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The aim of this study is to measure the perceived parental attitudes of Turkish college students towards dating and premarital sexual behavior and to examine how these attitudes differ with respect to gender of the students and parental marital status. The participants of the present study were 160 college students. Participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire, with two scales, which were measuring perceived parental attitudes toward dating behavior and perceived parental attitudes toward premarital sexual behavior. Results indicated that, both gender of students and parental divorce affect students&rsquo / perceived parental attitudes toward premarital sexual behavior / with the use of Wilk&rsquo / s criterion, both of the DVs were significantly affected both by gender F(2,155) = 14.85, p &lt / .01 and parental divorce F(2,155) = 23.42, p &lt / .01, and by their interaction F(2,155)= 10.84, p&lt / .01. There was a significant gender difference about perceived parental attitudes toward premarital sexual behavior / male students perceived their parents&rsquo / attitudes as more permissive toward premarital sexual behavior, but female students perceived their parents&rsquo / attitudes as less permissive toward premarital sexual behavior. However, in terms of parental attitudes toward dating, there was no significant difference due to gender. There was also a significant difference in perceived parental attitudes in terms of parental marital status with respect to dating and premarital sexual behavior. Children of divorced parents perceived their parents&rsquo / attitudes in a more permissive way, however children whose parents are still married perceived their parents&rsquo / attitudes as less permissive, toward both dating and premarital sexual behaviors. The interaction of gender and parental marital status were both significant due to perceived parental attitudes toward dating behavior F(1,155)= 12.41, p&lt / .01 and due to perceived parental attitudes toward premarital sexual behavior F(1,155)= 19.80, p&lt / .01. In terms of perceived parental attitudes toward dating, females whose parents are divorced tend to perceive parental attitudes significantly more permissive than females whose parents are married, whereas males whose parents are divorced did not significantly differ from the males whose parents are married. Moreover, males whose parents are married tended to perceive parental attitudes significantly more permissive than females whose parents are married toward dating behavior, whereas females and males whose parents are divorced did not significantly differ. In terms of perceived parental attitudes toward premarital sexuality, both females and males whose parents are divorced tend to perceive parental attitudes significantly more permissive than females and males whose parents are married, however the difference between females whose parents are divorced vs. married is significantly larger than the difference among the males whose parents are divorced vs. married. Moreover, males whose parents are married tended to perceive parental attitudes significantly more permissive than females whose parents are married toward premarital sexual behavior, whereas females and males whose parents are divorced did not significantly differ. Department of the student, city mostly lived in, father education, mother education, and number of siblings of the student were not found to be correlated with the perceived parental attitudes of college students toward dating and premarital sexual behavior. The results of the present study are discussed in the light of the literature, and limitations and future suggestions are presented.

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The main purpose of this master thesis is to provide a comparison of consumer behaviour in given countries. In theoretical part, the definition of consumer behaviour is provided, followed by its key determinants along with characteristics of cultural background. Crucial focus though lies in the actual research, where I explore individual features of consumers in respective countries, all on the basis of an extensive online questionnaire. Subsequently, I evaluate the results of research and I try to interpret them mainly in cultural context.

The aim of this work is to determine the extent to which the cultural context of a word problem influences its solution by pupils of the 9th grade of secondary schools. Two research questions were set. The first: Will the different cultural context affect the solution of the word problem? How? The second: What do pupils think about word problems with different cultural contexts? The thesis consists of two parts: the theoretical and the practical. In the theoretical part, the general concepts such as culture and the word problem are addressed, followed by a discussion of the cultural context of word problems and their analysis in chosen textbooks. Furthermore, a significant part is devoted to ethnomathematics and multiculturalism in Czech schools. Finally, the difference between the word problem with a typical Czech context and the word problem with a different cultural context is established based on the results of textbooks analysis and the pre-research. The research, which is described in the practical part was conducted qualitatively, and the data were obtained from written tests and semi-structured interviews. The results have shown that the different cultural context of a word problem affects the time needed to solve the problem. In addition, the choice of the type of solution and the type of...

