This study focuses on the experiences of the relationship between adolescents with asthma and their parents. Even though asthma has been described as the most common chronic illness in adolescence, very little research has been undertaken on the combined impact of asthma on the parent-adolescent relationship. The goal of this study was to explore and describe how adolescents with asthma and their parents experience their relationships with each other. The research was conducted from a qualitative research approach and followed a case study design. This allowed the researcher to develop an understanding of the meaning that the participants gave to their life experiences. A total of four families consisting of one adolescent and two parents each was purposefully selected and obtained with the assistance of a medical practitioner specialising in pulmonary disease in Bloemfontein. The adolescents had to be between the ages of 14 and 18, formally diagnosed with asthma by a medical practitioner and currently be taking medication prescribed by the relevant practitioner. In addition they had to be living with both of their biological parents in the same household. The qualitative data were gathered in the form of individual reflective journals, semistructured group interviews and unstructured individual interviews. The researcher‟s objective was to understand and interpret the meanings the participants gave to their own experiences, which were further done through field notes, member checking, and drawings participants made in the reflective journals. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed by the researcher. Thematic data analysis was used to transform the journal entries and transcribe data into meaningful information. The drawings made in the journals were analysed with the assistance of participants, thus a shared analysis. The Constant Comparative method was used to identify themes related to the research question from the researcher‟s field notes. The principles and strategies for ensuring the trustworthiness of the data were done through crystallisation. The findings of the study revealed that adolescents and their parents experienced mixed emotions in terms of asthma and the impact asthma had on their relationships. The adolescents‟ and parents‟ beliefs concerning the topics of the research were often contradictory. It was evident that they experience specific and often contrasting roles and responsibilities regarding the management of asthma in the parent-adolescent relationship, and most families had to make significant adjustments in their family lifestyle and relationships as a result of the adolescents‟ asthma. / MA (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

This study aims to explore locus of control and care from the perspective of older people (aged 60 years and older) in relation to younger people. Nine older people (8 female and 1 male) living in the Vaalharts community in the Northern Cape province of South Africa participated in the research. From the perspective of older persons, locus of control in intergenerational relations refers to how they subjectively evaluate the control they exert in relation to the younger generation and the broader environment. The extent to which older persons subjectively evaluate rewards and punishments from the interpersonal context and the broader environment will inform the manifestations of control (internal or external). Internal locus of control refers to the subjective evaluation by older people: that they are in control of their lives and the environment, and that they can give and receive care. Older people with an external locus of control believe that their lives and environment are uncontrollable and governed by external factors. Little research has focused on locus of control and care in intergenerational relationships. The research was approved by the human research ethical committee of the Faculty of Health Sciences in the North-West University. Guidelines provided by the Health Professions Council of South Africa for psychologists were followed during and after the research process. A qualitative research approach was used. The participants were first selected by using purposive sampling. Data were gathered over three days by using the Mmogo method®. The older people were asked to make something using these materials to illustrate their experiences or the way in which they experienced care in relationship to younger people. The participants had the opportunity to explain their presentations and prompting questions were asked. The data were analysed by using thematic and visual analyses. Trustworthiness was ensured by testing for credibility, transferability, dependability and comformability. The data revealed four themes. First, the older people expressed internal locus control in relation to the younger people by accepting responsibility to care for them. In relation to the environment, they used the land proactively. In doing so, they demonstrated the expectation of being rewarded for their efforts: the land would provide them with the food as a reward. Second, older people demonstrated strategies associated with internal locus of control in relation to the younger people and the environment. They modelled expected behaviour, educated the younger people and monitored their school work. It is only in relation to disciplining younger people that older people demonstrated external locus of control. They sought external assistance to discipline the younger people, which included appeals to the police, God and the researchers. Third, the outcomes of the strategies to exercise control over the younger people were not effective, as the subjective expressions of disappointment and the rejecting behaviour of the younger people showed. Last, the older people tried to gain control over the younger people by applying escalating attempts at corporal