Sarah Shi Hui WONG
Dr Sarah Shi Hui Wong is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Singapore Management University. Her research bridges the fields of cognitive and educational psychology to design, test, and translate counterintuitive techniques that improve higher order learning. In particular, she studies how people can strategically learn from errors. Her pioneering research on the derring effect has established that deliberately committing and correcting errors in low-stakes contexts enhances learning. By discovering principles for designing effective learning and instruction, Dr Wong aspires to advance educational theory and practice.
Dr Wong’s research has been published in journals such as Educational Psychologist, Educational Psychology Review, Journal of Educational Psychology, and Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. She has received the American Psychological Association (APA) Paul R. Pintrich Outstanding Dissertation Award, Association for Psychological Science (APS) Student Research Award, and Wang Gungwu Medal and Prize for Best Ph.D. Thesis in the Social Sciences and Humanities.
Qualifications
- PhD (Psychology), National University of Singapore, 2020
- MA (with Distinction) (Music Psychology in Education), The University of Sheffield, 2015
- BSocSc (Hons) (Psychology), National University of Singapore, 2013
Research Interests
- Deliberate Errors
- Learning from Errors
- Learning by Teaching
- Higher Order Learning
- Cognitive Science and Education
Course(s) Taught in SMU
- Introduction to Psychology
Research Areas and Areas of Expertise
Strategic Priorities
HighlightsCombines innovative experimental approaches with applied relevance, influencing both educational theory and classroom practice; recognized internationally for methodological rigor and translational impact; recipient of prestigious awards including the APA Paul R. Pintrich Outstanding Dissertation Award and Wang Gungwu Medal; strong mentorship record with multiple supervisees winning national research prizes.
Focused research areas include Designing, testing, and translating counterintuitive learning techniques—especially the strategic use of deliberate errors—to enhance creativity, problem-solving, and reasoning; bridging cognitive science and education to inform both theory and practice of effective learning.
- Special Pocket Research Grant, (Role: Principal Investigator), "Effective Learning Strategies and Technologies in Education", Yale-NUS College, SGD $1,500 (2024-2025)
- Staff Travel and Research Grant, (Role: Principal Investigator), Yale-NUS College, Division of Social Sciences, SGD $10,000 (2023-2025)
- Special Pocket Research Grant, (Role: Principal Investigator), "Applying Psychological Science to Enhance Learning", Yale-NUS College, SGD $1,500 (2023-2024)
- Staff Research Support Scheme, (Role: Co-Principal Investigator), National University of Singapore, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, SGD $7,800 (2021-2022)
- Staff Research Support Scheme, (Role: Co-Principal Investigator), National University of Singapore, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, SGD $8,000 (2019-2020)
Showing up to 6 latest publications from the past 5 years.
- SSH Wong, S LimEducational Psychology Review 38 (1), Article 26, 2026
- SSH WongJournal of Educational Psychology 117 (7), 1013–1038, 2025
- SWH Lim, SSH Wong, P VisessuvanapoomThe Journal of Experimental Education, 2024
- JBK Yap, SSH WongJournal of Educational Psychology 116 (7), 1112–1128, 2024
- SSH Wong, KYL Lim, SWH LimJournal of Educational Psychology 115 (6), 798–812, 2023
- SSH Wong, SWH LimJournal of Experimental Psychology: Applied 29 (1), 124–135, 2023
Dr Sarah Shi Hui Wong is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Singapore Management University. Her research bridges the fields of cognitive and educational psychology to design, test, and translate counterintuitive techniques that improve higher order learning. In particular, she studies how people can strategically learn from errors. Her pioneering research on the derring effect has established that deliberately committing and correcting errors in low-stakes contexts enhances learning. By discovering principles for designing effective learning and instruction, Dr Wong aspires to advance educational theory and practice.
Dr Wong’s research has been published in journals such as Educational Psychologist, Educational Psychology Review, Journal of Educational Psychology, and Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. She has received the American Psychological Association (APA) Paul R. Pintrich Outstanding Dissertation Award, Association for Psychological Science (APS) Student Research Award, and Wang Gungwu Medal and Prize for Best Ph.D. Thesis in the Social Sciences and Humanities.
Qualifications
- PhD (Psychology), National University of Singapore, 2020
- MA (with Distinction) (Music Psychology in Education), The University of Sheffield, 2015
- BSocSc (Hons) (Psychology), National University of Singapore, 2013
Research Interests
- Deliberate Errors
- Learning from Errors
- Learning by Teaching
- Higher Order Learning
- Cognitive Science and Education
Course(s) Taught in SMU
- Introduction to Psychology