Xun He

Dr Xun He

  • Principal Academic
  • Poole House P126a, Talbot Campus, Fern Barrow, Poole, BH12 5BB
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Biography

I studied biology at University of Science and Technology of China, and received my BSc in Biology in 1997. After that, I moved to psychology and obtained my PhD in 2004 from Chinese Academy of Sciences. After completing a postdoc position (2004-2006) at Peking University, I moved to the UK. I then had several more years of postdoc experience at University of Birmingham (2006-2012) and University of Sussex (2012-2013). Since July 2013, I have been working at Bournemouth University with a permanent position.

Research

I am a cognitive and social neuroscientist. My research interest is visual perception and attention in social contexts. My research questions include 1) the interpersonal influence on visual attention performance when two persons work together, 2) ensemble perception of a crowd of faces, and 3) embodied perception of social interactions in face perception. Because the self is the anchor point and core of all social interactions, my research also extends to the self-prioritization phenomenon. I specialize in the human electroencephalography (EEG) technique, including event-related potential (ERP), frequency analysis and time-frequency analysis of EEG. I am Head of the Bournemouth EEG Lab. Being a passionate advocate of multi-disciplinary research of immersive neuroscience, I established and lead the Multimodal Immersive NEuro-sensing (MINE) Research Cluster (https://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/MINE). I welcome interested students and researchers from various training backgrounds to join our team.

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Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person's work contributes towards the following SDGs:

Good health and well-being

"Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages"

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Quality education

"Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all"

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Gender equality

"Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls"

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Reduced inequalities

"Reduce inequality within and among countries"

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Journal Articles

  • Mushtaq, F., ..., He, X., .... and Valdes-Sosa, P., 2024. One hundred years of EEG for brain and behaviour research. Nature Human Behaviour, 8, 1437-1443.
  • Lu, Z., He, X., Yi, D. and Sui, J., 2024. Temporal properties of self-prioritization. Entropy, 26 (3), 242.
  • Sui, J., He, X., Golubickis, M., Svensson, S.L. and Macrae, C.N., 2023. Electrophysiological Correlates of Self-Prioritization. Consciousness and Cognition, 108, 103475.
  • Li, A.S., Li, Y., He, X. and Zhang, Y., 2023. Inhibition of return as a foraging facilitator in visual search: Evidence from long-term training. Attention, Perception, and Psychophysics, 85 (1), 88-98.
  • Saul, M., He, X., Black, S. and Charles, F., 2022. A two-person neuroscience approach for social anxiety: A paradigm for interbrain synchrony and neurofeedback. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 568921.
  • Pavlov, Y.G., ..., He, X., .... and Mushtaq, F., 2021. #EEGManyLabs: Investigating the replicability of influential EEG experiments. Cortex, 144, 213-229.
  • Wang, R., He, X. and Zeng, B., 2021. Visual benefit in lexical tone perception in Mandarin: An event-related potential study. Neuroscience, 466, 196-204.
  • Zhang, Y., Yuan, Y.-F., He, X. and Zhang, G.-L., 2019. Bottom-up and top-down factors of motion direction learning transfer. Consciousness and Cognition, 74, 102780.
  • Li, A.-S., Miao, C.-G., Han, Y., He, X. and Zhang, Y., 2018. Electrophysiological correlates of the effect of task difficulty on inhibition of return. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 2403.
  • Michailidis, L., Balaguer-Ballester, E. and He, X., 2018. Flow and immersion in video games: The aftermath of a conceptual challenge. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1682.
  • Zhang, G.-L., Li, A.-S., Miao, C.-G., He, X., Zhang, M. and Zhang, Y., 2018. A consumer-grade LCD monitor for precise visual stimulation. Behavior Research Methods, 50, 1496-1502.
  • Forder, L., He, X. and Franklin, A., 2017. Colour categories are reflected in sensory stages of colour perception when stimulus issues are resolved. PLoS ONE, 12 (5), e0178097.
  • Forder, L., Bosten, J., He, X. and Franklin, A., 2017. A neural signature of the unique hues. Scientific Reports, 7, 42364.
  • Triviño, M., Correa, Á., Lupiáñez, J., Funes, M.J., Catena, A., He, X. and Humphreys, G.W., 2016. Brain networks of temporal preparation: A multiple regression analysis of neuropsychological data. Neuroimage, 142, 489-497.
  • Liu, M., He, X., Rotsthein, P. and Sui, J., 2016. Dynamically orienting your own face facilitates the automatic attraction of attention. Cognitive Neuroscience, 7 (1-4), 37-44.
  • He, X., Sebanz, N., Sui, J. and Humphreys, G.W., 2014. Individualism-collectivism and interpersonal memory guidance of attention. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 54, 102-114.
  • Dent, K., Humphreys, G., He, X. and Braithwaite, J., 2014. Surface-based constraints on target selection and distractor rejection: Evidence from preview search. Vision Research, 97, 89-99.
  • He, X., Witzel, C., Forder, L., Clifford, A. and Franklin, A., 2014. Color categories only affect post-perceptual processes when same- and different-category colors are equally discriminable. Journal of the Optical Society of America A, 31, A322-A331.
  • Sui, J., He, X. and Humphreys, G.W., 2012. Perceptual effects of social salience: Evidence from self-prioritization effects on perceptual matching. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 38, 1105-1117.
  • Dent, K., Braithwaite, J., He, X. and Humphreys, G.W., 2012. Integrating space and time in visual search: How the preview benefit is modulated by stereoscopic depth. Vision Research, 65, 45-61.
  • He, X., Lever, A.G. and Humphreys, G.W., 2011. Interpersonal memory-based guidance of attention is reduced for ingroup members. Experimental Brain Research, 211, 429-438.
  • He, X., Humphreys, G.W., Fan, S., Chen, L. and Han, S., 2008. Differentiating spatial and object-based effects on attention: An event-related brain potential study with peripheral cueing. Brain Research, 1245, 116-125.
  • He, X., Fan, S., Zhou, K. and Chen, L., 2004. Cue validity and object-based attention. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 16, 1085-1097.
  • Han, S. and He, X., 2003. Modulation of neural activities by enhanced local selection in the processing of compound stimuli. Human Brain Mapping, 19, 273-281.
  • Han, S., He, X., Yund, E.W. and Woods, D.L., 2001. Attentional selection in the processing of hierarchical patterns: An ERP study. Biological Psychology, 56, 113-130.
  • Han, S., He, X. and Woods, D.L., 2000. Hierarchical processing and level-repetition effect as indexed by early brain potentials. Psychophysiology, 37, 817-830.

