Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T13:30:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Alekssey Marcos Di Piero Sobral.pdf: 407855 bytes, checksum: 52f26e73224261f55429c5fe0e0dbb95 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-05-18 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / The object of this investigation was to study the possibly notions of irrationality in the theories of some pioneers authors of Social Psychology, named Psychology of The Masses. Is believed that the presence of irrationality s notions in this theories could be an indication of a larger historic movement, described as a lurch to irrationality, whereby all the philosophical-scientific enterprise of the XIX century s end and XX century s beginning has crossed. This research is dedicated, therefore, to search for the underlying irracional element in the theories of Gabriel Tarde, Scipio Sighele and Gustave Le Bon, for the purpose of understand their coincidences and nuances and to scribe anything of their possible fate in the psychology s history. To accomplish this proposal, the work was unfolded in two ways of analysis: the first, lexical, in witch was investigated the plot of meanings in the theories that could point to a irracionality notion, and the second one, historical, that proposes to understand the way and the meaning of the trajectory of the irrationality s notions in the psychology and in the contemporary science in general. In the first analysis, the afterthought of Ludwig Wittgestein was used, upon the language-games. In the second one, the theories of Adorno and Horkheimer developed mainly in the Dialectic of Enlightment were the basis to a historical interpretation of history. When the analysis reach the end, is concluded in favor of the highlighted notion of the irrationality in each of the investigated authors, which notions are part of the veiled irrational subject in general, that had been posteriorly adduced to the psychoanalysis and, ultimately, popularized. This turning point toward irrationality observed in the sciences of mind had parallel in the natural science, as in the case of the emergency of quantum physics, one of the examples discussed. Far from imagine the irracionality notion as an threat to rationality and science, we can see it, in a dialetical perspective, as a sign of openness toward the study of the concret world and man / A presente investigação teve por objeto o estudo de possíveis noções de irracionalidade nas teorias de alguns dos autores pioneiros da Psicologia Social, então nomeada Psicologia das Massas. Supô-se que a presença de uma noção de irracionalidade nessas teorias poderia ser indício de um movimento histórico mais amplo, descrito como uma guinada em direção à irracionalidade, pelo qual teria passado todo o empreendimento filosófico-científico no fim do século XIX e começo do século XX. A pesquisa se dedica, assim, a procurar pelo elemento irracional subjacente às teorias de Gabriel Tarde, Scipio Sighele e Gustave Le Bon a fim de entender suas coincidências e nuances e traçar algo de seu possível destino na história da psicologia. Para a realização da proposta, o trabalho desdobrou-se em duas formas de análise: a primeira, léxica, em que se investigou a trama de significantes nas teorias que poderiam apontar para uma noção de irracionalidade, e a segunda, histórica, que se propôs a entender o caminho e o significado da trajetória das noções de irracionalidade na psicologia e na ciência contemporânea, de uma forma geral. Na primeira análise, fez-se uso do pensamento tardio de Ludwig Wittgenstein acerca dos jogos de linguagem. Na segunda, as teses de Adorno e Horkheimer desenvolvidas principalmente na Dialética do Esclarecimento foram a base para uma interpretação da história. Quando as análises chegam a termo, conclui-se em favor da presença bem destacada de uma noção de irracionalidade em cada um dos autores investigados, noções estas constituidoras das formas gerais de um sujeito irracional velado, que teria sido posteriormente carreado para a psicanálise e enfim, popularizado. Tal virada em direção à irracionalidade observada nas ciências do espírito teve paralelos nas ciências naturais, como no caso da emergência da Física Quântica, um dos exemplos abordados. Longe de imaginarmos a noção de irracionalidade como uma ameaça à razão e a ciência, podemos vê-la, numa perspectiva dialética, como um sinal de abertura em direção ao estudo do mundo e do homem concretos

