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Objectives: The present study examines the publication output of authors from India on the topic of "Covid-19 and Psychology" using bibliometric methods. Methods: The publications as listed in Scopus database were identified by using "Covid-19" and its synonyms keywords in "Keyword" and "Title" tags. The results obtained were further restricted to subject "Psychology" under subject tag and country to India. Results: 372 publications emerged in the last 2 years on the topic of "Covid-19 and Psychology", accounting to 4.63% share of global output. About 9.95% and 25.81% share of Indian publications received external funding support and involved international collaboration, respectively. The author's from 277 organizations and 416 authors participated unevenly in the research in this area. The highest number of publications emerged from National Institute of Mental Health and Allied Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangaluru, followed by Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar. Authors from Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry had highest impact in terms of citations per paper and relative citation index, followed by authors from King George's Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow, and Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal. The journals that published the highest number of publications were Asian Journal of Psychiatry (158 papers), Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine (44 papers), and Frontier in Psychology (18 papers). The most commonly investigated topics in terms of frequency of appearances of keywords were mental health (93), followed by anxiety (80), mental disease (68), depression (64), mental stress (34), and social isolation. Conclusion: Over the last 2 years a large number of publications have emerged in the area of COVID-19 and psychology from India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current Web of Science-based paper provides a scientometrics analysis of research publications in Psychology in India from 1989 to 2020. The data analysis was done using bibliometric software, including VOS viewer, Biblioshiny (R Studio), and MS Excel. The publications and citation structures are analyzed first, followed by the most cited papers and most favored journals. Further, top authors and institutions are analyzed as significant research areas. The results show that Andrade C from the National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences, Bangalore is the most productive author. At the same time, Patel V from Sangath, Goa, is the most influential author. The National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences is most productive among the institutions, while the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, is the most influential. The results indicate that the International Journal of Psychology is a key journal in publishing India's scientific production in Psychology. The results also show that culture, HIV, depression, anxiety, attention, cross-culture, gender, and mental health are significant research topics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Native residents are indispensable participants in developing and conserving the natural environment. Specifying the factors that lead to responsible behavior among the local people can help increase sustainability. This paper aims to investigate the pro-environmental behavior among the local residents of the Kashmir region defined by the components of Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Value Belief Norm (VBN) Theory. To analyze the data, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) has been used as research methods. The results reveal that the three components of TPB (general environmental attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavior control) have a positive and significant impact on the pro-environmental behavior of residents. Moreover, the findings also demonstrate that the factors of VBN (altruistic, egoistic and biospheric values) significantly influence the general environmental attitude which in turn impacts the pro-environmental behavior of local residents. The paper seeks to contribute to the existing literature by adding local community insights based on the explanations given by socio-psychological theories within the context of natural environment. The study will help policymakers to understand better the residents' intentions and pro-environmental behavior so that they can develop strategies to manage and combat the environmental problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically alters the course of business & industries all over the world. Global as well as Indian automotive Industry exposed to deep economic impact in terms of production, investment, and automotive supply chains. It alters buying behaviour of consumers. However, this industry quickly adapt to changes & came back on track faster than normal. Buying behaviour is a crucial aspect of demand for any product. It involves a combination of various factors such as Economics, Technology & the psychological involvement of consumers. It shows traits of the consumer through his perception of a product, quality, price, income, likes & dislikes, and very important lifestyle. Understanding buyer's psychology becomes a complex process nowadays, after a pandemic there seems to be New Normal behaviour everywhere such as new ways of interaction, ways of working & work timings, earning sources, future income & savings calculations. Today spending patterns, isolation & social behaviour have witnessed a lot of changes as compared to the behavioural pattern of the same consumer prior to the pandemic. As life is emerging to a normal state, which has resulted in drastic changes in demand for the automotive industry in India. This paper is an attempt to focus on the analysis of changes in consumers' New Normal Behaviour for buying cars which redefine demand, the shape of the Indian Automotive Industry, especially after a pandemic that drove a boost in this industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is a biggest threat to the globe. The policymakers worldwide are encouraging the usage of electric and CNG vehicles at the faster pace. India is the third largest emitter of CO2 in the world. As per the report published by The Economic Times, more than 40% of the car buyers are looking for other means of fuel than petrol and diesel. As per the 2022 Global Automotive Consumer Study by Deloitte, the demand for electric vehicles remains low in the market, as more consumers prefer options like hybrids and CNG. The global market for alternate fuel is estimated to surpass $892.57 billion mark by 2026 growing at an estimated CAGR of more than 12.9% during the forecast period 2021 to 2026. The research paper mainly concentrates on the factors that influence the decision of the consumers to adopt for alternative fuel vehicles in India. It also highlights the preparedness of the consumers for the adoption of these vehicles. The study will be useful for the policy makers and for the car manufacturers as it gives them the direction to understand the psychology of the consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses topics within the issue including aspects of sexual and reproductive health, young people's sexual health and influence of political and social power on control over sexual and reproductive choices.