discipline. These findings, in contributing to an understanding of locus of control and care, may be used to facilitate positive relationships between younger and older people, which are vital for both generations‟ well-being. / MA (Research Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Previous research on respect in intergenerational relations showed a significant association with the sustainability of the relationship that exists between generations. Respect in intergenerational relationships is a relational phenomenon. As such, respect is defined as subjective experiences of interpersonal interactions between members of different generations. For the purpose of this study, intergenerational relationships refer to interactions between people older than 60 years (G1-first generation in a family) and younger people (between the ages of 20 and 30) who constitute the third generation (G3-third generation in a family). The theoretical frameworks that informed this study are a combination of the Interpersonal Theory, Interpersonal Communication Theory that informs the principles of the Self-Interactional Group Theory (SIGT). The Interpersonal Theory and the Interpersonal Communication Theory conceptualise interactions between people on an interpersonal level. The SIGT however gives meaning to interactions specifically between members of different generations. SIGT theory conceptualizes that intergenerational relations and its principles are rooted in the idea of stimulating effective relationships and supporting intergenerational cohesion. According to this theory, interactions between members of different generations always occur within an interpersonal context shaped by continuous interaction between them. This interpersonal context also determines the significance of communication within the interactions between generations. Extensive work on respect in intergenerational relationships has mostly been done in Asian and Western regions, with a specific focus on the typological forms of respect from the perspectives of younger generations. This resulted in the identification of 14 typological forms of respect for older people. Research on respect in Africa conducted in Ghana revealed that respect is a reciprocal construct, while a study in South Africa on respect between Zulu grandmothers and their grandchildren reported a decline in grandchildren‟s respect for their grandmothers. Little to no literature was found on young adults‟ in transition experiences of respect in their relations with older people which constitutes a conceptual gap in the field of contemporary intergenerational research in South Africa and motivates the focus of this study. This study explores respect from the perspective of Afrikaans speaking young adults‟ in their relations with people older than 60 years. Before conducting the research, ethical approval was obtained from the Health Research Ethics Council (HREC) of the North-West University, and the researcher adhered to the ethical guidelines prescribed by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). This research was conducted in a higher educational context, at the North-West University‟s Potchefstroom campus in South Africa. A qualitative approach was used to explore 23 (22 female and 1 male) Afrikaans-speaking young adults‟ experiences of respect in their relations with older people. This group was purposively chosen as being in transitional life phase-from dependence to independence and autonomy. Data were collected over the course of three days by means of the Mmogo-method®, a visual projective data-collection technique. The Mmogo-method® enables the researcher to collect culture sensitive data embedded in the lived experiences of the participants. Participants are provided with materials consisting of a lump of clay, grass straws, colourful beads and piece of fabric in a closed container. Participants were asked to use the material in the container to construct something that could demonstrate how they experienced respect in their relations with a person older than 60 years. The projections participants built served as the focus for subsequent discussion, in the course which they explained what they had made and its relevance to the research question. In addition, prompt questions were asked to stimulate a focus group discussion. Textual data were analysed by means of thematic analysis, and by incorporating the symbolic meaning of the visual representation with the text of each participant. To ensure the quality and enhance the trustworthiness of this study, credibility, transferability, conformability, dependability and integrity of the researcher were applied throughout the research process. Findings revealed that the young adults described their experiences of respect within a specific relational context which they share with older people. Furthermore, their respect for older people is supported by normative values that motivate the young adults to offer them respect. The young adults experience respect in the relational context as reciprocal: they give respect to older people by means of altruistic actions and by being present in the lives of older people. In turn, they receive emotional and material care from older people as a form of respect. The findings of this study inform research into the relational nature of intergenerational respect which may be drawn upon for the development of intergenerational programmes to promote sustainable cohesion in intergenerational relationships. / MSc (Research Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

