THE JAUNSARI TRIBE OF UTTARAKHAND: INSIGHTS INTO COGNITIVE STYLES AND DOMESTIC SETTINGS

The present study has explored the home environment vis-à-vis cognitive styles of Jaunsari tribal students in Uttarakhand State of India. One of the five indigenous groups in this state, Jaunsari tribe inhabits the areas like Birahi, Kempty, Mussoorie, and Chakrata of Dehradun and Jaunsar-Bawar areas of Uttarkashi district where facilities for educational and socio-economic development are mostly inadequate or not available at all due to poor access to the mainstream.This study, therefore, focuses on understanding how the home settings in these marginalized students create a difference in their cognitive development and reveals that a positive home environment enhances cognitive styles significantly. It was noted that students from supportive homes had innovative, systematic, and field-independent cognitive styles driven internally by an internal locus of control. Contrarily, students from less supportive environments demonstrated lower cognitive adaptability. These findings are supported by formerly published research and a part of a larger body of evidence indicating that home environments are especially influential in the shaping of cognitive development in general, and among marginalized communities in particular.The study also suggests that improving livelihood, education, and health opportunities for tribal populations can foster better home environments and support students cognitive growth. Enhancing these conditions would not only benefit the students personally but also contribute to the social and economic advancement of the marginalized community.