Narcotic drugs and substance abuse have been considered a menace across the world for many decades. The world saw drug addiction or substance abuse as a crime rather than as a medical-legal challenge faced by individuals. However, in the last few years, this perception seems to have transformed from a punitive approach to a reformatory and rehabilitative approach. Most surveys suggest that drug use peaks amongst the age group of 18-25 years. Surveys also indicate a high rate of initiation of drug use amongst adolescents. The importance of the issue is manifest from the fact that 50% of the Indian population is below the age of 25 years and around 65% is below the age of 35 years, and it is expected that the average age of the Indian population would be 29 years by the year 2020. In this paper, the authors have attempted to trace the journey of the NDPS Act and shed light on the issues such as lack of rehabilitation and pendency, which have marred the success of the Act. This paper seeks to analyse the drug laws of India which were enacted to deal with the menace of drug abuse as well as to fulfil its international obligations. Simultaneously, the authors have attempted to bring forth the key factors which seem to have shattered the intent and objectives behind this piece of legislation. The authors have weighed the Act against International Conventions and tried to test its congruity with the rehabilitative approach. Relying on various reports, domestic and global judicial developments and other reliable sources, the authors have attempted to bring forth the challenges which are being faced in dealing with the matters relating to narcotic drugs and substance abuse under the NDPS Act and other ancillary laws and provide some suggestions thereon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present community‐anchored counterstorytelling as a form of epistemic justice. We—the Miya Community Research Collective—engage in counterstorytelling as a means of resisting and disrupting dehumanization of Miya communities in Northeast India. Miya communities have a long history of dispossession and struggle – from forced displacement by British colonial rulers in the early 19th century to the present where they face imminent threats of statelessness. Against this backdrop, we theorize "in the flesh" to interrogate knowledges and representations systematically deployed to dispossess Miya people. Simultaneously, we uplift stories and endeavors that (re)humanize Miya people, creating/claiming cultural, knowledge, and political spaces that center peoples' struggles and resistance. Across these stories, we offer counterstorytelling as a powerful mode of recentering knowledges from the margins—a decolonial alternative to neoliberal epistemes that maintain institutions/universities as centers of knowledge production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present paper is an attempt to entangle the choice of medical education as a professional career among Indian students. The choice of career is associated not only with the higher aspirations for better economic opportunities but also seen as one of the important parameters for happiness and realisation of long term social goals. Elaborating upon the reference of world happiness report and data on higher education enrolment in India, the paper provides pecuniary and non-pecuniary aspects with special reference to medical education not only in terms of labour market but also for the gap between expectation and reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychology in India is still dominated by the western notions of modern scientific psychology as reflected in the paper by Prof. Durgananda Sinha in 1965. This calls for a real and hard look at the challenges in integrating the Indian thought perspective in the field of psychology to make it more holistic, robust and meaningful. Psychological knowledge in the Indian thought system has a philosophical root in contrast with the western positivist model. Hence, we need to redefine the scientificness of science and aim at methodological pluralism to study psychological concepts and principles embedded in Indian thought system. The goals of psychology need to be relooked so as to emphasize studying the human being as a whole and in relation to the societal context. The focus on the applied aspects as the core of psychological knowledge in Indian tradition requires a comprehensive change in the way psychology is taught at educational institutions, and the way research is conducted. Discarding the colonial mindset to dig deep into the rich psychological science in our ancient Indian texts with an aim to apply it in contemporary times will pave the way for the use of innovative methodologies to study these which will build a meaningful and universal psychology given the complex dynamics of a future world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The payment industry in India is rapidly revolutionizing. Economic growth has enabled India's 1.2 billion population to avail superior financial services compare to their previous generations. There is availability of plethora of electronic payment services like credit cards, debit cards, net banking, e-wallets which consumer can use for payment. This growth of electronic and cash less payment has also led to the increased use of the credit cards. The credit card offers consumers the convenience of purchasing without paying cash and removes the need of carrying cash. Also, the credit card offers consumers access to credit without detailed paper work as in a loan. The purpose of the research paper is to study the role of demographic variables in