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Master of Science / Department of Psychology / Laura A. Brannon / Self-monitoring was examined as a moderator of the effectiveness of persuasive messages for reducing college student binge drinking. Low self-monitors tend to be influenced by their personal values and attitudes, while high self-monitors tend to be influenced by the behavior of those around them. Via a website simulation, college students were presented with one of three types of anti-binge drinking messages: a self-schema message, which highlighted how responsible drinking is consistent with the message recipient’s personal values and attitudes; a social norms message, which explained that most college students drink less than one might think they do; or a control message, which stated in general terms that people can experience a variety of problems from binge drinking. Overall intended drinking behavior in the self-schema message condition was almost identical to that of the social norms message condition, both of which were lower than drinking intentions in the control message condition. When presented with a self-schema matched message, low self-monitors intended to drink less alcohol than did high self-monitors, but these means were not significantly different. However, high self-monitors intended to drink significantly less than did low self-monitors when presented with a social norms message. The results suggest that self-schema matched messages may be effective at reducing binge drinking for most students, and that social norms messages may be equally as effective but only for high self-monitors.

Neuropsychologists are becoming increasingly aware that there is a complex interplay of cognitive, personality, and sociocultural factors that affect an individual's performance on neuropsychological tests. The current study investigated the effect of one aspect of the sociocultural environment, that is, quality of education, on performance on neuropsychological tests of executive function. The sample included 40 high school learners: Group A comprised learners with a high quality of education and Group B comprised learners with a low quality of education. Four tests of executive function were administered: the Verbal Fluency Test, the Design Fluency Test, the Stroop Test and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Results indicated that quality of education significantly affected the participants' performance with Group A performing significantly better than Group B on all the tests of executive function. These findings have implications for the interpretation of neuropsychological test performance in cross-cultural research and practice. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Impartiality has long been a core norm of United Nations peacekeeping. However, since 2000 the dominant conception of impartiality has changed, leading to more coercive forms of peacekeeping. Claims to impartial authority are no longer based exclusively on terms to which all parties consent. Instead, they are premised on a more ambitious and expansive set of norms related to human rights, around which consensus is presumed but not always affirmed. This dissertation critically examines the change in both the conception and practice of impartiality, which, it argues, is an integral part of the emergence of a more assertive liberal internationalism. In doing so, it challenges dominant constructivist approaches within IR that conceive of norms as linear and static. It advances a framework for a multi-level analysis of impartiality as a “composite” and “contested” norm. Through this framework it elucidates the macro-level politics surrounding the norm’s institutionalisation at the UN, as well as the micro-level politics surrounding its implementation in the specific case of the UN mission in Congo (MONUC). The analysis of the processes of both institutionalisation and implementation reveals an absence of consensus over the norm itself, and over the purposes of and actions involved in contemporary peacekeeping. This contestation, together with varying expectations and incentives created by the norm amongst local actors, frequently results in unintended consequences, which are contrary to the norm’s original intent. And yet, despite these consequences, the very nature of assertive impartiality makes it difficult for those who claim such authority to change course. Given that the legitimacy of peacekeeping derives both from whether it is seen to reflect and promote shared values, as from the degree to which it is actually effective, this difficulty raises troubling questions for peacekeeping itself and for the UN, the institution to which it has become so symbolically linked. This dissertation argues that, ultimately, the UN’s role may be to reflect, rather than to resolve, the differences of normative interpretation among its member states. It concludes that a more practical and prudent conception of impartiality – one which recognises that impartiality is necessarily and inextricably political – will be necessary if scholars and practitioners alike are to navigate the normative tensions inherent to a more assertive liberal international order.

