Dr Xiang Meng

Research Assistant Professor

AG422
+852 2766 7353
vincent-xiang.meng@polyu.edu.hk

ORCID ID

Research Overview

My research centers on the social and political impacts of digital media. Specifically, I investigate how digital media shape public opinions in the contexts of political, health, international, and intercultural communication.

Education and Academic Qualifications

PhD in Communication, Department of Media and Communication, City University of Hong Kong
MA in Communication, Journalism and Information Communication School, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China
BA in Broadcasting & TV Journalism, College of Journalism and Communication, Zhengzhou University, China

Academic and Professional Experience

Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Interactive Media, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Media and Communication, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Research Assistant, Department of Media and Communication, City University of Hong Kong

Teaching Areas

Media & Communication in the Digital Age
Psychological Processing of New Media
International Communication
Public Communication Campaign Management
Research Methods

Research Interests

Research Output

Oktavianus, J., & Meng, X. (2024). From news websites to social media: Unpacking the influence of online channels on presumed influence and responses to misinformation. Technology in Society, 102658. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2024.102658
Yu, W., Chen, Z., Meng, X.*, & Yan, Q. (2024). Propagating COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories: The Influence of Right-Wing Sources. Sage Open, 14(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440241258026
Lin, F. & Meng, X.* (2024). Stuck between the great powers: Secondary countries responses to the soft power competition between the US and China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Chinese Political Science, 29, 233-256. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11366-023-09862-2
Masood, M., Meng, X.*, Oktavianus, J., Moskovljevic, M., Zhang, N., & Skoric, M. (2024). The Influence of Online Political Expression on Disagreement and Incivility: The Moderating Role of Social Identity. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 68(2), 198–217. https://doi.org/10.1080/08838151.2024.2304182
Meng, X., & Wang, Y. (2023). To trust or not to trust? Exploring the roles of Facebook and WhatsApp use and network diversity. Mass Communication and Society, 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1080/15205436.2023.2248956
Sun, M., Meng, X.*, & Hu, W. (2023). Comparing the Effects of Traditional Media and Social Media Use on General Trust in China During the COVID-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Communication, 17, 21. https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/18903/0
Chen, Z., Meng, X., & Wang, C. J. (2023). The dark web privacy dilemma: linguistic diversity, talkativeness, and user engagement on the cryptomarket forums. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 10(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02424-0
Masood, M., Xiang, M., Skoric, M. M., & Ahmed, S. (2022). Trust in Religious Others: A Three-Way Interaction Model of Religious Bias, Informational Use of Digital Media, and Education. International Journal of Communication, 16, 20. https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/18636

Chen, Z., Meng, X., & Wang, C. J. (2024, June). The dark web privacy dilemma: Talkativeness, linguistic diversity, and user engagement on the cryptomarket forums. Paper presented at the 74th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association. Gold Coast, Australia.
Yu, W., Chen, Z., & Meng, X. (2024, June). Propagating COVID-19 conspiracy theories: The influence of right-wing sources. Paper presented at the 74th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association. Gold Coast, Australia.
Meng, X. & Lin, F. (2023, May). Are COVID-19 conspiracy theories for losers? Probing the interactive effect of voting choice and emotional distress on anti-vaccine conspiracy beliefs. Paper presented at the 73rd Annual International Communication Association Conference. Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Top Paper).
Meng, X. & Lin, F. (2023, May). How do secondary countries respond to the soft power competition between the US and China during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from four jurisdictions. Paper presented at the 73rd Annual International Communication Association Conference. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Wang, Y., Meng, X., & Chui, W. H. (2022, November). Exploring the effect of social media use on online racial discrimination: An investigation of ethnic minorities in Hong Kong. Paper presented at the 108th annual convention of the National Communication Association, New Orleans, LA, United States (Top Paper).
Meng, X., & Wang, Y. (2022, May). Exploring the differential impacts of Facebook and WhatsApp on generalized trust: A quasi-experimental study in Hong Kong. Paper presented at the 72nd Annual Conference of the International Communication Association: One World, One Network, Paris, France.
Wang, Y., Meng, X., & Chui, W. H. (2022, May). Racial discrimination in online media: How online news and reader comments portray ethnic minorities in Hong Kong. Paper presented at the 72rd annual conference of the International Communication Association, Paris, France.
Masood, M., Meng, X., & Oktavianus, J., Moskovljevic, M., Zhang, N., & Skoric, M. (2022, May). Political expression, disagreement, and incivility on social media: The conditional role of social identity in the context of Hong Kong. Paper presented at the Preconference (Digital Asia) of 72nd Annual Conference of the International Communication Association: One World, One Network, Paris, France.
Meng, X., Wang, Y., & Cheng, Y. (2021, August). Exploring the effects of dialogic communication and employee–organization relationships during crises: Empirical evidence from the United States and China. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Virtual Conference.
Chen, Z., Meng, X., & Yu, W. (2021, May). Depolarization in the rise of far-right platforms? A moderated mediation model on political identity, misinformation belief and voting behavior in the 2020 US presidential election. Paper presented at the International Association for Media and Communication Research, Nairobi, Kenya.
Masood, M., Meng, X., & Skoric, M. (2021, May). A three-way interaction model of religious bias, informational new media use and education. Paper presented at the 71st Annual Conference of the International Communication Association: Engaging the Essential Work of Care: Communication, Connectedness, and Social Justice, Virtual Conference.
Meng, X., & Kobayashi, T. (2020, May). The differential impacts of social network sites and instant messaging on general trust: A study of Hong Kong. Paper presented at the 70th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association: Interventions: Communication Research and Practice, Gold Coast, Australia.
Meng, X., & Kobayashi, T. (2017, May). Substantive vs. procedural democracy: The impact of media use on Chinese citizens’ support for different types of democracy. Paper presented at the 67th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association: Interventions: Communication Research and Practice, San Diego, CA, USA.

Esteem Measures

Top Paper Award from the 73rd Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), Canada
Top Paper Award from the Association for Chinses Communication Studies at the 2022 Annual Convention of the National Communication Association (NCA), U.S.