Decision Neuroscience Lab
Morality
From 2005 to 2025, Dr. Yu has focused on using brain imaging and experimental behavioral tasks to investigate the neuropsychological mechanisms behind reward-based decision-making and social emotions. Alongside this research, our lab is now concentrating on both basic and applied studies to address mental health issues like depression and autism. We employ a wider range of methods, including social media data, AI, large-scale biobanks, and brain imaging. Our goal is to design evidence-based, scalable interventions that can be implemented in real-world settings.
Lab PI: Dr. Rongjun YU,
Ph.D. in brain science, Medical Research Council-Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit (MRC-CBU),
University of Cambridge, 2011
Academic positions:
Associate Professor, Academy of Wellness and Human Development,
Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU);
Associate Director, Life Science Imaging Center (LSIC), HKBU;
Associate Editor, Neurobiology of Stress (IF=7.142, 2021)
Google scholar profile (total citations > 7500; H index=49, papers>170)
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0123-1524 Scopus OSF LinkedIn
Email: rongjunyu@hkbu.edu.hk
Address: LSIC is next to the Starbucks, G03A, SCE, 9 Baptist University Road
At LSIC, we have access to 3T Prisma MRI scanner,
EGI/EEG hyperscan system,
TMS, fNIRS, and eye-tracking on the HKBU campus.
-
Selected publications
Acute stress promotes brain network integration and reduces state transition variability
PNAS (Brief report), 2022 (pdf) news
Spontaneous dishonesty does not specifically engage the perigenual anterior cingulate cortex
PNAS (letter), 2022 (pdf)
Distinct neural patterns underlying ingroup and outgroup conformity,
Neural activity associated with monitoring the oscillating threat value of a tarantula,
Nature Communications, 2017 (pdf)
Testing (quizzing) boosts classroom learning: A systematic and meta-analytic review.
Psychological Bulletin, 2021 (pdf)
A Key Role for Similarity in Vicarious Reward,
Publication metrics between 2014-2023 from SciVal: >82% were published in Q1 (25%) journals
-
Research approach and goals
Early Diagnostics: Using the most advanced testing methodology, we investigate the risk and biotypes of psychiatric disorders through an integration of biological, digital, and clinical diagnostics. Our aim is to create a distinct, multi-dimensional mental health profile for each individual.
Multi-Disciplinary Interventions: We study personalised interventions to boost mental health based on a multi-disciplinary approach. This includes non-invasive brain stimulation (e.g., home-based tDCS, TMS), digital therapeutics (e.g., cognitive-behavioral therapy CBT-based chatbot), and lifestyle adaptations.
Ongoing projects:
To be elaborated...
For Ph.D. scholarship (multiple positions) 2025/26
Affiliations: PhD students are accepted to the Academy of Wellness and Mental Health,
under the Department of Education & Psychology
Research topics: educational neuroscience, social neuroscience, or other psychology-related topics.
Period of Study: Normal Period (48 months), with the option to accelerate to 3 years if adequately justified
Link: https://gs.hkbu.edu.hk/programmes?type[]=research-postgraduate-programmes
Doctor of Philosophy / Master of Philosophy (Department of Education Studies)
Track 1: funded by the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme or Belt and Road Scholarship Scheme.
External hard deadline: 1 December 2024
Track 2: funded by PI's RGC research grants or internal schemas,
1st deadline: 1 December 2024; 2nd deadline: 15 April 2025
For details, please check: https://educ.hkbu.edu.hk/?page_id=20338
Postdoctoral positions (multiple positions available in 2025)
Track 1: supported by research grants.
Track 2: funded by the RGC Junior Research Fellow Scheme (deadline: Oct)
Track 3: Hong Kong Scholars Program 香江学者计划 (deadline: March)
Research Assistant Professors (RAPs 2025/26)
Track 1: supported by the university and FASS, for candidates doing research in FASS's niche research areas.
Research Assistant (Life Science Imaging Center, 2025/26):
Please refer to the center website https://lsic.hkbu.edu.hk/ (deadline: all year round)
-
Selected grants
See the ORCID profile for the list of grants.
Major Hong Kong RGC grants:
Title: "A neurocognitive theory of unethical behavior and implications for organizational behavior", PI
Humanities and Social Sciences Prestigious Fellowship Scheme (HSSPFS) 2022/23
Title: "Brain Connectome of model-based learning and cognitive flexibility in gifted individuals" PI
NSFC/RGC Joint Research Scheme - 2023/24
國家自然科學基金委員會及香港研究資助局聯合科研資助基金
Title: "Brain Connectome of exceptional longevity: magnetic resonance imaging of (near) centenarians in Hong Kong", PI
Healthy Longevity Catalyst Awards (Hong Kong) 2024
健康長壽催化創新獎（香港）
Co-PI RGC projects:
"Blind Following in Older Adults? – The Computational Processes and Neural Mechanisms of Age-Related Differences in Risky Decision-Making under Social Influence" RGC, General Research Fund (GRF), 2025-2027
"The Role of the Human Frontopolar Cortex in Complex Decision Making: Neural Network Modelling, Aging, and Enhancement"
RGC Young Collaborative Research Grant (YCRG), 2024-2026
Completed major grants in Singapore, before 2021
"Visual saliency and reward saliency guide decision making", PI
S$498,558=HKD 2.5M, 2018-20, Tier 2, Ministry of Education (MOE), Singapore
"Aversive learning and memory under stress: a neuroimaging study", PI
S$250,000=HKD 0.75M, 2017-19, Young Individual Research Grant (IRG), National Medical Research Council (NMRC),
"You Are What You Surf: Characterizing Preference and Decision-making Styles With Digital Footprints" PI
S$877,800=HKD 4.5M, 2018-21, Type A, Social Science Research Thematic Grant (SSRTG), MOE, Singapore
Co-PI of "Building Human Capacity in Singapore’s Population: Testing Innovations in Human Development",
PI of the sub-project: "Improving Children's Social Skills"
Total S$8,479,995=HKD 51M, 2016-21,Type B, Social Science Research Thematic Grant (SSRTG), MOE, Singapore
-
Teaching
2021-- present @HKBU
PSYC2006 Developmental Psychology
BUSI3066 Brain Science for Business (teaching effectiveness = 4.75 out of 5)
2014-2020 @NUS:
PL6888 Selected topics in social and cognitive neuroscience
PL5308 Advanced social and cognitive neuroscience
PL4205 Developmental processes
PL4238 Social neuroscience
PL3260 Moral development
PL3289 Lab in decision science
-
Trainee (former postdoc/PhD) placement
See Alumni
-
Membership
American Psychological Association (APA) Association for Psychological Science (APS)
Academy of Management (AOM), Organizational Neuroscience and Biology (NeuB)
Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP)
Society for the Neuroscience of Creativity Society for Neuroeconomics
Social & Affective Neuroscience Society Society for Social Neuroscience
Organization for Human Brain Mapping Society for Neuroscience
Association for Consumer Research | ACR Society for Consumer Psychology (SCP)
Society for Research in Child Development International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development (ISSBD)