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T16:56:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_olga_corbo.pdf: 11888785 bytes, checksum: 9fd54776e71e1d194c1bd940375f91fc (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005-08-16 / We have conducted this study to contribute to education of future teachers, by proposing the use of golden section as a context to explore the notion of incommensurable magnitudes. We have based our study on the notion of jeux de cadres , introduced by Douady (1986) in Mathematics Didactic, and used the Didactic Engineering research methodology. Our research was developed on the following hypothesis: a teaching sequence about the golden section which favors an interaction among different knowledge domains can advance the comprehension and/or development of the notion of incommensurability of straight line segments . For this study, we have attempted to determine if the process of successive divisions based on Euclids algorithm helped foster the development of the notion of incommensurability of straight line segments in the future teachers. Furthermore, we verified whether they used the jeux de cadres to solve some problems presented in the sequence and how it contributed to develop the notion of golden rectangle and the notion of incommensurable straight line segments. Finally, we determined if they have established a relationship between the golden rectangle characteristics and the notion of incommensurability of straight line segments, by offering a proof of the incommensurability of the sides of the golden rectangle. The results seem to indicate some progress in relation to the answers provided in the pre-test, which allows us to conclude that the golden section can be a favorable context for the comprehension and/or development of the notion of incommensurable straight line segments. The examination of the students performance have also shown that the sequence can promote an interaction among different knowledge domains, allowing a connection between certain geometric constructions and irrational numbers. At the end, we discuss some limitations observed during the development of this study, whose analysis can serve as a starting point for new investigations on the same theme. / O presente estudo foi realizado com o objetivo de contribuir para a formação inicial de professores de Matemática, propondo a utilização da seção áurea como contexto para explorar a noção de incomensurabilidade de segmentos de reta. Tomando como referencial teórico a noção de jogos de quadros , introduzida por Douady (1986) na Didática da Matemática e usando a metodologia de pesquisa denominada Engenharia Didática, desenvolvemos nosso trabalho com base na hipótese de que uma seqüência de ensino sobre a seção áurea, cuja realização favoreça a articulação entre quadros distintos de conhecimentos, pode propiciar a compreensão e/ou desenvolvimento da noção de incomensurabilidade de segmentos de reta . Por este estudo, examinamos se o processo das divisões sucessivas baseado no algoritmo de Euclides propiciou aos sujeitos de nossa pesquisa o desenvolvimento da noção de incomensurabilidade de segmentos de reta. Analisamos, ainda se os participantes recorriam à mudança de quadros para a resolução de algumas das situações apresentadas na seqüência e de que forma essa estratégia contribuiu para introduzir a noção de retângulo áureo e a noção de incomensurabilidade de segmentos de reta. Finalmente, examinamos se estabeleciam uma relação entre as características do retângulo áureo e a noção de incomensurabilidade de segmentos de reta, por meio da elaboração de uma justificativa de que os lados do retângulo áureo são segmentos incomensuráveis entre si. Os resultados indicam que houve um avanço em relação às respostas apresentadas no pré-teste, permitindo-nos concluir que a seção áurea pode ser um contexto favorável à compreensão e/ou desenvolvimento da noção de segmentos incomensuráveis. O exame do desempenho dos estudantes revelou também que a seqüência desenvolvida pode favorecer a inter-relação entre quadros distintos de conhecimentos, possibilitando que seja estabelecido um elo de ligação entre determinadas construções geométricas e números irracionais. Nas considerações finais, são discutidas as limitações observadas durante a realização deste trabalho, cuja análise poderá servir como ponto de partida para novas investigações sobre o mesmo tema.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T16:58:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_cristina_berndt_penteado.pdf: 32349010 bytes, checksum: 69bb853704554ac4506a6b42f737d399 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2004-09-30 / The work approaches the subject of the density of the real numbers, here taking in the direction of the existence of infinite rational numbers and infinite irrationals between two distinct real numbers. Some research evidences difficulties of the students in the classification of rational numbers and irrationals, as well as the unfamiliarity of the property of the density of the set of the real numbers. The objective of the study is to investigate the conception and the reaction of the teachers of