Veronica Hefner

Veronica Hefner is a quantitative media scholar with an emphasis in interpersonal communication.  She is the immediate past secretary of the Mass Communication Division of the International Communication Association and currently serves as a Nominations Officer for the Mass Communication Division of the National Communication Association.  She has worked as a consultant for the Entertainment Industry Council, which works to bring awareness and understanding to the mental and substance abuse issues portrayed in entertainment media.  Dr. Hefner has also served as the advisor for the Lambda Pi Etastudent honor society at two of her previous academic institutions.

As a teacher-scholar, Veronica Hefner explores the uses and effects of traditional and digital media within the contexts of interpersonal relationships and body image. She has investigated the intersection between media consumption and related interpersonal and health effects with a number of studies, including: romantic comedy viewing and endorsement of romantic ideals, the use of digital and online media and the propensity to compulsively exercise or engage in disordered eating, and online dating and reports of romantic beliefs.  She has also used a number of small grants to explore these topics, including: the effect of gay-related social media content on beliefs and behaviors among online users, and the effects of viewing romantic comedies on beliefs, mood, and satisfaction.