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HAND BOOK for WORKSHOP
Biological Basis of Individual Differences in
Human Social Communicative Abilities ‒
Quantitative Experiments, Computational Methods and Modeling
October 2-5, 2012
Center for Nonlinear Studies
Institute of Computational and Theoretical Studies
Hong Kong Baptist University
Hong Kong
HONG KONG
香港
tjia
P a g e | 1
Contents
GENERAL INFORMATION ........................................................................................................................ 2
PROGRAMME ........................................................................................................................................... 3
CAMPUS MAP .......................................................................................................................................... 7
ABSTRACTS ................................................................................................................................................ 8
Richard Roberts .......................................................................................................................... 8
Oliver Wilhelm ............................................................................................................................. 9
Andrea Hildebrandt ................................................................................................................ 10
Werner Sommer ........................................................................................................................ 11
Laura Kaltwasser ...................................................................................................................... 12
Tianzi Jiang ................................................................................................................................ 13
Yong He ..................................................................................................................................... 14
Guang Ouyang ........................................................................................................................ 15
Changsong Zhou ..................................................................................................................... 16
Lixing Zhu ................................................................................................................................... 17
Manuel Martín-Loeches .......................................................................................................... 18
Stefan Schinkel ......................................................................................................................... 19
Cherny Stacey .......................................................................................................................... 20
Astrid Kiy .................................................................................................................................... 21
Sally Olderbak .......................................................................................................................... 22
Janina Künecke ....................................................................................................................... 23
Guillermo Recio ........................................................................................................................ 24
TOUR PLAN IN HONG KONG ................................................................................................................ 25
INFORMATIONS ...................................................................................................................................... 28
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GENERAL INFORMATION
The workshop “Biological Basis of Individual Differences in Human Social Communicative
Abilities --- Quantitative Experiments, Computational Methods and Modeling” aims to bring
together active researchers from overseas, Mainland China and local Hong Kong interested in
the questions of individual differences in social communicative abilities and their neuronal and
genetic underpinnings in order to explore ways to advance progress in the field by exchanging
ideas and developing research strategies and collaborations.
There are 17 speakers invited to give relevant talks from different fields, including research
methods for the study of individual differences, ERP analysis of face recognition, semantic
processing, single trial variability analysis, detection and analysis of brain network, advanced
statistical theory as well as the study of genetic basis of individual difference.
Organizers:
Prof. Werner Sommer
Department of Psychology, Humboldt-University at Berlin, Germany
Dr. Changsong Zhou
Department of Physics and Centre for Nonlinear Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University
Sponsors:
Faculty Research Grant, Faculty of Science, Department of Physics, and
Institute of Computational and Theoretical Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University, and
Hong Kong Baptist University Century Club
Website:
http://cns.hkbu.edu.hk
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PROGRAMME
October 3 October 4
Guang Ouyang6pm
7pm
9am
10am
11am
12am
1pm
2pm
3pm
4pm
5pm
Richard Roberts
Dinner
Yong He
Tea Break
7pm
lunch
Janina Künecke
Tea Break
Astrid Kiy
2pm
3pm
4pm
5pm
6pm
Cherny Stacey
Guillermo Recio
Round Table Discussion
Opening
Oliver Wilhelm
Andrea Hildebrandt
Changsong Zhou
Sally Olderbak
Lixing Zhu
Tea Break
Manuel Martín-LoechesTea Break
Werner Sommer
Laura Kaltwasser
lunch
Tour to HKBU/Group photo
Tianzi Jiang
Stefan Schinkel
9am
10am
11am
12am
1pm
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Notes:
Registration will be conducted during workshop.
This workshop is highly focused, therefore more questions are expected within each talk.
