Emotional brand attachment has emerged as an important marketing concept that can strengthen a brand's performance. One way to create emotional bonds with consumers is to match the brand's personality with the consumer's self-concept (i.e. self-congruence). Nonetheless, research on brand attachment has a strong westernized focus leaving a vast majority of the world's population outside the frame of research, which limits our understanding of how consumers perception of self form emotional attachments to brands across cultures. We address this issue by developing the novel construct of ought self-congruence and test a conceptual model in two large scale studies including 810 respondents from Sweden and South Korea. The results showed similarities as well as unique cultural differences. Brand personalities in line with a consumer's actual self-view yield the strongest positive impact on emotional brand attachment in both cultures. However, an ideal self-congruent brand only showed a positive impact on Swedish consumers or when the self is sculpt independently from others. In contrast, South Koreans formed attachments to global brands that were congruent with an ought self-perception. A consumer's regulatory focus provides a theoretical explanation to the mixed results. Avenues for further research and managerial implications are also proposed.

Cette thèse s'inscrit dans le champ de la psychologie transculturelle du bébé, une clinique de la créolisation du pays Martinique. Cette recherche part du problème du devenir mère et de la souffrance du bébé qui se trouve au centre de deux sortes de discours, de deux systèmes de soin. D'une part, le discours populaire, discours porté par la tradition sur les conceptions de la maladie qui affectent le tout petit, la façon de guérir et /ou soigner l'enfant et les techniques appropriées. Ce discours est porté par la grand-mère, voire l'arrière-grand-mère lorsque cette dernière est encore en vie, et par les anciens. D'autre-part, le discours médico-social porté par les psychologues et les pédopsychiatres, où le sens donné à la souffrance du bébé et des mères ne tiendra pas compte des croyances et de la culture. Les jeunes mères consultent dans une errance entre la médecine occidentale, une médecine «visible», et le système de soin du guérisseur, appelé "doktè fey", une médecine «invisible». Notre hypothèse repose sur l'idée que le "doktè fey" représenterait une partie de la mère, il la rendrait compétente, lui permettrait de se réapproprier son enfant, car, par ses conseils et ses actes, il réaffirmerait l'unité mère-enfant en les inscrivant dans la transmission des générations. Nous analysons ces deux conceptions concernant la souffrance et la prise en charge du bébé au niveau des différents modèles du soin, des différentes logiques sociétales et des conflits entre les différents points de vue sur l'enfant. Pour ce faire, nous avons développé une démarche transculturelle et ethna-­clinicienne auprès des familles et de leurs bébés, des guérisseurs et des psychologues. Les outils utilisés sont le questionnaire, les entretiens semi directifs, le recueil d'observations de techniques de bain traditionnel et des études de cas. Les résultats mettent en évidence d'une part la difficulté pour les jeunes mères d'adhérer aux modalités du traitement proposé par la médecine «visible», lorsqu'elles sont confrontées à la mort potentielle de leur bébé porteur de pathologies spécifiques, c'est-à-dire culturellement codées, d'autre part le sens du recours à la médecine «invisible». Pour conclure, on ne peut comprendre le désordre psychique dans les pays comme la Martinique sans tenir compte de la culture, c'est à dire des croyances, des langues et des pratiques, qui ont cours dans l'histoire et dans la construction de l'univers créole. Cette recherche met ainsi l'accent sur les liens et les ponts possibles à trouver entre ces deux médecines. / The aim of this study is to investigate the distress in early motherhood/infancy which is at the center of two forms of discourse and two systems of care ln Martinique. On the one hand, the popular approach and, on the other hand, the medical and social approach supported by child psychiatrists and psychologists, which disregards beliefs and culture. A popular discourse borne out of a traditional conception of illness related to toddlers puts an emphasis on how to cure rather than to treat. This discourse is carried out by the grandmother as weil as the great grandmother, when still alive, and eiders of the community. Women in early motherhood have an erring commitment to consult in bath Western medicine, «visible » medicine, and the traditional health care system of the healer, known as the doktè fey, «invisible» medicine. Our hypothesis is based on the idea that doktè fey represent part of the mother and makes her competent to perform her role as a mother and as such she is able to reclaim her child. By his advice and acts, the dokté fey reaffirms the mother-child unit registering in the transmission of generations. We analyses these two conceptions which concern the distress on, as weil as the care of the baby. Addressing various models of care, diverse logical and societal conflicts of different perspectives on the child. To do this a cross-cultural and ethno-clinical approach was employed with families and their baby, healers and psychologists. Tools used are a questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, observations of traditional bath11 techniques and case studies. Results highlights firstly the difficulty that women experience in early motherhood to adhere to the terms of a proposed treatment by « visible » medicine when faced with the potential death of their baby when he is carrier of specifie pathologies, is culturaly encoded and secondly the sense of using the « invisible » medicine. To conclude we cannot understand psychological disorder in Martinique, without regard to the culture, i.e. beliefs, languages and practices that exist in a Creole environment. This research also puts emphasis on the links and bridges that it may be possible to find between the two health care systems

