Dr. Heyi Zhang is an early years specialist and developmental psychologist. She obtained her MPhil in Developmental Psychology and PhD in Education from the University of Cambridge. After working as a research assistant in Cambridge, she joined the Institute (Department) of Early Childhood Education, Faculty of Education at Beijing Normal University in 2018, where she teaches and supervises both undergraduate and postgraduate students. She is interested in young children's development and learning in family and kindergarten settings, such as parenting and children’s psychological outcomes, children’s self-regulation and executive function, children’s socio-emotional development, etc. Her current research interests are primarily concerned with young children’s development in the digital age.

Prospective International Masters Applications

Heyi has been busy supervising Chinese undergraduate and postgraduate students. If you are an international student and are willing to make contacts before applying, please note that you need to have a very relevant background in either Early Childhood Education or Developmental Psychology and have received strong training in research methods. Applications from other backgrounds will not be considered.

EDUCATION

·          PhD in Education

Psychology and Education Research Group, Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, UK

·          MPhil in Social and Developmental Psychology

Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, UK

·          BA in Translation and Cultural Studies

Centre for Applied Linguistics, University of Warwick, UK

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

·          Understanding Research Methods in Early Childhood Education

Undergraduate Course, Beijing Normal University

·          Play in Early Childhood Education

Undergraduate Course, Beijing Normal University

·          Early Childhood Development and Education

Postgraduate Course, Beijing Normal University

·        Academic Writing and Publishing in Early Childhood Education

Postgraduate Course, Beijing Normal University

·        Advanced Research Design Seminar

Postgraduate Course (for PhD), Beijing Normal University

·          Child Development

Undergraduate Course, University of Cambridge

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Journal Articles

·          张和颐，余利. (2025). 屏幕时间与幼儿自我调节：成人参与的作用. 心理发展与教育，41（5），616-625.

·          谢凌皓，张和颐(通讯作者).(2025). 虚拟现实技术在儿童发展中的应用现状及其趋势.早期儿童发展，13（4），23-34.

·          邓之君，朱晓爽，张和颐(通讯作者).(2024). 远虑解近忧———儿童青少年的未来时间洞察及其影响.心理发展与教育，40（4），601-608.

·          Zhang, H., Yin, X., Yu, X., Pui W., & Chen, Y. (2024). Too much of a good thing? Linking overparenting and Chinese young children's social preference. Early Child Development and Care, published online. 

·          Chenyan, X. U., & Zhang, H. (corresponding author) (2024). Children’s metacognition and their second language acquisition: A Longitudinal Study. Beijing International Review of Education, 6(2), 132-152

·          顾心格, 张和颐（通讯作者）. (2024). 父母心理控制与幼小衔接阶段幼儿心理压力的关系：心理弹性的调节作用. 早期儿童发展，9（4）， 26-36.

·          于晓，张和颐，戚玥，陈英和，刘浩宁，赵煜爔. （2023）. 抑制控制在类比映射发展中的作用：认知负荷的影响. 心理发展与教育，39（3）.543-553.

·          Hu, X., Zhang H. (corresponding author) & Geng, M. (2023). Letting go or giving up? The influence of self-transcendence meaning of life on goal adjustment in high action crisis. Frontiers in Psychology. 14, 1054873.

·          张和颐，洪秀敏. （2022）. 家庭认知环境与0～3 岁婴幼儿发展的关系: 有调节的中介效应. 心理发展与教育，38（2），178-185.

·          Li, L., Zhang, H. (co-first author), Qi, Y., Lei, X., Yu, X., & Liu, H. (2022). More than visual-spatial skills: The important role of phonological awareness in mathematical abilities among Chinese primary school children. Current Psychology, 42, 31810-31823.

·          Zhang, H., Xia, Y., Lin, Q., & Chen, Y. (2022). A lag between understanding false beliefs and belief-based emotions in Chinese young children: the effects of material familiarity. Early Child Development and Care, 193(6), 767-779.

·          Zhang, B., Deng, Z., Zhang, H., & Chen, Y. (2022). Do preschoolers always trust the majority? The influence of familiarity and expertise of a dissenter in a Chinese sample. Infant and Child Development, e2303.

