Academic Team

Dr Shumetha Kaur Sidhu | Lecturer in Psychology

Shumeta Kaur Sidhu Dr Shumetha Sidhu received her PhD from the University of Nottingham in 2020. Her thesis was in the field of human visual perception, specifically investigating the mechanisms of figure-ground segregation of orientation-based texture stimuli. She uses psychophysical paradigms, computational modelling, and eye-tracking techniques in her research to explore early vision in humans. Shumetha’s current research area has extended into the field of cognition, specifically investigating lifestyle factors that improve cognition. She is particularly interested in what types of nature improves cognition; and how digital technology can be used as a protective barrier against cognitive decline in the elderly population.

Shumetha joined the School of Psychology at the University of Reading Malaysia in 2020, where she has since taught various psychology modules at an undergraduate level. Within the school, she serves as the Postgraduate Programme Lead, and at the university level, she holds the position of Director of Postgraduate Research Studies.

Email	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Telephone	+60 7 268 6293
Web profile	Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Shumetha-Sidhu LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/shumetha-sidhu ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8184-3813
Speciality areas	Vision Science Cognition Eye-tracking Paradigms and Psychophysics
Highest qualification and awarding body	PhD in Psychology, University of Nottingham
UoRM programmes taught/supervised	BSc (Hons) Psychology & BSc (Hons) Psychology with professional Placement: PY1INM Introduction to Neuroscience Methods PY2CBP Cognitive and Biological Psychology PY3VIS Vision Science PY3P Project PhD in Psychology
Research interests	Texture perception Second-order processing Vision and cognitive benefits Ageing and cognition
Current projects	What aspects of nature scenes improve cognitive abilities? How do we segregate foreground objects from a background purely by textural differences? [Collaborators: Dr David Keeble & Dr Harriet Allen, University of Nottingham] Investigating the cognitive benefits of digital technology usage in Malaysian elderly. [Collaborator: Dr Tengku Amatullah Madeehah Tengku Mohd, University Sains Islam Malaysia] Investigating the effects of green urban spaces on cognition, mental, physical, and physiological health. [Collaborator: Dr Tan Kok Wei, University of Reading] Eye movement patterns in dark tetrad traits [Collaborator: Dr Chung Kai Li, University of Reading] Global Mental Health Study [Various Collaborators]
Recent publications	Sidhu, S. K., Allen, H. A., & Keeble, D. R. (2023). Eye movements are made to the centre of gravity of texture-defined targets. Vision Research, 210, 108264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.visres.2023.108264