Completed Projects

PROJECTS

At JIBS, our faculty and research fellows undertake a diverse range of inter-disciplinary research with regional and global impact. In addition to our existing partnerships, we are keen to collaborate with interested researchers from JGU and other institutes who align with our research profiles.

Completed Projects

Ongoing Projects

Use of Pre-Menstrual Syndrome as a Defense

There have been several noted cases internationally and at least one in India where the court has had to entertain a defense plea of pre-menstrual syndrome as a mitigation factor for reduced culpability to the crime. Through a study of these cases, we discuss how these cases have considered the plea, and in doing so, legally defined the condition of premenstrual syndrome as a psychological and/or physiological event that affects the defendants. In this paper, we discuss the spectrum of this syndrome and the effects that are scientifically known to be associated with it, and use this to suggest how the mental insanity clause in the Indian Law can be revisited. We also discuss the repercussions of allowing such defenses in court without adequate screening and scrutiny on modern feminism.

Poulomi Bhadra

pbhadra@jgu.edu.in

Admissibility of Scientific Evidences in Indian Courts

Categorizing all kinds of forensic evidences presented in court in the generic terminology of scientific evidence, this paper looks at the discerning process by which the trier of facts arrives at conclusions concerning the material elements of the case, specifically with regards to its inclusion or exclusion. Rule 702 and the Daubert precedence provide some general criteria on accepting scientific evidences/experts in court but a similarly explicit regulation or judgement is starkly missing from the Indian jurisprudence and legislations such as the Indian Evidence Act or Criminal Procedure Code. With rapidly advancing scientific inquiry rendering some of the previously acceptable science obsolete, and producing new sciences for the courts to entertain, the need of the hour is that the ultimate determination to include or exclude any specific scientific evidence or technique should be the product of constant preliminary and informed deliberations.

Poulomi Bhadra

pbhadra@jgu.edu.in

Kanika Agarwal

kaggarwal@jgu.edu.in

Internet Infidelity in the Indian Context

This study provided a coherent and organized view on the reasons behind the act of cheating on primary relationship and investigates distinct rationalization, justification, attribution process behind involvement in Internet Infidelity that will inform both clinicians and researchers in the field. It examined current law of adultery and questions whether law should be expanded to include online infidelity and offered a proposal for legislators & decision makers in Indian context. Finally, the study offered recommendations and directions for the future research on online infidelity, divorce and separation studies in India.

Dr. Sanjeev P. Sahni

drspsahni@jgu.edu.in

Garima Jain

garima2jain@gmail.com

Conflict Management & Conflict Resolution

This study was funded by the Bureau of Police Research and Development, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, and talks about strategies at grass root level (police station) and investigates the following parameters (a) to understand and analyze causes of conflict between the public and the police, (b) recognize ways in which conflict situations are handled at the police station, (c) determine gaps between existing methods versus an ideal way of police resolution of conflict situations (d) develop recommendations for working together as a system.

Dr. Sanjeev P. Sahni

drspsahni@jgu.edu.in

Garima Jain

garima2jain@gmail.com

Euthanasia

The moral and ethical justifiability of euthanasia has been a highly contentious issue for the past few decades. The debate as to whether right to life includes the right to die a dignified death has infiltrated the boundaries of India as well. Growing public sensibility to a ‘right to die’ for terminally ill patients has been one of the main constituents of these debates. Within this context, a study on understanding public opinion is India is conducted by Jindal Institute of Behavioral Sciences. A self-administered survey is formulated.The survey is administered on n= 7314 respondents from almost 15 states in India. The aim of the research is to assess the public attitude in India towards euthanasia, the specific reasons and circumstances for which euthanasia is favored or opposed.