This paper is about the communication of bullying, and its aim is to shift the focus from the individual’s problem to the collective mind. Scientists have concluded that bullying is the result of a group behaviour, where the individual aims to be a part of the group, or control its peers. Despite this, it is mainly the image of the individual that is communicated as a representation of the subject. This leads to the people that aren’t directly involved with the subject to become distansed and uninterested in any real change. This project has taken inspiration from the people rights movements, where the individual problem (alcoholism, unemployment, etcetera) became a problem of society. What would happen if bullying became as urgent? With illustration as a tool, the project aims to involve and engage the audience at Konstfack Spring Degree Exhibition 2016 towards a larger movement that is anti-bullying. This paper will first deal with the topic of bullying, and then move towards how bullying is presented and communicated, and then end up with an artistic piece that aims to change the traditional way of speaking of bullying.

Bakgrund: Sexualiteten är en del av varje människa och den sexuella hälsan är en del i den övergripande hälsan. Bröstcancer och behandling av bröstcancer påverkar de sexuella funktionerna. Dessa förändringar kan ha stor inverkan på kvinnans sexuella hälsa.Syfte: Att belysa hur kvinnor med bröstcancer upplever sin sexuella hälsa. Metod: Studien är kvalitativ och data har samlats in från bloggar som sedan analyserats induktivt.Resultat: Under analysen bildades de tre kategorierna Upplevelsen av kroppslig attraktivitet, Påverkad känsla av kvinnlighet och Inverkan på sexuella funktioner. Kvinnorna upplevde att deras förändrade utseende och de påverkade sexuella funktionerna förändrade deras psykiska välmående och sättet att se på sig själva. Både fysiska, psykiska och emotionella förändringar hade stor inverkan på den sexuella hälsan.Slutsatser: Sexuell hälsa ses som en kombination av fysiskt, socialt och emotionellt välbefinnande i samband med sexualitet. Den sexuella hälsan hotas vid en cancerdiagnos och det är viktigt att inte enbart fokusera på en av dessa faktorer utan se den drabbade kvinnan som en helhet. Kvinnorna ger uttryck för en maktobalans inom vården då vårdpersonal inte diskuterar ämnet. Det finns ett behov av ytterligare kunskap om fenomenet som kan genereras genom vidare forskning. / Background: Sexuality is a part of every human and sexual health is part of the overall health. Breast cancer and treatment of breast cancer affect sexual function . These changes can have major impact on women's sexual health.Purpose: To illustrate how women with breast cancer experience their sexual health.Method: The study is qualitative and data were gathered from blogs and then analyzed inductively.Results: During the analysis three categories were formed The perception of bodily attractiveness, Affected sense of femininity and Impact on sexual function. The altered appearance and the affected sexual function changed the womens mental well-being and way of looking at themselves. Both physical, mental and emotional changes had  impact on the sexual health.Conclusions: Sexual health is a combination of physical, social and emotional well-being related to sexuality. The sexual health is threatened by cancer diagnosis and it is important not to focus exclusively on one of these factors but see the woman as entirety. The women reflect an imbalance in health care when healthcare professionals do not discuss this topic. Further understanding of the phenomenon is needed and may be generated by further research.

Background: Opportunities for companies to interact with both each other and consumers expand drastically due to the everyday life that is getting more digital. Something that is important for businesses is loyalty. In order to gain loyalty from a customer, companies need to gain the customer’s trust first. Trust has a significant role when business is conducted, but since there is a larger distance in an online context where there is a lack of direct contact trust gets more vital. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explain the impacts of antecedents on trust in an online B2B context. Hypotheses: H1: Ability has a positive impact on trust in an online B2B context H2: Benevolence has a positive impact on trust in an online B2B context H3: Internalised norms has a positive impact on trust in an online B2B context H4: Accountability has a positive impact on trust in an online B2B context Methodology: A quantitative research approach has been used and the empirical data has been collected through a questionnaire. Conclusion: The hypotheses are being rejected in the conclusion due to lack of significance in the relationship between the concept trust online and the concepts: ability, benevolence, internalised norms and accountability. Since there was no relation the conceptual model was rejected as well.

