The Late Bronze Age on the island of Crete saw a period of strong administrative and religious control by the palace at Knossos, which also controlled a vast trade network with the rest of the eastern Mediterranean. After the collapse of the palace of Knossos, the Final Palatial period (1490 - 1320 BCE), was a time of sociopolitical transition and change, witnessing an explosion in number and variety of mortuary practices used, even within the same cemetery. In this thesis I analyze Final Palatial burial practices in a more systematic method than has been previously attempted, in order to gain a better understanding of how the Minoans chose to use the mortuary sphere as a platform for constructing and negotiating their social and political identities in the dynamic socio-political climate of the Final Palatial period.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--UCLA, 2008. / Vita. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 138-163).

Across three studies, the role that testosterone plays in how individuals respond psychologically, behaviorally, and physiologically to status challenges was investigated. Preliminary Studies 1 focused on how testosterone related to physiological and psychological responses to a medical threat. Preliminary 2 replicated the psychological effects observed in Preliminary Study 1. Study 3 examined how experimentally manipulated testosterone levels corresponded to responses to a socially judged physical endurance task across all three response types. Preliminary Study 1 examined the relationship between testosterone and conscious evaluations of and physiological reactions to a health threat. Participants were diagnosed with a fictitious enzyme deficiency before rating their views of the deficiency, as well as providing saliva samples before and after diagnosis. Basal testosterone was negatively associated with the belief that one actually had the deficiency, despite the diagnosis. Testosterone was also positively associated with a greater increase in salivary cortisol levels following the diagnosis. Self-reported anxiety was found to be positively associated with evaluating the deficiency as threatening. Preliminary Study 2 replicated the findings observed in Preliminary Study 1 regarding conscious evaluations of a medical threat. Using the same experimental manipulation, testosterone was again found to be negatively associated with ratings of the enzyme deficiency. In Preliminary Study 2, high levels of testosterone were associated with viewing the deficiency as less serious and viewing medical conditions, in general, as less threatening. Study 3 used a transdermal administration procedure to artificially elevate individuals’ testosterone levels before completing a socially evaluated task. Participants who received the testosterone administration showed greater physiological responses to the task, including cardiovascular responses and cortisol responses, compared to the placebo group. Unlike Preliminary Studies 1 and 2, Study 3 did not show any effect of testosterone on conscious evaluations of the task nor behavioral measures of performance. Taken together, the three studies highlight the different ways in which testosterone is related to responding to social threats. Testosterone appears to be associated with mobilizing physiological systems to theoretically facilitate behavioral responses to status threats. Testosterone also appears to be negatively associated with consciously evaluating certain types of threats. / text

This qualitative study seeks to extend the existing body of scholarly literature on returned veteran civilian reintegration by exploring "hero" and "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder" narratives. The character of the hero, as a social construct located within hegemonic notions of masculinity, is widely portrayed and believed to possess highly prized, extraordinary, almost superhuman personal qualities. However, this widely disseminated belief stands at odds with some of the stories returned veterans tell. This qualitative study explores and illuminates the enigmatic intersectionality of hero and PTSD narratives. Extant hero and PTSD narratives contain paradoxical implicit meanings embedded within them. The hero is understood to be fearless, strong, independent, and physically and emotionally tough. PTSD, on the other hand, implies personal deficiencies, enervation, dependence, diffidence, and other personal shortcomings. The apparent contradictions between these two cultural narratives elucidate how hero narrative are founded less in the lived reality as experienced by returned veterans and more in socially circulating stories about returned combat veterans as disembodied people. Most problematic is the tendency for widely circulating stories about them as the hero character to disguise the reality of day-to-day life as returned combat veterans live it. Through narrative analysis it is revealed that the popular cultural image of veterans as strong, independent, and courageous "warriors" may conflict with reality as lived by combat veterans. Paradoxically, however, returned combat veterans may employ the hero narrative in making sense of themselves. As a result, returned combat veterans may find it difficult to act in ways inconsistent with the hero narrative, such as asking for help, admitting a damaging personal problem, exacerbating the civilian reintegration experience and potentially significantly lowering returned combat veterans' quality of life. This problem may be especially salient for veterans experiencing symptoms of PTSD who may feel trapped between two the cultural narratives of hero and victim.

