Faculty Profile

[Bio]: Dr. MAO Yanhui holds a Ph.D. from Sapienza University of Rome (Italy) and has pursued postdoctoral research at Zhejiang University (China). She currently serves as a full professor and a supervisor for PhD and master students at Southwest Jiaotong University (SWJTU). She is a member of the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA) and the European Flow Research Network (EFRN). Dr. Mao is recognized as a high-level overseas talent by Sichuan Province and is selected as an outstanding young talent in philosophy and social sciences under the "Eagle Plan" in Chengdu. She serves as a communication review expert for the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and a reviewer for various international journals, including (but not limited to) Applied Psychology, Journal of Happiness Studies, Journal of Managerial Psychology, Journal of Positive Psychology, Personality and Individual Differences, PLoS ONE, and Scientific Reports.

[Teaching]: The courses she has taught in SWJTU at the undergraduate level include Managerial Communication, Social Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, and Positive Psychology. She also teaches Master's level courses such as Academic Writing for Psychology and Frontiers in Psychological Research. During the last 5 years, she has supervised and co-supervised over 10 SWJTU-ers, many of these students have pursued higher-level educational degrees at domestic and international universities. Notably, some of them have enrolled in prestigious universities such as Beijing Jiaotong University, Chongqing University, Nanjing University, Washington University (USA), University College London (UK), and Sapienza University of Rome (Italy).

[Research]: Her research interests are mainly in Positive Psychology, Environmental Psychology, and Managerial Psychology. Her study delves into a range of topics such as flow experience, organizational identity, leadership, employee resilience, psych capital, perceived residential environmental quality indicators, corporate environmental responsibility,  and well-being. She has received research funds from various sources, including the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC, Nos. 72271205, 71801180), the Ministry of Science and Technology of PRC (Grant No. G2021166008L), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No., A1420502051705-1), and the Mental Health Education Research Center of Sichuan Province (Grant No., XLJKJY2002B). In addition, she has collaborated with domestic scholars and international researchers from the U.S., Italy, Sweden, and Greece on various national and international research projects.

[Service]: Appointed as the first batch of the International Cooperation and Exchange (Overseas Talent Introduction) Commissioners at SWJTU, the university will be delighted to welcome overseas scholars interested in working at SWJTU (part-time or full-time) to contact (i.e., Dr. Mao) at yanhui.mao@swjtu.edu.cn. “Nine days open a Chengdu, thousands of households and doors form a picturesque scene!" Chengdu, with its captivating beauty, vibrant lifestyle, international atmosphere, and strong sense of community, is like a city painted beneath a snow-covered mountain and filled with joy and celebration. Welcome you to SWJTU and Chengdu!

Recent research (*corresponding author):

Liu, T., Lu, S., & Mao, Y*. (2024). Facilitating individual innovation from the perspective of social network ties: A fuzzy-set QCA approach. R & D Management. doi:10.1111/radm.12737

Liu, T., Mao, Y, & Lu, S*. (2024). Impact of advice network centrality on innovative work behavior: the moderating role of multiplex network embeddedness. European Journal of Innovation Management. MR

Cai, X., Zhou, N., Chen, J., Mao, Z., Wang, S., Luo, X., Xie, M., Mao, Y*. (2024). Gratitude practice helps undergraduates who experienced an earthquake in China find meaning in life. Scientific Reports. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-61256-3

Peng, C., Yuan, G., Xie, M., Zhu, L., & Mao, Y*. (2024). The Impact of daily flow on employees’ daily innovative behavior: Disentangle the within-level mediation effect of job involvement and the cross-level moderation effect of person-organization fit. Current Psychology. doi:10.1007/s12144-024-06086-2

Mao, Y., Chen, J., Liu, X., Dang, J*., & Schiöth, H. (2024). Social support predicted subsequent subjective well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: A prospective study. BMC Public Health. doi:10.1186/s12889-024-18473-2

Jia, F., Meng, J., Ma,Y., Mao,Y*. (2024). Flow experience and self-efficacy in undergraduates' English learning: A weekly diary investigation with cross-lagged panel modeling approach. System. doi:10.1016/j.system.2024.103312

Liu, T., Mao, Y, & Lu, S*. (2024). Disentangling the relations among help-givers’ instrumental helping ties, creativity, and creative idea implementation: A social network perspective. Creativity & Innovation Management. doi: 10.1111/caim.12594 

