This study aims to present an alternative framework with which to view the phenomenon of parental divorce and its perceived consequences for adult children of divorce in committed relationships. Research done within the traditional Newtonian framework is reviewed and its limitations explicated. The epistemological presuppositions of the new epistemology are presented along with their implications for conducting research. The importance of description as research methodology is emphasised. Written descriptions from various adult children of divorce are presented. Metadescriptions, by the author, are presented. These metadescriptions, based on the presuppositions of the new epistemology, highlight the value of describing the patterns of organisation which characterise the committed relationships of adult children of divorce. It is concluded that an alternative approach, based on the new epistemology, enlarges our understanding of the adult child of divorce within the context of a committed relationship. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

The theories of social cognition and personal constructs compose the theoretical backdrop to this dissertation which deals with people's expectations regarding romantic partners and relationships.Five women were interviewed and a qualitative analysis undertaken and discussed with a view to elucidating the influence of one's parents, cultural background and individual identity on the development and functioning of expectations. These expectation are based on beliefs about men and relationships in general and about healthy and unhealthy relationships in particular. Attension is given to the role of relationship beliefs and expectations in evaluations of romantic relationships and the consequences of such evaluations for relationship satisfaction and commitment. It is concluded that expectations play an important role in the process of partner and relationship eva,uation and thus, in the outcome of relationships. Parental and cultural influences are found to play an important part in shaping individual values and expetations, albeit in an indirect manner. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

In economic games the facial attributes of counterparts bias decisions to trust and decisions to enter play. We report research supporting hypotheses that trust and reciprocation decisions in trust games are biased by mechanisms of sexual selection. Hypotheses that trust game behaviour is modulated by inter-sexual competition were supported. 1) Attractive individuals elicit more cooperation. 2) Male participants display trust and reciprocation toward attractive female counterparts in excess of perceived trustworthiness (and this display is modulated by male self-reported physical dominance). 3) Female participants appear to respond to male trust as a signal of sexual interest and are therefore more likely to exploit the trust of attractive males. 4) In explicitly dating contexts females are more likely to prefer attractive males to pay for the meal. These results indicate that participants are biased by mate choice and mating display considerations while playing economic games in the lab. Hypotheses that trust game behaviour is modulated by intra-sexual competition for resources were also somewhat supported. 1) Male participants reporting an ability to win fights with same-sex peers are more exploitative of other males. 2) Cues to current circulating testosterone level in counterpart’s faces are less trusted but elicit more reciprocation. 3) The male sexually dimorphic trait facial width-to-height ratio (a trait which is related to both aggression and dominance) is related to an increased proportion of decisions to exploit others in the trust game while also being used by others as a cue to untrustworthiness. We conclude that trusting and trustworthy behaviour in both sexes is biased by mating market considerations predicted by intra- and inter-sexual selection.

Religious and cultural discourses shape relationships/marriages. The constructed nature of relationships/marriages opens the possibility for alternative relational realities. Positioning relationships/marriages in alternative discourses assisted the couples to construct a preferred relationship narrative. Three couples embarked on this feminist participatory action research journey - a couple from the Jehovah's Witnesses tradition,' a couple from the Dutch Reformed Church and a couple from a Gay Refonned Church. Conversations with the participating couples deconstructed their relationships. It also enabled the couples to co-author alternative, preferred realities of their relationships/marriages and to provide rich descriptions of these. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Pastoral Therapy)

This is a qualitative study that researches the definition and meaning of resilience in intimate relationships. A constructivist perspective guides the theoretical framework of this study and a systemic approach to intimate relationships provides a theoretical foundation. Apart from an extensive literature survey, three different sources of information were included in this study on relational resilience. Three family therapists were interviewed to gain some understanding of their experiences with couples in distress. Three participant couples examined visual stimuli (excerpts of couple interactions from five films) and discussed their responses and personal experiences in semi-structured interviews. The participants’ themes were analysed through thematic network analysis in order to explore their definitions of resilience in light of their own experiences. It was found that resilience in intimate relationships can be defined as the ability of the couple to endure adversity. It involves the relational capacity to adapt, grow, and recover from adversities and it includes relational processes that allow the couple as a system to rebound from shared difficulties and become more resourceful. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology))

This study aims to present an alternative framework with which to view the phenomenon of parental divorce and its perceived consequences for adult children of divorce in committed relationships. Research done within the traditional Newtonian framework is reviewed and its limitations explicated. The epistemological presuppositions of the new epistemology are presented along with their implications for conducting research. The importance of description as research methodology is emphasised. Written descriptions from various adult children of divorce are presented. Metadescriptions, by the author, are presented. These metadescriptions, based on the presuppositions of the new epistemology, highlight the value of describing the patterns of organisation which characterise the committed relationships of adult children of divorce. It is concluded that an alternative approach, based on the new epistemology, enlarges our understanding of the adult child of divorce within the context of a committed relationship. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

The theories of social cognition and personal constructs compose the theoretical backdrop to this dissertation which deals with people's expectations regarding romantic partners and relationships.Five women were interviewed and a qualitative analysis undertaken and discussed with a view to elucidating the influence of one's parents, cultural background and individual identity on the development and functioning of expectations. These expectation are based on beliefs about men and relationships in general and about healthy and unhealthy relationships in particular. Attension is given to the role of relationship beliefs and expectations in evaluations of romantic relationships and the consequences of such evaluations for relationship satisfaction and commitment. It is concluded that expectations play an important role in the process of partner and relationship eva,uation and thus, in the outcome of relationships. Parental and cultural influences are found to play an important part in shaping individual values and expetations, albeit in an indirect manner. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)