Priska Breves is Associate Professor of Persuasive Communication at the University of Amsterdam, within the Amsterdam School of Communication Research (ASCoR).  She received her PhD in Communication Science from the University of Würzburg, Germany, and teaches courses in marketing communication, research methods, and statistics.

Her research examines how emerging media technologies shape people’s perceptions, attitudes, and behaviour, particularly in advertising, health, and environmental communication. She focuses on social media influencers, virtual and AI-generated personas, and immersive technologies such as virtual reality. She is particularly interested in how parasocial relationships, social comparison, and the experience of presence influence responses to these media.

She was awarded an NWO Veni grant (2025) to investigate how young adults compare themselves with AI-generated influencers and how these comparisons affect body image, well-being, and health-related behaviour. The project also examines whether disclosing an influencer’s artificial nature and providing additional interventions can reduce potential negative effects.

Editorial roles and academic service

• Associate Editor of the Journal of Interactive Advertising.

• Editorial Review Board member of the Journal of Advertising, International Journal of Advertising, and Journal of Advertising Research.

Research methods

• Experiments and surveys

• Content analyses and systematic literature reviews

• Longitudinal research and experience sampling methods (ESM)

• Eye tracking

• Data donation

Selected research projects

AI-generated influencers, social comparison, and body image — NWO Veni | This project investigates how young adults compare themselves with AI-generated influencers and whether knowing that an influencer is artificial changes these comparisons and their consequences. Combining laboratory experiments and experience sampling studies, it also tests interventions to protect body image and well-being. The four-year project starts in January 2027.

Greenfluencers and sustainable consumption — ECoLoGIC | This project examines how following greenfluencers over time influences sustainable consumption. It investigates how consistent versus inconsistent sustainability messages affect parasocial relationships, attitudes, and everyday behaviour, using an AI-generated influencer in a six-week experience sampling study.

Greenwashing in influencer advertising | This project investigates the prevalence and effects of misleading environmental claims in influencer advertising. Combining content analysis and experiments, it examines how parasocial relationships influence susceptibility to greenwashing and tests strategies to help audiences critically evaluate sustainability claims.

Human and virtual influencers | This research examines how people develop relationships with human and virtual influencers over time, and how perceived authenticity, credibility, and artificiality shape their persuasive influence.

Gambling content on social media | This research investigates young people’s exposure to gambling-related social media content, including content that blends advertising and entertainment. It examines the implications for advertising recognition, prevention, and regulation.