Dr Narun Pat, Our People, Department of Psychology, University of Otago, New Zealand

narun-web

Email narun.pat@otago.ac.nz
Tel 64 3 479 4629

Lab Website: Human Affective and Motivational Neuroscience Lab

Dr Narun Pat (Pornpattananangkul) is interested in reward-processing in humans, or the extent to which people evaluate, react to and learn about rewards. His research has examined both 1) basic neural-computational mechanisms of reward-processing as well as 2) alterations in reward-processing by the person, the situation and their interaction. For instance, he has used human cognitive neuroscience methods (such as EEG and fMRI) and computational modeling to capture neural/cognitive processes related to specific reward-processing constructs: reward evaluation, learning, anticipation and consumption. He has also investigated individual differences in reward-processing as a function of mood symptoms (such as anhedonia, low-mood and hypomania), personalities (such as approach-avoidance motivation) and age. Finally, his research has also examined how aspects of situations (such as social, moral and temporal) modulate reward-processing.

Narun joined the Department in 2019. He was trained by clinical and social psychologists/neuroscientists during his PhD in Brain Behavior and Cognition at Northwestern University in the US. He was then trained by a neuro-economist during his first post-doctoral position at National University of Singapore. He later worked with psychiatrists and neuroimagers during his second post-doctoral training at the National Institute of Mental Health in the US. Accordingly, he has developed an interdisciplinary research program to study reward-processing, and has collaborated with people across fields of study locally and internationally in the US and Singapore. He obtained several academic awards from agencies such as Fulbright and the US National Institute of Health.

Research interests

Neural-computational mechanisms of reward-processing in humans
Alterations in reward-processing by the person, the situation and their interaction
Reward-related decision-making
Mood-related symptoms (anhedonia, low-mood and hypo/mania), disorders (depression and bipolar) and personalities (approach-avoidance motivation)
Human cognitive neuroscience techniques (M/EEG, fMRI and computational modeling)
Aging

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Publications

Pornpattananangkul, N., Leibenluft, E., Pine, D. S., & Stringaris, A. (2019). Association of brain functions in children with anhedonia mapped onto brain imaging measures. JAMA Psychiatry, 76(6), 624-633. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2019.0020

Pornpattananangkul, N., Grogans, S., Yu, R., & Nusslock, R. (2019). Single-trial EEG dissociates motivation and conflict processes during decision-making under risk. NeuroImage, 188, 483-501. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.12.029

Pornpattananangkul, N., & Nusslock, R. (2016). Willing to wait: Elevated reward-processing EEG activity associated with a greater preference for larger-but-delayed rewards. Neuropsychologia, 91, 141-162. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.07.037

Pornpattananangkul, N., Zhen, S., & Yu, R. (2018). Common and distinct neural correlates of self-serving and prosocial dishonesty. Human Brain Mapping, 39(7), 3086-3103. doi: 10.1002/hbm.24062

Pornpattananangkul, N., Kok, B. C., Chai, J., Huang, Y., Feng, L., & Yu, R. (2018). Choosing for you: Diminished self-other discrepancies in financial decisions under risk in the elderly. Psychology & Aging, 33(6), 871-891. doi: 10.1037/pag0000284

Chapter in Book - Research
Journal - Research Article
Journal - Research Other

Chapter in Book - Research

Nusslock, R., Young, C. B., Pornpattananangkul, N., & Damme, K. S. F. (2015). Neurophysiological and neuroimaging techniques. In R. L. Cautin & S. O. Lilienfeld (Eds.), The encyclopedia of clinical psychology. (pp. 1976-1984). John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1002/9781118625392.wbecp557

Pornpattananangkul, N., Zink, C. F., & Chiao, J. Y. (2014). Neural basis of social status hierarchy. In J. T. Cheng, J. L. Tracy & C. Anderson (Eds.), The psychology of social status. (pp. 303-323). New York, NY: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-0867-7_14

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Journal - Research Article

Harada, T., Mano, Y., Komeda, H., Hechtman, L. A., Pornpattananangkul, N., Parrish, T. B., … Chiao, J. Y. (2020). Cultural influences on neural systems of intergroup emotion perception: An fMRI study. Neuropsychologia, 137, 107254. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2019.107254

Kelley, N. J., Glazer, J. E., Pornpattananangkul, N., & Nusslock, R. (2019). Reappraisal and suppression emotion-regulation tendencies differentially predict reward-responsivity and psychological well-being. Biological Psychology, 140, 35-47. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2018.11.005

Glazer, J. E., Kelley, N. J., Pornpattananangkul, N., & Nusslock, R. (2019). Hypomania and depression associated with distinct neural activity for immediate and future rewards. Psychophysiology, 56(3), e13301. doi: 10.1111/psyp.13301

Pornpattananangkul, N., Chowdhury, A., Feng, L., & Yu, R. (2019). Social discounting in the elderly: Senior citizens are good Samaritans to strangers. Journals of Gerontology Series B, 74(1), 52-58. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbx040

