Pālathī by preference: A Thematic Inquiry on the adoption of Indian Cross-legged Posture by Design Students

Purpose – The Western approach to chair-based sitting has largely influenced research on Ergonomics and Human factors. This disregards other sitting habits, such as ground- or floor-based seating, which are still common in many cultures. Individuals in the Indian subcontinent, including design students in contemporary educational environments, frequently adopt Pālathī, a traditional cross-legged posture (with folded knees). Notably, these environments primarily feature furniture that is not designed to support this posture. Design/methodology/approach – The study presents data from 419 Indian design students, of whom 157 responded to the reasons for adopting pālathī. These reasons were thematically analyzed using the Braun and Clarke framework to derive six broad themes. Findings – The themes are: i) Posture as an enabler for Design tasks, ii) Perceived Comfort and Ease, iii) Postural Adjustments for Pain relief, iv) Habitual and Cultural embedding, v) Perceived Cognitive Regulation and Focus, and vi) Facilitate Movement Variability and Flexibility. The results indicate that pālathī adoption is an adaptive postural strategy to address the diverse needs of design students. Originality/value – These findings challenge the dominant ergonomics assumptions that relate seated work exclusively to chair-based sitting and demand for inclusive learning environments.