國人自我贈禮的風氣方興未艾，但在資源的束縛與傳統價值觀的影響下，使得消費者不免陷於困窘之境，而本研究即欲探討消費者自我贈禮與消費罪惡感之間的關係。本研究目的有四：其一，瞭解國人引發自我贈禮的主要背景情境與動機，並試圖對自我贈禮加以分類，以求得主要的背景情境與動機所對應之自我贈禮類型；其二，發展消費罪惡感之構面與發生時機；其三，瞭解不同自我贈禮類型與消費罪惡感的對應關係；其四，探討在不同產品類型的影響之下，自我贈禮與消費罪惡感的對應關係是否有所不同。 本研究以關鍵事件法設計問卷，透過三次前測得到正式問卷，針對60位消費者進行訪談及問卷施測，共收集了60個自我贈禮事件。經資料分析過後，得到研究結果可歸納成四大方向： 首先在自我贈禮方面，背景情境按發生頻次多寡依序為：發生重大事件、有成就感、工作辛苦、壓力負荷、心情低落、有額外資源、週期性自我回饋；背景情境與動機之間呈現一對一的關係，分別是為了留下紀念、犒賞自己、慰勞自己、抒解壓力、愉悅自己、維持好心情、對自己好一點。另外，若依照產品導向程度的強弱以及資訊準備程度的高低針對自我贈禮進行分類，國人進行最不常發生的自我贈禮類型為「高度產品導向—低度資訊準備」—驚鴻一瞥型。 其次在消費罪惡感方面，其構面為猶豫感、金錢疼惜感、愧疚感，時機為購買之前的預期性罪惡感，購買當下的進行性罪惡感，以及購買之後的反應性罪惡感，而雖然各時機都會有各構面的成分，但預期性罪惡感最主要的構面為猶豫感，進行性罪惡感最主要的構面為疼惜感，反應性罪惡感最主要的構面為愧疚感。 接著在自我贈禮與消費罪惡感之關係方面，當消費者進行週期性自我回饋時，會感受到程度最高的預期性罪惡感；而當消費者因有成就感或心情低落時所進行之自我贈禮，其感受到的是程度最低的預期性罪惡感。至於，若是屬於高度產品導向類型者，其表現在消費罪惡感上的類型最主要為財務類罪惡感；若是屬於低度產品導向類型者，比較有可能不會產生消費罪惡感。 最後，若是受到不同產品類型影響的情況下，由於自我贈禮之禮物類型皆為奢侈品，因此以功能型與享樂型產品做為產品分類的標準。對於購買功能型奢侈品做為自我贈禮禮物的消費者而言，無論是高度產品導向或是低度產品導向類型者，其表現在消費罪惡感上，最主要的類型為財務類罪惡感；對於購買享樂型奢侈品做為自我贈禮禮物的消費者而言，若是高度產品導向類型者，其表現在消費罪惡感上，最主要的類型為財務類罪惡感；若是低度產品導向者，則傾向完全沒有罪惡感。 整體而言，本研究不僅為國人自我贈禮的背景情境與動機之先導研究，亦開啟了消費罪惡感研究之先河，並建立消費罪惡感的構面與時機，著實為後續研究奠定了相當的基礎。 / People in Taiwan have tended to buy themselves gifts recently. However, under the constraints of resources and the influence of traditional values, they would hesitate to buy or not to buy. This study focuses on this interesting theme-the relationship between consumers’ self-gift giving and consumer guilt. The objectives of this study are to explore consumers’ motivations of self-gifts, the dimensions and evolution of consumer guilt, and the relationship between consumers’ self-gift giving and consumer guilt. Product categories are also under the consideration of this study to examine the effects of different products on the relationship between consumers’ self-gift giving and consumer guilt. This research employed the critical incident techniques. A questionnaire was first designed and pre-tested three times before the main field work. Through collecting, sorting and analyzing 60 self-gift giving events, the results pointed out four main parts as followed. To begin with, the results indicated that consumers will buy gifts for themselves when the important events happened, something achieved, some hard work finished, feeling stressed, being depressed, gaining some extra resources, and purchasing periodically. These situations were one-to-one corresponding to some motivations, respectively to remember, to reward, to compensate, to relieve, to revive, to keep in a good mood, and to be nice to oneself. In addition, self-gift giving behavior might be divided into four types by the degree of product-oriented (high vs. low) and the degree of information-prepared (high vs. low). However, few Taiwanese were classified by “high product-oriented and low information-prepared”, called “Glance”. Secondly, the consumer guilt had three dimensions-hesitation, anguish, and remorse. Also, it had three moments of occurrence. The anticipatory guilt occurred before purchasing; the proceeding guilt occurred when purchasing; and the reactive guilt occurred after purchasing. Although each moment of consumer guilt included three dimensions meanwhile, what’s more important, the major dimension of anticipatory guilt was hesitation, the major dimension of proceeding guilt was anguish, and the major dimension of reactive guilt was remorse. As for the relationship between consumers’ self-gift giving and consumer guilt, consumers had the highest degree of anticipatory guilt when they bought gifts for themselves under periodical purchase. However, consumers had the lowest degree of anticipatory guilt if they bought self-gifts under achievements or depression. Besides, if self-gift giving behavior was highly product-oriented, consumers would have financial consumer guilt. Moreover, if self-gift giving behavior was lowly product-oriented, consumers would have no consumer guilt. Finally, this study concerned the functional/hedonic products moderating the relation between self-gift giving and consumer guilt. For those who bought themselves functional gifts, no matter this self-gift giving behavior belonged to highly or lowly product-oriented, consumers would have financial consumer guilt. For those who bought themselves hedonic gifts, if this self-gift giving behavior was highly product-oriented, consumers would have financial consumer guilt; however, if this self-gift giving behavior was lowly product-oriented, consumers would have no consumer guilt.