Dr. Sanjeev P. Sahni

drspsahni@jgu.edu.in

Garima Jain

garima2jain@gmail.com

Death Penalty

Owing to the rarest of the rare doctrine for capital punishment in Indian legislation, it seems prerogative to take into consideration the views and opinions of the people pertaining to capital punishment and its practice in any form. The research project is first of its kind where we collected 25210 responses from general population from almost all states and union territories of India. An anonymous self-administered survey was formulated comprising of 15 items and disseminated via online and offline method.The purpose of this study to assess public attitude towards capital punishment, the type of crime and circumstances for which death penalty is favored, the level of support among various sub-population and understanding the reasons, socio-psychological and attitudinal correlates of death penalty in India.

Dr. Sanjeev P. Sahni

drspsahni@jgu.edu.in

Dr. Mohita Junnarkar

mjunnarkar@jgu.edu.in

Garima Jain

garima2jain@gmail.com

Digital Piracy in BRICS and Developed Economies: A Comparative Study of Psychological, Sociological and Cultural Factors

This research project attempted to study the behavioral, cultural and social aspects that factor into digital piracy. As evidenced from the title; psychologists, sociologists and political scientists have studied the rationale and motivations behind digital piracy, mostly in developed economies. Studies show that the act of piracy can be attributed to the way certain cultures view intellectual property (collectivist vs. individualist) and other cultural variables like power distance or masculinity. However, there exists a dearth of such research in developing countries. This project would attempt to look beyond the existing legal structure and at lesser-acknowledged psychological, sociological and cultural factors.

Dr. Sanjeev P. Sahni

drspsahni@jgu.edu.in

Dr. Indranath Gupta

igupta@jgu.edu.in

Garima Jain

garima2jain@gmail.com

Study of Suicide Cases in State Police Personnel

The research was funded by the Bureau of Police Research & Development, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India and focused on the unexplored areas of police suicide in India. In this research, we attempt to identify the causes of suicide cases in police profession in India through statistical data and review of literature and form possible ways to solve this problem. The research project has following objectives: 1) Identifying the factors that led to suicide of police personnel; 2) Identifying the causes of stress amongst the existing State police forces; 3) Identifying and determining the factors which might lead to suicide of police personnel in near future; 4) Providing suggestions and recommendations to prevent the cases of suicide.

Dr. Sanjeev P. Sahni

drspsahni@jgu.edu.in

Victim Assistance Bill

CVPS first project on victim assistance created a thorough review of the existing compensation for crime victims across and support services globally. Constant engagements in meetings and discussions with lawyers, social workers and non-profit organizations have been a part of the research on understanding different perspectives on the need for a victim assistance bill since January 2015-and continued to September 2016.

Dr. Sanjeev P. Sahni

drspsahni@jgu.edu.in

Dr. Manjushree Palit

mpalit@jgu.edu.in

Astha Dhanda

Lacuna in Understanding of Forensic Science Among Lawyers in India

This was a pilot study done to empirically document the existing gap in knowledge and understanding of forensic evidences, procedures and analyses among law professionals involved in criminal case trials. The study undertakes to understand the factors that result in this lacuna and based on that information, conduct further research or training to inform the participating stakeholders of the criminal justice system, where possible.

Poulomi Bhadra

pbhadra@jgu.edu.in

Regulation of Forensic Guidelines in Post-Mortem Examinations in India

The need for a detailed, organized procedure for performing autopsy is important, especially in India since cremation of the deceased bodies is a popular ritual amongst many populations in the country. This means that much of the evidence can be obliterated and the possibility of exhumation for re-testing is annulled. Sadly, the procedure for autopsy remains different and unclear among experts from different States and there aren’t many checks and balances with that respect. The study investigates whether the absence of unanimous standards about post mortem examination may adversely affect the evidences, hence affecting the trial outcome.

Poulomi Bhadra

pbhadra@jgu.edu.in

Eshani Singh

Gender Dimensions of Students’ Socialization in Secondary Schools in India

This qualitative study will investigate the nature and scale of gender stereotypes delivered to students through textbooks and instructors’ behavior and communication. The study will examine how stereotypes are internalized by students of both genders in India. The findings of this study will help in developing gender training for teachers and awareness among school teachers, parents, educators and students to overcome stereotypes.