high-school front to the different registers of representations of the numbers, when analyzed the property of the density, as much the density of the set of the rational numbers in the set of the real numbers how much of the irrationals in reals. Is considered to investigate it the viability of two types of distinct procedures for the attainment of real numbers between two supplied: the procedure of the arithmetic mean and other inspired in the process of diagonal line of Cantor, using the representation decimal of the real numbers. For in such a way it was carried through an intervention by means of the elaboration, application and analysis of an education sequence, composed of ten activities, based in the Theory of the Registers of Representation Semiotics of Raymond Duval. The education sequence was based on principles of the Didactic Engineering of Michèle Artigue. Although to evidence envolvement of the participants, some difficulties identified in the research persist as for example, the association of the infinite representation with irrationality and the identification of a rational number as being only that one that has finite representation. Some teachers had demonstrated the intention to apply similar questions to the ones of the sequence, to its students of high-school / O trabalho aborda o tema da densidade dos números reais, aqui tomada no sentido da existência de infinitos números racionais e infinitos irracionais entre dois números reais distintos. Várias pesquisas evidenciam dificuldades dos alunos na classificação de números racionais e irracionais, bem como o desconhecimento da propriedade da densidade do conjunto dos números reais. O objetivo do estudo é investigar a concepção e a reação dos professores do Ensino Médio frente aos diferentes registros de representações dos números, quando analisada a propriedade da densidade, tanto a densidade do conjunto dos números racionais no conjunto dos números reais quanto a dos irracionais nos reais. Propõe-se a investigar a viabilidade de dois tipos de procedimentos distintos para a obtenção de números reais entre dois dados: o procedimento da média aritmética e outro inspirado no processo de diagonal de Cantor, utilizando a representação decimal dos números reais. Para tanto foi realizada uma intervenção por meio da elaboração, aplicação e análise de uma seqüência de ensino, composta de dez atividades, embasada na Teoria dos Registros de Representação Semiótica de Raymond Duval. A seqüência de ensino foi fundamentada em princípios da Engenharia Didática de Michèle Artigue. Apesar de constatar envolvimento dos participantes, algumas dificuldades identificadas nas pesquisas persistem como por exemplo, a associação da representação infinita com irracionalidade e a identificação de um número racional como sendo somente aquele que tem representação finita. Alguns professores demonstraram a intenção de aplicar questões similares às da seqüência, aos seus alunos do Ensino Médio

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T16:58:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Keiji Nakamura.pdf: 1405144 bytes, checksum: 8b57bd3e002695a33fe5b4bdbf0840e3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-05-30 / Sociedade de Cultura e Educação do Litoral Sul / The main objective of this work is to investigate the difficulties that appeared along the history for the development of the mathematical content irrational numbers and which are the approaches present in the text books. The subject irrational numbers is considered important in the basic education of Mathematics and it comes for the students, in the text books, as an obstacle to its full understanding. One of the aspects that can justify such situation is the complexity that the subject shows. However, the irrational number can be worked in a historical-epistemological process, by doing a study of how the transformation of scientific object to an object of teaching in a praxeological organization has been processing. That organization is the final result of a mathematical activity that presents two inseparable aspects: the mathematical practice, that consists of tasks and techniques, and the speech based on that practice that is constituted by technologies and theories. Our analyses point that factors exist which interfere in the process of teaching-learning of irrational numbers related with the praxeological organization of that content in the collections of the text books of the 70s, 90s and 2000. The proof of the irrationality with traditional Euclidian approach served as parameter to evaluate the degree of difficulty and to analyze the type of tasks, techniques and the theoretical-technological speech for the demonstration of the irrational number. The organization points that the most difficulty is in the axiomatic system that should satisfy to