This study was conducted in South Africa among a total of 86 South African adolescents. The aim of this study was to investigate self-perceived health among youths from two different socio-economic groups in South Africa, what they believe promote their health and what views they have on school health education. The study used a mixed method approach consisting of quantitative questionnaires and qualitative interviews. The study draws Aaron Antonovsky’s theory of health, the salutogenic perspective and the sense of coherence theory. In addition, Antonovsky’s 29-item orientation to life questionnaire formed the quantitative part of the study. The main findings of this study is that higher socio-economic status does not necessarily correlate with higher SOC. Family and supportive people had the greatest affect on the adolescents’ ability to cope with stressors and are therefore the main health promoting factors. Finally, health education and the subject Life Orientation, as well as the school as an institution, are health-promoting factors and have in different ways influenced the participants’ views on health.

The aim of the thesis is to analyze the situation of school libraries in areas of different socio-economical characteristics within Metropolitan Lima, Peru. I will study how the ScL(s), are affected with regard to organization, resources and services. In this study, I have chosen ten school libraries from different socio-economical conditions. Three of these school libraries are elite private schools and the rest represent the public schools. The empirical study consisted of interviews with persons in charge of the school libraries in each school, interviews with the school principals, interviews with the public officials of the NLP (National Library of Peru) and questionnaires answered by the students. The thesis is also based on observations I have made. The empirical material has been theoretically analysed based on Loertscher’s taxonomies of the school library media program. Loertscher’s taxonomy is used to analyze the ScL’s standard. A major finding of this thesis is that the school libraries of the elite private schools have a high standard, taking an active role in their own operation; with library staffs which are autonomous and well trained, having the ability to make their own decisions. In contrast, the libraries from the public schools have an inferior standard when compared to the private schools. In the ScL(s) from the public schools the students do not have access to computers and the staffs do not have autonomy or access to training.

Previous constructivist research was integrated with a field study to investigate the hypothesis that the subjective perceptions of the current social, security and economic situation of the high and low-income groups in South Africa differ to the extent that they could be said to be living in totally different worlds of phenomenological experience. The data demonstrated clear differences when coded in terms of worldviews along an Optimism-Pessimism Continuum. A number of additional processing phenomena and social dynamics able to influence these perceptions were also identified from an interpretative analysis of the data. The results were explained in terms of the cueing and activation of specific schemata constructed from income-related prior experiences associated with each group and led to the conclusion that income and living conditions could well be factors contributing to the ongoing confrontations between government and impoverished communities. A number of recommendations to improve inter-group relations were included. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Previous constructivist research was integrated with a field study to investigate the hypothesis that the subjective perceptions of the current social, security and economic situation of the high and low-income groups in South Africa differ to the extent that they could be said to be living in totally different worlds of phenomenological experience. The data demonstrated clear differences when coded in terms of worldviews along an Optimism-Pessimism Continuum. A number of additional processing phenomena and social dynamics able to influence these perceptions were also identified from an interpretative analysis of the data. The results were explained in terms of the cueing and activation of specific schemata constructed from income-related prior experiences associated with each group and led to the conclusion that income and living conditions could well be factors contributing to the ongoing confrontations between government and impoverished communities. A number of recommendations to improve inter-group relations were included. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)