In recent years various factors have contributed to the dissolution of the traditional family and the subsequent emergence of alternative family systems like the single parent family. Single parent families have become a reality in our society, a fact reflected by statistics which indicate an increase in the occurrence of single parent families over the last couple of years. However, the single parent family is still mostly perceived as consisting of the mother and her children, rather than the father and his children. Research narratives seem to support the single-parenthood-equals-single-motherhood plot in that there is an abundance of single parent accounts in the literature that mostly tell the stories of single mothers. Thus, fathers who find themselves in the position of single father seem to be marginalised in society and stories regarding their experiences are few and far between. The aim of this project was to explore and describe how single fathers in South Africa experience fatherhood by focussing on their personal narratives. Therefore the research inquiry for this project took the form of a narrative inquiry which provides a way to understand people’s experiences by privileging their stories. The researcher conducted unstructured interviews with participants to produce languaged data which were analysed using a narrative analysis strategy. A narrative analysis aims to investigate not merely the content of the story, but rather the story itself and the way in which it is told within a specific cultural and historical context. Hopefully, in the telling, listening and retelling of their stories these fathers’ voices will become more pronounced in the research narratives and thus contribute to the body of knowledge pertaining to single fatherhood. Copyright / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Psychology / Unrestricted

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)

This study, presented in article format, contributed to the development of the science and practice of positive psychology / psychofortology, specifically in the South African multi-cultural context, through (i) a first phase exploration of the validity of several scales, mainly developed in a 'western' context, for applicability of measurement of facets of psychological well-being in the South African (multicultural) context (manuscript I), (ii) an exploration of patterns of psychological wellbeing and satisfaction with life in cultural context (manuscript 2), and (iii) a review of the state of the art of the applicability of knowledge (theory and experimental findings) from the domain of positive psychology, for use in practice to enhance the quality of life for people (manuscript 3). For purposes of this study "cultural context" referred to relatively individualist and relatively collectivist cultural orientations as manifested in shared patterns of behavioural readiness, assumptions, attitudes, beliefs, self-definitions, norms, values, historical background and language groupings. The aim of the first study I article was to do a first phase screening of psychometric properties of several scales measuring facets of psychological wellbeing in a South African context. Most of these scales were developed in a western context, and measure facets of cognitive, affective, conative, social, and spiritual psychological well-being. Data were gathered in two projects including 731 participants from different cultural contexts in the North West Province. The FORTproject (FORT = Clarifying the nature of psychological strengths; -=strength) included a convenience sample of 384 mainly white students and adults from the Potchefstroom area, and a convenience sample of 130 mainly black students from the Mafikeng area. The POWIRS-project (POWIRS = Profiles of Obese Women with the Insulin Resistance Syndrome) included 102 black and 1 15 white adult women. Reliability and validity of scales for use in a South African context were reported. Results indicated that the reliability and validity of scales varied from acceptable to totally unacceptable for use in specific subgroups. It was concluded that the most promising scales for use in all groups were the Affectometer 2 (AFM), the Fortitude Questionnaire (FORQ) (except the FORQ-S), the Cognitive Appraisal Questionnaire (CAQ), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) (the latter measuring pathology), and to some extent the Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC). This second study I article explored the patterns of psychological well-being and satisfaction with life in relatively more individualist and relatively more collectivist cultural contexts in South Africa. Secondary factor analyses were conducted on data obtained in four cross-sectional studies, comprising 1,909 participants. Questionnaires varied in studies, and measured facets of affective, cognitive, physical, spiritual, interpersonal and social well-being. Similarities and differences in patterns of psychological well-being and satisfaction with life were found. Satisfaction with life clusters with intra-psychological well-being in relatively more individualist cultural groups, and with inter-personal factors in relatively more collectivist African groups. Implications for models of psychological well-being and interventions to enhance psychological well-being were indicated. The aim of the third study I article was to review and evaluate the practical applicability of scientific knowledge from the domain of positive psychology / psychofortology, with specific reference to assessment, interventions, lifespan development and application in various contexts. It was shown that knowledge in the scientific domain of positive psychology has great relevance for, and application possibilities on individual, community and public policy levels. Applications were found as far as evaluation (assessment) and interventions are concerned in various life contexts (such as education, psychotherapy, health promotion, work), and in various phases of life (from childhood through adolescence and adulthood to old age). Several specific, empirically validated, strategies