Biography

Dr. Tonglin Jiang received her Bachelor’s Degree from Department of Psychology, Harbin Normal University in 2010. She got her Master Degree from School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University in 2014, and her Ph.D. Degree from Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong. She joined the School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University since 2020.

 

Service

Associate Editor, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin

Editorial Board, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Committee Member| The International Society for Self and Identity

Vice Chair, Secretary |Chinese Association of Psychology, Personality Psychology

Committee Member |Chinese Association of Psychology, Social Psychology

Committee Member|Society for Brain–Computer Intelligence Applications, Chinese Association of Technology Economics

Committee Member|Beijing Association of Psychology

Committee Member|Beijing Association of Social Psychology

Consulting Committee|Tibet Autonomous Region Psychological Association

 

Award

National Distinguished Young Scholar, 2025

Rising Star, Association for Psychological Science, 2023

Early Career Contribution Award, International Society for the Science of Existential Psychology (ISSEP), Society of Personality and Social Psychology, 2026

Outstanding Early Career Award, International Society for Self and Identity (ISSI), Society of Personality and Social Psychology, 2026

NG Teng Fong/ Sino Scholarship for Outstanding Youth, Peking University, 2023

 

Research Interest

Her research is driven by one of humanity’s oldest and most compelling questions: what makes a life feel truly meaningful?

She explores how people come to understand who they are, how they remain connected to themselves as they change, and how they negotiate the tension between continuity and transformation. She is especially interested in the subtle forces that shape the self—nostalgia, awe, beauty, art, memory, and even the objects people choose to consume and cherish.

At the heart of her work is a fascination with how ordinary and extraordinary experiences can alter the way people see themselves, their lives, and their place in the world. Ultimately, her research seeks to illuminate not only how people construct meaning, but also how meaningful experiences can deepen self-understanding, expand possibility, and enrich the experience of being alive.


List of Publications

#Corresponding author，*Co-first author

Yin, Y., Wang, Y., Wu, X., Sun, X., Hicks, J., Wildschut, T., Sedikides, C. & Jiang, T.# (2025). Being present: Witnessing societal events with historical significance boosts meaning in life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000511

Cheng, L., Wang, X.#, Dong, Y., & Jiang, T. (2025). The Lost Self in Time: Objectification Disrupts Self-Continuity. Social and Personality Psychology Compass. 19(11), e70100. https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.70100

Hicks, J. A., Needy, L., Jiang, T., Vess, M., Sedikides, C., & Schlegel, R. J. # (2026). Self-integrity and experiential fluency as unique cues to subjective authenticity, In Advances in Experimental Social Psychology. Elsevier. 73, 173–229.

Wang, Y., Jiang, T.#, & Yan, W. (2026). Suddenly enlightened: Awe promotes wise reasoning via self-transcendence. Journal of Positive Psychology. 21(2), 303–320. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2025.2461570

Sun, Y., Wang, X.#, Su, S.#, Chen, W. F., & Jiang, T. (2026). Low self-concept clarity induces scarcity perceptions: The subsequent effects on prosocial behavior. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 52(5), 1077–1091. https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672241294103

Cao, Y., Li, H., Jiang, T., Dang, J., & Hou, Y. # (2025). Laughing off cyber spoofing: the role of self-deprecating humor in enhancing celebrities’ interpersonal likeability. BMC psychology, 13(1), Article 501. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02841-7

Needy, L., Arthur, K. M., Fernandez, L., Yin, Y., Jiang, T., Schlegel, R. J. #, & Hicks, J. A. # (2025). Exploring the link between identity avoidance and perceived self-knowledge. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672251343114

Chen, Z. #*, Poon, K. T. *, Jiang, T., Teng, F. (2025). Psychosocial and behavioural consequences of ostracism across contexts. Nature Reviews Psychology. 4(2), 112–126. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44159-024-00393-y

