Sharma, Ankita

Purpose: This study examines information processing during consumer decision making on online platforms as influenced by gender differences and psychological tendencies. Further exploration is ‘how much information is too much information; leading to infobesity.’ Methodology: The methodology to address the objective included the questionnaires for assessment of psychological tendencies and naturalistic experiments to measure decision making in online conditions. An online marketplace prototype was created for mobile purchase, named ‘mobile bazaar,’ and another for hotel booking, named ‘backpackers.’ The prototype was designed in such a way that the manipulation of information presented to the participant is possible. Participants were recruited with purposive and snowball sampling method depending upon their willingness and familiarity with online market platforms. Final data were collected from Three hundred sixty-eight participants during the period of October 2017-March 2018. The data from questionnaires and the computerized task was scored and analyzed with SPSS version 21 with t-test, chi-square and logistic regression analysis methods. Main findings: The present study shows the influence of psychological tendencies (i.e., need for closure, exploratory tendencies, and uncertainty avoidance) and gender difference in decision making. Female seems to follow ‘process less to process better’ strategy, whereas, men seem to follow ‘process more to get better’ strategy. The findings also provided input to the debate of information measurement in consumer research. Implications: Understanding decision making features of Indian consumers can not only contribute to the understanding of the naturalistic decision-making process itself but also can provide inputs to the market researchers, designers, and policymakers. Novelty /originality of the study: The study was novel in terms of its use of the online marketplace prototype as a naturalistic decision making study method. This method allowed the researchers to examine participants' behavior (of information processing and decision making) in real like scenarios and yet had the luxury of manipulation of presenting information as per research design. Therefore the findings of present study will have more generalizability.

Mental health is as essential as physical health for law enforcement officers to protect our country and communities. Law enforcement professionals frequently encounter stressors that can lead to maladaptive coping strategies and contribute to elevated levels of stress, anxiety, and depression (SAD). This study aimed to evaluate the emotional competency and coping mechanisms utilized by police officers and their impact on psychosocial challenges within the force. Additionally, the research sought to determine the prevalence and influence of stress, anxiety, and depression (SAD) among Rajasthani police officers. A total of 689 officers participated in the survey. After data cleaning, 681 responses were considered complete and suitable for analysis. The findings reveal a concerning prevalence of anxiety, depression, and stress among police officers, exacerbated by their use of maladaptive coping mechanisms to navigate these challenges. The study emphasizes the importance of prioritizing the psychological health of law enforcement professionals. It advocates for interventions designed to reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression (SAD) and encourages police officers to adopt healthier coping mechanisms. The use of emotional coping techniques has been shown to significantly reduce SAD among police officers. These findings underscore the need to address emotional competence as a fundamental component of police officer training and support systems. By equipping law enforcement professionals with the necessary skills to navigate stressors and build resilience, organizations can promote the psychological well-being of officers and enhance overall job performance and satisfaction. This study emphasizes the imperative of investing in the mental health of law enforcement officers and calls for concerted efforts to bolster their overall well-being and optimize their performance in safeguarding communities.

Negotiation is a fundamental part of daily life, serving as a key tool for achieving success across various domains. This study shifts the focus from merely successful negotiation to the concept of "wise negotiation.’ Central to this exploration is the investigation of gender differences in both the practice and conceptualization of wise negotiation. This study's novelty lies in distinguishing wise negotiation from traditional notions of success, revealing nuanced gender-specific approaches within a specialized cohort of recognized negotiators. Using a mixed-method research design, the study gathered implicit and explicit data from 20 women and 31 men, all recognized by peers for their qualities as wise negotiators. Data collection included interviews, negotiation tasks, and questionnaires, analyzed through both qualitative and quantitative methods. Findings revealed distinct gendered perspectives on wise negotiation. Implicit data showed that women often approached wise negotiation as a relational and holistic endeavor, prioritizing the well-being of all parties. Men, however, tended to adopt a more pragmatic view, focusing on efficiency and practical outcomes. Explicit data from questionnaires further highlighted gender disparities. A Mann-Whitney U test identified significant differences in wisdom-related variables, such as openness, emotionality, adaptive performance through training and learning, and emotional management. Notably, no gender differences emerged in a negotiation simulation task. Examining gendered views of negotiation is particularly critical because gender shapes interpersonal dynamics, communication styles, and decision-making processes more profoundly than many other demographic variables. Understanding these differences is essential for developing inclusive strategies that transcend stereotypes, ensuring equitable participation and outcomes. Women emphasized relational dynamics, while men leaned toward practicalities, suggesting a divergence from traditional gender roles. These insights can inform the development of gender-inclusive policies and training programs that cultivate wisdom in negotiation, fostering a balanced and equitable approach across diverse contexts. This focus on gendered nuances enriches our understanding of wise negotiation and its potential applications.