The timing for each talk is arranged as:
Long talk: 50min = ~40 min presentation + ~10 min questions/discussion
Short talk: 30min = ~25 min presentation + ~5 min questions/discussion
Please note that we do not arrange dinner on Oct 4, in order to release more time for
participants to freely explore Hong Kong, especially the night view/life of Hong Kong
Island. On Oct 5 we arrange a one-day tour (from 10 am to 5 pm, details at the end of the
handbook). Participants please be aware of this arrangement so that you can plan your trip
in advance. FYI: http://www.discoverhongkong.com/
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Wednesday, October 3
Section 1, Chair: Werner Sommer
8:30 – 9:30 Registration/Opening
9:30 – 10:20 New Directions in Assessing Social and Emotional Abilities
Richard Roberts (Educational Testing Service, Princeton University)
10:20 – 11:10 Individual Differences in Interpersonal Abilities
Oliver Wilhelm (Department of Psychology, University of Ulm)
11:10 – 11:40 Tea Break
11:40 – 12:30 Structural Equation and Linear Mixed Models in the Study of Individual
Differences in Event-Related Potentials
Andrea Hildebrandt (Department of Psychology, Humboldt-University at Berlin)
12:30 – 14:00 Lunch
14:00 – 14:30 Tour to HKBU and group photo
Section 2, Chair: Tianzi Jiang
14:30 – 15:20 Models of Face Processing and its Neural Underpinnings
Werner Sommer (Department of Psychology, Humboldt University, Berlin)
15:20 – 15:50 Brain-Behavior Relationships of Face Cognition
Laura Kaltwasser (Department of Psychology, Humboldt-University at Berlin)
15:50 – 16:20 Tea Break
16:20 – 17:10 Brainnetome Based on Multimodal Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Tianzi Jiang (Institution of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing)
17:10 – 18:00 Imaging Structural and Functional Connectomics: Methods and Applications
Yong He (State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing
Normal University)
18:00 – 18:30 A New Method to Study the Variability Information in Single Trial ERPs –
Residue Iteration Decomposition (RIDE)
Guang Ouyang (Department of Physics & Centre for Nonlinear Studies, Hong
Kong Baptist University)
18:30 – 21:00 Dinner
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Thursday, October 4
Section 3, Chair: Oliver Wilhelm
9:00 – 9:50 Brain as Complex Dynamical Network Systems
Changsong Zhou (Department of Physics & Centre for Nonlinear Studies, Hong
Kong Baptist University)
9:50 – 10:40 Sliced Inverse Regression: A Nonparametric Principal Component Regression
Lixing Zhu (Department of Mathematics, Hong Kong Baptist University)
10:40 – 11:10 Tea Break
11:10 – 12:00 On Syntax and Semantics and Their Interplay During Sentence Processing:
and Ongoing Enterprise
Manuel Martin-Loeches (Center for Human Evolution, Universidad Complutense
Madrid)
12:00 – 12:50 Reconstruction of Time-evolving Functional Brain Networks During Face and
Word processing
Stefan Schinkel (Department of Physics and Department of Psychology, Humboldt
University, Berlin)
12:50 – 14:30 Lunch
Section 4, Chair: Cherny Stacey
14:30 – 15:20 Using Twins, Adoptees, or Molecular Data to Separate Genetic from
Environmental Causes of Variation Among Individuals
Stacey Cherny (State Key Lab of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Hong Kong
University)
15:20 – 15:50 On the Genetic Basis of Face Cognition and Fluid Cognitive Ability: Effects of
COMT (val158met) and OXTR (rs2268498)
Astrid Kiy (Department of Psychology, Humboldt-University at Berlin)
15:50 – 16:20 Tea Break
16:20 – 17:10 Psychometric Issues and Recommendations in Scoring the Production of
Emotion Expressions
Sally Olderbek (Department of Psychology, University of Ulm, Germany)
17:10 – 17:40 Unintentional Facial Mimicry and Interpersonal Abilities
Janina Kuenecke (Department of Psychology, Humboldt-University at Berlin)
17:40 – 18:10 Neuronal Correlates of Perceiving Facial Expressions of Emotion: Brain-
behavior Relationships
Guillermo Recio (Department of Psychology, Humboldt-University at Berlin)
18:10 – 19:20 Round Table Discussion
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Workshop venue, Sir Run Run Shaw Building, R905
NTT international House
Workshop venue, Sir Run Run Shaw Building, R905
NTT international House
CAMPUS MAP
http://goo.gl/maps/vZF2
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ABSTRACTS
Richard Roberts
New Directions in Assessing Social and Emotional Abilities
Abstract: In this presentation, I will discuss a program of research devoted to assessing social and emotional abilities
using new methods (e.g., anchoring vignettes, multimedia situational judgment tests) and advanced psychometric
models (such as latent class models). Studies covered in the presentation include an ongoing longitudinal investigation
of nearly 2000 middle school students; 722 undergraduate students given a battery of 15 cognitive tests, over 500
personality items, and a range of measures of emotion perception and emotion management; and a study of nearly 500
teachers given affective measures. Results suggest these new methods capture constructs that are a form of intelligence
independent of personality, with meaningful prediction of valued educational, work, and life outcomes. These new
methods and models hold promise for advancing our scientific understanding of social and emotional abilities.
Biography Sketch
Richard D. Roberts, Ph.D., is a Managing Principal Research Scientist in the Center for Academic and Workforce
Readiness and Success Educational Testing Service’s Research & Development Division, Princeton, New Jersey. A former
National Research Council Fellow who conducted research at Brooks Air Force Base, Texas, on the ASVAB, cognitive
processing, and personality measures he was also a Senior Lecturer at The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia, from
1998 to 2003 and an Adjunct Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, New York in 2009-2010. His main areas
of specialization are assessment and human individual differences, and he has published a dozen books (for MIT, Oxford,
and APA Press) and over 150 peer-review articles or book chapters on these topics, with a near equal number of
presentations around the world. He has also received significant grants and contracts (including a recent contract with
IARPA to develop the Assessment of Biases in Cognition Battery), as well as several professional honors, including two
ETS Presidential Awards and two PROSE awards from the Association of American Publishers. He is currently Associate
Editor of The International Journal of Psychology and Section Editor (Personality) for the forthcoming International
Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences, Second Edition.