two conditions: to be solid, it means, the postulates cannot contradict each other for themselves or for their consequences; to be complete and enough, in the sense of having conditions to prove true or false all propositions formulated in the context of the theory in subject. The proof of the irrationality in a modern Dedekind approach analyzed by the type of tasks, techniques and for the theoretical-technological speech enlarges the numeric domain, joining to the rational numbers a new category of irrational numbers that fill out the gaps of the numeric straight line. To build techniques to modify and to enlarge the concept of irrationality of other numbers is an approach that explores numbers in the form a+b√2, with rational a and b, and that contributes to overcome the idea that there are few irrational numbers / O objetivo principal deste trabalho é investigar as dificuldades que surgiram ao longo da história para o desenvolvimento do conteúdo matemático números irracionais e quais a abordagens estão presentes nos livros didáticos. O assunto números irracionais é considerado importante na escolaridade básica de Matemática e apresenta-se para os alunos, nos livros didáticos, como um obstáculo a sua plena compreensão. Um dos aspectos que pode justificar tal situação é a complexidade com que esse assunto se manifesta. No entanto, o número irracional pode ser trabalhado em um processo histórico-epistemológico, fazendo-se um estudo de como se tem processado a transformação de objeto científico a objeto de ensino em uma organização praxeológica. Essa organização é o resultado final de uma atividade matemática que apresenta dois aspectos inseparáveis: a prática matemática, que consta de tarefas e técnicas, e o discurso fundamentado sobre essa prática, que é constituída por tecnologias e teorias. Nossas análises apontam que existem fatores os quais interferem no processo de ensino-aprendizagem de números irracionais relacionados com a organização praxeológica desse conteúdo nas coleções dos livros didáticos dos anos 70, 90 e 2000. A prova da irracionalidade com abordagem tradicional euclidiana serviu de parâmetro para avaliar o grau de dificuldade e analisar o tipo de tarefas, técnicas e o discurso teórico-tecnológico para a demonstração do número irracional. A organização aponta que a maior dificuldade está no sistema axiomático que deve satisfazer a duas condições: ser consistente, quer dizer, os postulados não podem contradizer uns aos outros por si mesmos ou por suas conseqüências; ser completo e suficiente, no sentido de se ter condições para provar verdadeiras ou falsas todas proposições formuladas no contexto da teoria em questão. A prova da irracionalidade em uma abordagem moderna dedekindiana analisada pelo tipo de tarefas, técnicas e pelo discurso teórico-tecnológico amplia o domínio numérico, juntando aos números racionais uma nova categoria de números irracionais que vêm preencher as lacunas da reta numérica. Construir técnicas para modificar e ampliar o conceito de irracionalidade de outros números é uma abordagem que explora números na forma a+b2, com a e b racionais, e que contribui para a superação da idéia de que há poucos números irracionais

This study explored the influence of irrational beliefs on adolescent secondary school learners’ Mathematics achievement in Zimbabwe. Learner, home and school factors which influence secondary school learners’ Mathematics achievement were discussed and relevant studies were scrutinised. The theoretical views of Albert Ellis regarding the characteristics, effects, acquisition and maintenance of irrational beliefs were discussed together with the major irrational beliefs and their possible relationship with learners’ Mathematics achievement. A sample of 306 randomly selected adolescent Mathematics learners comprising 182 girls and 124 boys in the 14 to 18 year age range participated in the study. A composite questionnaire with subscales on learners’ irrational beliefs, socio-affective variables and perceptions was used during the empirical investigation. Six major hypotheses were tested. The study established that learners’ irrational thoughts about Mathematics correlate negatively with their Mathematics achievement. Learners’ irrational thoughts about Mathematics correlated negatively with motivation, self-concept, parental involvement, and teacher-learner relationships and positively with stress, anxiety and faulty perceptions. Regression analysis proved that learners’ irrational beliefs, socio-affective variables and perceptions jointly explain a greater proportion of the variance in Mathematics achievement than any one of these factors on its own. Therefore, learners’ Mathematics achievement is affected by irrational beliefs together with their socio-affective variables and perceptions. Practical recommendations were given to Mathematics education stakeholders such as teachers, school counsellors, parents and learners to minimise poor Mathematics achievement attributable to irrational beliefs and the allied variables explored in this study. