CH14PTER I

ZNTROD UCTION

- Need and Significance of the Study

- Objectives

- Null Hypotheses

- Scheme of the Study

CHAPTER I

1NTRODUCTION

Human resourcx IS the most valued and the most important gifts of man.

Education as a social process has formed a continuum and a basis for the development of

human resource. Knowledge nlslkes individual perspicacious and powerful and capable of

making use of his potentla1 fherefore, students are the most important persons for any

nation.

Students are th~e brain of a nation Student life is the most inspiring period in

one's lifc. At the same t1111e 11 1:; a difficult phase also. Students, especially adolescents are

emotionally unstable and panlc Instability and fluctuations are characteristic of this age

group. Hall ( I 904) describes this period as a period of "Stress and Storm".

This is the period dui-ing which a young person must establish a sense of

individual identity, feelings and self-concept. which includes alterations of his or her body

image, adaptations for nlore behavioural maturity, internalization of a personal value

system and preparation for adult roles.

The students need special understanding and help at this age. Because of the

vulnerability of this period thert: is great possibility for injury and rejection. Many of them,

during this period of llf'e, experience deep periods of frustration, separation and loneliness.

The forward movement of life usually carries along into greater maturity, but the scars that

may be lefi on life during this period can be deep and many have a long lasting effect on

their relationship with others and on their personality in general.

American's research on puberty and its impact have become increasingly

sophisticated over the past two decades. Todaj social and biological scientists are looking

more closely at the processes that underlie the psycho-social consequences of biological

development. Research on puberty is beginning to bridge the gap between biology,

psychology and sociology (Steinlberg, 1989). Research expects to find more longitudinal

studies of physical development, more studies of hormonal fluctuations and their influence

on adolescent behaviour, and more studies of how contextual variations can shape the

meaning of puberty and its lmpacl. on the developing person.

It has been well und~erstood that the purpose of education is to create and

develop rich and many-sided personalities. Education gives the child enough truth to free

himself from superstitions and to be able to go through life with an open mind. In order to

be called educated, a man ]nust be able to appreciate the achievements of the human race

in government. in industry, In literature, in art and social living and also move with ease in

the fields of sciences and humanities (John, 1997).

The great teacher arid thinker, Mahatma Gandhi strongly believed that the

objectives of education are to inculcate self-reliance, constructive skill and practical

knowledge among students.

The aim of etlucation must be therefore to increase each individual's

possibilities of' expressing himsclf or herself on the intellectual, emotional, social and

professional plans, as well as in relationships between the sexes, between parents and

children, and so forth. Thert: are countless situations in which people may succeed or fail,

but the itliportant thing is that the:y :should have a positive approach to these situations, that

they should be vigilant and c~nquiring, not just passive observers.

Thus, all systems of organized education presume social understanding of the

goals and means of education. In most of the western countries, these social understanding

are incorporated into curriculun~ control structures, which use the textbooks as vehicles for

making such expectations explicit. 'The concern of such system centers on the enactment of

conventional educational interaci.ions rather than the self-conscious search for materials,

which can support education as an abstract goal. Thus children in advanced countries are

trained to i~sk basic questions about the meanings that textbooks might embody.

But the scenario in lnosl of the South East Asian countries is entirely different.

Education in these countrit:~ has' not been able to bridge the gap between the textbook

knowledge and the student's ability to transfer the knowledge into practical life. Thus,

education has not been able to institutionalise a set of powerful starting points for the

sustained consideration of the basic issues associated with textbook use and development.

These countries have, in fact, failed to meet the major goals of education. Although many

of these countries have the credit of having vast educational systems, they have not been

successful in helping students to develop lively and enquiring minds to give them the

ability to question and to argue rationally and apply themselves to tasks. These countries

have also failed to provide their students with adequate knowledge about human

achievements and aspirations in the arts, science, and religion and have failed to help them

in the search for a more just soclal order.

It is a fBct that the higher education systems in most of the backward countries

are still keeping the trainlng of human resources and personality development in the

periphery of their education system.

The social and psychological backwardness prevailing in the education systems

of the South East Asian countries undoubtedly need scientific probing. It was felt that it

would be interesting to make a cross-cultural comparison within Asian countries itself.

This is possible because there is wide variation, within culture a common bilingualism and

trilingualksm, a wide rangt: of socio-economic levels among the Asian countries and also

economic: and soc:ial environments where similar ethnic groups live. Moreover, a natural

system of education exists, which provide a common basis for education in almost all the

Asian countries.

