Nepal

Abstract

As of 1976, the system of higher education in Nepal (the birthplace of Buddha, but now strongly influenced by Hinduism) consisted of 1 university and 72 undergraduate institutions. The latter begin instruction at a level equivalent to that of the 11th grade in the United States; psychology is offered as a major in 5 of them. Students are given courses in general, abnormal and personality, experimental, physiological, and social psychology. The textbooks used are (with the exception of social) Nepalese translations of U.S. standard works. For example, Munn’s Psychology is used extensively for the introductory course, Woodworth and Schlosberg for advanced general, and Brown’s Psychodynamics of Abnormal Behavior for abnormal and personality. Underwood’s Psychological Research is relied upon for experimental; the laboratory portion of the course, however, is limited to exercises in human learning (e.g., memory drums) and perception (e.g., Muller-Lyer illusion). Psychometrics and statistics are given as part of experimental. There are no animal research facilities, which possibly accounts for the absence of both a text and a laboratory in the physiological course. For social psychology, the Nepalese depend upon an Indian source.

Based on information supplied by Prof. Ayan Bahadur Shrestha, Nepal, and Prof. Joseph Notterman, Princeton, New Jersey.