Digital analytics and prosocial communication research grants announced

April 19, 2023 • Jonathan McVerry

The Arthur W. Page Center announced the recipients of its 2023 Page/Johnson Legacy Scholar Grants. The 19 projects will cover a wide range of areas and offer insights within two important research topics – digital analytics and prosocial communication.

The scholar grant program is a primary function of the Page Center. Each year with the help of senior research fellows, Center leaders identify important, timely topics and solicit research proposals that contribute to the scholarly, industry, and public understanding of those topics.

The digital analytics call, led by senior research fellow Frank Dardis, seeks to learn how companies, brands and organizations employ digital analytics that effectively optimize communication efforts. Scholars will be examining practices and trends – i.e. artificial intelligence, digital listening and privacy – to learn how strategic measures can be enacted ethically and responsibly.

The prosocial communication call, led by senior research fellow Brooke W. McKeever, will examine nonprofit, corporate, and government organizations that work to improve public health, deal in social conditions, or encourage prosocial behaviors such as participating in advocacy efforts. Areas of focus include CEO activism, corporate social advocacy, sustainability, health communication, nonprofit and NGO communication, among others.

“Some of the most important issues we are facing, not just in public communications but in society, fall under these two topics,” Page Center director Denise Bortree said. “We are so happy to have two experts leading the calls and an impressive collection of scholars answering the need for this incredibly relevant research.”

Scholars from this call represent nearly 30 different colleges and universities. Every week this summer, the Page Center blog will feature the scholars and their projects. The posts will introduce the scholars, overview the research topic and share ideas as the teams begin their Page Center-funded research. Scholars will also present their research ideas at the first meeting of the Research Roundtable, a virtual gathering with the Page Center advisory board in early summer.

Over the next year, scholars will complete their research and present results at the Center’s second Research Roundtable, which is held in-person at the annual AEJMC Conference. All funded scholars from the prosocial communication call will submit a journal article to be considered for a special issue in the Public Relations Journal.

The Page Center has a long history of funding digital ethics and advocacy-focused research. Digital ethics was the topic for research calls in 2017 and 2012. The Center has also fielded many prosocial-themed calls, including corporate social advocacy (2021), ethics of care (2021) and advocacy (2018). The Page Center’s online ethics training also feature modules on digital ethics and activism.

Since its founding in 2004, the Center has funded nearly 300 scholars and awarded more than $1 million in funding. While research themes vary from year to year, the Center consistently supports academic exploration into the understanding of principles practiced in public communication.

Visit the 2023 call for research proposals page for more information on the call.

The 2023 Page Center Research Grants on Digital Analytics

Organizational communication and education for ethical use of artificial intelligence applied digital analytics
Won-Ki Moon, University of Florida and Sangwook Lee, Penn State University

The impact of corporate data responsibility on user trust in algorithmic recommendation systems: A mixed-methods approach
Joon Soo Lim, Syracuse University; Chunsik Lee and Junga Kim, University of North Florida; and Donghee Shin, Zayed University

Exploring public attitudes and behaviors towards artificial intelligence use in hiring
Ying Xiong and Joon Kyoung Kim, University of Rhode Island

Fostering digital internal listening: The impact of EORs and employees’ supportive behaviors
Yuan Wang, City University of Hong Kong and Rita Linjuan Men, University of Florida

When PR meets AI: Understanding public relations professionals’ perceptions about ethical issues of artificial intelligence and their relevant roles as ethics counsel in organizations
I-Huei Cheng, National Chengchi University; Karla Gower, University of Alabama; and Seow Ting Lee, University of Colorado Boulder

Toward trust: The importance of algorithm transparency signaling in AI-assisted communication
Keonyoung Park, Hong Kong Baptist University and Ho Young Yoon, Ewha Womans University

Telling the truth about data analytics: A data privacy transparency analysis
Jonathan Obar and Giuseppina D’Agostino, York University

The 2023 Page Center Research Grants on Prosocial Communication

Creating shared purpose, dialogic communication, organization listening and tensions: Exploring the role of communication to resolve ageing-care problems in Australia and New Zealand
Flora Hung-Baesecke and Maureen Taylor, University of Technology Sydney, and Yi-Ru Regina Chen, Hong Kong Baptist University

Licensed to greenwash? Exploring sustainability-driven prosocial communication strategies through the moral framework of corporate sustainability communication
Shupei Yuan, Northern Illinois University and Haoran Chu, University of Florida

How should U.S. companies communicate about geopolitical issues? Toward a normative model of corporate prosocial communication
Yi Grace Ji, Boston University; Yufan Sunny Qin, James Madison University; Jie Jin and Linjuan Rita Men, University of Florida; and Zifei Fay Chen, University of San Francisco

Using message framing and the endorser to communicate corporate social advocacy: A social identity approach
Duli Shi and Sangwon Lee, New Mexico State University

Promoting bone marrow donation through sharing personal narratives: An ethical perspective
Nicole O’Donnell, Washington State University

Developing corporate social advocacy through the NGO and refugee lens: Lessons for navigating the risks of prosocial communication
Brian Smith and Staci Smith, Brigham Young University

Social media influencers, emotional flow, and elevation uplift narrative persuasion on mental health prosocial communication: A media psychophysiology approach
Yen-I Lee and Di Mu, Washington State University and Michaela Gearty and Yan Jin, University of Georgia

Prosocial communication in social media for public resilience during a collective tragedy
Jo-Yun Queenie Li and Yeunjae Lee, University of Miami

Communicating CEO activism for employee prosocial behaviors: Exploring the effects of CEO activist communication on employee prosocial sensemaking and prosocial behaviors
Young Kim and Katharine E. Miller, Marquette University

Can PR be local, global, and prosocial? Transnational CSA and practitioner negotiation amid contentious issues
Luke Capizzo, University of Missouri; Jeannette Iannacone and Drew T. Ashby-King, University of Maryland

Cultivating prosocial motivation in messaging: A conceptual and operational toolbox tailored to nonprofit health communication
Amanda Hinnant, University of Missouri and Sisi Hu, University of Arkansas

Extending the model of media advocacy for strategic and ethical communication
Minhee Choi, Virginia Commonwealth University and Kelli S. Boling, University of Nebraska-Lincoln