Jialin Ma | Educational Psychology | Best Researcher Award

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Prof. Dr. Jialin Ma | Educational Psychology | Best Researcher Award

Henan University | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Dr. Jialin Ma is a distinguished cognitive psychologist whose research explores the intricate mechanisms of action memory, face recognition, prosopagnosia, and cognitive processes underlying educational involution. His interdisciplinary approach combines behavioral analysis, eye-tracking, and event-related potentials (ERP) to uncover how individuals perceive, encode, and recall information. With a growing academic portfolio of 13 publications, 34 citations, and an h-index of 4, his works in leading journals such as Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, Cognitive Processing, International Journal of Psychology, and Behavioral Sciences contribute significantly to the understanding of facial cognition and learning behavior. As an active educator and academic leader, he teaches courses in Educational Psychology and Cognitive Processes and Learning, while serving as an editor for Psychological Research and a council member of the Student Development Professional Committee of the Henan Education Association. Recognized with multiple accolades, including the Outstanding Mentor Award and Excellent Scientific Paper Award

Profile:  Scopus | Orcid

Featured Publications

Ma, J., Tang, Y., Zhang, Y., Wang, X., Li, Y., & Hou, Y. (2025). Development and validation of the academic involution behavior scale for college students. Children and Youth Services Review, 159, 108652.

Zhang, R., Yang, B., Li, Y., & Ma, J. (2025). Individuals with developmental prosopagnosia tend to focus more evenly on facial features. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 78(9), Article 17470218251327141.

Bu, H., Wang, X., Lei, G., Ye, X., Zhang, F., Li, Y., & Ma, J. (2024). Enactment encoding promotes relative temporal order memory. Cognitive Processing, 25(11), Article 01206.

Ma, J., Huang, J., & Li, Y. (2024). The other‐ethnicity effect in facial recognition of Tibetan and Han individuals: Evidence from behavioural and eye‐movement data. International Journal of Psychology, 59(10), Article 13141.

Ma, J., Zhang, R., & Li, Y. (2023). Age weakens the other-race effect among Han subjects in recognizing own- and other-ethnicity faces. Behavioral Sciences, 13(8), 675.

Chris Thornton | Cognitive science | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Chris Thornton | Cognitive science | Best Researcher Award

Lecturer at University of Sussex, United Kingdom

Chris Thornton is a distinguished academic based at the University of Sussex, UK, specializing in artificial intelligence, cognitive science, and informatics. With a career spanning over three decades, Thornton has made substantial contributions to theoretical and computational models of learning and perception. He is the author of key works including Truth from Trash (MIT Press), and has co-authored influential papers with scholars like Andy Clark and Karl Friston. His interdisciplinary approach bridges philosophy, AI, and cognitive psychology, making him a respected voice in the cognitive sciences. Thornton’s work continues to influence contemporary discussions on mind, learning, and representation. 📚🧠

Publication Profile

Scopus

Academic Background

Chris Thornton completed a BA in Economics with Cognitive Studies at the University of Sussex (1979–1982), demonstrating an early interest in interdisciplinary research. He pursued an MSc in Computer Science at Imperial College of Science and Technology (1982–1983), gaining foundational knowledge in computational systems. He then returned to Sussex for a PhD in Artificial Intelligence (1983–1988), where he developed theoretical frameworks that later influenced his career in cognitive science and machine learning. His academic training combines economics, computing, and cognitive studies—an ideal blend for his research into how intelligent systems process and generate knowledge. 🎓💻🧠

Professional Background

Thornton began his career as a Temporary Lecturer in Social Sciences at the University of Sussex (1984–1988), followed by a Lecturer position in Artificial Intelligence at the University of Edinburgh (1988–1992). He then served as Lecturer in Cognitive Science at Sussex’s School of Cognitive Sciences (1992–2000), contributing to interdisciplinary education and research. Since 2000, he has been a Lecturer in Informatics at Sussex, where he continues to publish, teach, and collaborate across disciplines. His career reflects a sustained commitment to academic excellence and thought leadership in artificial intelligence and cognitive modeling. 📖🏫💡

Awards and Honors

While the CV does not explicitly list awards or honors, Chris Thornton’s inclusion in influential academic collaborations and his publishing record with prestigious presses (like MIT Press) and journals (e.g., Behavioral and Brain Sciences) are strong indicators of professional recognition. Co-authoring with leading figures like Karl Friston and Andy Clark further underscores his impact in cognitive science. His career achievements reflect the esteem of his peers and sustained scholarly relevance. For a full awards section, institutional records or nomination letters may offer additional verified distinctions. 🏆📘🌍

Research Focus

Chris Thornton’s research centers on cognitive science, artificial intelligence, and learning theory, particularly how computational systems simulate or replicate human understanding. His work explores the free-energy principle, predictive processing, and concept formation, often blending philosophical inquiry with mathematical modeling. He is known for proposing “infotropism” as a principle of perceptual organization and for using Bayesian models in creative domains like music. His interdisciplinary methodology integrates psychology, computer science, and philosophy to investigate how intelligent systems—both biological and artificial—acquire, structure, and apply knowledge. 🧪🧠🤖

Publication Top Notes

📘 Extensional Superposition and Its Relation to Compositionality in Language and Thought
🗓️ Year: 2021
📚 Journal: Cognitive Science

🧠 An Informal Reconstruction of the Free-Energy Framework, Examining the Conceptual Problems That Arise
🗓️ Year: 2022
📚 Journal: Neuropsychologia

🔍 A Boolean Generalization of the Information-Gain Model Can Eliminate Specific Reasoning Errors
🗓️ Year: 2025
📚 Journal: Journal of Mathematical Psychology

Conclusion

Chris Thornton is a highly suitable and competitive candidate for the Best Researcher Award, with over three decades of academic service spanning institutions like the University of Sussex and the University of Edinburgh. His interdisciplinary expertise covers artificial intelligence, cognitive science, computational learning, and philosophy of mind. Thornton has authored influential works, including Truth from Trash (MIT Press), and published in top-tier journals such as Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Trends in Cognitive Sciences. His collaborations with renowned scholars like Karl Friston and Andy Clark, and contributions to major theoretical frameworks like the Free Energy Principle and predictive processing, highlight his foundational impact on the field.