Esta pesquisa intenta analisar as Redes de Apoio dos Dekasseguis, os nós que as formam, a qualidade dos vínculos que os unem, e verificar a influência destes atores sociais nas decisões do trabalhador brasileiro no Japão. Primeiramente, comentamos estudos acerca do tema Dekassegui. Em seguida, apresentamos um histórico da Análise de Redes Sociais dentro das Ciências Humanas e especificamente dentro da Psicologia, e aprofundamos nas relações entre Redes Sociais e movimentos migratórios. Passamos então a descrever as bases da Abordagem Intercultural utilizadas neste trabalho. A metodologia utilizada obedece aos preceitos da Teoria Fundamentada (Grounded Theory). Foram realizadas entrevistas presenciais e por internet, via comunicador instantâneo (MSN) com jovens brasileiros que tiveram a experiência de trabalhar como dekasseguis no Japão. Os dados revelam as impressões dos dekasseguis a respeito do povo japonês, suas dificuldades no contato com os nativos e com outros brasileiros nas mesmas condições no Japão, e a forma como sua Rede Social influencia sua tomada de decisões. / This research aims at analyzing the Support Networks of Dekasseguis, the nodes that form them, the quality of the bonds that unite them, and the influence of these social actors in decisions made by Brazilian workers in Japan. Firstly, we focus our studies on Dekassegui. Next, we present the history of Social Network analysis within the Humanities and specifically within Psychology, and specify the relations between social networks and migration. We then describe the basics of Intercultural Approach we used in this work. The methodology used follows the precepts of Grounded Theory. Interviews were conducted in person and via the Internet, mainly instant messaging (MSN), with young Brazilian who had the experience of working as dekasseguis in Japan. The data shows impressions of these immigrants about the Japanese people, their acquaintance and communication difficulties with the locals and other Brazilians under the same condition in Japan, and how their Social Network influences in their decision making.

O presente estudo teve como objetivo apresentar e avaliar a configuração de uma intervenção psicossocial breve realizada com um grupo de nipo-brasileiros que viveram no Japão, no retorno destes ao Brasil, procurando compreender a vivência dos sujeitos no que se refere às representações culturais do Brasil e do Japão e ao processo de retorno. Os referenciais teóricos utilizados foram retirados da Psicologia Intercultural e articulados a conceitos e técnicas da abordagem psicanalítica. De modo geral, o processo de aculturação no retorno foi sentido como difícil. Os participantes expressaram indignação com a conjuntura política, econômica e social do país e alguns relataram sensação de sentirem-se estrangeiros, de inassertividade e de desorientação. Surgiram representações simbólicas coletivas do Brasil como país do calor humano e do Japão como país da alta tecnologia e educação, havendo, ao mesmo tempo, um tom pessoal nas representações em função das experiências singulares de cada um. Técnicas reflexivas, informativas e lúdicas, como elaboração de cartazes, exposição de conceitos teóricos, exibição e discussão de documentário acerca da temática da e/imigração entre Brasil-Japão, foram instrumentos úteis para que as angústias do grupo pudessem ser nomeadas. O espaço de continência e interlocução favoreceu processos de identificação para que questões conflituosas relativas às vivências no retorno e à identidade cultural pudessem se tornar objeto de reflexão e transformação. Constatamos a utilidade desse tipo de intervenção psicossocial na elaboração psicológica da experiência migratória, revelando-se fundamental, em investigações nessa área, a consideração dos estilos culturais diversos e do contexto social. / The purpose of the present study is to present and assess a brief psychosocial intervention with a group of Japanese-Brazilians who lived in Japan and returned to Brazil. Their return process and cultural representations of Brazil and Japan are explored. Theoretically the work is based on contributions from cross-cultural psychology and psychoanalytic concepts and techniques. Group participants generally felt return migration as difficult and expressed outrage towards Brazil´s present political, economic and social system, in addition to feeling like foreigners, unassertiveness and disorientation. Collective symbolic representations of Brazil as a country of warm human relations and Japan as a country of high technology and education also emerged, loaded with personal aspects, according to the unique experiences each one had. Reflective, informative and dynamic techniques such as preparation of posters, exhibition of theoretical concepts, display and discussion of a documentary migration between Brazil and Japan were useful tools, enabling the group to name their own distress. The area of continence and interlocution in this group helped identify processes where issues concerning conflicting experiences in the return and cultural identity could become objects of reflection and transformation. The findings indicate the contribution of such psycho-social intervention in the psychological process of the migratory experience, and the need to approach cultural styles and the social context in investigations in this area.

