Dr. Regina Jihea Ahn is an assistant professor in the Department of Strategic Communication at the University of Miami’s School of Communication. Her research focuses on fostering media literacy and understanding how individuals and families interact with and internalize media content across various contexts. Dr. Ahn’s work is centered around three key areas:
1. Exploring individual and familial media experiences, particularly in relation to subtle and engaging forms of persuasive messaging and advertising.
2. Developing collaborative strategies and educational approaches to enhance media literacy among diverse audiences.
3. Investigating the effects of emerging advertising/technologies and interactive media forms on vulnerable populations, including children, older adults, and patients.
Guided by an interdisciplinary approach, Dr. Ahn’s research aims to build theoretical frameworks that advance media literacy and ethical media practices. Her work has been published in esteemed scholarly journals, including the Journal of Advertising, Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising, Journal of Interactive Advertising, Journal of Children and Media, American Behavioral Scientist, and Young Consumers.
Education
Ph.D. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Communication and Media, 2019
M.S. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Advertising, 2014
B.A.A. Sookmyung Women’s University, South Korea, Business Administration, 2011
Publications
Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications
Ahn, R. J., Feijoó Fernández, B., Sádaba-Chalezquer, C., & Fernández-Gómez, E. (2025). Generation Alpha Attitudes Toward Mobile Advertising. Young Consumers. https://doi.org/10.1108/YC-09-2024-2256
Dunleavy, V. O., Ahn, R. J., Grace, L., & Mayo, D. (2024). Acceptability and Feasibility of “Latinos Unidos”: A Microgame Resource Combatting Health Misinformation for Latino People Living with HIV. Journal of Health Communication. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2024.2339238
Ahn, R. J., Nelson, M. R., Eales, L., Da Silva, F., Simenec, T. S., Ali, A., Davis, S. L., & Ferguson, G. R. (2023) Exploring Persuasion Knowledge, Identity-related Media Use, and Ad Skepticism of Black Immigrant and Refugee Adolescents. Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising. https://doi.org/10.1080/10641734.2023.2271937
Ahn, R. J., Cho, S., & Tsai, W. S. (2022). Demystifying Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) Influencers: The Effect of Perceived Anthropomorphism and Social Presence on Brand Outcomes. Journal of Interactive Advertising. https://doi.org/10.1080/15252019.2022.2111242
Selective Book Chapters
Ahn, R. J. (2025). “Chapter 12: Advertising/Commercialization,” E. Scharrer (ed.). Children, Media, and Technology: Access, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/Children-Media-and-Technology-Access-Equity-Diversity-and-Inclusion/Scharrer/p/book/9781032590530
Ahn, R. J. (2024). Parental Advertising Mediation in the Digital Media Context: Focusing on Cultural Nuances and Adaptation. In F. B., Fernández Gómez, E. (ed.) Advertising Literacy for Young Audiences in the Digital Age. Springer, Cham. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-55736-1_9 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-55736-1_9
Courses Taught
STC 114 Principles of Advertising
STC 200 Advertising Strategy Development
STC 312 Research Methods for Advertising
COM 603 Qualitative Research Methodology
EPH 619 Survey of Health Communication