Study on Impact of Gender on Mood States among the Students of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University

Mood is a type of behavioral action which is not so particular in terms of its specificity, intent, and instantiation. Being mood is a state of temporary in the characteristics such as humor, hunger, thirst or disposition over a particular period of time. Mood is influenced by the needs and situations of an individual during the course of life time. It can be classified in to positive mood and negative mood. Positive mood can be function as a factor of creativity in problem solving and flexible thinking. Besides, it could help the individuals in situations in which heavy thinking is involved. Positive mood facilitates individuals to have expectation positively that too also happened when they encounter untrustworthy source (Ziegler,2010).Regarding negative mood which is a state of mind which affects an individual judgment and perfection of an objects. In such a way the negative mood is associated with depression, anxiety, and poor self-esteem. Apart from this, it disturbs the ability of the perceptual mechanism, thus negative mood is labeled as unconstructive one (Laceulle et al. 2015). Gender influence was found on the factors related to negative mood states. Specifically in the male section they have poor self-perception towards exercise and health status whereas in the female section need of peacefulness and having eating disorders (Monica et al. 2013). In fact, mood is reflecting the characteristics of person the way in which he/she perceives the situations. It remembers the quotes of Swami Vivekananda that we will be of what we presume in life. Hence the way of individual perceptions is one among the deterministic aspect of mood state. Mental agitations begin in the early life having the greater frequency of continuity from pre-adolescent to adolescence. In the stage of adolescence depressive related disorders are more common (Fergusson and Woodward, 2003). In human life mood state is continued in different color with and without understanding the realistic of the situation. In addition to environmental influence, the person heredity and

in the mood state of an individual even the object is same. In the childhood stage, the mood state most probably based on the pleasure principle rather than the realistic whereas, in the adolescent stage though the person having the capability of understanding the realistic, due to the nature of physiological changes takes place in the adolescent stage controlling the mind from the desires is very difficult. According to Kuldip Naiar reputed journalist who stresses that adolescence is the critical stage in human life since this stage shapes the future of individual life. In such a way, the stage of adolescence makes the individual to be a self reliant and taking the decisions individually. In this stage one can have the source to procure the means and methods to fulfill their age related needs and futuristic needs. Such an important stage of adolescence in human life is to be critically analyzed among the student community irrespective of gender. Now a day‘s invariably boys and girls are prone to face the challenges in their life because of ever changing technology and competitive way of life. During the course of their higher studies, sometimes students have to survive very far from their parents and relatives for about a significant period of their life. In this situation, they do not have any drainage to share their issues and challenges other than their friends. Such a aloof state makes the students to derail from the constructive thoughts. Chronic form of this, place them to think the way in which they are. Such a state of mind exist among the student community is a temporary one which can be referred as the mood state. Thus, the mood states of the students have to be taken care of at the stage of adolescence. In this juncture, the investigator has to study the mood state of student community both boys and girls from the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore since they all engaged in the field work which is the part of their course. Tamil Nadu Agricultural University is a pioneer university in the Tamil Nadu state. Being a professional university, students have been admitted into various courses related to agriculture nearly 3000 students consists both men and women. Their nature of the study will be both in theory and practical. Besides their practical nature of work is purely research based one. Thus basically this course is a stress based one since every day they have to study the growth and development of the plants and impacts of soil, water and eco systems. In such a way, since the nature of their course is a cause and effect based one, studying the students‘ mood state would benefit the student community. Based on this the following objectives have been formulated. 1. To study the mood state of both men and women section among the agricultural students. 3. To study the Total Mood Disturbance of both men and women. To achieve the formulated objectives, the means and methods used in the present study are as follows. As samples, students studying in Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 252 from the men section and 538 from the women section totally 790 students have been selected for this study, The selected students were hailed from courses namely Agriculture, Horticulture, Bio-technology, Agriculture Business Management, Bio-Informatics and Agricultural Engineering. Their age was in the range of 18to 21. As the purpose of the study was to test the mood state, the standardized tool of Profile of Mood States (POMS) was employed. Profile of Mood States is a psychological tool developed by McNair, Droppleman, and Lorr (1971) which measures the mood states namely tension, depression, anger, vigor, fatigue and confusion. POMS is a Liket type scale having the reliability (0.96). Thus, the data on mood states namely anger, tension, fatigue, vigor, depression, and confusion have been collected. The collected data on mood states among the samples of both men and women were used data analysis. To test the objectives of testing the influence of gender on mood states, the collected data were tested by Analysis of Variance (One way).Using descriptive statistics, the status of mood states of the samples from men and women was identified. In the present study, to test the results derived on mood states as level of significance 0.05 level was chosen which was considered as sufficient. The results of the study are presented as follows with interpretation.

