No description available.

This research formed part of a broader research project that explored respect in relationships between young female adults and older people (60+ years) in a South African context. Different themes emerged from this research such as the motivation younger people have for respecting older persons; as well as different forms of giving and receiving respect. This research will specifically focus on themes that emerged inductively about the relational context in which the experiences of respect were expressed and the challenges of respect in the interpersonal experiences. It has been recorded in literature on intergenerational relationships that respect is not only an essential element in these relationships but also that it contributes to constructive relationships. Most of the research about respect has been conducted in Asian and Western countries, while some research has also been done in Ghana, Africa. The above mentioned research findings identified specific behavioural forms of respect, and attitudes and/or emotions associated with respect. Furthermore it has been found that respect can either be earned or deserved, or not, depending on whether and to what extent the person concerned is considered to have met certain requirements. Little research has been done on how people, especially young female adults in South Africa, experience respect in intergenerational relationships. Experiences of respect between people from different generations always take place in an interpersonal context and therefore the Self-Interaction Group Theory (SIGT) was used to understand young female adults’ experiences of respect in relationships with older people. Following SIGT, for the purposes of this study respect is defined as the subjective experience of the relational interactions between people. The focus in this study falls on the experience of respect in relationships with older people from young female adults’ perspective. Traditionally female gender roles have been associated with care. However, these roles changed to more flexible gendered roles and today women are not able to adopt many different roles. The past generations’ women took care of their older parents, whereas in the present women also pursue careers and this may have an influence on their interactions with older people as they may not necessarily be able to take care of the older people anymore. The research project was approved by the Ethics Committee of the North-West University. A qualitative research method informed by an exploratory and descriptive approach was used in an attempt to describe the participants’ subjective experiences of respect in the relationships they have with older people. A purposive sample was used and 26 women (between 21 and 28 years old) who are post-graduate psychology university students in the North West, South Africa, participated in the study. The study used a homogenous group of participants in order to get a detailed picture of their experiences. Young adults are in a transitory phase of their lives and research indicated that it is important to investigate their attitudes towards older people because they are likely to form new values, because their lives and behaviours are more influenced by their peers and because they have less parental supervision. Data was collected in three data-gathering sessions over the period of three days. Textual and visual data was collected through the use of the Mmogo- method®, a projective visual research method which uses a focus group approach. The Mmogo- method® material consists of a lump of malleable clay, different sizes and colours of beads and dried grass stalks of different lengths. Participants are provided with the open-ended materials and based on an open-ended prompt, they are requested to create a visual representation, which in this research was: Please use the material provided and create anything that can tell us more about how you perceive respect in relation to a person, or persons older than 60 years of age. After the exercise participants were asked to explain what they have created. A collaborative effort of co-constructed meanings took place as the visual representation of each participant became the stimulus material for group discussions. The visual representations of participants were photographed and analysed using visual analysis, while the digital recordings of the individuals’ explanations of their visual representations as well as the group discussions were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. Trustworthiness was ensured by applying four strategies, including: credibility, transferability, dependability and conformability of the research findings. The findings revealed that the relationship with older persons is subjectively described in terms of emotional or cognitive experiences and associated with specific relational contexts. In the familial and social context the experience of respect were linked with care and most of these relationships were described as affectionate/emotional. In the familial and social contexts, older persons were placed in a one-up position with the young adults, since the young adults want to obey and/or honour them. Some described the relationship as a relationship where they interacted as equals. In different contexts, work related, educational and familial, young adults expressed ambivalent emotions: some expressed admiration and love, while others expressed frustration and anger. In the work-related and educational relational contexts, the relationships were experienced as being formal and described in cognitive terms. In these relationships young adults expressed frustration and anger if their needs were not addressed based on how the relational context defined the relationship. For example in the educational contexts, the needs of the young adults were to get clarity on learning content, to receive support to reach their goals, and to reach emotional safety. Young female adults indicated that respect towards older persons is no longer based on the age of older persons. It rather depends on the reciprocal actions and reactions between young adults and older persons; and that it depends on how the relationship between the generational members develops over time, as well as the ability of generational members to bridge the distance between them and to adopt each other’s life worlds, whilst refraining from judgemental and stereotypical assessment of older persons. This study hence holds important implications for the creation of intergenerational programmes in order to enhance relationships between young adults and older people. A specific contribution of the findings is that when planning interventions intergenerational programmes should be designed to take into consideration the specific interpersonal context. Furthermore, the definitions of respect as held by both of the generational members should be considered in planning intergenerational interventions in specific interpersonal contexts. / MA (Research Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Women in South Africa are discriminated against in various areas of their lives, specifically in the workplace where the power dynamics between men and women are not equally distributed. This qualitative research study in a critical phenomenological research paradigm has allowed me to explore, describe, explain and gain an understanding of the nature of female