Course Offered: B.A (Honours) Psychology
The Psychology Department endeavours to prepare students for their professional journeys in the dynamic, diverse and ever-growing field of Psychology. Students learn about the history of the discipline, its theoretical foundations and its numerous branches including Clinical Psychology, Counselling, Child Development, Bio-psychology and Human Resource Management. Emphasis is placed on fostering in students the skills and attitudes needed to be competent and socially sensitive psychologists including a self-reflexive attitude, critical thinking, empathy and a respect for individual differences. The Department encourages an atmosphere of debate and discussion while nurturing in young minds, an appreciation of new and varied perspectives on forces that interact to shape the human psyche.
Given the application based nature of psychology, theoretical papers are accompanied by a variety of robust practicum papers for training students in different forms of assessment and research. Contemporary and classic psychological researches which form the backbone of the discipline are an integral part of classroom interactions. Pedagogical techniques include field visits, case study analyses and extensive use of audio-visual mediums.
Students of the Department go on to successfully pursue various kinds of careers after graduation. Those who enter the fields of counselling and psychotherapy work in settings as varied as schools, clinics, hospitals and non-government organizations. Several former students enjoy gratifying careers in the corporate world while others have moved into realms such as teaching, advertising, media, theatre and law.
The Department of Psychology, hosted several sessions, training workshops, and interactive events with the students during the year including three flagship events – Zeitgeist – the Annual Academic Conference, Annual National Seminar on Psychological Research, and the Mental Health Awareness Training Week.
There was a ‘Workshop on Suicide Prevention’, with Ms. Devika Khanna, in September. A Lecture on the ‘Critical Analysis of Mental Health Discourse with Special Emphasis on Trauma’ with Dr. Ayurdhi Dhar, was organised in October. This was followed by a lecture by Dr. Jaya Sukul. An online lecture on ‘Contemporary Issues and Case Studies in the Field of HRM’ was organised with faculty member Dr. Kanika K. Ahuja. There was a speaker session, featuring Mr. Hitesh Sanwal, which was organised in collaboration with REACH, the Equal Opportunity Cell of LSR, titled ‘A Failed Economist in Geneva’ in March. A movie analysis through a psychological lens on ‘Manipulation, Media and Modern Relationships: The Legacy of Gone Girl’ by Dr. Saswati Bhattacharya, was also organised.
There was a lecture on ‘Embarking on International Research Journeys: A Roadmap for Psychology Students’ with Ms. Nainika Hira. A session on ‘Writing Research Proposals’ with faculty member Dr. Priyanka Padhy, was also organised. An online session on ‘The Art of Presenting a Research Paper’ with faculty member Dr. Megha Dhillon and a session on ‘Introduction to SPSS’ with faculty member Dr. Pushpita Behera were also organised.
Mental Health Awareness Week was held from October 8th to 14th, 2023, with a series of events aimed at highlighting the importance of mental wellbeing, taking inspiration from WHO’s theme of World Mental Health Day. The week started with a workshop led by Ms. Dakshita Sabarwal, a Senior Consultant Counselling Psychologist at Zentered Minds, and was followed by an expressive Dance Therapy Workshop led by Ms. Mahima Bhatnagar. A lecture by Professor Bibinaz Thokchom, focused on the psychological analysis of ‘We Need to Talk about Kevin’. A panel discussion on ‘Beyond Borders: Ensuring Mental Health as a Human Right,’ featured expert panelists Dr. Prerna Sharma and Dr. Pratibha Gehlawat from IHBAS. The week concluded with a guest lecture by Dr. Aruna Broota. These events aimed to provide attendees with insights and tools to support mental well-being, underlining the theme ‘Mindshift: Explore, Evolve, Empower’.
The Department’s Research Circle hosted its Annual National Seminar On Psychological Research, fostering a vibrant exchange of ideas and encouraging excellence in psychological research. As part of the Viksit Bharat initiative, focusing on the vision of a developed India, the Department of Psychology organised a lecture delivered by Dr. Megha Dhillon, on the topic of ‘Reiterating the Psychological Understanding of Geetopdesh in the Realm of Nation Building’ in January 2024, and an Art Competition on the theme of ‘Brushstrokes of Changing India: Unleashing your Visionary Palette’ in February 2024.
The Department of Psychology hosted its two-day Academic Conference Zeitgeist in April 2024, on the theme of ‘Unveiling the Transformative Power of Positive Psychology’. The event included a keynote address by Dr. Dalip Singh, a retired IAS officer and author of ‘Emotional Intelligence at Work’, on viewing Positive Psychology through the lens of emotional intelligence. A panel discussion titled ‘Mindfulness or Misinformation: Dismantling the Non-scientific Notions of Positive Psychology’ was held, adeptly moderated by Dr. Priyanka Padhy, which was succeeded by a thought-provoking lecture by Prof. Pooja V. Anand, titled ‘Mirror, Media, and Me: Reflecting upon Media’s Impact on Body Image’. There was also a screening of the documentary titled ‘Happiness Class’, in the presence of Ms. Samina Mishra, a filmmaker, writer and director. The conference subsequently featured an array of competitions and workshops, including the Paper Presentation Competition that attracted participants from colleges across Delhi-NCR, an Intervention Design Competition, and an Inter-College Quiz Competition aligned with the conference’s theme.
