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Dr. Santha Kumari
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Dr. Santha Kumari

Professor and Head

  • School/College

    School of Social Sciences

  • Department

    Department of Psychology

Dr. Santha Kumari an alumna of IIT Kanpur, is a dedicated and accomplished academic with nearly 40 years of experience in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and research. Her scholarly focus lies in the fields of Cognitive Psychology, Experimental Psychology, and Neuropsychology. Over the course of her career, she has published extensively in reputed national and international journals and has supervised several doctoral and master's dissertations, significantly contributing to both academic scholarship and the mentorship of future psychologists. She has also successfully led several research projects funded by the Government of India, further establishing her as a prominent figure in psychological research. She has also undertaken several research projects funded by the Government of India

Throughout her distinguished tenure at Thapar University, she has held several key academic and administrative leadership roles, including serving as Head of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and Head of the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences. In these roles, she has provided visionary leadership in curriculum development, program innovation, and institutional advancement.

Her academic contributions reflect a deep commitment to interdisciplinary education, evidence-based pedagogy, and student-centred learning. She remains actively engaged with emerging research trends and innovative teaching methodologies, demonstrating a lifelong dedication to academic excellence. Known for her empathy, integrity, and mentorship, she has been a trusted guide and inspiration for students and colleagues alike, leaving a lasting impact on the academic community.

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Psychology

    Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur , 1985

  • MA in Psychology

    University of Calicut , 1980

  • BSc Honors In Zoology

    University of Calicut , 1978

Experience

Total Years of Experience

39 years 10 months

Academic Experience

Thapar University Patiala, Punjab

Tenure: 1985 – 2025 (39 years 10 months)

  • Taught undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Cognitive Psychology, Experimental Psychology, and Neuropsychology.
  • Supervised numerous Ph.D. and Master’s theses, contributing to the development of future researchers and professionals.
  • Served as Head, School of Humanities and Social Sciences and Head, School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, providing strategic academic leadership.
  • Served as Coordinator, Career Guidance and Personal Counseling, offering psychological support and mentoring to students.

Program Development & Curriculum Innovation

  • 2015 – Launched the Master’s Program in Psychology, offering specializations in Clinical and Counselling Psychology and Industrial/Organizational Psychology, blending theoretical foundations with practical skill development.
  • 2021 – Introduced the 4-Year Undergraduate Honours Program in Psychology, aligned with NEP 2020 guidelines, emphasizing core competencies, experiential learning, and research training.
  • 2022 – Established the 4-Year Undergraduate Honours Program in Cognitive Science, a pioneering interdisciplinary curriculum combining psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, linguistics, and artificial intelligenceto investigate human cognition.
  • 2024 – Introduced the One-Year Master’s Program for graduates of the four-year Psychology Honours track, enabling advanced academic and career pathways in a streamlined format.
Industry/Research

Ballarpur Industries, Ballarpur, Maharashtra , Duration: 2 months

Gained practical exposure to industrial operations and applied behavioural principles in an organizational context

Her research interests lie at the intersection of Cognitive Psychology, Experimental Psychology, and Neuropsychology. I am particularly focused on:

  • Cognitive processes such as attention, perception, memory, and decision-making
  • Experimental investigation of brain-behavior relationships, including hemispheric specialization and lateralization
  • Neuropsychological correlates of spatial abilities, handedness, and motor functions
  • Lifespan and developmental aspects of cognition, including gender differences
  • Designing and conducting controlled experiments to explore preconscious processing and individual differences in cognition

  • Kurian, G. & Santha Kumari, K. (1991) ‘Hemispheric asymmetry, preconscious processing and paranormal processes’, in Delanoy, D.L. (ed.) Proceedings of the 34th Annual Convention of the Parapsychological Association, 8–11 August, Heidelberg, Germany.
  • Santha Kumari, K. & Kurian, G. (1998) ‘Sexuality and reproduction’, in Issac, R. & Hota, P.K. (eds.) Proceedings of the International Conference on Cognitive Systems. New Delhi: Allied Publishers, pp. 773–778.

