Dr Xiaoyun Chen

ESRC Post Doctoral Fellow

Research Overview

My research aims to understand the mechanisms behind curiosity and information seeking — the curious feeling (manifestation), why we are so curious, what we are curious about, and its broader consequences.

Using a multi-method approach, I investigate curiosity through four key strands:

Neural and physiological basis of information-seeking: examining how brain activity and physiological responses relate to curiosity-driven behaviours in both children and adults.

Early executive function and curiosity in childhood: exploring how early cognitive abilities shape curiosity and learning in young children.

Curiosity and decision-making in autistic traits: investigating how curiosity influences choices and information-seeking in individuals with high autistic traits.

Curiosity and metacogntion: investigating the relationship between information seeking and metacognitive abilities in both children and adults

Lab Tour and Knowledge Exchange for Early Years Education Practitioners
Influence on Policy, Practice, Patients & the Public

International Study Centre Student Lab Visit
Other

ICDL Family Fun Day
Types of Public engagement and outreach - Festival/Exhibition

Lab Tour and Knowledge Exchange for Lancashire County Council Network Of Outstanding Providers
Influence on Policy, Practice, Patients & the Public

Lancaster Music Festival
Festival/Exhibition/Concert

Workshop on time-series analysis of noisy data
Participation in conference - Academic

How to Data Science!
Types of Business and Community - Hosting of external, non-academic visitor

When curiosity meets magic!
Types of Public engagement and outreach - Festival/Exhibition

Eye tracking and pupillometry with R
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar

Eye tracking and pupillometry with R for developmental researchers
Invited talk

Talk: Exploring Cognitive Mechanisms in Curiosity-Driven Learning Across Infancy and Adulthood
Oral presentation

Talk: The Role of Technology in My Curiosity Quest.
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar

Poster Presentation: Children’s word learning based on active and passive object sampling using a transparent dyadic interaction platform
Other

Talk: An investigation of individual differences in curiosity using pupillometry.
Invited talk

LuCiD Travel Award
Prize (including medals and awards)

ESRC NWSSDTP Postdoctoral fellowship award
Fellowship awarded competitively

LuCiD Annual Blog: First Prize
Prize (including medals and awards)

  • Developmental Psychology