By SCNU
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YuXuan Cai.
Dr. YuXuan Cai, Associate Professor at the School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Master's Supervisor.
Non-symbolic numerosity processing plays a critical role in how humans and animals perceive the external world and serves as the foundation for acquiring symbolic number concepts and developing advanced mathematical skills. Our research group is dedicated to investigating the neural basis and psychological mechanisms of numerical processing and mathematical cognition. Specifically, we focus on the neural computational mechanisms underlying numerical representation and their impact on numerical processing and mathematical cognitive behavior. By integrating computational modeling, artificial neural networks, and artificial intelligence approaches with brain imaging techniques such as EEG, fMRI, and TMS, we aim to address key research questions surrounding human numerical perception and mathematical cognition processes.
Our findings have been published in leading international journals, including Nature Communications, Cell Reports, Journal of Neuroscience, NeuroImage, and Trends in Cognitive Sciences. Dr. Cai has been the principal investigator for numerous research projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Guangdong Natural Science Foundation, and Guangzhou’s "Science and Technology Brain" initiative.
Education and training：
2017-2021 Ph.D in Cognitive Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands
2014-2017 Master's Degree in Basic Psychology, South China Normal University, China
2016-2017 Joint master's degree, The University of New South Wales, Australia
2009-2013 Bachelor's Degree, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, China
Work experience:
2023-pres Associate Professor, School of Psychology, South China Normal University
2021-2022 Research Associate, The Spinoza Center for Neuroimaging, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience
2017-2021 Ph.D, The Spinoza Center for Neuroimaging, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience
Research interests:
The Neural Basis and Psychological Mechanisms of Numerical Processing and Mathematical Cognition
non-symbolic numerosity, symbolic number
Conferences/invited talks:
2025.09 Annual Academic Conference of the Learning Psychology Committee, Chinese Psychological Society (CPS), Guilin, China
2025.06 The Mathematical Cognition and Learning Society, Hong Kong, China
2025.06 Joint Annual Academic Conference of the General Psychology Committee and the Experimental Psychology Committee, Chinese Psychological Society (CPS), Chengdu, China
2024.11 Annual Academic Conference of the Consciousness Science Division, China Cognitive Science Society (CSN), Zhuhai, China
2023.05 Annual Academic Conference of the Neuroimaging Section, China Society of Neuroscience (CSN), Guangzhou, China
Course：
Postgraduate: Cognitive Neuroscience Research, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Technology & Data Processing
Undergraduate: Psychology, Psychological Counseling for Learning, Cognitive Science and Modern Life