Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 76-87).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2009. / Title from PDF title page (University of Texas Digital Repository, viewed on Sept. 9, 2009). Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 76-87). Also available in print.

Text in afrikaans / The main object of this research was to present the profile of a child that bullies other children and to place one changeable element, namely self-esteem, within this profile. The description of children that reflect bully behaviour in accordance with the Gestalt approach is absent in most of the familiar Gestalt literature. The Gestalt approach is therefore utilized as a theoretical framework to describe the profile of children that bully others. The empirical research methodology is performed by combining a qualitative and a quantitative research approach. The approach to the research was based on the dominant-less-dominant model whereby the dominant approach, namely the qualitative approach, was utilized. The quantitative approach had a supportive role to the qualitative approach in this research by utilizing a standardized measurement instrument to round off the profile of the child identified as a bully. The profiles compiled of the children that bully others can be utilized as a guideline for Gestalt therapeutic interventions. / Social work / M. Diac.

Since the advent of the Bem Sex Role Inventory (Bem, 1974) two models, the Androgyny and Masculinity model, have been advanced to explain the sex role literature. This study attempts to rectify several methodological issues by experimentally controlling for the effects of self-esteem and using a quartile-split procedure for sex role type assignment. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate interpersonal problem solving ability among sex role types and to compare the predictions of the Androgyny model and the Masculinity model. The results of both experiments implicate the crucial role of self-esteem in sex role research. Self-esteem, rather than sex role type, appears to be more predictive of adequate psychological adjustment.

This research focused on the relationship between self-esteem and career anchors in the context of career development. The objectives of the study were twofold. The first was to establish the relationship between individuals’ self-esteem (as measured by the Culture Free Self-Esteem Inventory) and career anchors (as measured by the Career Orientations Inventory); and the second was to determine if self-esteem significantly predict career anchors. An online survey was administered to a non-probability, convenience sample (n = 77) of full-time individuals, employed adults at managerial and general staff levels, in the South African financial services industry. The sample consisted of predominantly married (58.4%), white (44.2%), females (57.1%) between the ages 35 and 44 years (32.5%). The Culture Free Self-Esteem Inventory for Adults (CFSEI 2-AD) and Career Orientations Inventory (COI) were used to gather data. Correlational analysis showed an association between the variables of CFSEI 2-AD and COI. A multiple regression analysis supported that self-esteem predict career anchors. Recommendations were suggested for use by human resource professionals to inform the career development of employees in the South African financial service industry. / Human Resource Management / M. Com. (Human Resource Management)

Magister Artium (Psychology) - MA(Psych) / This study focuses and draws on the fields of dance, psychology and the self-concept. Dance is seen as a powerful tool for expression of self. The Self-Concept is one of the most researched constructs in psychology. Previous research has focused on one element of the self-concept, such as self-esteem; this research considered the self-concept holistically, comprising of: self-image, self-esteem and ideal self. The theoretical framework of this research was the Self-Concept, and dance was employed as an intervention or method of researching the self-concept. The overall aim of this research was to explore the self-concept of a group of peer mentors prior to and after participating in a structured dance programme at a South African University. This research used a mixed-method approach with the primary method being qualitative. The quantitative research design was a quasi-experimental, one-group pre-test post-test design, using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). The qualitative research design was ethnography. A seven session structured dance programme was conducted consisting of various aspects of dance. Non-probability sampling and purposive sampling techniques were used. Data was collected in four phases; quantitative pre-test data collection using the RSES scale; qualitative intervention data collection via observations (field notes and audio-visual recordings); quantitative post-test data collection using the RSES scale; and qualitative in-depth interviews. Informed consent was received through informed consent forms and information sessions prior to the dance programme. There were two steps of data analysis. First was to analyse the quantitative data from the RSES on IBM’s Statistical Software Package for Social Sciences, version 25 (SPSS v.25) and Microsoft Excel tools. Second was to analyse the data from the observations and interviews using thematic analysis.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)

Self-control enables people to make decisions that can promote overall well-being. Such decisions include refraining from overeating or the decision to motivate individuals to persevere when faced with difficulties. The purpose of this study was to determine if not requiring the expenditure of self-control and boosting self-esteem would enable participants to persist longer at a task designed to measure self-control than participants who were required to expend self-control and received an ego threat. No significant main effects were found for self-control manipulations, F (1, 223) = .54, p = .46, or for self-esteem manipulations, F (1, 223) = .01, p = .91. No significant interaction effects were found. F(3, 219) = .785, p =.503.

Gender differences play an important role in the diversity that exists in our world today. Evan as infants, our young minds are able to grasp that there are large differences in the roles and expectations for males and females and that these differences contribute to the variety of experiences that we encounter in our interactions with the two genders. As we grown from children into adults, it is clear that the biased opinions we form regarding the opposite sex in childhood are too simplistic in their ideologies, and during the time that we mature into young adults, our opinions mature as well. Although there has been much research into the development of attitudes from childhood into adulthood, the role that self-esteem may play in the process has been somewhat neglected. This thesis explored the nature of self-esteem and tested its salience with regard to intergroup gender bias in children and ambivalent sexism in adults. In the child sample (n=20), intergroup gender bias was found to be correlated positively with global self-worth. In the adult sample (n=218), elevated levels of global self-worth were correlated with hostile sexism in females and with benevolent sexism in males. Surprisingly few types of specific self-esteem (self-perceived peer social competence, behavioral conduct, physical appearance, and athletic competence) were found to correlate with intergroup gender bias in children and ambivalent sexism in adults.