Indian Journal of Positive Psychology

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Critical Consciousness and Psychological Well-Being among Youth in India


Affiliations
1 Department of Psychology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
2 KIMS Hospital, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
3 Gulf Technical Services, Doha, Qatar
4 Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, New Delhi, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


Critical consciousness (CC) is the ability to perceive social, political, and economic oppression in the society and includes taking action against the oppressive elements of society. CC has been mainly explored in the western cultures. CC has not been studied in the Asian culture which is distinctly different from the western culture in several ways including the presence of social hierarchy that are firmly laid down. The present study examines the relationship between critical consciousness and psychological well-being measures like alienation, self-efficacy, and life satisfaction among youth in India. It was hypothesized that a higher level of critical consciousness would be related to higher levels of well-being. This was tested on a sample of 345 (Males=164) students in the age group 17 to 26 years. Participants completed self-report measures of critical consciousness, alienation, self-efficacy and life satisfaction. Critical consciousness was assessed in terms of two factors pertaining to critical reflection, namely, perceived inequality and egalitarianism, and one factor relating to critical action, namely, socio-political participation. Females were higher on egalitarianism and lower on socio-political participation compared to males. Significant differences between communities on perceived inequality was found: MBC group was higher on perceived inequality compared to OC and BC group. The different groups on religion do not differ from each other on critical consciousness. Egalitarianism was negatively correlated with both perceived inequality and sociopolitical participation. All three dimensions of critical consciousness predicted alienation. Perceived inequality and socio-political participation positively predicted alienation while egalitarianism negatively predicted alienation. Egalitarianism positively predicted both self-efficacy and life satisfaction. The findings point towards a need to reexamine the meaning of critical consciousness with special reference to the cultural context.

Keywords

Critical Consciousness, Alienation, Self-Efficacy, Life Satisfaction, Well-Being.
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • Adams, J.S. (1963). Toward an understanding of inequity. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 67, 422-436.

  • Almond, G.A., & Verba, S. (1963). The civic culture: Political attitudes and democracy in five nations. NJ: Princeton Univ. Press.

  • Bosley, L.E. (2015). The relationship between critical consciousness and subjective well-being (Honors thesis). University of Akron, Ohio.

  • Cabrera, N., Milem, J., Jaquette, O., & Marx, R. (2014). Missing the (student achievement) forest for all the (political) trees: Empiricism and the Mexican-American studies controversy in Tucson. American Educational Research Journal, 51(6), 1084-1118.

  • Cammarota, J. (2007). A social justice approach to achievement: Guiding Latina/o students toward educational attainment with a challenging, socially relevant curriculum. Equity and Excellence in Education, 40(1), 87-96.

  • Carlson, E.D., Engbretson, J., & Chamberlain, R.M. (2006). Photovoice as a social process of critical consciousness. Qualitative Health Research, 16(6), 836-852.

  • Carter, D.J. (2008). Cultivating a critical race consciousness for African-American school success. Educational Foundations, 22(1-2), 11-28.

  • Carter, R.T., & Cook, D.A. (1992). A culturally relevant perspective for understanding the career paths of visible racial/ethnic group people. In H.D. Lea and Z.B. Leibowitz (Eds.), Adult career development: Concepts, issues, and practice (pp. 192-217). Alexandria, VA: National Career Development Association.

  • Constantine, M., Erickson, C.D., Banks, R.W., & Timberlake, T.L. (1998). Challenges to the career development of urban racial and ethnic minority youth: Implications for vocational intervention. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 26(2), 82-95.

  • Cross, W. E. (1991). Shades of black: Diversity in African American identity. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.

  • Dee, T. & Penner, E. (2016). The causal effects of cultural relevance: Evidence from an ethnic studies curriculum. CEPA Working Paper No. 16-01. https://cepa.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/wp16-01-v201601.pdf

  • Diemer, M. A. (2009). Pathways to occupational attainment among poor youth of color: The role of sociopolitical development. The Counseling Psychologist, 37, 6-35.

  • Diemer, M. A., & Blustein, D. L. (2006). Critical consciousness and career development among urban youth. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 68(2), 220-232.