teachers‟ lived experiences of senior male colleagues‟ exercising of power. It has also allowed me to critically challenge and question female teachers‟ lived experiences by interpreting and making meaning or the power conundrum within a school context. Using a qualitative research design and methodology, I interrogated the power hierarchy in schools by initiating critical dialogue with the participants. This study serves as a voice for female teachers‟ lived experiences regarding the power conundrum. Data was generated by 16 purposefully selected female teachers from various primary and secondary schools in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda district in the North-West Province, more specifically the Matlosana area. The data generation phases consist of two consecutive phases each with different stages. The first phase concerns the photo-elicitation-narratives (written). This is followed by individual photo-elicitation-interviews during the second phase. The data is analysed by means of interpretive phenomenology analysis (IPA). Thereafter themes and categories are identified, and verified during a consensus meeting with independent coders. Two main themes are identified: Theme one is that female teachers experience power as a behaviour that has the potential to evoke feelings that are (im)balanced, thus power evokes feelings of either being nurtured or feelings that are seen as degrading or destructive in nature. Theme two reflects female teachers‟ suggestions of promoting their own well-being. As wellbeing evokes a sense of meaningfulness and belonging in the workplace, it can lead to positive work relationships. When power is misused or abused in the workplace, it results in workplace bullying and abusive behaviour, which has a negative effect not only on employees‟ work performance, but also on their personal life and own health. If the detrimental effects of this phenomenon of power in a school context are ignored, female teachers will continue to experience loss of self-esteem and work withdrawal, and show signs of increased depression as well as high stress levels. / MEd (Learner Support), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

This research formed part of a broader research project that explored respect in relationships between young female adults and older people (60+ years) in a South African context. Different themes emerged from this research such as the motivation younger people have for respecting older persons; as well as different forms of giving and receiving respect. This research will specifically focus on themes that emerged inductively about the relational context in which the experiences of respect were expressed and the challenges of respect in the interpersonal experiences. It has been recorded in literature on intergenerational relationships that respect is not only an essential element in these relationships but also that it contributes to constructive relationships. Most of the research about respect has been conducted in Asian and Western countries, while some research has also been done in Ghana, Africa. The above mentioned research findings identified specific behavioural forms of respect, and attitudes and/or emotions associated with respect. Furthermore it has been found that respect can either be earned or deserved, or not, depending on whether and to what extent the person concerned is considered to have met certain requirements. Little research has been done on how people, especially young female adults in South Africa, experience respect in intergenerational relationships. Experiences of respect between people from different generations always take place in an interpersonal context and therefore the Self-Interaction Group Theory (SIGT) was used to understand young female adults’ experiences of respect in relationships with older people. Following SIGT, for the purposes of this study respect is defined as the subjective experience of the relational interactions between people. The focus in this study falls on the experience of respect in relationships with older people from young female adults’ perspective. Traditionally female gender roles have been associated with care. However, these roles changed to more flexible gendered roles and today women are not able to adopt many different roles. The past generations’ women took care of their older parents, whereas in the present women also pursue careers and this may have an influence on their interactions with older people as they may not necessarily be able to take care of the older people anymore. The research project was approved by the Ethics Committee of the North-West University. A qualitative research method informed by an exploratory and descriptive approach was used in an attempt to describe the participants’ subjective experiences of respect in the relationships they have with older people. A purposive sample was used and 26 women (between 21 and 28 years old) who are post-graduate psychology university students in the North West, South Africa, participated in the study. The study used a homogenous group of participants in order to get a detailed picture of their experiences. Young adults are in a transitory phase of their lives and research indicated that it is important to investigate their attitudes towards older people because they are likely to form new values, because their lives and behaviours are more influenced by their peers and because they have less parental supervision. Data was collected in three data-gathering sessions over the period of three days. Textual and visual data was collected through the use of the Mmogo- method®, a projective visual research method which uses a focus group approach. The Mmogo- method® material consists of a lump of malleable clay, different sizes and colours of beads and dried grass stalks of different lengths. Participants are provided with the open-ended materials and based on an open-ended prompt, they are requested to create a visual representation, which in this research was: Please use the material provided and create anything that can tell us more about how you perceive respect in relation to a person, or persons older than 60 years of age. After the exercise participants were asked to explain what they have created. A collaborative effort of co-constructed meanings took place as the visual representation of each participant became the stimulus material for group discussions. The visual representations of participants were photographed and analysed using visual analysis, while the digital recordings of the individuals’ explanations of their visual representations as well as the group discussions were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. Trustworthiness was ensured by applying four strategies, including: credibility, transferability, dependability and conformability of the research findings. The findings revealed that the relationship with older persons is subjectively described in terms of emotional or cognitive experiences and associated with specific relational contexts. In the familial and social context the experience of respect were linked with care and most of these relationships were described as affectionate/emotional. In the familial and social contexts, older persons were placed in a one-up position with the young adults, since the young adults want to obey and/or honour them. Some described the relationship as a relationship where they interacted