Staff Profile

Dr Nishtha Lamba CPsychol SFHEA

Biography

Dr Lamba has a PhD in Psychology from University of Cambridge and is also the founder and head of Social Psychology Research Lab at the university. She is a behavioural scientist specialising in psychological health and social policy informed by strong quantitative and qualitative analytical skills. For her doctoral thesis, she studied the psychological health, prenatal bonding and experiences of Indian surrogates. She used a mixed-method approach and administered both quantitative and qualitative analyses. 

Broadly, she is interested in studying mental health of marginalised population and is a visiting senior research fellow at Institute of Social Justice and Crime at University of Suffolk. 

Nishtha builds academic and industry partnerships and has recently co-delivered a series of CPD UK accredited Special Education Needs trainings to more than 200 shadow teachers and learning support assistants in the region. 

Qualifications
  • PhD Psychology, University of Cambridge
  • MPhil Social and Developmental Psychology, University of Cambridge
  • B.A. Psychology, Hunter College, City University of New York
  • Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (MDX Dubai)
Awards
  • Teaching and Learning Award, Middlesex University Dubai (2020 & 2021) 
  • Shortlisted in grant competition of 3rd Forum for Women in Research (2022). University of Sharjah.
  • Cambridge Trust and Nehru Trust Scholarship for PhD, University of Cambridge.
  • Research travel and expense grant, Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge (2).
  • Research expense grant, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge (3).
  • Departmental honours in B.A. (special mention in Dean’s List & Cum Laude).

Middlesex University Dubai
  • Senior Lecturer (09/18 Present)
    Department of Psychology
    School of Science & Technology
  • Head and Founder (08/20-Present)
    Social Psychology Research Lab
    Principles and collaborations: Promote research on underrepresented groups and support student research engagement. Collaborating with academics in the U.S.A., U.K., and Ireland.
  • Visiting Senior Research Fellow in Trauma and Marginalised Communities  
    Institute of Social Justice and Crime. University of Suffolk.
University of Cambridge
  • Seminar tutor for undergraduate students (09/14-09/16)
Middlesex University Dubai: Teaching
  • Social Psychology (UG, 2018-22)
  • Research methods and ethics (UG and PG, 2019-22)
  • Business Psychology (UG, 2018-19)
  • Dissertations (UG and PG, 2018-2022)

