Tianying Cai, Ph.D. profile and information

Professional Experience

Postdoctoral Scholar, Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

Postdoctoral Scholar, Center for Culture, Brain, Biology and Learning, Department of Human Development and Social Policy, School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University

Innovation

Adolescent brain development in ecological context

This line of research explores how adolescents’ brain development is shaped by ecological contexts such as family, neighborhood, and broader environments. Using large-scale longitudinal data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, it aims to understand the dynamic interplay between brain and environment over time. Key questions include: How does the adolescent brain respond to changing environmental contexts? What neural phenotypes are especially sensitive or resilient to these influences?

Parent-Child Interactions and Physiological Synchrony

This line of research investigates how physiological responses unfold during parent-child conversations and how they contribute to adolescent development. It includes studies of both individual regulatory capacities, such as a child’s vagal flexibility, and dyadic co-regulation, reflected in the physiological synchrony between parent and child. By focusing on these real-time dynamic processes, the work aims to capture how physiological regulation operates not only within individuals but also across interactions, shaping the emotional and social development of adolescents.

Neural Correlates of Emotional Co-regulation

This line of research uses functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to examine the neural basis of emotional co-regulation during naturalistic human interactions. It focuses on identifying patterns of neural synchrony during emotionally meaningful conversations and linking them to real-time changes in emotion, language, and behavior. This project seeks to advance understanding of how interpersonal processes are coordinated across multiple biological and behavioral systems in everyday social contexts.