Prof. WANG Xijing (王蹊徑)

Trained as a social psychologist, Dr. Wang primarily studies Objectification/Dehumanization, Social and Gender Inequality, and Cultural Tightness using a mixed-method approach (i.e., experiments, quasi-experiments, big data/archival data, and large-sampled surveys). Her work (as the first and/or corresponding author) has been published in top-tier social psychology journals [e.g., Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Social Psychological and Personality Science, British Journal of Social Psychology, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, Group Processes & Intergroup Relations], as well as multidisciplinary psychology journals [e.g., Emotion, British Journal of Psychology, Psychology of Women Quarterly, Sex Roles, Evolution and Human Behavior, Journal of Environmental Psychology, Archives of Sexual Behavior, Review of General Psychology, and Computers in Human Behavior].

She is also passionate about reaching general audience, and her research has been featured by various international media outlets, including, The Wall Street Journal (USA), Forbes (USA), RTL (Germany), Le Dauphiné Libéré (Germany), GQ (Germany, India, Mexico, South Africa), Psychology Today (multiple times, UK, USA, Singapore), Le Progres (France), Εναλλακτική Δράση (Greece), Soy Carmin (Spain), El Debate (Spain), Terra (Portugal), NewsDay Simbabwe (Zimbabwe), LRT (Lithuania), Egy szfinxszobor (Egypt), 24sata (Croatia), Nauka OFFNews (Bulgaria), and the SWADDLE (India).

She was selected as a Rising Star of the Association for Psychological Science (APS) in 2024.

For Potential Ph.D. Applicants: I appreciate the recent (unwanted) attention on social media, but I must clarify that I have never commissioned any third-party agencies to promote PhD recruitment. I acknowledge that pursuing a PhD can be both challenging and stressful, not just during the application process. While moments of entertainment can help alleviate stress, pursuing a PhD is not about entertainment. In fact, independence and critical thinking are crucial qualities for a PhD student and must be developed from the very beginning.

• 2021, Sep.--- Present. Assistant Professor, Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences, City University of Hong kong.

• 2019, Jan. ---2021, Aug. Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong.

• 2014, Oct. --- 2018, Sep. Ph.D. in Social Psychology, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London.

• 2017, Feb. --- 2017, May. Visiting Ph.D. Student. University of Southern California.

• 2013, Sep. --- 2014, Aug. MSc in Research Methods in Psychology (Distinction), Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London.
• Before 2013 --- my "past life" :-)

2025--Present, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin (Serve as the Editorial Consultant)

2024--Present, British Journal of Social Psychology (Serve as the Editorial Consultant)

2024--Present, Scientific Reports (Serve as the Editorial Board Memeber)

1) Objectification and Dehumanization

*denotes the corresponding author; #denotes the co-first author

Zhang, J., Cheng, L., Yang, Y., & Wang, X.* (2024). Performing like a Learning Machine: The Emphasis on Performance Goals Results in Self-Objectification. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672241287817

Wang, X., Mo, Q. L., Chen, H., & Klein, V. (2024). Cultural Tightness is Linked to Higher Self-Objectification in Women (But Not Men): Multi-Method Evidence. Sex Roles, 1-15.

Cheng, L., Dong, Y., & Wang, X.* (2024). Experiencing objectification encourages a preference for indulgent foods. Food Quality and Preference, 120, 105264.

Cheng, L., Wang, X.*, Shi, J., & Teng, F. (2024). Nature Contact Increases Perceived Humanness in Others. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 102389.

Cheng, L., Wang, X,* & Zhang, J. (2024). She is seeking attention: Women's self-objectification and hostility toward peer selfies. Computers in Human Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2024.108214

Cheng, L., Wang, X., Jetten, J., Klebl, C., Li, Z., & Wang, F. (2024). Subjective Economic Inequality Evokes Interpersonal Objectification. British Journal of Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12740

Cheng, L.. & Wang, X.* (2023). Shining our humanity: The benefits of awe on self-humanity. Emotion. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0001293

Shi, J., Zhang, J., Lun, S. W., & Wang, X.* (2023). I Am Not a Full Person: Perceiving threat of COVID-19 leads to self-dehumanization. Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology, 5, 100161.