as equals. In different contexts, work related, educational and familial, young adults expressed ambivalent emotions: some expressed admiration and love, while others expressed frustration and anger. In the work-related and educational relational contexts, the relationships were experienced as being formal and described in cognitive terms. In these relationships young adults expressed frustration and anger if their needs were not addressed based on how the relational context defined the relationship. For example in the educational contexts, the needs of the young adults were to get clarity on learning content, to receive support to reach their goals, and to reach emotional safety. Young female adults indicated that respect towards older persons is no longer based on the age of older persons. It rather depends on the reciprocal actions and reactions between young adults and older persons; and that it depends on how the relationship between the generational members develops over time, as well as the ability of generational members to bridge the distance between them and to adopt each other’s life worlds, whilst refraining from judgemental and stereotypical assessment of older persons. This study hence holds important implications for the creation of intergenerational programmes in order to enhance relationships between young adults and older people. A specific contribution of the findings is that when planning interventions intergenerational programmes should be designed to take into consideration the specific interpersonal context. Furthermore, the definitions of respect as held by both of the generational members should be considered in planning intergenerational interventions in specific interpersonal contexts. / MA (Research Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Women in South Africa are discriminated against in various areas of their lives, specifically in the workplace where the power dynamics between men and women are not equally distributed. This qualitative research study in a critical phenomenological research paradigm has allowed me to explore, describe, explain and gain an understanding of the nature of female teachers‟ lived experiences of senior male colleagues‟ exercising of power. It has also allowed me to critically challenge and question female teachers‟ lived experiences by interpreting and making meaning or the power conundrum within a school context. Using a qualitative research design and methodology, I interrogated the power hierarchy in schools by initiating critical dialogue with the participants. This study serves as a voice for female teachers‟ lived experiences regarding the power conundrum. Data was generated by 16 purposefully selected female teachers from various primary and secondary schools in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda district in the North-West Province, more specifically the Matlosana area. The data generation phases consist of two consecutive phases each with different stages. The first phase concerns the photo-elicitation-narratives (written). This is followed by individual photo-elicitation-interviews during the second phase. The data is analysed by means of interpretive phenomenology analysis (IPA). Thereafter themes and categories are identified, and verified during a consensus meeting with independent coders. Two main themes are identified: Theme one is that female teachers experience power as a behaviour that has the potential to evoke feelings that are (im)balanced, thus power evokes feelings of either being nurtured or feelings that are seen as degrading or destructive in nature. Theme two reflects female teachers‟ suggestions of promoting their own well-being. As wellbeing evokes a sense of meaningfulness and belonging in the workplace, it can lead to positive work relationships. When power is misused or abused in the workplace, it results in workplace bullying and abusive behaviour, which has a negative effect not only on employees‟ work performance, but also on their personal life and own health. If the detrimental effects of this phenomenon of power in a school context are ignored, female teachers will continue to experience loss of self-esteem and work withdrawal, and show signs of increased depression as well as high stress levels. / MEd (Learner Support), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Male stereotyping together with perception of women as inferior is hindering recognition of women in senior managerial positions. Through pervious studies regarding female leadership, conducted all over the world, the theme of women being treated differently than males is fundamentally central to all the conclusions. Not many studies relating to this topic have been conducted in South Africa and yet we are in the forefront when it comes to identifying the need to develop women into positions where they can add value on various levels. Some of the issues have even been captured in legislation. However, despite government’s intervention, it is crucial that women take ownership of their own destiny. Unless women can prove that they can add value in the positions that they are appointed, they will not be seen as leaders. To be a successful leader an individual must have certain skills and traits. Some of these can be developed over time, however the individual must first admit that there is a need and identify the area in which personal growth must take place, before a plan can be implemented. Once this point has been reached, a self-management plan can be developed by the individual to align his / her objectives. There are various components to the self-management plan and such a plan cannot always be duplicated, but the focus areas can overlap. If an individual can identify a mentor and enter into a mentoring program, it can give such an individual a huge advantage. Internal and external factors play a role in the development and implementation of a self-management plan. The problem is that one does not always have much control over these elements. Some of these elements include the corporate culture of the organisation in which females functions and the manner in which a female is able to balance work-life. This study determined that males and females agree that female managers add as much value as male managers. Further to the above, it has become evident that A Botha 344-123-44 iv males have different perceptions relating to the issues of how women are experiencing the work environment and the implementation of policies that relate to employment equity. The impact of perception must not be excluded since it can have the effect that people distinguish between leadership skills and traits on different levels. Unless female leaders can make male leaders realise that they experience the work environment and the implementation of policies that relate to employment equity differently than the manner in which males perceive it, they will not be able to get males to change the situation, since males believe that there are nothing wrong with the current situation. This brings one back to the change in culture and the issue that as a result of male dominance in the work place, it is also the males that determine the current culture. It is therefore important for females to take responsibility of the situation and where necessary change the perceptions of males to ensure that as women they are not hindered from receiving the recognition that they deserve.

