Sonja Utz

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Sonja Utz is a leading scholar at the intersection of communication science, social media, and human-machine interaction. Her research primarily explores how people process information and form relationships in digitally mediated environments, with a recent focus on the psychological and methodological challenges posed by communicative AI agents. Utz’s most-cited work, “Researching interactions between humans and machines: methodological challenges” (2022), has garnered 13 citations and critically examines how traditional communication theories must adapt when studying interactions with artificial entities designed as life-like partners. Beyond this, her broader body of work—which has accumulated thousands of citations—has significantly advanced our understanding of social media’s role in trust, credibility, and political communication. Utz is particularly known for her contributions to the study of online social capital and the dynamics of self-disclosure on platforms like Facebook. A professor at the University of Zurich, she has also served as a leading voice in the European Communication Research and Education Association, shaping the field’s methodological rigor. Her work remains essential for students and researchers navigating the evolving landscape of human-machine communication.