Chapters

Conferences

  • Kuleli, D., Charles, F., Guo, L., Vuillier, L., Liu, C.H., Gregory, N. and He, X., 2024. Exploring Influence of Social Anxiety on Embodied Face Perception during Affective Social Interactions in VR. In: 24th ACM International Conference on Intelligent Virtual Agents (IVA) 16-19 September 2024 Glasgow.
  • Lu, Z., Li, D., He, X. and Sui, J., 2023. A deep learning approach to self-prioritization processing. In: IEEE ICCI*CC 2023 19-21 August 2023 Palo Alto, USA.
  • He, X. and Liu, C., 2023. Judging the proportion of a facial expression in a set of faces. In: Experimental Psychology Society Meeting 12-14 July 2023 Swansea, UK.
  • Saul, M., He, X., Black, S. and Charles, F., 2021. Interbrain synchrony and neurofeedback approach to social impairments using leader-follower dynamics. In: 16th International Conference on Persuasive Technologies 12-14 April 2021 Poole, UK.
  • Hemingway, A. and Laurie, H., 2021. A proposed study to shift TheHorseCourse equine-assisted intervention to VR platform for large-scale reach. In: Federation for Horses in Education and Therapy International Seoul Korea 8-11 June 2021 Seoul Korea.
  • Saul, M., He, X., Black, S. and Charles, F., 2021. Interbrain synchrony and the prisoner's dilemma game: an approach to social anxiety. In: 8th International BCI Meeting 6-11 June 2021 Brussels, Belgium.
  • He, X., Iglesias Yanes, A., McGlasson, G. and Hassan, S., 2020. Effect of embodied perspective on the sensory-level processing of self-relevant information. In: Experimental Psychology Society Meeting 2 July 2020 Online.
  • Michailidis, L., Lucas Barcias, J., Charles, F., He, X. and Balaguer-Ballester, E., 2019. Combining personality and physiology to investigate the flow experience in virtual reality games. In: 21st HCI International 26-31 July 2019 Orlando, USA.
  • Saul, M., Charles, F. and He, X., 2019. N170 components of real and computer-generated facial images. In: Neuroadaptive Technology Conference 16-18 July 2019 Liverpool, UK.
  • He, X., Avendaño Diaz, J.C. and Wang, Z., 2019. Visual spatial attention in pairs: interpersonal influence and top-down control. In: Experimental Psychology Society Meeting 10-12 July 2019 Poole, UK.
  • Chu, M., He, X. and Sui, J., 2019. The social self: Understanding effects of social context on self-bias. In: The 3rd International Convention of Psychological Science 7-9 March 2019 Paris, France.
  • He, X., 2019. Chairing symposium "It takes two to tango (in the mind): Interpersonal influences on cognitive processes". In: The 3rd International Convention of Psychological Science 7-9 March 2019 Paris, France.
  • Michailidis, L., Barcias, J.L., Balaguer-Ballester, E. and He, X., 2018. Bringing Tower Defense into the physiological study of flow in virtual reality. In: EuroVR 2018 22-23 October 2018 London, UK.
  • Avendaño Diaz, J. and He, X., 2018. A top-down driven attention reduction mechanism in dyads sharing the locus of attention? Insights from functional connectivity in a dual-EEG study. In: The 4th International Conference of the European Society for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience 19-22 July 2018 Leiden, The Netherlands.
  • He, X., 2018. More brains: The future of hyperscanning in BCI (invited lecture). In: The 32nd British Human Computer Interaction Conference 2-6 July 2018 Belfast, UK.
  • He, X. and Avendaño Diaz, J.C., 2018. Implicit interpersonal influences in visual attention: From behaviour to EEG. In: The Future of Social Cognition Workshop 14-15 June 2018 Norwich, UK.
  • Avendaño Diaz, J.C. and He, X., 2018. Investigating attentional capture by a co-actor’s task/control setting. In: The Future of Social Cognition Workshop 14-15 June 2018 Norwich, UK.
  • Avendaño Diaz, J.C. and He, X., 2017. Sensory processing and cognitive control in dual attention: An inhibitory feedback account revealed by dual EEG. In: Aspects of Neuroscience 2017 24-26 November 2017 Warsaw, Poland.
