My name is Di Cui. I received my Ph.D. of Communication from Florida State University. My research interests include media psychology, multicultural communication, and social media.
Recent developments in the area of media entertainment research have introduced and tested the mo... more Recent developments in the area of media entertainment research have introduced and tested the model of entertainment as the satisfaction of three intrinsic needs in the context of video game play and Facebook use. This study extended this line of self-determination theory (SDT) through the examination of specific mechanisms that link social Question and Answering site usage to the satisfaction of the intrinsic needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness. Results revealed that although writing activities were associated with all three need satisfactions, reading activities were associated with the satisfaction of autonomy and competency, and sharing/archiving activities were only associated with the need for competency. Furthermore, only the autonomy need was found to be related to enjoyment. Results were discussed in terms of the theoretical contributions to online media entertainment research. Practical implications for the industry were addressed.
This study examines the persuasive effect of a historical movie about World War II in audiences w... more This study examines the persuasive effect of a historical movie about World War II in audiences with different attitudes toward and prior knowledge of the figures and events portrayed in the movie, based on different cultural backgrounds (U.S. and China). Empathy levels for controversial historical figures (e.g., Adolf Hitler, Josef Goebbels) and groups (e.g., Germany as a nation) were analyzed, as were related story-consistent beliefs. U.S. participants reported having more empathy toward the figures and groups after viewing, while their general opinions toward war were more negative. A different and mostly contradictory pattern was observed among Chinese participants. Results suggest that preexisting attitudes and knowledge likely play an important role in the narrative persuasion process for historical movies.
Recent developments in the area of media entertainment research have introduced and tested the mo... more Recent developments in the area of media entertainment research have introduced and tested the model of entertainment as the satisfaction of three intrinsic needs in the context of video game play and Facebook use. This study extended this line of self-determination theory (SDT) through the examination of specific mechanisms that link social Question and Answering site usage to the satisfaction of the intrinsic needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness. Results revealed that although writing activities were associated with all three need satisfactions, reading activities were associated with the satisfaction of autonomy and competency, and sharing/archiving activities were only associated with the need for competency. Furthermore, only the autonomy need was found to be related to enjoyment. Results were discussed in terms of the theoretical contributions to online media entertainment research. Practical implications for the industry were addressed.
This study examines the persuasive effect of a historical movie about World War II in audiences w... more This study examines the persuasive effect of a historical movie about World War II in audiences with different attitudes toward and prior knowledge of the figures and events portrayed in the movie, based on different cultural backgrounds (U.S. and China). Empathy levels for controversial historical figures (e.g., Adolf Hitler, Josef Goebbels) and groups (e.g., Germany as a nation) were analyzed, as were related story-consistent beliefs. U.S. participants reported having more empathy toward the figures and groups after viewing, while their general opinions toward war were more negative. A different and mostly contradictory pattern was observed among Chinese participants. Results suggest that preexisting attitudes and knowledge likely play an important role in the narrative persuasion process for historical movies.
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