Nous capturons la décision de contribuer volontairement au bien public en groupe restreint et important, en nous basant sur un classique de l’économie expérimentale. Contrairement aux prévisions, la décision dépend négativement du rendement du bien public en groupe important. Les joueurs percevraient l’enjeu comme faible. La décision dépend positivement, mais trop fragilement, du nombre de bénéficiaires du bien public en groupe restreint et n’en dépend pas en groupe important. La décision dépend toujours négativement de l’avancement du jeu, mais sans convergence vers la stratégie dominante. Le mode de calcul de la rémunération aurait une incidence. La réciprocité et l’aversion à l’iniquité sont toujours absentes. Cela serait lié au fait que les joueurs ne sont pas représentatifs de la population. Dans le sens des prévisions, deux propriétés de l’investissement public se dégagent et concordent avec les décisions observées dans la vie courante. La décision dépend positivement du rendement public en groupe restreint, dans la logique de cet incitatif à contribuer. L’altruisme est présent sous forme de traces en groupe restreint et disparaît en groupe important, désavantagé par la dilution du don. L’éclat chaleureux du don voit sa présence s’accroître en groupe important, favorisé par le changement de nature du don. Nous modélisons ces résultats en nous basant sur l’équilibre Logit. Il s’agit de fonctions de réponse perturbées comprenant différents composants. Les propriétés de ces fonctions rencontrent adéquatement la prise de décision et ont l’avantage de ne pas représenter certains errements empiriques. / We capture decision-making to voluntarily contribute to public good in small and large group, based on a Classic in experimental economics. Contrary to forecasts, decision-making is negatively correlated with Marginal Per Capita Return to investing in the public group in large group. Subjects appear to view the issue as weak. Decision-making is positively correlated, but too weakly, with number of subjects in small group and is not correlated in large group. Decision-making is always negatively correlated with game process, but without convergence to the dominant strategy. The method used in calculating compensation can have an impact. Reciprocity and aversion to inequity are always missing. This can be linked to the fact that subjects are not representative of the true population. In line with forecasts, two properties of public investment emerge and are consistent with decision-making of everyday life. Decision-making is negatively correlated with Marginal per Capita Return in small group, following logic of this incentive to contribute. There are signs of altruism in small group disappearing in larger group, disadvantaged by dilution of Giving. Presence of Warm-Glow Giving increases in large group, supported by changing nature of Giving. We model these results using the Logit equilibrium. It is noisy response functions including different components. Function’s properties properly meet decision-making and have advantage of not modeling some empirical contradictions.

This study was undertaken to identify the biographical characteristics, attitudes and perceptions of informal family care-givers caring for patients with mental illness in Dennilton. Data were gathered from 48 care-givers by using a cross-sectional survey approach in which structured questionnaires were completed. The results revealed that a sizeable proportion of the care-givers were 60 years and older. Only 10% were employed and a quarter married, suggesting that the care burden influenced their life choices. Many care-givers were mothers or female family members. Half of the patients cared for suffered from depression. Violent, aggressive behaviour was reported as a symptom that care-givers found difficult to deal with. Less than half of the care-givers reported that the patients accepted their health situation. / Sociology / M.A. Soc.

