Hwanseok Song

Ph.D., Cornell University
M.A., Johns Hopkins University
B.A., Yonsei University

Professor Song's research focuses examines social cognitive processes underlying risk, science, and environmental communication, with a particular focus on how people’s judgments about others such as public authorities and fellow citizens further shape their communicative practices, attitudes and behavior. Using experimental and survey methods, he has examined the nature of judgments such as trust, fairness, justice, and norm violation, as well as how these judgments shape responses to risk, authorities, and fellow citizens. He teaches courses on risk communication, persuasion, and judgment and decision making.

Select Publications 

Song, H. & Adu Gyamfi, P. (2025). How values guide trust: The multiple roles of science-related value predispositions in shaping trustworthiness and trust in scientific authorities. Science Communication. Advance online publication.

Song, H. & Oh, J. (2025). Unpacking ingroup source effects in politically polarized issues: The interplay of social identity, moral framing, and credibility. Communication Studies. Advance online publication.

Song, H. & Mbah, P. T. (2024). When trust matters: Perceived characteristics of behavioral guidance as moderators of trust in compliance decisions. Science Communication. Advance online publication.

Song, H., Ju, I., & Wright, T. O. (2024). Standing up to the maskless: Antecedents of norm enforcement behavior and meta-norm misperception during COVID-19 at a college campus. Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly. Advance online publication.

Song, H. (2023). On the strength of trust: The moderating role of certainty in judgments of authorities. Communication Research, 50, 554-772.

Song, H., Lu, H., & McComas, K. A. (2021). The role of fairness in early characterization of new technologies: Effects on selective exposure and risk perception. Risk Analysis, 41, 1614-1629.

Lu, H., Song, H., & McComas, K. A. (2021). Seeking information about enhanced geothermal systems: The role of fairness, uncertainty, systematic processing, and information engagement intentions. Renewable Energy, 169, 855-864.

Song, H. (2020). Perceived standing: Exploring why people accept or reject others’ access to public participation in local environmental conflicts. Local Environment, 25, 397-413.

Song, H., Lewis, N. A., Naiman, S., Hiltner, S., Garcia, R., Davydova, J., Ballew, M. T., Bravo, M., Romero-Canyas, R., Pearson, A. R., & Schuldt, J. P. (2020). What counts as an “environmental” issue? Differences in issue. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 68, 1-6.

Song, H., McComas, K. A., & Schuler, K. L. (2019). Hunters’ responses to urine-based scent bans tackling chronic wasting disease. Journal of Wildlife Management, 83(2), 457-466.

Song, H., McComas, K. A., & Schuler, K. L. (2018). Source effects on psychological reactance to regulatory policies: The role of trust and similarity. Science Communication, 40(5), 591-620.

Song, H., McLeod, P. L., Schuldt, J. P., Crain, R., & Dickinson, J. L. (2017). Group norm violations in an online environmental social network: Effects on impression formation and intergroup judgments, Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 21(3), 422-437.

Song, H. & Schuldt, J. P. (2017). Communicating conservation status: How different statistical assessment criteria affect perceptions of extinction risk. Risk Analysis, 37(9), 1706-1715.