Dr. Tamara Hovorun

thovorun@jgu.edu.in

Dr. Manjushree Palit

mpalit@jgu.edu.in

Effects of pointing movements on visuospatial working memory in a joint-action condition: Evidence from eye movements

This was a pilot study done to empirically document the existing gap in knowledge and understanding of forensic evidences, procedures and analyses among law professionals involved in criminal case trials. The study undertakes to understand the factors that result in this lacuna and based on that information, conduct further research or training to inform the participating stakeholders of the criminal justice system, where possible.

Dr. Divya Bhatia

dbhatia@jgu.edu.in

Dr. Vincenzo Cestari (Italy)

Dr. Clelia Rossi-Arnaud (Italy)

Investigating the impact of socioeconomic status on cognitive processing, life satisfaction and general health in Indian adults

Despite the fact that almost 7% on Indian population lives below the poverty line, there is no evidence as to how such a social and economic status impacts the way they learn, process and remember information, in short their cognitive processing. The studies from the developed world such as the studies from the United States demonstrate a clear difference in the cognitive processing between the people residing in a lower social and economic status as compared to the people residing in a higher social and economic status. Other strong evidence comes from the field of Neuroscience which shows that not only cognitive processing but also the structure and functions of the brain are also heavily impacted by the socio-economic status. Based on this strong evidence, the current research project aims at investigating the differences in cognitive processing in Indian population living in lower verses higher socio-economic status.

Dr. Divya Bhatia

dbhatia@jgu.edu.in

Assessment of Civilians for Recruitment in the Army

Military personnel faces a multitude of diverse and adverse situations in difficult terrain daily. They are required to perform in extreme environmental conditions and required to maintain their equilibrium. The nature of their work demands a balance between physical, psychological and social wellbeing. Stringent physical parameters are addressed during the recruitment process, however psychological and psychophysiological assessment is in still lagging behind. The current project aims to assess several psycho-physiological variables such as reaction time, neuromuscular coordination, galvanic skin response, heart rate and so on of military personnel. Further, the study aims to validate the existing recruitment processes through psycho-physiological methods.

Dr. Sanjeev P. Sahni

drspsahni@jgu.edu.in

Dr. Mohita Junnarkar

mjunnarkar@jgu.edu.in

Covid-19: Risk-Perception, Vaccination, and Social-distancing.

This empirical study is a cross-cultural study between India and Italy which aims at investigating risk-perception, state of anxiety and willingness to get vaccinated in the current Covid-19 pandemic in two countries. The current study is a collaboration between JIBS and Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.

Dr. Divya Bhatia

dbhatia@jgu.edu.in

Dr. Clelia Rossi-Arnaud (Italy)

Dr. Vincenzo Cestari (Italy)

Global Rise of Authoritarianism During The Pandemic

A study of the global sociopolitical dynamics in the wake of COVID. Beyond the immediate health risks associated with the spread of SARS-CoV-2, its social and political consequences are of great import. Pandemic triggered a global rise of authoritarianism that was characterised by hostility towards social groups and ethnocentrism. Through our proposal that integrates evolutionary forces and the need for survival, we attempt to offer a unique perspective on the sociopolitical dynamics in the wake of the pandemic.

Dr. Neha Khetrapal

nkhetrapal@jgu.edu.in

Celestial Dialogue: Tales from the Sky

Do you seek beauty in thunderbolt, the moon, the Sun, or even the eclipses? Humans have been fascinated by the sky and celestial bodies for a long time. We seek to rekindle the human romance with the skies through this project. As a part of this project, a series of experiments will aim at exploring the celestial stories, myths and rekindle the traditional astronomical knowledge in Indian contemporary society.

Dr. Neha Khetrapal

nkhetrapal@jgu.edu.in

Dr. Divya Bhatia

dbhatia@jgu.edu.in

Emotion Regulation and Ageing: Psychological, Cognitive and Neural Correlates

This narrative study is aimed at understanding the emotion regulation abilities of older adults as well as understanding the psychological, cognitive and neural correlates of ageing

Dr. Divya Bhatia

dbhatia@jgu.edu.in