I hold a Ph.D. from Peking University and am recognized as a Young Talent in the Liyuan Program at Shenzhen University, a High-Level Professional in Shenzhen, and a High-Level Talent in Nanshan District. My research focuses on the antidepressant and prosocial effects of positive psychological interventions and the neural mechanisms of positive traits. I’ve published over 30 articles in peer-reviewed journals, with 20 as the core author in SCI/SSCI journals (17 in JCR Q1). I have led a National Natural Science Foundation Youth Project and three provincial projects. I’ve also received three teaching awards from Guangdong Province. More details can be found at https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2136-8560 and on the “Positive Cognition Lab” homepage.
ACEDEMIC POSITIONS
Oct 2023 -Ph.D. Advisor, Shenzhen University
Jul 2022 -Associate Professor, Shenzhen University
Jun 2017 - Jun 2022 Assistant Professor, Shenzhen University
Jul 2015 - May 2017 Postdoctoral Fellow, Shenzhen University
EDUCATION
Sep 2009 - Jun 2015 Ph.D., Department of Psychology, Peking University
Sep 2005 - Jun 2009 Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, Sun Yat-Sen University
HONORS & AWARDS
2023 Guangdong Province First-Class Undergraduate Course
2023 Outstanding Teacher in the Guangdong Province Online Learning Space Promotion Activities
2021 Excellent Advisory Teacher in Shenzhen
2019 High-Level Talent in Nanshan District, Shenzhen
2017 High-Level Professional in Shenzhen
GRANTS
2023-The power of strengths: Cultivating positive traits and their mental health impact in college students, Guangdong Provincial Education Science Planning 2023
2022~ 2024 The neurocomputational mechanism of gratitude: The positive
prediction error hypothesis, Guangdong Provincial Natural Science Foundation
2021~2023 The effectiveness and the mechanism of the digital intervention on the positive mindset, Guangdong Provincial Philosophy and Social Science “13th Five-Year” Planning
2017 - 2019 Investigating the genetic and neural basis of individual differences in dishonesty, National Natural Science Foundation
2015 - 2017 The effect of serotonin on dishonesty and the underlying neural mechanism, China Postdoctoral Science Foundation
PUBLICATIONS
Ding, K., Lin, H., Liu, G., Kong, F., Liu, J. *, & Zhou, X. The expectation-updating mechanism in gratitude: A predictive coding perspective. Emotion .
Jiang, Q., Zhang, Y., Zhu, Z., Ding, K., Zhang, J., Gong, P., & Liu, J.* (2023). Does time of day affect dishonest behavior? Evidence from correlational analyses, experiments, and meta-analysis. Personality and Individual Differences. 214, 112330.
Jiang, Q., Zhang, Y., Zhu, Z., Zhang, J., Ding, K., & Liu, J.* (2023). Is dishonesty normally distributed? Evidence from six behavioral experiments and a simulation study. Personality and Individual Differences. 205, 112105.
Zhang, J., Leng, J., Yang, C., Cooke, E.M., Gong, P.*, & Liu, J.* (2023). Dark Triad traits mediate the interaction between childhood abuse and COMT Val158Met polymorphism on aggression among incarcerated Chinese males. Current Psychology, 42(24), 21164-21174.
Ding, K., & Liu, J.* (2022). Comparing Gratitude and Pride: Evidence from Brain and Behavior. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience, 22, 1199–1214.
He, L.#, Liu, J.#, Fan, Y., Leng, J., Wang, Q., Yang, C., ... & Gong, P. (2022). The OXTR rs53576 impacts moral permissibility of attempted but failed harms in populations of students and prisoners. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 17(10), 923–928.
Liu, J., Shen, Q., Zhang, J., Beyens, U., Cai, W., Decety, J., & Li, H.* (2021). The Difference Spotting Task: A new nonverbal measure of cheating behavior. Behavior Research Methods, 53, 1935–1944.
Zhang, J., Yang, C., Leng, J., Liu, J.*, Gong, P.*, & Esposito, G. (2021). OXTR moderates adverse childhood experiences on depressive symptoms among incarcerated males. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 140, 221–227.
Gong, P., Fang, P., Yang, X., Ru, W., Wang, B., Gao, X., & Liu, J.* (2017). The CAG polymorphism in androgen receptor (AR) gene impacts the moral permissibility of harmful behavior in females. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 80, 74–79.
Liu, J., Zhong, R., Xiong, W., Liu, H., Eisenegger, C., & Zhou, X. (2017). Melatonin increases reactive aggression in humans. Psychopharmacology, 234(19), 2971–2978.