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This study aims to present a geometric construction of real numbers characterizing them as numbers that express a measure. In this construction, each point in an oriented line represents the measure of a segment (a real number). Based on ve axioms of Euclidean geometry it was de ned an order relation, a method to add and multiply points so that it was possible to demonstrate that the line has a full ordered body of algebraic structure that we call the set of real numbers. To do so, it were presented historical elements that allow us to understand the emergence of irrational numbers as a solution to the insu ciency of rational numbers with respect to the measuring problem, the evolution of the concept of number, as well as the importance that the strict construction of real numbers had to the Foundations of Mathematics. We display a construction of rational numbers from the integernumbers as motivation for construction of numerical sets. Using the notion of measure,we show a geometric interpretation of rational numbers linking them to the points of an oriented line to demonstrate that they leave holes in the line and conclude on the need to build a set that contains the rational numbers and that ll all the points of a line. The theme is of utmost importance to the teaching of mathematics because one of the major goal of basic education is to promote understanding of numbers and operations, to develop number sense and to develop uency in the calculation. To achieve this, it is necessary to assimilate the r / O presente trabalho tem por objetivo apresentar uma construção geométrica dos números reais caracterizando-os como números que expressam uma medida. Nesta construção cada ponto de uma reta orientada representa a medida de um segmento (um número real), com base nos cinco axiomas da geometria euclidiana de niu-se uma relação de ordem, um método para somar e multiplicar pontos de tal forma que fosse possível demonstrar que a reta possui uma estrutura algébrica de corpo ordenado completo a qual chamamos de conjunto dos números reais. Para tanto, foram apresentados elementos históricos que permitem compreender o surgimento dos números irracionais como solução para a insu - ciência dos números racionais no que diz respeito ao problema de medida, a evolução do próprio conceito de número, bem como a importância que a construção rigorosa dos nú- meros reais tiveram para os Fundamentos da Matemática. Exibimos uma construção dos números racionais a partir dos números inteiros como motivação para construções de conjuntos numéricos. Usando a noção de medida mostramos uma interpretação geométrica dos números racionais associando-os aos pontos de uma reta orientada para demonstrar que eles deixam buracos na reta e concluir sobre a necessidade de construir um conjunto que contenha os números racionais e que preencham todos os pontos de uma reta. O tema é de extrema importância para o ensino da matemática, visto que um dos principais objetivos do ensino básico é promover a compreensão dos números e das operações, desenvolver o sentido de número e desenvolver a uência no cálculo, sendo necessário para tal assimilar os números reais, em especial os irracionais, os quais são tratados a partir do ensino fundamental.

Avsikten med denna studie har varit att studera problematiken som har uppstått i och med det växande fenomenet finansiella influensers och dess koppling till marknadsmanipulation. Med en explosiv ökning inom aktiehandeln på dagens finansmarknader är det många beslut som inte längre kan definieras med enbart klassisk finansiell teori. Det växande och mer irrationella fenomenet finansiella influensers ses som en potentiell källa till denna utveckling. Med hjälp av ett postmodernt ramverk ämnar studien undersöka och analysera effekten detta fenomen har på investeringsbeslut samt undersöka hur Marknadsmissbrukslagen påverkar dessa influensers. Detta då marknadsmanipulation i tidigare studier visat sig kunna ha en koppling till finansiella influensers ageranden. Studien tillämpar ett kvalitativt tillvägagångssätt med postmodern inriktning, i syfte att studera en av flera möjliga beskrivningar av verkligheten. För bästa möjliga resultat använder studien en triangulering av data vilket innebär dels en tematisk innehålls-analys utav nio semistrukturerade intervjuer där åtta av respondenterna utgörs av finansengagerade småsparare och där den nionde är yrkesmässig expert på området, dels en kvalitativ innehållsanalys av en dokumentstudie för att inkorporera förståelse kring studiens problematik som den tas upp i andra