Cheng, L., Hao, M., Wang, X., Li, Z., & Wang, F. (2023). ‘You are a useful person’: Economic inequality leads people to approach others in an instrumental way. European Journal of Social Psychology.

Wang, X., Chen, H., Shi, J., & Chen, Z. (2022) Threatened Humanity in a Tight World: Cultural Tightness Results in Self-Objectification. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations.

Wang, X., Chen, H., & Chen, Z. (2022). Women’s self-objectification under competition when they believe sex is power. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 51(6), 2837-2854.

Shi, J., Wang, X.,* & Chen, Z.* (2022). Polluted humanity: Air pollution leads to the dehumanization of oneself and others. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 101873.

Wang, X., Chen, H., Chen, Z., & Luo, S. (2022). An exchange orientation results in an instrumental approach in intimate relationships. British Journal of Social Psychology, 61(4), 1144-1159.

Shi, J., Wang, X.,* Teng, F., & Chen, Z. (2022). A Little Appreciation Goes a Long Way: Gratitude Reduces Objectification. Journal of Positive Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2022.2053877

Wang, X., ^#* Chen, H.,^# Chen, Z., & Yang, Y. (2021). Women’s intrasexual competition results in beautification. Social Psychological and Psychological Science, 12(5), 648-657. 

Wang, X.* & Krumhuber, E. G. (2018). Mind perception of robots varies with their economic versus social function. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1230.

Wang, X.* & Krumhuber, E. G. (2017). The love of money results in objectification. British Journal of Social Psychology, 56, 354-372. 

2) Inequality, Social Power, Social Dominance, and Hierarchy

Dong, Y., & Wang, X.* (2025). What if Hard Work Cannot Pay Off? Perceived Low Social Mobility Increases Passive Procrastination Among Students. Social Psychological and Personality Science, https://doi.org/10.1177/19485506251317664.

Wang, X., Chen, H., & Blake, K. R. (2024). Men (but not women) prefer to live in economically equal societies when it comes to mating: A five-study investigation. Evolution and Human Behavior, 45(6), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2024.106633

Teng, F. ^#*, Wang, X.^#*, Lei, Q., & Poon, K. T. (2024). Love me, because I rely on you: Dependency-oriented help-Seeking as a strategy for human mating. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Huang, Q.^#, Wang, X.^#, & Teng, F. (2024). Both Hostile and Benevolent Sexism Predict Men’s Infidelity. The Journal of Sex Research, 1-14.

Yang, Y., Zhu, S., Wang, X., & Wang, L. (2024). Dare to be yourself: Courage promotes self-authenticity via sense of power. The Journal of Positive Psychology.

Chen, H., Wang, X.,* Zang, H., & Guinote, A. (2023). We Need Tough Brothers and Sisters in a Tight World: Cultural Tightness Leads to a Preference for Dominant and Muscular Leaders. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. DOI: 10.1177/01461672231169107.

Wang, X., Wang, X., & Chen, Z. (2023). High Social Mobility Leads to Delayed Reproduction. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 1-13.

Teng, F., Wang, X.,* Li, Y. A., Zhang, Y., & Lei, Q. (2022). Personal Relative Deprivation Increases Men's (but Not Women's) Hostile Sexism. The Mediating Role of Sense of Control. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 03616843221145877.

Krumhuber, E. G., Wang, X., & Guinote, A. (2022) The Powerful Self: How Social Power and Gender Influence Face Perception. Current Psychology, 1-15.

