Dr. Shen received his PhD from the Ohio State University. His research covers a wide range of topics including public opinion, political communication, new media, audience and consumer behavior analysis, computational social sciences, and health/science communication. He has published articles in such journals as Communication Theory, Journal of Communication, Communication Research, the International Journal of Press/Politics, New Media & Society, Computers in Human Behavior, Behavior & Information Technology, and International Journal of Public Opinion Research, etc.

Dr. Shen won the Google Faculty Research Award in 2014 and the Facebook Foundational Integrity Research Award in 2020 and was a Faculty Associate at the Berkman Klein Center, Harvard University during 2015-2016. He was the associate editor of 'Communication Methods and Measures' and is currently the associate editor of Asian Journal of Communication. He serves on editorial board for Communication Methods and Measures, Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising, Communication and the Public, and Chinese Journal of Communication.

Dr. Shen was a visiting Chair Professor of the Pearl River Program (珠江學者講座教授) at the School of Communication and Design, Sun Yat-Sen University in Guangzhou from 2018 to 2021, and is an external research fellow for Center for Information and Communication Studies at Fudan University, and Center for Internet and Governance Research at Sun Yat-sen University.

• COM 2401 Fundamentals of Advertising
• COM 5401 Advertising Production and Management
• COM 5405 Consumer Behavior Insight
• COM 5104 Research Methods for Communication and New Media
• COM 5506 Social Network Analysis for Communication
• COM 8007 Multivariate Analysis in Communication Research
• COM 5509 Media Data Analytics
• FB 6603 Consumer Behavior (College of Business)

• principal investigator, Public Policy Research, Policy Innovation and Co-ordination Office, Hong Kong Government, “Using Deliberation to Reduce Polarization and Build Consensus: An Experimental Study.” HKD 432,687 (55,723 USD).
• principal investigator, Facebook Research Award (Foundational Integrity Research), Facebook Inc., Can third party fact-checkers on Facebook reduce affective polarization? USD 85,000
• principal investigator, Public Policy Research (special round), Policy Innovation and Co-ordination Office, Hong Kong Government, How to reduce political polarization in Hong Kong: A pilot experiment of deliberation. HKD 451,950 (58,311 USD)
• principal investigator, General Research Fund by Hong Kong Government, Tracking Public Opinion through Real-time Textual Mining: A Public Service Platform with Big Data-based Approach, 1,124,418 HKD (GRF-11600717)
  project website: http://www.webopinion.hk
• principal investigator, General Research Fund by Hong Kong Government, Trust in Media revisited: A Rational-emotional Model. 574,500 HKD (GRF-11602915)
• principal investigator, Google Faculty Research Award, An empirical Study of Internet Users in 11 Asian Societies. USD 83,000 (644,324HKD)

Journal Articles (English)