O objetivo deste estudo é o investigar a presença de diferenças significantes da variável cultural na modalidade do coping religioso em mulheres, acima de 25 (vinte e cinco) anos, residentes na Grande São Paulo, no contexto religioso de igrejas protestantes históricas, 64 de origem cultural chinesa taiwanesa e 52 de origem cultural brasileira. Administrado o Questionário Geral e Escala de Aculturação nas mulheres de origem chinesa taiwanesa, obteve-se como resultado que 32% foram classificadas como \"pouco aculturadas\" e 40% como \"medianamente aculturadas\". As brasileiras responderam o Questionário Geral e ambos os grupos responderam a Escala Coping Religioso Espiritual-Breve (CRE- Breve). Os resultados mostraram uso maior da modalidade de coping Positivos em ambos os grupos, porém com diferença significativamente maiores na amostra de origem brasileira nos seguintes fatores: transformação de si/vida; busca de ajuda espiritual; posição positiva frente a Deus; e busca do outro institucional. Os resultados também apresentaram, diferença estatisticamente significante no Fator Negativo de coping quanto à reavaliação negativa do significado no grupo de mulheres brasileiras. Ao analisar individualmente as questões da Escala CRE- Breve, foram encontradas diferenças significativamente maiores nas mulheres chinesas taiwanesas nas questões: Questionei se Deus realmente se importava; Tentei lidar com a situação do meu jeito; Culpei Deus por ter deixado acontecer; Tentei lidar com meus sentimentos sem pedir ajuda de Deus; e Entreguei a situação para Deus, depois de fazer tudo que podia. As considerações finais levantam as possíveis interpretações das diferenças apresentadas, como demonstração do componente cultural chinês e do componente cultural brasileiro no coping religioso das mulheres participantes da amostra / The objective of this study is to investigate the presence of significant differences in the cultural variable in the ways of religious coping in women over 25 (twenty five) years, residing in Greater São Paulo, in the religious context of Protestant churches, 64 women of Taiwanese Chinese cultural origin and 52 of Brazilians cultural origin. To the women of Taiwanese Chinese origin were administered General Questionnaire and the Brief Acculturation Scale for Hispanic (SASH), the obtained result was that 32% were classified as low acculturated\" and 40% as \"moderately acculturated.\" The Brazilian women replied the General Questionnaire and both groups responded to the Spiritual Religious Coping Scale-Brief. The results showed higher use of Positive Factors coping in both groups, but with significantly greater differences in the sample of Brazilian origin in the following factors: transformation of the self/life, seeking spiritual aid; positive position before God, and search of another institutional. Similarly, statistically significant difference was found in the Negative Factor as the negative revaluation of the significance in the group of Brazilian women. When analyzing individually each question of Religious Coping Scale, significantly greater differences were found in Taiwanese Chinese women in the matters: I questioned if God really cared, I tried to handle it my way, I blamed God for letting it happen, I tried to deal with my feelings without asking for help from God, and handed the situation to God, after doing all I could. The final considerations raise the possible interpretations of the differences presented as a demonstration of Chinese cultural component in religious coping of women participants in the sample

The dissertation consists of an introduction and three empirical articles. The introduction gives the theoretical background, integrates the three articles, and elaborates on future research questions. The first article investigates the important decision in the lives of German and Indian university students to identify the important areas of decision making. The second article examines the structure of real life decision making and reveals the underlying factors of five major decision areas. The third article investigates the similarities and differences on decision making between German and Indian students using prior qualitative findings in a large quantitative survey.

