RGC Senior Research Fellow Scheme

Biography

Chair Professor in Department of Media and Communication at City University of Hong Kong
Research interests include trust studies, risk communication related to health and technology, crisis communication, relationship management, conflict resolution, and cross-cultural communication
SRFS project — to be conducted in six regions, namely Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, the UK and the US. By developing and testing the Situational Trust Dynamics Model (STDM), the project aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of trust dynamics and trust cultivation strategies across diverse cultural and social settings
Awards and Honours:
- RGC Senior Research Fellow (2024)
- International Communication Association (ICA) Fellow (2021)

Project Title

Navigating Trust in Turbulent Times: Gauging Situational Trust Dynamics Model (STDM) Through A Five-Year Longitudinal Study Across Chinese and Western Societies in Crisis Contexts

Award Citation

Professor Yi-hui Christine Huang is the Chair Professor at the Department of Media and Communication at City University of Hong Kong and a Fellow of the International Communication Association (ICA). With decades of dedication to research, she specializes in trust studies, risk communication related to health and technology, crisis communication, relationship management, conflict resolution, and cross-cultural communication.

Professor Huang has been awarded the RGC Senior Research Fellowship for her pioneering research on trust, tackling one of the most pressing challenges of our time: Understanding how trust in institutions is formed, eroded, and rebuilt during crises.

In this funded project, she will investigate the individual and interactive effects of various situational factors through a longitudinal mixed-method approach. This method will integrate longitudinal surveys, focus groups, experiments, and large language models to explore trust dynamics and cultivation strategies. The study focuses on four trust trajectories: resilient trustors, tentative converters, cautious progressors, and persistent distrusters.

This research not only contributes to theoretical knowledge but also provides practical solutions for policymakers and enterprises. The findings will lead to the development of Situational Trust Dynamics Model (STDM) and actionable strategies aimed at fostering resilience, enhancing institutional reputation, and promoting prosocial behavior in response to future crises.

The fellowship acknowledges Professor Huang’s outstanding leadership in crisis and cross-cultural communication research, as well as her significant contributions to advancing the field of institutional trust. Her work is expected to have a lasting impact on crisis management strategies, empowering societies to better prepare for and respond to the trust challenges posed by global crises.