dr. Alexander Schouten

Bio

I am an assistant professor of Business Communication & Digital Media. My research and teaching interests include social media use, online collaboration, and online impression management. Specific topics of study include the social psychology of online communication technology, social and digital media, identity management, social influencers, online dating, IT & organizations, virtual & augmented reality, qualitative and quantitative research methodology.

Besides teaching & research, I developed and initiated the New Media Design track within the Communication and Information Sciences department. I am also the bachelor thesis coordinator. I have practical and management experience at interface of technology, organization, and communication. My research skills include: network analysis, multivariate & multilevel analysis, and structural equation modeling. I know  my way around Google Analytics, SEO, Python, SQL, PHP, and basic web development (HTML, CSS, JS).

Expertise

My research focuses on the social consequences of online communication technologies and social media. Specifically, I investigate the specific design characteristics that define communication technologies. These design characteristics, or affordances, in turn affect how people experience these technologies, how they use them, and how they are affected by them. The specific topics I study are (a) how social media affect communication in professional settings, (b) how influencers present themselves on social media and how this affects their followers’ attitudes and behaviors, (c) the effect of visual versus textual information in online dating profiles, (d) how virtual & augmented reality may change interpersonal communication, and (e) the consequences of online interaction for social development.

Teaching

I teach courses on online communication technology and digital media, such as Social Media at Work, Business Information Technology, and Social Media Analytics. I have supervised more than a 100 bachelor and master theses and 5 PhD's.

Courses

• Communication Theory
• Business, Technology & Innovation
• Social Media at Work
• RS: Survey (Fall)

Highlights

You can download my full CV here. You can download a short resume (in Dutch) here.

Recent publications

1. Adolescents' Online Communication and Self-Disclosure to Online and O…

   Mýlek, V., Dedkova, L., & Schouten, A. P. (2024). Adolescents' Online Communication and Self-Disclosure to Online and Offline Acquaintances: Differential Effects of Social Anxiety and Depressed Moods. Journal of Media Psychology, 36(2), 132-143.

2. People-nearby applications use and local community experiences - Dise…

   Gatti, F., Procentese, F., & Schouten, A. P. (2023). People-nearby applications use and local community experiences: Disentangling their interplay through a multilevel, multiple informant approach. Media Psychology, 26(3), 278-305.

3. The costs of chasing fame: The effects of being a social media influe…

   Scholte Albers, M., Janssen, L., Pabian, S., & Schouten, A. (2023). The costs of chasing fame: The effects of being a social media influencer on mental health and well-being. Paper presented at Etmaal van de Communicatiewetenschap, Enschede, Netherlands.

4. Influencing for the better - Influencers als gezondheidsambassadeurs

   Schouten, A., Folkvord, F., Janssen, L., Vanwesenbeeck, I., Pabian, S., Croes, E., van der Waal, N., & Nanne, A. (2023). Influencing for the better: Influencers als gezondheidsambassadeurs. Stichting Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Commerciële Communicatie, SWOCC. https://www.swocc.nl/publicatie/influencing-for-the-better/

5. Your fitfluencer is not like mine. Categorization of Instagram fitflu…

   Spapens, I., Vanwesenbeeck, I., Pabian, S., & Schouten, A. (2023). Your fitfluencer is not like mine. Categorization of Instagram fitfluencers and their effects on their followers’ body satisfaction and well-being.. Abstract from Etmaal van de Communicatiewetenschap, Enschede, Netherlands.