You are cordially invited to join us for the upcoming FHSS Research Conversations on Friday, November 13. Dr. Yuanyi MAO, Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication, FHSS, will be presenting his research on the topic: AI Doctor Communication and User Responses in Healthcare
Details of the event:
Speaker: Dr. Yuanyi Mao, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Topic: AI Doctor Communication and User Responses in Healthcare
Venue: T2-301
Date: Friday, November 13
Time: 12:00 pm–12:50 pm
Language: English
Please register for this event by 4:00 pm on November 12 so that we can make suitable arrangements for lunch: https://mis.bnbu.edu.cn/survey/index.do
ABSTRACT:
As generative AI becomes increasingly integrated into daily life, seeking medical advice from AI is emerging as a new healthcare practice. While previous research has largely focused on the diagnostic accuracy of medical AI, understanding how AI doctors communicate with users is essential to developing ethical and patient-centred AI systems. This talk examines AI doctor communication in two healthcare contexts: breaking bad news and routine medical consultations. The first study investigates how people evaluate prosocial lies delivered by AI versus human doctors and how these evaluations shape their acceptance of AI in healthcare. It also explores the tension between protecting patients from psychological harm and respecting their autonomy. The second study examines how AI doctors’ communication styles influence users’ psychological responses and consultation satisfaction. Together, these studies uncover the ethical and psychological complexities of human-AI interactions in healthcare and offer insights into the design of patient-centred medical AI.
About the Speaker:
Dr. Yuanyi Mao is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at Beijing Normal–Hong Kong Baptist University (BNBU). His research focuses on human–AI communication, interactive media effects, and online incivility. Specifically, he investigates human-AI communication in healthcare, as well as the causes, consequences, and interventions of online aggression and incivility. His research has been published in journals including Social Media + Society, Technology in Society, and Social Science Computer Review.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Regards,
Siu Han Chan, Michal Varik, and Aileen Chen
Organizers, Friday Research Conversations Series
