Grounded in computer-mediated communication, Yidi’s research lies at the intersection of interpersonal and intergroup communication. Her work examines the social influence of communication technologies, such as social media and AI, and how mediated environments shape people’s interactions across contexts.
Yidi Zhang is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Communication at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her research is grounded in computer-mediated communication (CMC), examining how digital and AI-mediated environments shape identity, persuasion, and social influence across interpersonal, intergroup, and organizational contexts. Specifically, she is interested in the social influence of communication technologies and how mediated communication shapes people’s interactions. Her research agenda focuses on three interconnected areas: (1) the reciprocal effects of self-presentation and self-identification online; (2) the self-effects of communicating in mediated contexts; and (3) the utility of AI as an intervention agent in online discussions. Her current projects address vicarious interpersonal interactions, the interplay between anonymity and identification online, and scalable strategies, such as counter-speech, to combat online hate. Her work has been published in journals including New Media & Society, Media Psychology, and Communication Research Reports. She has also presented her research at the annual conferences of the International Communication Association (ICA) and the National Communication Association (NCA), where her work received a Top Student Paper Award in 2026.
B.A. (2020), City University of Hong Kong, Communication
M.A. (2023), Michigan State University, Communication