Informatics Publishing Limited

Umesh L. Bharte ¹

Affiliations
1 Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, IN

Abstract

What does the present paper has to offer to the ongoing debate of whether we should have a separate, new positive psychology? The preliminary contribution is three-fold. First, an attempt is made to situate the claim of novelty in the context of endeavours of positive psychologists in providing a kind of history of psychology to justify and serve their own purposes. Second, declaration of positive psychology as representing a paradigm shift is re-examined following Kuhn's philosophical underpinnings. Finally, the questions related to pedagogy, and efforts to institutionalising positive psychology are posited. All of these lines have rarely been taken up in the debate about positive psychology, and when taken not for the concerns emphasised here. It is argued that only after embarking upon the issues raised in the paper, prerequisite to have a separate, new psychology for human strengths and virtues would adequately be evaluated.

Keywords

Positive Psychology, Human Strengths and Virtues, Novelty, Paradigm Shift, Positivity, Negativity

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Umesh L. Bharte ¹, Arvind Kumar Mishra ²

Affiliations
1 Department of Applied Psychology, University of Mumbai, Kalina, Santacruz (East), Mumbai, IN
2 Zakir Husain Centre for Educational Studies, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, IN

Abstract

In view of the gaps identified in the existing literature, the present study specifically aimed at investigating the issues of self and identity, i.e., the ways in which different senses of identity impact upon whether students are willing to go for higher education abroad. It also tries to examine the role of related construct of psychological distance, i.e. the way different events are mentally represented, in shaping mobility preferences. Precisely, the goal was to examine the impact of space dimension of psychological distance and associated construals on framing mobility preferences of Indian students. Accordingly, it was hypothesized that spatial aspect of psychological distance and associated construal levels, activated through different identities-local versus global- would significantly affect mobility preferences (study 1). A covariate, specified in terms of perceived reputation of foreign qualification, was further introduced with a prediction that this variable would significantly influence the student mobility preference (study 2). Two experimental studies supported these basic predictions, highlighting a range of ways that differences in psychological distance are evident in relation to different identities affecting mobility preferences. Findings from these studies tend to support the claim that psychologically distant self (spatially) is construed at a higher level. These higher level self construals, in turn, frame the student mobility preferences. Specifically, the theoretical point being made is that for many Indian students a more abstract construal focuses their attention on the long term, in which long term career prospects become more salient which lead students to prefer going abroad. Second, perceived reputation of foreign qualification influences student mobility intentions independent of identities salient at a given point.

Keywords

Student Mobility, Self and Identity, Psychological Distance, Construal Levels, Development.

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Umesh L. Bharte ¹, Jinal Shah ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Applied Psychology, University of Mumbai, Maharashtra, IN

Abstract

The very interface of economics and psychological science is to amend the neoclassical economic theorizing and to demonstrate the ways individuals make real-life choices. The agenda of behavioral economics, thus, oftentimes goes beyond mere normative standards of economic man to include descriptive and prescriptive canons as well while explaining and predicting human conduct. Nudging people and helping them to make optimal choices has been one of the promising lines of inquiry in recent times. Nudging has been fruitfully employed to make individuals engage in desirable behaviors, physical exercise being one of them, which is otherwise not possible or difficult. Walking, if not physical exercise, proves to be an economically accessible solution for everyone to an array of health issues like cardiovascular diseases or obesity. Building on the previous body of research, the present study aims at examining the effect of nudge on people going for a morning walk in the garden. More precisely, we predicted that nudging would increase the number of rounds an individual takes in the ground. A field experiment with a repeated-measures design is conducted on people living in Mumbai city (N = 38) to test this prediction. Results indicate a significant effect of nudging on the number of rounds taken by people. A discussion of theoretical and practical implications of the study is followed by suggestions for future research.

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