• Xia, C. & Shen, F. (2025). Unpacking the association between social media use and support for unlawful behaviors in protests: A study in Hong Kong. Internet Research.
• Guo, S. Z., Wang, D., & Shen, C. F. (2024). The expectation-evaluation gap: Audience news engagement and perceptions of media performance and credibility. Global Media and China, 20594364241268137.
• Gao, Y., Lau, J. T. F., Zhang, Q., Ming, W. K., Shen, F., Huang, Y. H. C., & Jiang, L. C. (2024). The Impact of Expert Opinions in COVID-19 News Coverage on Vaccination During the Fifth Outbreak in Hong Kong: A Time Series Analysis. Health Communication, 1-16.
• Yu, W.# & Shen, F. (August, 2023). Mapping verification behaviors in the post-truth era: A systematic review. New Media & Society.
• Min, C. & Shen, F. (August, 2023). Online incivility, argument quality and public expression in China: Exploring the moderating role of education level and opinion congruency. Telematics and Informatics.
• Xia, C.# & Shen, F.(April, 2023). How does political tolerance moderate the effects of social media use on political polarization: A moderated mediation model. International Journal of Public Opinion Research.
• Gong, W., Jiang, L. C., Guo, Q. , & Shen, F. (September, 2023). The role of family communication patterns in intergenerational COVID-19 discussions and preventive behaviors: a social cognitive approach. BMC Pyschology, 11(1), 1-13.
• Shen, F., Zhang, E., Zhang, H., Ren, W., Jia, Q., & He, Y. (February, 2023). Examining the differences between human and bot social media accounts: A case study of the Russia-Ukraine War. First Monday.
• Wu, Y., Ye, Q., Shen, F., Zhang, Z., & Jiang, C. L. (December, 2022). Country-and app-level factors affecting the adoption and evaluation of COVID-19 mobile apps. BMC Public Health, 22(1), 1-11.
• Zhu, Y., Cheng, E. W., Shen, F., & Walker, R. M. (April, 2022). An eye for an eye? An integrated model of attitude change toward protest violence. Political Communication, 1-25.
• Yu, W., Shen, F., & Min, C. (2022). Correcting science misinformation in an authoritarian country: An experiment from China. Telematics and Informatics. Online first.
• Shen, F., & Yu, W. (2021). Reducing political polarization in Hong Kong: A pilot experiment of deliberation. Japanese Journal of Political Science.
• Yu, W. & Shen, F. (2021). The relationship between online political participation and privacy protection: Evidence from 10 Asian Societies. Behavior & Information Technology.
• Yu, W. ? & Shen, F. (2021). Does fact-checking habit promote covid-19 knowledge during the pandemic? Evidence from China. Public Health.[SSCI]
• Shen, F., Min, C., ? & Ye, L., & Chu, Y. (2021). Effects of cognition and affection on preventive behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study in China. BMC Public Health. [SSCI]
• Min, C., Shen, F., & Chu, Y. (2021). Examining the relationship between knowledge and attitude extremity about GMOs: A cross-sectional survey from China. Journal of Environmental Psychology. [SSCI]
• Wu, Y. ? & Shen, F.* (2021). Exploring the impacts of traditional media use, social media use, and media trust on health behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Journal of Health Psychology. [SSCI]
• Dai, Y., Yu, W., & Shen, F. * (2021). Forewarning or negation? The effects of message order and debiasing information in misinformation correction. International Journal of Communication. [SSCI]
• Shen, F., & Wang, T. ? (2021). Grumpy consumers, good citizens? Exploring the relationship between Internet use, online consumer behavior, and civic participation in China. International Journal of Communication. [SSCI]
• Eveland, Jr. W. P., & Shen, F. (2021). Cross-national variantion in political network size, distribution, and prediction. Social Networks. [SSCI]
• Min, C., Shen, F., Yu, W., & Chu, Y. (2020). The relationship between government trust and preventive behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic in China: Exploring the roles of knowledge and negative emotion. Preventive Medicine. [SSCI]
• Min, C., Shen, F., & Yu, W. (2020). Removing incivility from Google: What determines the number of government content take-down requests? Government Information Quarterly. [SSCI]
• Chen, M. , & Shen, F. (2020). Grievances, resources, or values? Predicting online citizen-initiated government contacts in China. Telematics & Informatics. [SSCI]
• Wu, Y. & Shen, F. (2020). Negativity makes us polarized: A longitudinal study of media tone and opinion polarization in Hong Kong. Asian Journal of Communication.
• Shen, F., Xia, C., & Skoric, M. (2020). Examining the roles of social media and alternative media in social movement participation: A study of Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement. Telematics and Informatics. [SSCI]
• Xia, C. & Shen, F.* (2019). Does Government Pay Attention to the Public? The Dynamics of Public Opinion and Government Attention in Post-Handover Hong Kong. International Journal of Public Opinion Research. [SSCI]
• Shen, F.& Tsui, L. (2018). Revisiting the Asian Values Thesis:
  An Empirical Study of Asian Values, Internet Use, and Support for Freedom of Expression in 11 Societies. Asian Survey.[SSCI]
  
