Perception is the basis of our experience, and our experience in turns shapes our perception. We ask questions like: What are the specific and general characteristics of expert object recognition across different domains? How does perceptual experience affect our performance in real-life settings? What does perceptual experience reveal about the organization of the visual object recognition system? The study of experience and expertise pushes our understanding of human perception, cognition, and other mental processes, and has important implications for education and therapy.
We work closely with Yetta Wong and her Learning and Perception Lab.
New multitasking paper free to download
[Jun 2025] Our article looking at the unity and specificity of multitasking abilities has been published in the July edition of Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, and it's free to download for this month!
Absolute pitch training paper accepted
[Nov 2024] Our recent absolute pitch training paper with improved methodology has been accepted in Psychonomic Bulletin and Review!
PhD students welcomed!
[19 Jan 2023] If you are interested in pursuing a master or PhD degree with me at the University of Surrey please contact me.
Starting in the University of Surrey
[1 Nov 2022] Alan joined the School of Psychology at the University of Surrey.
A study from Vince's PhD thesis published
[25 Aug 2022] Vince published the first experiment of his PhD thesis in Psychophysiology!
Ngan, V.S.H., Cheung, L.Y.T., Ng, H.T.Y., Yip, K.H,M., Wong, Y.K., & Wong, A.C.-N. (2022). An early perceptual locus of absolute pitch. Psychophysiology. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.14170
First EEG classification study published
[1 Mar 2022] Our first paper using multivariate pattern analysis of EEG signals has been published. Great work by Ken Yip!
Yip, H.M.K., Cheung, L.Y.T., Ngan, V.S.H., Wong, Y.K., & Wong, A.C.-N. (2022). The effect of task on object processing revealed by EEG decoding. European Journal of Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.15598
Congratulations Dr. Fan!
[23 Dec 2021] Pu Fan defended her thesis today, and as usual, she gave an informative, clear and concise presentation. Fantastic questions from the panel too. Pu's master thesis has also been accepted by Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. Proud of your work Pu!
Fan, P., Wong, A.C.-N., Wong, Y.K. (in press). Visual and visual association abilities predict skilled reading performance: The case of music sight-reading. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.
Visual expertise in Chinese characters predicts reading performance
[24 Nov 2020] Our first paper on the role of visual character processing skills on reading was accepted by PLoS ONE!
Daniel passed his MPhil thesis defense
[20 Nov 2020] This is the first project in our lab that relied heavily on modeling, and Daniel made a great effort in it. Congratulations to you for what you have achieved!
Congratulations Dr. Ngan!
[21 Jan 2020] Vince Ngan defended his thesis nicely. This is an ambitious project examining the behavioral and neural differences between individuals with and without absolute pitch, as well as the changes as a result of pitch labelling training for those without absolute pitch. Well deserved!
Absolute pitch training in adults
[1 Jan 2020] Our study is the first in the world to show that the majority of adults can improve their ability to label the pitch of a tone played in isolation after hours of computerized and personalized training. In a standard test of absolute pitch, nearly 15% of the participants attained a level comparable with real-world absolute pitch possessors! The study is also described in the Psychonomic Society's Featured Content Blog.
Wong, Y.K., Lui, K.F.H., Yip, K.H.M., & Wong, A.C.-N. (2020). Is it impossible to acquire absolute pitch in adulthood? Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 82, 1407-1430. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-019-01869-3
Kelvin's PhD thesis published!
[9 May 2019] After a looong peer review process Kelvin's work finally is available online. This is the first study in the literature showing a segregation of factors underlying dual-task and task switching costs using an individual differences approach. We learned a lot and are proud of the end result.
Lui, K.F.H., & Wong A.C.-N. (2019). Multiple processing limitations underlie multitasking costs. Psychological Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-019-01196-0
3 defenses in 2 weeks
[31 Aug 2018] Christine and Terri passed their MPhil defenses with great preparation and composure. Kai also passed his MPhil thesis proposal defense and responded so well during the Q&A. Well deserved.
3-minute Thesis Competition
[24 May 2018] Pu won the 2nd prize and the audience award in CUHK's annual 3-minute Thesis Competition! She gave a precise, concise, accessible, and interesting presentation. Proud of her!
Kai spaced out... and we're proud
[31 Mar 2018] Kai won the 6th International Space-Out Competition held in HK, defeating 80 finalists.
Faces of the Wong couple appear together in paper
[8 Jan 2018] Our first paper on couple resemblance is out.
Wong, Y.K., Wong, W.W., Lui, K.F.H., & Wong, A.C.-N. (in press). Revisiting facial resemblance in couples. PLoS ONE,13(1): e0191456.[Paper website]
An adventurous year
[1 Jan 2018] The past year witnessed the beginning of a few new research projects and finally we are seeing the papers out or submitted!
Journal of Expertise has been launched!