P a g e | 9
Oliver Wilhelm
Individual Differences in Interpersonal Abilities
Abstract: A profound understanding of individual differences in interpersonal and emotional abilities must be based on
a) a solid understanding of what the mind does when solving such problems and b) a multivariate approach that allows
abstracting from task specificities. If successful such a research program presents solid evidence of the distinctness and
uniqueness of newly proposed constructs. In this talk we will present a series of studies on perceiving and recognizing
the identity and emotion in unfamiliar faces and we will argue that we were successful in meeting the above criteria.
More specifically we initially established speed and accuracy factors for face perception and face recognition, we
replicated these factors several times. We went on regressing these supposedly new abilities on established ability
factors and found substantial residual variance in all accuracy related face factors. The speed face factors could be
completely accounted for with speed tasks that had no interpersonal component at all. We studied age related changes
in the accuracy factors and found that there were dramatic age related losses but that the factor space essentially
remained invariant across age. In a more recent study we developed measures of emotion perception, memory for
emotional expressions in the face, the speed of emotion perception, and the speed of recognizing emotional expressions
from memory. These measures of emotional abilities were administered along with the measures of face perception and
face recognition and established ability factors. The results show that the speed measures did not capture individual
differences that were emotion specific. Accuracy factors for emotion perception and emotion recognition showed little
uniqueness. We will critically discuss these results.
Biography Sketch
URL: http://www.uni-ulm.de/in/psy-paed/professuren/dia/
2000 Dr. phil. (Psychology), Universität Mannheim
2000-2001 Visiting Professor, School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology
2001-2002 Postdoc University of Arizona
2002-2006 Assistant Professor of Psychological Assessment Humboldt University at Berlin
2006-2010 Associate Professor of Educational and Psychological Assessment Humboldt University at Berlin
2010-2011 Full Professor of Educational and Psychological Assessment University Duisburg-Essen
Since 2011 Full Professor of Psychological Assessment University Ulm
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Andrea Hildebrandt
Structural Equation and Linear Mixed Models in the Study of Individual Differences in Event-Related
Potentials
Abstract: In this talk I will give a brief introduction to Structural Equation and Mixed-Effects Modeling. Structural
equation modelling (of change) is a technique widely used in the behavioural sciences, but several applications to event-
related potentials and neuroimaging data are available. I will review some of these applications and highlight
connections between the two analytic approaches. I will exemplify the usefulness of Latent Residual, Latent Difference
and Latent Growth Models for investigating individual differences in event-related potentials on components that are
defined as difference waves and have been related to face and emotion processing.
Biography Sketch
2005 Student Assistant, Eligo Unternehmen für Psychologische Personalsoftware, Bochum - Büro Berlin
2005-2007 Student Assistant, Max-Planck-Institute for Human Development, Berlin
2007 Diploma (Psychology), Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
2007-2010 Research scientist, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institut zur Qualitätsentwicklung im Bildungswesen (IQB)
2010 Dr. rer. nat. (Psychology), Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HUB)
2010-2011 Research scientist, University Duisburg-Essen, Educational and Psychological Assessment
Since 2011 Research scientist, Humboldt-Universität
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Werner Sommer
Models of Face Processing and its Neural Underpinnings
Abstract: The quick and correct processing of faces (person identity, emotion, speech movements, gender,
attractiveness) is essential for human communication and interaction. Although much work has been done on the
general processes and mechanisms of this astonishing human ability, there is much less research on the large
differences between individual humans.
I will first explain cognitive models of face processing and the neural underpinnings derived from experimental and
clinical work. Then I will turn to individual differences in face cognition with a focus on how our research with event-
related brain potentials has contributed to elucidate the underlying neurocognitive mechanisms.