Sponsored Research Projects

  • Santha Kumari (1992) Personal and familial handedness and performance on spatial ability tasks (Ref. No. SP/YS/M05/88). Sponsored by Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. Duration: 1990–1992. Young Scientist Award
  • Santha Kumari (1995) Masculinity–femininity: A life span developmental approach (Ref. No. 1-55/95 RP-II). Sponsored by Indian Council of Social Science Research. Duration: 1994–1995.
  • Santha Kumari (1998) Educational implications of sex and age differences in spatial ability and hemispheric specialization (Ref. No. F5-94/95). Sponsored by University Grants Commission. Duration: 1996–1998.
  • Santha Kumari (1997) Accuracy in arm positioning as a function of handedness and time sense [Minor Project]. Sponsored by University Grants Commission. Duration: 1996–1997.
  • Santha Kumari (1999) Hemispheric specialization for motor skills: Effect of lateralization, handedness and sex (Ref. No. SP/SO/B08/97). Sponsored by Department of Science and Technology. Duration: 1997–1999.
  • Santha Kumari (2001) Speed of information processing, intelligence and creativity [Minor Project]. Sponsored by University Grants Commission. Duration: 2000–2001.
  • Santha Kumari (Co-Investigator) (2003) Time course in Stroop effect: An experimental investigation in cognitive microgenesis (Ref. No. SP/SO/B38/2000). Sponsored by Department of Science and Technology. Duration: 2001–2003.
  • Santha Kumari (2006) Effects of extended video stimulation on visual cognition (Ref. No. SP/SO/B48/2001). Sponsored by Department of Science and Technology. Duration: 2004–2006.
  • Santha Kumari, A. (2015) An experimental investigation of the psychological determinants of financial decision making: A prospect theory approach. Sponsored by Indian Council of Social Science Research. Duration: 2013–2015.
  • Santha Kumari (2021) Factors influencing resilience in children: The mediating role of protective and compensatory factors in coping with adversities. Sponsored by Indian Council of Social Science Research (IMPRESS Scheme). Duration: 2019–2021.