The present research cvas undertaken with the aim of studying the social and

psychological components involved in the Education systems of South Thailand and Kerala;

A South Indian state of India. was selected in order to facilitate a cross-cultural comparison.

South Thailand is one of the fivle regions of Thailand that has very many similarities as that

of Kerala. Both in Kerala arid South Thailand cultural and social diversities are all

prevailing, yet a harmonious balance permeates throughout the social fabric.

In terms of education, both South Thailand and Kerala have made significant

contribut~ons to transmission of knowledge and inquiry into frontiers of Science and Technology.

Higher Education centers and universities in both these places have been playing leading roles to

transform there states into modern, industrially imd technologically advanced states.

As far the State oi' Kcrala is concerned, it is said that if the education of people

is to be judged by the percentage of literacy, or by the number of pupils in the schools or

by the number of graduates sent out from colleges every year, Kerala would get foremost

place in the field of education in India. It has Indeed been holding this place of honour for

long (Pillai, 1971 1. Kerala has been declared a 100 % literate State on 1 sth April 1997.

Among the Thai regions, South Thailand has the credit of having 97 '36 literacy, which is

almost at par with that of Kerala.

In addition to all the above mentioned similarities the food habits, climatic

conditions, standard of living. general attitude, value system and other social and

philosopllical issues are also similar in both these places.

At the sanlc time. tl- ere are a lot of differences between the students of South

Thailand and students of'K.erala Compared lo Kerala, students of south Thailand are much

more free and are more capable olf taking decisions themselves. Girls of South Thailand

enjoy more freedom and si.atus than the girls of Kerala. Universities and colleges of South

Thailand provide students with innumerable opportunities for extra curricular activities and

recreation, which are not eve11 to be dreamt off in Kerala campuses.

Owing to the vast differences and close similarities observed in both these

places, t l~c investigator. felt ~t significant to study the students of South Thailand and make

a co~nparisori of the students of Kerala in relation to some of the selected personality

variables and psychological resources. The study also proposed to compare the students of

South Tl-~ailand and Kcrala alon;,: certain selected demographic variables.

The val-~itble\ \elected for tlic study are Sub-jective Well-Being, Self-

Acceptallce, Affect Intensty, Interpersonal Orientation, Hardiness and Spiritual Health.

All the variables sclected klr the study are variables that are to bc cherished as ingredients

of a student's personality development and are to be treated as part of educational

curriculum. It has been well estab1i:shed that the ultimate aim of education is to ensure the

subjective emotional components of happiness and unhappiness and Subjective-Cognitive

evaluation of life satisfact~on. which is presently defined as "Subjective Well-Being".

Diener et al. (1999) expla~ncd Subjective well-being as a broad category of phenomenon

that includes people's emotional responses, domain satisfaction and global judgments of

life satisfaction.

Other psychological variables included in the study are Self-Acceptance, Affect

Intensity, Interpersonal Oriel~tation, Hardiness ;md Spiritual Health. These variables are to be

considered as important psychological resources, which have to be enriched in student life.

Self-Acceptance. 1s considered to be a characteristic of self actualisation,

optimal functioning and matur~t:y. It is based on self-love, self-esteem and self-respect.

Self-acceptance means acceptance of oneself and respect for others.

Affect Intensity ref-'ers to ~ndividual differences in response intensity to a given

level of emotion-provoking stimulation. Three major factors are postulated to determine

the intensity or magnitude I L ) ~ 2 response (a) the intensity of the stimulius, (b) factors that

affect the background excitability of the nervous system and (c) stable individual

difference in, for example, arousability.

An important aspect of any emotional response is the intensity or magnitude of

the experienced emot~on ( J I \ en lhe same level of emotional stimulation, individuals high

on the Affect intensity ciimi:nsion will exhibit stronger emotional responses, regardless of

the specific emotion e\oked I't~is individual difference dimension of affect intensity is

related to 4pecific personal~tl ch;iracteristicb, has identifiable antecedents, and related to a

broad range of cogni~~ve. al'lclctive, and behavioural consequences. Besides being an

important personality variable. Affect intensity also contributes lo our theoretical

understantling of the relation between personal~ty and emotion.

Interpersonal Orientation exists in the capacity of an incentive. It is a particular

dimension of affiliation mot~vation. The Interpersonal Orientation focuses on four

dimensions, which assunied 1.0 underlie affiliation motivation: social comparison,

emotional support, positive stimulation and attention.