The focus of this study is the Sixteen Personality Factor Quenstionnaire, South Africam 1992 version (16 PF, SA92). This personality questionnaire was derived from the 16 PF which was developed in the United States and was adapted for South African conditions in 1992. The aim of this study is to determine whether the scores of the 16 PF, SA92 are cross-culturally valid and comparable in South Africa. The sample consisted of White and African (male and female) applicants who applied for positions in a South African state department. To achieve the aims outlined in the introductory chapter, construct comparability and item comparability research was conducted. Descriptive statistics were also calculated to indicate the performance of the various sub-samples (White, African, male and female). The results indicated that the population variable as opposed to the gender variable had the greatest influence on the scores obtained. Problems existed with the construct and item comparability of the 16 PF, SA92 when the different population groups were compared. Mean differences were also found on the majority of factors of the 16 PF, SA92 when the scores of the different population groups were compared. The implications of using 16 PF, SA92 were outlined and several assessment options were presented for users of the 16 PF, SA92. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Admin. (Industrial Psychology)

O objetivo deste estudo é o investigar a presença de diferenças significantes da variável cultural na modalidade do coping religioso em mulheres, acima de 25 (vinte e cinco) anos, residentes na Grande São Paulo, no contexto religioso de igrejas protestantes históricas, 64 de origem cultural chinesa taiwanesa e 52 de origem cultural brasileira. Administrado o Questionário Geral e Escala de Aculturação nas mulheres de origem chinesa taiwanesa, obteve-se como resultado que 32% foram classificadas como \"pouco aculturadas\" e 40% como \"medianamente aculturadas\". As brasileiras responderam o Questionário Geral e ambos os grupos responderam a Escala Coping Religioso Espiritual-Breve (CRE- Breve). Os resultados mostraram uso maior da modalidade de coping Positivos em ambos os grupos, porém com diferença significativamente maiores na amostra de origem brasileira nos seguintes fatores: transformação de si/vida; busca de ajuda espiritual; posição positiva frente a Deus; e busca do outro institucional. Os resultados também apresentaram, diferença estatisticamente significante no Fator Negativo de coping quanto à reavaliação negativa do significado no grupo de mulheres brasileiras. Ao analisar individualmente as questões da Escala CRE- Breve, foram encontradas diferenças significativamente maiores nas mulheres chinesas taiwanesas nas questões: Questionei se Deus realmente se importava; Tentei lidar com a situação do meu jeito; Culpei Deus por ter deixado acontecer; Tentei lidar com meus sentimentos sem pedir ajuda de Deus; e Entreguei a situação para Deus, depois de fazer tudo que podia. As considerações finais levantam as possíveis interpretações das diferenças apresentadas, como demonstração do componente cultural chinês e do componente cultural brasileiro no coping religioso das mulheres participantes da amostra / The objective of this study is to investigate the presence of significant differences in the cultural variable in the ways of religious coping in women over 25 (twenty five) years, residing in Greater São Paulo, in the religious context of Protestant churches, 64 women of Taiwanese Chinese cultural origin and 52 of Brazilians cultural origin. To the women of Taiwanese Chinese origin were administered General Questionnaire and the Brief Acculturation Scale for Hispanic (SASH), the obtained result was that 32% were classified as low acculturated\" and 40% as \"moderately acculturated.\" The Brazilian women replied the General Questionnaire and both groups responded to the Spiritual Religious Coping Scale-Brief. The results showed higher use of Positive Factors coping in both groups, but with significantly greater differences in the sample of Brazilian origin in the following factors: transformation of the self/life, seeking spiritual aid; positive position before God, and search of another institutional. Similarly, statistically significant difference was found in the Negative Factor as the negative revaluation of the significance in the group of Brazilian women. When analyzing individually each question of Religious Coping Scale, significantly greater differences were found in Taiwanese Chinese women in the matters: I questioned if God really cared, I tried to handle it my way, I blamed God for letting it happen, I tried to deal with my feelings without asking for help from God, and handed the situation to God, after doing all I could. The final considerations raise the possible interpretations of the differences presented as a demonstration of Chinese cultural component in religious coping of women participants in the sample