This thesis is a comparative analysis between two books from the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. We chose to work with book 1 - Dead Until Dark and book 10 - Dead in the Family. Our analysis is based on a gender perspective, using the litterature we present in previous research and theory. The aim for the thesis was to examine how gender and sexuality is portrayed in the books. In addition, we have looked at how the books represent gender norms in society through their characters and if named characters change throughout the series. We have applied comparative analysis and Nikolajeva's scheme on stereotypical males and females in litterature. We chose to analyse the four main characters - Sookie, Bill, Eric and Sam. In our analysis we discuss how the balance of power between the characters is portrayed as well as their gender and sexuality in relation to each other. Our analysis indicate that the characters are mainly portrayed with stereotypical gender norms and the comparison between the two books shows us no or very little development of named norms. Moreover, we observed that Sookies female gender is portrayed in relation to the three male characters, Bill, Eric and Sam. In addition, the male characters gender is also described in relation to the female character. Our analysis through Nikolajeva´s scheme depicts the characters in all categories of stereotypical gender roles. Sookie could often be categorized as a normative female whilst Bill and Eric in majority were categorized as normative males. Sams character was the only one to portray both female and male characteristics. This was depicted in both books. Further more, the male genders were portrayed similar in both books although the characters were mentioned more regularly in book 1 compared to book 10. Conclusively, we discussed how the books can be used in class to teach about gender, sexuality and norms. Lastly, we stressed what the positive and negative outcomes for teachers may be and what we think is important in class not to emulate stereotypical gender roles.

The use of child soldiers has troubled human rights activists, policy-makers, and local communities for decades. Although rebellions around the world routinely use children in their activities, many do not. Despite its overwhelming importance for conflict resolution, the topic of child soldiers remains understudied. My research blends classic rational choice and constructivist themes to develop an explanation for when child soldiers will be used, and when they will be avoided. The likelihood of child recruitment is influenced by the value of international opinion; this is determined by the groups' long-term goals. Secessionist rebellions desire to have their own state. However, statehood is jealously guarded by the international community and is only granted under extreme circumstances. The use of child soldiers has been condemned around the world as a crime against humanity, and it can curtail international support. Thus, secessionists should be the least likely rebel type to use child soldiers out of a concern to appear legitimate. Opportunistic rebellions face few constraints in their recruitment efforts. They do not desire international support because their long-term goal is the same as their short term goal: profit. Instead of refraining from using children in order to curry favor with external parties, they will abduct, adopt, and abuse children because they are cheaper to employ than adults. Opportunists are unconcerned with losing legitimacy or reducing the chances of victory. Therefore, they should be the most likely to use child soldiers. Concern for costs can affect all rebels. As duration grows, constraints over long-term legitimacy diminish. Therefore, all rebellions should be more likely to use child soldiers as duration increases. I test my theory quantitatively by looking at 103 rebel groups active between 1998-2008. I explore rebellions in Somalia, Colombia, Afghanistan and Sudan to further elucidate the causal mechanisms. There is considerable empirical support for the theory. These results offer policy-relevant conclusions in the areas of rehabilitation and conflict resolution. More importantly, they offer a workable strategy to curb the use of child soldiers in civil war.

<p>Kalmar Municipality has in 2008-2010 made an effort to educate managers on gender, with the goal of mainstreaming gender into public activities so that all citizens should feel safe in that treatment and services are designed and resources are distributed equally to both sexes living conditions and needs. The overall aim of this study was to examine whether the training effort has paid off, and how gender mainstreaming has been implemented in the different activities. We have used a qualitative approach, which we examined through interviews managers' approach to gender equality.</p><p>Gender was generally described as an important issue of all respondents, and all were working to mainstream gender into their activities and workplaces. The results show that the operational and management needed clearer directives and strategies in their efforts to promote gender equality. Education was necessary because personal definition of gender may differ from the control contents of the documents. We found that many respondents saw the barrier of time, but also difficulties in changing attitudes and preferences of employees. As a result, we realized that the problem was bigger than that, when society is ruled by norms and values. After analysis of empirical data, we concluded that gender mainstreaming is a difficult subject, and it demands hard work, efforts and resources.</p>