The Socio-Psychological confrontation of the Adolescents on the Impact of the Family towards Religious Practices in Tamil Culture, South India, Comparing with the Tamil Immigrants in Palermo, South Italy

Summary: The psychological conflict faced by the Adolescents in confronting Family and religious practices and individual autonomy is a complex issue. This reality exists in all social contexts. One of such ancient context is called Tamil Culture, in the southern part of India. Our research is focused on Adolescents of this ancient Tamil Cultural Context. Thus the aim of this thesis is to understand the psyche of the Adolescents of Tamil culture, in South India, comparing with Tamil immigrants from Sri Lanka living in Palermo, South Italy. We verify 3 hypotheses with the help of 4 tools, gathering data from 225 adolescents from Rural, Urban and Immigrant situation. We base this study on (i) Situated Learning Theory (Jean Lave, 1999, p.29). (ii). Moderating effect of Social Forces Theory (Lonnquist et al, 2006, p.47). (iii). Theory of Concepts of Belief (Bilsky & Schwartz 1992, p.45). The data analysis and the discussions not only unveils the truth of the hypothesis but closely open up many new vistas of the adolescents’ psychological and deep rooted culturally implanted phenomena of family and religious practices. On conclusion we propose the following: a) Assurance of healthy educative ambient in all sectors of the society ...etc... , etc... b) An inter-related approach to character formation ...etc..., etc. And c) there is a serious call to review the situation of the immigrants to implement a fair and just legal rights and security for the adolescents and the family, to secure psychological integrity.