y., Wang, N., & Tang, L. (2025). Exploring emotional contagion and reciprocity between social media influencers and followers: A content analysis of autobiographic content about depression and comments on Douyin. Mass Communication and Society, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/15205436.2025.2473489
      • Li, J., & Tang, L. (2025). “I want to hold an umbrella over you because I have been in the rain”: Exploring patient influencers’ motivations to share eating disorder experiences from a self-determination theory perspective. Health Communication, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2024.2447103
      • Li, J., & Street Jr, R. L. (2025). What encourages patients to recommend their doctor after an online medical consultation? The influence of patient-centered communication, trust, and negative health information seeking experiences. Health Communication, 40(6), 992–1003. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2024.2383801
      • Zou, W., Li, J., Yang, Y., & Tang, L. (2025). Exploring the early adoption of open AI among laypeople and technical professionals: An analysis of Twitter conversations on ChatGPT and GPT-3. International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction, 41(1), 149-160. https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2023.2295725
      • Li, J., Tang, L., & Pu, Y. (2024). My story of depression: A content analysis of autobiographic videos on Douyin. Health Communication, 39(5), 906-914. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2023.2191887
      • Tang, L., Li, J., & Fantus, S. (2023). Medical AI ethics: A systematic review of empirical studies. Digital Health, 9, 20552076231186064. https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076231186064