credit card selection criteria. Variables are adopted from a study conducted by Gan, Maysami, and Koh (2008). For this study, six factors namely Convenience, Protection, Economics, Flexibility, Reward Program and Reputation are selected. The sample was selected from the National Capital Region of Delhi as consumers have greater exposure to credit cards. This study based in emerging economy like India has relevance because of changing consumers' preferences and usage behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recovery is a concept that defined a positive and empowering experience for people with Schizophrenia. Recovery is an innately personal phenomenon, but the cultural environment can influence the recovery process. The concept of recovery originated in the West. The Eastern cultures differ in various aspects from the Western cultures. Application of the Western model of recovery in an Eastern culture like India without considering the cultural differences would be misplaced. This paper discusses two cultural factors in Indian life, namely, the family and the doctrines of Karma and Fate, that can impact recovery from Schizophrenia. Understanding the impact of culture on schizophrenia recovery should also consider cultural variations between individuals and over time. Principles and practice of Recovery-oriented mental health care in India should consider the unique local cultural environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research paper probes into the reverse migrants' psychological dimensions and provides insights on their motivational dynamics. Key demographic variables are taken into consideration and the respondents' perception towards own life cycle stage, the foreign country and the home country provides salient insights on the reverse migration literature. I have, in this empirical paper, correlated demographic variables with select reverse migration factors and have offered plausible reasons and underlying forces behind the return of Indian expatriates abroad. I present the argument in my paper that the underlying causes for return migration are the same globally irrespective of the country of present residence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on data from a survey of 342 employees from three BPO organizations in Mumbai (India), this study examined whether cultural variables of individual cultural orientation and organizational culture, and their interaction were predictive of employees’ attitudes toward union membership in BPO organizations in India where unionization has hitherto not taken place. Using regression analysis, the researcher found that over and above the effects of demographic and job-related variable, and work stress and job satisfaction, horizontal individualism could predict union attitudes significantly and negatively whereas vertical individualism and collectivism could predict the attitudes significantly and positively. Similarly, organizational collectivism could predict employees’ attitudes toward union membership significantly and negatively. Using the univariate analysis of variance, the researcher found that the contrast between personal value and organizational culture of an individualist working in a collectivistic organizational culture or collectivist working in an individualistic culture are found to have stronger influence on union attitudes compared to the congruence of an individualist working in an individualistic culture or collectivist working in a collectivistic culture. The results and implications of findings are discussed in the paper with reference to the literature on role of cultural and attitudinal variables in relation to organizational outcomes like union membership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Crime against elderly people is a matter of grave concern in contemporary India. Today, they are being attacked with grievous harm, murder, and abusive behaviour by known and unknown persons. These cases have certainly had a negative impact on their way of life and sense of well-being. Consequently, fear of crime is being recognised as an emerging social problem among the elderly population in India. The purpose of this paper is to examine different types of crime that are being committed against the elderly, leading to a fear of crime. And, to identify the victim offender relationship. Design/methodology/approach – A mixed method approach has been applied in this paper. This study has been designed as an exploratory lead-in to a planned wider study. It examines the factors shaping the victimisation experience of the elderly. The study has been conducted from October 2012 to January 2013 on a sample of 220 elderly people living in both rural and urban areas of Lucknow in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Findings – The findings suggest that emotional crime is a major problem among the elderly and more prevalent than crime against the body and property. The study has also found that elderly people have a fear of crime in their own houses due to victimisation. Originality/value – This is an original paper, which is based on the experiences of elderly people living in Indian society and discussed the impact of prior victimisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents three embedded episodes in the life of a polyherbal drug indicated as a preventative measure for hangovers. Invented and marketed in 2005 by a leading ayurvedic pharmaceutical company in India, PartySmart is a reformulated compound based on ayurvedic, biomedical and phytochemical sources. This creative process has involved multiple translations, resulting in hybrid pharmacological models, including, for instance, ayurvedic post-digestive tastes and biomedical effects on enzymatic activities. These modes of therapeutic action are conceptualizations of an active drug – i.e. a digested and metabolized drug. A problem arises, however, in the fact that the ingestion of this drug is linked to alcohol consumption in a country where it is widely considered in negative terms. For this reason, PartySmart was seen as an ambivalent presence in the firm's catalogue and thus a series of interventions aiming to uphold the image of this drug transformed both its social inscription and its materiality. This transformation also took a different, global trajectory as the drug gradually developed as a transnational pharmaceutical commodity and became a new object in new latitudes. By focusing on the social and material dimensions of this drug in these contexts, this paper calls upon science studies to expand