Liu, J.#, Gong, P.#, Gao, X., & Zhou, X. (2017). The association between well-being and the COMT gene : Dispositional gratitude and forgiveness as mediators. Journal of Affective Disorders, 214, 115–121.
Liu, J.#, Gong, P.#, Li, H., & Zhou, X. (2017). A field study of the association between CD38 gene and altruistic behavior: Empathic response as a mediator. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 85, 165–171.
Gao, X.#, Liu, J.#, Gong, P., Wang, J., Fang, W., Yan, H., … & Zhou, X. (2017). Identifying new susceptibility genes on dopaminergic and serotonergic pathways for the framing effect in decision-making. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 12(9), 1534–1544. (IF 3.94)
Gao, X.#, Gong, P.#, Liu, J.#, Hu, J., Li, Y., Yu, H., … & Zhou, X. (2016). COMT Val158Met polymorphism influences the susceptibility to framing in decision-making: OFC-amygdala functional connectivity as a mediator. Human Brain Mapping, 37(5), 1880–1892.
Wu, Y.#, Liu, J.#, Qu, L., Eisenegger, C., Clark, L., & Zhou, X. (2016). Single dose testosterone administration abolishes loss chasing in healthy young women. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 71, 54–57.
Zhao, C.#, Liu, J.#*, Gong, P., Hu, J., & Zhou, X. (2016). Investigating the genetic basis of social conformity: The role of the dopamine receptor 3 (DRD3) gene. Neuropsychobiology, 74(1), 32–40.
Gong, P.#, Liu, J.#, Blue, P. R., Li, S., & Zhou, X. (2015). Serotonin receptor gene (HTR2A) T102C polymorphism modulates individuals’ perspective taking ability and autistic-like traits. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 9, 575.
Liu, J.#, Gong, P.#, & Zhou, X. (2014). The association between romantic relationship status and 5-HT1A gene in young adults. Scientific Reports, 4, 7049.
Gong, P.#, Liu, J.#, Li, S., & Zhou, X. (2014). Serotonin receptor gene (5-HT1A) modulates alexithymic characteristics and attachment orientation. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 50, 274–279.
Gong, P.#, Liu, J.#, Li, S., & Zhou, X. (2014). Dopamine beta-hydroxylase gene modulates individuals' empathic ability. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 9(9), 1341–1345.
Zhao, W., Qiao, C., Liu, J., Zhou, M., Lan, Q., Liang, W., Xiao, Y., Yang, M., Yang, Y., & Gong, P. (2024). Genetic Contributions on Attachment in Emerging Adults: Cumulative Effects of Serotonergic Polymorphisms. Journal of Youth and Adolescence.
Gong, P.*, Zhang, J., Liu, J., He, L., & Guo, W. (2023). Bright side of the MAOA-uVNTR on trait and situational forgiveness. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 151, 106057.
Zhang, K., Fan, Y., Yu, R., Tian, Y., Liu, J., & Gong, P.* (2021). Intranasal oxytocin administration but not peripheral oxytocin regulates behaviors of attachment insecurity: A meta-analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 132, 105369.
Gong, P*., Guo, W., Zhang, X., Cao, K., Wang, Q., Zhang, M., Liu, J.... & Zhou, X.* (2021). Associations of Chinese social face with cortisol level and glucocorticoid receptor gene. Current Psychology, 41, 7565–7573.
Li, X., He, L., Liu, J., Guo, W., Wang, Q., Fang, P., ... & Gong, P. * (2020). The rs6311 of serotonin receptor 2A (5-HT2A) gene is associated with alexithymia and mental health. Journal of Affective Disorders, 272, 277–282.
Gong, P. *, Wang, Q., Liu, J., Xi, S., Yang, X., Fang, P., ... & Zhang, M. (2020). The OXTR polymorphisms are not associated with attachment dimensions: A three-approach study. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 120, 104780.
Gong, P. #, Fan, H. #, Liu, J., Yang, X., Zhang, K., & Zhou, X.* (2017). Revisiting the impact of OXTR rs53576 on empathy: A population-based study and a meta-analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 80, 131–136.
Yu, H., Chen, X., Liu, J., & Zhou, X.* (2013). Gum chewing inhibits the sensory processing and the propagation of stress-related information in a brain network. PLoS One, 8(4), e57111.
Zhou, G. *, Zhang, L., Liu, J., Yang, J., & Qu, Z. (2010). Specificity of face processing without awareness. Consciousness and Cognition, 19(1), 408–412.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Lecturer in “Introduction to Psychology” for undergraduates and “Academic Writing” for graduate students.