Nadig, A., Kelley, N. J., Pornpattananangkul, N., Glazer, J. E., & Nusslock, R. (2019). Shifts in attentional scope modulate event-related potentials evoked by reward. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience, 19, 586-599. doi: 10.3758/s13415-019-00705-3

Glazer, J. E., Kelley, N. J., Pornpattananangkul, N., Mittal, V. A., & Nusslock, R. (2018). Beyond the FRN: Broadening the time-course of EEG and ERP components implicated in reward processing. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 132, 184-202. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2018.02.002

Pornpattananangkul, N., Zhen, S., & Yu, R. (2018). Common and distinct neural correlates of self-serving and prosocial dishonesty. Human Brain Mapping, 39(7), 3086-3103. doi: 10.1002/hbm.24062

Reznik, S. J., Nusslock, R., Pornpattananangkul, N., Abramson, L. Y., Coan, J. A., & Harmon-Jones, E. (2017). Laboratory-induced learned helplessness attenuates approach motivation as indexed by posterior versus frontal theta activity. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience, 17(4), 904-916. doi: 10.3758/s13415-017-0521-0

Pornpattananangkul, N., Nadig, A., Heidinger, S., Walden, K., & Nusslock, R. (2017). Elevated outcome-anticipation and outcome-evaluation ERPs associated with a greater preference for larger-but-delayed rewards. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience, 17(3), 625-641. doi: 10.3758/s13415-017-0501-4

Pornpattananangkul, N., Hariri, A. R., Harada, T., Mano, Y., Komeda, H., Parrish, T. B., … Chiao, J. Y. (2016). Cultural influences on neural basis of inhibitory control. NeuroImage, 139, 114-126. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.05.061

Walden, K., Pornpattananangkul, N., Curlee, A., McAdams, D. P., & Nusslock, R. (2015). Posterior versus frontal theta activity indexes approach motivation during affective autobiographical memories. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience, 15, 132-144. doi: 10.3758/s13415-014-0322-7

Zabelina, D. L., O'Leary, D., Pornpattananangkul, N., Nusslock, R., & Beeman, M. (2015). Creativity and sensory gating indexed by the P50: Selective versus leaky sensory gating in divergent thinkers and creative achievers. Neuropsychologia, 69, 77-84. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2015.01.034

Pornpattananangkul, N., & Nusslock, R. (2015). Motivated to win: Relationship between anticipatory and outcome reward-related neural activity. Brain & Cognition, 100, 21-40. doi: 10.1016/j.bandc.2015.09.002

Pornpattananangkul, N., Hu, X., & Nusslock, R. (2015). Threat/reward-sensitivity and hypomanic-personality modulate cognitive-control and attentional neural processes to emotional stimuli. Social Cognitive & Affective Neuroscience, 10(11), 1525-1536. doi: 10.1093/scan/nsv042

Hu, X., Pornpattananangkul, N., & Nusslock, R. (2015). Executive control- and reward-related neural processes associated with the opportunity to engage in voluntary dishonest moral decision making. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience, 15(2), 475-491. doi: 10.3758/s13415-015-0336-9

Hu, X., Pornpattananangkul, N., & Rosenfeld, J. P. (2013). N200 and P300 as orthogonal and integrable indicators of distinct awareness and recognition processes in memory detection. Psychophysiology, 50(5), 454-464. doi: 10.1111/psyp.12018

Chiao, J. Y., Cheong, B. K., Pornpattananangkul, N., Mrazek, A. J., & Blizinsky, K. D. (2013). Cultural neuroscience: Progress and promise. Psychological Inquiry, 24(1), 1-19. doi: 10.1080/1047840X.2013.752715

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Journal - Research Other

Nielson, D. M., Keren, H., O'Callaghan, G., Jackson, S. M., Douka, I., Zheng, C. Y., … Pornpattananangkul, N., … Stringaris, A. (2020). Great expectations: A critical review of and recommendations for the study of reward processing as a cause and predictor of depression. Biological Psychiatry. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.06.012

Pornpattananangkul, N., Zhang, J., Chen, Q., Kok, B. C., & Yu, R. (2017). Generous to whom? The influence of oxytocin on social discounting [Short communication]. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 79, 93-97. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.02.016

Pornpattananangkul, N., Cheong, B. K., & Chiao, J. Y. (2014). The role of negativity bias in political judgment: A cultural neuroscience perspective. Behavioral & Brain Sciences, 37(3), 325-326. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X13002707

Pornpattananangkul, N., & Chiao, J. Y. (2014). Comment: Affect control theory and cultural priming: A perspective from cultural neuroscience. Emotion Review, 6(2), 136-137. doi: 10.1177/1754073913512001

Cheong, B. K., Mrazek, A. J., Pornpattananangkul, N., Blizinsky, K. D., & Chiao, J. Y. (2013). Constraints, catalysts and coevolution in cultural neuroscience: Reply to commentaries. Psychological Inquiry, 24, 71-79. doi: 10.1080/1047840X.2013.773599

Hechtman, L. A., Pornpattananangkul, N., & Chiao, J. Y. (2012). Psychological constructionism and cultural neuroscience. Behavioral & Brain Sciences, 35, 152-153. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X11001713

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