samhällsdiskurser. Studien visar hur människor uppfattar att finansiella influensers har stor påverkan på dagens finansiella beslut och att detta fenomen har stor potential att orsaka marknadsmanipulation genom uppmaningar till följarna. Resultaten visar på att en postmodern syn på fenomenet kan öka förståelsen för dess existens, detta genom att inte endast irrationell eller rationell teori lyckas självständigt beskriva företeelsen. En viss samexistens av teorierna anses därmed behövas och svaren visar också på en potentiell koppling till rationaliteten bakom att göra till synes irrationella finansbeslut i dagens marknader. Ett tecken på hur finans är hyperrealistiskt, d.v.s. ett fenomen som givits en ny kontext skiljd från dess ursprungliga mening. Hyperrealism medför också att finans kan ses som postmodernt. Den reglering som är ämnad att kontrollera dessa marknadsmanipulationer, dvs. Marknadsmissbrukslagen, visar sig lida av otydlighet och potentiell godtycklighet. Studien visar på hur denna uppfattning från flera marknadsaktörer grundar sig i övertygelser om potentiellt subjektiva domar baserade på kriterier som inte lätt förstås av vare sig småsparare eller av större marknadsaktörer. Regleringens otydlighet markerar dess frånkoppling från lagens logiska grund och förståelsen för Marknadsmissbrukslagen kan öka genom att se på den som en godtycklig spelregel. Denna aspekt målar också upp en bild utav hyperrealism utifrån att regleringen praktiskt kan tänkas agera som en spelregel för finansmarknaden men i dagens samhälle används som lag. Studien visar därmed ett ytterligare bevis för hur finans uppfattas som postmodernt. / The purpose of this study has been to examine the problems that have arisen as a result of the growing phenomenon that is financial influencers and its’ connection to market manipulation. With a rapid increase of stock trading in today’s financial markets, there are many decisions in themselves that can no longer be defined solely by classic financial theory. The growing and more irrational phenomenon of financial influencers is seen as one potential source of this development. Using a postmodern framework, the study intends to investigate and analyze the effects this phenomenon has on investment decisions and also examine how the Swedish Market Abuse Act (Marknadsmissbrukslagen) affect these influencers. This is done because market manipulation has shown to have a potential connection to the actions of financial influencers. The study applies a qualitative approach with a postmodern focus, in order to examine one of several possible descriptions of reality. To attain the best results possible this study implemented triangulation of data, which included a themed content analysis based on nine semi structured interviews where eight respondents were ordinary investors and the nineth respondent were a professional in this particular work field. The study also constitutes a qualitative content analysis of a document study in order to incorporate a deeper understanding for the study’s problematization as it is mentioned in the social discourse. The study shows how people perceive that financial influencers have a great affect on today’s financial decisions and that this phenomenon has substantial potential to cause market manipulation through urgings to followers. The results show that a postmodern view of the phenomenon can increase the understanding of its existence, this is done through showing that neither rational nor irrational finance theories can on their own fully explain the phenomenon. A certain coexistence of these theories is thus considered necessary. The study also shows a potential connection to the rationality behind making seemingly irrational financial decisions in today’s markets. A sign showing how finance is hyper-realistic, i.e., a phenomenon that given a new context separated from its original meaning. Hyperrealism also means that finance can be seen as postmodern. The regulation that intends to control these market manipulations, i.e. The Swedish Market Abuse Act, turns out to suffer from ambiguity and potential arbitrariness. The study shows how this perception by several market participants is planted on beliefs about potentially subjective judgements based on criteria that are not easily understood by ordinary investors nor larger market participants. The ambiguity of the regulation points out its disconnection from the logical foundation of law and the understanding of the Swedish Market Abuse Act therefore might increase by interpreting this law as an arbitrary game rule. This specific aspect also paints a hyperrealistic picture, as the regulation is practically understood as a game rule in financial markets, but in today’s markets it functions as a law. Thus, our study presents further evidence how finance is perceived as postmodern.

