Health Issues and Psychological Dispositions: Some Highlights and Explanations

Human beings are complex systems and their illness may be caused by a multitude of factors, as just not a single factor such as a virus or bacterium. Health has to be seen not only from the medical model but must include the significant and integral aspects of human psychology. We cannot treat the mind and body as two entities. There is an assumption that 50 percent of mortality from the ten leading causes of death can be ascribed to behaviour. If this is so, then behaviour and lifestyle have a potentially major effect on longevity. Health psychology attempts to move away from a simple linear model of health and examines the combination of factors involved in illness – biological (e.g. a virus), psychological (e.g. behaviours, beliefs) and social (e.g. employment, socio-economic status, etc.). The biopsychosocial model of health and illness that was developed by Engel (1977, 1980) asserts and establishes this understanding. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.387397

Deconstructing Gender Stereotypes in ‘Mardaani’ – A Film from Bollywood

In the present paper, the authors analyze gender stereotypes in the Bollywood film Mardaani. It is argued that in Mardaani, Rani Mukherjee’s character is a representation of the ‘rarest of the rare’; hence she cannot be considered to be a role model for the typical Indian woman. While the film claims to show women empowerment; (a casual first watch may show that) however there are some intelligence and competence parameter stereotypes that fall short. The authors examine them through Rudman and Glick’s ‘theory of backlash’ which states that women are discriminated against because they lack typical male virtues of logic, assertiveness, etc. On the other hand, women who display male traits are not considered communal enough. But in this film, in spite of Shivani (Rani Mukherjee’s character) displaying male traits, she is discriminated against. The authors also look at how identity is constructed specifically for males and females. Male identity is constructed on prized power while the formation of the self is based on meaningless power. Our question is: Do women have to adopt an artificial image so that their identity becomes powerful enough? DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.358407

Health Issues and Psychological Dispositions: Some Highlights and Explanations

Human beings are complex systems and their illness may be caused by a multitude of factors, as just not a single factor such as a virus or bacterium. Health has to be seen not only from the medical model but must include the significant and integral aspects of human psychology. We cannot treat the mind and body as two entities. There is an assumption that 50 percent of mortality from the ten leading causes of death can be ascribed to behaviour. If this is so, then behaviour and lifestyle have a potentially major effect on longevity. Health psychology attempts to move away from a simple linear model of health and examines the combination of factors involved in illness – biological (e.g. a virus), psychological (e.g. behaviours, beliefs) and social (e.g. employment, socio-economic status, etc.). The biopsychosocial model of health and illness that was developed by Engel (1977, 1980) asserts and establishes this understanding. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.387397

Denial and Negative Policing of Same-Sex Intimacy and Existence

Framing of same-sex intimacy as a perversion that flies in the face of religious morality still features prominently within a contemporary homophobic discourse which reinforces the fear and prejudice that encourages homophobia and the victimization of (Muholi, Zanele, 2009) homophobia is not only publicly approved by society, but relies on unsubstantiated claims of a superficial and negatively imposed homosexual identity, contradictory ideas on morality, and the use of outdated laws. (Thabo Msiibi, 2014 a, b) This is the faÇade that conceals neo-conservatism and a resurgence of patriarchy, coated in the constructs of religion, nationalism, and law and emphasizes the rhetoric that promotes patriarchal conceptions of masculinity and enhances the conservative attitudes toward sexuality. This reinforces homophobic attitudes, encouraging the policing and oppression of already marginalized sexual identities that have traditionally been shrouded in secrecy. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.359230

Tokenism at Workplace: Numbers and beyond

The present research work intended to study the effect of Gender, Occupational gender type and proportional numerical strength on Work Alienation. According to Tokenism theor

Role of optimism in attitude towards self

Optimism has proven to be an effective coping and recovery tool in many situations. The review suggests a wide variety in the revealed predominance of psychiatric morbidity and behavioural issues in Indian adolescents. Will optimism be regulative in the self-punitive attitudes of depressed adolescents? Self-punitive attitudes involve- holding overly high standards, being self-critical at any failure to perform well, and generalizing from a single failure to a broader sense of self-worth, which is usually characteristic of depressed people. The current study aims to understand the role of optimism in the Indian urban older adolescents’ attitudes towards self. A sample of one hundred and ninety-two older adolescents (50% males and 50% females) aged between fifteen to nineteen years residing in the Noida region of NCR Delhi, was taken for this study. Results revealed that optimism has a significant negative association with self-criticism and generalization. Furthermore, maximum likelihood estimates indicated that optimism significantly predicts self-criticism and generalization. Although no significant effect or association was observed on high standards, optimism may play a vital role in preventing adolescents’ cognitive contaminants of depression

Deconstructing Gender Stereotypes in ‘Mardaani' – a Film From Bollywood

In the present paper, the authors analyze gender stereotypes in the Bollywood film Mardaani. It is argued that in Mardaani, Rani Mukherjee's character is a representation of the ‘rarest of the rare'; hence she cannot be considered to be a role model for the typical Indian woman. While the film claims to show women empowerment; (a casual first watch may show that) however there are some intelligence and competence parameter stereotypes that fall short. The authors examine them through Rudman and Glick's ‘theory of backlash' which states that women are discriminated against because they lack typical male virtues of logic, assertiveness, etc. On the other hand, women who display male traits are not considered communal enough. But in this film, in spite of Shivani (Rani Mukherjee's character) displaying male traits, she is discriminated against. The authors also look at how identity is constructed specifically for males and females. Male identity is constructed on prized power while the formation of the self is based on meaningless power. Our question is: Do women have to adopt an artificial image so that their identity becomes powerful enough? DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.358407

Review-Contemporary Progresses in Carbon-Based Electrode Material in Li-S Batteries

Lithium-sulfur batteries are among the rising rechargeable batteries due to their high energy density, theoretical capacity, and low cost. However, their large-scale application is delayed by several challenges, such as degradation due to polysulfide dissolution, low conductivity, and other restricting factors. Li-S batteries have undergone decades of development aimed at improving battery performance by altering the electrode material to overcome these challenges. In the meantime, due to the depletion of fossil fuels and growing energy demand, the need for changes in processes to improve battery performance is now more urgent than ever. Carbon-based materials like conducting polymers, carbon nanotubes, Graphene, and activated Carbon have gained extensive attention due to their low cost, easy availability, good cycling stability, and exceptional electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties. Here, we summarize recent progress in carbon-based electrode material in Li-S batteries, the development of electrolytes, and progress in adopting lithium-sulfur batteries as flexible devices. Furthermore, a comparison of Li-S batteries based on similar parameters with its rechargeable battery competitors is discussed and a comparison with other non-carbon-based electrodes used in the lithium-sulfur battery is also examined. Finally, a general conclusion and future directions are given