the scope of pharmaceutical anthropology. It brings together various layers of analysis to offer new perspectives on contemporary herbal formulations as they traverse material cultures, medical epistemologies, sociopolitical borders, legal environments and social practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the recent growth of social science literature concerning the traditional medicine industry in Asia, insights into the contemporary dynamics of so-called ‘classical formulae’ remain relatively scant, as do studies of small-scale, less capitally intensive and technologically advanced modes of production. This paper seeks to address these gaps by considering a single Sowa Rigpa (Tibetan medicine) formula known as Samphel Norbu, or ‘wish-fulfilling jewel’, which appears in numerous texts and is today among the most popular Tibetan medicines in the world. Drawing primarily upon long-term fieldwork in Himalayan India, the paper follows Samphel Norbu's rise from exclusivity to popularity and examines the ways it has been transformed in the process, both materially and in its economic, social and clinical significance. The paper shows how Samphel Norbu acts as a marker of inequality between different groups of healers, and examines the role the medicine played in the development of commercial pharmacy and the proliferation of complex medicines. Tracing out wide variations in the medicine's formulation, composition, mode of production and pattern of circulation places the issue of multiplicity at the centre of analysis, and leads to a questioning of the assumptions that underpin the category ‘classical formula’. The paper reflects upon the repositioning of such formulae within emergent configurations of knowledge, power, industry and market, and on their transformations and transformative effects both over time and in the present moment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyses the experiences with government sanctioned Ayurvedic college education of 14 young Ayurvedic doctors working at the Integrative Health Centre in Bangalore, India. Unfamiliarity with Ayurvedic logic and Indian natural philosophies, lack of clinical training and the mixing-up of Ayurvedic and biomedical notions are their main complaints. The 14 young Ayurvedic doctors also missed a convincing perspective on how to integrate Ayurvedic logic, modern scientific knowledge and biomedical diagnostics. Ayurvedic state sanctioned education seems to be caught between Ayurveda's natural philosophy of health and the techno-science of biomedicine. The Ayurvedic doctors under scrutiny face the danger of becoming ‘half-baked products’ when they do not learn to reflect on the tension between Indian traditional knowledge and biomedical learning. The paper argues that the logic of modern science and biomedicine's claim to value-free knowledge captivates Ayurvedic education and research. This hinders Ayurveda's development as a vibrant alterity to biomedicine. What is needed is a critical social science perspective on the construction of medical knowledge and India's hierarchical medical landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports in the British media over the last 4 years have highlighted the schisms and contestations that have accompanied the reports of gender selective abortions amongst British Asian families. The position that sex-selection may be within the terms of the 1967 Abortion Act has particularly sparked controversy amongst abortion campaigners and politicians but equally among medical practitioners and the British Pregnancy Advisory Service who have hitherto tended to stay clear of such debates. In what ways has the controversy around gender-based abortion led to new framings of the entitlement to service provision and new ways of thinking about evidence in the context of reproductive rights? We reflect on these issues drawing on critiques of what constitutes best evidence, contested notions of reproductive rights and reproductive governance, comparative work in India and China as well as our involvement with different groups of campaigners including British South Asian NGOs. The aim of the paper is to situate the medical and legal provision of abortion services in Britain within current discursive practices around gender equality, ethnicity, reproductive autonomy, probable and plausible evidence, and policies of health reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – A public health approach for promoting mental health has become a major health policy agenda of many governments. Despite this worldwide attention on research addressing population mental health and general wellbeing, very little is heard on positive mental health from the low-and middle-income countries. This paper aims to present an attempt to develop a model of positive mental health among young people. This could be used for integrating the concept of positive mental health (PMH) into public health interventions. Design/methodology/approach – The study was conducted in the state of Kerala, India. The paper administered the “Achutha Menon Centre Positive Mental health Scale” to a sample of 453 (230 men and 223 women) in the age group 18-24, along with an interview schedule exploring the relationship of PMH with many explanatory variables such as sex, beliefs, religion, education, employment and social capital. The paper developed an input path model through a series of multiple regressions explaining the levels of PMH in the community, which was then tested statistically (using AMOS version 7.0). The input model was created by identifying the determinants and correlates of PMH based on their predictive power on the outcome variable, the PMH score. The input diagram was used to test the model fit of the data. Findings – The path model (Figure 1) clearly specified the determinants of PMH. Among them, the variables that have a direct determinant effect on PMH are: quality of home learning environment, employment status, education status, marital status, self-perception on possession of skills, happiness with life, membership in social organizations and socializing capability. Research limitations/implications – In this study, path model is used to confirm relationships among observed and latent variables. The path diagram assesses the comparative strength of the correlations between the variables and does not test the directionality. Or, the model itself cannot prove causation. Practical implications – Determinants of PMH those are amenable to interventions as well as those which help in recognizing characteristic