Biography Sketch
1982 Dr. rer. soc. (Psychology), University of Konstanz
1982-1994 Research scientist, Physiological Psychology unit, University of Konstanz
Since 1995 Professor of Biological Psychology and Psychophysiology, Department of Psychology, Humboldt-University at
Berlin
1996-1998 Head of the Department of Psychology
1997-1998 Speaker of Graduate School GRK 423 “Clinical and Cognitive Neuroscience”
2006-2009 Speaker of DFG Research Group “Conflicts as Signals in Cognitive Systems”
2008-2010 Director “Interdisciplinary Research Center for Conflicts in Intelligent Systems”
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Laura Kaltwasser
Brain-Behavior relationships of face cognition
Abstract: One goal of our present research is to reveal neural processes which underlie interindividual differences in
performance measures of face cognition (perceiving, learning and recognizing faces). However the psychometric
measurement models that are used to establish such brain-behavior relationships on a latent level presuppose certain
prerequisites on the physiological data. Indeed small modifications of the experimental task in the recording session
have been shown to alter the possibility to model particular ERPs as latent factors to a different extent. Using a priming
paradigm we replicated and improved a structural equation model (SEM) linking the N170 as an indicator of configural
encoding to abilities of face perception, face memory and face cognition speed. However the use of a mask stimulus
significantly reduced memory related ERPs such as the ERE and the LRE and therefore made them less suitable for SEM
due to a reduced variance of these difference waves. I want propose alternative ways to model difference waves on a
latent level (Latent Change Models) and discuss the role of task effects in the establishment of brain-behavior
relationships.
Biography Sketch
2008-2010: Student Research Assistant at Max Planck Institute for Human Development (Berlin) - “Neuromodulation of
Lifespan Cognition”
2010-2011: Exchange Student and Visiting Scholar at UC Berkeley - Knight Lab
2011-2012: Student Research Assistant at the Department of Biological Psychology at Humboldt-University - DFG
Project “Conflicts as Signals”
2012: Diplom in Psychology (M.Sc.)
Thesis Title: Independence of valence and reward in emotional word processing.
since 2012: Research Assistant at the Department of Biological Psychology at Humboldt-University - DFG Project
"Interindividual differences in emotion expression, emotion recognition and face cognition"
PhD student at the Graduate School of Mind & Brain (Berlin)
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Tianzi Jiang
Brainnetome Based on Multimodal Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Abstract: Convergent evidence has shown that the psychiatric disorders are faulty brain networks. In order to
understand the pathophysiological mechanism of psychiatric disorders, it is necessary to integrate the multi-level
network features obtained with various functional and anatomical brain imaging technologies on different scales. On
macroscale, such features can be obtained from networks based on illness special region of interest, networks related to
specific cognitive function, and whole brain networks. We have proposed a new concept of “brainnetome” to represent
such integration framework. We defined the essential components of Brainnetome as network topological structure
(connectome), performance, dynamics, manifestation of functions and malfunctions of brain on different scales, the
genetic basis of brain networks, and the simulating and modeling brain networks on supercomputing facilities
(www.brainnetome.org). This presentation will cover the above aspects of brainnetome. We first give a brief review
about the brainnetome. Then functional brain networks based on the resting-state functional MRI will be presented.
After that, brain networks based on diffusion MRI will be presented. We will also present some new findings on
abnormalities of functional connectivity and networks of human brain with neurological and psychiatric diseases,
especially Alzheimer's Diseases, Schizophrenia. Finally, some perspective and future research directions will be touched.
It envisions that brainnetome will become an emerging co-frontier of brain imaging, information technology, neurology
and psychiatry. Some long-standing issues in neuropsychiatry may be solved by combining brainnetome with genome.
Biography Sketch
Dr. Tianzi Jiang is Professor of Brain Imaging and Cognitive Disorders, Institute Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
and Professor of Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland. He received his Ph.D. degree in computational
mathematics from Zhejiang University in1994. After he graduated, he worked as a postdoctoral research fellow (1994-
1996) and an Associate Professor (1996-1999), and full professor (1999-present) at his current institution. During that
time, he worked as a Vice-Chancellor's postdoctoral fellow at the University of New South Wales, a visiting scientist at
Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, a research fellow at the Queen’s University of Belfast, and
a visiting professor at University of Houston. He is the Chinese Director of the Sino-French Laboratory in Computer
Science, Automation and Applied Mathematics (LIAMA), one National Center for International Research, since 2006. His
research interests include neuroimaging, Brainnetome, imaging genetics, and their clinical applications in brain disorders
and development. He is the author or co-author of over 170 reviewed journal papers in these fields and the co-editor of
six issues of the Lecture Notes in Computer Sciences.
Dr. Jiang is Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging, IEEE Transactions on Autonomous Mental
Development, Neuroscience Bulletin and an Academic Editor of PLoS One. He was/is also on editorial boards of several
international journals, including NeuroImage, Cognitive Neurodynamics, International Journal of Computer mathematics,
Genomics, Proteomics & Bioinformatics. He served and is serving as the Chairs and Program Committee members of a
number of international conferences, including General Chair of MICCAI’2010. He was awarded the National
Distinguished Youth Foundations by Chinese Government (2004), the Natural Science Award of China (2004), and the
Natural Science Award of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (1996).
