ANAËLLE GONZALEZ, PhD

Political Psychologist – Communication Scholar

I am a postdoctoral researcher at the Media Psychology Lab (KU Leuven, Belgium), where I study how social media shape adolescents’ moral and political development. In 2025, I obtained my PhD in Social Sciences at the university KU Leuven, with a specialization in Communication Science. My dissertation, Politics Undercover: Understanding the role of social media personalities in the development of adolescents’ political self, used a multidisciplinary approach combining communication, political, and psychological sciences. I am now continuing this line of work with a KU Leuven Postdoctoral Mandate (2025–2026), extending it to the moral and ideological effects of influencer content on youth. Alongside my academic work, I am the social media editor of the Journal of Children and Media and I am committed to promoting well-being at work. In my personal time, I also enjoy writing poetry and reflections on diverse topics.

About me