Biography
JIA Mian James obtained his Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Texas at Austin, after completing his B.A. and M.A. degrees in English and Linguistics at Beihang University. His research explores how subtle linguistic features shape people’s perceptions, intentions, and behaviors in various interpersonal, intercultural, health, and mediated contexts. He uses methods such as experimental design, corpus analysis, content analysis, and computerized text analysis. His research has been published in major international journals such as Applied Linguistics, English Today, Health Communication, Lingua, Pragmatics and Society, Text & Talk, and Vaccines.
Research Interests/Areas
Language and Persuasive Health Message Design
Using discourse-analytic and experimental message design approaches, my first line of research explores the role of language in facilitating effective communication of health information and promoting wellness. My current projects examine the persuasive effects of linguistic and normative message influence strategies on raising people's awareness of health issues in multilingual societies and across different languacultures. Some of the health contexts I have studied include educational fact sheets about antibiotic stewardship, public signs about COVID-19 prevention, and reminders on signing up for HPV vaccination.
Jia, M. (2022). Toward an integrated understanding of language and health communication: Discourse-analytic and message design approaches. Applied Linguistics, 43(6), 1217–1221. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amac063
Jia, M. & Zhao, Y. (2023). Fear appeals in public signs of COVID-19 prevention in Chinese local communities. Pragmatics and Society, 14(2), 281–305. https://doi.org/10.1075/ps.22009.jia
Jia, M. (2024). Language and cultural norms influence vaccine hesitancy. Nature. 627, 489–489. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-00826-x
Language and Interpersonal Communication
Drawing on insights from linguistic pragmatics and communication studies, my second line of research examines how interlocutors use linguistic (im)politeness and other metadiscourse markers to communicate social support and social influence in various interpersonal and intercultural contexts. My current projects examine how a strategic choice of these subtle linguistic features shapes recipients' attitudes and behaviors in face-to-face and mediated contexts. Some of the face-sensitive contexts I have studied include giving advice, responding to compliments, managing trolling, and performing ritual insults.
Jia, M. & Yang, G. (2021). Emancipating Chinese (im)politeness research: Looking back and looking forward. Lingua, 251, 103028 [Editors' Choice Article in 2021]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lingua.2020.103028
Jia, M. & Yao, S. (2022). ‘Yo I am Superman, You Kiddo Go Home’: Ritual impoliteness in Chinese freestyle rap battles. Text & Talk, 42(5), 691–711. https://doi.org/10.1515/text-2020-0097
PhD Students
I warmly welcome PhD students who are interested in research on linguistic (im)politeness, public health discourse, interpersonal communication, social psychology of language, cross-cultural pragmatics, and/or experimental pragmatics. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to develop a dissertation project on one of these topics.
Teaching
Current:
EN2711 Structure of English
EN3586 Workplace Culture and Interaction
Previous:
EN3329 Discourse and Pragmatics
EN5461 Language in Its Social Contexts
Membership of Professional Bodies
China Pragmatics Association
National Communication Association
International Association of Pragmatics
International Communication Association
International Association of Language and Social Psychology (Member of the Executive Committee)
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