P a g e | 14
Yong He
Imaging Structural and Functional Connectomics: Methods and Applications
Abstract: The human brain is structurally and functionally organized into complex networks allowing the segregation
and integration of information processing. In the past decade, researchers have demonstrated that by combining a
variety of different imaging technologies [e.g. structural MRI, diffusion MRI and functional MRI (fMRI)] with
sophisticated analytic strategies such as graph theory, it is possible to noninvasively map the patterns of structural and
functional connectivity of the human brain (known as the “human connectome”). Specifically, by modeling the brain as a
complex network, graph theoretical analysis provides an uncomplicated but powerful mathematical framework for
characterizing topological properties of the brain networks such as modularity, efficiency, and hubs. In this talk, I will
present our recent work in the graph theoretical analysis of brain networks derived from multimodal imaging techniques,
including areas of methods and applications in health and disease.
Biography Sketch
Dr. Yong He obtained his Ph.D. in pattern recognition from the Chinese Academy Sciences in 2005 and was a
postdoctoral research fellow in neuroimaging and brain connectivity between 2005 and 2007 at the Montreal
Neurological Institute, McGill University. Since January 2008, he is an Investigator at the State Key Laboratory of
Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University. His research interests are in the methodology and
applications of human brain connectome by using structural MRI, diffusion MRI and resting-state fMRI. He has served on
the organizing, reviewing and program committees of several international conferences (OHBM, MICCAI and MIAR). He
is currently an Editor of Brain Connectivity, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience and PLoS ONE. To date, he has authored or
co-authored 80 peer-reviewed journal articles.
P a g e | 15
Guang Ouyang
A new method to study the variability information in single trial ERPs – Residue Iteration Decomposition
(RIDE)
Abstract: The average ERP method loses all the variability information hidden in single trials which may account for
performance of brain response. The response speed can vary in the cognitive process from stage to stage, such as signal
perception, evaluation and response selection. Our method Residue Iteration Decomposition (RIDE) is proposed to
decompose ERP into different component clusters, each of which has varying latency and amplitude across single trials.
The separated components can be then associated with different functional processes basing on their features. The
main contribution of RIDE to ERP research is that it extends the analysis of variability information from stage to stage
(cognitive), trial to trial and even across the subjects, therefore the study of brain response variability can be brought
into a deeper level.
Biography Sketch
2005-2009, Bachelor, Nanjing University, Theoretical Physics.
2009-present, PhD, Hong Kong Baptist University, Study the dynamical mechanism of brain response variability
2011, Research visitor to Humboldt University at Berlin, Germany
P a g e | 16
Changsong Zhou
Brain as Dynamical Complex Network Systems
Abstract: Neural networks in the brain display highly complex structure and dynamics as a physical complex network
system. In this presentation I will summarize some recent progress in the field in understanding the complexity in the
structure and dynamics of the brain. I will also present some of our recent works on the analysis and modeling of brain
activity from the view point of complex network systems and our future research plans.
Biography Sketch
Dr. Zhou is associate Professor at the Department of Physics and Director of Centre for Nonlinear Studies, Hong Kong
Baptist University. He obtained his doctoral degree at Nankai University, Tianjin, and has served as Postdoctoral Fellow,
National University of Singapore (1997-1999), subsequently joining HKBU as Visiting Research Scholar, then became
Research Scientist, University of Potsdam, Germany (2000-2007), before taking up his current position. Dr. Zhou’s
research interest is analysis and modeling of dynamical processes on complex systems. His work emphasizes
understanding the structure-dynamics-function relationship in complex network systems by studying the impact of
complex network connection topology on oscillation and synchronization of oscillators which are relevant in many
physical, biological and social systems. His current emphasis is on analysis and modeling electrical activity in neural
systems using the approaches of oscillatory dynamics networks, covering broad scales from network of neurons to
interacting functional brain regions. He studies the formation of complex network architecture under multiple
competing constraints or due to co-evolution of structure and dynamics. Dr. Zhou has authored one monograph and
more than 90 refereed papers. He is the editorial board members of PLoS One and Scientific Reports.
P a g e | 17
Lixing Zhu
Sliced Inverse Regression: A Nonparametric Principal Component Regression
Abstract: In this talk, I will briefly introduce a recently developed methodology that could be regarded as a
nonparametric principal component regression. This method can efficiently reduce the dimension of predictor vector via
extracting informative linear combinations of the predictor vector. We also introduce the recent developments in this
area.
Biography Sketch
Prof. Lixing Zhu, Chair Professor and Head of Department of Mathematics, Hong Kong Baptist University, Fellow of
American Statistical Association, Fellow of Institute of Mathematical Statistics. Prof. Zhu received his Ph.D. degree in
1990 from Chinese Academic of Sciences. His research interests include high-dimensional data analysis, time series,
non/semi-parametric statistics, empirical process theory, biostatistics and Bioinformatics. Prof. Zhu is the Humboldt
Research Awardee in 2000 for Senior Scientists, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation of Germany. He has published
more than 200 peer-reviewed papers, and has served on the editorial boards of 5 international journals including
Statistica Sinica.
