DrWei Hutchinson

Wei’s research is grounded in behavioural science, consumer psychology, sensory engagement and design. Her earlier work examined sensory engagement in online environments, exploring how digital cues, storytelling and experience design shape perception, judgement and consumer response.

Building on this foundation, her research now extends to AI-mediated experiences and emerging questions around human-like AI and digital minds. She is interested in how people interpret intelligence, emotion, agency and intention in non-human systems, and what these perceptions mean for trust, decision-making, ethical design and user experience.

Her research connects closely with design engineering, particularly in areas where behavioural insight can support the development of products, services and systems that respond to genuine human needs. She is interested in work that brings together behavioural research, design practice, digital innovation and organisational decision-making.

Wei welcomes opportunities to work with industry partners on applied and industry-focused research. This may include access to real-world contexts, users or datasets; validation of research ideas and prototypes; collaborative research projects; and joint applications for external funding. She is keen to build partnerships that create value for both academic research and business practice.