  • Diemer, M.A., Rapa, L.J., Park, C.J., & Perry, J.C. (2014). Development and validation of the critical consciousness scale. Youth and Society, 49(4), 461-483.

  • Diemer, M.A., Rapa, L.J., Voight, A.M., & McWhirter, E.H. (2016). Critical consciousness: A developmental approach to addressing marginalization and oppression. Child Development Perspectives, 10(4), 216-221.

  • Diemer, M. A., & Hsieh, C. (2008). Sociopolitical development and vocational expectations among lower socioeconomic status adolescents of color. The Career Development Quarterly, 56, 257-267. doi:10.1002/j.2161-0045.2008.tb00040.x

  • Elmore, J.M. (2014). Exclusion, alienation and the sectarian mind: Critical education versus dogmatic training. Power and Education, 6(1), 73-83.

  • Freire, P. (1973). Education for critical consciousness. New York: Continuum.

  • Freire, P. (2005). The banking concept of education. In D. Bartholomae (Ed.), Ways of reading (7th ed., pp. 255-267). New York: St. Martin Press.

  • Frymer, B. (2005). Freire, alienation, and contemporary youth: Toward pedagogy of everyday life. Interactions: UCLA Journal of Education and Information Studies, 1(2), 116.

  • Helms, J. E. (1995). An update of Helm's white and people of color racial identity models. In J.G. Ponterotto, J.M. Casas, L.A. Suzuki, and C.M. Alexander (Eds), Handbook of multicultural counseling (pp. 181-198). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

  • Hofstede, G. (2011). Dimensionalizing cultures: The Hofstede model in context. Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, 2, Issue 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.9707/2307-0919.1014.

  • Huebner, E. S. (1991). Initial development of the students life satisfaction scale. School Psychology International, 12, 231-243.

  • Iskender, M. (2009). The relationship between self-compassion, self-efficacy, and control belief about learning in Turkish university students. Social Behavior and Personality, 37(5), 711-720. doi:10.2224/sbp.2009.37.5.711.

  • Kozol, J. (1991). Savage inequalities: Children in America's schools. New York: Harper Perennial.

  • Luter, D.G., Mitchell, A.M., & Taylor, H.L. (2017). Critical consciousness and schooling: The impact of the community as a classroom program on academic indicators. Education Sciences, 7, Issue 25. doi:10.3390/educsci7010025

  • Martin, J. (2008). Pedagogy of the alienated: Can Freirian teaching reach working-class students? Equity and Excellence in Education, 41(1), 31-44.

  • McClosky, H., & Dahlgren, H.E. (1959). Primary group influence on party loyalty. American Political Science Review, 53(3), 757-776.

  • McDonough, K.A. (2015). Performing critical consciousness in teaching: Entanglements of knowing, feeling and relating. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

  • McLoyd, V.C. (1998). Socioeconomic disadvantage and child development. American Psychologist, 53(2), 185-204.

  • McGirr, S., & Sullivan, C.M. (2016). Critical consciousness raising as an element of empowering practice with survivors of domestic violence. Journal of Social Service Research, 43, Issue 2. DOI: 10.1080/01488376.2016.1212777.

  • McInerney, P., Smyth, J., & Down, B. (2011). Coming to a place near you? The politics and possibilities of a critical pedagogy of place based education. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 39(1), 3-16.

  • McWhirter, E.H., & McWhirter, B. T. (2015). Developing a measure of Latina/o adolescent critical consciousness. Journal of Career Assessment, 26, Issue 3. doi: 10.1177/1069072715599535.

  • Morrell, M. E. (2003). Survey and experimental evidence for a reliable and valid measure of internal political efficacy. Public Opinion Quarterly, 67, 589-602.

  • Mustakova-Possardt, E. (1998). Critical consciousness: An alternative pathway for positive personal and social development. Journal of Adult Development, 5(1), 13-30.

  • Mustakova-Possardt, E. (2004). Education for critical moral consciousness. Journal of Moral Education, 33(3), 245-269.

  • Prilleltensky, I. (1994). The morals and politics of psychology: Psychological discourse and the status quo. Albany, NY: State University of New York.

  • Schwarzer, R., & Jerusalem, M. (1995). Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale. In J. Weinman, S. Wright, and M. Johnston (Eds.), Measures in health psychology: A user's portfolio, causal and control beliefs (pp. 35- 37). Windsor, England: NFER-NELSON.