This study focuses on the experiences of the relationship between adolescents with asthma and their parents. Even though asthma has been described as the most common chronic illness in adolescence, very little research has been undertaken on the combined impact of asthma on the parent-adolescent relationship. The goal of this study was to explore and describe how adolescents with asthma and their parents experience their relationships with each other. The research was conducted from a qualitative research approach and followed a case study design. This allowed the researcher to develop an understanding of the meaning that the participants gave to their life experiences. A total of four families consisting of one adolescent and two parents each was purposefully selected and obtained with the assistance of a medical practitioner specialising in pulmonary disease in Bloemfontein. The adolescents had to be between the ages of 14 and 18, formally diagnosed with asthma by a medical practitioner and currently be taking medication prescribed by the relevant practitioner. In addition they had to be living with both of their biological parents in the same household. The qualitative data were gathered in the form of individual reflective journals, semistructured group interviews and unstructured individual interviews. The researcher‟s objective was to understand and interpret the meanings the participants gave to their own experiences, which were further done through field notes, member checking, and drawings participants made in the reflective journals. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed by the researcher. Thematic data analysis was used to transform the journal entries and transcribe data into meaningful information. The drawings made in the journals were analysed with the assistance of participants, thus a shared analysis. The Constant Comparative method was used to identify themes related to the research question from the researcher‟s field notes. The principles and strategies for ensuring the trustworthiness of the data were done through crystallisation. The findings of the study revealed that adolescents and their parents experienced mixed emotions in terms of asthma and the impact asthma had on their relationships. The adolescents‟ and parents‟ beliefs concerning the topics of the research were often contradictory. It was evident that they experience specific and often contrasting roles and responsibilities regarding the management of asthma in the parent-adolescent relationship, and most families had to make significant adjustments in their family lifestyle and relationships as a result of the adolescents‟ asthma. / MA (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

A broad research project was conducted into experiences of respect in intergenerational relationships. The focus of this particular study fell on the motivations of respect for older people from the perspective of adults and young adults. Respect has been identified as an important aspect in promoting intergenerational relationships. In this research, intergenerational relations refer to the interaction between older people (60 + years), who form part of generation 1 (G1) and younger people, generation 3 (G3). Adults and young adults who participated in this study share the same historical generation, meaning that they experienced the same historical events. For the purpose of this study respect is defined as the subjective experience of the interactions between two people from different generations. Previous research into respect in intergenerational relationships has mostly been conducted in Asian and Western countries, with the exception of one study in Ghana, Africa. This existing research focused solely on the types of respectful behaviour employed in intergenerational relationships. Fourteen types have been identified. Philosophers regard respect as an important moral consideration. Adults‟ moral development is complex and linked to their cognitive and ego capacities. Moral development evolves during human development and manifests motivation that usually moves from extrinsic to intrinsic. Self-Determination Theory (SDT) defines motivation as the force that moves people to do something. SDT varies in the amount and type of motivation and also distinguishes among intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation refers to doing something because it will lead to a desired outcome, whereas intrinsic motivation is about an inherently pleasing action. A qualitative approach was followed to describe the experiences of adults and young adults and to identity their motivations for respect. The research was conducted at North-West University‟s Potchefstroom Campus in South Africa to obtain participants who are in a transitional context. The adults and young adults who participated in this study were in a transitional phase: being part of a tertiary educational context confronted them with different world views from what they were used to. Twenty-seven white adults and young adults between 22 and 48 years of age participated. A sample of two men and 25 women who are post-graduate psychology students were conveniently chosen for this study. Data-gathering took place over three days and was conducted in a focus group manner by using the Mmogo-method®. The Mmogo-method® requires that participants receive a lump of clay, grass stalks and beads. Participants were asked to build something to show how they experience respect in relation to a person older than 60 years. Prompting questions were then asked, after which the participants had the opportunity to describe verbally what they had built. Data were analyzed by means of sequential and visual analyses. Data were originally analyzed using within-case displays where each case was analyzed individually; next, cross-case displays were done and linked to the visual presentations to plot on the four presented types of motivation. Trustworthiness was ensured by applying four strategies, including: credibility, transferability, dependability and conformability. The research was approved by the ethical committee of North-West University. The researcher applied ethical guidelines as prescribed by the Health Professions Council of South Africa during and after the research was conducted. Findings revealed that adults and young adults were moved to respect older people by four different types of motivation, presented as typologies. The types include extrinsic/conditional motivation, extrinsic/unconditional motivation, self-motivated/conditional motivation and self-motivated/unconditional motivation. These findings may be used to develop programmes to promote sustainable intergenerational relationships. / MA (Research Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