Chen, H.,^# Wang, X.,^#* Zang, H., & Guinote, A. (2021) Being a tough person in a tight world: cultural tightness leads to a desire for muscularity. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. 96, 104183

Shi, J., Chen, Z., Wang, X., Yang, Y., & Chen, H. (2021) Dominate others, hurt self: Social dominance orientation predicts depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. Personality and Individual Differences. 175, 110710.

Wang, X.,* Chen, Z.,* & Krumhuber, E. G. (2020). Money: an integrated review and synthesis from a psychological perspective. Review of General Psychology, 24(2), 172-190.

Wang, X.,* Guinote, A., & Krumhuber, E. G. (2018). Dominance biases in the perception and memory for the faces of powerholders, with consequences for social inferences. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 78, 23-33.

3) Cultural Tightness

Wang, X., Mo, Q. L., Chen, H., & Klein, V. (2024). Cultural Tightness is Linked to Higher Self-Objectification in Women (But Not Men): Multi-Method Evidence. Sex Roles, 1-15.

Ma, M. Z., Chen, S. X., & Wang, X. (2023). Looking beyond vaccines: Cultural tightness–looseness moderates the relationship between immunization coverage and disease prevention vigilance. Applied Psychology: Health and Well‐Being.

Chen, H., Wang, X.,* Zang, H., & Guinote, A. (2023). We Need Tough Brothers and Sisters in a Tight World: Cultural Tightness Leads to a Preference for Dominant and Muscular Leaders. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. DOI: 10.1177/01461672231169107

Wang, X., Chen, H., Shi, J., & Chen, Z. (2022) Threatened Humanity in a Tight World: Cultural Tightness Results in Self-Objectification. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations.

Chen, H.,^# Wang, X.,^#* Zang, H., & Guinote, A. (2021) Being a tough person in a tight world: cultural tightness leads to a desire for muscularity. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. 96, 104183

4) Immoral Behaviour, Aggression, and Self-Interested Behaviour

Wang, X., Chen, Z., Van Tongeren, D. R., DeWall, C. N., & Yang, F. (2023). Permitting immoral behaviour: A generalized compensation belief hypothesis. British Journal of Psychology, 114(1), 21-38.

Teng, F., Wang, X.,* Zhang, Y., Lei, Q., Xiang, F., & Yuan, S. (2022). Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, I Deserve More Than All: Perceived Attractiveness and Self-Interested Behavior. Evolution and Human Behavior, 43(6), 536-547.

Teng, F., Shi, J., Wang, X.,* & Chen, Z. (2022). The Association between COVID-19-Related Wellbeing with Materialism and Perceived Threat. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(2), 912.

Wang, X.,*  Chen, Z., G Krumhuber, E., & Chen, H. (2021). Money and flexible generosity. British Journal of Social Psychology, 60(4), 1262-1278.

Teng, F., Wang, X.,* Shi, J., Chen, Z., Huang, Q., & Cheng, W. (2021). Psychosomatic symptoms and neuroticism following CoViD-19: the role of online aggression toward a stigmatized group. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(16), 8672.

Wang, X.,* Krumhuber, E. G., & Gratch, J. (2018). The interpersonal effects of emotions in money versus candy games. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 79, 315-327. 

Ad Hoc Reviewer

Journal of Experimental Social Psychology; Group Processes & Intergroup Relations; Applied Psychology: An International Review; European Journal of Social Psychology; Frontiers in Psychology; Current Psychology; Asian Journal of Social Psychology; Family Relations; Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology; International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

SS1101 Basic Psychology (undergraduate)

SS2028 Basic Psychology II (undergraduate)

SS2701 Developmental Psychology (undergraduate)

SS4708 Research Project in Psychology (undergraduate)

SS5753 Advanced Social Psychology (postgraduate)

SS5752 Life Span Development (postgraduate)

SS5798 Dissertation (postgraduate)

SS6805 Project (postgraduate)

SS8804 Enhancing Social Science Competence (Guest Lecturing, Mphil/PhD)