Welcome!
The Vienna Media Change and Innovation (VMCI) Lab, as part of the Department of Communication of the University of Vienna, deals with changes in the media environment due to the presence of digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) and their consequences on the individual, social relationships, and society as a whole.
The research focus of our group includes areas like media socialization, political engagement, bias and stereotypes, as well as digital media literacy with a particular focus on media use and effects across the life-span. Integrating theoretical perspectives from communication science, social and developmental psychology, sociology and political science, we study these pressing questions using quantitative, qualitative and computational methods. In doing so, we strive to generate knowledge that both advances the scholarly debate and is relevant for society and practice.
News and Updates
- November 5, 2024 - New Publication!
Dekoninck, H., & Schmuck, D. (2025). Battle of the E-cowarriors: Differential effects of environmental appeals by influencers and organizations on youth’s pro-environmental attitudes and behavior intentions. Computers in Human Behavior, 162, 108478. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2024.108478
- October 21, 2024 - New Publication!
Harff, D., & Schmuck, D. (2024). Prevalence, Presentation, and Popularity of Political Topics in Social Media Influencers’ Content Across Two Countries. Political Communication, 1–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/10584609.2024.2406809
- September 11, 2024 - VMCI goes to ECREA 2024 in Ljubljana
Our team will give 9 presentations at the 10th European Communication Conference in Slowenia at the end of September. Here is an overview:- Dekoninck, H., & Schmuck, D. (2024, September 24-27). Battle of the e-cowarriors: Differential effects of environmental appeals by SMIs and organizations on youth’s pro-environmental attitudes and behavior intentions [Paper presentation]. 10th European Communication Conference (ECREA), Ljubljana, Slovenia.
- Forrai, M., & Schmuck, D. (2024, September 24-27). Associations between emerging adults’ (motivations for) AI use and AI-related attitudes [Paper presentation]. 10th European Communication Conference (ECREA), Ljubljana, Slovenia.
- Harff, D. (2024, September 24-27). Intimate and opinion-oriented? Examining youtubers’ opinion leader potential and user engagement with their political content [Paper presentation]. 10th European Communication Conference (ECREA), Ljubljana, Slovenia.
- Harff, D., Dekoninck, H., & Schmuck, D. (2024, September 24-27). Idols within reach: Measuring the perceived attainability of media role models among youth [Paper presentation]. 10th European Communication Conference (ECREA), Ljubljana, Slovenia.
- Klesl, M., & Schmuck, D. (2024, September 24-27). Tradition meets innovation: Youth news consumption in the era of influencers, celebrities and ordinary people as news providers [Paper presentation]. 10th European Communication Conference (ECREA), Ljubljana, Slovenia.
- Lissens, M., Harff, D., & Schmuck., D. (2024, September 24-27). Responses to (un)healthy advice: Processing and acceptance of health content creators’ nutrition misinformation by youth [Paper presentation]. 10th European Communication Conference (ECREA), Ljubljana, Slovenia.
- Van Houtven, E., Harff, D., & Schmuck, D. (2024, September 24-27). Constructing identity on YouTube: How influencers portray collective identities and audiences engage with them [Paper presentation]. 10th European Communication Conference (ECREA), Ljubljana, Slovenia.
- Waeterloos, C. (2024, September 24-27). How exposure to political social media content contributes to political knowledge and participation on social media [Paper presentation]. 10th European Communication Conference (ECREA), Ljubljana, Slovenia.
- Wölfle, A., & Schmuck, D. (2024, September 24-27). Friend or foe? Exploring young people’s bias perceptions, trust, and news use regarding the Middle Eastern conflict [Paper presentation]. 10th European Communication Conference (ECREA), Ljubljana, Slovenia.
- August 1, 2024 - New Publication!
Harff, D., & Schmuck, D. (2024). Is authenticity key? Mobilization by social media influencers versus celebrities and young people’s political participation. Psychology & Marketing. Advance Online Publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.22082
- July 21, 2024 - New Publication!
Wittner Franckx, L., Zarouali, B., & Schmuck, D. (2024). The effect of an X forewarning on the detection and likelihood to follow a social bot, and the moderating role of mutual friends and privacy concerns. Tijdschrift voor Communicatiewetenschap, 52(3), 326-349. https://doi.org/10.5117/TCW2024.3.004.WITT
- July 1, 2024 - New VMCI member!
We are very pleased to welcome Darian Harff as a postdoctoral researcher. Darian completed his Ph.D. at the School for Mass Communication Research at KU Leuven.
A very warm welcome to the VMCI team, dear Darian!
- June 6-7, 2024 - Vienna meets Leuven!
Our Vienna-Leuven VMCI meeting was a great success! Next to two days of productive work, networking, and reflection, we also had a dinner under palm trees, solved a thrilling 'murder' mystery in historic Vienna, and went on a scenic hike to a traditional Viennese Heurigen dinner. Impressions can be found here.
- May 14, 2024 - New science podcast!
The science magazine of the University of Vienna, Rudolphina, has a new podcast, “An der Quelle”. We are very happy that Desirée was interviewed in the first episode on the topic ““Wieviel (politischen) Einfluss haben Influencer wirklich?[How much (political) influence do influencers really have?]” (German only).
- April 15, 2024 - VMCI Research Colloqium!
Our Research Colloquium starts this semester. We are thrilled that Sophia Rothut (LMU Munich) and Cato Waeterloos (KU Leuven) will be giving public lectures with us. Anyone who is interested is cordially invited to attend! All further information and dates can be found here.
- March 11, 2024 - New publication!
In a cross-country study, Darian Harff and Desirée Schmuck explored which factors are linked with reliance on social media influencers (SMIs) for political information among youth.
doi.org/10.1177/19401612241234898
- March 4, 2024 - "Kamingespräche" - Only bad news is good news?
Prof. Desirée Schmuck took part in a panel discussion on the topic of media responsibility, organized by KULTUR.REGION.NIEDERÖSTERREICH. This discussion can be listened to online (Radio Niederösterreich, German only).
- March 1, 2024 - New VMCI Lab member!
We're happy to welcome Christine Liebenwein into our ranks. Christine will support Professor Schmuck's teaching activities as a teaching assistant. She is studying in our master program, Journalism and Communication Studies. A very warm welcome, Christine!
- February 9, 2024 - VMCI in Rotterdam!
Seven presentations by VMCI and affiliated researchers at the Etmaal conference of the Netherlands | Flanders Communication Association in Rotterdam including presentations on political influencers, social bots, health communication, political knowledge and youth! See an overview here.
- January 22, 2024 - New publications!
Van Houtven, E., Acquah, S., Obermaier, M., Saleem, M., & Schmuck, D. (2024). 'You Got My Back?’ Severity and Counter-Speech in Online Hate Speech Toward Minority Groups. Media Psychology. Advance Online Publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/15213269.2023.2298684
Schmuck, D. & Harff, D. (2023). Popular Among Distrustful Youth? Social Media Influencers' Communication About COVID-19 and Young People's Risk Perceptions and Vaccination Intentions. Health Communication. Advance Online Publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2023.2286408