Per comprendere in che modo promuovere il contributo economico-finanziario al bene comune tramite tasse e donazioni monetarie, è stato adottato l’approccio della psicologia economica e un disegno di ricerca misto, utilizzando strumenti di ricerca qualitativa e quantitativa. Un primo studio di carattere qualitativo ha evidenziato come tasse e donazioni siano riconosciute come due forme alternative e complementari per contribuire al bene comune solo da punto di vista cognitivo, non affettivo. Successivamente, uno studio sperimentale basato sull’utilizzo dell’effetto framing ha mostrato che un ‘gain frame’ (ritorno di tipo materiale) è efficace nell’aumentare la propensione alla correttezza fiscale, mentre un ‘hedonic frame’ (ritorno di tipo emozionale) è efficace nell’aumentare la propensione a effettuare donazioni monetarie. Questi frame risultano particolarmente rivelanti quando prevale una motivazione di carattere estrinseco. Inoltre, la distanza a livello affettivo tra tasse e donazioni sembra emergere soprattutto con l’acquisizione di reale esperienza fiscale, come suggerito dalla differenza riscontrata tra studenti e lavoratori. Infine si suggerisce che, nonostante le differenze individuate, versare correttamente le tasse ed effettuare donazioni monetarie presentano alcuni elementi di somiglianza in quanto condividono antecedenti comuni, ovvero la motivazione a contribuire legata all’accessibilità (rendere il bene comune accessibile a chiunque) e la motivazione legata al guadagno personale (ottenere un ritorno personale in cambio del proprio contributo). In conclusione, i risultati offrono spunti teorici e pratici (per esempio, ‘nudge’) per lo sviluppo di interventi atti a favorire il contributo economico-finanziario al bene comune. / To understand how to promote the financial provision for the common good through paying taxes and making charitable donations, an economic-psychological perspective and a mixed-method approach – combining both qualitative and quantitative research tools – are adopted. First, a qualitative study shows that the acknowledgment of taxes and donations as two alternative and complementary ways to provide for the common good seems to stand merely on a formal and cognitive level, whilst at an affective level they appear to be very distant. Next, an experimental study using framing effect shows that a gain frame (i.e., material return) is effective in increasing intended tax compliance, whereas a hedonic frame (i.e. emotional return) is effective in increasing donation intention. Such frames are especially relevant when extrinsic motivation prevails. Moreover, the distance at affective level between taxes and donations seems to mostly arise with the acquisition of real tax experience, as suggested by the difference that is found between students and taxpayers. A final study suggests that, despite the above-mentioned differences, paying taxes and making donations are similar in that they share some common antecedents, which are the motives to provide for the common good. Such motives are ‘Accessibility’ (i.e., making the common good accessible to anyone and fulfilling people’s basic needs) and ‘Personal Gain’ (i.e., getting a return and personal advantage in exchange for one’s contribution). In conclusion, insights are offered to scholars, practitioners, and policy-makers to support the development of policies, interventions, and nudges aimed at promoting the financial provision for the common good.

L'acte d'achat de produits monastiques est un moment de rencontre entre deux mondes que tout semble opposer : le monde monastique, silencieux et détaché des biens matériels, et le monde sécularisé de la consommation, bruyant et matérialiste. Notre recherche très contextualisée se place dans la perspective culturelle de la consommation. La problématique est centrée sur la compréhension de l'influence des contextes sur le contenu de l'expérience vécue par l'acheteur de produits monastiques alimentaires et cosmétiques. Notre recherche empirique, fondée sur une approche qualitative de nature ethnographique, est pratiquée en immersion dans le monde de l'économie monastique française. Nous interrogeons les acheteurs sur le sens qu'ils donnent à leur expérience d'achat de produits monastiques dans des magasins physiques d'abbayes, sur une galerie marchande virtuelle d'abbayes, et dans une enseigne physique laïque. Un premier palier de résultats apporte une compréhension contextualisée de l'écosystème monastique, et du contenu de l'expérience d'achat dans trois types de points de vente. Ils mettent notamment en lumière les liens étroits entre achat, don, plaisir et partage, ainsi que la dimension patrimoniale des produits. Un second palier de résultats moins contextualisés défend la thèse que le point de vente physique est un instrument de transfert de sens des contextes extérieurs vers le cœur de l'expérience. Nous mettons ainsi en lumière les limites du e-commerce pour les produits ancrés dans l'histoire et le territoire, et proposons aux décideurs des pistes d'adaptation pour les sites marchands. / The act of purchasing a monastic product is a situation when two apparently contradictory worlds come together: the monastic world, silent and detached from material goods, and the secular world of consumption, noisy and materialistic. Our research is highly contextualised and looks at consumption from a cultural perspective. The aim of this research is to understand in which way contexts influence the content of the experience when buying monastic food products and cosmetics. Our empirical research is qualitative, ethnographic in nature, and is carried out inside the world of the French monastic economy. We ask purchasers about the meaning they give to their experience of buying monastic products from abbey shops, from an abbeys' virtual marketplace, and from a secular branded outlet. The first-level results bring a contextualised understanding of the monastic ecosystem, and of the dimensions of the buying experience at the three types of shops. They particularly highlight the close links between purchasing, giving, enjoyment and sharing, and also the patrimonial aspect of these products. The second-level results are less contextualised and support the theory according to which the physical point of sale is the instrument through which the meaning of the external contexts is transferred into the heart of the experience. We are thus able to highlight the limitations of e-commerce for products that are deeply anchored in history and territory, and we advise decision-makers on how best to adapt their strategies for online channels.

