Yifei Zhao

Doctoral Advisor: Nick Bowman, Ph.D.

Education:
M.S. Digital Social Media, University of Southern California
B.A. Strategic Communication, Ohio State University

Areas of Research: Game studies, public relations, social media, and mixed-methods research

Publications & Presentations:

Zhao, E.Y. & Bowman, N.D. (2026) Simulated Intimacy, but Real Connection: Perceived Reciprocity and Romantic Closeness make Otome Fun to Play. Proceedings of Hawaiian International Conference on System Sciences 59

Zhao, E. Y., Bowman, N.D., Wang, X., Ebel, C., & Bowsher, K., (2025, November). More Is Not Always More: Rethinking Task Demand and Mood Repair in VR Gaming. National Communication Association, Denver, USA.

Zhao, E. Y.  & Bowman, N. D. (2025, September). Beyond parasocial bond: How reciprocal player-NPC relationships shape the entertainment outcomes of otome games. MediaPsych 2025, Duisburg-Essen, Germany.

Bowman, N. D., Lee, Y., Zhao, E.Y., Chen, S., Phelps, A., Consalvo, M., & Boudreau, K. (2024). Unscripted, unproduced, unstaged: Audience perceptions of authenticity of microstreamers. Technology, Mind, & Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1037/tmb0000134   

Bowman, N. D., Zhao, Y., & Lee, Y. (2024). Digitality and interactivity. In J. Banks (Ed.), Agent, assembled: The relational and technical anatomy of social robot. Peter Lang Publishing.

Jin, K., Zhong, Z. Z., & Zhao, E. Y. (2024). Sustainable Digital Marketing under Big Data: An AI Random Forest Model Approach. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management.

Zhong, Z. Z., & Zhao, E. Y. (2023). Collaborative Driving Mode of Sustainable Marketing and Supply Chain Management Supported by Metaverse Technology. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management.

Tang, J. L. & Zhao, E.Y. (2022). Longitudinal Analysis of an Issue Influencer Communication Network: How Non-political Influencers and Regular Users Connectively Oppose a Contentious Gender Policy Present at National Communication Association

Bio: Zhao’s research explores how games support players’ emotional, social and psychological experiences, with a focus on functional outcomes such as enjoyment, mood management and relational interaction. She uses mixed-methods approaches, including experimental design, surveys and qualitative analysis, to investigate phenomena such as authentic interaction with virtual characters and the therapeutic potential of gameplay. Before entering academia, Elena gained professional experience in the consulting and public relations industry, where she developed a curiosity about the mechanisms behind effective design and user engagement—an interest that continues to inform her scholarly work.