Peer-reviewed publications
  • Natoli, A.,  ..Lamba, N., .. Lapalme, M. (2022). Multi-National Evaluation of the Measurement Invariance of the Level of Personality Functioning Scale – Brief Form 2.0: Comparison of Student and Community Samples Across Seven Countries. Psychological Assessment (2 & 5 year Impact factor: 6.08, 6.82; in press).
  • Lamba, N., et al., (2022) Understanding the impact of cross-cultural friendships and residency status on multicultural attitudes: A UAE perspective. International Journal of Sustainable Society (Cite score: 0.9; in press).
  • McHugh, C., Zhang, R., Karnatak, T., Lamba, N., Khokhlova, O. (2022). Just wrong? Or just WEIRD? Investigating the prevalence of Moral Dumbfounding in non-western samples. Memory & Cognition (5 year Impact factor: 2.4 & 2.8 accepted).
  • Lamba, N. Van Tonder, A., Raghavan., A. (2022). Unpacking qualitative methodology to explore challenges and support structures of mothers with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the UAE. International Journal of Qualitative Methods (10.1177/16094069221110295; 2- & 5-year Impact factor: 4.8, 8.2).
  • Lamba, N., Van Tonder A, Shrivastava, A., Raghavan, A. (2022). Exploring experiences of mothers with children with Autism in the United Arab Emirates. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 120, 104138 (Impact factor: 3)
  • Lamba, N. Bhatia, A., Srivastava, A., Raghavan, A. (2021). Religious factors affecting death anxiety in older adults practicing Hinduism. Death Studies, 1-9 (2- & 5-year Impact factor 4.3, 3.6).
  • Khokhlova, O. Lamba, N., Bhatia, A. Vinogradova, M. (2021). Biowarfare conspiracy, faith in government, and compliance with safety guidelines during COVID-19: An International Study. Mind & Society. 20(2), 235-251 (Impact factor 0.81).
  • Moustakas E., Lamba N., Mahmoud, D., Ranganathan, C. (2020) 'Blurring lines between fiction and reality: Perspectives of experts on marketing effectiveness of virtual influencers'. IEEE Cyber Science (3000 reads on Research Gate)
  • Moustakas, E., Ranganathan, C., Lamba, N. (2020). Virtual Influencers in Digital Marketing: Innovative trend or Passing fad? In Current trends in Business Management in Advanced and Emerging Markets'. Nova Publishers: New York, US.
  • Jadva, V., Vilsbol, T., Ayed, N., Imrie, S., Jones, C.M., Lamba, N.,….& Zadeh, S., (2019). The ART of performance: engaging young people with assisted reproductive technologies. International Journal of Science Education, Part B, 9(2), pp.128-139 (Cite score. 3.5)
  • Lamba, N.,Jadva, V., (2018).Indian surrogates: Their psychological well-being and experiences in Cross Cultural Perspectives on Surrogacyand Gamete Donations. Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Lamba, N., Jadva, V., Kadam, K., Golombok, S. (2017). The psychological well-being and prenatal bonding of gestational surrogates. Human reproduction, 4, 646-653 (Impact factor: 6.35).
  • Yearwood,M. H., Cuddy, A., Lamba, N., et al., (2015). On wealth and the diversity of friendships: High social class people around the world have fewer international friends. Personality and Individual Differences, 87, 224-229 (Impact factor: 4).
  • Jadva, V., Lamba, N., Kadam, K., Golombok, S. (2015). Indian egg donors’ characteristics, motivations and feelings towards the recipient and resultant child. Reproductive Biomedicine & Society Online, 2, 98-103 (Impact factor: 1.22)
  • Lange-Küttner, C., Averbeck, B. B., Hirsch, S. V., Wießner, I., Lamba, N. (2012). Sequence learning under uncertainty in children: self-reflection vs. self-assertion. Frontiers in Psychology, 3, 127 (Impact factor: 3).
Upcoming publications
Upcoming research publications and plans
  • Lamba, N., Khokhlova, O., Bhatia, A. (2022). Exploring media-induced secondary trauma during COVID-19: a global perspective. Health Psychology Open (under revision).
  • Juriansz, S., Lamba, N., Loneliness Online (2022): Social media interaction decreased loneliness in young adults during recommended social isolation. Trends in Psychology (under revision).
  • Lamba, N., Jadva, V. (2022). Prenatal bonding and maternal health during pregnancy and post-birth amongst urban poor women in India. Indian Journal of Public Health (under review).
  • Puthillam, A., Mehta, N., Kapoor, H., Rezaei, S., Lamba, N. Helpful or Not? (2022) Appraisal and Mechanisms of Prosociality in the Dark Triad. Journal of Personality (under review).
  • Gunaseelan, E., Lamba, N., Raghavan, A., A qualitative exploration of Social Comparisons amongst Tamil Women. Society and Culture in South Asia (under review).
  • Lamba, N., Jadva, V.,. A longitudinal mixed-method exploration of surrogates’ experiences from the time of pregnancy to post-birth (to be submitted by Dec 2022).
  • Lamba, N1., Kishore, S1., Khokhlova, O Using virtual avatars to explore the impact of instructor’s gender and race on perceived learning in an online classroom (to be submitted by September 2022).
  • Lamba, N1., Kishore, S1., Khokhlova, O. Using virtual avatars to explore the impact of instructor’s gender and race on personality characteristics of the online agent (to be submitted by December 2022).
  • Swami, V., ………….Lamba, N…..Body Image Survey (to be submitted by March 2023).
  • Lamba, N., Moustakas, E., D., Ranganathan., Manghnani, K. Problematic use of social media: Examining the impact of social media, use, attachment, and addiction on self-esteem of young adults in the UAE. (to be re-submitted by March 2023).
  • Lamba, N., Jadva., V., Kadam, K. (2021) Surrogates’ psychological health five years on: longitudinal assessment (to be submitted by Feb 2023).
Forthcoming Book
  • Trauma Nation (Working title, Aleph Book Company)
  • A research-based book narrating experiences and growth of trauma survivors                       
RECENT RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS (2021-2022)
  • Using Virtual Avatars to Explore the Impact of Instructors’, Gender, Race, and Qualification on Perceived Learning in an Online Classroom. The European Conference on Education (July 2022; oral presentation).
  • Exploring experiences of mothers with children with Autism in the United Arab Emirates. 4th European Autism Congress (May 2022; webinar).
  • Factors associated with perception of marital rape in India. 4th European Conference on Domestic Violence. (September 2021; oral presentation). 
  • To have and to hold. Marital rape perception in Russian women. 4th European Conference on Domestic Violence. (September 2021; oral presentation). 
  • Exploring media-induced secondary trauma during the pandemic: a global context. 34th International Conference on Psychiatry and Mental Health (August 2021; invited keynote)
  • Describing research process. Young Leaders of Active Citizenship. (July 2021; invited talk presentation).
  • Religious factors affecting death anxiety in older adults practicing Hinduism. Research seminar. Middlesex University Dubai (Feb 2021; oral presentation/webinar)
  • Exploring media-induced secondary trauma during the pandemic: a global context. Research seminar. Middlesex University Dubai (April 2021; oral presentation/webinar)
RECENT WORKSHOPS AND TRAININGS
  • Facilitated a workshop on ‘special education needs’ to 135 attendees from the Middle East and South Asia (2 hours; February 2022)
  • Delivered two CPD UK accredited ‘special education needs’ paid trainings at GEMS School Dubai to 83 learning support assistants, shadow teachers, and teachers assistants (12 hours; August 2022)
  • Conducted a workshop on ‘deconstructing fake news and its impact on mental health’. Wellness Office Event. Middlesex University Dubai (October 2021)
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
  • Featured as an expert in the field of cross-border surrogacy. (2022). BBC. Family Tree
  • Featured as expert for research in the field of mental health and religion. (2021) PsyPOST       
  • Does the coronavirus pandemic carry signs of a generational trauma? (2020) Scroll.in             
  • The resonance of Sushant Singh: A sociological and psychological exploration. (2020) The Indian Express 
  • How can education shape the future happiness and well-being of students? (2019) Edarabia 
  • Featured as an expert on commercial surrogacy in South Asia.(2017) BBC Radio
  • Research advisor on a play in London based on surrogacy in India.(2017) ‘Made in India’
  • Why ban commercial surrogacy? (2016)The Hindu Business Line
  • Rethinking Commercial Surrogacy Vs. Altruistic Surrogacy in India. CASI. University of Pennsylvania.
  • New Surrogacy Policy: Great Leap Backwards. (2016) OPEN Magazine
  • Featured as an expert regarding research on social class and social media. (2015) Harvard Crimson
  • Selling womb for some ‘baby cash’. (2014) Oxford University India Policy Blog