The Department also hosted a ‘Chaupal’, allowing the faculty members of the Department to offer life insights intertwined with principles of Positive Psychology. Finally, a ‘Zen and Zest Mindfulness and Gratitude Workshop for Positive Living’ was conducted, which was moderated by faculty members Prof. Priti Dhawan, and Ms. Sentisungla Longchar.
The Department published the 12th Volume of The Learning Curve, the National Journal of the Department of Psychology (ISSN 2321-7057) in June, 2023. The Department also launched its biannual magazine Zeitgeist on the theme ‘Archetypes: Understanding Human Psyche.’
| Name | Areas of interest |
| Dr. Priti Dhawan Professor pritidh@hotmail.com | Research Methods and Psychological Testing, Child/Adolescent Development, and Gender Discourses Publications and other works click here |
| Dr. Kanika K Ahuja Professor kanikakahuja@gmail.com | Organizational Behavior, Social Psychology, Gender issues, Educational Psychology, Psychometry Publications and other works click here |
| Dr. Pushpita Behera Associate Professor puspita_b@yahoo.com | Stress and coping, work-family conflict, social psychology, biopsychology, and research methodology Publications and other works click here |
| Dr. Parul Bansal Associate Professor (Teacher-in-charge) parulintouch@gmail.com | Psychology of Self, Personality and Identity, Psychoanalysis and Mental Health, Critical Psychology, Qualitative Research Methodology, Social and Cultural Psychology and Psychology of Human Development. Publications and other works click here |
| Ms. Sentisungla Longchar Assistant Professor sentilongs@gmail.com | Clinical Psychology, Neuropsychology, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Behaviour Therapy, Qualitative Research Methods, Peace and Conflict Studies, Social and Cultural Psychology, Indigenous Psychology of North-East India Publications and other works click here |
| Dr. Bhawna Devi Assistant Professor bhawnamalik111@gmail.com | Health Psychology, Positive Psychology, Social and Developmental issues of Adolescent’s lives, Self and Culture. Publications and other works click here |
| Dr. Siksha Deepak Assistant Professor siksha.siksha@gmail.com | Social Psychology, Positive Psychology, Gender, Psychometry, and Qualitative Research.click here |
| Ms. Ngashangva Pamyaphy Assistant Professor ng_es@yahoo.co.in | Clinical psychology, Rehabilitation Psychology, Personality, Stress and Coping, Developmental Disabilities and Cultural Studies. Publications and other works click here |
| Dr. Megha Dhillon Assistant Professor meghadevdhillon@gmail.com | Body Image, Social Psychology, Health Psychology, Youth Psychology Publications and other works click here |
| Dr. Priyanka Padhy Assistant Professor itsmepriyanka@gmail.com | Resilience in children in adversities (in particular chronically ill), Differentiated instruction for learners with cognitive impairments and developmental disorders. Publications and other works click here |
| Ms. Vimanshi Solanki Assistant Professor vimanshisolanki@lsr.du.ac.in | Mental Health issues in young adults, romantic relatonship , social media and addiction, qualitative research. |
President – Ananya Kansal
Secretary – Aadisha Chandel
Treasurer – Kaavya Kaushik
The Learning Curve is the National Journal of the Department of Psychology, Lady Shri Ram College for Women. It is a peer-reviewed annual academic journal accredited with an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN 2321-7057).
Established in 2012, the journal comprises a reputed editorial advisory board as well as expert reviewers. In the past, the journal has received papers from researchers within and outside India, having varying professional backgrounds but a shared zeal for research. Continuing the tradition, The Learning Curve annually invites students, researchers, graduates, postgraduates and working professionals to submit their conceptual, theoretical and empirical investigations pertaining to Psychology and affiliated fields. At present, the journal has published nine volumes.
The Learning Curve aims to provide a dynamic platform for researchers to present their research work that brings out a novel and significant perspective of looking at psychological issues of concern. It hopes that the papers in the journal will take the field of psychology in unexplored directions and unchartered terrains.
Editors: Dr. Kanika Ahuja & Dr. Megha Dhillon
Zeitgeist, the monthly department newsletter is an attempt to encapsulate the essence of our department in words. An endeavor by the press team, it is aimed at initiating meaningful dialogue through the powerful medium of words. True to its name, it captures the spirit of times, encouraging one and all to learn, unlearn and take the road less traveled by.
Zeitgeist March Edition 2023
Zeitgeist November 2022
April Issue 4
February Issue 3
December Issue 2
October Issue 1