• Shen, F. & Zhang, Z. (2018). Do Circumvention Tools Promote Democratic Values? Exploring the Correlates of Anti-Censorship Technology Adoption in China. Journal of Information Technology & Politics [SSCI]
• Shen, F. (2017). Internet Use, Freedom Supply, and Demand for Internet Freedom: A Cross-National Study of 20 Countries. International Journal of Communication, 11, 2093–2114. [SSCI]
• Wang, T., & Shen, F. (2017). The Impacts of Online Grassroots Criticism on Citizen Satisfaction With Government: An Inconsistent Mediation Model, International Journal of Communication,11, 113–136. [SSCI]
• Zhu, Q., Skoric, M., & Shen, F. (2016). I Shield Myself From Thee: Selective Avoidance on Social Media During Political Protests. Political Communication. [SSCI]
• Liang, H., Shen, F., & Fu, K. W. (2016). Privacy protection and self-disclosure across societies: A study of global Twitter users. New Media & Society, 1461444816642210. [SSCI]
• Shen, F., & Wang, T. (2015). Does perceived incongruence in opinion climate influence the degree of outspokenness? Evidence from two national events in China. Chinese Journal of Communication, DOI:10.1080/17544750.2015.1046186 [SSCI]
• Shen, F., & Liang, H. (2014). Cultural Difference, Social Values, or Political Systems? Predicting Willingness to Engage in Online Political Discussion in 75 Societies International Journal of Public Opinion Research. [SSCI]
• Liu, Y-I, Shen, F., Eveland, W.P., & Dylko, I. (2013). The Impact of News Use and News Content Characteristics on Political Knowledge and Participation. Mass Communication & Society. DOI:10.1080/15205436.2013.778285 [SSCI]
• Shen, F. & Liang, H. (2013). Do Chinese Internet Users Care about News? Tracking News Consumers on the Internet in a Metropolis 2009-2011. Chinese Journal of Communication. DOI:10.1080/17544750.2013.816755 [SSCI]
• Shen, F. & Zhang, Z. (2013). Who are investigative journalists in China? Findings from a survey in 2010. Chinese Journal of Communication. DOI:10.1080/17544750.2013.816757 [SSCI]
• Shen, F. (2012). Book review - Freedom of Information Reform in China: Information Flow Analysis. China Information, 26, 391.
• Shen, F. & Guo, S. (2012). The Last Refuge of Media Persuasion: News Use, National Pride and Political Trust in China. Asian Journal of Communication, 1-17. [SSCI]
• Matthes, J., Hayes, A. F., Rojas, H., Shen, F., Min, S-J, Dulko, I. B. (2012). Exemplifying a Dispositional Approach to Cross-Cultural Spiral of Silence Research: Fear of Social Isolation and the Inclination to Self-Censor. International Journal of Public Opinion Research, 24 (3): 287-305. [SSCI]
• Shen, F., Lu, Y., Guo, Z., & Zhou, B. (2011). News media use, perceived credibility, and efficacy: An analysis of media participation intention in China. Chinese Journal of Communication, 4(4), 475–495. [SSCI]
• Wang, N., Guo, Z., & Shen, F. (2011). Message, Perception, and the Beijing Olympics: Impact of Differential Media Exposure on Perceived Opinion Diversity, Communication Research, 38, 422-445. [SSCI]
• Shen, F. (2010). Book review - Communication effect research: Origin, development and application, Chinese Journal of Communication, 3, 2, 248-250.
• Shen, F. & Eveland, W. P. Jr. (2010). Testing the Intramedia Interaction Hypothesis: The Contingent Effects of News. Journal of Communication, 60, 364–387
• Shen, F., Wang, N., Guo, S., Guo, L (2009). Online network size, efficacy, and opinion expression: Assessing the impacts of internet use in China. International Journal of Public Opinion Research, 21, 451-476. [http://ijpor.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/edp046]
  
• Shen, F. (2009). An economic theory of political communication effects: How the economy conditions political learning. Communication Theory, 19, 374-396. [http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/122638274/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0]
• Eveland, W. P. Jr., Hively, M. & Shen, F. (2009). Exposure, attention, or “use” of news? Validating measurement of a central concept in political communication and public opinion research. Communication Methods and Measures, 3, 4, 223-244.
• Shen, F. (2008). “Staying alive”: The impact of media momentum on candidacy attrition in the 1980-2004 primaries. The International Journal of Press/Politics, 13, 4, 429-450.[http://hij.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/13/4/429]
• Dervin, B., Reinhard, C. D. & Shen, F. (2006). Beyond communication: Research as communicating. Making user and audience studies matter. Information Research, 12, 1.[http://informationr.net/ir/12-1/paper287.html]
• Guo, Z. S., Cheung, W.H., & Shen, F. (2005). Depth of reasoning and information processing: A predictive model of SARS behaviors. Asian Journal of Communication, 2005, 3, 274 – 288 [http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/routledg/rajc/2005/00000015/00000003/art00004]
  

