Psychology | Humanities & Social Sciences

Psychology

The broad areas of research in Psychology unit are Social and applied social psychology (inter group relations, justice, collective participation and identity issues in social and organizational contexts), Organizational Behavior, Positive Psychology, Environmental Psychology , Cross-Cultural Psychology, Psychological Testing , Community Psychology, Cognitive Psychology and Experimental Psychology (memory, learning, affect, decision making).
The area utilizes lab-based methods as well as field-based approach towards research.

Psychology Faculty

Professor
Professor Emeritus
Assistant Professor
Professor
Associate Professor

Psychology Courses

Course Number: HSL870 | Credits:
Course Objective:

This course will introduce students to advanced topics in Policy Studies as decided by the instructor.

Course Number: HUL 361 | Credits: 3
Course Objective:

Meaning and goals of applied positive psychology; Relevant research methods of the field; Introduction to intervention programmes including internet based intervention; Researches that support intervention strategies : Psychological well-being and its intervention programmes; emotional intelligence and its intervention programmes; Strategies for achieving well-Being; Mindfulness and its intervention programmes; Intervention module on stress and time management; Character strengths : their role in well being; How psychosocial resources enhance health and well being; Intervention researches in Indian socio-cultural context; Current issues and future directions in this Area

Course Number: HSL763 | Credits:
Course Objective:

The course will enable students to gain the understanding of various theoretical concepts and frameworks in cognitive psychology, and apply this knowledge to problems pertaining to human cognition and related fields such as memory, information processing and complex problem solving.

Course Number: HUL 363 | Credits: 3
Course Objective:

Introduction to Community Psychology; Understanding Individuals within Environments; Individualism collectivism & community Psychology; Understanding Human Diversity; Understanding Coping in Context; Community and Social Change; Prevention and Promotion: Key Concepts, Current and Future Applications & implementing programs; Overview of Community Interventions; Social support research in community psychology; Recent community researches in Indian socio- cultural context: Effects of various socio- cultural issues on individual and community well-being.

Course Number: HSL863 | Credits:
Course Objective:

The course is aimed at offering a theoretical understanding of what are emotions, what is the nature of emotion, and how do emotion - cognition interact to influence behavior.

Course Number: HUL 365 | Credits: 3
Course Objective:

The implications of natural, built and social environment on human functioning, Making sense of environment-environmental perception and cognition, Nature of environmental attitudes and implications for inculcating pro-environmental attitudes, Various kinds of environmental stressors and human response to these stressors, Psychological analysis of climate change related issues, Psychology and energy conservation- social and collective dilemmas and individual interests, Environmental disasters and disaster preparedness, Assessing environmental risks, Place attachment, territoriality, personal space and notion of privacy and identity issues, Designing better environments and role of psychological factors in the design process, Examining specific built environments.

Course Number: HSL366 | Credits:
Course Objective:

This course will provide a bird’s eye view of the emergence and development of psychology as a formal ‘scientific’ and ‘modern’ discipline. It traces the history of the origins of the discipline, in both ancient and modern times. It also traces the growth of the discipline in modern India. Students will learn about the major perspectives in psychology and the individuals responsible for articulating them.

Course Number: HUL 261 | Credits: 4
Course Objective:

Psychological Science- Assumptions, schools, methods of doing psychology research, The relationship between brain, body and mental functioning, Sensation, perception and making sense of the world, Consciousness, Life span development and motor and language development, Nature and nurture controversy, The learning process and some important explanations of how we learn, Meaning of motivation and explanations, Theories of emotions and expression and regulation of emotions, Basic cognitive processes, Language development, why we remember and why we forget- some explanations, Different kinds of intelligence, explanations of creativity, Differences among individuals and explanations for personality differences, Application of psychology to everyday life- enhancing health and well-being, performance, social relations, and sensitivity to environmental, social and cultural contexts.

Course Number: HUL 362 | Credits: 3
Course Objective:

Introduction to organizational behaviour, Historical development of the field and some challenges in contemporary times, Learning and perceptual processes in organizations and their implications for work-life,Work related attitudes- job satisfaction, organizational commitment, organizational justice, organizational citizenship behaviour, Individual differences related to personality, emotions and abilities and functioning in organization, Group processes in organizations, Formation of groups and teams, Effective teams, Communication in organizations, Social influence processes in organizations, influencing people, power dynamics and politics and impact on organizational functioning, Theories and styles of leadership in organization and their impact on organizational functioning, Organizational ethos and culture and its impact on productivity and well- being, Various kinds of organizational structures and their effectiveness, managing organizations in times of change.

