Kun Xu, Ph.D.
Director - CJC Research Lab and Media Effects and Technology Lab (METL)
Associate Professor in Emerging Technologies - Department of Media Production, Management, and Technology
Office: 3065 Weimer
Phone: 352-392-0435
Email: kun.xu@ufl.edu
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Kun Xu, Ph.D.
Director - CJC Research Lab and Media Effects and Technology Lab (METL)
Associate Professor in Emerging Technologies - Department of Media Production, Management, and Technology
Kun Xu’s research areas broadly focus on human-computer interaction, human-robot interaction, computer-mediated communication, and psychological processing of emerging technologies. His work investigates how individuals perceive, interact with, and respond to a range of AI-based technologies, such as social robots and virtual agents. He also examines how people use virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) technologies to make sense of spaces and maintain social relationships. Using a variety of methodological approaches, including lab experiments, psychophysiology measures, computational methods, and visual analyses, his research seeks to understand the role of (tele)presence in people’s technology use experience and the mutual shaping between humans and machines.
His lead-authored works have been published in journals such as Communication Theory, Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, New Media & Society, Human-Machine Communication, International Journal of Communication, Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, International Journal of Social Robotics, International Communication Gazette, Telematics & Informatics and Computers in Human Behavior.
Kun was a cameraman and a news editor at Thomson Reuters and Shanghai Media Group. More information is available at xkunnet.github.io.
Education
Ph.D., Temple University
News
- Facial expression disclosure affects how people react to personal space norm violation in virtual reality (October 6, 2026)
- New study reviews 25 years of research to map the intellectual trajectory of human-machine communication (August 11, 2026)
- Eugy Han and Kun Xu present keynote speeches at Meaningful XR 2026 Conference (June 4, 2026)
- UFCJC faculty members receive 2026-2027 professional development leave and sabbaticals (May 6, 2026)
- Kun Xu receives prestigious 2026 UF Research Foundation Professorship (April 28, 2026)
- All News About Kun Xu →
Publications
Recent Refereed Journal Articles
Liu, W., & Xu, K. (2026). Shifting dynamics in human-machine communication: The interplay of user and chatbot gender across two studies. . Communication and Change, 2. DOI: 10.1007/s44382-026-00037-0
Liu, F., Chen, X., & Xu, K. (2026). Charting the evolution of human-machine communication: A systematic review of 25 years of empirical research. . Annals of the International Communication Association. DOI: 10.1093/anncom/wlag033
Kim, J., Merrill, K., Jin, X., Collins, C., & Xu, K. (2026). Trust, perceived usefulness, and intentions to adopt robotic health advisors for physical and relational health issues. Social Science Journal, 63(3), 1101–1113. DOI: 10.1080/03623319.2023.2289241
Huang, L., & Xu, K. (2026). The field of communication is becoming less disruptive: analyses of citation data over four decades. Annals of the International Communication Association. DOI: 10.1093/ANNCOM/WLAG008
Li, J., & Xu, K. (2026). Reflecting, Evoking, and Reshaping Connection: What Home-Based Social Robots Tell Us About Human and AI Companionship. International Journal of Social Robotics, 18(2). DOI: 10.1007/S12369-026-01370-6
Shi, J., Xu, K., & Chen, X. (2025). Tweaking the Messages and Approaching the Glass Box: Using AI Chatbots to Promote Help-Seeking for Depressive Symptoms. Journal of Health Communication, 30(10-12), 315–324. DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2025.2569563
Xu, K., Chen, X., Liu, F., & Huang, L. (2025). What did you hear and what did you see? Understanding the transparency of facial recognition and speech recognition systems during human–robot interaction. New Media and Society, 27(10), 5776–5802. DOI: 10.1177/14614448241256899
Xu, K., Chen, Y., Li, J., Liao, T.C., & Chan-Olmsted, S.M. (2025). Tracked but not trapped: Negotiating body tracking technologies for embodiment and privacy protection in VR. Computers in Human Behavior, 170, 108706. DOI: 10.1016/J.CHB.2025.108706
Kim, J., Xu, K., & Merrill, K. (2025). Man vs. machine: Human responses to an AI newscaster and the role of social presence. Social Science Journal, 62(3), 704–716. DOI: 10.1080/03623319.2022.2027163
Kim, J., Jin, X., Xu, K., Chen, X., & Yang, H. (2025). What do people say about Replika, an AI chatbot, on social media? Investigating diverse perspectives on the implications of Replika through a topic modeling analysis. Social Science Journal, 62(3), 688–703. DOI: 10.1080/03623319.2024.2421610
Research
Specialization
Human-robot interaction, human-computer interaction, virtual/augmented reality, media psychology, lab experiments, statistical modeling, computational methods