P a g e | 18
Manuel Martín-Loeches
On syntax and semantics and their interplay during sentence processing: and ongoing enterprise
Abstract: My presentation will mainly consist of a summary of the research developed in my lab during the last ten
years, mainly on syntactic and semantic processing of sentences. First, the attendant will be introduced to the
electrophysiological signals revealing the moments at which the brain performs syntactic and semantic analyses of
words within a sentence. Thereafter, models of sentence processing at these two linguistic levels will be described, with
special concern on the interplay between them. Namely, it is a traditional debate in psycholinguistics whether syntax
prevails over semantics during sentence processing, or whether they are independent and relatively isolated streams
interacting only at later stages. Several findings from our lab support the latter view, as well as the possibility that
semantics might be the prevailing information during sentence processing, at least occasionally. Recent developments in
which emotional information – as part of the semantic frame – of the linguistic material is experimentally manipulated
suggest that the relevance of semantics over syntax could go beyond and be more frequent than traditionally assumed.
Biography Sketch
Graduated in Psychology in the Autonoma University of Madrid, in 1987; receiving his PhD in 1991 at the Complutense
University of Madrid, with a doctorate in Psychobiology. He has also a Master’s degree in Brain Mapping (Complutense
University, 1991).
He is currently a Professor of Psychobiology in the Education Faculty of the Complutense University, as well as the
director of the Cognitive neuroscience section of the Center UCM-ISCIII for human Evolution and Behavior.
His currently more developed research interest is in Psycholinguistics, using ERPs as main technique. However, he has
studied a number of cognitive processes and their dysfunctions along his career. In brief, the topics of interest have
included working memory, selective attention, arithmetic processing, and emotional processing; dysfunctions studied
mainly comprise Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia. All the topics approached, including language processing, have
one and main quest: to better understand the evolution of human mind and brain.
P a g e | 19
Stefan Schinkel
Reconstruction of time-evolving functional brain networks during face and word processing
Abstract: Complex networks provide an excellent framework for studying the function of the human brain activity. Yet
estimating functional networks from measured signals is not trivial, especially if the data is non-stationary and noisy as it
is often the case with physiological recordings. In this talk we propose a method that uses the local rank structure of the
data to define functional links in terms of identical rank structures. The method yields temporal sequences of networks
which permits to trace the evolution of the functional connectivity during the time course of the observation. We
demonstrate the potentials of this approach with experimental data from electrophysiological studies on language and
face processing.
Biography Sketch
2006 - Dipl.-ling, University Potsdam (Master in General Linguistics)
2010 - Dr. phil., University Potsdam (PhD in Cognitive Sciences)
since 2007 Research Scientist FOR 868: "Computational Modeling of Behavioral, Cognitive, and Neural Dynamics"
P a g e | 20
Cherny Stacey
Using twins, adoptees, or molecular data to separate genetic from environmental causes of variation among
individuals
Abstract: I will present standard methods in the field of behavior genetics that use twin and family data to partition
population trait variation into genetic and shared and nonshared environmental components. In addition, methods for
identifying specific genetic loci predisposing to complex disease or explaining normal variation will be discussed. Finally,
new methods which use molecular marker data Examples from the fields of psychology and medicine will be used to
illustrate these methods.
Biography Sketch
Dr. Cherny is Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and a Principal Investigator in the State Key Laboratory for Brain and
Cognitive Sciences. He received his PhD in in behavior genetics from the University of Colorado in 1995, appointed
Lecturer in Statistical Genetics at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, and promoted to Senior Lecturer in
1999. He then moved to the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, where he assumed the position of Head of
Statistical Genetics. He is an active member of the Behavior Genetics Association, having served as Member-at-large and
Treasurer of the Association. He has been an Associate Editor of the journal Behavior Genetics since 1997 and is a
member of the Advisory Board of the Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry. While his current research focuses mainly
on the genetics of human complex diseases, he has worked on the genetics of cognitive abilities (including reading
disabilities), personality and temperament, and substance abuse. He also develops statistical tools and applies them to
the genetic dissection and mapping of qualitative and quantitative traits.
P a g e | 21
Astrid Kiy
On the genetic basis of face cognition and fluid cognitive ability: Effects of COMT (val158met) and OXTR
(rs2268498)
Abstract: The oxytocin and the dopaminergic system have turned out to be highly relevant for social abilities and
cognition. Therefore, we examined the effects of two functional gene polymorphisms on face cognition (FC) in a
multivariate study (N = 250) by applying structural equation modeling (SEM). The Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT)-
val158met polymorphism influences the enzyme activity of COMT, which affects the prefrontal dopamine concentration
and rs226849 is a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) located in the promotor region of the oxytocin receptor (OXTR)
gene modulating mRNA expression. By modeling a general factor of fluid abilities (defined by working memory and
reasoning) and nested FC factors we tested genetic contributions to FC after controlling for variance in FC that is also
associated with fluid abilities. In line with previous studies, we found significant effects of the COMT genotype on fluid
intelligence (Gf) but not on FC. The effects of the oxytocin polymorphism on Gf was opposite in direction for men and
women. Women with a higher oxytocin receptor expression rate showed better Gf, but men with a lower expression
rate performed better on tasks measuring Gf. There was no significant effect of OXTR on the nested FC factor. Therefore,
the relationship between the oxytocin polymorphism and FC can be fully accounted for by fluid cognition. The sex
specificity of this relationship is a novel finding and warrants mechanistic explanation.
