Communication Neuroscience
Before individuals changes their attitudes or behaviors, they engage in a series of psychological processes, many of which occur outside of conscious awareness. Tools like functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) can be used to image these processes in real time, allowing researchers to improve their models of persuasion and social influence.
As the lead graduate student in the Communication, Brain, and Behavior lab, I explore the ways neural data can be used to predict the population-level success of PSAs, warning labels, and other persuasive health messages.
Image from ICA poster presentation 2022
Selected Publications and Presentations
Minich, M., Chang, C.T., Kriss, L. Tveleneva, A., Cascio, C.N. (2023) Gain/loss framing moderates the vmPFC's response to persuasive messages when behaviors have personal outcomes. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience.
Minich, M., Falk, E.B., Cooper, N., Cosme, D., Chan, H.Y., Pei, R., O’Donnell, M.B., Cascio, C.N. (2023) Neural correlates associated with conformity in adolescent and young adult men. Cognitive Developmental Neuroscience.
Tveleneva, A., Minich, M., Chang, C.T., Cascio, C.N. Self and Socially-Focused Individuals: Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Construal Influence Neural Mechanisms Associated with Persuasion. In revision for Journal of Media Psychology.
Minich, M., Tao, R., Cascio, C.N. (2022). Media and emotions: Insights from a neuroscience perspective. In R. Nabi & J. Myrick (Eds.) Our online emotional selves: The link between digital media and emotional experience. Oxford University Press.
Minich, M. & Chang, C.T. , Tveleneva, A., Cascio, C.N. (2022, May) Effects of gain-loss framing of persuasive messages on MPFC activation. Paper presented at the annual conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), Paris
Minich, M., Cooper, N., O’Donnell, M.B., Falk, E. B., Cascio, C.N. (2022, May) The neural correlates of being uncool? Development moderates the role of conflict detection networks in conformity processes. Virtual poster presented at the annual conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), Paris
Ahn, P., Cascio, C.N., Minich, M. (2022, May) A sense of social belonging and subjective socioeconomic status in processing persuasive health messages. Paper presented at the annual conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), Paris