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This study explored the role that maternal similarity or dissimilarity of last name plays in the formation of impressions of children. Borrowing methods from social cognition research, photographical and textual vignettes describing a hypothetical child were used to investigate the effects of maternal last name, socioeconomic status, living arrangement, marital status of the parents, and the child's sex on parents' attitudes toward children. Attitudes were measured using the recently developed Child Attribution Scale (CAS) and the Social Interaction Scale for Children (SIS-C). Results yielded a main effect of the child's sex and conditional effects of socioeconomic status on the perceived attractiveness of the child. Attributions toward the child were influenced largely by attractiveness, but also by an interaction between maternal last name and marital status. Similarly, the attractiveness of the child also impacted social interaction score however, parents' willingness to allow social interaction with the child was also influenced by an interaction between maternal last name, marital status, and living arrangement. Findings suggest that maternal last name plays an important, yet complex role in the formation of impressions of children with differing attributional processes toward children based upon similarity or dissimilarity of last name. Specifically, results suggest that having a maternally similar or dissimilar last name activates either positive or negative assumptions, often based on stereotypes and/or prejudice. These assumptions are further dependent upon other variables such as marital status and living arrangement and, in turn, they influence subsequent impressions and evaluations children.

This study looked at the effects of stereotypes in the media on memory for ambiguous events. The latter were stimuli created to portray individuals of two different racial groups (white and black) in situations that did not necessarily negatively implicate these actors. Two hundred and thirty six participants took part and viewed these events as well as six media clips. Three groups of media clips were shown: clips with black actors, white actors, and both races. A subset of participants, the explicit condition, were asked to rate the media clips for stereotypes, whereas another group, the implicit condition, were instructed that these clips were distractions. The participants' main goal was to remember the ambiguous events they saw and distinguish them from a new set of altered - more negative - events from the old items seen at encoding. A main effect of ambiguous events ethnicity was found, which could be interpreted as part icipants having more difficulty remembering black actors. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Thesis(M.A.)--Auburn University, 2007. / Abstract. Includes bibliographic references.

Thesis (M.A.)--The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2008. / Directed by Rebecca Adams; submitted to Dept. of Sociology. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Aug. 14, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. 137-143).

Stereotype threat is a psychosocial dilemma experienced by members of a negatively stereotyped group in situations where they fear they may confirm the stereotype. This study examined the phenomenon in India, thereby extending previous research to another culture. In addition, with participation by students preparing to be professionals, the results are applicable to organizational settings. Ninety graduate students from a professional training institute viewed common Indian advertisements under three conditions: gender stereotypic (women depicted as homemakers), counter stereotypic (women represented as professionally employed individuals) and neutral (no reference to any gender identity). It was hypothesized that females in the stereotypic condition would be susceptible to stereotype threat effect and thus opt for problem solver over leadership role on a subsequent task, while females in the counter stereotypic condition were expected to choose leadership roles. ANOVA was employed to test for differences across the three conditions. The study also hypothesized mediation of the stereotype threat performance deficits by self-efficacy, evaluation apprehension, anxiety, role conflict, stereotype activation, father's and mother's education levels. Hierarchical multiple regression procedures as recommended by Baron and Kenny (1986) were conducted for mediational analysis. Data analysis provided partial support for the two hypotheses. In support of the stereotype threat theory, condition emerged as a significant variable influencing selection of role choice. In line with previous research, no evidence for mediation by any of the variables studied as potential mediators was found. However role conflict and evaluation apprehension may have functioned as suppressor variables that enhanced the variance in the condition-role choice relationship. The results of the study and their implications, in context of the Indian scenario, are discussed. Certain limitations are identified and suggestions made for future research.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1985 K63 / Master of Science

This study aimed to contest political and cultural stereotypes depicted through the verbal and audio-visual languages used to represent the Rwandan genocide in the films, A Good Man In Hell(2002), Hotel Rwanda(2004), Sometimes In April(2005) and Keepers of Memory(2004). A Good Man in Hell criticised the racism that influenced the international community not to help Rwandans stop the genocide. In Hotel Rwanda, mostly the Tutsis died during the genocide of 1994. Sometimes in April revealed that the Hutu middle class engineered the genocide. Keepers of Memory depicted the gendered nature of the language of genocide and showed that women were silenced at various levels. The films partially succeeded in depicting the Rwandan genocide because the films did not sufficiently foreground the socio-economic factors that created the conditions for genocide to happen. The study suggested that future research on film representations could compare and contrast cases of genocide in Africa. / English Studies / Thesis ( MA (African Languages))