Yuan, W., Chang, J., Jiang, F. & Jiang, T.# (2025). Be kinder to yourself: Awe promotes self-compassion via self-transcendence. Emotion. 25(5), 1244–1255. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0001495

Yin, Y., Jiang, T.#, Thomaes, S., Wildschut, T., & Sedikides, C. (2025). Nostalgia promotes parents’ tradition transfer to children: The role of self-child overlap. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 51(3), 394-408. https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672231187337

Yin, Y., Jiang, T.#, Wildschut, T., & Sedikides, C. (2025). Nostalgia, ritual engagement, and meaning in life. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 51(10), 1884–1896. https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672241235740

Dai, Y., Jiang, T.#, Poon, K.T., & Gaer, W. (2025). Workplace objectification leads to self-harm: The mediating effect of depressive moods. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 51(7), 1219–1239. https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672231213898. Editor Choice, Research for Evidence-Based Policymaking in the Year of 2023.

Pan, X. & Jiang, T.# (2025). A tale of self-transcendence: Awe fosters optimism. Journal of Positive Psychology. 20(4), 616–630. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2024.2394458

Pan, X.*, Jiang, T.*#, Yuan, W., Hao, C., Bai, Y., & Keltner, D. (2024). A balanced mind: Awe fosters equanimity via
temporal distancing. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 127(6), 1127–1145. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspa0000410

Jiang, T.#, Hicks, J., Yuan, W., Yin, Y., Needy, L., & Vess, M. (2024). The unique nature and psychosocial implications of awe. Nature Psychology Reviews, 3(7), 475–488. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44159-024-00322-z

Jin, Y. *, Cai, W.*, Chen, L., Zhang, Y., Doherty, G., & Jiang, T. (2024, May). Exploring the design of generative AI in supporting music-based reminiscence for older adults. In Proceedings of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI ’24). pp. 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1145/ 3613904.3642800

Yuan, W., Guo, T., Jiang, T.#, & Wang, F.# (2024). Online social pain reliever: Online awe-intervening approach promotes recovery via the global sense of connectedness. Computers in Human Behavior, 158, 108283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2024.108283

Yin, Y., Yuan, W., Hao, C., Du, Y., Xu, Z., Hicks, J., & Jiang, T.# (2024). Awe fosters positive attitudes toward solitude. Nature Mental Health, 2(6), 717–727. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-024-00244-y

Yuan, W., Du, Y., & Jiang, T.#. (2024). How and when awe improves meaning in life: The role of authentic-self pursuit and trait authenticity. Emotion, 24(2), 412–430. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0001278

Dai, Y., Li, Q., Zhou, H., & Jiang, T.# (2023). Nostalgia and online autobiography: implications for global self-continuity and psychological well-being. Journal of Happiness Studies, 24(8), 2747–2763. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-023-00701-y

Dai, Y. & Jiang, T.# (2023). Inspired by awe: Awe promotes inspiration via self-transcendence. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 19(4), 647–661. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2023.2254737

Dai, Y., Jiang, T.#, Wildschut, T., & Sedikides, C. (2024). Nostalgia counteracts social anxiety and enhances interpersonal competence. Social Psychological and Personality Science. 15(5). 534–546. https://doi.org/10.1177/19485506231187680

Zhang, Z. Chen, Z.#, Poon, K.T., & Jiang, T. (2023). Objectification decreases prosociality: the mediating roles of relative deprivation. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, Article 1120513. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1120513

Jin Y., Cai W., Chen L.#, Dai Y., & Jiang T. (2023) Understanding disclosure and support in social music communities for youth mental health. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 7(CSCW2), Article 339.

