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Shiyang Zhang is a fifth-year graduate student in the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences working with Dr. Karen Fingerman.
Education
B.S., Beijing Normal University, Psychology, 2019
M.A., University of Texas at Austin, Human Development and Family Sciences, 2021
Research Advisor
Research Interests
One line of Shiyang's research focuses on how personality traits (e.g., narcissism) influence older adults' everyday social contacts, as well as how personality and daily experiences intertwine to have an impact on individuals' well-being in late life. Shiyang is also interested in how technologies may be utilized to mitigate loneliness and social isolation. Specifically, her studies examine how and why various modes of contact (e.g., in-person, phone, electronic) have different roles in older adults' daily lives and different influences on older adults' loneliness and well-being.
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Published:
Zhang, S., Fingerman, K. L., & Birditt, K. S. (2023). Detecting Narcissism From Older Adults’ Daily Language Use: A Machine Learning Approach. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, gbad061. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbad061
Zhang, S., Kim, Y. K., Fingerman, K. L., Birditt, K. S., & Charles, S. T. (2022). Narcissism, social experiences, and mood in late life. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 77(8), 1442–1453. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbac019
Zhou, Z., Zhang, S., Kim, Y. K., Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (2023). Need to belong, daily social engagement, and transient loneliness in late life. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, (41)1, 115–136. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075231211617
Fingerman, K. L., Kim, Y. K., Ng, Y. T., Zhang, S., Huo, M., & Birditt, K. S. (2022). Screen time in old age: Television viewing, physical activity, and loneliness in late life. The Gerontologist, 62(7), 1006–1017. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnab120
Fingerman, K. L., Kim, Y. K., Zhang, S., Ng, Y. T., & Birditt, K. S. (2021). Late life in the living room: Room decor, functional limitations, and personality. The Gerontologist, (62)4, 519–529. https://doi.org /10.1093/geront/gnab093
Fingerman, K. L., Ng, Y. T., Zhang, S., Britt, K. S., Colera, G., Birditt, K. S., & Charles, S. T. (2020). Living alone during COVID-19: Social contact and emotional well-being among older adults. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, (76)3, e116–e121. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbaa200
Under Review and In Preparation:
Zhang, S., Fingerman, K. L., Birditt, K. S., (under review). Different Modes of Social Contact and Loneliness in Late Life.
Tang, A., Zhang, S.*, Yeazell, J. A., & Fingerman, K. L. (under review). Objective measurement of the home environment in late life: Application of the Fourier Transform.
Fingerman, K. L., Zhang, S., Zhou, Z., Ng, Y. T., Zarit, S. H., & Birditt, K. S. (under review). Overlooked and overextended: Young adult caregivers of older relatives.
Leger, K., Kim, Y. K., Zhang, S., Gao, S., & Fingerman, K. L. (under review). Daily electronic media use, sedentary behaviors, and sleep in later life.
Fingerman, K. L., Zhang, S., Ng, Y. T., & Li, J. J. (in progress). Associations between naturalistic language and cognitive functioning in late life.
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Selected Conference Presentations:
Zhang, S. & Fingerman, K. L. (2023, November). Functional Limitations, Living Arrangement, Daily Social Contacts, and Loneliness in Late Life. Symposium paper (Chair: E. K. Graham, Loneliness, Social Isolation, and Health Within the Context of Global Pandemic) to be presented at the 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting of Gerontological Society of America (GSA). Tampa, FL.
Zhang, S. & Han, S. H. (2023, November). Childhood Family Environment, Genetic Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease and Late-Life Cognitive Decline. Poster to be presented at the 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting of Gerontological Society of America (GSA). Tampa, FL.
Zhang, S., Gao, S., & Fingerman, K. L. (2022, November). Detecting Narcissism from Daily Language Use: A Machine Learning Approach. Poster presented at the 2022 Annual Scientific Meeting of Gerontological Society of America (GSA). Indianapolis, IN.
Kim, Y. K., Zhang, S.*, Richards, N. E., & Fingerman, K. L. (2022, November). Daily Evening Electronic Media Use, Sedentary Behaviors, and Sleep in Later Life. Symposium paper presented at the 75th Annual Scientific Meeting of Gerontological Society of America (GSA). Indianapolis, IN.
* Presented the study at the conference.
Zhang, S. & Fingerman, K. L. (2021, November). Social encounters and mood: The moderating role of narcissism. Symposium paper (Chair: S. Zhang, Observing Personality in Everyday Life: How Personality Influences Daily Activities and Mood) presented at the 2021 Annual Scientific Meeting of Gerontological Society of America (GSA). Virtual Conference.
Zhang, S., Ng, Y. T., & Fingerman, K. L. (2020, November). Narcissism, social encounters, and mood in late life. Poster presented at the 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting of Gerontological Society of America (GSA). Virtual Conference.
Zhang, S., Huo, M., & Fingerman, K. L., (2020, February). Personality and daily experiences in late life. Poster presented at the 2020 Annual Conference of Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP). New Orleans, LA.
Zhang, S., Huo, M., & Fingerman, K. L., (2019, December). Personality and daily experiences in late life. Poster presented at the 2019 Aging and Health Informatics Conference (AHIC). Austin, TX.
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Teaching Assistant
Undergraduate Courses:
HDF 335: Adult Development, Fall 2019
HDF 378k: Introduction to Early Childhood Intervention, Spring 2020
HDF 352: Field Experience or Practicum, Fall 2020
HDF 305: Health and Development Across Lifespan, Fall 2022
Graduate Courses:
HDF 380k.2: Foundational Statistics, Spring 2023
HDF 380k.3: Analyzing Development and Change, Spring 2023
Guest Lectures
Family Caregiving (HDF 305: Health and Development across Lifespan), Fall 2022
Narcissism in Late Life (HDF 335: Adult Development), Fall 2022
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