This thesis describes women's conceptions of power in the context of an all-woman work group. Research on the psychology of power, which began in the 1950's, has been dominated by particular focii, perspectives and techniques which may have resulted in somewhat narrow definitions of power which tap only factors traditionally seen as "masculine." In reframing these focii, perspectives and techniques, this research focuses on women's understandings; was conducted from a naturalistic perspective, using qualitative techniques; and approached the investigation of power from a position of "not knowing" rather than relying on a priori theory. The naturalistic perspective used in this study is phenomenography, a relatively new research approach developed in Sweden by a group of educational researchers at the University of Goteborg. Phenomenography describes individuals' conceptions in the form of categories of description which represent people's ways of understanding or conceptualizing phenomena—in this case, power. The findings of this study—the conceptions of power— came out of in-depth open-ended interviews with eight women who comprised the membership of the 1988-89 "gender-fair" counsellors' training team at UBC. These interviews were conducted in the hermeneutic tradition of mutually-constructed meaning, audio taped, transcribed, and analyzed to yield six qualitatively different conceptions of power which appear consistent with feminist theory on women's developmental perspectives and views of power. The conceptions, in the form of categories of meaning, are organized into an outcome space in which understandings of power move from: (a) an inner focus on self to an outer focus on the other; (b) a view of the process as "being", to acting, to interacting; and (c) a private context to a public context. The six conceptions of power are: 1. personal integrity 1a. entitlement 2. expressing personal integrity/congruence 3. self-determination 4. agency/competence 5. respected standing 6. influence The implications of these findings for counselling and suggestions for further research are discussed. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

The current studies examined the interplay of dominance and power in their effects on various forms of prosociality, along with potential mechanisms that may account for their differential effects. Study 1 found that dominance and power had opposing effects on general prosocial tendencies, with dominance negatively relating to and power positively relating to general prosociality. Study 2 found the negative effects of dominance to be consistent both for general and relationship-specific prosociality. The effects of power were not replicated for the outcomes shared with Study 1, but other positive associations were found between power and prosocial propensities. Indirect effects in studies 1 and 2 supported the potential mediating role of other focus in explaining the differential effects of dominance and power. Study 3 utilized an experimental design to directly examine the potential mediating role of other-focus, by manipulating independent versus interdependent self-construals. Significant interactions between power and condition supported the notion that power positively affects prosociality by increasing other-focus. In the interdependent condition, power significantly predicted perspective-taking, whereas in the independent condition, the effect of power on perspective-taking was not significant. Study 4 involved collecting dyadic data from romantic partners, but did not find any significant partner effects. In line with the other studies, dominance was negatively associated with self-reported supportive tendencies as well as self-reported perceptions of a partner’s supportive behaviors. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2019. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Case Western Reserve University, 2005. / Fraces Payne Bolton School of Nursing. Includes bibliographical references. Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2005. / Principal faculty advisor: Samuel L. Gaertner, Dept. of Psychology. Includes bibliographical references.

