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The Learning Brain Lab focuses on developmental, cognitive, educational and cross-cultural neuroscience in children.
Our primary research questions focus on how children acquire knowledge and develop cognitive skills and why some children face challenges in this development. We primarily study numerical and mathematical cognition because it is a foundation for academic and professional achievements, is increasingly essential in a data-driven world, and is universal but learned and applied differently across cultures.
Mathematical cognition is closely linked with other cognitive functions, such as memory, attention, language, and spatial reasoning, that can provide insights into how these cognitive domains interact and contribute to broader knowledge and learning.
Our interdisciplinary research combines education, psychology, and neuroscience, examining both typical and atypical development. We use a variety of behavioural and neuroscientific methods, such as functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and electroencephalography (EEG), as well as diverse study designs, including interventional, longitudinal, and cross-cultural approaches, alongside advanced statistical analyses.
Research projects
Our research focuses on three primary areas.
Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience – Early Mathematical Learning
Although non-verbal infants have an innate ability to understand non-symbolic numerical information, human ancestors developed symbolic number systems that became foundational for mathematical thinking.
We may hypothesise that numerical knowledge follows a developmental path from non-symbolic understanding (e.g., recognising changes in the number of cartoon animals displayed on a screen) during infancy and toddlerhood to symbolic knowledge (e.g., associating the visual symbol “2” or the word “two” with the quantity of “two items”) in preschool and early school years.
Our goal is to understand the longitudinal changes in behavioural and neural correlates of numerical knowledge acquisition before school entry. This research will improve our understanding of school readiness and individual differences in early mathematical development.
Educational Neuroscience – Individual Differences and Learning Difficulties
Individuals with learning, developmental, and genetic disorders often face challenges in understanding and applying mathematical concepts, as do those with unique learning profiles who differ from the typical learning trajectory. These difficulties can impact career prospects, mental health, and economic well-being, creating both personal and societal challenges.
By investigating the behavioural and neural mechanisms underlying numerical and mathematical learning in these populations, we aim to contribute to the development of targeted interventions, thus promoting equitable educational opportunities.
Cross-cultural Neuroscience – The Role of Environment in Mathematical Development
Most of what we know about mathematical learning and development is derived from WEIRD populations (Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich, Democratic) and often generalised to other societies. However, cross-cultural psychology and anthropology highlight that cultural values, educational systems, and environmental demands create differences in cognition, including mathematical understanding.
We aim to go beyond individual learning variabilities and to study the effects of environmental factors at the community level, like language, social expectations, and children’s habits and engagement in behavioural and neural correlates of mathematical thinking.
Lab members
Director
Postdoctoral Fellow
- Dr Sylvia Ulieta Gattas
PhD students
- Elizaveta Ivanova (University of Surrey, UK)
- Elahe Shafiabadi (University of Tarbiat Modarres, Iran)
- Davide Baggini (University of Surrey, UK)
- Renu P Rehinsi (University of Surrey, UK)
- Irem Melisa Sahiner (University of Surrey, UK)
Previous members and affiliates
- Arcan Altinar (University of Surrey, UK)
- Dr Saeed Mohammadi (University of Tabriz, Iran)
- Dr Shachar Hochman (University of Surrey, UK)
- Dr Hadi Borjkhani (University of Tehran, Iran)
- Dr Nienke van Bueren (Radboud University, The Netherlands)
- Marie Krenger (University of Lausanne, Switzerland)