Professional Bio
Andy High maintains two complementary and intersecting lines of research on interpersonal communication focused specifically on supportive communication and computer-mediated communication. Within the context of supportive communication, Professor High examines the personal, relational, contextual, and message-based factors that shape the outcomes people experience when coping with personal stressors. He studies various phases of the process of supportive communication, including how people seek, provide, and process supportive messages. In so doing, his research covers several topics, including support gaps, verbal person-centeredness, and supportive message processing. In his research on computer-mediated communication, Professor High studies the features of channels and corresponding perceived affordances that shape the outcomes people experience when interacting across channels. He utilizes theory from the domains of both interpersonal communication and computer-mediated communication to understand how and why conversing in various channels shapes the outcomes people experience. Professor High’s two lines of research often overlap as he seeks to gain a better understanding of how supportive interactions unfold in different channels. Professor High teaches both undergraduate and graduate-level courses on computer-mediated communication (CAS 283) and supportive communication.
