The Cogitive Neural Mechanism underly Inter-group Conflict
The Cogitive Neural Mechanism underly Inter-group Conflict
Time & Date: 15:00-16:30, December 3 (Tuesday)
Venue: TxC401
Zoom: 965 0314 9954 (Passcode: hss)
Language: English
Abstract:
Conflict between groups is one driven force for human society. It contributes to intergroup discrimination and outgroup hostility, and can dramatically change the thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors of group members. With five studies, we aimed to reveal the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying decisions of individuals and the group as a whole during intergroup conflict. Specifically, we aimed to address: i) how group members coordinate their decisions during intergroup conflict; ii) how leaders initiate hostile attacks on out-groups and organize the defense against out-group aggression; iii) how followers align with and adapt to their leader’s initiatives; iv) what individual differences among group members lead to higher levels of harm toward out-groups during intergroup conflict, and how to regulate intergroup conflict using v) cognitive and vi) pharmacological manipulation. We systematically examined these questions in six studies by combining economic decision-making games (mimicking intergroup conflict), functional near-infrared spectroscopy-based hyper-scanning, and data simulation based on evolutionary game theory.
Speaker
Dr. Hejing Zhang
Beijing Normal University (Zhuhai)
Research Field: Social Cognitive Neuroscience
Biography:
Dr. Hejing Zhang is currently serving as a lecturer and graduate advisor at the Beijing Normal University (Zhuhai). Her primary research field is social cognitive neuroscience. Dr. Zhang mainly uses functional near-infrared (fNIRS) hyperscanning and pharmacological interventions (such as oxytocin) to explore the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying group behavior, the impact of groups on individuals, and how to improve individual social adaptability, among other important issues. Dr. Zhang has published relevant research findings as the first or co-author in high-impact neuroscience journals, including Nature Human Behavior, Nature Neuroscience, Journal of Neuroscience, and eLife.