 

 

Gaën Plancher | Cognitive Psychology | Best Researcher Award

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Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gaën Plancher | Cognitive Psychology | Best Researcher Award

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gaën Plancher, Université Lyon 2, France

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gaën Plancher is a distinguished cognitive psychologist specializing in memory processes. With a Ph.D. from Paris Descartes University (2009) and an HDR from Lyon 2 University (2017), her groundbreaking research spans real and false memories, working memory, and long-term memory dynamics. Dr. Plancher has secured prestigious grants, including projects on aphantasia and memory maintenance, totaling over €900,000. An active contributor to the scientific community, she supervises Ph.D. and postdoctoral researchers and reviews for leading journals. As a Junior Member of the Institut Universitaire de France, she continues to advance cognitive science through innovation and mentorship. 🌟📚

 

Publication Profile

Orcid

Google Scholar

🎓 Academic Journey

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gaën Plancher has an impressive academic background in cognitive psychology. She earned a B.S. in Psychology from Grenoble University (2003), followed by dual M.A. degrees from Grenoble University (2004) and Paris Descartes University (2005). In 2009, she completed her Ph.D. at Paris Descartes University, achieving the highest distinction for her research on real and false memories. In 2017, she attained her HDR from Lyon 2 University, accrediting her to supervise Ph.D. students independently. Recognized as a Junior Member of the Institut Universitaire de France in 2020, Dr. Plancher’s academic journey exemplifies excellence and dedication. 🌟📚

 

🏫 University Positions

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gaën Plancher has held diverse academic roles across renowned institutions. Since 2012, she has been an Associate Professor at the EMC Lab, University of Lyon, France, where she explores cognitive mechanisms. In 2018, she served as a Visiting Research Fellow at Indiana University, USA. Her postdoctoral research included the Isingrini Lab at the University of Tours, France (2011-2012) and the Barrouillet Lab at the University of Geneva, Switzerland (2009-2011). Earlier, she was an Assistant Lecturer at Paris Descartes University (2008-2009). Dr. Plancher’s contributions highlight her global academic influence. 🌍📖

 

🏆 Grants and Awards

Dr. Gaën Plancher has secured prestigious grants and awards throughout her career. Notable grants include €432,000 from the French National Research Agency (2024-2029) for the APHANTASIA project and €230,000 for the REFLECTOR project (2019-2023). She collaborated with L’Oréal (2021-2023) on “Fragrance & Memory,” receiving €106,258. As a Junior Member of the Institut Universitaire de France (2020-2025), she was awarded €75,000. Her awards include Fellowship of the Psychonomic Society (2018) and the Excellence in Supervision and Research Award (2017) worth €20,000. Dr. Plancher’s work reflects exceptional academic and research contributions. 💡🎓

 

🧠 Research Focus

Dr. Gaën Plancher specializes in cognitive psychology, focusing on working memory, episodic memory, and their interactions. His research explores memory mechanisms using virtual reality as an innovative tool for assessment in normal and pathological aging, such as Alzheimer’s disease. He investigates factors influencing memory, including false memories, emotional content, and attentional refreshing. His work bridges experimental psychology and technological applications in neuropsychology, contributing to understanding memory processes across the lifespan. Dr. Plancher’s studies also address the impact of aging, temporal regularities, and computational modeling of memory. 📚🧠🔬✨

 

Publications Top Notes

  • Using virtual reality to characterize episodic memory profiles in amnestic mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease: influence of active and passive encoding (Cited by: 329, Year: 2012) 🧠💻
  • Age effect on components of episodic memory and feature binding: A virtual reality study (Cited by: 198, Year: 2010) 👵🕹️
  • The influence of action on episodic memory: A virtual reality study (Cited by: 125, Year: 2012) 🎮💡
  • What is the time course of working memory attentional refreshing? (Cited by: 71, Year: 2018) ⏱️🧩
  • Mechanisms underlying the production of false memories for famous people’s names in aging and Alzheimer’s disease (Cited by: 55, Year: 2009) 🎭🧠
  • Forgetting From Working Memory: Does Novelty Encoding Matter? (Cited by: 50, Year: 2012) ❓💭
  • On some of the main criticisms of the modal model: Reappraisal from a TBRS perspective (Cited by: 48, Year: 2020) 🧠📖
  • Forgetting at short term: When do event-based interference and temporal factors have an effect? (Cited by: 48, Year: 2013) 🕒⏳
  • The integration of realistic episodic memories relies on different working memory processes: Evidence from virtual navigation (Cited by: 41, Year: 2018) 🚶‍♂️🗺️
  • What makes working memory traces stable over time? (Cited by: 40, Year: 2018) 🧠⚙️