Dr. Sun Joo (Grace) Ahn

Lee, Joomi (Grady postdoctoral research associate), Ahn, Sun Joo (Grace), Wu, D., Lin, J.-H., & Kim, Jooyoung. (2021). A second chance to protect yourself and others: The impact of interactivity and efficacy messages on influenza vaccination intentions in virtual reality

Abstract: The global COVID-19 pandemic forced all large in-person events to pivot to virtual or online platforms. IEEEVR2020 coincided with rising concerns and restrictions on travel and large gatherings, becoming one of the first academic conferences to rapidly adapt its programming to a completely virtual format. The global pandemic provided an impetus to re-examine the […]

Abstract: Crises, whether society-wide or personal, are endemic to the human condition. Yet academia and its associated institutions persist in having insufficient scaffolding to support its members during periods of crisis. No one knows this more acutely than academic caregivers of children, elders, disabled adults, and other loved ones with special needs. Academic caregivers are disproportionately women, and the COVID-19 […]

Abstract: The open science (OS) movement has advocated for increased transparency in certain aspects of research. Communication is taking its first steps towards OS as some journals have adopted OS guidelines codified by another discipline. We find this pursuit troubling as OS prioritizes openness while insufficiently addressing essential ethical principles: respect for persons, beneficence, and […]

Abstract: Virtual reality (VR) tourism provides individuals with a brief, but realistic, preview of travel destinations. Despite the increasing popularity of VR tourism in destination advertising, outcomes and underlying mechanisms of virtual tours remain underexplored. Guided by the theoretical framework of spatial presence perception, this experiment (N = 118) investigated how VR tourism affects behavioral intentions to travel […]

Smink, Anne R. (former Grady visiting doctoral student), Hahn, Lindsay (former Grady postdoctoral research associate), Trude, Bryan (Grady doctoral student), & Ahn, Sun Joo (Grace) (2021). Embodied congruence as a framework for understanding user experiences with immersive technologies. Paper presented at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Conference, virtual conference due to COVID-19, August 4-7. ** Top Theory Paper in the […]

Hatfield, Haley (Grady doctoral student), Ahn, Sun Joo (Grace), Klein, Matthew (Grady doctoral student), & Nowak, K. N. (2021). Confronting whiteness through virtual humans: A systematic review of 20 years of research in prejudice and racial bias using virtual environments. Paper to be presented at the National Communication Association Annual Conference, Seattle, WA, November 18-21. ** Top Paper in the Human […]

PIs and Co-PIs: Matthew Browning (Multiple PI, Clemson University), Jill Gambill (Co-PI, University of Georgia) Funding Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) Total Amount:  $499,931 Project period: 2 years Project Summary: The project will be looking at using virtual reality (VR) to better communicate and educate about the risks of climate change among coastal […]

Abstract: Only one-third of adults 18 to 49 years old in the United States receive a recommended annual influenza vaccination. This study examined whether supplementing vaccine information statements (VIS) with an immersive virtual reality (VR), short video or electronic pamphlet story designed to convey the community immunity benefits of influenza vaccination would improve influenza vaccine […]

Poster presented at the World Congress of Pain of the International Association for the Study of Pain, September 12-16, Boston, MA.

Abstract: This chapter explores how video games interact with individual characteristics to afford unique opportunities for behavior change. It first considers how video games differ from traditional media, and more specifically how they create virtual situations that may be perceived differently from those naturally occurring in reality. In this regard, the concept of situational affordance […]

Abstract: Embodied experiences in virtual reality (VR) involves the reproduction of sufficiently realistic sensory information so that users are able to see, hear, and feel experiences as if they are going through them at the moment. A growing body of literature evinces that the effects of these virtual experiences carry over into the physical world […]

Abstract: Virtual simulations allow users to feel and manipulate objects as they would in the physical world. Guided by exemplification theory and risk communication research, a virtual exemplar was developed to allow users to feel the weight of the caloric density of unhealthy snacks (e.g., potato chips) to heighten risk perceptions on snack choices. A […]

Abstract: Although previous research has shown that individuals take on aspects of the avatars they embody in virtual environments, studies have not yet tested whether this phenomenon, known as the Proteus Effect, extends to traits that are undesirable to have, such as narcissism. One hundred thirty-three female participants completed a shopping simulation in virtual reality. […]

Abstract: Gamification is an increasingly popular form of health intervention but its efficacy remains elusive due to a lack of clarity in its conceptualization and operationalization. This study aimed to isolate and determine the direct causal effect of one of the most popular game elements used in gamified interventions, the points-based reward system, on PA […]

Abstract: Virtual simulations allow individuals to concretely view future negative health consequences of present dietary choices. Integrating exemplification theory with risk communication research, the effect of using virtual simulations to exemplify health risks of soft drink consumption was assessed across three weeks. A three-group pre-test, post-test, delayed post-test design (N= 62) compared the effect of […]