Den här studien handlar om hur kvinnliga sjöbefäl själva ser på möjligheten att kombinera familjelivet med sjömansyrket. Det finns många sjömän som tvivlar på möjligheten att kombinera familjelivet och sjömansyrket. Vissa hinder finns för kvinnorna, som är de som är gravida. Ett av de stora hindren är transportstyrelsens föreskrifter om fartygsbefäls behörigheter. Ett annat hinder kan vara personliga orsaker, som gör det svårt för de kvinnliga sjöbefälen att lämna sina barn och gå ut till sjöss igen. Syftet är att se hur de kvinnliga sjöbefälen själva ser på möjligheten att bilda familj och kombinera det med sjömansyrket. Metoden som användes för att besvara syftet var att ta del av grundad teori och genomföra kvalitativa intervjuer. Intervjuer har gjorts med kvinnliga befäl med och utan barn. Vidare gjordes intervjuer med en personalpurser som arbetar med personalfrågor och en kvinna som arbetar som restaurangchef ombord och har barn. Studiens slutsats är att det är möjligt att kombinera familjelivet med sjömansyrket, men risken är att man har svårt att klättra på karriärstegen och kanske får stå tillbaka i karriären. Det behövs en stabil grund hemma för att kunna åka ut på sjön och jobba. / This study is about female officers view at the possibility of combining family life with the seafaring profession. There are many sea officers who doubt the possibility to combine family life and the seafaring profession. One of the major obstacles is the Swedish Transport Agency regulation for vessel. Another obstacle can be personal obstructer who gives the female sea officers problem to leave their children home and go out working at sea again. The aim of the study was to research the female officers´ views at the possibility of starting a family and if that impedes their career opportunities. Interviews were carried out with female officers with and without children. Interviews were carried out with a staff purser who works with personnel issues and a woman who works as a restaurant manager on board. The method used to answer was to partake of grounded theory and conduct qualitative interviews. The study led to the conclusion that it is possible to combine family life with the seafaring profession, but the risk exist that one has difficulty climbing the career ladder and might have to stand back. Obviously you need to have a solid foundation at home to be able to go out and work at sea.

Text in Afrikaans / Vrouemisdaad is 'n komplekse sosiale verskynsel. 'n Aspek van vrouemisdaad wat in die onderhawige proef skrif ondersoek word, is om aan die hand van bestaande teoriee te probeer verklaar waarom vroue soveel minder misdaad as mans pleeg. Ten einde antwoorde op die vraag te vind, is 'n kwantitatiewe ondersoek na die gemeenskap se houding rakende die vrouemisdadiger en 'n kwalitatiewe ontleding van die beskikbare literatuur gedoen. 'n Intensiewe verkennende studie van die beskikbare literatuur het getoon dat die gemeenskap, navorsers en akademici bepaalde persepsies huldig oor die vrouemisdadiger wat nie altyd met die werklike beeld strook nie. Alhoewel die getalle van vrouemisdadigers deur die jare toegeneem het, het die tipe misdade wat vroue pleeg weinig verander en die omvang van vrouemisdaad proporsioneel tot die bevolking dieselfde gebly. Geen enkele teorie of benadering op sigself bied 'n algemene verklaring vir die verskynsel van vrouemisdaad nie; dit kan hoogstens as gedeeltelike verklaring dien. 'n Algemene verklaringsmodel vir vrouemisdaad is egter opgestel wat terselfdertyd as samevatting van die geselekteerde teoriee dien. Met behulp van die argivale metode is 'n profiel van die gekommitteerde vrouemisdadiger saamgestel om 'n basiese kennissisteem van die vrouemisdadiger daar te stel. Statisties beduidende verbande is gevind tussen die karakteristieke van die blanke gekommitteerde vrouemisdadiger se huwelikstaat, aantal kinders en bedrog. Die kwantitatiewe ondersoek bestaan uit die ontleding van 516 respondente se persepsies oor die vrouemisdadiger. Uit die resultate van verskeie statistiese tegnieke blyk dit dat die ondersoekgroep, wat blanke respondente van vier voorstede uit struktuurstreekplansel 22 van Pretoria verteenwoordig, bepaalde persepsies en opvattings aangaande die vrouemisdadiger het. Die persepsiemeting het aan die lig gebring dat daar verskille in persepsies bestaan oor die vrouemisdadiger en vrouemisdaad in die blanke gemeenskap bestaan. Hierdie persepsies stem nie ooreen met die beeld wat blyk uit die onderhawige navorsing nie. Statisties beduidende verskille in persepsies tussen manlike en vroulike respondente van die ondersoekgroep is ook gevind. Daar bestaan verder statisties beduidende verskille tussen respondente van verskillende voorstede, onderwyspeile, taalgroepe, en ouderdomsgroepe. / It can be said that female crime is a complex phenomenon. An aspect of female crime that is investigated in this thesis is to explain, with reference to existing theories, why