The Relative Autonomy Index - India measures autonomy among urban middle class women in India to understand the domains in which women generally make decisions and what motivates them to make those decisions. It is adapted from Vaz et al 2016.
Geographies Tested: India
Populations Included: Female
Age Range: Adults
Cooking
Autonomous
1. Because I think it is valuable
2. Because personally think it is the right thing to do, whether or not others agree
3. Because I enjoy it
4. Because I think it is important for me, personally
5. Because I think it is valuable
Introjected
6. So that others don’t think poorly of me
7. Because I want people to like me
External
8. Because I will get in trouble if I don’t
9. Because I get a reward or benefit if I do them
10. Because that is what other people tell me to do
Cleaning
Autonomous
11. Because I think it is valuable
12. Because personally think it is the right thing to do, whether or not others agree
13. Because I enjoy it
14. Because I think it is important for me, personally
15. Because I think it is valuable
Introjected
16. So that others don’t think poorly of me
17. Because I want people to like me
External
18. Because I will get in trouble if I don’t
19. Because I get a reward or benefit if I do them
20. Because that is what other people tell me to do
Having employment
Autonomous
21. Because I think it is valuable
22. Because personally think it is the right thing to do, whether or not others agree
23. Because I enjoy it
24. Because I think it is important for me, personally
25. Because I think it is valuable
Introjected
26. So that others don’t think poorly of me
27. Because I want people to like me
External
28. Because I will get in trouble if I don’t
29. Because I get a reward or benefit if I do them
30. Because that is what other people tell me to do
Participated in Kitty party
Autonomous
31. Because I think it is valuable
32. Because personally think it is the right thing to do, whether or not others agree
33. Because I enjoy it
34. Because I think it is important for me, personally
35. Because I think it is valuable
Introjected
36. So that others don’t think poorly of me
37. Because I want people to like me
External
38. Because I will get in trouble if I don’t
39. Because I get a reward or benefit if I do them
40. Because that is what other people tell me to do
Having Children
Autonomous
41. Because I think it is valuable
42. Because personally think it is the right thing to do, whether or not others agree
43. Because I enjoy it
44. Because I think it is important for me, personally
45. Because I think it is valuable
Introjected
46. So that others don’t think poorly of me
47. Because I want people to like me
External
48. Because I will get in trouble if I don’t
49. Because I get a reward or benefit if I do them
50. Because that is what other people tell me to do
Bringing own parents
Autonomous
51. Because I think it is valuable
52. Because personally think it is the right thing to do, whether or not others agree
53. Because I enjoy it
54. Because I think it is important for me, personally
55. Because I think it is valuable
Introjected
56. So that others don’t think poorly of me
57. Because I want people to like me
External
58. Because I will get in trouble if I don’t
59. Because I get a reward or benefit if I do them
60. Because that is what other people tell me to do
Staying with in laws
Autonomous
61. Because I think it is valuable
62. Because personally think it is the right thing to do, whether or not others agree
63. Because I enjoy it
64. Because I think it is important for me, personally
65. Because I think it is valuable
Introjected
66. So that others don’t think poorly of me
67. Because I want people to like me
External
68. Because I will get in trouble if I don’t
69. Because I get a reward or benefit if I do them
70. Because that is what other people tell me to do
Asking permission to go out
Autonomous
71. Because I think it is valuable
72. Because personally think it is the right thing to do, whether or not others agree
73. Because I enjoy it
74. Because I think it is important for me, personally
75. Because I think it is valuable
Introjected
76. So that others don’t think poorly of me
77. Because I want people to like me
External
78. Because I will get in trouble if I don’t
79. Because I get a reward or benefit if I do them
80. Because that is what other people tell me to do
Deciding in big household purchase
Autonomous
81. Because I think it is valuable
82. Because personally think it is the right thing to do, whether or not others agree
83. Because I enjoy it
84. Because I think it is important for me, personally
85. Because I think it is valuable
Introjected
86. So that others don’t think poorly of me
87. Because I want people to like me
External
88. Because I will get in trouble if I don’t
89. Because I get a reward or benefit if I do them
90. Because that is what other people tell me to do
Response Options:
The type of motivation was asked in a 5-point scale:
Strongly disagree - 1
Strongly agree - 5
Statements reflecting external regulation were scored −3 per level of agreement, statements indicating introjected regulation scored −2 per level of agreement and statements reflecting autonomous regulation scored +3 per level of agreement.
RAI scores are the weighted sum of Likert scale scores. Statements reflecting external regulation were scored −3 per level of agreement, whereas statements indicating introjected regulation scored −2 per level of agreement. Statements reflecting autonomous regulation scored +3per level of agreement. The final RAI score was the weighted sum of the Pearson’s scores in the motivation subscales.
Prasad-Aleyamma, M., & Dutta, S. (2026). Developing an instrument to measure autonomy: urban middle-class women in Delhi. Feminist Economics, 32(3), 1-34. https://doi.org/10.1080/13545701.2026.2628783
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