·          余利，何冉，李曜彤，张和颐（通讯作者）.（2022）.基于社会情感学习的幼儿园绘本教学研究.幼儿教育（教育科学），11，7-12.

·          汪尔雅，尹雪力，张和颐（通讯作者）.（2022）.基于互动视角的师幼共读综述研究.早期儿童发展，3，35-45.

·          Zhang, H., Jiang, L., & Hong, X. (2021). Family process and young children’s social adaptation: conditional process analyses across child-care experiences. Early Child Development and Care, 192(14), 2185-2199.

·          张和颐. （2021）. 依法保障保教质量，为健康成长护航. 教育家，255，26-27.

·          姜丽云，张和颐，洪秀敏. (2020). 2～3岁幼儿社会适应的发展特点及影响因素研究，幼儿教育（教育科学），11,25-30.

·          Pui, W. S. W., Zhang, H. (corresponding Author), Ding, M., & Zhong, C. (2020). Developing children’s cultural identities through play. Beijing International Review of Education, 2(2), 244-257.

·          Zhang, H. (2020). Play in childhood: Introduction to the special issue. Beijing International Review of Education, 2(2), 176-181.

·          Zhang, H., & Whitebread, D. (2019). Examining Chinese kindergarten children’s psychological needs satisfaction in problem-solving situations: A Self-Determination Theory perspective. Instructional Science. 47(4), 373-398.

·          Zhang, H., & Whitebread, D. (2019). Identifying characteristics of parental autonomy support and control in parent–child interactions. Early Child Development and Care, 1-14.

·          Zhang, H., Song, J., & Hong, X. (2019). The relation between Chinese parents’ child-based worth and young children’s behavioral problems: a serial multiple mediator model. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 27(6), 902-917.

·          Zhang, H. (2018). Relations of parent-child interaction to Chinese young children’s emotion understanding. Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology, 12, 1-9.

·          Zhang, H., & Whitebread, D. (2017). Linking parental scaffolding with self-regulated learning in Chinese kindergarten children. Learning and Instruction, 49, 121-130.

·          Xiao, F., Zheng, Z., Zhang, H., Xin, Zi., Chen, Y., & Li, Y. (2016).  Who are you more likely to help? The effects of expected outcomes and regulatory focus on prosocial performance. PLOS ONE, 11(11).

Books and Translated Works

·          Zhang, H.  & Yin, X. (2022). Translated work of Julia Luckenbill, Aarti Subramaniam, & Janet Thompson’s This is Play: Environments and Interactions that Engage Infants and Toddlers. China Light Industry Press Co., Ltd.

·          Zhang, H. & Zhang, M. (2016). Translated work of Janet Gonzalez-Mena and Dianne Widmeyer Eyer’s Infants, Toddlers, and Caregivers: A Curriculum of Respectful, Responsive Care and Education (8^th ed.). The Commercial Press.

SELECTED RESEARCH PROJECTS

·          2024-2026 A Comparison of Patterns of Behaviour and Quality Improvement in Teacher-Child Interaction during Shared Reading of Digital and Paper Picture Books, funding by the Iread Foundation Project

·          2023-2025 Screen Exposure and Children’s Executive Function, funded by the Ministry of Education Chunhui Research Project

·          2022-2025 Screen Time and Young Children’s Self-Regulation, funded by the Ministry of Education Youth Project, National Education Sciences Planning of China

·          2021-2023 Teacher-Child Interaction and Children’s Self-Regulated Learning, funded by the Sunglory Educational Institute

·          2021-2022 Picture Books in Early Years Settings, funded by Beijing Jin En Run Ze Techology Development Co., Ltd.

·          2018-2020 Overparenting and Preschool Children’s Adaptation, funded by Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China

SERVICE & CONSULTING

·          Associate Editor, Beijing International Review of Education (BIRE)

·          Reviewer, Early Childhood Education Journal, British Journal of Developmental Psychology; Journal of Computer Assisted Learning; Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology; Parenting: Science and Practice, etc.