Utvecklingen av marknadsföringsstrategier inom mode över tid visar att dagens konsumenter önskar ett ökat engagemang från varumärken, samt en mer fördjupad anknytning. För att möta konsumenters efterfrågan om engagemang och fördjupad varumärkesanknytning så använder varumärken olika marknadsföringsstrategier. Studiens syfte är att undersöka hur emotionell anknytning till klädvarumärken påverkar unga kvinnliga konsumenters köpbeteende. I studien har Maslows behovstrappa, Kellers brand equity modell, samt en modell för konsumenters köpbeslutsprocesser använts för att analysera resultatet. En tematisk analys har genomförts för att analysera och identifiera teman i de semistrukturerade intervjuerna som utförts med konsumenter. Resultaten från studien betonar den djupgående effekt som emotionell anknytning har på köpprocessen inom klädindustrin och utmanar till reflektion kring hur ekonomiska faktorer kan påverka processen. Dessutom kan det observeras att informanterna genom köp från varumärket strävar efter att identifiera sig med den identitet och livsstil som varumärket de känner emotionell anknytning till signalerar. Denna studie bidrar även till forskningen inom emotionell varumärkesanknynting och beteende kring konsumenters köpprocess genom ytterligare förståelse inom ämnet. / The evolution of marketing strategies in fashion demonstrates that the consumers of today have an increased desire for engagement from brands and that they seek a deeper emotional attachment to brands. In order to meet the consumer demand for engagement and deeper brand connectedness, brands have to adjust their marketing strategies. The aim of this study is to investigate how emotional attachment to brands influences the purchasing behaviour of young female consumers. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Keller’s Equity Model and a model of consumer decision-making processes have been used to analyse the results. A thematic analysis was conducted to examine and identify different themes from the semi-structured interviews that were conducted with consumers. The findings of the study highlight the significant effect that emotional brand attachment has on the purchasing process of fashion related products and encourage consideration of how economic factors could influence the process. Additionally, it is observed that through purchasing from the brand the consumers feel emotional attachment to, consumers strive to identify with the identity and lifestyle that the brand they feel emotionally attached to signifies. This study contributes to research within the field of emotional brand attachment and consumer behaviour related to the purchasing process through further knowledge within the subject.

Text in Afrikaans / Depression as disorder is an ever-increasing phenomenon. Especially, during the adolescent years, depression seems to be on the increase. The developmental phase of adolescence, characterised by a fragile self-esteem, places high demands on the adolescent. The depressed adolescent frequently has a negative self-esteem manifesting from the adolescent's belief that the demands of this phase are inadequately met. It would appear as if the depressed individual constantly tends to see himself in a negative light. In this study the focus is on the negative thought processes (cognitive distortions) demonstrated by the depressed adolescent. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of cognitive therapy on the self-esteem of the adolescent and interplay thereof with depression. Beck's psychotherapeutic model is evaluated in the light of a single case study / Educational Studies / M.Ed.

The reading of selected literary texts in this thesis traces the changes from a divinely ordered world of stability (Thomas Mann's Bud<lenbrooks) to surroundings characterized by insecurity (William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury) to an unstable environment giving rise to largely futile attempts at finding answers to seemingly illogical questions (Thomas Pynchon's The Crying of Lot 49). As a product of the accelerated speed of technological progression and the information revolution in the twentieth century, man is more often than not incapable of adjusting to changed circumstances in a seemingly hostile environment. Indeed, instability and unpredictability are external factors determining the sense of insecurity and uncertainty characterising the 'world' depicted in the literary texts under consideration. For this reason judicious use will be made of philosophical and psychoanalytical concepts, based, amongst others, on Nietzschean and Freudian theories, to explain the disintegration of families, the anguish experienced by individuals or, indeed, the shifting identities informing the portrayal of character in selected literary texts. / Afrikaans and Theory of Literature / D.Litt. et Phil. (Theory of Literature)