Penghui Tao’s research explores how media messages shape recipients’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors in the context of climate change, with a focus on the role of emotions and psychological resilience. He conducts theory-driven and evidence-based research to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change, promote pro-environmental behaviors, and foster well-informed public discourse on climate issues. Methodologically, he primarily uses quantitative approaches - such as web-based experiments and longitudinal panel surveys - to draw meaningful causal inferences.

His research has been published in Current Psychology and accepted for presentation at conferences, including the International Conference on Environmental Psychology, the National Communication Association, and the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. Prior to joining Temple University, he earned a Master’s degree in Journalism and Communication from Chongqing University and a dual Bachelor’s degree in Advertising and Finance from Xiangtan University.