[1 July 2017] Alan is happy to be an associate editor for this journal.
Runner-up prize for the PsyConnection Award Competition
[16 May 2017] Vince and Kelvin got the runner-up prize for the PsyConnection Award Competition held by CUHK's psychology department for their proposal of a mobile application for multitasking training. Congrats!
First music reading training paper out!
[29 June 2016] We have designed the first ever computerized training of musical notation perception that successfully resulted in reduced crowding. The paper is out this month and a smartphone app is being developed by a private company!
Wong, Y.K., & Wong, A.C.-N. (2016). Music-reading training alleviates crowding with musical notation. Journal of Vision, 16(8): 15.[Paper website]
Kelvin as our first postdoc
[10 June 2016] Congratulations to Kelvin Lui, who successfully defended his PhD thesis on the topic of multitasking. He will also become our lab's first postdoctoral fellow and continue this amazing research journey with us.
New graduate students
[1 May 2016] Vince Ngan (our MPhil student) will start his PhD study and continue his research in our lab in Aug 2016. Pu Fan (our undergraduate thesis student) will also start as an MPhil student in our lab in Aug 2016. Welcome to both!
The first lab darts competition
[1 Apr 2016] Results of the first lab darts competition: 1. Alan; 2. Kelvin; 3. Vince; 4. Terri; 5. Kai.
Congratulations Dr. Siu!
[28 Aug 2015] Yat Fan has passed his doctoral dissertation defense, and will start his position as a lecturer at Hong Kong Shue Yan University in Sept. Well deserved Dr. Siu!
Kai as our new full-time RA starting in Aug 2015
[8 July 2015] Kai Yip will join our lab as a full-time RA this August. Welcome Kai!
Full-time RA position available starting in Aug 2015
[16 Mar 2015] We will have a full-time RA position open in our lab. Recommendations and enquiry are welcome!
Our RA will be our MPhil student soon!
[16 Mar 2015] Terri Ng, our full-time research assistant, has been accepted by our department's MPhil programme. Congratulations Terri!
Presentation at VSS meeting this summer
[Feb 2015] Vince Ngan, our MPhil student, and Terri Ng, our research assistant, will both have their first poster presentation at Vision Sciences Society's annual meeting this summer in Florida.
Almost 4000 copies of our book sold!
[Feb 2015] Our book about psychological studies in child education (collaborative work by researchers at CUHK and CityU) has so far almost 4000 copies sold!
New paper highlighted on issue 17 of APA PeePs
[13 Mar 2014] Our recent paper has been highlighted in PeePs, a free summary of ongoing research trends common to six APA journals that focus on experimental psychology.
Davitt, L.I., Cristino, F., Wong, A.C.-N., & Leek, E.C. (2013, December 23). Shape information mediating basic- and subordinate-level object recognition revealed by analyses of eye movements. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1037/a0034983
Alan's got tenure
[15 Aug 2013] Alan got substantiated and promoted to the associate professor position at the psychology department of CUHK.
First musical expertise paper out!
[14 Aug 2013] Our lab's first paper on absolute pitch (in collaboration with Yetta Wong) has been published online.
Wong, Y.K., & Wong, A.C.-N. (2013, August 14). Absolute pitch memory: Its prevalence among musicians and dependence on the testing context. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review. Advance online publication. doi: 10.3758/s13423-013-0487-z
Congratuations to Kelvin!
[Jul 2013] Kelvin Lui passed his M.Phil. dissertation defense. He will continue his PhD study in our lab.
Congratuations Dr. Yang!
[Jul 2012] Lizhuang Yang passed his PhD dissertation defense.
Child education book on sale in the bookstore
[15 Jul 2012] A book about psychological studies in child education (collaborative work by researchers at CUHK and CityU) is being promoted in the HK Book Fair.
First multitasking paper out!
[12 Apr 2012] A study from Kelvin Lui's undergraduate thesis has just been published. It is also our lab's first paper on the effect of multitasking experience. The work has also been covered in BBC News.
Lui, F.H., Wong, A.C.-N. (2012). Does media multitasking always hurt? A positive correlation between multitasking and multisensory integration ability. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 19(4), 647-653.
John published his undergraduate thesis study
[Sep 2011] John Chan's experiment on the association of fencing expertise and action inhibition has just been published.
Chan, J.S.Y., Wong, A.C.-N., Liu, Y., Yu, J., & Yan, J.H. (2011). Fencing Expertise and Physical Fitness Enhance Action Inhibition. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 12(5), 509-514.
Congratuations Dr. Qu!
[Jul 2011] Zhiyi Qu passed her PhD dissertation defense.
Alan as a consulting editor
[Jan 2011] Alan is now a consulting editor of the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance.
362A Sino Building, Department of Psychology
The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
Email: alancnwong et gmail.com Tel: (852) 3943 6505 Fax: (852) 2603 5019