Speaker: Dr. Lei Zhang, University of Birmingham

Time: November 2, 11:00 AM -12:00 PM

Venue: Wangkezhen Building, Room1113

Host: Dr. Shuxian Jin

Abstract:

Environmental neuroscience examines how environmental contexts shape brain function and behaviour, and how neural processes influence environmentally relevant decisions. This talk presents a bidirectional framework linking environment, brain, and behaviour. First, I show that exposure to natural scenes reduces perceived pain by modulating activity in nociception-related brain regions, indicating that nature can directly influence sensory processing. Second, I demonstrate that effort and time costs disproportionately reduce motivation for pro-environmental actions compared to self-benefitting choices, revealing a motivational asymmetry in value-based decision-making. Together, these findings highlight a key paradox: while natural environments benefit the brain, the same neural systems do not automatically promote their protection. Understanding this gap may help inform interventions to support both wellbeing and sustainable behaviour.

Bio:

张磊，英国伯明翰大学心理学院副教授。于2011年毕业于北京师范大学心理学院（现心理学部），并于西班牙巴斯克认知、语言与大脑研究所取得硕士学位（2013年），于德国汉堡大学医学中心系统神经科学研究所取得博士学位（最高荣誉毕业；2018年），后在奥地利维也纳大学心理学院从事研究与教学工作。研究致力于解析复杂社会情境中人类灵活性与适应性行为的认知神经基础，以及相应的在精神障碍疾患中出现的认知神经缺陷。综合采用功能磁共振成像（fMRI）以及计算建模，尤其是强化学习模型等技术研究人类的社会决策、社会互动、社会学习。主要工作发表在Science Advances，PLOS Biology，eLife、Psychological Methods等杂志。担任Communications Biology、PLOS Computational Biology等期刊编委会成员，以及欧盟ERC、英国UKRI、以及瑞士SNSF等科研基金委评审专家。2022获美国美国心理科学协会学术新星表彰（APS Rising Star Award）。网站：https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/staff/profiles/psychology/zhang-lei

2026-10-16