Aim: The aim of the study was to analyse the psychosocial factors in work- and private life and its correlation with various stress-related symptoms and ill health among employees at a faculty at the Linnaeus University. The goal was also to analyze whether there was a gender difference in these health parameters associated with a difference in psychosocial work and home conditions between women and men. Method: Data were collected through a questionnaire were the responders answered questions about demand, control and social support which emanated from Karasek's demand control model. Their professional position was determined by their pay-and educational level in accordance with the theory of the social gradient of health. Stress was measured using "SCGP scale" and mental illness with the help of the ”General Health Qestionnarie.” Two regression analyses were conducted, the first to analyze the correlation between psychosocial factors and stress-related symptoms and the other to analyze the correlation between psychosocial factors and mental ilness. Results: High demand, low control, low social support and lower professional position had a strong relationship (p<0,000)  with both stress-related symptoms ( R = 0,49) and mental illness ( R = 0,56) even after controlling for confounders.The strongest own relationship (when the overlap effects between different variables was taken into account) were found between high demands and stress-related symptoms (standardized beta 0.35) and high demands and mental illness (standardized beta 0.38). Conclusion: Due to the cross-sectional nature of the study causal inferences cannot be made. However the results showed that high demand, low control and low social support together had a strong correlation with stress-related ill-health. Furthermore, the study showed no gender differences in the psychosocial factors which is a likely explanation for the fact that there was no difference between men and women in neither stress related symptoms or mental illness. This is an important and positive finding because of the fact that the result indicates that differences in health between men and women is reduced when they have equal opportunities in work and private life. / Mål: Målet med studien var att analysera psykosociala faktorer i arbets- och privatliv och dess samband med stressrelaterad ohälsa bland de anställda på en fakultet vid Linnéuniversitetet. Målet var även att analysera huruvida det fanns en könskillnad i dessa hälsoparametrar kopplad till en skillnad i psykosociala förutsättningar mellan kvinnor och män. Metod: Data samlades in via en enkätstudie där de anställda fick svara på frågor kring krav, kontroll och socialt stöd vilka utgick från Karasek´s krav kontroll modell. Individernas plats i yrkeshierarkin avgjordes av deras lön samt utbildningsnivå i enlighet med teorin kring hälsans sociala gradient. De frågor som berörde hemarbete utgick ifrån tidigare forskning på området. Stress mättes med hjälp av ”SCGP scale”, en skala som mäter olika stressrelaterade symtom och psykisk ohälsa mättes med hjälp av ”General Health Qestionnarie”. Två regressionsanalyser genomfördes, den första regressionen analyserade samband mellan psykosociala faktorer och stressrelaterade symtom och den andra regressionen analyserade samband mellan psykosociala faktorer och psykisk ohälsa. Resultat: Höga krav, låg kontroll, lågt socialt stöd samt lägre yrkesposition hade tillsammans ett starkt samband, (p <0,001) med både stressrelaterade symtom (R = 0,49) och psykisk ohälsa (R = 0,56), även efter kontroll för confounders. Det starkaste egna sambandet (när överlappningseffekter mellan olika variabler tagits hänsyn till) återfanns mellan höga krav och stressrelaterade symtom (standardiserad beta 0,35) respektive höga krav och psykisk ohälsa (standardiserad beta 0,38). Konklusion: Resultatet visade att höga krav, låg kontroll, lågt socialt stöd samt lägre plats i yrkeshierarkin tillsammans hade ett starkt samband med stressrelaterade symtom samt psykisk ohälsa. På grund av studiens tvärsnittsdesign kan dock inte orsak och verkan säkerställas. Vidare visade studien inga könsskillnader i ovannämnda psykosociala faktorer vilket är en trolig förklaring till att det inte heller fanns någon skillnad mellan kvinnor och män i stressrelaterade symtom samt psykisk ohälsa. Detta är ett viktigt och positivt fynd då resultatet indikerar på att skillnader i ohälsa mellan kvinnor och män går att utjämna genom att skapa lika förutsättningar i arbets- och privatliv.