Course Number: HUL 267 | Credits: 4
Course Objective:

Positive Psychology: A historical and contextual overview; Relationship between Indian Psychology and Positive Psychology; Correlates and predictors of life satisfaction and subjective well-being across various cultures; Latest researches on self-esteem, optimism, flow, post-traumatic growth, positive ageing, character strengths, etc.; Major theories and models within positive psychology - Self-Determination theory, Broaden-and-Build theory, Authentic Happiness, Psychological Well-being, etc., Interpersonal character strengths & well- being; Specific Coping Approaches: meditation, yoga and spirituality; Future of the Field

Course Number: HSL764 | Credits:
Course Objective:

Psychological Interventions course aims to enhance students’ knowledge of the theory, application and evaluation of a variety of interventions specifically designed to enhance the quality of life. The course includes advanced theoretical, methodological, and applied aspects of psychological intervention research in various areas of Applied Psychology.

Course Number: HSL765 | Credits:
Course Objective:

To equip students with concepts of behavioral assessment and their practical utility. To familiarize with test construction and its methodological principles. To develop the ability to administer, adapt and revalidate a psychological test.

Course Number: HSL861 | Credits:
Course Objective:

To familiarize students with psychological concepts underlying decision making, and offer a widened scope for decision-making research

Course Number: HUL 370 | Credits: 3
Course Objective:

The course will introduce students to selected topics in Psychology as decided by the instructor.

Course Number: HSL762 | Credits:
Course Objective:

The course will introduce students to major social issues facing the society and help them appreciate the relevance of psychology theory and research to the understanding of these issues. The course will provide a balance between major social psychology perspectives, research in the field and introduce students to the various intervention strategies related to social issues. The policy implications of social psychology research and interventions will also be discussed.

Course Number: HSL262 | Credits:
Course Objective:

The course will introduce students to major health & wellbeing related issues in individual and group life and provide an up-to-date and thorough grounding in the theories, concepts and empirical findings in social psychology of health and wellbeing. Students will learn about the issues such as stress, stigma, stereotypes, discrimination, social identity, depression, social support, collective participation and emotions. The course will help students appreciate the relevance of social psychology for maintaining positive health behaviors and enhancing personal and collective wellbeing.

Course Number: HUV 886 | Credits: 2
Course Objective:

The course will focus on current relevant and emerging issues, and experiments in the field of cognitive psychology.

Course Number: HSL862 | Credits:
Course Objective:

The course is aimed at offering an advance understanding of a discrete research problem in cognitive psychology (e.g., functional – locational specialization, modularity of the mind, learning- memory, executive functions, cognitive and motor control)

Course Number: HSL766 | Credits:
Course Objective:

This course examines the dynamics of leadership and change processes in society and in organisations drawing on the research inspired by social identity and self-categorisation theories. It will focus on - Great man and the cult of personality, Issues of context, contingency, transaction and transformation, Groups, social identity and leadership, Leadership as a group process, Prototypicality and leadership effectiveness, Gender and Leadership, Ethical leadership and Political leadership, A look at Followership, Leaders as entrepreneurs of identity and emotion, Can I be a leader? Understanding leadership as identity management. Leadership and transformation of social reality

Course Number: HUL 265 | Credits: 4
Course Objective:

Personality: Meaning & Assessment. Psychoanalytic & Neo-Psychoanalytic Approach ; Behavioural Approach; Cognitive Approach; Social- Cognitive Approach; Humanistic Approach; The Traits Approach; Models of healthy personality: the notion of the mature person, the self-actualizing personality etc. Personality disorders; Psychotherapeutic techniques and Yoga & Meditation; Indian perspective on personality; Personality in Socio-cultural context.

Course Number: HSL761 | Credits:
Course Objective:

The course will enable students to review major theories of psychology, the historical background of the theories as well key issues and concepts of each. The course will also provide students an understanding of the propositions of each theory, advances, research support and a critique of the theory. The course will provide brief discussions of concurrent trends and future directions of each theory.

Course Number: HUL 364 | Credits: 3
Course Objective:

The social being- introducing the social psychological approach, Historical roots, theories and methods. Person and social perception and social judgements. Social cognition and social thinking. The social self- cognitive, affective and behavioural aspects of self. Positive social behaviours- altruism, cooperation and volunteerism. Individuals in groups-social facilitation, loafing, conformity, compliance. Social influence, manipulation and power- bases of power. Intergroup relations- explanations and managing intergroup relations. Collective behaviour- crowds and mobs- negative and positive aspects of collective behaviour. Aggression and violence- theories and determinants. Reducing aggression and violence. Applications of social psychology- health and well-being, law and organizational contexts.