Rationale: Chronic diseases represent an important health burden that often involves major adaptations to manage the disease on a daily basis. Health professionals, such as the family physician, can help a person acquire more power over his or her health (enablement). While it would be useful to measure patient perception of enablement by the family doctor with a valid questionnaire, existing tools present important gaps. Aim and objectives: This study aimed at developing a self-administered questionnaire to measure the perception of patients with chronic diseases of enablement by their family physician. The objectives were: 1) To deepen the conceptualization of enablement by validating the proposed conceptual framework with patients presenting with chronic diseases and to specify the relative importance of its dimensions; 2) To operationalise the dimensions by proposing indicators of these dimensions (pool of items); 3) To verify the content validity of the questionnaire. Methods: An exploratory sequential mixed-method research design was chosen. The descriptive qualitative study (objectives 1 and 2) used in-depth interviews with 30 patients aged 35 to 75 presenting with at least one chronic disease, having the same family doctor for at least one year and recruited through maximum variation sampling. Taped interviews were transcribed and analyzed using Miles and Huberman's mixed coding method (2003a). A three-round e-Delphi study (objective 3) involved 15 Canadian experts in family medicine, able to read in French. The experts scored the items proposed on a 9-point scale (1 = Inappropriate to 9 = Very appropriate) and could suggest rewording and additions. Items scored 7-9 by the experts were considered consensual and were not presented in the following round. Items that were not consensual after the third round were decided upon by the team of researchers. Results: The partnership (the trusting relationship and decisions to be taken) that develops over time was found to be a major component of enablement. The enablement role of the physician goes beyond the medical consultation to defend the interests and safety of the patient's journey through the healthcare system. The trusting relationship combined with a good knowledge of the person may help the family physician better understand and legitimize the various feelings experienced while offering realistic hope . The family physician is in a privileged position to help patients develop their own expertise . Sixty-six items classified into six dimensions were submitted to the experts during the first round of the E-Delphi method. The first round was completed by 13 experts: 21 items were consensual; 25 items were resubmitted without any modification; 16 items were modified and four were rejected. Forty-one items were submitted during the second round, completed by 13 experts: eight items were consensual; 20 items were submitted without any modification; 12 items were modified and one item was rejected. Thirty-three items were submitted during the third round completed by nine experts: 29 items remained intact; three items were modified and one item was rejected. Conclusion: An initial 61-item questionnaire is proposed.

A violência institucional em maternidades é tema de estudo em diversos países. Pesquisas demonstram que além das dificuldades econômicas e estruturais, freqüentes nos serviços públicos, encontram-se, subjacentes aos maus tratos vividos pelas pacientes, aspectos sócio-culturais relacionados a uma prática discriminatória quanto a gênero, classe social e etnia. A hipótese deste trabalho é a de que a violência institucional em maternidades é, fundamentalmente, uma violência de gênero que, pautada por significados culturais estereotipados de desvalorização e submissão da mulher, a discrimina por sua condição de gênero e a toma como objeto das ações de outrem. Essa violência se expressa, de forma particular, no contexto da crise de confiança que a medicina tecnológica contemporânea engendra, com a fragilização dos vínculos e interações entre profissionais e paciente. O objetivo do estudo foi investigar como e porque a violência institucional acontece nas maternidades públicas no contexto brasileiro. Para tanto, foi realizada uma pesquisa de corte qualitativo com 21 entrevistas semi-estruturadas com puérperas atendidas em maternidades públicas do município de São Paulo e 18 entrevistas com profissionais de saúde que atuam em diferentes maternidades, do mesmo município e adjacentes. A análise do material buscou relatos de violência institucional nos depoimentos e os valores e opiniões associados. Os dados revelaram que tanto as puérperas quanto os profissionais entrevistados reconhecem práticas discriminatórias e tratamento grosseiro no âmbito da assistência em maternidades públicas com tal frequência que se torna muitas vezes esperado pelas pacientes que sofram algum tipo de maltrato. Dificuldades estruturais, a formação pessoal e profissional, e a própria impunidade desses atos foram apontados como causas para a violência institucional. Os relatos também demonstraram uma banalização da violência institucional através de jargões de cunho moralista e discriminatório, usados como brincadeiras pelos profissionais; no uso de ameaças como forma de persuadir a paciente e na naturalização da dor do parto como preço a ser pago para se tornar mãe. Consideramos que a banalização da violência aponta para a banalização da injustiça e do sofrimento alheio como um fenômeno social que atinge a toda sociedade; para a fragilização dos vínculos de interação pessoal entre profissionais e pacientes e para a cristalização de estereótipos de classe e gênero que se refletem na assistência a essas pacientes, além de contribuir para a