This bachelor thesis is about the human identity in the postmodern society, and how it changes throughout the paradigm shift we’re going forward into. What kind of impact do the various blogs have on their public concerning the consumption of brands and fashion? And how come various big brands choose to do their product placement on specific blogs? In this thesis I will discuss and compare the changes from how we used to show our status in the society in the past and how we do it today with digital tools.  Why are people so urged to show others in the society who they are, and how come we do it by wearing specific clothes and brands that other tells us to wear in order to have a higher status? These phenomena’s reflects the way we build our identity today. The other aspect of the digitalization I’m discussing in this thesis is the importance of package-design in order to attract costumers to the physical store, and maintain the brand-loyalty during the transition for the stores.

Syftet med studien var att undersöka varför unga vuxna väljer att resa. Vidare ämnade studien att identifiera vilka faktorer som påverkar en ung vuxen vid val av resmål. Tidigare forskning visade att resor generellt kan användas som medel för att stärka och bekräfta en individs identitet samt sociala status. Studiens teoretiska utgångspunkter var Bauman och Mays teorier kring livsstil och konsumtion, Bourdieus begrepp distinktion, smak, socialt, kulturellt, ekonomiskt samt symboliskt kapital och Poons teorier kring nya turister. Studien består av åtta kvalitativa intervjuer med unga vuxna i åldrarna 18-25 år. Intervjuerna spelades in och materialet transkriberades. Transkriberingarna kodades med marginalmetoden och fyra teman identifierades. Dessa teman var: motivation, upplevelse, status samt identitet. De analyserades sedan med hjälp utav tidigare forskning samt de teoretiska utgångspunkterna. Resultatet visade att studiens unga vuxna använder resor för att stärka den egna identiteten. De använder även resor för att stärka socialt status. Detta är en omedveten faktor som gör att unga vuxna väljer att resa samt påverkar deras val av resmål. / The purpose of this study was to examine why young adults choose to travel. Furthermore, the study aimed to identify the factors that influence a young adult when selecting destinations. Previous research showed that travel in general can be used as a means to strengthen and confirm an individual's identity and social status. The theoretical starting points were Bauman and May’s theories on lifestyle and consumption, Bourdieu's concept of distinction, taste, social, cultural, economic and symbolic capital and Poon’s theories of new tourists. The study consists of eight interviews with young adults aged 18-25. The interviews were recorded and transcribed. The material was later encoded with the margin method and four themes were identified. These themes were: motivation, experience, status and identity. They were later analyzed with the help of previous research and the theoretical tools. The results showed that the study’s young adults use trips to strengthen their own identity. They also use trips to strengthen their social status. This is an unconscious factor which makes young adults decide to travel. It also influence their choice of destination.

The topic of this papework for master degree is „Teacher‘s social status in our society (In Kazlu Ruda municipality)“. The object of the research – problems of teachers‘ social status in province. The purpose of the research – to analyse social status and its changes (Kazlu Ruda municipality). Hypothesis of the research – since 1990 the teachers‘ status has lowered in province. It was caused by new social – economical conditions and the change of values in our sodiety, also by the teachers‘ behavior in these conditions. The goals: o to introduce the concept of social status and stratification. o to show the teachers‘ status during the process of changes in education system since Lithuania has become independent. o to introduce the teachers‘, who work in Kazlu Ruda municipality schools, attitude to their profession. o to discuss the attitude of different social groups in Kazlu Ruda municipality to teachers‘ prosession. We have been using two methods in the empirical part of of the research: a questionnaire and an interview. There hasn‘t been any probability in selecting the interviewees. We have questioned 117 teachers in Kazlu Ruda municipality (it makes 50%) and we have got all the questionnaires back. A number of different social groups took part in the quality interviewing: 4 doctors, 4 priests, 5 policemen, 8 businessmen, 7 municipality workes, 5 farmes, 8 unemployed, 5 homeless people. All these people were interviewed separately in their homes, offices or in the... [to full text]