Mao, Y., Luo, X., Wang, S., Mao, Z., Xie, M*., Bonaiuto, M. (2024). Flow experience fosters university students’ well-being through psychological resilience: A longitudinal design with cross-lagged analysis. British Journal of Educational Psychology. doi: 10.1111/bjep.12661

赵怡霖, 王兰爽, 陈兰双, 毛燕辉, 张镇. (2023). 社区绿化感知特征与老年人主观幸福感:社区依恋的中介作用和家庭亲密度的调节作用. 心理与行为研究, 21(5), 682-690. doi: 10.12139/j.1672-0628.2023.05.015

D’Urso, G*., Pagliaro, S., Preti, E., Asnake, M., Lionetti, F., Mao, Y., Minaye, A., Ayele, M., Pacilli, M.G., Wuhib Tsega, T., Fasolo, M., & Spinelli, M. (2023). Predisposing Factors connected with Willingness to Intervene in Cases of Intimate Partner Violence: A study in the Chinese, Italian, and Ethiopian Context. Sexuality & Culture, doi:10.1007/s12119-023-10162-3

Liu, T., Lu, S., Ma, J., & Mao, Y*. (2023). Go put your strengths to enjoy work: A diary study on the relationship between strengths use and innovative behavior. Journal of Happiness Studies, doi:10.1007/s10902-023-00696-6

Mao, Y., Guo, S., Xie, M., Yu, J., Deng, X., Li, Y., Zhai, Y., Kong, F*. (2023). Devote yourself to enjoy work: A diary study on flow experience and employees’ organizational identification. Journal of Managerial Psychology, doi: 10.1108/JMP-07-2022-0355

Mao, Y., Kang, X., Lai, Y., Yu, J., Deng, X., Zhai, Y., Kong, F*., Ma, J., & Bonaiuto, F. (2023). Authentic leadership and employee resilience during the COVID-19: The role of flow, organizational identification, and trust. Current Psychology, doi:10.1007/s12144-022-04148-x

Liu, T., Mao, Y, & Lu, S*. (2023). Fostering participants’ collaborative innovation performance in megaprojects: The effects of perceived partners’ non-mediated power. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, doi:10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0002417

Xie, M., Mao, Y, & Yang, R*. (2022). Flow experience and city identity in the restorative environment: A conceptual model and nature-based intervention. Frontiers in Public Health, doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.1011890

Peng, C., Liang, Y., Yuan, G., Xie, M., Mao, Y*., Harmat, L., Bonaiuto, F. (2022). How servant leadership predicts employee resilience in public organizations: A social identity perspective. Current Psychology, doi:10.1007/s12144-022-04138-z

Mao, Y., Xie, M., Li, M., Gu, C., Zhang, Z., Chen, Y., & Peng, C*. (2022). Promoting academic self-efficacy, positive relationships and psychological resilience for Chinese university students’ life satisfaction. Educational Psychology, doi:10.1080/01443410.2022.2138830

Mao, Y*., Luo, X*., Guo, S., Xie, M., Zhou, J., Huang, R., & Zhang, Z. (2022). Validation of the abbreviated indicators of perceived residential environment quality and neighborhood attachment in China. Frontiers in Public Health, doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.925651

Mao, Y., Peng, C*., Liang, Y., Yuan, G., Ma, J., Bonaiuto, M. (2022). Perceived residential environment quality, flow, and social capital on urbanities’ community identity during COVID-19 residential confinement. Social Indicators Research, doi:10.1007/s11205-022-02915-8

Wu, J., Xie, M., Lai, Y., Mao, Y*., Harmat, L. (2021). Flow as a key predictor of subjective well-being among Chinese university students: A chain mediating model. Frontiers in Psychology, doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.743906

Yang, S., Mao, Y*., Liu, T., Baldner, C., Roberts, S., & Lu, S*. (2021). Achieve ambidextrous learning in construction engineering project partnerships: The roles of formal control and Chinese guanxi. Asian Business & Management, doi:10.1057/s41291-021-00173-z

Cui, P., Mao, Y*., Shen, Y., & Ma, J*. (2021). Moral Identity and Subjective Well-Being: The Mediating Role of Identity Commitment Quality. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(18). doi:10.3390/ijerph18189795

Pagliaro, S., Sacchi, S., Pacilli, M.G., Brambilla, M., Lionetti, F., …Mao, Y., …Bettache, K., et al. (2021). Trust predicts COVID-19 prescribed and discretionary behavioral intentions in 23 countries. PLoS ONE 16(3): e0248334. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248334 (Essential Science Indicators (ESI) Top 1% Highly cited paper)

Peng, C., Mao, Y*., Pagliaro, S., Roberts, S., & Livi, S. (2020). A group's physical attractiveness is greater than the average attractiveness of its members: An evidence from China. Healthcare, 8, 344. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare8030344

Mao, Y., Yang, R*., Bonaiuto, M., Ma, J., & Harmat, L. (2020). Can flow alleviate anxiety? The role of academic self-efficacy and self-esteem in building psychological sustainability and resilience. Sustainability, 12(7), 2987.