Hardiness is a constellation of personality characteristic that functions as a

resistance resource in the encounter with stressful life events. This personality variable is

conlposed of three basic, ~nterrelated hypothetical elements: commitment, control and

challenge

A number of studies in the last 20 years (Dohrenwend and Dohrenwend 1974;

Gunderson and Rahe, 1974) hd\~e suggested that stressful life events precipitate somatic

and psycl~ological disease!, Kobasa et a1 1 1982) looked at personality variables and

physical exercise in the salile study (and found independent and additive buffering effects

from both in the stressful Iil'e cvents and general illness relationship.

Spiritual Hcalth 1s cons tdered as the need for meaning, purpose and fulfillment

in life, hope/will to live, beliet'and faith.

From the above descxipl.ions, one can see how each of the variables selected for

the study are related to student':; life and what importance has to be given in educational

systenl to enrich these psychological resource:j.

The investigator therefore intends to find out the Subjective well-being and

Psychological Resources of the students of South Thailand and the students of Kerala. The

study also intends to find out wl-lether the students of South Thailand and Kerala differ in

the variables selected bith liarlation in culture.

The study also proposes to find out whether age, sex, family type and course of

study have any bearing on Subjective well-being and Psychological Resources of both

South Thailand and Kerala students.

2. NEED AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The single most important indicator of a country's future may be the state of its

higher education. Nehru (lrancis, 1993) declared in the 60's that if all is well with the

universities, all wlould be well with the nation . .. Only certain universities and colleges

have supported the process of ' development and modernisation with research work and

production of young of' sc~ent~st . The general conditions of universities and colleges is a

matter of a great concern to any nation. (Francis.1993). If students have a high level of

well being and quality of life and are strong master of a branch of knowledge they may

advance and diffuse to make themselves efficient servants of the nation.

South Thailand cornpared to other regions of Thailand has successful statistics

with regard to tht: physical health (of children. But it is surprising to note that though

progressing in many weliire services for children, South Thailand lias not been fully

successful in prornotirig tlae ~nental health of' its students. South Thailand has no doubt

failed to tap the resources of' srudent community fully. Almost similar is the situation in the

state of Kerala. It is the prinie respc)nsibility of'the educational psychologists and education

theorists to focus on what the students can do, what the students think and how learning

and teaching can be updated to international status.

A vast majority of college students around the world consider happiness and

life satisfaction to be extrernely important. Indeed, almost all students believe happiness to

be more important than money (Iliener & Oishi, in press). Subjective well-being is a

rapidly growing research and applied domain in the mental health area.

Most of the adolescents experience adjustment difficulties because they are

unable to establish satisfactory social relationship with teachers and peers. Social

interactions and satisf~ctorq illtc=rpersonal relationships are highly essential for proper

social development and are related to adjustment and well being.

WHO ( 198 1 ) has ernlphasized the importance of the status of mental health in

determining the health status of ' people of a community . . . .. WHO report states "Indicators

of health status including clual~ty of life such as life expectancy, nutritional status,

psychosocial development of chilclren, infant and child mortality rate, morbidity rate;

indicators relating not only to survival but also to psychosocial factors and to mental health

aspects of life."

Strong nl~eoretical ioundation and concrete research findings are needed to plan

and implement progranlnles to improve the present mental health status of students. But

Educational research in Thailand is relatively young. It is essentially a post-independence

phenomenon.. . . . . . It would br correct to say that beyond the portals of a few universities

there was little that could be considered research in education. Perhaps this was so in most

Asian countries. Howehcr the Situation has now changed radically. This is because the

need for research has grown considerably and also because in the allied areas of education

such as sociology, economics, psychology, etc. the frontiers of knowledge have extended

far beyond more speculative work. Moreover, there is an urgent need for research in the

field of education, the findings of which would enable the country to take long-range

policy decisions.

In order to irnprove the educational status of any country, policy makers will

have to probe into the educational policies of other nations too. An understanding of

changes in the attitudes arid policies across culture would throw light into the intricate

issues of different cultures. which would enable the educators to make appropriate reforms.

Diamond (1985) is of the view that there is a need to know more about the ways in which

persons differ from culture to culture . . . ..and more research i,s needed on the

establishment of equivalence measures across cultures.