Ankita Sharma and Abhishek Sharma explore the nexus of the Hindi language culture with the Bhagavad Gita and other Indian religious scriptures, as well as its manifestation in different Indian wise leadership case studies. In general, global leaders need to be aware that Hindi is an important part of a diverse array of Indian languages. Two research methodologies, an AI-driven word search technique and a collection of interviews with Hindi-speaking individuals, were used by the authors to gather data about its implicit dimensions underlying wisdom. The study revealed an array of difficult to translate terms, for example: Gyan-Vigyan-Pragyan (knowledge-science-wisdom), appropriate application of knowledge, and dharma for right thought and right action. These concepts relate to wise leadership dimensions such as logic, aesthetics, and ethics. Hindi leadership wisdom-in-practice illustrates how these ideas are enacted in decision making and problem solving with a focus on establishing multiple norms and standards for flexibility to adapt to different circumstances. In sum, the approach is anchored in diversity to provide for flexibility of the mind which in turn enables many Indians to be effective global leaders.

Several psychological theories and models of wisdom have been developed. Despite converging trend from different theories and models in the understanding of wisdom, intervention plans or attempts to facilitate wisdom have been meager. In this study, different components of the MORE Life Experience Model of Wisdom were taken as intervention targets, and these components were targeted through mindfulness training, journal writing, narrative simulation, and case discussion on leadership virtues. The basic purpose was to seek the answer for the possibility of development of wisdom in individuals by testing MORE model and we plan to answer this by fulfilling two aims: first, to find empirical support for the MORE life experience model, we wanted to see whether MORE components predict participants’ self-rated wisdom scores; and second, to use this model as an intervention tool to foster wisdom. Intervention, lasted for 18 weeks, was done among 160 students (age range 19–22 years) enrolled for “leadership” course. Complete data were obtained from 108 participants. Result suggests Habitual Action (β = 0.24, p < 0.05), Personal Mastery (β = 0.24, p < 0.05), and Suppression (β = 0.20, p < 0.05) predicted Cognitive Wisdom; Personal Mastery (β = 0.34, p < 0.001; β = 0.43, p < 0.01) and Mindfulness (β = 0.23, p < 0.05; β = 0.26, p < 0.05) predicted Affective and Reflective Wisdom; and composite wisdom was predicted by Mindfulness (β = 0.33, p < 0.001) and Reappraisal (β = 0.24, p < 0.01). After intervention there were changes in Suppression (d = 0.34) and Habitual Action (d = 0.26). The study concluded with an affirmation to the conviction that wisdom may be amenable to the intervention.

Wisdom in negotiation is increasingly vital in managing conflicts, yet its behavioural expression remains underexplored. This study explores the behavioural signatures of individuals nominated as wise negotiators within an organisational context. There were 48 participants recruited as wise negotiators from a larger pool of 313 participants. There were three manipulations used: archetypes (personality), reciprocity style, and emotionality, resulting in a 4X3X2 design (24 conditions). Participants were also asked to fill out various wisdom related questionnaires. Each participant had to go through 24 conditions separately before playing an investment game each time. For the analysis purpose, three-way repeated ANOVA and three-way repeated ANCOVA were used. The results revealed that there was a difference in how wise negotiators negotiate differently with different archetypes (p < 0.01), reciprocity (p < 0.01) and emotional situations (p < 0.01). Additionally, there were also interaction effects of archetypes, reciprocity and emotional situations (p < 0.05). Notably, when wisdom variables were statistically controlled, these differences became nonsignificant. A supplementary 2 × 2 design explored gender interactions, showing that outcomes differed by opponents’ gender but not by the gender of the wise negotiator. This finding highlights the role of wisdom traits in strategic negotiation and has implications for training and selection in a high-stakes negotiation context. © 2025 by the authors.