Research

Research Interests

My research investigates how digital transformation reshapes service experiences and consumer well-being. I pursue three interconnected streams:

Healthcare Services: Patient adherence, value co-creation, pharmaceutical policy, and health management interventions
AI in Services: AI disclosure structures, human-AI interaction, algorithmic transparency, and consumer trust
Platform-based Services: Digital health platforms, telemedicine, physician multihoming, and platform governance

I employ diverse methodologies including laboratory and field experiments, econometric modeling (DID, causal ML), meta-analysis, and text mining.

Lv, L., Liang, Y., Chen, S., Liu, G. G., & Liao, J. (2025). Good deeds deserve good outcomes: Leveraging generative artificial intelligence to reduce tourists’ avoidance of ethical brands embracing stigmatized groups. Annals of Tourism Research. (ABS 4)
Liao, J., & Huang, J. (2024). Think like a robot: How interactions with humanoid service robots affect consumers’ decision strategies. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. (ABS 2)
Liao, J., Huang, J., & Su, L. (2022). When and how virus anthropomorphism intensifies consumer stigma toward patients. Advances in Consumer Research, 50, 78-78. (ABS 2)
Cheng, L., Zhang, J., Liao, J., Peng, F., & Wang, X. (2025). Dehumanization and aggression: A meta-analysis. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 102079.
Rahim, A., Wang, H., Liao, J., & Khan, S. (2023). Does dignity matter? A study of donors’ behavior. Current Psychology, 42(16), 13220-13227.
Shen, M., Liao, J., & Wang, H. (2024). Analysis of consumer medication adherence: Based on two-stage theoretical model. Advances in Psychological Science, 32(5), 859.

^{† denotes co-first author}

Huang, J., & Liao, J.^† The more, the worse? Exploring the negative influence of robot replicates on human-robot rapport in the tourism and hospitality sector. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management.
Huang, J., & Liao, J.^† How guilt influences consumer response to anthropomorphized brands taking the servant (vs. partner) role. Journal of Product & Brand Management.

Liao, J., Zhou, S., & Kang, Q. How mental disorder anthropomorphism enhances consumer self-efficacy and health engagement. Psychology & Marketing. (ABS 3)
Lv, L., Zhang, Y., Liao, J., Chen, J., & Dai, G. How personalized recommendations influence customers’ sustainable hotels booking: The role of environmental identity label perception. International Journal of Hospitality Management. (ABS 3)
Tao, J., Liu, G. G., Yu, J., & Liao, J. From “Sacred Spaces” to “Selfie Spots”: How social media sharing motivations transform tourist-destination relationships. Journal of Sustainable Tourism. (ABS 3)
Zhou, S., Kang, Q., & Liao, J. Taking selfies increases preference for self-improvement products: The role of self-focused attention. Psychology & Marketing. (ABS 3)

Shen, M., Liao, J.^†, & Song, Y. The power of tolerance for contradiction: Improving consumer health adherence through perceived information diagnosticity. European Journal of Marketing. (ABS 3)
Liao, J., Liang, Y., Lin, Y., & Lv, L. Overcoming uniqueness neglect: How AI disclosure structure shapes service evaluation. Journal of Management Information Systems. (FT50, ABS 4)
Xie, H., & Liao, J. How hierarchical team appointments reshape patient flow and healthcare resource utilization. Production and Operations Management. (UTD24, ABS 4)

^{Lead projects only}

Liao, J., Zhang, L., & Chen, H. Family identity salience increases consumers’ self-care behavior. Target: Journal of Consumer Psychology. (FT50, ABS 4*)
Liao, J., Klein, J. F., Falk, T., Sundqvist, S., & Paasonen, P. Advice adherence in professional services: A meta-analysis. Target: Journal of Service Research. (ABS 4)
Liao, J., Liu, C., Ni, J., & Wang, H. The paradox of access: How increased generic drug availability affects patient adherence. Target: Journal of Marketing Research. (UTD24, ABS 4*)
Liao, J., & Xie, H. How the drug shadow market impacts patient welfare: Evidence from a policy shock of 4+7 Centralized Procurement in China. Target: Management Science. (UTD24, ABS 4*)
Huang, S., Liao, J.^†, & Zhang, Y. Physician multihoming and healthcare resource allocation: An analytical model with causal evidence. Target: Information Systems Research. (UTD24, ABS 4*)

Period	Funder	Amount	Project
2023–25	Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation	€60,000	Marketing and Health Adherence
2022–25	Marcus Wallenberg Foundation	€37,000	Consumer Well-being in Healthcare
2021–25	HSE Support Foundation	€40,000+	Doctoral Research on Healthcare Marketing
2024	Paulo Foundation	€8,000	Research Visit to Virginia Tech
2022 & 2024	Matti Lehti Fund	€6,000	AI in Consumer Behavior
2022 & 2023	Foundation for Economic Education	€3,600	Dialectical Thinking Research

Total External Funding (as PI): €154,600+