Cette thèse étudie une question historique classique, celle de la transition entre l'évergétisme et la charité chrétienne, à travers l'étude des dons à la collectivité en Afrique du Nord tardo-antique, de la fin du IIIe siècle au VIe siècle. La recherche s'appuie sur les sources épigraphiques et littéraires africaines tardo‑antiques, et prend en compte les acquis de l'anthropologie du don. Pendant l'Antiquité tardive, l'évergétisme, pratique caractéristique des cités antiques par laquelle des aristocrates faisaient des dons à leurs concitoyens se renouvelle et disparaît progressivement. Selon l'interprétation couramment admise, cette pratique aurait été supplantée par un nouveau mode de générosité influencé par le modèle de la charité chrétienne. Devenus chrétiens, les habitants des cités africaines auraient tourné le dos aux modes de générosité propres à la cité antique pour se montrer généreux vis-à-vis de la communauté chrétienne de leur choix. À travers l'étude des discours et des pratiques du don, ce travail remet en question le modèle de la transition en montrant notamment que les deux modes de don ont largement coexisté durant les débuts de l'Antiquité tardive. Cette étude affine la chronologie des dons à la collectivité et montre que le christianisme n'est pas à lui seul responsable de la fin de l'évergétisme. Le travail revient sur l'expression « évergétisme chrétien », parfois utilisée dans l'historiographie pour désigner la permanence d'une logique évergétique au sein même du don chrétien. Sont également étudiés les usages du don à la collectivité : le don est autant source de lien social entre les acteurs qu'il est vecteur de conflit. / This dissertation addresses the problem of the transition from euergetism to Christian charity. The approach focuses on gifts to communities in Late Antique North Africa from the third century to the sixth century. The study uses epigraphical and literary documents and includes anthropological perspectives on gift-giving. During Late Antiquity, euergetism (public benefaction) changes and disappears slowly. According to most current theories, euergetism would have been replaced by a new form of generosity, based on 'Christian charity'. Progressively converted to Christianity, the Romano‑Africans would have given up classical civic generosity, turning instead to the Christian communities. This dissertation studies the discourse and practice of gift-giving and challenges the idea of a transition from euergetism to charity, showing that both types of gifts coexisted in early Late Antiquity. This theory clarifies the chronology of Late Antique generosity and analyzes the expression 'Christian euergetism'. Finally, the study examines the uses of benefaction and shows that gift-giving strengthens social bonds while simultaneously generating tension.

In this thesis, the Researcher argues that the Border Black Baptist Churches form two-thirds of the membership of the Border Baptist in the Association. The researcher is concerned that they are growing in numbers but declining in finances. This problem is affecting the body of Jesus Christ locally, nationally and globally. It does not end there but the Great Commission (Matt 28:16-20) has also been affected. My personal interest is to show that Border Black Baptist Churches are not necessarily poor but need some kind of profound teaching and motivation. It means that in the Border/Amathole region we need self-propagating, self-supporting, self-governing and self- theologizing within our own culture. We need to see that the tithing system is God’s plan for giving. It is instituted by God and encompasses His promises, only if we obey Him. In the Border Black Baptist Churches there is also a need to see that freewill offerings are part and parcel of God’s plan for financial giving and stewardship. It means that giving to God must be seen as Creation, Sowing and Reaping Principles. My research methodology includes interviews, questionnaires and study of the relevant literature. The reason for this research is to bring clarity about financial giving and stewardship in these Churches. The whole purpose is to see financially matured Border Black Baptist Churches in this region. / Dissertation (MA(Theol))--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