Results on mood states are presented under the heads of descriptive and inferential aspects. Descriptive statistics explain the status of players on mood states which enable the investigator to identify the nature and infer the results on gender influence. Thus, the results on descriptive statistic on mood state are presented here components wise.

Table 1 explains that the mean and standard deviations of mood states of male and female students of Tamil Nadu agricultural university are: Tension ( male, 24.71±5.21., female, 24.35, ± 5.89), Depression (male, 38.98±9.28., female, (35.35, ± 9.27) Anger (male, 32.34±6.8)., female, (28.02, ± 7.01),Vigor (male, (25.35±5.05., female, 24.69, ± 4.56),Fatigue (male, 19.23±4.24., female, 18.2, ± 4.28)Confusion (male, 19.48±4.56, female, 17.98, ± 4.85), Friendliness (male, 24.71±5.21., female, 24.35, ± 5.89). From the descriptive measures on mood states, it was observed that the mood state on depression (male:64.96%, female: 58.91%) and anger (male: 67.37%, female: 58.35%), and fatigue (male: 60.09%, female: 56.87%) male students were found to be above moderate level when compared to female students whereas in the case of confusion (male: 64.96%, female: 58.91%) female students were found to be above moderate than the male students. Further, the obtained results on vigor the mood state was found to be in the appreciable zone for both male (79.21%) and female (77.15%) students. From the derived results, it was inferred that the male students are somewhat disturbed on the components of tension, depression, anger than the female students. In the case of mood state component of confusion which is one among the components of mood disturbance, female students are higher state of than the male students, which might have been because of their ever long perfection towards the goal in the given task.

Table 2 reveals that the tested results on gender influence on mood states components namely tension, depression, anger, vigor, fatigue and confusion. Thus, the obtained f-ratio for the mood states are: 0.70(tension), 26.35 (depression), 66.37(anger), 3.40(vigor), 9.92(fatigue) and16.91 (confusion). The obtained f-ratio on mood states such as depression (26.35), anger (66.37), fatigue (9.92) fatigue and confusion (16.91) are significant at 0.05 levels other than the mood state of tension. The results of one way analysis of variance explained that significant mean difference was exist on the mood state of depression, anger, fatigue, and confusion between the male and female students. From the results, it was inferred that gender has significant influence on the mood states among the students of Agricultural University.

In testing the influence of gender on mood states among the students of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, the derived results have confirmed the gender influence on mood state components namely tension, depression, anger, fatigue and confusion. From the descriptive measures on mood states, it was observed that the mood state on depression (male: 64.96%, female: 58.91%) and anger (male: 67.37%, female: 58.35%), and fatigue (male: 60.09%, female: 56.87%) male students were found to be above moderate level when compared to female students whereas in the case of confusion (male: 64.96%, female: 58.91%) female students were found to be above moderate than the male students. Further, the obtained results on vigor the mood state was found to be in the appreciable zone for both male (79.21%) and female (77.15%) students. From the derived results, it was inferred that the male students are somewhat disturbed on the mood state components of depression, anger, and fatigue than the female students. In the case of mood