National Conference Papers
  • Kurian, G. & Santha Kumari, K. (1993) ‘Variant sexualities and their implication for cognition: A Freudian synthesis’, Seminar on History of Alternate Sexualities in South Asia, December. The Naz Project. New Delhi: The Indian Social Institute.
  • Kumari, K. (1986) ‘Hemispheric involvement in field articulation’, in Saxena, P.N. & Singhal, U. (eds.) 5th Annual Conference of the Indian Academy of Neurosciences, Aligarh.
  • Santha Kumari, K. & Kurian, G. (1998) ‘Sexuality and reproduction’, in Issac, R. & Hota, P.K. (eds.) Proceedings of the International Conference on Cognitive Systems. New Delhi: Allied Publishers, pp. 773–778.
International Conference Papers (Recent)
  • Kumari, S. and Jain, P. (2019) ‘Effects of parenting styles and delay of gratification on cognitive abilities of preschool children’, 46th Annual Conference of the Australasian Society for Experimental Psychology, 24–27 April, Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand.
  • Kumari, S. (2017) ‘Intermanual transfer of skills as a function of gender and handedness: Implications for corpus callosal connectivity and lateralization of functions’, 44th Annual Conference of the Australasian Society for Experimental Psychology, 19–22 April, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.
  • Smith, J. and Jones, A. (2023) ‘The impact of technology on education’, International Conference on Educational Innovation, 21–23 June, London. London: Wiley, pp. 125–138.
  • Santha Kumari and Arora, M. (2014) ‘The effect of age and gender on loss aversion and regret in financial decision making’, 28th International Congress of Applied Psychology, 8–13 July, Paris, France.
  • Kurian, G. and Santha Kumari, K. (1995) ‘Sexuality and reproduction: A psychobiological thesis’, in Ellis, L. and Ebertz, L. (eds.) Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Biological Basis of Sexual Orientation and Sex-Typical Behavior, 15–18 July, Minot State University, North Dakota, USA.
  • Santha Kumari (2013) ‘Variant sexualities and their implications for cognition: A Freudian synthesis’, Annual Conference of the International Federation for Psychoanalytic Education, 31 October–2 November, Philadelphia, USA.
  • Santha Kumari, K. (2013) ‘Relationship between personality styles and coping strategies in undergraduate male students’, 41st Annual Conference on Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies, Imperial College, London, UK.
  • Santha Kumari, K. (1988) ‘Effects of performing horizontal vertical illusion task on unimanual tapping rate’, Proceedings of the XXIV International Congress of Psychology, Sydney, Australia.
National Journal Papers
  • Kurian, G., Sharma, N.K. & Santha Kumari (1987) ‘Cognitive strategies in KBDT performance’, Psychological Studies, 32, pp. 29–32.
  • Santha Kumari & Sharma, N.K. (1988) ‘Lateralization of function in the human brain’, Psychological Studies, 18, pp. 56–60.
  • Santha Kumari, Kurian, G. & Sharma, N.K. (1988) ‘Cognition in women’, Psycho-Lingua, 18, pp. 59–66.
  • Santha Kumari & Sharma, N.K. (1989) ‘Hemispheric involvement in field articulation’, Psychological Studies, 32, pp. 17–22.
  • Kurian, G. & Santha Kumari (1990) ‘Consciousness and the left hemisphere’, Journal of Indian Psychology, 8, pp. 33–36.
  • Kurian, G. & Santha Kumari (1991) ‘Femininity and cross-gender identity’, Psychological Studies, 36, pp. 70–72.
International Journal Papers (Recent)
  • Virk, P. and Kumari, S. (2024) ‘Adaptive and maladaptive narcissism: Different roots and different routes to empathy’, Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal, 52(6), pp. 1–12. https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.12969.
  • Malik, P. and Kumari, S. (2024) ‘Self-esteem and relationship obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms: The mediating role of gift-giving style’, Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal, 52(6), pp. 1–11. https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.13044.
  • Malik, P. and Kumari, S. (no date) ‘The impact of romantic jealousy on the relationship between self-esteem and symptoms of relationship obsessive-compulsive disorder’, Psychologia [Preprint].
  • Gupta, A. and Kumari, S. (2023) ‘Effect of cognitive retraining treatment in mild to moderate depressive disorders’, Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica, 36(1), pp. 23–36. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41155-023-00269-9.
  • Aarzoo, Kumari, S. and Chavan, B.S. (2023) ‘Effect of CBT on metacognitive beliefs in depressive disorders’, Turkish Journal of Psychiatry [Preprint]. https://doi.org/10.5080/u26398.
  • Garg, A. and Kumari, S. (2024) ‘Impact of childhood adversity and resilience on behavioral outcomes: Well-being and parental support as mediators’, Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal, 52(9), pp. 1–15. https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.13336.
  • Berring, L., Kumari, S. and Ahuja, S. (2017) ‘Impact of personality traits and personal values on curriculum choice of young adults’, Journal of Beliefs and Values, 39(3), pp. 263–278. https://doi.org/10.1080/13617672.2017.1293930.
  • Soni, A. and Kumari, S. (2015) ‘The role of parental math anxiety and math attitude in their children’s math achievement’, International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 15(2), pp. 331–347. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-015-9687-5.
  • Kurian, G. and Santhakumari, K. (1994) ‘The effect of sex and familial sinistrality on handedness’, Psychologica, 37(1), pp. 30–33. https://ci.nii.ac.jp/naid/110000006371.
  • Kurian, G., Sharma, N.K. and Santha Kumari (1994) ‘Left-arm dominance in active positioning’, Perceptual and Motor Skills, 68, pp. 1312–1314.
  • Arora, M. and Santha Kumari (2015) ‘Risk taking in financial decisions as a function of age and gender: Mediating role of loss aversion and regret’, International Journal of Applied Psychology, 5, pp. 83–89.
  • Soni, A. & Santha Kumari (2015) ‘The role of parental math attitude in their children’s math achievement’, International Journal of Applied Sociology, 5(4), pp. 159–163.
  • Santha Kumari & Ahuja, S. (2010) ‘Video viewing and cognitive development in preadolescents’, Social Science Computer Review, 28(2), pp. 15–21.
  • Ahuja, S. & Santha Kumari (2009) ‘Prolonged video viewing and emotional intelligence: an experimental investigation among preadolescents’, Europe’s Journal of Psychology. Available at: http://www.ejop.org.
  • Ahuja, S. & Santha Kumari (2008) ‘Impact of extended video viewing on emotional stability among preadolescents’, Psychological Studies, 53, pp. 294–297.
  • Santha Kumari (2000) ‘Cross gender identity and spatial task performance’, International Journal of Psychology, 35, p. 394.

  • Member, American Psychological Association (APA)
  • Member, International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP)

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