Thesis (M.A.)--Rutgers University, 2009. / "Graduate Program in Women's and Gender Studies." Includes bibliographical references (p. 59).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI Company.

Thesis (M. Phil)--University of Queensland, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references.

Problem: Consumer characteristics have proved to be important influencers in how advertisements are perceived among consumers. Researchers have started to investigate if this assumption is valuable also in special and uncommon marketing strategies. A new field of research regarding advertising is the study of taboo themes. Researchers have so far mainly investigated how consumer respond to advertisements containing themes of taboo, but less research examines the influence of consumer characteristics. The questions is to which degree, characteristics like age and gender affect the response consumers have towards taboo advertising. This question is of importance, as it will impact the strategy marketers can use when deciding which consumers to target. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate how age and gender of Swedish consumers influence how they respond to sexual appeal and violence within advertising. To add further depth to the study, three research questions have been constructed. Method: In order to draw a conclusion that gives answers to our purpose, a quantitative research approach has been employed. The data was collected through a questionnaire among Swedish consumers, with 190 respondents. This primary data collection was performed over an online survey tool and the result was later investigated in SPSS. The questionnaire included advertisements that contain themes of sexual appeal and violence, in a way to measure consumers response. Conclusion: The conclusion succeeds to answer the purpose of the study as well as the three research questions. The main findings are that the characteristics age and gender have an influence on the response most of the times. However, this influence seems not to be the only factor, but instead other characteristics and aspects seem also to contribute to the response of consumers. Two cases which both affect the outcome is if a product is of highor low-involvement or if the taboo used is congruent with the product. The influence is different depending on investigating age or gender.

It is well established that patterns of relationship formation in young adulthood are becoming increasingly complex. There is a growing heterogeneity in the types of relationships young adults can form, and there is evidence that the processes of relationship formation are marked by substantial ambiguity. This lack of structure in the young adult dating scene may be accompanied by more flexible gender roles in dating behaviors. Historically men’s roles centered on proactive initiation and women’s roles were characterized by reactive passivity; these gender roles structured the commencement and the progression of early relational ties into formalized unions. However, the deinstitutionalization of dating may have allowed women and men to enact new roles in the pre-relationship phase. This research asks if women and men equally exercise control in both the commencement of relationships and in determining their trajectory. Results indicate that men possess a unique controlling role of the ability to define a relationship, while women typically inhabit a role of clearly communicating their interests levels to men while simultaneously attempting to clarify men’s intentions. / text

abstract / English / Master / Master of Arts

<p> The categorization and stereotyping of <i>fatherhood</i> and <i> motherhood</i> have created a rigid binary social consciousness of gender-based expectations on parenting. These expectations, stemming from hetero/cisnormativity, leave little room for deviation. This dissertation challenges these expectations by examining the experiences of transgender parents as a means to expand the discourse around motherhood, fatherhood, and family.</p><p> The principal research question for this inquiry was, What do the narratives of transgender parents tell us about our understanding of motherhood, fatherhood, and family? To answer this question, this author recruited transgender individuals who also identify as a parent. The selection criteria included self-identification as either transgender or genderqueer and active involvement in parenting one or more children. Purposive sampling was utilized to identify the 5 participants for this study. Using narrative methodology, their stories were gathered and retold, gaining insight into their lived experiences as transgender parents. </p><p> Findings indicate that transgender parents challenge hetero/cisnormativity by redefining motherhood and fatherhood, creating a more fluid and inclusive definition of parent that is grounded in unconditional love and support and devoid of gender roles and stereotypes. Further findings demonstrate that transgender parents redefine family, including in their family circles individuals that offer support, unconditional love, and trust regardless of blood relation. </p>

<p> The effects of time and occupational prestige measured in this study had more of an impact than gender on how often witnesses hedged on the stand. A corpus of transcripts from 1893 to 2013 was assembled to test the variables of time, gender and occupational prestige on witnesses&rsquo; production of hedge constructions (e.g., <i>I think, sort of).</i> Results showed no significant differences between female and male hedge production over this 120-year period, yet significant differences were found in the production of phrases between earlier and later testimonies. Furthermore, a significant correlation was found between hedge production and occupational prestige. The more prestigious a witness&rsquo;s occupation, the fewer hedges s/he used. These findings support previous research that suggests a similarity between female and male speech in other genres of discourse and emphasizes social and environmental factors as areas worthy of deeper investigation for the contextual assessment of function in language.</p>

<p> Women comprise over 57% of all U.S. mortuary school students, yet less than 20% of all funeral directors employed in this country are women. As such, women are underrepresented as funeral directors in the funeral industry. Research to date has not established clear differences between perceived gender roles and occupations in the funeral service industry. The research questions examined the perceived differences of gender role characteristics of masculine, feminine, and androgyny between the occupations of funeral service providers and nursing. Bem&rsquo;s gender role theory was the theoretical framework of this study. The research compared the mean scores of male and female funeral service professionals and nursing professionals as measured by the validated Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI). A sample consisted of 214 randomly selected male (n = 88) and female (n = 25) funeral service professionals and male (n = 37) and female (n = 64) nurse professionals. Data scores were analyzed using the factorial multivariate analysis of variance method. Results indicated nonsignificant gender role differences between male and female funeral directors. Funeral directors appear more androgynous compared to nurses. The present study contributed to the development of this important and neglected area of research by quantitatively examining the gender role perceptions of men and women in the funeral service industry for the first time. This study results highlighted the complexity in self-perceived gender role characteristics as measured by BSRI. When the funeral profession begins to dispel gender stereotypes and discrimination issues, positive social change can occur.</p>

The objectives of this thesis are: 1. To contribute to the contemporary agenda on research into fatherhood by focusing on the successes and difficulties of fathers being more involved in the intimate care of their children. 2. To contribute to the understanding of how traditional discourses on fatherhood and masculinity may affect involved fathers' ability to nurture children. 3. To consider how involved fathers manage predominant discourses on fatherhood, masculinity and anger within the home.