O presente estudo teve como objetivo apresentar e avaliar a configuração de uma intervenção psicossocial breve realizada com um grupo de nipo-brasileiros que viveram no Japão, no retorno destes ao Brasil, procurando compreender a vivência dos sujeitos no que se refere às representações culturais do Brasil e do Japão e ao processo de retorno. Os referenciais teóricos utilizados foram retirados da Psicologia Intercultural e articulados a conceitos e técnicas da abordagem psicanalítica. De modo geral, o processo de aculturação no retorno foi sentido como difícil. Os participantes expressaram indignação com a conjuntura política, econômica e social do país e alguns relataram sensação de sentirem-se estrangeiros, de inassertividade e de desorientação. Surgiram representações simbólicas coletivas do Brasil como país do calor humano e do Japão como país da alta tecnologia e educação, havendo, ao mesmo tempo, um tom pessoal nas representações em função das experiências singulares de cada um. Técnicas reflexivas, informativas e lúdicas, como elaboração de cartazes, exposição de conceitos teóricos, exibição e discussão de documentário acerca da temática da e/imigração entre Brasil-Japão, foram instrumentos úteis para que as angústias do grupo pudessem ser nomeadas. O espaço de continência e interlocução favoreceu processos de identificação para que questões conflituosas relativas às vivências no retorno e à identidade cultural pudessem se tornar objeto de reflexão e transformação. Constatamos a utilidade desse tipo de intervenção psicossocial na elaboração psicológica da experiência migratória, revelando-se fundamental, em investigações nessa área, a consideração dos estilos culturais diversos e do contexto social. / The purpose of the present study is to present and assess a brief psychosocial intervention with a group of Japanese-Brazilians who lived in Japan and returned to Brazil. Their return process and cultural representations of Brazil and Japan are explored. Theoretically the work is based on contributions from cross-cultural psychology and psychoanalytic concepts and techniques. Group participants generally felt return migration as difficult and expressed outrage towards Brazil´s present political, economic and social system, in addition to feeling like foreigners, unassertiveness and disorientation. Collective symbolic representations of Brazil as a country of warm human relations and Japan as a country of high technology and education also emerged, loaded with personal aspects, according to the unique experiences each one had. Reflective, informative and dynamic techniques such as preparation of posters, exhibition of theoretical concepts, display and discussion of a documentary migration between Brazil and Japan were useful tools, enabling the group to name their own distress. The area of continence and interlocution in this group helped identify processes where issues concerning conflicting experiences in the return and cultural identity could become objects of reflection and transformation. The findings indicate the contribution of such psycho-social intervention in the psychological process of the migratory experience, and the need to approach cultural styles and the social context in investigations in this area.

Esta pesquisa intenta analisar as Redes de Apoio dos Dekasseguis, os nós que as formam, a qualidade dos vínculos que os unem, e verificar a influência destes atores sociais nas decisões do trabalhador brasileiro no Japão. Primeiramente, comentamos estudos acerca do tema Dekassegui. Em seguida, apresentamos um histórico da Análise de Redes Sociais dentro das Ciências Humanas e especificamente dentro da Psicologia, e aprofundamos nas relações entre Redes Sociais e movimentos migratórios. Passamos então a descrever as bases da Abordagem Intercultural utilizadas neste trabalho. A metodologia utilizada obedece aos preceitos da Teoria Fundamentada (Grounded Theory). Foram realizadas entrevistas presenciais e por internet, via comunicador instantâneo (MSN) com jovens brasileiros que tiveram a experiência de trabalhar como dekasseguis no Japão. Os dados revelam as impressões dos dekasseguis a respeito do povo japonês, suas dificuldades no contato com os nativos e com outros brasileiros nas mesmas condições no Japão, e a forma como sua Rede Social influencia sua tomada de decisões. / This research aims at analyzing the Support Networks of Dekasseguis, the nodes that form them, the quality of the bonds that unite them, and the influence of these social actors in decisions made by Brazilian workers in Japan. Firstly, we focus our studies on Dekassegui. Next, we present the history of Social Network analysis within the Humanities and specifically within Psychology, and specify the relations between social networks and migration. We then describe the basics of Intercultural Approach we used in this work. The methodology used follows the precepts of Grounded Theory. Interviews were conducted in person and via the Internet, mainly instant messaging (MSN), with young Brazilian who had the experience of working as dekasseguis in Japan. The data shows impressions of these immigrants about the Japanese people, their acquaintance and communication difficulties with the locals and other Brazilians under the same condition in Japan, and how their Social Network influences in their decision making.