A long-term care resident sits in front of a TV. With the push of a remote control button she instantly sees and visits with her children and grandchildren over 500 miles away. She last saw them on her 80th birthday, four years ago. She and her family are participants in a social action inquiry that explores video conferencing in order to understand the value of technology enhanced face-to-face interaction in a long-term care home. <p>This research, designed as a compassionate response to the serious problems of isolation, loneliness, helplessness, and boredom in long-term care, set out to determine what video conferencing can mean to long-term care residents and to the people they connect with. The study queried possibilities for improving the quality of social interactions of residents in long-term care facilities with family members living at some considerable distance from them. It involved setup of technical equipment, then three residents in a long-term care facility in western Canada were introduced to the practice of video conferencing with their families. Each conferencing event was supported with volunteers for a three-four month exploration period. <p>The research was intended to contribute to knowledge about learning in later life, to promote a way of increasing communication between the elderly and younger generations, and to address issues associated with elderly long-term care residents access to video conferencing technology. <p>Data collected through memory logs, observations, and interviews indicates that all study participants, including residents, family, and volunteers, responded favourably to the video conferencing experience. This study supports the claims that video conferencing can increase the frequency of contact between long-term residents and family members, and that the quality of this contact is enhanced through the visual presence and engagement of participants, through use of video conferencing technology. The video conferencing enabled family members separated by distance and unable to visit frequently to take on a "regular visitor role" and for residents to go visiting. The visually enhanced communication / visits transformed the otherwise limited audio interaction of phone calls or no interaction into socially substantive experiences of connectedness, inclusion about which residents reported feeling excited and connected with something to look forward to. <p>This suggests video conferencing could contribute to a good quality of life for residents. Future communications infrastructures should seriously consider inclusion strategies and availability of effective applications to long-term care residents.

A long-term care resident sits in front of a TV. With the push of a remote control button she instantly sees and visits with her children and grandchildren over 500 miles away. She last saw them on her 80th birthday, four years ago. She and her family are participants in a social action inquiry that explores video conferencing in order to understand the value of technology enhanced face-to-face interaction in a long-term care home. <p>This research, designed as a compassionate response to the serious problems of isolation, loneliness, helplessness, and boredom in long-term care, set out to determine what video conferencing can mean to long-term care residents and to the people they connect with. The study queried possibilities for improving the quality of social interactions of residents in long-term care facilities with family members living at some considerable distance from them. It involved setup of technical equipment, then three residents in a long-term care facility in western Canada were introduced to the practice of video conferencing with their families. Each conferencing event was supported with volunteers for a three-four month exploration period. <p>The research was intended to contribute to knowledge about learning in later life, to promote a way of increasing communication between the elderly and younger generations, and to address issues associated with elderly long-term care residents access to video conferencing technology. <p>Data collected through memory logs, observations, and interviews indicates that all study participants, including residents, family, and volunteers, responded favourably to the video conferencing experience. This study supports the claims that video conferencing can increase the frequency of contact between long-term residents and family members, and that the quality of this contact is enhanced through the visual presence and engagement of participants, through use of video conferencing technology. The video conferencing enabled family members separated by distance and unable to visit frequently to take on a "regular visitor role" and for residents to go visiting. The visually enhanced communication / visits transformed the otherwise limited audio interaction of phone calls or no interaction into socially substantive experiences of connectedness, inclusion about which residents reported feeling excited and connected with something to look forward to. <p>This suggests video conferencing could contribute to a good quality of life for residents. Future communications infrastructures should seriously consider inclusion strategies and availability of effective applications to long-term care residents.