  • Avendaño Diaz, J.C. and He, X., 2017. Reduced alpha-band suppression in dyads sharing the locus of attention? A dual EEG study. In: Annual Meeting for the British Association for Cognitive Neuroscience 7-8 September 2017 Plymouth, UK.
  • Avendaño Diaz, J.C. and He, X., 2017. Sustained visual attention in dyads: Examining the role of group membership through a minimal group manipulation. In: The 7th Joint Action Meeting 22-26 July 2017 London, UK.
  • He, X. and Avendaño Diaz, J.C., 2017. A dual-EEG study of shared attention in dyads: Sensory processing or top-down control? In: The 7th Joint Action Meeting 22-26 July 2017 London, UK.
  • He, X. and Avendaño Diaz, J.C., 2017. When shared attention does not help: Reduced attention effect in dyads. In: The 2nd International Convention of Psychological Science 23-25 March 2017 Vienna, Austria.
  • Ren, P., Tang, Z.C., He, X. and Zeng, B., 2016. An evaluation of single trial LRP with dry electrodes. In: The 5th International Conference on Neuroeconomics and Neuromanagement 4-5 November 2016 Hangzhou, China.
  • He, X., 2016. ERP components and the application in brain-computer interface (invited lecture). In: The 30th British Human Computer Interaction (HCI) Conference 11-15 July 2016 Poole, UK.
  • Wang, R., He, X. and Zeng, B., 2016. Expectancy effect on audiovisual benefit of Mandarin lexical tones. In: The 17th International Multisensory Research Forum 15-18 June 2016 Suzhou, China.
  • Forder, L., He, X. and Franklin, A., 2015. Colour categories are reflected in sensory stages of colour perception when stimulus issues are resolved. In: The 38th European Conference on Visual Perception 24-27 August 2015 Liverpool, UK.
  • He, X., Kumar, S., Sui, J. and Humphreys, G.W., 2015. An inhibitory mechanism of interpersonal memory guidance revealed by ERPs. In: The 6th Joint Action Meeting 1-4 July 2015 Budapest, Hungary.
  • Forder, L., He, X., Witzel, C. and Franklin, A., 2014. Speakers of different colour lexicons differ only in post-perceptual processing of colour. In: The 37th European Conference on Visual Perception 24-28 August 2014 Belgrade, Serbia.
  • Zhou, K., Du, X., Meng, Q., He, X. and Chen, L., 2013. Object-based attention has no space for space. In: The 9th Asia‐Pacific Conference on Vision 5-8 July 2013 Suzhou, China.
  • He, X., Sebanz, N., Sui, J. and Humphreys, G.W., 2013. Individualism-collectivism and interpersonal memory guidance of attention. In: The 15th European Social Cognition Network Transfer of Knowledge Conference 27 August-1 September 2013 Vilnius, Lithuania.
  • He, X., Sebanz, N., Lever, A.G. and Humphreys, G.W., 2011. Inter-personal memory guidance of attention in joint action: Effects of in-group coding. In: The 4th Joint Action Meeting 7-9 July 2011 Vienna, Austria.
  • He, X., Sebanz, N. and Humphreys, G.W., 2010. Attentional guidance by knowledge of others’ memory: Contributions from culture (invited lecture). In: The British Neuropsychological Society Meeting 20-21 October 2010 London, UK.
  • He, X., Sebanz, N. and Humphreys, G.W., 2010. Joint memory guidance of visual attention: Contributions from culture. In: The 7th International Conference on Cognitive Science 17-20 August 2010 Beijing, China.
  • He, X., Sebanz, N. and Humphreys, G.W., 2010. Do I have your memory? Joint memory effects on visual attention. In: The 1st Joint Conference of the EPS and SEPEX 15-17 April 2010 Granada, Spain.
  • He, X., Han, S. and Humphreys, G.W., 2008. Perceptual load affects early modulation of reflexive attention. In: The 49th Annual Meeting of the Psychonomic Society 13-16 November 2008 Chicago, USA.
  • He, X., Han, S. and Humphreys, G.W., 2007. Contribution of temporal expectancy in perceptual inhibition of return. In: The 13th Annual Meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping 10-14 June 2007 Chicago, USA.
  • He, X. and Chen, L., 2004. Reflexive object-based attention. In: The 3rd Asian Conference on Vision 15-19 November 2004 Chongqing, China.

