There is evidence of a prospective association between wellbeing and health outcomes including disease risk and longevity. The aim of this thesis was firstly to further explore whether wellbeing is a risk factor for specific chronic physical diseases, and secondly, to identify potential mediators and moderators of the association between wellbeing and disease risk or longevity. Chapter 1 provides an overview of research into associations between wellbeing and physical health. In addition, we outline theoretical models of how the experience of high wellbeing might impact physical health. In chapters 2 and 3, we build on research into wellbeing and chronic physical disease risk. In these chapters, we tested whether the association between wellbeing and disease risk was similar across different types of disease, and, whether different theoretical domains of wellbeing varied in their association with disease risk. We found particularly strong associations - that were not explained by demographic or health behaviour differences - between higher wellbeing and lower risk of arthritis, diabetes or chronic lung disease. In chapter 4, we further explore the association between wellbeing and arthritis risk using mediation analysis. Specifically, we tested whether this association was mediated by inflammatory biomarkers. We found that the biomarker C-reactive protein accounted for a small proportion of the association between wellbeing and a reduced risk of arthritis. The focus of the next two chapters was on potential moderators of the association between wellbeing and mortality risk. In chapter 5, we examined whether the association between higher wellbeing and lower mortality risk varied across individualist and collectivist cultures. We found a significant interaction between individualism and wellbeing such that the association between wellbeing and risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease was stronger in more individualistic countries. In chapter 6, we examined how positive affect (a subdomain of wellbeing), interacted with another psychosocial factor, namely subjective stress. Here, we tested Pressman and Cohen's (2005) stress buffering hypothesis that positive affect may be most strongly related with health under stressful conditions. In support of this hypothesis, we found that the association between positive affect and all-cause mortality risk was stronger in people reporting higher stress. In the final chapter, we summarise our findings, discuss the limitations of our approach and make recommendations for future research.

This study arose from the experience of difficulties in individuating incorporating tensions in the self-group, self-other, and self-self relational dimensions. This situation initiated the questions: What does individuation mean in collectivist cultures? Can selfexpression occur in a different way to opposing public opinion? Can one conceptualise experiential dialectics to facilitate their resolution in practice? The literature initiated the questions: How do Western theories on individuation incorporate 'culture'? Does a relationship between the socio-cultural context and the process of self-expression exist? Conclusions were: - that the socio-cultural context influences this experience directly by influencing the process of self-expression via defining what is experienced as narcissistic, altruistic, or individualistic behaviour, and indirectly by the theories which reflect its norms; - that the relationship between experience, and theory and personal epistemologies potentially initiate tensions, and facilitate their resolution; - that a theory of individuation in collectivist cultures is lacking. A way of interpreting 'individuation' was discussed. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / In this study the construct of personal theories is used to represent the teacher's conceptions, which are interpreted as the consciously held beliefs. The teacher's personal theories encompass beliefs, images, values and attitudes as well as understanding about teaching and learning. This study investigates the influence of the teacher's conceptions of mathematics, of the teaching and learning of mathematics and of the context before and after a structured learning experience. The interest in the teacher's conceptions is derived from the assumption that these serve as a primary component that influence how teachers think about their professional responsibilities and how they act in their classrooms. Furthermore, the extent of implementation of a new curriculum has been linked to the scope of congruence between the teachers' conceptions and the underpinning philosophy of the intended curriculum. The study of the teacher's conceptions is especially relevant during a time of educational reform, such as the current transition to an Outcomes Based Education curriculum in South Africa. The participants in this study consist of four primary school mathematics teachers with various educational backgrounds, who teach at schools situated in different physical environments. The conceptions that these teachers have of mathematics, of the teaching and learning of mathematics and the influence of the context are investigated using a variety of instruments. Data collection was done with a questionnaire, a repertory grid, a semi-structured interview and lesson observations. The teachers participated in the Teaching Intervention and Support Programme (TISP), as a structured teacher learning experience. The programme is centred on the integration of the developmental and socio-cultural perspectives on teacher learning. With the developmental perspective the focus is on the acquisition of intellectual skills, while the socio-cultural perspective emphasizes participation in social practice. Both are directed at effecting conceptual change. With the developmental approach the process of conceptual change involves the development of new conceptions from existing conceptions. From the socio-cultural perspective the context is paramount and conceptual change is seen as new ways of being and acting within a particular context. The teachers were invited to attend a two-week intervention session, followed by a six months support programme that was aimed at establishing a teacher learning community. The learning experiences provided during the intervention session were drawn mainly from Realistic Mathematics Education. On completion of the programme, the teachers' conceptions of mathematics, of the teaching and learning of mathematics and the influence of the context were again investigated. The results of this study show that two of the participants had highly mechanistic conceptions of mathematics, and the teaching and learning of mathematics. The remaining two had a more empiristic approach with its high focus on environmental activities. After the programme, the teachers with the mechanistic views adopted a mixed. conception with some of the mechanistic conceptions retained, but now interspersed with some empiristic and realistic conceptions. The participants with the empiristic conceptions adopted a more realistic conception, but again to varying degrees. Thompson's (1991) hierarchical structure for the development of conceptions was also used to describe the extent of conceptual change. However, it was found that a concentric, rather than a hierarchical representation is a more appropriate to describe these changes. With regards to the socio-cultural view of conceptual change, all the participants perceived the context differently. The teachers' actions were also more commensurate with the practices associated with teachers that encourage learner autonomy, mathematical investigations and a facilitative role for the teacher.

Diploma thesis The power imbalance in caring families deals with power dynamics in the caregiving situation, where mother is a care receiver and her own daughter is caregiver. The theoretical part conceptualizes terms such as the power, the power imbalance, role reversal, caregiver, care receiver and ambivalence. The practical part is presented with its own qualitative survey with caregivers. The work confirms that the factors that significantly affect the success of care are (by caring daughter) options for care giving and degree of caring tie, and (by care receiving mother) ability to give up part of their autonomy, to assess properly the subjective and objective assistance needs and satisfaction with quality and quantity of social ties. The work also reveals some of the mechanisms of power dynamics within families; for example, the ways in which the phase of role reversal is reflected in mutual negotiation, persuasion in dimension, feelings of interaction, advocacy and conflict resolution. It turned out that a higher intergenerational power has actor with incomplete role reversal. Phase of role reversal showed to be a key factor in sorting manifestations of power dynamics in caregiving families. The main outcome of this work is the typology of strategies for power influence of caregivers and...