Notre étude porte sur les personnages féminins de Marcel Proust à l'aide du « désir » de René Girard, du « don » de Marcel Mauss et des « focalisations » de Gérard Genette. La focalisation variable dans le récit facilite la compréhension de toutes les relations et en particulier des sentiments amoureux du héros pour les femmes. Il croit pouvoir réaliser ses rêves à travers ces femmes et se réjouit à l'idée de posséder les clés qui lui permettent d'entrer dans le monde qu'il recherche. Ce sera le narrateur vieillissant qui démystifiera ce sentiment. En réalité, sa satisfaction ne provient pas des femmes en elles-mêmes, mais de leurs qualités périphériques qu'il peut retrouver chez elles. Girard défend le désir des mauvais procédés, il parle également du mimétisme, de la rivalité et de la violence dans le désir qui relève de l'imagination. Le « désir girardien » définit correctement le désir maladif du jeune héros envers les femmes. Quant à Mauss, il défend une réciprocité de la reconnaissance comme « trois obligations » afin de pouvoir constituer une bonne relation sociale. Il dévoile principalement les bons procédés tels l'amitié, l'amour et l'échange de cadeaux, mais il traite aussi du sujet de la rivalité. Ces deux théories semblent contradictoires, cependant le désir et le don coexistent dans la Recherche, on les retrouve tous deux au fur et à mesure de notre relecture. La poursuite de l'amitié et de la gloire sociale du héros est défaite, pourtant toutes les pages sur l'art nous montrent la philosophie de Proust, ce qui n'est pas possible par l'amour est possible grâce à la littérature. La Recherche parle de la compréhension de la vie ce qui est un don du romancier. / My research focuses on the female characters in In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust from the perspective of the "desire" of René Girard, the "gift" of Marcel Mauss and the "focus" of Gérard Genette. The variable focus in the narrative facilitates the comprehension of all relationships, connections and in particular the passion and the varied emotional projections of the hero for these women. He believes that his dreams will come true through these women. It will be the narrator, another "me" of the hero, who will demystify this feeling. In fact, his satisfaction is not in regard to the women themselves, but to the peripheral qualities that he can find from these women. Girard defends the desire of bad processes, he talks about the mimicry, rivalry and violence in desire which is also from the imagination. Girard's theory of mimetic desire composed of envy, jealousy and helpless hatred corresponds exactly to the unhealthy desire of the young hero for these women. The theory of Mauss regarding mutual recognition as being composed of "three obligations" which constitute a good social relationship. He defends not only the good processes like friendship, love and gift exchange, but also the topic of rivalry. It might seem that these two theories are contradictory, but Desire and the Gift coexist in fact in this novel, we can find them in our new interpretation. The hero's pursuit of friendship and social glory is defeated, however all pages on art shows us the philosophy of Proust, which is not possible by love is possible through literature. In Search of Lost Time is a gift of the author, it's a comprehension all about life.

Volunteer caregivers provide essential services to people in the terminal stages of AIDS and their families. Volunteers are exposed to stress and burnout. This study investigated the relationships between stress, coping strategies, levels of burnout and resilience in this population. Volunteers from Societas ‘O Sosiale (SOS) Children Villages and community based organisation (CBO) partnerships, were selected using non-probability purposive convenience sampling. A total of 110 participants were given the Experience of Work and Life Circumstances Questionnaire (WLQ), Brief-Cope, Maslach’s Burnout Inventory (MBI), a Resilience scale and the Living Standard Measure to complete. Statistical analyses were performed on the data. This includes descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, factor analysis, correlations and multivariate analysis of variance. The study found that volunteer caregivers experience high stress levels and burnout related to stressors outside work, remuneration, personnel policies and high resilience. High burnout is associated with all forms of coping. Further it is shown that training in problem-solving skills, counselling, government and public lobbying for support, registration with relevant professional bodies, furnished offices, reasonable recruitment requirements and compensation are needed to help the care givers avert the effect of stressors and control stress by stopping it from turning to burnout. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology with specialisation in Research Consultation)

This article investigates the decision of consumers at bottle refund machines to either reclaim their bottle deposit or to donate the refund to a non-profit organization. The study documents the unique pre-intervention data on donating behaviour and introduces a field experiment to increase donation levels. The design comprised the strategic framing of the situation by highlighting different cues about the normative, descriptive and local expectations of charitable giving as well as cues about the warm glow of donating money. The experiment took place in 20 supermarkets in Germany and lasted for 12 months. By varying the experimental design and using different modelling approaches, the study arrives at the conclusion that individuals largely act consistent with the assumption having self-regarding preferences that are stable and difficult to change. Hence, our pre-test and postintervention data stand in sharp contrast to results from lab experiments.