for enhancement of facets of psychological well-being were highlighted. It was pointed out that an advantage of positive psychology is that it has the theory, research evidence, and techniques to bring benefit to many people on the total mental health continuum, and not only, but also, to the minority who have a problem or are at risk of developing problems. A main conclusion across the different studies reported in this thesis (articles 1-3), was that cultural contexts and variables certainly need to be taken into account in research and practice of positive psychology. Despite the major developments in the scientific domain of positive psychology / psychofortology, its theories and applications have mainly been developed and explored in a western context, and further research is necessary, specifically in the African context. Several recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Abstract This narrative research focuses on teachers’ perceptions of autonomy because of its importance to job commitment, efficiency, satisfaction, and motivation. A positive perception of autonomy relates to teachers’ feelings of competency, empowerment and professionalism. The overall importance of and desire for autonomy may be symptomatic of teachers’ reactions to obtain more, or to keep the autonomy they have. Previous studies have often depicted teacher autonomy as individualistic, comprising freedom from control. However, this research challenges the appropriateness of this conceptualisation of teacher autonomy by asking how upper-secondary school mathematics teachers perceive their autonomy in different contexts. To display contextual variations, the interviews with 15 upper-secondary school mathematics teachers from Canada and 12 from Finland were based mainly on open-ended questions. The contents of the teachers’ narratives were analysed in their whole and by comparing categories of narratives from one context to another. The findings suggest that context influences how teachers perceive their autonomy. They also reveal that trust plays a decisive role in whether teachers feel autonomous or not, that trust plays a central to the relationships teachers have at work, and that autonomy inextricably exists in relations. Consequently, this research claims that the spectrum of autonomy for teachers should be expanded beyond its current individuality, to include a broader, more relational understanding of autonomy. A core argument of this research is therefore that teacher autonomy needs to be reconceptualised as relying on contextual sensitivities and relationships. By providing a more comprehensive conceptualisation of teacher autonomy—i.e., one which is more context-sensitive and which focuses on teachers’ concerns—the findings of this research supports more empowering ways for teachers to exert a proactive influence on their own autonomy. Teachers’ perception of their autonomy is of practical and academic importance. Teachers who feel satisfied, supported, empowered and autonomous are more committed and motivated, which in turn advances better, more adaptive, and more adequate teacher education. / Tiivistelmä Tämän narratiivisen tutkimuksen kohteena ovat opettajien käsitykset autonomiasta. Ne ovat tärkeitä työhön sitoutumisen, tehokkuuden, tyytyväisyyden, ja motivaation kannalta. Myönteisellä käsityksellä autonomiasta on merkitystä opettajien tuntemuksiin pätevyydestä, voimaantumisesta ja ammattitaidosta. Autonomian arvostaminen ja tarve autonomiaan voivat kertoa opettajien halusta pitää kiinni autonomiastaan tai lisätä sen määrää. Aiempi kirjallisuus kuvaa opettajan autonomiaa yksilökeskeisenä, vapaana ulkopuolisesta kontrollista. Tämä tutkimus haastaa yksilökeskeisen näkemyksen kysymällä, miten lukion opettajat eri konteksteista kokevat autonomiansa. Kontekstuaalisten vaihtelujen tutkimista varten haastateltiin 15 lukion matematiikan opettajaa Kanadasta ja 12 lukion matematiikan opettajaa Suomesta esittämällä heille enimmäkseen avoimia kysymyksiä. Opettajien narratiivien sisällöt analysoitiin kokonaisuudessaan ja vertaamalla kategorioita kontekstien välillä. Tuloksista voidaan päätellä, että konteksti vaikuttaa merkittävästi siihen, miten opettajat kokevat autonomian. Luottamuksella on keskeinen merkitys sille, tuntevatko opettajat itsensä autonomisiksi toimijoiksi vai eivät. Lisäksi havaittiin, että luottamuksella on suuri merkitys työympäristön ihmissuhteissa, ja että autonomia on erottamaton osa näitä suhteita. Näin ollen tutkimuksen johtopäätöksissä esitetään, että autonomian käsitteen kirjoa tulisi laajentaa nykyisestä yksilökeskeisestä painotuksesta laveampaan määrittelyyn. Tämän tutkimuksen keskeinen väite on, että opettajan autonomiaa käsitteenä tulisi tarkastella uudelleen huomioimalla erilaiset kontekstit ja ihmissuhteet. Painottamalla kokonaisvaltaisempaa näkemystä opettajien autonomiasta, toisin sanoen huomioonottamalla kontekstin ja opettajien omat huolenaiheet, tämän tutkimuksen tulokset viittaavat tarpeeseen opettajien voimaannuttamisesta, jotta he voivat proaktiivisesti vaikuttaa omaan autonomiaansa Opettajien käsityksillä autonomiasta on merkitystä sekä käytännön että teorian kehittämisen näkökulmista. Työssään tyytyväinen, tuettu, voimaantunut ja itsenäinen opettaja on sitoutunut ja motivoitunut. Opettajien autonomiaan liittyvien käsitysten parempi ymmärtäminen edesauttaa opettajankoulutuksen kehittämistä.

<p>Sweden is a country based on democracy and equality. As a result, both men and women areencouraged to aspire equal career opportunities.</p><p>The aim of this study is to explore how social and cultural contexts, as well as gender aspects,affect Swedish Upper Secondary Class pupils when they choose career. The study focuses onstudents who have chosen an ambitious school curriculum.</p><p>As method, the study uses both qualitative interviews with students and a quantitative survey.</p><p>The theoretical framework is based on gender theory and on the social and cultural contexttheory of Bourdieu.</p><p>The result of the study shows that gender and social as well as cultural context affect students’ambitions and career choices.</p>