Cross-cultural comparisons have reemerged as an important quasi experimental

approach to study various psychological phenomena (Berry, Pootinga, Segall and Dasen,

1992; Little, 1996, Little and I opel:, in press; Werner, 1948). Generally speaking, a broad

comparative framework provides an opportunity to go beyond the limited boundaries of

one's society, to expand the range of individual differences, to implicate more factors that

may be involved in producing such differences, and to achieve higher levels of generality

and validity (Baltes, et a1 1077; L,ittle 1996, Poortinga, 1989). Such an approach is of

special importance when adolescent's self-related cognitions are examined. It is the need

of the time to study, the impact of socio-cull.ura1 factors on educational achievement and

personality development. SIudent life, today is characterized by several growing demands

in terms of the need for integration into the surrounding societal, political, and economic

/--- ;' > , structures as well as a g~'neriil striving to adapt to existing enviro &tal conditions i-

h - \ ,

(Harvighurst, 1948).

Personality factors like Subjective Well-Being, Self ~ c c e ~ t a h e , - &j$& ; .-" Intensity, Interpersonal Orientation, Hardiness and Spiritual Health are important

psychological constructs, which determine the student's educational as well as social

adjustments. The study also intends to find out whether the students of South Thailand

differ from students of Kerala in the SWB and Psychological resources selected for the

study. The findings of the study will be of immense help to not only for educational

reformers but also for the national and International health care professionals, policy

makers and researchers in future.

The present study takes into account the maximum number of demographic

factors, which again \vould lielp to throw light into the cultural variations of South

Thailand and Kerala studelits wrth respect to the demographic variables. The findings of

the study will contribute greatly to the theoretical structure of the education system of

Thailand as well as Kerala, for planning and implementing health promotion strategies and

for making policy decisions

The research is designed ultimately to help counselling psychologists and

psychotherapists in future to find answers for some of the universal issues related to

student's niental health.

Although several xtudies have been made on the personality and adjustment of

college students, very fen hti~die:; have been found related to student's subjective well-

being. Studies comparing students of different nations with respect to Subjective Well-

Being and personality variables arc: indeed few The investigator therefore felt that it would

be appropriate to take up a comparative study on the Subjective Well-Being and

Psychological Resources of student:; of Thailand and students of Kerala.

The problem of the study is therefore stated as "SUBJECTIVE WELL-

BEING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL RESOURCES OF STUDENTS OF SOUTH

THAILAND AND KERALA : A CROSS-CULTURAL STUDY"

The following objectives the study are;

1. To study the Subjective well-being of students of South Thailand and Kerala.

2. To study the selected Ps,ychological Resources of students of South Thailand

and Kerala

3. To study the relationship between Subjective well-being and the selected

Psychological Resources of South Thailand and Kerala students.

4. To study the drfferenct: between South Thailand and Kerala students in

Subjective well-being in relation to Demographic variables (age, sex, type of

family).

5 . To study the dlf-'krence between South Thailand and Kerala students in selected

Psychological Resources 111 relation to Demographic variables.

6. 'To study the difference in Subjective well-being of South Thailand and Kerala

students in relation to course of study.

7. 'To study the difii:rence in selected I-'sychological Resources of South Thailand

and Kerala students In relation to course of study.

NULL HYPOTHESES

Based on the objectives the following null hypotheses have been formulated.

1. There will not be significant difference between students of South Thailand and

students of Kerala In Subjective well-being.

2. There will not bc: significant difference between students of South Thailand and

students of Kerala in selected Psycl~ological Resources.

3. There will not be signiiicant con-elations between Subjective well-being and

selected Psychological Resources of students of South Thailand.

4. There will not be significant correlations between Subjective well-being and

selected Psychological Iiesources of students of Kerala.

5. There will not be sign~ficarlt differences between students of South Thailand and

students of Kerala {n Subjective well-being in relation to Demographic

variables.

6. There will not be hignificant differences between South Thailand and Kerala

students in selected Psychological Resources in relation to Demographic

variables.

7. There will not bc significant difference in Subjective well-being betweell

students of South Thailand and students of Kerala in relation to course of study.

8. There will not be significant difference between students of South Thailand and

students of Kerala in Psychological Resources in relation to course of study.

SCHEME OF THE STUDY

The thesis 1s organized under five chapters. The first chapter provides the

introduction. It explains the need and significance, objectives and null

hypotheses etc

The se:cond chapter presents a review of literature in the area of study.

Methodology and detailed information about the sample, tools, statistical

analyses and procedure axe provided in the third chapter.

The results and discussion of the :study are dealt with in the fourth chapter.

The fifth chapter presents the sumn~ary and conclusion.