Dr. Han Li is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Communication at Cornell
University. Her research focuses on understanding the interplay between new and
emerging communication technologies (e.g., social media, online community, AI
chatbots) and social behaviors and processes, including peer support, prosocial
behavior, and harmful or problematic behaviors. She also examines the ebb and flow of
online interpersonal and group dynamics to inform the development and design of
technologies and interventions that enhance social relationships, improve mental health
and well-being, and contribute to social good.
Currently, she is working on projects that explore the mechanisms and interventions for
deterring objectionable behaviors—such as hate speech, harassment, and
misinformation—and fostering emergent norms on social media through field
experiments. Her research is interdisciplinary, situated at the intersection of
Communication, Computational Social Science (CSS), and Human-Computer/AI
Interaction (HCI/HAI). Her work has been published in flagship journals across multiple
disciplines, including the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, Social Media +
Society, CHI, and npj Digital Medicine. Her research has also been featured by the
Associated Press, Nature, ABC News, and over 90 other media outlets.
Before assuming her current position, Dr. Li completed postdoctoral research at the
National University of Singapore. She earned her Ph.D. in Computational
Communication from Fudan University, dual M.A.s in Global Communication from
Simon Fraser University and the Communication University of China, and a B.E. in Civil
Engineering from Shandong University. Additionally, she was a visiting scholar in
Human-Computer Interaction at Carnegie Mellon University.
Journal Publications
Li, H., & Zhang, R. (2024). Finding love in algorithms: deciphering the emotional
contexts of close encounters with AI chatbots. Journal of Computer-Mediated
Communication, 29(5), zmae015.
https://academic.oup.com/jcmc/article/29/5/zmae015/7742812
Li, H., & Xu, Y. (2024). Unraveling the Cross-Cultural Differences in Online Expression
of Social Anxiety in Online Support Communities. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and
Social Networking, 27 (5). https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/cyber.2023.0539
Li, H., Zhang, R., Lee, Y. C., Kraut, R. E., & Mohr, D. C. (2023). Systematic review and
meta-analysis of AI-based conversational agents for promoting mental health and well-
being. NPJ Digital Medicine, 6(1), 236. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41746-023-
00979-5
Li, H., Kraut, R. E., & Zhu, H. (2021). Technical features of asynchronous and
synchronous community platforms and their effects on community cohesion: a
comparative study of forum-based and chat-based online mental health communities.
Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 26(6), 403-421.
https://academic.oup.com/jcmc/article/26/6/403/6375170
Zhang, R., Li, H., Meng, H., Zhan, J., Gan, H., & Lee, Y. C. (2025, forthcoming). The
Dark Side of AI Companionship: A Taxonomy of Harmful Algorithmic Behaviors in
Human-AI Relationships. In Proceedings of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in
Computing Systems. https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.20130
Zhang, R., Li, H., Chen, A., Liu, Z., & Lee, Y. C. (2024). AI Privacy in Context: A
Comparative Study of Public and Institutional Discourse on Conversational AI Privacy in
the US and Chinese Social Media. Social Media + Society, 10(4), 20563051241290845.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20563051241290845
Liu, Z., Li, H., Chen, A., Zhang, R., & Lee, Y. C. (2024, May). Understanding Public
Perceptions of AI Conversational Agents: A Cross-Cultural Analysis. In Proceedings of
the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 1-17).
https://dl.acm.org/doi/full/10.1145/3613904.3642840
Kraut, R. E., Li, H., & Zhu, H. (2022). Mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic:
Impacts of disease, social isolation, and financial stressors. PloS one, 17(11),
e0277562. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0277562
Media Coverage
February 8, 2025. “AI wants to fix your love life – but can it really be hacked?”
Associated Press. Link: https://www.seattletimes.com/life/food-drink/ai-wants-to-fix-
your-love-life-but-can-it-really-be-hacked/
December 10, 2024. Robotics and artificial intelligence: Intelligent machines could
shape the future of science and society. Nature. Link:
https://www.nature.com/immersive/robotics-ai/index.html
March 23,2024. “Ready or not, AI chatbots are here to help with Gen Z’s mental health
struggles.” Associated Press. Link: https://apnews.com/article/chatbots-mental-
healththerapy-counseling-ai-73feb819ff52a51d53fee117c3207219