women commit fewer crimes than men. In an attempt to answer this question, a quantitative investigation regarding the attitude of society towards the female criminal as well as a qualitative study of the available literature, was conducted. An intensive exploratory study on female crime indicated that and academics have a certain of the available the community, perception of literature researchers the female criminal which does not always correspond with the facts. Although the number of female criminals has increased through the years the extent of female crime, proportionally to the population size, has remained constant, and the type of crime committed by women has remained relatively unchanged. It seems clear that no single theory or approach can explain female crime, it can at best give a partial explanation. An integrated explanation model for female crime has been compiled which simultaneously serves as a summary of selected theories. By means of the archival research method a profile of the female prisoner was compiled, to be used as a basis for the researcher's scientific knowledge of this phenomenon. Statistically significant relations were found to exist between the characteristics of the white female prisoner's marital status, number of children and fraud. The quantitative investigation consisted of an analysis of the responses of 516 respondents on an attitude scale. The results of various statistical techniques show that the research group, which represents respondents fr6m four suburbs from structure plan cell 22 of Pretoria, reveals certain attitudes and beliefs about the female criminal. This attitude measurement indicated that differences in perceptions regarding the female in the white community do criminal and female exist. Furthermore crime these perceptions do not correlate on the female criminal in with the information gathered this research. Statistically significant differences in attitude were found between male and female respondents, respondents from the different suburbs, with different qualifications, of different language groups, and of different age groups. / Sociology / D. Lit. et Phil. (Kriminologie)

Endometriosis or the "career woman's disease" is a puzzling disease affecting women in their reproductive years. Research on endometriosis has focussed on aspects such as the personality characteristics of sufferers and its correlation with infertility (Venter, 1980). As yet, the experiential world of endometriosis sufferers and the relationships which are influenced by their disease have received little attention (Weinstein, 1987). Furthermore, endometriosis is construed as a physical disorder which is medically diagnosed and medically treated. As such, the epistemology surrounding the term "endometriosis" is an adherent to a largely non-contextual, non-systemic and intrinsically mechanistic biomedical model (Bogdan, 1984; Schwartz, 1982). By using an ecosystemic epistemology, this dissertation will attempt to describe the unique experiential world of the afflicted woman in terms of her coping strategies in dealing with endometriosis and to formulate a description of the interactional patterns between herself and significant others directly influenced by her disease. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Objectives: Increasing knowledge of genetics has found that a mutation to the BRCA 1 or 2 genes are associated with a high risk of developing breast cancer throughout the lifespan. A woman with this genetic mutation may consider preventive surgery to reduce the risk of breast cancer. This involves a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy to remove the breasts when there is no cancer present and may be followed by breast reconstruction. This study aimed to explore the lived experience and psycho-social impact on women of this surgery. Design: Interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed in an in-depth study of a small sample of eleven female patients with BRCA 1/2 genetic mutations who had undergone preventive surgery of prophylactic bilateral mastectomy. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were carried out. The transcripts of those interviews served as the data for an interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results and conclusions: Three themes were identified from the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to convey the lived experience of participants. These were (1) focus on reduced risk of cancer; taking control, relief and benefit finding, (2) a focus on relationships; family life, medical professional and BRCA support group and other women with lived experience, and (3) Focus on experiencing surgery and impact on self; the importance of reconstruction, loss of sexual attractiveness, impact on self from negative reaction of others and adjusting to surgical results. The implications are discussed in relation to the current literature and clinical practice.