Individualistic-Collectivistic Orientation and Happy Life of the Kharwar Adivasi Community

Description

Page: 463-466

Madhurima Mukherjee and Purnima Awasthi (Department of Psychology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh)

Following globalization, there has been a rapid spread of Westernized cultural values, ideas, and practices. Cultures are in a state of flux and the indigenous communities are not free from the influences of the outside world. In this research, we investigated how the psychological tendencies of rural Adivasi people might be affected by such socio-cultural changes in a predominantly collectivist nation. A community-based study was carried out with 150 Kharwar Adivasi individuals residing in 10 villages of Naugarh block, Chandauli, Uttar Pradesh. The participants, aged 25-50 years, were given the measures of Individualism-Collectivism Orientations and Happy Life. The results indicated that 59% of the sample had a collectivistic orientation. Individuals having a collectivistic orientation fared better on overall happiness as well as its sub-domains than individuals having an individualistic orientation. It is suggested that even though there is a gradual increase in individualism, for the Adivasi community, happiness is still enhanced by tendencies of interdependence. The findings have important implications for understanding the happiness of the under-researched Adivasi population.