Wang, T., Li, H., & Jiang, T.# (2023). Fighting cyberbullying with past: The buffering effect of nostalgia. Computers in Human Behavior, 139, 107518. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2022.107518

Jiang, T. *#, Wang, T.*, Poon, K.T., Gaer, W., & Wang, X. (2023). Low self-concept clarity inhibits self-control: The mediating effect of global self-continuity. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 49(11), 1587-1600. https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672221109664

Pan, X.*, & Jiang, T.*# (2023). Awe fosters global self-continuity: The mediating effect of global processing and narrative. Emotion, 23(6), 1618–1632. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0001187

Dai, Y.,  Jiang, T.#, & Miao, M. (2022). Uncovering the effects of awe on meaning in life. Journal of Happiness Studies. 23(7), 3517–3529. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-022-00559-6

Zhang, Z. #, Chen, L., Jiang, T.#, Li, Y., & Li, L. (2022). Effects of feature-based explanation and its output modality on user satisfaction with service recommender systems. Frontiers in Big Data, 5, Article 897381. https://doi.org/10.3389/fdata.2022.897381

Wang, X., Wang, T., Jiang, T.#, Chen, Z. & Hong, Y. (2022). Double standards in the COVID-19 pandemic: The moderation of perceived threat. European Journal of Social Psychology. 52(3), 515–527. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2834

Jiang, T.# & Sedikides, C. (2022). Awe motivates authentic-self pursuit via self-transcendence: Implications for prosociality. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 123(3), 576–596. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000381

Wang, T., Wang, X., Jiang, T.#,  Wang, S., & Chen, Z. (2021). Under the threat of an epidemic: People with higher subjective socioeconomic status show more unethical behaviors. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(6), 3170. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18063170

Jiang, T.#, Cheung, W. Y., Wildschut, T., & Sedikides, C. (2021). Nostalgia, reflection, brooding: Psychological benefits and autobiographical memory functions. Consciousness and Cognition, 90, 103107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2021.103107

Jiang, T., Chen, Z.#, Wang, S., & Hou, Y#. (2021). Ostracism disrupts self-continuity. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 47(9), 1390–1400. https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672209744

Jiang, T., Chen, Z.#, & Sedikides, C. (2020). Self-concept clarity lays the foundation for self-continuity: The restorative function of autobiographical memory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 119(4), 945–959. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000259

Chen, Z.#, Poon, K. T., DeWall, C. N. & Jiang, T. (2021). Life lacks meaning without acceptance: Ostracism triggers suicidal thoughts. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 119(6), 1423–1443. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000238

Wang, X., Chen, Z.#, Poon, K.T., & Jiang, T. (2020). Perceiving a lack of social justice: Lower class individuals apply higher moral standards to others. Social Psychological and Personality Science.  12(2), 186–193. https://doi.org/10.1177/194855061989855

Jiang, T., & Chen, Z.# (2020). Relative deprivation: A mechanism for the ostracism-aggression link. European Journal of Social Psychology, 50(2), 347–359. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2621

Jiang, F., Lu, S., Jiang, T.#, & Jia, H. & (2020). Does the relation between humor styles and subjective well-being vary across culture and age? A meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 11. Article 897381. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02213

Jiang, T.#, & Chen, Z. # (2020). Meaning in life accounts for the association between long-term ostracism and depressive symptoms: The moderating role of self-compassion. The Journal of Social Psychology, 160(5), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2019.1693951

Jiang, T., Li, H., & Hou, Y.# (2019). Cultural differences in humor perception, usage, and implications. Frontiers in Psychology. 10. Article 123. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00123

Hou, Y. #, Xiong, D., Jiang, T., Song, L., & Wang, Q. (2019). Social media addiction: Its impact, mediation, and intervention. Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, 13. Article 4. https://doi.org/10.5817/CP2019-1-4

Hou, Y.*#, Jiang, T.*, & Wang, Q.# (2017). Socioeconomic status and online shaming: The mediating role of belief in a just world. Computers in Human Behavior, 76, 19–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.07.003

Jiang, T., Hou, Y.#, & Wang, Q.# (2016). Does micro-blogging make us “shallow”? Sharing information online interferes with information comprehension. Computers in Human Behavior, 59, 210–214. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.02.008