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

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