Benjamin Johnson

Benjamin Johnson, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) Advertising associate professor and interim director of the STEM Translational Communication Center, will give a research presentation and workshop at Babeș-Bolyai University (UBB) in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, from Oct. 3-8. On Oct. 4, Johnson will present his research, “Relatable, Independent,…

The Hollywood writers and actors strike has dominated the news this summer. The use — or misuse — of generative artificial intelligence lies at the heart of the matter. SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America are demanding that their contracts include AI regulations to protect writers, their creativity and…

A new study has found that audiences perceive human writers to be more authentic than machine authors. The findings by University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) doctoral students Rachel Son, Qingyuan Yang, and Benjamin Vollmer and Advertising Associate Professor and STEM Translational Communication Center Interim Director Benjamin…

Benjamin Johnson, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Advertising associate professor and interim director of the STEM Translational Communication Center, was quoted in the UF News article “Social Media and Mental Health: Considerations from Experts This Mental Health Awareness Month” published on May 17, 2023. In the article,…

You open Facebook, see a post from a familiar brand, and your thumb hesitates over the “Like” button. You decide to keep scrolling. Did you just engage with a brand? Did thinking about this post on social media impact you as a consumer? Brands increasingly use social media platforms to…

The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) today announced that Advertising Associate Professor Benjamin Johnson has been named the interim director of the College’s STEM Translational Communication Center (STCC), effective immediately. Johnson’s research is focused on why and how people select and share messages in new media…

Two University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) students presented at the Spring 2023 Undergraduate Research Symposium on April 4 at UF’s Stephen C. O’Connell Center. The Symposium is a chance for undergraduate students to present their research, receive valuable experience, network, and learn about research in a…

An article by University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) doctoral student Bhakti Sharma, Advertising Associate Professor Benjamin Johnson,  and alumna Susanna Lee, Ph.D. 2022, was recognized as the “most-read article of 2022” by the American Psychological Association’s (APA) journal Technology, Mind, & Behavior. “The Dark at the…

Social media is fraught with users comparing themselves to others in terms of work, leisure, travel, health or appearance, which typically has been associated with social media users’ negative feelings about themselves. However, more recent research shows that social media comparison is not as straightforward as previously thought. In some…

A new study has revealed that those who had less experience with sharing on social media were more likely to show positive shifts after social media engagement with a brand. The findings by Benjamin Johnson, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Advertising associate professor, and Judith Rosenbaum from…

Benjamin Johnson, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) Advertising associate professor, was interviewed in “Making Fake Friends with Dr. Benjamin Johnson,” an episode of the Tech Tmrw podcast posted on Sept. 16. The conversation takes Johnson’s research as a starting point for thinking about possible futures of…

A new study by Benjamin Johnson, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Advertising associate professor, and colleagues has revealed that movie spoilers may provide contextual information that improves the ability to make sense of and fully experience narratives. “Challenging” films (those that are emotionally difficult or mentally complex)…