been because of their ever long perfection towards the goal in the given task. The sources for the results on significant influence of gender towards depression, anger, fatigue and confusion are discussed as follows. In the present study, the results from the survey on mood state among the students of agricultural university evidencing the significance of gender influences since in the mood state on depression male students are found to be higher than the female students. Depression is a state in which the individual would loss of interest on things and in low mood state. In fact the state of depression will be from the prolonged state of tension or sadness which is the result of person failure in fulfills his needs or the goal fixed in life. During the course, even failure in their effort, if, they reluctant either to study the ways of change or accommodate the miserable state the mood state of tension continues and bring them to the state of depression. Men tend to have higher score on measures elevated to the level of hostility and impulsive (Feingold,1994) whereas women tend to be score higher on extraversion traits like warmth and positive emotions.(Costa et al. 2001). Depression is characterized by low mood a feeling which would be accompanied with sadness and loss of interest over the objects. Jackson et al.(1995) reported that higher level of depression is closely associated with the feeling of stress which is isolated as a result of holding an elite position. Earlier research findings also suggested that decision making process and expression of emotions in the stage of adolescence would be the sources of the differences exist in the level of depression (Brands and Garofalo, 2012). Such a mood state continues, when the normal life of a person would affect considerably. Thus the person physical and psychomotor ability are highly affected whereby they delay in their decision making because of lethargic character. According to World Health Organization, depression is the most common illness and a leading cause of disability. One among the main cause of depression is environment and psychosocial factors rather than the genetic and biological factors. Moos (1995) substantiated this from his research findings identified that lower socio-economic status is the primary risk for depression. Bafora(1995) stated that by controlling the socio economic status deference between the depressions could be eliminated. In analyzing such a mood state, male students were found to be high markedly when compared to female students on mood state on tension. Studying the nature o tension before analyze the depression is giving clarity on the functional association exist between the tension and depression. Tension is a In fact, tension is a part and parcel of human life. Anyhow, the preferable level of tension should be in the moderate level instead either low level or high level since which is detrimental to the human performance. In nature, the sources of tension might have been the poor lack of relationships and self realization, change of environment, peer pressure, academic load, personality structure and lack of planning. Among these, lack of planning is one of the major indices for tension. In discussing the sources for higher state of mood on tension, normally female are well planned in their life as they wanted to be secure in all aspects compared to male because they have less option from the outcome of their academics. Thus, their well defined goal makes them to identify their means and methods towards their level of aspirations. In the case of male section, as they have varied options regarding their future course of actions after academics. Earlier research findings(Brands and Garofalo,2012) also evidencing that the difference exist between the male and female in the stage of adolescent with regard to behavioral decision making process and expression of emotions Continuing state of tension lead to place the person under anxious this results in stress. Under high level stress one unable to find the means and methods to fulfill his needs until cope up with the stress or adopting himself or an alternative ways. The level of stress for a person when persists for a period, will be the source for depression. Such a state of depression makes them lack of healthy relationships and self realization. Thus, the tension and depression are linearly related with one another. Theoretically, it has been accepted, since in the mood state of tension also male students have been found to be higher than that of female students. Normally, the state of depression is caused by factors namely lack of joyfulness, poor eating habits, health problems, hour-long studies, late night sleep, class workload, lack of recreation or sport participation, and lack of vacations. Of these factors, in nature, the course of study in agriculture is blended with the theory and practical. Moreover, their course is highly experimental in nature and time bound one, they have to continuously monitoring over the changes about the growth and development of plants and the task they have day to day. In such a situation, the time they have as break is very minimal that too also unavoidable one because of the nature of the course. Thus, the existing climate related to their academic may makes them to be some amount of tension and stress until they learn to accommodate the stressful situation and realize the changes over the nature of the course by the structural planning. A Greek philosopher emphasized about the changes as change only is constant in life. Further, he stressed that people change, circumstances change, and thoughts change whereas during the adolescence accommodate the changes takes place in their life because of lack of coping skills. Resulting of this, voluntarily the students have prone to tension, when it prolongs place them under depression. Besides, in the field of agricultural study, most of the students are hailed from various geographical, social, and economic conditions. Thus, the student populations have been migrated from their family, and living conditions since this course is fully residential based one. In such a way the students are underlie the factors namely changes in environment, peer pressure, lack of parent relationship, class workload, apart from these the nature of their adolescence stage are easy source to be in the stressful situations. Although, these are all common for the student population among the agricultural study, gender influence is inevitable one. Generally, male students are having opportunities lot; they would not defined the nature of task on hand in terms of time specifically whereas in the case of female students as they are in need of secure they themselves forced to be a planner. Anger is a kind of emotion either towards someone or something deliberately doing wrong. It is accompanied with anxiety and sadness which is related to fight flight or freeze response of sympathetic nervous system. Physiologically anger makes muscle tense, increases the rate of heart beat and blood pressure. Prolonged state of this when accompanied with the rapid release of stress hormones would affect the nervous system in the areas of brain associated with judgment and memory besides weakens the immune system. Anger is often occurred when a person feel not well, rejected, and threatened. In this mood state also, male students were have significant margin over the female students. One among the sources of anger, the individual anticipation is playing very crucial factor as it determine the intensity of individual feeling towards sadness. As for as anticipation, male and female are differ since their needs are varied in nature. In this study, male students are found to be the higher anger than the female students. Gender influence on anger has been confirmed by the study of Karreman and Bakker (2012). In this study he has found that significant difference was exist on anger between male and female. Besides he opined about female on anger as a product of sensitivity they possessed. It was substantiated by the theoretical construct of Burt and Burl (2001) about the anger that excessive anger begin in child adolescence. Besides, Burt et al., stated that adolescent males may feel commonly and comfortable expressing anger because it is socially acceptable. It has been found from the research findings of Fisher and Evers (2011) that males have been found to display anger more comfortable than females. In the expression of anger Saden and Vernov(2011) found that females experience anger but may express it differently than males. In fact instead of expressing anger by striking objects

2011).