groups for intervention could help to plan future intervention programs. Originality/value – Original paper based on primary data collected through a cross-sectional survey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper has a dual focus. One, is to use India as a case study to reflect upon the political, economic and socio-cultural structures of the country and how they shape the particular vulnerabilities in the society which have been aggravated in the COVID19 crisis-scape. Stories about Indian democracy, Casteism and Untouchability, Hindutva and Islamophobia emerging from the pandemic scenario have been extended to show global parallels. Stories of cultural resourcefulness and examples of people's power in the Indian context have also been represented to provide a formative assessment of how India is faring in the pandemic crisis. Two, it gathers emergent questions about human and social life which are being re-emphasized and created by the pandemic for Psychology to focus on. It makes use of Indian psychological concepts to re-envision self-other relationships in Post Coronial world. It makes a plea for strengthening the critical-cultural approach in 'Post-Coronial' Psychology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Despite increasing recognition of the importance of mental health at the workplace, there is very little evidence and limited research information on the issue of the poor mental health of the workers, especially miners. The purpose of this paper is to assess the relationship between stress faced by quarry workers in consonance with their socio-demographic characteristics and their working conditions.Design/methodology/approach This study was a cross-sectional study of quarry workers with comparison groups in the Karauli district of Rajasthan, a state located in north-western India. The study was conducted during the period May-September 2014, as part of a doctoral program. The study sample comprised a total of 218 quarry workers along with a comparison group of 203 non-miners. The level of occupational stress was assessed by using a General Health Questionnaire consisting of 12 questions.Findings This study found that the comparison group was at a low risk of psychological stress as compared to the mine workers. The independent risk factors for occupational stress among workers were illiteracy, gender (female), married, divorced/separated, and suffering from some occupational health problem.Social implications This study concluded that mine workers are at a high level of stress, which underscores the need for urgent interventions from the government to address the issue. This is especially important as mine workers make significant contributions to the national income.Originality/value This paper fulfills an identified need to study the mental health status of quarry workers, thereby helping fill a persistent gap in Indian research on this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Girish Karnad's dramatic works explore various aspects of human character in the light of history and culture. The Dreams of Tipu Sultan and Broken Images are two important plays by Karnad where he explores the human unconscious in relation to the Indian history, culture and society. Karnad's treatment of the human unconscious in his play The Dreams of Tipu Sultan includes his direct effort to revitalize the other possibilities of some historical incidents which, if had taken place, could have changed the course of Indian history. Here Karnad portrays the inner psyche or the unconscious of the subject Tipu Sultan through the latter's dreams. My paper intends to make an analytical study of Tipu's psychology as revealed through his dreams and tries to show how Tipu's unconscious is being portrayed by the playwright to locate the other side of the Indian psychology that has never got a scope to reveal itself in history. Broken Images is a different kind of a play that also deals with the unconscious revelations of an individual. In this play, instead of using a historical background, Karnad uses literature and family for developing the situation and instead of dreams he uses the plasma screen as a mirror to reveal the other self of the individual that seems to be a part of the unconscious mind. My paper intends to reveal various aspects of this unconscious mind as being depicted in this play. My paper also intends to relate these two plays (The Dreams of Tipu Sultan and Broken Images) in the sense that how these unconscious revelations form a part of the same Indian culture that the characters(specifically Tipu and Manjula) of both the plays share. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper welcomes the Stiglitz Report's placing of wellbeing at the centre of policy discussions of measuring economic performance and social progress. However, the paper critiques the identification of subjective perspectives on quality of life solely with subjective well-being. The paper locates subjective well-being within psychological wellbeing, happiness and quality of life studies more broadly. It argues for attention to concepts, not just techniques, and more engagement with social and political perspectives. It draws on empirical research in Zambia and India to show that context matters and qualitative research is needed to complement quantitative measures of wellbeing. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present article examines trauma in the multicultural context of India based on an interdisciplinary and comparative study drawing on theories from psychology, neuroscience, genetics, comparative literature, arts and cultural studies. The focus is on various forms of trauma - psychological, physical, individual, collective - and the way they shape distinct worldviews, problematic identities and conflictual selves rooted in the dialectic union of tradition and modernity that characterizes South Asian cultures in varied degrees. It is argued that these traumas get integrated into the self through a series of negotiations, emotional reverberations and transactions, yet constantly carry within them the potential of implosion/explosion in certain situations; they lead to creative and critical subversions of social norms, to the deconstruction of language and the everyday, the emergence of new discourses, as well as to processes of restructuring the self (and psyche) through dialogical interactions with the world. These interactions between the self, being and the world develop according to two significant dimensions, namely genetic and epigenetic factors, which points to the fact that trauma has a transgenerational transmission and manifests in varied degrees and forms in different contexts of development. This paper illustrates such experiences of trauma and their impact on the human psyche by comparatively analyzing (con)texts and selves from the Indian culture and the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores choice of marriage partners among individuals with visual impairment in India. The importance of marriage and the desirability of characteristics and traits in the prospective marriage partners were investigated from 42 individuals with visual impairment in the age group of 18-35 years, in Mumbai, India. Non-probabilistic sampling was used to collect data using an online pre-coded questionnaire, where 35 characteristics of the prospective partner were rated on a 4-point scale, along with ranking 16 traits in order of preference. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for analysis of data. Marriage was considered important for the sample. Family's opinions were considered vital in marital decisions, but individual choice was important. Women preferred older partners as compared to men. More women, than men, considered visual impairment of partners an irrelevant determinant for partner selection. Statistically significant gender differences were found in the valuation of characteristics and traits with women valuing good financial prospects, chastity, good behavior towards parents, desire for home and children, and being teetotal, more than men. Men desired a physically attractive partner whereas women valued financial stability. Women valued the traits of easy going, good housekeeper and good earning capacity while men preferred a physically able spouse. There is potential for research on gendered marriage choices, specifically among various marginalized populations. Interaction of cultural practices and marriage preferences of individuals with disability could be further explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This mixed-methods, exploratory study investigates the gambling activities of street youth in Mumbai, India. Data from surveys and brief interviews of 70 youth aged 12–24, two focus groups, and ethnographic observations offer descriptive snapshots of the gambling behavior of participants. The article includes details about games played, popular venues, initiation patterns, time spent gambling, and interactions with the police. Street youth gamble for social benefits, such as group membership and fun; it is also a leisure activity enabling time to go by quickly. Individual benefits include intermittent rewards and a high after winning or being referred to as a gambler. The inability to save, the lack of recreation options, living in groups, and the environment of the streets structure and sustain gambling. This study discusses the group and social dimension of gambling among street youth, and how this dimension makes their participation different from adolescent gambling in general and General Addictions Theory. It contributes to the literature by emphasizing that for street youth the social/group aspects of gambling predominate the psychological. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications for practice, highlighting the need to develop recreational, income-saving, and educational awareness programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Almost 1/5th of the adolescent population suffers from mental morbidity. In older adolescents, clinical challenges are accompanied by unique psychosocial and developmental needs. Recent legislations in India - the Mental Health Care Act, 2017 and the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 - mandate specific arrangements and provisions for evaluation and treatment of children and adolescents. A separate inpatient Adolescent Psychiatry Center (APC) was started at National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, in 2016. Aims: (a) The aim of this study is to present the need for, development, infrastructure and workforce at APC; (b) to describe clinical profile of adolescents admitted to APC and (c) to identify clinical and psychosocial challenges in the management of older adolescents. Setting and Design: The paper covers consecutive inpatient admissions over the first 7 months of APC. Materials and Methods: Data were gathered from a review of hospital records, staff meetings, and case files. Statistical Analysis: Qualitative data, such as clinical management challenges, are summarized under major emergent themes. Quantitative data are summarized as means with standard deviations and frequencies with percentages. Results: Males, from urban, nuclear family background constituted the majority admissions. Family stressors and risk behaviors were prevalent. Unique clinical challenges included - risk behaviors, issues related to autonomy, conflict with family and conflict with the legal system. Conclusions: Older adolescents need to be treated in an environment appropriate to their age and developmental stage. Restructuring of spaces, routines, and creative inputs to interventions strategies must be made for healing environments for youngsters. APC could be a model for the development of other similar centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper studies the purchase behavior of Indian housewives towards healthy food brands utilizing the framework provided by theory of planned behavior. The paper looks at the relationship of behavioral intention with variables like attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control finally culminating into consumption behavior. The study is based on primary data collected from housewives in Delhi and National Capital Region. The data collected was analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The study attempts to ascertain the relative strength of subjective norm and attitude towards healthy food brands in the context of the Indian housewife, who is in a constant state of conflict between modernism and traditionalism. The study brings forth important implications for marketers of healthy food brands. The structural model highlighted for healthy brands among Indian housewives shows that attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control positively impact the behavioral intention, which in turn positively impacts the behavior. The attitude impacts the behavioral intention more than subjective norm, which is heartening news for marketers, since it implies that despite the existence of cultural norms that encourage cooking healthy