  • Seeman, M. (1959). On the meaning of alienation. American Sociological Review, 24(6),783-791.

  • Sharma, R.R. (1988). Manual for Student Alienation Scale. Agra: National Psychological Corporation.

  • Shor, I. (1992). Empowering education: Critical teaching for social change. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

  • Shor, I., & Freire, P. (1987). Critical teaching and everyday life. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

  • Souza, L.K., & Hutz, C.S. (2016). Self-compassion in relation to self-esteem, self-efficacy and demographical aspects. Paidéia, 26(64), 181-188.

  • St.Charles, L. (2010). Mindfulness, self-compassion, self-efficacy, and locus of control: Examining relationships between four distinct but theoretically related concepts (Master's thesis). Pacific University. Retrieved from h p://commons.paci cu.edu/spp/171.

  • Thomas, A.J., Barrie, R., Brunner, J., Clawson, A., Hewitt, A., Jeremie-Brink, G., & Rowe, J.M. (2014). Assessing critical consciousness in youth and young adults. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 24(3), 485-496. doi: 10.1111/jora.12132.

  • Triandis, H.C., & Suh, E.M. (2002). Cultural influences on personality. Annual Review of Psychology, 53, 133-60.

  • Watts, R. J., Griffith, D. M., & Abdul-Adil, J. (1999). Sociopolitical development as an antidote for oppression theory and action. American Journal of Community Psychology, 27(2), 255-271.

  • Watts, R.J., Abdul-Adil, J.K., & Pratt, T. (2002). Enhancing critical consciousness in young African American men: A psychoeducational approach. Psychology of Men and Masculinity, 3(1), 41-50. doi: 10.1037//1524-9220.3.1.41.

  • Watts, R.J., Diemer, M.A., & Voight, A.M. (2011). Critical consciousness: Current status and future directions. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 134, 43-57.

  • Wilson, W.J. (1996). When work disappears: The world of the new urban poor. New York: Vintage.

  • Zimbardo, P. G., & Leippe, M. (1991). The psychology of attitude change and social influence. New York: McGraw-Hill.


Abstract Views: 348

PDF Views: 0




  • Critical Consciousness and Psychological Well-Being among Youth in India

Abstract Views: 348  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

Narayanan Annalakshmi
Department of Psychology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
Krishnan Rakhi
KIMS Hospital, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
K. J. Jothish
Gulf Technical Services, Doha, Qatar
Murugesan Venkatesan
Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, New Delhi, India

Abstract


Critical consciousness (CC) is the ability to perceive social, political, and economic oppression in the society and includes taking action against the oppressive elements of society. CC has been mainly explored in the western cultures. CC has not been studied in the Asian culture which is distinctly different from the western culture in several ways including the presence of social hierarchy that are firmly laid down. The present study examines the relationship between critical consciousness and psychological well-being measures like alienation, self-efficacy, and life satisfaction among youth in India. It was hypothesized that a higher level of critical consciousness would be related to higher levels of well-being. This was tested on a sample of 345 (Males=164) students in the age group 17 to 26 years. Participants completed self-report measures of critical consciousness, alienation, self-efficacy and life satisfaction. Critical consciousness was assessed in terms of two factors pertaining to critical reflection, namely, perceived inequality and egalitarianism, and one factor relating to critical action, namely, socio-political participation. Females were higher on egalitarianism and lower on socio-political participation compared to males. Significant differences between communities on perceived inequality was found: MBC group was higher on perceived inequality compared to OC and BC group. The different groups on religion do not differ from each other on critical consciousness. Egalitarianism was negatively correlated with both perceived inequality and sociopolitical participation. All three dimensions of critical consciousness predicted alienation. Perceived inequality and socio-political participation positively predicted alienation while egalitarianism negatively predicted alienation. Egalitarianism positively predicted both self-efficacy and life satisfaction. The findings point towards a need to reexamine the meaning of critical consciousness with special reference to the cultural context.

Keywords


Critical Consciousness, Alienation, Self-Efficacy, Life Satisfaction, Well-Being.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.15614/ijpp%2F2018%2Fv9i1%2F173699