Journal Articles (Chinese)

• Zhang, H., Shen, F., Li, H. & Jia, Q. (2020). The Impact of Proximity on the Rumors’ trust: An Analysis of the Mediating Effect of the Communication Channels During the 2019-nCov Epidemic (疫情接近性對謠言信任度的影響:新冠疫情中傳播渠道的中介效應分析). Journalism and Mass Communication Monthly (新聞界), Vol. 4, 48-56. [CSSCI]
• Chu, Y., Lu, Y., & Shen, F. (2020). Health attitudes and behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from an empirical study of national public science knowledge and attitude (新冠疫情下中國公眾的知與行——基于“全國公眾科學認知與態度”調查的實證研究) Shanghai Journalism Review (新聞記者), Vol. 5, 3-13. [CSSCI]
• Zhan, Z. & Shen, F. (2014). Chinese audience in new media environment: General features and group differences (a).(新傳播形態下的中國受眾: 總體特征及群體差異 (上). Xin chuanbo xingtai xia de zhongguo shouzhong: zongti tezheng ji qunti chayi (shang)). [in Chinese] Modern Communication (現代傳播 Xiandai chuanbo), Vol 36, 3.[CSSCI]
• Zhan, Z. & Shen, F. (2014). Chinese audience in new media environment: General features and group differences (b).(新傳播形態下的中國受眾: 總體特征及群體差異 (下). Xin chuanbo xingtai xia de zhongguo shouzhong: zongti tezheng ji qunti chayi (xia)). [in Chinese] Modern Communication (現代傳播 Xiandai chuanbo), Vol 36, 4.[CSSCI]
• Shen, F., & Lu, Y., Wang, T., & Zhang, Z. (2014). Audience segmentation in new media environment: Findings from a 2010 national survey (新媒介環境下的中國受眾分類：基于2010全國受眾調查的實證研究 Xinmeijie huanjin xia de zhongguo shouzhong fenlei: jiyu 2010 quanguo shouzhong diaocha de shizheng yanjiu) Journalism Bimonthly (新聞大學Xinwen Daxue), Vol. 3, 100-107.[CSSCI]
• Shen, F. & Zhang, Z. (2012). Media credibility revisited: individual level impacts of media credibility (媒介公信力再探: 公信力評價個人層面效果分析. Meijie gongxinli zaitan: Gongxinli pingjia geren cengmian xiaoguo fenxi) [in Chinese] Journalism Bimonthly (新聞大學Xinwen Daxue), Vol. 6, 31-40.[CSSCI]
• Zhang, Z. & Shen, F. (2012). Geographical difference in Chinese audience’s media use (中國受眾媒介使用的地區差異比較 Zhongguo shouzhong meijie shiyong de diqu chayi bijiao), [in Chinese] Journalism Bimonthly (新聞大學Xinwen Daxue), Vol. 6, 3-9, 30.[CSSCI]
• Zhang, Z. & Shen, F. (2012). Investigative reporters’ job satisfaction and its antecedents (調查記者的職業滿意度及影響因素研究 Diaocha Jizhe de zhiye manyidu yu yingxiang yinsu yanjiu), [in Chinese] Journalism and Communication Research (新聞與傳播研究 Xinwen yu Chuanbo Yanjiu) 19 (4), 64-75. [CSSCI]
• Zhang, Z. & Shen, F. (2013). Media environment and organizational control: Investigative reporters’ media role perceptions and their predictors (B) (媒介環境與組織控制: 調查記者的媒介角色認知及影響因素( 下) meijie huanjing yu zuzhi kongzhi: diaocha jizhe de meijie juese renzhi ji yingxiang yinsu) [in Chinese] Modern Communication (現代傳播Xiandai Chuanbo), Vol. 10, 35-40.[CSSCI]
• Zhang, Z. & Shen, F. (2012). Media environment and organizational control: Investigative reporters’ media role perceptions and their predictors (A) (媒介環境與組織控制: 調查記者的媒介角色認知及影響因素( 上) meijie huanjing yu zuzhi kongzhi: diaocha jizhe de meijie juese renzhi ji yingxiang yinsu) [in Chinese] Modern Communication (現代傳播Xiandai Chuanbo), Vol. 9, 39-45.[CSSCI]
• Zhang, Z. & Shen, F. (2012). Motivation for occupation choice and its predictors for investigative reproters. (Diaocha Jizhe de Zeye Dongji ji qi Yingxiang Yinsu Yanjiu調查記者的擇業動機及影響因素研究) [in Chinese] Journalism Bimonthly (Xinwen Daxue), Vol. 4, 125-132.[CSSCI]
• Zhang, Z. & Shen, F. (2011). A report on Chinese investigative journalists. (中國調查記者行業生態報告 Zhongguo Diaocha Jizhe Hangye Shengtai Baogao) [in Chinese] Modern Communication (現代傳播 Xiandai Chuanbo), Vol. 10, 51-55.[CSSCI]