food as opposed to purchase, the attitude of housewives towards purchase of healthy food brands is becoming more positive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview of the social and cultural context for the emergence and development of psychology in India and also more specifically of the development of clinical psychology. It details the range of universities offering psychology programmes and the various bodies involved in supporting the development of the psychology. The paper also describes the development of clinical psychology in India and the variety of roles undertaken by clinical psychologists. Finally, it raises a number of issues facing the development of Indian psychology into the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Condom is an integral part of all interventions for female sex workers (FSWs). However, certain situations hinder them from practicing consistent condom use. This paper aims at identifying the situations that predict inconsistent condom use by FSWs of Sonagachi red-light area, Kolkata. Subjects and Methods: The cross-sectional community-based observational study was conducted among 296 brothel-based FSWs of Sonagachi. Outcome variable, that is, inconsistent condom use was said to be present if any sex act with any type of partner was not protected by condom. Association with sociodemographic, occupational, and behavioral characteristics of FSWs was examined. Results: Inconsistent condom use was present among 37.5% of the study participants, and this was predicted by the presence of a nonpaying partner (NPP) (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] [95% confidence interval (CI)]: 15.04 [7.52-30.08]), violence (AOR [95% CI]: 2.08 [1.07-4.03]) and sexual intercourse under the influence of alcohol (AOR [95% CI]: 1.86 [1.02-3.39]). The major cause behind nonuse of condom as reported by the participants was trust on partner. Conclusion: NPPs need to be given emphasis in program strategies for FSWs. The FSWs should constantly be motivated for safe sex emphasizing the fact that trust on partner may be detrimental for their health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of open source software in libraries has been extensively researched and appreciated. Many papers have discussed the benefits of OSS for libraries and librarians. However, little has been known about those who do not use OSS in their libraries. This paper describes an exploratory study of the awareness and perception of open source software among non-users library professionals working in Indian libraries. The study also describes the opinions of non-users library professionals on various issues regarding open source software. The data were collected from responses of 144 non-users library professional of open source software. The findings of study reveal that non-user library professionals have well awareness and perceptions towards open source software even they are not using the same. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Road traffic accident are by far the most common mode of death worldwide. With the increase in number of vehicles with economic development in India accompanied with congested roads, poor road infrastructure & general disregard for the safety measures result in high rate of vehicular accidents. Material & Method: Out of all cases coming to Autopsy of M.P. shah Medical college, Jamnagar, cases of Road Traffic Accidents were taken in study for the period of one year. Basic Information was obtained from police papers, inquiry accompanying police personnel & relatives. Detailed routine post-mortem examination was conducted. The data so collected was than analysed and compared with previous similar studies. Results: In superficial injuries, Abrasions were mostly found on Limbs, contusions mostly found on Head & Face. Most of the cases skeletal Injuries were seen on skull Bones with Face Bones & Mandible. Injury to chest region is more common in patients with three or four-wheeler accidents. Head injury is the leading cause of death in vehicular accidents. Conclusion: Many deaths in injury due to vehicular accidents can be prevented from increasing the awareness to the road-safety measures like Wearing Helmet while riding the two-wheelers, not over-loading the vehicles & wearing the seat-belts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is not known as a country to be in for a bisexual person. Homosexual acts even within wedlock are a punishable offence in India. Legal battles over provisions in the Indian Penal Code which criminalizes any sexual act “against the order of nature” are rife. Even though Kerala has been hailed as a paradox inside India (mainly due to its human development parameters), the social, cultural and legal environment in the state is hostile to individuals who question hetero-normativity. Non-judgemental and unbiased scientific therapy or counselling are seldom available to sexual minorities. This paper is an attempt to map the experiences of a female who is openly bisexual, and is living in Kerala. An ethnographic interview was conducted where the experiences of the participant are explored, from the relationship dynamics as seen by her, to sexual experiences and difficulties in relationships. A reference is also made to the personal and social support systems that are in place for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) community in Kerala and their role in initiating discourses regarding the topic. A few pointers for future studies in the topic, especially within the context of Kerala are also put forward. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