Biography Sketch
2004-2006: Study of Biology (basic studies) at University Bayreuth
2006-2010: Study of Biology (main studies) at University Würzburg with focus on behavioral biology, neurobiology and
biological psychology
2010: Biology Diploma
Since 09/2010: Research assistant in the collaborative project of the University Ulm and the Humboldt-University Berlin:
"Interindividual differences in emotion expression, emotion perception and face cognition"
Since 01/2011: Doctoral studies with focus on gene - behavior relationships for interpersonal abilities
P a g e | 22
Sally Olderbak
Psychometric Issues and Recommendations in Scoring the Production of Emotion Expressions
Abstract: The production of emotion expression in faces and voices is a separate, but related factor, within the broader
domain of socio-interpersonal-emotional abilities. Defining and effectively measuring emotion expression has important
implications for the applied field and is important as an additional component in communication. A variety of
workgroups have developed computer programs that automatically assess emotion expression in faces, and there are
many software programs that automatically score the voice and recommendations for assessing emotional prosody, yet
the assessment of emotion expression as an ability is relatively unexplored.
This presentation will illustrate the theory of emotion expression ability, the development of tasks designed to elicit
individual differences in ability, including in the face and voice, discuss available support technology, identify
psychometric issues with scoring, and propose recommended final data treatment and scoring methods.
Biography Sketch
2006-2007 - Teaching Assistant, University of Arizona
2007-2009 - Research Assistant, Evaluation, Research, & Development Unit, University of Arizona
2008 - Master of Arts (Psychology), University of Arizona
2008-2011 - Graduate Statistics Lab Instructor, University of Arizona
2011 - Dr. phil. (Psychology), University of Arizona
Since 2011 - Research Scientist, Individual Differences & Psychological Assessment Unit, University Ulm
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Janina Künecke
Unintentional facial mimicry and interpersonal abilities
Abstract: Embodiment Theories postulate a functional role of internal simulation for the recognition of perceived facial
expressions of emotions. There is empirical evidence of automatic mimicry in several face muscles while seeing
emotional facial expressions. However, the level of associations between mimicry and concepts of emotional or social
intelligence is still unknown. This talk will focus on individual differences in unintentional mimicry and emotion
recognition abilities. A sample of N=250 participants worked on different tasks measuring general cognitive abilities,
along with perception and memory for faces, objects, and emotional facial expressions. A subsample of N=110
participants additionally performed an emotion classification task during EMG recording. Stimuli consisted of natural
and dynamic expressions of basic emotions (Ekman). Mean amplitude of the Corrugator supercilii in response to angry,
happy and sad facial expressions, was defined as an indicator in a confirmatory factor analysis. One second order
mimicry factor subsuming three emotion specific factors could be established. Structural equation modeling showed a
substantial positive relation between the mimicry factor and a latent emotion perception factor. We conclude that it is
feasible to obtain a reliable measurement of spontaneous imitation driven facial mimicry. Furthermore, this speaks for a
functional role of unintentional mimicry for behavioral emotion perception abilities.
Biography Sketch
High-school Diploma in June 2006
BA German Literature and Cultural Science at Humboldt-University of Berlin (WS 06/07 – SS 07)
Change to Diploma of Psychology at Humboldt-University of Berlin (since WS 07/08)
Main Area: Cognitive Psychology and Neuropsychology
Prospective end in September 2012
Student assistant at the Institute of quality management of Education in Berlin (IQB) (1.10.08 - 30.9.2010)
Scientific internship at the Psychiatric University Clinic of Bern (UPD) (1.11.2009 - 31.3.2010)
Student assistant at the Institute of Psychology – department of Biological Psychology - at Humboldt-University of Berlin
(1.10.2010 – 30.9.2012)
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Guillermo Recio
Neuronal correlates of perceiving facial expressions of emotion: Brain-behavior relationships
Abstract: Psychophysiological studies have identified several components of event-related potentials reflecting the
processing of emotional faces. Around 200 ms after stimulus onset, the early posterior negative (EPN) is considered as
an index of an early allocation of attention. Following the EPN, the late positive complex (LPC) reflects elaborate
processing of emotional stimuli at later stages. In this talk I will present data from ca. 100 participants on the specificity
and reliability of these emotion-related ERP components for six dynamically presented facial expressions of emotion.