Books (English)

• Lee, Francis L. F., Chin-chuan Lee, Mike Z. Yao, Tsan-kuo Chang, Jennifer Fen Lin, and Fei Shen (2013). Communication, Public Opinion, and Globalization in Urban China. London: Routledge.

Books (Chinese)

• Shen, F. & Zhang, Z. (2013). Chinese audience investigation in a new media era [xinchuanbo xingtai xia de zhongguo shouzhong 新傳播形態下的中國受眾]. Eds. Liangrong Li, Ye Lu, and Baohua Zhou, Shanghai: Fudan University Press.

Book Chapters (English)

• Xia, C. & Shen, F. (2019). The polemics of internet freedom in Asia. In Tina Burrett and Jeff Kingston (Eds.) Press Freedom in Asia. New York: Routledge, pp. 361-384.
• Shen, F., Zhang, Z., & Yao, Z. M. (2016). Broadcast and new media use in China: Findings from a national survey. In John V. Pavlik (Ed.) Digital technology and the future of broadcasting: Global perspectives. New York: Routledge, pp. 63-75.
• Shen, F. (2015). Campaigning on Weibo: Independent candidates’ use of social media in local People’s Congress Elections in China. In Wenhong Chen & Stephen D. Reese (Eds.) Networked China: Global dynamics of digital media and civic engagement. New York: Routledge, pp. 114-135.
• Shen, F., & Zhang, Z. (2014). The identities and demographics of investigative journalists in China: Findings from a survey. In Marina Svensson, Elin Saether, Zhi’an Zhang, Hongyi Bai (eds.) Chinese investigative journalists’ dreams: Autonomy, agency, and voice, Lexington Books, pp. 33-50.
• Shen, F. (2014). Great Firewall of China. In Harvey, K. (Ed.). (2014). Encyclopedia of Social Media and Politics. SAGE, Volume 2, 599-602.
• Shen, F. (2014). Web mapping and online politics. In Harvey, K. (Ed.). (2014). Encyclopedia of Social Media and Politics. SAGE, Volume 3, 1366.
• Shen, F. (2014). Weibo. In Harvey, K. (Ed.). (2014). Encyclopedia of Social Media and Politics. SAGE, Volume 3, 1372-1373.
• Song, S. Y., Shen, F., Yao, M. Z. & Wildman, S. S. (2013).Un/masking news in cyberspace: Examining censorship patterns of news portal sites in China. In Gordon, J., Paul Rowinski and Gavin Stewart (Eds.), Breaking the News: Journalism, Politics and New Media (pp. 211-230).Bern, Switzerland: Peter Lang.
• Shen, F. & Wang, N. (2013). " Dualistic discourse universes and opinion expression in online versus offline communities." In P. Moy (Ed.), Communication and Community (pp. 189-205). New York: Hampton Press.
• Martin, Ernest Jr., & Shen, F. (2005). Overview of Hong Kong advertising, In Kara Chan (Ed.) Advertising & Hong Kong Society, HK: Chinese University Press, pp.23-55.