PhD Students

  • Damla Kuleli (PhD). Influence of social anxiety on embodied face perception during affective social interactions: An EEG study in virtual reality, (In progress)
  • Gemma Lovett (PhD). The relationship between self-, reward- and emotion-prioritization effects: cognitive and neural mechanisms, (In progress)
  • Marcia Saul (EngD). Realtime multiple participant neuro-feedback (NF) training to enhance group synchrony to reduce social anxiety, (In progress)
  • Sasha Alexdottir (PhD). Phantom touch phenomenon as a manifestation of the visual-auditory-tactile synaesthesia and its impact on the users in virtual reality, (In progress)
  • Dr Rui Wang (PhD), 2018. Audiovisual perception of Mandarin lexical tones: Visual benefit effect and incongruent effect, (Completed)
  • Dr Juan Camilo Avendaño Diaz (PhD), 2020. Interpersonal processes: social facets of human cognition, (Completed)
  • Dr Lazaros Michailidis (EngD), 2021. Neurogaming - neural code of 'flow' in video games, (Completed)

Profile of Teaching PG

  • Level 7 (2013-present): Advanced Research Methods (unit leader 2016-2017)
  • Level 7 (2016-2020): Nutrition and Brain Function Across the Lifespan (guest lecture for Faculty of HSS)
  • Level 7 (2017-present): Research Project
  • MRes: Gemma Lovett (2021 completed). The relationship between self-prioritization, reward-prioritization and emotion-prioritization effects: an EEG study
  • MRes: Zhuoen Lu (2022 completed, University of Aberdeen). Dynamic fronto-occipital alpha-band neural coupling in self-saliency processing
  • MRes: Toby Denholm-Smith (2023 completed). Investigating emotion and reward processing using an associative matching task

Profile of Teaching UG

  • Level 5 (2014-2022): Biological Psychology
  • Level 6 (2013-present): Research Project
  • Level 6 (2015-2024): Mind, Brain, and Evolution (unit leader from 2017)
  • Level 6 (2018-present): Cultural Psychology (winner of Excellence in Education in Sustainable Development Award 2021; unit leader)
  • Level 6 (2018-2023): Research Project lecture on EEG
  • Level 6 (2021-2022): Neuroimaging