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study focuses on discourses in the talk of female facilitators of a wilderness programme. The specific interest is whether and how beliefs and assumptions regarding gender permeate their conceptions of wilderness. This study explored how gender may influence the ways in which wilderness excursions are implemented, and sought to identify discourses that may reinforce male stereotyping of the realm of wilderness. It also aimed at assessing if and how wilderness experiences challenge or perpetuate gender stereotypes. The research design comprised an ethnographic approach and took the form of a case study. The particular group - or case - being studied was the female wilderness facilitators at Usiko, a non-governmental organisation in the Western Cape that offers programmes for youth-at-risk. Wilderness excursions form a crucial component of these programmes, which draw on the natural environment as a means of promoting healing and personal growth. The epistemological base on which the study rests is social constructionist feminism. There was thus a specific focus on the ways in which participants used language to construct meaning in relation to their lives. Data was gathered through six individual interviews and a focus group discussion. It was then analysed and interpreted using a discourse analytic approach. Findings indicated that participants have ambivalent views on gender and gender roles, and associate it with both disadvantages and benefits. This ambivalence was reflected in the ways in which participants both resisted – and seemed to perpetuate a discourse of male privilege. Beliefs and assumptions about gender were furthermore reflected in the implementation and facilitation of wilderness camps, and in the ways in which women conceptualise wilderness. One the one hand, wilderness was constructed as a place where pressure to conform to gender roles is significantly less than in an everyday urban environment. This view of wilderness opens up opportunities for utilising wilderness as a place where gender stereotyping might be challenged. However, a second view of wilderness constructed it as a masculine domain. This view was influenced by the assumption that masculine characteristics, such as autonomy, leadership, risk-taking and physical strength, are needed to participate in outdoor-based activities. In this view, wilderness becomes a place where gender stereotypes are perpetuated. This also reflected in the ways in which separate camps for adolescent boys and girls are structured. This view of wilderness, as well as the accompanying practices on wilderness camps which reinforce this view, could close down possibilities for utilising wilderness experiences as a means of challenging gender stereotyping. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie is gerig op diskoerse in die taalgebruik van vroulike fasiliteerders van „n wildernis program. Daar word spesifiek gekyk na of - en hoe oortuigings en aannames betreffende geslag, opvattings oor wildernis deurdring. Hierdie studie het die maniere waarop geslag die uitvoer van wildernis uitstappies mag beïnvloed ondersoek, en het beoog om diskoerse wat die stereotipering van wildernis as ‟n manlike gebied versterk, te identifiseer. Dit het ook beoog om vas te stel of – en hoe wildernis ervaringe geslagstereotipes uitdaag of voortsit. Die navorsingsontwerp behels „n etnografiese benadering en maak gebruik van ‟n gevallestudie. Die spesifieke geval wat bestudeer is, is die vroulike wildernis fasiliteerders by Usiko, ‟n organisasie in die Wes-Kaap wat programme vir hoe-risiko jeugdiges bied. Wildernis uitstappies vorm ‟n kritieke deel van hierdie programme wat gebruik maak van die natuurlike omgewing as ‟n manier om genesing en persoonlike ontwikkeling aan te moedig. Die epistemologiese basis van hierdie studie behels ‟n feministiese, diskoers analitiese benadering. Daar was dus ‟n spesifieke fokus op die maniere waarop deelnemers taal gebruik het om betekenis in verband met hul lewenservaringe te konstrueer. Data is ingesamel deur ses individuele onderhoude en „n fokus groep bespreking. Daarna is dit analiseer en interpreteer deur middel van diskoers analise. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat deelnemers ambivalente oortuigings betreffende geslag en geslagsrolle koester. Dit bevat vir hulle beide voordele en nadele. Hierdie ambivalensie kon opgetel word in die maniere waarop deelnemers ‟n diskoers van manlike voorreg beide ondersteun en uitgedaag het. Oortuiginge en aannames betreffende geslag is ook weerspiëel in die ontwerp en fasilitering van wildernis kampe, en in die maniere waarop die vroue wildernis konseptualiseer. Aan die een kant is wildernis gekonstrueer as ‟n plek waar daar aansienlik minder druk is om in te val by geslagsrolle, as wat daar in ‟n alledaagse, stedelike omgewing is. Hierdie indruk van wildernis skep die geleentheid om die wildernis te benut as ‟n plek waar geslagstereotipering uitgedaag kan word. ‟n Tweede opvatting van wildernis konstrueer dit egter as „n manlike gebied. Hierdie opvatting word beïnvloed deur die aanname dat tipies manlike eienskappe, soos die van onafhanklikheid, leierskap, risiko-onderneming en fisiese krag, benodig word om deel te neem aan buitelug aktiwiteite. Met hierdie opvatting word die wildernis ‟n plek waar geslagstereotipes versterk word. Hierdie opvatting word verder weerspieël in die maniere waarin aparte kampe vir meisies en seuns ontwerp is. Hierdie idee van wildernis, sowel as die bykomende gebruike wat dit versterk, beperk die moontlikhede wat die wildernis kan bied om geslagstereotipes uit te daag.