After globalization, service quality has assumed greater significance in rail transport owing to rail passengers' expectation of improved service quality in Indian Railways (IR), as well as existence of keen competition from the road transportation sector. Service quality is a business management term used to indicate achievement in service. Usually, service quality yields comfort to the passengers; it would delight them when the passengers' perception of service quality exceeds their expectations. In this context, service quality comes under the scanner of a comparison of passengers' expectation with performance of Madurai Division of Southern Railway (SR) Zone of Indian Railway. This research paper is an outcome of the present author's research project sponsored under ICSSR's Senior Fellowship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper highlights the significance of Gandhian concepts in research in psychology and its related fields. To illustrate the application of Gandhian ideology, a test of non-violence is described here with its psychometric properties. Further, two unexplored research issues having a bearing on clinical psychology and psychiatry have been delineated. Firstly, a call for addressing the mental health problems of non-violent protesters numbering over one billion spread all over the world has been made. And secondly, there is a need for understanding the neurological basis of non-violent form of behavior, for example, the role of oxytocin, to increase the legitimacy of non-violence as adaptive behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How do nations, states, families, and finance come together? This paper argues that in the period following Indian independence the postcolonial nation can be understood as a family form of hundi, a promissory note held in a state of constant deferral. The hundi and an idealized family form are the means through which trust in the state that coagulates into a nation is established. This idealized family is a particular proper form of the mostly heteronuclear family and is forged through what I term proprietary heterosexuality. A corporate-state nexus educates the proper ideal family through advertising to become a consumer-saver; it is thus invested with credit and constituted through the property it holds. Mobilized as a savings unit, and necessary to the new formal economy of independent India, this family is produced by and sutured to the national state through mutually constituted promises of ensuring and securing a future for the family and state. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Psychology of consumer seeks to explain human or consumer behaviour, in two basic ways: what the consumer wants? and what the consumer needs? Consumer behaviour involves the use and disposal of products/services. For every sector, the usage of products/services is often of great interest to the marketer, because this may influence how a product is best positioned or how we can encourage increased consumption. This paper provides detail information about the consumers' preferences for organized and unorganized retail formats of Indian retail industry. In India, retailing is one of the pillars of the economy and accounts for 13% of GDP. In this paper, an attempt made to investigate the preferences along with perception of functional benefits offered by the two formats of retailing along with demographic and personal factors. This study resulted in useful insights about better prediction of consumers' behaviour. Consumers' purchase from more than one outlet despite some preferred store or store format. This indicates that consumers' perception of outlets and preference do not result in patronizing of retail outlets. The paper also argues that situational factors should be considered for better predictability of consumers' buying behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper concerns the use of photo-elicitation interviews in constructing migrant narratives of health and well-being. It argues that photo-elicitation can be particularly effective in producing nuanced understandings about relationships among culture, place and health. It explores how, through this method, subject-centred understandings of health and well-being are able to challenge dominant discursive constructions that tend to ‘other’ and potentially stereotype minority groups in explanations of health behaviour. The paper includes discussion of issues of power and representation in research with marginalized populations, which further elaborates the value of photo-elicitation in developing a non-essentializing view of minority groups. The paper concludes with comment on the potential value of this method in the formulation of health and social policies aiming to incorporate the views and needs of marginalized or minority groups. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Towards the end of World War II, the morale of British units stationed in Burma and India was on a downslide. In contrast, the morale of Indian units was quite high. In fact, after the 1943 Arakan Campaign, the morale of Indian units rose slowly but steadily. The morale and discipline of Indian troops are also compared and contrasted with another colonial army: the African troops. By making a comparative study of the Commonwealth troops deployed in Burma and India, this paper attempts to show how and why the contours of morale and discipline changed among the various groups of troops at different times. The study of morale and discipline of the troops deployed in these two regions represents two extreme conditions: while Burma remained a war front, India did not experience any actual warfare except for some skirmishes with Indus tribes at the northwest frontier. In general, bad discipline is partly responsible for bad morale and vice versa, which adversely affects the fighting power of armies. This turns to the issue of ‘why do men fight’? The ‘will to war’ is directly proportional to good discipline and strong morale amongst troops. This paper will look for the causative factors shaping discipline and morale of both metropolitan and colonial soldiers, based mainly on military intelligence reports on morale. We will see that rather than grand ideas like nationalism and anti-fascism, mundane factors like the supply of good rations, access to sex and service conditions, influence the morale and discipline of soldiers, and hence their combat-worthiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Scientific Psychology in India has seen steady development since its inception in the early 1900s. With clinical psychology developing as an independent profession, clinical psychologists have been functioning in various roles, offering a wide range of services in consultation, training, research, and private practice on multidisciplinary teams as well as in independent practice. This paper focuses on the historical roots of clinical psychology in India and highlights the role of clinical psychologists in the general mental health care and the contributions made by the profession in a wide range of public and private health care settings. Ancient Indian systems of Medicine, mental health care and psychotherapy in India, and training-related and organizational issues are discussed. This paper reflects on the growth and development of clinical psychology that has occurred in India in spite of current difficulties and the challenges that lie ahead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]