Bonaiuto, M., Mao, Y*., Roberts, S., Psalti, A., Ariccio, S., Ganucci Cancellieri, U., Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2016). Optimal experience and personal growth: Flow and the consolidation of place identity. Frontiers in Psychology, doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01654

Mao, Y., Roberts, S., Pagliaro, S., Csikszentmihalyi, M., & Bonaiuto, M*. (2016). Optimal experience and optimal identity: A multinational study of the associations between flow and social identity. Frontiers in Psychology, doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00067

Peng, W., Babiloni, C., Mao, Y., & Hu, Y*. (2015). Subjective pain perception mediated by alpha rhythms. Biological Psychology, doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2015.05.004

Mao, Y., Fornara, F., Manca, S., Bonnes, M., & Bonaiuto, M*. (2015). Perceived residential environment quality indicators and neighbourhood attachment: A confirmation study on a Chinese sample in Chongqing. PsyCh Journal, doi: 10.1002/pchj.90

Peng, W., Hu, Y., Mao, Y., & Babiloni, C*. (2015). Widespread cortical α-ERD companying visual oddball target stimuli is frequency but non-modality specific. Behavioural Brain Research, doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.04.051

Bonaiuto, M*., Fornara, F., Alves, S., Ferreira, I., Mao, Y., Moffat, E., Piccinin, G., & Rahimi, L. (2015). Urban environment and well-being: Cross-cultural studies on perceived residential environment quality indicators (PREQIs). Cognitive Processing, doi: 10.1007/s10339-015-0691-z

Mao, Y*., Roberts, S., Bonaiuto, M. (2016). Optimal experience and optimal identity: A multinational examination at the personal identity level. In L. Harmat, F. Andersen, F. Ullén, & J. Wright (Ed.), Flow Experience: Empirical Research and Applications. Springer, Switzerland. ISBN: 978-3-319-28632-7

International congress/conference:

Mao, Y. (2022). The Application of Flow for Human Flourishing and Well-being. Oral presentation at the 10th Cross-Cultural Research, Collaboration and Exchange Program, Hangzhou, China. July 1-3.

Kang, X., Mao, Y*., & Bonaiuto, M. (2021). Flow, organizational identification and place identity in the university environment: A positive environmental psychology perspective. Oral presentation at the 10th EFRN Conference (online virtual conference), Lübeck, Germany. Nov 26-27.

Mao, Y. (2019). Psychophysiological Flow and Identity Experience. Oral presentation at the 6th International Conference on Positive Psychology and Well-being (6th CPPWb), Kunming, China, June 1-3.

Mao, Y. (2015). Do What You Love to Do: The Shaping of Optimal Identity from Optimal Experience. Oral presentation at the 14th European Congress of Psychology (ECP14). Milan, Italy. July 7-10.

Mao, Y., Csikszentmihalyi, M., Roberts, S., & Bonaiuto, M. (2015). Optimal Experience and Personal Growth: flow and the development of social identity. Poster presentation at the 4th World Congress on Positive Psychology (WCPP4). Florida, U.S. June 25-28.

Mao, Y., Csikszentmihalyi, M., Roberts, S., & Bonaiuto, M. (2014). Optimal Experience and Personal Growth: flow and the development of identity. Poster presentation at the 7th European Conference on Positive Psychology (ECPP7). Amsterdam, Netherlands. July 1-4.

Bonaiuto, M., Csikszentmihalyi, M., & Mao, Y. (2014). You are what you do: Flow experience and identity definition. Symposium for the 10th European Spring Conference on Social Psychology (ESCSP10). St. Moritz, Switzerland. March 16-23.

Bonaiuto, M., Fornara, F., Bonnes, M., Alves, S., Johansson, M., & Mao, Y. (2014). Perceived qualities of urban neighborhoods that promote inhabitants’ walking. Symposium for the 28th International Conference of Applied Psychology (ICAP28): Creating Environments that Support Healthy Physical Activity. Paris, France. July 8-13.