1. Home
  2. People
  3. Scientific Staff
  4. Ruihan Wu

Ruihan Wu

Postdoctoral Researcher

 

Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development (CBCD)
School of Psychology
Birkbeck College
Malet Street
London WC1E 7HX

 

E-mail: ruihan.wu@bbk.ac.uk

 

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=uWCYfn0AAAAJ&hl=en

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2678-7089

Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ruihan-Wu

 

Research interests

My research focuses on the developmental mechanisms of social cognition and executive function in neurodiverse populations (e.g., individuals with autism and ADHD). Additionally, I study the influence of contextual factors (e.g., intergroup bias and evaluation settings) on theory of mind in neurodiverse individuals. My work employs interdisciplinary and innovative methodologies, including EEG, fNIRS, eye-tracking, ECG, respiratory monitoring, virtual reality, and behavioural assessments.

Dr. Wu is currently working on the StayCool project (Stay Cool | Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development), led by Prof Emily Jones. This project aims to develop a new conceptualisation of self-regulation and to establish novel methodologies for its assessment. Using a naturalistic environment, brain activity and behaviour are examined as young children engage in tasks that challenge their self-regulation, utilising innovative paradigms and techniques such as functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), electroencephalography (EEG), eye-tracking, and behavioural tasks. By investigating how children’s brains adapt to challenges and how parental support influences this process, the project seeks to uncover the mechanisms driving self-regulation and its development over time. Bridging the gap between experimental tasks and real-world outcomes, the research provides a more accurate and ecologically valid understanding of self-regulation, with significant implications for early intervention and mental health support. In the long term, the findings may contribute to strategies that promote improved mental health, learning, and wellbeing for all children.

 

Research positions    

2023 – Current: Postdoctoral Researcher on Stay Cool (Birkbeck, University of London) working with Prof. Emily Jones (Birkbeck, University of London).

2017 – 2018: Research Assistant working with Prof. Sarah White (Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London)

 

Education

2023 – PhD Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London

2018 – MRes Developmental Neuroscience and Psychopathology (Distinction), University College London & Yale University

2016 – BSc Psychology and Cognitive Science (First-Class Honors), University of Sussex

 

Selected Publications

  • Wu, R., Lim, J. T., Ahmed, Z., Berger, R., Acem, E., Chowdhury, I., & White, S. J. Do autistic adults spontaneously reason about belief? A detailed exploration of alternative explanations. Royal Society Open Science, 2024, 11(7), 231889.
  • Wu, R., Hamilton, A. F. D. C., & White, S. J. Can group membership modulate the social abilities of autistic people? An intergroup bias in smile perception. cortex, 2024, 173, 150-160. (IF: 7.133)
  • Wu, R., Leow, K., Yu, N., Rafter, C., Rosenbaum, K., F. de C. Hamilton, A., & White, S. J. Evaluative contexts facilitate implicit mentalizing: relation to the broader autism phenotype and mental health. Scientific Reports, 2024, 14(1), 4697.
  • Liu, N., Chen, C., Liu, Y., Jiang, S., Gao, Q., & Wu, R. (2024). The interference effect of low-relevant animated elements on digital picturebook comprehension in preschoolers: An eye-movement study. Journal of Eye Movement Research, 17(4), 10-16910.
  • Fu, Y., He, L., Wu, R., & Yan, G. The development of students’ word segmentation. Studies of Psychology and Behaviour, 2015, 13(1), 59-64.