Psychology & Developing Societies current issue

Conceptualisation of Health and Illness: A Study of Social Representations among Bondos of Orissa

Dixit, S., Mishra, M., Sharma, A.K. — 2008-05-01

The present article attempts to understand the relationship between culture and health through an empirical investigation of health and illness conceptualisation among the members of Bondo tribe of Orissa in India. The investigation of socio-cultural definitions and meanings of health and illness was done using the social representations framework. The dynamic nature of health and illness conceptualisation was investigated among the three groups of Bondos: The upper, isolated group; middle, partially assimilated group; and lower assimilated group. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews, observations and focus group discussions. Qualitative content analysis of responses was done in order to extract the meaning of categories employed by the three groups of Bondos. The content of these categories reflected the content of the social representations of health and illness among the Bondos. The categories employed by the Bondos for sense-making of health and illness states revealed the meanings of health and illness, beliefs regarding causes of illness, healing practices and treatment pattern and the difference in meanings and definitions of health and illness among the three groups of Bondos.

Karma-Yoga, the Indian Work Ideal, and its Relationship with Empathy

Mulla, Z. R., Krishnan, V. R. — 2008-05-01

Karma-Yoga, the technique of performing action such that the soul of the actor is not bound by the results of the action, constitutes the Indian work ideal. The relationship of Karma-Yoga with the dimensions of empathy was explored through a study done on 108 students in a postgraduate programme of business management. Karma-Yoga was found to be related to some dimensions of empathy. The results highlighted the differential impact of dimensions of empathy. Empathic concern was found to be related to Karma-Yoga only for those individuals who were low on personal distress. For individuals high on personal distress, empathic concern was not related to Karma-Yoga. Findings indicate that Karma-Yoga is very similar to altruism motivation in the Indian context. Individuals who are high on empathic concern and low on personal distress are more likely to take actions for the benefit of others rather than for their own benefit.

A Study of Job Burnout among University Teachers

Azeem, S. M., Nazir, N. A. — 2008-05-01

This study investigated the levels of job burnout among 300 university teachers including Lecturers, Readers and Professors. Using Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educator's Survey, the results indicated that lecturers have high level of emotional exhaustion and are found to be significantly different on emotional exhaustion from professors and readers. Readers show less emotional exhaustion as compared to lecturers but high emotional exhaustion as compared to professors. Readers are not found to be significantly different from professors. The three groups are not found to be significantly different on depersonalisation and personal accomplishment.

Non-formal Education in a Tribal Setting: Strategies for Qualitative Changes in Children

Konantambigi, R. M., Meghani, S., Modi, A. — 2008-05-01

In the present study, an intervention in non-formal education was initiated to mobilise tribal people to fight for the right to the life of dignity and to have better opportunity for their children's educational needs. The intervention was initiated in four tribal villages of Betul district, Madhya Pradesh, with one village as control. The intervention was planned with participative, humanistic and constructivist approaches to change and learning. The Korku children, young adolescents and local youth, as instructors, brought about cognisant changes. Children who hid and cried on being spoken to by people outside their village and who lacked confidence, after a Bal Mela, two hours of interaction for seven months in two years and three camps, were able to speak to everyone freely, including the police. There was a change in their self-confidence and perception about self, and significant gain in general knowledge. Positive change in self-esteem that come about with clearing their formal grades of VIII, X and XII was also seen. The young instructors were especially vocal about the leading roles they could play in the Sanghathana that the villages in the region were able to join/establish and contribute to. Literacy and numeracy learning were not retained and schooling seemed to instil these skills better. The findings are placed in the premise of education for the disadvantaged and learning that is contextual and learner-centred.

Counselling in China: Past, Present and Future

Higgins, L. T., Davey, G., Gao, X., Zheng, R., Ni, Z., Lang, L. — 2008-05-01

This article reviews the development of psychological counselling in China. It consists of three parts: counselling in ancient China, counselling in China today, and counselling in the future. Counselling ideas can be traced back to ancient China, 2,500 years ago, but Western counselling theories have only recently been introduced into China. Counselling has become more and more popular in China, developing rapidly from schools to hospitals, communities, armies and companies. Although Western approaches are popular, some Chinese psychologists are developing indigenous counselling approaches. Government support for the control of professional counselling training programmes is needed. Despite counselling in China lagging behind the West at present, it is likely that in the future it will help people cope with the stresses and strains of living in such a rapidly modernising and changing society.

How Good People are at Estimating their Own Performance? A Study of the Relationship between Hand Preference and Motor Performance

Misra, I., Suar, D., Mandal, M. K. — 2008-05-01

This article examines the relationship between the awareness of hand preference and hand and foot performance among right-, left- and mixed-handers (n = 224). The hand preference was assessed using a handedness inventory. Hand and foot performances were measured using rapid index finger or toe tapping. A significant interaction between hand preference and the tapping rate indicated that in left-handers, left tapping was faster than right tapping and in right-handers, right tapping was faster than left tapping regardless of effector, finger or toe. The mixed-handers, however, did not show differences between left and right tapping performance. Correlations between performances were highest between hands or between feet. Also, hand performance was more strongly positively associated to foot performance in the mixed- and left-handers than right-handers. Similar inter-limb performance in mixed-handers tends to implicate inconsistent or undeveloped cerebral lateralisation. The results indicate that self-awareness of the pattern of hand use significantly relates to hand and foot performance.

Book Review

2008-05-01