It all started with an idea.
An idea that grew into a passion for research and discovery.

Sarah A. Walker is an Assistant Professor in the School of Education at Durham University, UK. Sarah completed her PhD in the School of Psychology at the University of Sydney following the completion of a Master of Philosophy (psychology), and a Bachelor of Science (psychology) also from the University of Sydney. Sarah’s research examines how self-report and informant-report ratings differ across contexts, considering the influence of response bias, self-knowledge limitations, and perceptions of others. Her work explores the potential ‘faking’ in personality measures such as the Dark Triad, Five Factor Model, and emotional intelligence. Sarah’s primary focus is research on emotion regulation – regulating our own emotions (intrinsic) and the emotions of others (extrinsic). In particular – what people do to try and influence the emotional experience of another person, the motivations underlying those regulation attempts, and the effect on personal and relationship quality.

In addition to her research, Sarah has taught extensively at the University of Sydney in the School of Psychology, and the University of Sydney Business School, and has collaborated on research projects with the Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Sydney, as well as the Business School at the University of New South Wales. Sarah is an active member of ACPID, ISSID, SPSP, SASP, and the International Society for Emotional Intelligence. Sarah is the engagement and outreach officer for the Australasian Congress on Personality and Individual Differences (ACPID), and the communications assistant for the International Society on the Study of Individual Differences (ISSID).

Sarah’s commitment to research excellence, education, and science communication has been recognised through numerous awards reflecting her contributions across these domains.