Darbe atlikta vyresniųjų gimnazinių klasių mokinių socialinio statuso ir socialinio pedagogo pagalba, žemo socialinio statuso mokiniams analizė. Tyrimo objektas - vyresniųjų gimnazinių klasių mokinių socialinis statusas ir socialinio pedagogo pagalba, žemo socialinio statuso mokiniams.Tyrimo hipotezė - vyresnio mokyklinio amžiaus moksleiviai, veikiami grupės ir jos vidinių statusų bei jų dinamiškų veiksnių, patiria lyderystės ir atstūmimo situacijų, kurias padėti išspręsti gali socialinis pedagogas. Tyrimo tikslas - ištirti vyresniųjų gimnazinių klasių mokinių socialinio statuso svarbą ir socialinio pedagogo pagalbą žemo socialinio statuso mokiniams. Tyrimo uždaviniai: 1.Išanalizuoti mokslinę literatūrą apie grupės narių socialinį statusą, lyderio ir žemo socialinio statuso mokinių ypatumus, bei socialinio pedagogo pagalbą pastariesiems mokiniams; 2.Išsiaiškinti mokinių nuomonę, apie lyderius ir atstumtuosius, kokie aspektai įtakoja buvimą tokiuose vaidmenyse; 3. išsiaiškinti socialinių pedagogų nuomonę, apie lyderius ir atstumtuosius, kokie aspektai įtakoja buvimą tokiuose vaidmenyse; 4.Išsiaiškinti ar socialiniai pedagogai gali padėti žemo socialinio statuso mokiniams. Atviro ir uždaro tipo anketinės apklausos būdu buvo atliktas tyrimas, kurio tikslas - vyresniųjų gimnazinių klasių mokinių socialinio statuso svarba ir socialinio pedagogo pagalba žemo socialinio statuso mokiniams. Atlikta statistinė duomenų analizė exel ir SPSS programa, atliktas x2 testas, rasti SD... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The work carried out at senior class pupils‘ of social status and social educator help for low social status pupils‘ analysis. The object of research – the social status of senior class pupils and social educator help, for low social status pupils. Hypothesis - senior school pupils affected by group and its internal statuses and their dynamic factors, experience leadership and rejection situations that can help solve social educator .The aim - to investigate senior gymnasium grade students the importance of social status and social educator help for low social status pupils. Objectives of the study: 1.To analyze scientific literature of the social status of the members of the group, the leader and the low social status of the students 'characteristics, and social assistance to the latter ctors influence the presence of such a role; 2.To find out students' opinion about the leaders and outcasts, what factors influence the staying in such a role 3. Social educators' opinion about the leaders and outcasts, what factors influence the presence of such a role; 4.To find out does the social eductors can help for low social status pupils. The questionnaire survey by open and closed question was conducted research with the aim - the social status of senior class pupils and social educator help, for low social status pupils. The statistical analysis of the data using SPSS and Excel program conducted x2 test to find SD, percentages, averages. Qualitative research was conducted by... [to full text]

Historically, blacks have viewed their lower socioeconomic status, relative to whites, as a result of structural limitations of society. People, white and black, have accepted that blacks have had more difficulty in making economic advancement due to societal barriers such as discrimination. As structural barriers have come down and it has become easier for blacks to move into the economic mainstream, it may be that those blacks who are moving upward no longer see structural limitations as the reason for economic inequality.Recent research distinguishes between two types of explanations for the gap. Theindividual explanation asserts that blacks' lower socioeconomic status is due to a lack of will power or effort on the part of blacks. In contrast, the structural explanation states that institutional barriers such as discrimination are to blame for the black-white socioeconomic gap. This study laid a solid foundation for an analysis of explanations for the black-white socioeconomic gap. However, it failed to investigate the relative proportion of blacks who adopt these explanations.It is the purpose of this paper to determine whether the individual and structural explanations for economic inequality is the same for blacks and whites.The most recent data from the General Social Survey is used to investigate this possibility. The sample and sub-sample sizes are 1517 and 1024, respectfully. / Department of Sociology