A broad research project was conducted into experiences of respect in intergenerational relationships. The focus of this particular study fell on the motivations of respect for older people from the perspective of adults and young adults. Respect has been identified as an important aspect in promoting intergenerational relationships. In this research, intergenerational relations refer to the interaction between older people (60 + years), who form part of generation 1 (G1) and younger people, generation 3 (G3). Adults and young adults who participated in this study share the same historical generation, meaning that they experienced the same historical events. For the purpose of this study respect is defined as the subjective experience of the interactions between two people from different generations. Previous research into respect in intergenerational relationships has mostly been conducted in Asian and Western countries, with the exception of one study in Ghana, Africa. This existing research focused solely on the types of respectful behaviour employed in intergenerational relationships. Fourteen types have been identified. Philosophers regard respect as an important moral consideration. Adults‟ moral development is complex and linked to their cognitive and ego capacities. Moral development evolves during human development and manifests motivation that usually moves from extrinsic to intrinsic. Self-Determination Theory (SDT) defines motivation as the force that moves people to do something. SDT varies in the amount and type of motivation and also distinguishes among intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation refers to doing something because it will lead to a desired outcome, whereas intrinsic motivation is about an inherently pleasing action. A qualitative approach was followed to describe the experiences of adults and young adults and to identity their motivations for respect. The research was conducted at North-West University‟s Potchefstroom Campus in South Africa to obtain participants who are in a transitional context. The adults and young adults who participated in this study were in a transitional phase: being part of a tertiary educational context confronted them with different world views from what they were used to. Twenty-seven white adults and young adults between 22 and 48 years of age participated. A sample of two men and 25 women who are post-graduate psychology students were conveniently chosen for this study. Data-gathering took place over three days and was conducted in a focus group manner by using the Mmogo-method®. The Mmogo-method® requires that participants receive a lump of clay, grass stalks and beads. Participants were asked to build something to show how they experience respect in relation to a person older than 60 years. Prompting questions were then asked, after which the participants had the opportunity to describe verbally what they had built. Data were analyzed by means of sequential and visual analyses. Data were originally analyzed using within-case displays where each case was analyzed individually; next, cross-case displays were done and linked to the visual presentations to plot on the four presented types of motivation. Trustworthiness was ensured by applying four strategies, including: credibility, transferability, dependability and conformability. The research was approved by the ethical committee of North-West University. The researcher applied ethical guidelines as prescribed by the Health Professions Council of South Africa during and after the research was conducted. Findings revealed that adults and young adults were moved to respect older people by four different types of motivation, presented as typologies. The types include extrinsic/conditional motivation, extrinsic/unconditional motivation, self-motivated/conditional motivation and self-motivated/unconditional motivation. These findings may be used to develop programmes to promote sustainable intergenerational relationships. / MA (Research Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

abstract: Family economics uses economic concepts such as productions and decision making to understand family behavior. Economists place emphasis on the rule of families on labor supply, human capital investment, and consumption. In a household, the members choose the optimal time allocations between working, housework and leisure, and money between consumption of different members and savings. One-Child policy and strong inter-generational connections cause unique family structure in China. Households of different generations provide income transfer and labor support to each other. Households consider these connections in their savings, labor supply, human capital investment, fertility and marriage decisions. Especially, strong intergenerational relationships in China are one cause of the high level of young female labor supply and high saving rate. I will investigate the rules of intergenerational relationships on household economic behavior. Affirmative Action allocates college seats to a separate group. To evaluate the distribution effects of AA on discrete groups, we need to study household's strategic reactions on the rule of college seats allocation. The admission system of National College Entrance Examination in China is a type of AA. That distributes college seats by regions. I will use the rapid expansion of Chinese college enrollment as a natural experiment to check the households' reaction on AA and college expansion. Media economics utilizes economic empirical and theoretical tools to figure out the social, cultural, and economic issues in media industries. The impact of online piracy on genuine products sales is under debate, because people cannot find representing proxies to evaluate piracy levels. I will use Chinese data to study the effects of online piracy on theater revenue. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Economics 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate the quality of grandfather's relationships with his adult child and their oldest child. A questionnaire was used to obtain demographic data, determine some personality and interaction patterns that can be observed as the male adult develops in the parent and grandparent roles, and examine how specific variables affect grandfather relationships and behavior. Data were gathered from 165 Utah State University students and their spouses , of which over 75% belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The results support good intergenerational relationships. Proximity of grandfather and extended family members was on the average 23 miles. The grandfather and adult child visited each other on the average of five times monthly. Grandfathers were seen as helpful, affectionate, and willing to sacrifice for the adult child if in need. Insufficient data were gathered to support a conclusion that the quality of grandfather ' s relationship with either the adult child or the grandchild would be significantly related to grandfather age or the family member's sex . Some trends suggest that females are more accepting of help from the grandfather . Also older grandfathers tended to be perceived to have a more positive relationship than their younger counterparts. Perceptions of grandfathers' changing behavior over time indicated most grandfathers ' behaviors remain stable . When change did take place, it was significantly more likely to be in the direction of increased warmth and nurturing behaviors.