invisibilidade da violência como tema de reflexão e controle institucional / Institutional violence in maternity facilities is the subject of study in several countries. Researches show that besides economic and structural difficulties, which are frequent in state-run facilities, there are, underlying the abuse experienced by patients, socio-cultural aspects related to a discriminatory practice towards gender, social class and ethnicity. The hypothesis of this work is that institutional violence in maternity facilities is essentially a gender-based violence which, guided by stereotypical cultural meanings of devaluation and subjugation of woman, discriminates her by her gender condition and takes her as object of others actions. This violence is expressed particularly in the context of the confidence crisis that contemporaneous medical technology engenders, with the weakening of bonds and interactions between professionals and patient. The objective of this study was to investigate how and why the institutional violence occurs in state-run maternity facilities in the Brazilian context. The work was carried out through qualitative research with 21 semi-structured interviews with birthing women treated at state-run maternity facilities in city of São Paulo and 18 interviews with health professionals working in different facilities in São Paulo and adjacent cities. The analysis of the material sought reports of institutional violence in the statements of the people interviewed and the values and opinions associated to them. The data showed that both birthing women and professionals interviewed acknowledge discriminatory practices and rude treatment in the state-run maternity facilities to such a degree that it is often expected by patients to suffer some kind of mistreatment. Structural difficulties, personal and professional education, and even the impunity of such acts were identified as causes of institutional violence. The reports also showed a trivialization of institutional violence through the use of moralistic and discriminatory jargon, used in jokes by professionals; through the use of threats as a way to persuade the patient and through the idea of naturalization of labor pain as the price to be paid to become a mother. We believe that the trivialization of violence points to the trivialization of injustice and suffering of others as a social phenomenon that affects the whole society, to the weakening of the ties of personal interaction between professionals and patients and for the crystallization of stereotypes of class and gender that reflect in the care for these patients, besides contributing to the invisibility of violence as a theme for reflection and institutional control

More than 30 states currently implement some form of outcomes or performancebased funding for public two-year and/or four-year institutions of higher education. Thirteen of these states have public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Every state’s higher education governance and power relationships are a unique compilation of internal and external entities such as the governor, governing boards, policymakers, higher education staff and advisors, and the institution’s administration, faculty, students, and alumni. Each entity holds power over the HBCU or its state policy context. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2019. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2007. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

A violência institucional em maternidades é tema de estudo em diversos países. Pesquisas demonstram que além das dificuldades econômicas e estruturais, freqüentes nos serviços públicos, encontram-se, subjacentes aos maus tratos vividos pelas pacientes, aspectos sócio-culturais relacionados a uma prática discriminatória quanto a gênero, classe social e etnia. A hipótese deste trabalho é a de que a violência institucional em maternidades é, fundamentalmente, uma violência de gênero que, pautada por significados culturais estereotipados de desvalorização e submissão da mulher, a discrimina por sua condição de gênero e a toma como objeto das ações de outrem. Essa violência se expressa, de forma particular, no contexto da crise de confiança que a medicina tecnológica contemporânea engendra, com a fragilização dos vínculos e interações entre profissionais e paciente. O objetivo do estudo foi investigar como e porque a violência institucional acontece nas maternidades públicas no contexto brasileiro. Para tanto, foi realizada uma pesquisa de corte qualitativo com 21 entrevistas semi-estruturadas com puérperas atendidas em maternidades públicas do município de São Paulo e 18 entrevistas com profissionais de saúde que atuam em diferentes maternidades, do mesmo município e adjacentes. A análise do material buscou relatos de violência institucional nos depoimentos e os valores e opiniões associados. Os dados revelaram que tanto as puérperas quanto os profissionais entrevistados reconhecem práticas discriminatórias e tratamento grosseiro no âmbito da assistência em maternidades públicas com tal frequência que se torna muitas vezes esperado pelas pacientes que sofram algum tipo de maltrato. Dificuldades estruturais, a formação pessoal e profissional, e a própria impunidade desses atos foram apontados como causas para a violência institucional. Os relatos também demonstraram uma banalização da violência institucional através de jargões de cunho moralista e discriminatório, usados como brincadeiras pelos profissionais; no uso de ameaças como forma de persuadir a paciente e na naturalização da dor do parto como preço a ser pago para se tornar mãe. Consideramos que a banalização da violência aponta para a banalização da injustiça e do sofrimento alheio como