Does educational status influence perceptions of collective efficacy, social identification, and well-being in disasteraffected populations? evidence from District Srinagar, J&K

The present study examined whether educational status influences perceptions of common fate, social identification, expected support, shared goals, collective efficacy, and psychological well-being among disaster-affected populations in District Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir. 

Based on data from 500 respondents, the findings clearly indicate that literate and illiterate individuals do not differ significantly across any of these social and psychological constructs. These results challenge the conventional assumption that formal education necessarily enhances psychosocial resilience in disaster contexts. Instead, the findings suggest that shared disaster experiences, strong community bonds, and collective identity may play a more decisive role in shaping perceptions of efficacy, support, and well-being than educational attainment alone. In contexts marked by close social networks and repeated exposure to hazards, collective processes appear to override individual-level distinctions such as literacy.