Neural data will be related to psychometrically measured interpersonal abilities.
Biography Sketch
During my PhD I have been investigating the perception emotion in stimuli of different kind like faces and words with
help of electrophysiological techniques, mainly ERPs and EMG. I am particularly interested in the dynamic aspects of
facial expressions, the recognition of emotion through multiple channels in complex stimuli (audio visual integration),
explicit and implicit production of facial expressions, and individual differences in both recognition and production.
2005 M.Sc. Psychology Universidad Complutense Madrid
Since 2007 PhD Candidate Humboldt Universitaet Berlin
Since 2008 Junior Researcher in the following Projects:
- Emotions in word and face processing, HU Berlin
- Internal vs. intrinsic optimization after conflicts, HU Berlin
- Bilingualism and emotional effects at reading, FU Berlin
- Individual differences in emotion expression, emotion detection and face cognition, Universitaet Ulm
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TOUR PLAN IN HONG KONG
October 5
NTT international house: 32 Renfrew Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
10am
11am
5pm
Bus: from NTT (HKBU) to Tung Chung Cable Car Terminal, Check in
enjoy panoramic views of the Hong Kong International Airport, South
China Sea, the Tian Tan Buddha Statue, as well as the flora and fauna
of North Lantau Country Park
Walk through the Ngong Ping , photo taking, shopping, local shows
Visit Tian Tan Buddha
Bus to Tai O
Seefood Lunch in Tai O
6pm
after
12am
1pm
2pm
free
Stroll around Tai O to learn more about this traditional fishing village
Bus back to NTT (HKBU)
3pm
4pm
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INTRODUCTION OF THE TOUR
http://www.np360.com.hk/en/
Ngong Ping 360
Ngong Ping 360 is destined to be one of Hong Kong's 'must see' tourist
attractions on Lantau Island. Preserving the natural ecological environment and
features of the Ngong Ping area and converging the custom and culture of the
Lantau Island, Ngong Ping 360 is sure to refresh your body and enlighten your
mind, as soon as you step on the Cable Car.
Ngong Ping Cable Car is a visually spectacular 5.7km cable car journey,
travelling between Tung Chung Town Centre and Ngong Ping on Lantau
Island. Visitors will enjoy panoramic views of the Hong Kong International
Airport, South China Sea, the Tian Tan Buddha Statue, as well as the flora and
fauna of North Lantau Country Park.
Adjacent to the Ngong Ping Cable Car Terminal, Ngong Ping Village is an
impressive cultural themed village, incorporating two major attractions,
including Walking with Buddha and the Monkey's Tale Theatre
For a more cultural and religious experience, the world's tallest seated outdoor
bronze Buddha, the Tian Tan Buddha Statue, is only a short stroll from the
Ngong Ping Village. Tian Tan Buddha Statue is the major centre for Buddhism
in Hong Kong and is located next to the Po Lin Monastery.
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Tai O Fishing Village and Stilt-house
http://www.discoverhongkong.com/canada/attractions/outlying-taio-fishing-village.html
For a look at a rare example of a Chinese stilt-house community, head to the far
northwestern coast edge of Lantau Island. This is home to the Tanka people, a
community of fisher folk who have built their homes on stilts above the tidal flats for generations because
they do not feel safe on land.
Their enchanting world is an amateur photographer's paradise .
Interestingly, a new manually-operated drawbridge spans the
narrow creek that divides the town. It replaces an old-fashioned
rope-drawn "ferry" that operated for over 85 years! The village is
accessible by an hour-long bus ride from Mui Wo or Tung Chung.
Kwan Tai Temple
This temple honours Kwan Tai, the God of War and Righteousness and
was built in the reign of Hong Zhi (1488 – 1505 A.D.) during the Ming
dynasty. In real life, Kwan Tai was a general renowned for his loyalty and
is said to protect devotees from evil.
Yeung Hau Temple
This temple honours Hau Wong, a local court official from the late Sung
dynasty in the 12 70s whose real name was Yang Lianghie. A bell cast in
the 38th year of the Kangxi (1699) was also placed in the temple.
Tai O Market
Browsing in the stalls and shops around Tai O is always a lot of
fun, too. Be sure to check out the locally produced shrimp paste
and salted fish for a unique culinary experience
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INFORMATIONS
Useful websites:
Transportation, touring, dinning, playing in Hong Kong:
http://www.discoverhongkong.com/
Hong Kong local weather
http://www.hko.gov.hk/contente.htm
Transportation to airport:
A: take bus E22, directly to Airport
B: take taxi
http://goo.gl/maps/vZF2
E22 bus
stop to
Airport
NTT
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Famous Travel Places:
Sai Kung
Victoria Harbour
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The Peak
Lan Kwai Fong