um fenômeno social que atinge a toda sociedade; para a fragilização dos vínculos de interação pessoal entre profissionais e pacientes e para a cristalização de estereótipos de classe e gênero que se refletem na assistência a essas pacientes, além de contribuir para a invisibilidade da violência como tema de reflexão e controle institucional / Institutional violence in maternity facilities is the subject of study in several countries. Researches show that besides economic and structural difficulties, which are frequent in state-run facilities, there are, underlying the abuse experienced by patients, socio-cultural aspects related to a discriminatory practice towards gender, social class and ethnicity. The hypothesis of this work is that institutional violence in maternity facilities is essentially a gender-based violence which, guided by stereotypical cultural meanings of devaluation and subjugation of woman, discriminates her by her gender condition and takes her as object of others actions. This violence is expressed particularly in the context of the confidence crisis that contemporaneous medical technology engenders, with the weakening of bonds and interactions between professionals and patient. The objective of this study was to investigate how and why the institutional violence occurs in state-run maternity facilities in the Brazilian context. The work was carried out through qualitative research with 21 semi-structured interviews with birthing women treated at state-run maternity facilities in city of São Paulo and 18 interviews with health professionals working in different facilities in São Paulo and adjacent cities. The analysis of the material sought reports of institutional violence in the statements of the people interviewed and the values and opinions associated to them. The data showed that both birthing women and professionals interviewed acknowledge discriminatory practices and rude treatment in the state-run maternity facilities to such a degree that it is often expected by patients to suffer some kind of mistreatment. Structural difficulties, personal and professional education, and even the impunity of such acts were identified as causes of institutional violence. The reports also showed a trivialization of institutional violence through the use of moralistic and discriminatory jargon, used in jokes by professionals; through the use of threats as a way to persuade the patient and through the idea of naturalization of labor pain as the price to be paid to become a mother. We believe that the trivialization of violence points to the trivialization of injustice and suffering of others as a social phenomenon that affects the whole society, to the weakening of the ties of personal interaction between professionals and patients and for the crystallization of stereotypes of class and gender that reflect in the care for these patients, besides contributing to the invisibility of violence as a theme for reflection and institutional control

The purpose of this study was to describe staff nurses' perceptions of their power bases in their work environment. Power, the capacity to set conditions, make decisions and take action that influences others, is an increasingly important issue within the nursing profession. In the nursing literature, nurses have been encouraged to consider the power to influence nursing care as an attainable goal and a necessary element in the change process. Empowering staff nurses may become a strategy for coping with the nursing manpower shortage. However, research about nursing power has focused on the nurse manager and little is written about staff nurses' perception of their power. A grounded theory research design was used to collect and analyze data. Data were collected through interviews of nine staff nurses in a 369 bed British Columbia community hospital. A comparative content analysis was used to analyze the data. The findings showed that the staff nurse participants were able to recognize certain factors in their work environment that impacted on their sense of power. The nature of nurses' work and the communication of information were found to be the most significant factors. The communication of information was perceived to positively influence nurses' sense of power, while the nature of nurses' work was found to limit nurses' sense of power. Nurses' lack of control over client care was found to contribute to a sense of powerlessness and was linked to units using team nursing. The eight power bases outlined in Randolph's framework, were useful as a basis for describing the staff nurses' perceptions of their organizational power bases. The staff nurses studied were found to have the most affinity for referent, expert, information, and connection power bases. These nurses were found to have the least affinity for reward, coercion, legitimate, and resource power bases. Primary nursing was found to enhance legitimate power while team nursing was found to enhance connection power. The source of power most frequently mentioned by the nurse participants was personal power in relation to oneself. This did not fit into Randolph's framework and was not well defined. This has implications for nursing since support for the professional nature of nurses' work was found to strenghthen nurses' sense of personal power. Knowledge about the perceptions described by the subjects in this investigation provides information to assist nurses' to identify power bases that they may not recognize. As well, increased understanding about staff nurses' perceptions of power should enable nursing administration to identify strategies for retaining nurses and enhancing client care. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Nursing, School of / Graduate