Swami, V., Tran, U. S., Stieger, S., Aavik, T., Ranjbar, H. A., Adebayo, S. O., ... & Lukács, A. (2023). Body appreciation around the world: Measurement invariance of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age. Body image, 46, 449-466. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85170109975&doi=10.1016%2fj.bodyim.2023.07.010&partnerID=40&md5=f5e3fd588094779f4b5f12f04b029282
Lamba, N., Van Tonder, A., & Raghavan, A. (2022). Unpacking qualitative methodology to explore experiences of mothers with children with autism spectrum disorder in the UAE: a thematic analysis inquiry. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 21, 16094069221110295.
Lamba, N., Van Tonder, A., Shrivastava, A., & Raghavan, A. (2022). Exploring challenges and support structures of mothers with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the United Arab Emirates. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 120, 104138.
Khokhlova, O., Lamba, N., Bhatia, A., & Vinogradova, M. (2021). Biowarfare conspiracy, faith in government, and compliance with safety guidelines during COVID-19: an international study. Mind & Society, 20(2), 235-251.
Khokhlova, O., Lamba, N., & Kishore, S. (2023, July). Evaluating student evaluations: Evidence of gender bias against women in higher education based on perceived learning and instructor personality. In Frontiers in Education (Vol. 8). 85531. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85167561573&doi=10.3389%2ffeduc.2023.1158132&partnerID=40&md5=166dbfe92a0d66217f5dc407b7657218
Lamba, N., Van Tonder, A., Shrivastava, A., & Raghavan, A. (2022). Exploring challenges and support structures of mothers with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the United Arab Emirates. Research in developmental disabilities, 35 (12), 4099-4116. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85120339484&doi=10.1016%2fj.ridd.2021.104138&partnerID=40&md5=a5fa4b75965fd2e1b67a3b95498e0e5f
McHugh, C., Zhang, R., Karnatak, T., Lamba, N., & Khokhlova, O. (2023). Just wrong? Or just WEIRD? Investigating the prevalence of moral dumbfounding in non-Western samples. Memory & Cognition, 1-18. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85146394083&doi=10.3758%2fs13421-022-01386-z&partnerID=40&md5=c856fd9f0c77d3a81d680ff1524f664b
Lamba, N., Khokhlova, O., Bhatia, A., & McHugh, C. (2023). Mental health hygiene during a health crisis: Exploring factors associated with media-induced secondary trauma in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. Health Psychology Open, 10(2), 20551029231199578. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85172705784&doi=10.1177%2f20551029231199578&partnerID=40&md5=647ae3f0ea4d03c2f51019e353760b73
Lamba, N., Bhatia, A., Shrivastava, A., & Raghavan, A. (2022). Religious factors affecting death anxiety in older adults practicing Hinduism. Death Studies, 46(8), 1973-1981. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85100866368&doi=10.1080%2f07481187.2021.1876789&partnerID=40&md5=f595fc58778b157a79a44f58778aa3cd
Lamba, N., Mohideen, F., Virani, T., Kariappa, S., Aroz, V., Ashraf, H. B., ... & Patil, A. (2023). Understanding the impact of cross-cultural friendships and residency status on multicultural attitudes: a UAE perspective. International Journal of Sustainable Society, 15(2), 205-224. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85164311712&doi=10.1504%2fIJSSOC.2023.131683&partnerID=40&md5=5a697da42ea01eec07ecc543de12ea47

Faculty Members

Dr Anita Shrivastava Kashi SFHEA
Dr Anita Shrivastava Kashi SFHEA
Associate Professor & Head of Psychology
Aditi Bhatia FHEA MSc MBPsS
Aditi Bhatia FHEA MSc MBPsS
Lecturer Psychology
Dr Lynda Hyland CPsychol AFBPsS SFHEA
Dr Lynda Hyland CPsychol AFBPsS SFHEA
Head of the Careers and Employability Department, Associate Professor
Seada A. Kassie M.Sc. FHEA CCRC
Seada A. Kassie M.Sc. FHEA CCRC
Senior Lecturer Psychology