Grants

  • Examining the Effects of Cold-Water Immersion on Depression Biomarkers Using Resting-State EEG Measures (Wessex Health Partners, 02 Sep 2024). In Progress
  • ElectroTools: Powering the future of EEG research (BBSRC, 01 Jul 2023). In Progress
  • Influence of social anxiety on embodied face perception during affective social interactions: An EEG study in virtual reality (TG0, 15 Jun 2023). In Progress
  • Multimodal Immersive NEuro-sensing (MINE) for natural neuro-behavioural measurement (BU Strategic Investment Area Game-Changing Concept, 08 Sep 2021). In Progress
  • Equine assistance virtual reality pilot (TheHorseCourse, 01 Aug 2021). Completed
  • Believable agent behaviour (BAB) for data-driven real-time VR (Innovate UK Smart Grant, 01 Jul 2021). Completed
  • Judging overall mood of a crowd: how does the brain rapidly perceive an average emotion from multiple faces? (British Academy, 01 Jul 2019). Completed
  • Establishing how cross-cultural differences in nonverbal behaviours influence face-to-face communication (The Carnegie Trust, 01 Jun 2018). Completed
  • Interpersonal processes: social facets of human cognition (Hooray Education GmbH, Germany, 25 Jan 2016). Completed
  • Neurofeedback diagnosis and treatment on children with speech, language and communication needs (Shaoxing 330 Overseas Elites Project, China, 01 Sep 2014). Completed
  • Neural correlates of interaction between voluntary and reflexive visual attention (Royal Society, 01 Apr 2006). Completed
  • The neural correlates of the interaction between voluntary and reflexive visual attention (National Natural Science Foundation of China, 01 Jan 2006). Completed
  • Neural mechanism of object-based attention (China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, 01 Dec 2004). Completed

External Responsibilities

  • Imaging Neuroscience, Editorial Board Member (2023-)
  • Queen's University Belfast, External Examiner (BPS-accredited MSc programme) (2022-2026)
  • CuttingGardens2023 Conference (16-19 October 2023), Organising Committee Member (2022-2023)
  • UKRI, Talent Peer Review College Member (2021-)
  • NeuroImage: Reports, Editorial Board Member (2021-2023)
  • Newton Fund (The British Council), Contracted Reviewer (2018-2022)
  • University of Plymouth, External Examiner (BPS-accredited BSc programmes) (2017-2021)
  • De Montfort University, External Examiner (BPS-accredited BSc programmes) (2017-2021)
  • Dorset Mindfulness Centre, Experimental Psychology Advisor (2015-2022)
  • ESRC /Leverhulme Trust /Future Leaders Fellowship /European Science Foundation /National Science Foundation (USA) /Swiss National Science Foundation, Grant Proposal Reviewer
  • Cambridge University Press /Sage /Routledge /Pearson, Book Reviewer

Internal Responsibilities

  • Academic Conduct Lead, Department of Psychology (2024-)
  • Local Organizing Committee Chair, International Conferece on Virtual Reality 2024 (2023-2024)
  • Member, Knowledge Exchange and Innovation Funding Panel (2023-)
  • Chair, Bournemouth Garden of CuttingGardens2023 Conference (2022-2023)
  • Member, The 7th British Conference of Undergraduate Research Organising Committee (2016-2017)
  • Founder & Head, Multimodal Immersive NEuro-sensing (MINE) Research Cluster (2021-). http://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/mine
  • Head, Bournemouth EEG Lab (2016-)
  • Head, Attention, Memory, and Perception (AMP) Research Group (2015-2022)
  • Member, Science, Technology & Health Research Ethics Panel (Feb 2020 - Dec 2023)

Public Engagement & Outreach Activities

  • Dorchester Science Festival, "Measuring human social behaviour with VR and brainwaves" (17 Mar 2024)
  • Dorchester Science Festival, "Measuring human social behaviour with VR and brainwaves" (12 Mar 2023)
  • I Am a Scientist, Get Me Out of Here (Psychology Zone) (01 Nov 2021-26 Nov 2021)
  • British Science Festival 2021, "Judging overall mood from a crowd of faces" (11 Sep 2021)
  • ESRC Festival of Social Science, "Reading the room: how your brain judges the mood of a crowd" (14 Nov 2020)
  • Bournemouth Skeptics in the Pub, "Working together: when your mind is in my mind" (12 Nov 2019)
  • Café Scientifique, "Working together: when your mind is in my mind" (06 Nov 2018)
  • Purbeck Probus, "Cognition in pairs" (04 Apr 2018)
  • ESRC Festival of Social Science, "Performance in pairs: human minds acting together" (08 Nov 2017)
  • Festival of Learning, "When your mind is in my mind: cognition in pairs" (08 Jul 2017)
  • Dorset Mindfulness Centre CPD training, "The neuroscience of mindfulness" (03 Jul 2016-24 Jul 2022)

Qualifications

  • PGCE in Education Practice (Bournemouth University, 2016)
  • PhD in Biophysics (Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2004)
  • BSc (Hons) in Biology (University of Science and Technology of China, 1997)

Honours

  • Credibility in Neuroscience Team Award (British Neuroscience Association, 2023)
  • Excellence in Education in Sustainable Development (EESD) Award (Bournemouth University, 2021)
  • Collaborative Team Award (Vice-Chancellor’s Staff Awards) (Bournemouth University, 2017)

Memberships

Social Media Links

External Media and Press