research

2026

1. When countering toxicity becomes the norm: Competing forces of harassment and objection in online communities

   Inhwan Bae, Natalie N Bazarova, Pengfei Zhao, and 3 more authors

   2026

   Preprint, SSRN. 1st round revise and resubmit

   DOI
2. Face it to learn it: Developing an online experiential learning platform for older adults

   Inhwan Bae, F. Xiao, X. Chen, and 6 more authors

   2026

   Under review
3. Two paths of conversations: How stories and statistics are associated with community engagement in online debate

   H. Li, Inhwan Bae, Pengfei Zhao, and 2 more authors

   2026

   2nd round revise and resubmit
4. Identifying a level-up pathway for AI-assisted counterspeech through elaboration support

   H. Li, Inhwan Bae, Natalie N Bazarova, and 1 more author

   2026

   Submitted

2025

1. Restorative justice appeals trump retributive vigilance on social media

   Pengfei Zhao, Natalie N Bazarova, Inhwan Bae, and 3 more authors

   PNAS Nexus, Sep 2025

   Abs DOI

   Human beings have a powerful urge to confront wrongdoing and reestablish justice. In online spaces, this typically takes the form of vigilante-like actions that shame or threaten wrongdoers. Though morally motivated, these retributive actions can draw disapproval, and even reciprocal shaming and threats, from others in the community, creating a toxic environment. This study investigates a prosocial alternative to retribution—restorative vigilance—aimed at reestablishing community values through moral appeals and encouraging apologies from offenders. We conducted two randomized experiments (N = 3,516 in total) on a simulated social media platform to examine how community members perceive and respond to different forms of vigilante interventions. Through observing actual user behaviors, our study demonstrates the effectiveness of restorative justice appeals in facilitating prosocial norms and achieving community goals. Specifically, the results reveal that while retribution is considered a legitimate response, restorative appeals are seen as a more effective way to achieve justice. Consequently, restorative responses elicit more supportive behaviors from the community, evidenced by increased upvotes and reduced downvotes/flags, as well as enhancing community members’ satisfaction and future engagement intentions. However, in cases involving morally irredeemable offenders, the preference for restorative approaches over retribution diminishes. Our research sheds light on reasons why retribution is so common and directly informs interventions to promote restorative justice and foster more constructive and civil online communities.

2024

1. Patients’ Use of Electronic Health Records Facilitates Patient-Centered Communication: Findings From the 2017 Health Information National Trends Survey

   Suhwoo Ahn, Chul-joo Lee, and Inhwan Bae

   J Med Internet Res, Nov 2024

   Abs DOI

   Background: Patient-centered communication refers to interaction between patients and health professionals that considers patients’ preferences and empowers patients to contribute to their own care. Research suggests that patient-centered communication promotes patients’ satisfaction with care, trust in physicians, and competence in their abilities to manage their health. Objective: The study aims to explore the role of patients’ use of electronic health records (EHRs) in promoting patient-centered communication. Specifically, we investigated how health information efficacy mediates the association of EHR use with patient-centered communication and whether and how the relationship between EHR use and health information efficacy varies according to patients’ perceived social support levels. Methods: We conducted mediation and multigroup analyses using nationally representative data from the Health Information National Trends Survey 5 cycle 1 conducted in the United States (N=3285). Among respondents, we analyzed those who received care from health professionals over the previous year (2823/3285, 85.94%). Results: EHR use by patients was associated with high levels of health information efficacy (unstandardized coefficient=0.050, SE 0.024; P=.04). In turn, health information efficacy was positively related to patient-centered communication (unstandardized coefficient=0.154, SE 0.024; P<.001). The indirect pathway from EHR use to patient-centered communication, mediated by health information efficacy, was statistically significant (unstandardized coefficient=0.008, SE 0.004; P=.04). Among patients with high social support (2349/2823, 83.21%), EHR use was not significantly associated with health information efficacy (unstandardized coefficient=0.038, SE 0.026; P=.15), although health information efficacy was linked to high levels of patient-centered communication (unstandardized coefficient=0.151, SE 0.030; P<.001). The indirect relationship in this group was not significant (unstandardized coefficient=0.006, SE 0.004; P=.11). However, among those with low social support (474/2823, 16.79%), EHR use was positively associated with health information efficacy (unstandardized coefficient=0.155, SE 0.048; P=.001), which in turn relates to high levels of patient-centered communication (unstandardized coefficient=0.137, SE 0.050; P=.01). The indirect pathway was also significant (unstandardized coefficient=0.021, SE 0.010; P=.03). Conclusions: Patients who use EHRs may build health information efficacy, which seems to promote communication between patients and health care providers. This indirect pathway was not detected among patients with high social support. However, among those with low social support, EHR use seems to enhance health information efficacy, which may in turn facilitate patient-centered communication. Given the nature of the dataset used, the findings of this study are more relevant to the United States than other contexts.

2023

1. What Is the Draw of the Metaverse? Personality Correlates of Zepeto Use Motives and Their Associations With Psychological Well-Being

   Eun-Ju Lee, Wonjae Lee, and Inhwan Bae

   Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 2023

   Abs DOI

   Despite the hype surrounding the metaverse, there is scant empirical research that examines who uses the service, for what specific purposes, and with what consequences. Based on a survey of current Zepeto users (N = 200), a popular metaverse application that enables people to create avatars and socialize while exploring the virtual spaces, we investigated (a) the key motives of Zepeto use, (b) how Big Five personality traits predict specific motives of Zepeto use, and (c) how specific motives of Zepeto use are associated with users’ psychological well-being. Overall, users were largely driven by the desire to explore the virtual world and enjoy unique experiences, but such a tendency was stronger among those higher on openness and agreeableness. Extroverts were more likely to use Zepeto for functional purposes, while those higher on neuroticism turned to Zepeto to escape from reality. As for psychological consequences, while those using Zepeto for functional and escaping purposes reported higher levels of loneliness, those who used Zepeto for social and experiential goals were less lonely. The experiential and escape motives predicted perceived social support in the opposite directions. Moreover, by comparing Zepeto users’ responses with those of non-users (N = 200), we found that (a) non-users overestimated users’ motives of Zepeto use, especially social and escape motives, (b) Zepeto users were higher on extraversion and openness than non-users, and (c) users reported higher levels of loneliness than non-users with no significant difference in perceived social support. Implications of the findings and future directions are discussed.