In discussing the result observed on fatigue and confusion, male students have been found to be higher than the female students. Results from the mood states of tension, depression, and anger significant elevation was observed from the male students when compared to female students. In fact, the tension, depression and anger make the students to be confused by their finding the causes for remedy for their conflicts. Resulting of these students would have been prone tending to be fatigue mentally.

In the present study, the obtained results on mood states between the male and females, male students have been found to be higher on the mood states of tension, depression, anger, fatigue and confusion than the female students. Normally, the mood state of anger is the product of individual from their needs and expectations. Male students are explicitly high in the form of expectations regarding their future course of action. Resulting of this, they have to prove themselves to the state of tension, confusion fatigue finally to the state of depressive. Regarding the female students as they prefer the way of safe and secure in their career they feel comfortable in the expression of undesirable situations though they too have to face the mood state of anger, confusion and depression. Besides, in the expectation of social security, female students may have the constant touch with their parents whereby they can share their day to day working conditions which bring them to be comfortable when compared to students from the male section. Such a prevalence exists may have been the primary cause for the male students mood states on tension, anger, depression, fatigue and confusion. Following this, in the mood state of vigor also male students dominance over the female students lead to conclude that the gender based structure on psychological constructs would have been the significant.

Biafora, F. (1995). Cross-cultural perspective on illness and wellness: Implications for depression. Conference on Multicultural perspectives on mental illness (1994, St. John's University, New York). Billings, A. G., & Moos, R. H. (1985). Psychosocial theory and research on depression: An integrative framework and review. In J. C. Coyne (Ed.), Essential papers on depression (pp. 331-338).

Buntaine, R. L., &Costenbader, V. K. (1997). Self-reported differences in the experience and expression of anger between girls and boys. Sex Roles, 36, pp. 625–637. Burt, I., & Butler, S. K. (2011). Capoeira as a clinical intervention: Addressing adolescent aggression with Brazilian martial arts. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 39, pp. 48–57. Burt, I., Patel, S. H., Butler, S. K., & Gonzalez, T. (2013). Integrating leadership skills into anger management groups to reduce aggressive behaviors: The LIT model. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 35, pp. 124–141. Carney, M., Buttell, F., & Dutton, D. (2007). Women who perpetrate intimate partner violence: A review of the literature with recommendations for treatment. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 12, pp. 108–115. Feingold, J. (1994). Gender differences in personality: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 116, pp. 429–456. Fischer, A. H., & Evers, C. (2011). The social costs and benefits of anger as a function of gender and relationship context. Sex Roles, 65, pp. 23–34. Jackson, P. B., Thoits, P. A., & Taylor, H. F. (1995). Composition of the workplace and psychological well-being: The effects of tokenism on America's black elite. Social Forces, 74, pp. 543-557. Karreman, A., &Bekker, M. H. J. (2012). Feeling angry and acting angry: Different effects of autonomy-connectedness in boys and girls. Journal of Adolescence, 35, pp. 407–415. Laceulle, O.M., Jeronimus, B.F., Van Aken, M.A.G., Ormel, J. (2015).Why Not Everyone Gets Their Fair Share of Stress: Adolescent's Perceived Relationship Affection Mediates Associations Between Temperament and Subsequent Stressful Social Events. European Journal of Personality. 29 (2): pp. 125–137. McNair, D. M., Lorr, M., & Droppelman, L. F (1981). EdITS manual:Profile of Mood States. San Diego, CA: Educational and Industrial Testing Service. Sadeh, N., Javdani, S., Finy, M. S., & Verona, E. (2011). Gender differences in emotional risk for self- and other-directed violence among World Health Organization European Ministerial Conference on Mental Health:Facing the challenges, building solutions. 2011. Mental health of children and adolescent Helsinki: WHO; 2004 [Accessed 27 November]. Ziegler, R (2010). Mood, source characteristics, and message processing: A mood-congruent expectancies approach. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. 46 (5): pp. 743–752. Zimprich, D., &Mascherek, A. (2012). Anger expression in Swiss adolescents: Establishing measurement invariance across gender in the AX scales. Journal of Adolescence, 35, pp. 1013–1022.

Ph.D.-Scholar (Part Time) Department of Physical Education, Bharathiyar University, Coimbatore, India