معرفی
James Dillard is a distinguished Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences at Pennsylvania State University, located in University Park, PA. His academic career includes editorial roles at Human Communication Research and co-editing The Persuasion Handbook. He serves on the FDA’s Risk Communication Advisory Committee and teaches courses on persuasion, communication science, and interpersonal influence.
Education: B.A., University of Kansas (1976); M.A., Arizona State University (1978); Ph.D., Michigan State University (1983).
His research focuses on the production and effects of persuasive messages, particularly in public health contexts. He developed the Goals-Plans-Action model to explain how individuals craft messages to influence relationships and opinions. His work on emotion’s role in persuasion has been applied to issues like vaccination compliance and anti-Sugar-Sweetened Beverage (SSB) campaigns.
Key research themes include reactance theory, fear appeals in health communication, and the spillover effects of health messages. His recent studies address pandemic-related communication challenges, such as masking behavior during COVID-19 and emotional responses to crises.
- Awards: John E. Hunter Award for Meta-Analysis (twice), NCA Golden Anniversary Award, Fellow of the International Communication Association.
He advises students in graduate and undergraduate programs, focusing on communication science and health campaigns. His grants and collaborations involve interdisciplinary projects on health messaging and risk communication.
Labs/Teams: Active in PSU’s communication research community, contributing to projects on persuasive strategies in public health and environmental policy.