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: While every Botswana national can claim to be a citizen legally within the framework of the modern nation-state, some (minority groups in the main) are perceived by others (among the majority Tswana groups especially), as less authentic nationals or citizens. There is a hierarchy of citizenship fostered by political, economic, social and cultural inequalities, such that it makes some individuals and groups much more able to claim and articulate their rights than others. Ethnic identities seem stronger than ‘national identities’ as they work at the very macro level and on an immediate and daily basis. Thus the multicultural and linguistic diversity of Taung compels us to view every group as heterogeneously unique and important in its own ways, since students become marginalised as a result of individual circumstances, by being members of historically oppressed social groups. The main aim of this study was to explore visual art as a learning platform to negotiate social and cultural meanings and inform understandings of self. A qualitative approach towards the study was considered the most suitable way for conducting the research. An interpretive analysis was used to gain insight into how students made sense of their experiences and the significance of art as a platform to negotiate stigmas and stereotypes in class and school. Using the case study drawn from Taung Junior Secondary School comprising of twelve students from different ethnic groups, two major themes of difference and discrimination were identified. The sub-theme discussed under difference includes sub themes race, ethnicity and nationality, and language; while stereotyping and stigma, feelings of discomfort and feeling outcast, and Othering and marginalisation were discussed under the theme discrimination. My study revealed that art can be an especially effective catalyst for developing a critical awareness of issues of race, immigration, difference, and privilege. Art practices can become a platform for the negotiation and construction of meaning and lobby for removing the historic inequalities and injustices created by a stratified society. For this reason, it is important to understand culture and cultural diversity because culture provides beliefs, values, and the patterns that give meaning and structure to life. It enables individuals within the multiple social groups of which they are a part to function effectively in their social and cultural environments, which are constantly changing. Groups try to maintain social hierarchies and individuals maintain their position within such hierarchies by excluding others, to deny difference and try and enforce homogeneity and reproduce current social relations. As such if forces such as, differences in race, culture, gender, language, and religion are well understood, the students will engage in the process of identifying ways to manage them to shape their own educational practices. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Terwyl elke Botswana burger wetlik aanspraak kan maak op burgerskap binne die raamwerk van die moderne volkstaat, word sommige (hoofsaaklik minderheidsgroepe) deur ander (veral Tswana groepe) as minder egte burgers beskou. Daar bestaan ‘n hierargie van burgerskap wat deur politieke, ekonomiese, sosiale en kulturele ongelykhede bevorder word; tot die mate dat sommige individue en groepe meer geredelik hulle regte kan verwoord as ander. Etniese identiteite blyk sterker te wees as ‘nasionale identiteite’ omdat dat dit op makrovlak funksioneer sowel as op ‘n onmiddellike en daaglikse basis. Gevolglik dring die multikulturele en linguistiese diversiteit van Taung ons om elke groep as heterogeen uniek en belangrik op sy eie manier te beskou, aangesien studente gemarginaliseerd raak weens individuele omstandighede, deurdat hulle lede van geskiedkundigonderdrukte sosiale groepe is. Die hoofdoel van hierdie studie was om ondersoek in te stel na die visuele kunste as ‘n leerplatform om oor sosiale en kulturele betekenisse te onderhandel en selfbeskouings toe te lig. Daar is besluit dat ‘n kwalitatiewe benadering tot die studie die mees geskikte manier is om die navorsing uit te voer. ‘n Verklarende analise is gevolg om insig te verkry ten opsigte van hoe studente sin maak uit hulle ervarings en die betekenisvolheid van kuns as ‘n platform om oor stigmas en stereotipes in die klas en skool te onderhandel. Deur van Taung Junior Sekondêre Skool, met twaalf studente van verskillende etniese groepe, as gevallestudie gebruik te maak, is twee hooftemas, nl verskil en diskriminasie, geidentifiseer. Die subtemas wat onder verskil bespreek word, sluit ras, etnisiteit en burgerskap en taal in; terwyl stereotipering en stigma, gevoelens van ongemak en verwerping en ‘Othering’ en marginalisering onder die tema diskriminasie bespreek word. My studie het getoon dat kuns ‘n besonder effektiewe katalisator is vir die ontwikkeling van ‘n kritiese bewustheid ten opsigte van kwessies soos ras, immigrasie, verskil en voorreg. Kunspraktyke kan ‘n platform word vir die onderhandeling en konstruksie van betekenis en selfs druk uitoefen ten opsigte van die opheffing van historiese ongelykhede en ongeregtighede wat deur ‘n gestratifiseerde samelewing geskep is. Dit is vir hierdie rede belangrik om kultuur en kulturele diversiteit te verstaan omdat kultuur die oortuigings, waardes en die patrone voorsien wat betekenis en struktuur aan die lewe gee. Dit gee vir individue binne die verskeie sosiale groepe waarvan hulle deel vorm, die vermoë om effektief in hul sosiale en kulturele omgewings, wat deurlopend verander, te funksioneer. Groepe poog om sosiale hierargië te handhaaf en individue handhaaf op hulle beurt hul posisie binne hierdie hierargië deur ander uit te sluit, verskille te ontken en homogeniteit af te dwing en huidige sosiale verhoudings te herproduseer. Indien daar ‘n goeie begrip is van magte, soos verskille in ras, kultuur, geslag, taal en godsdiens, sal studente betrokke raak by die proses om maniere te identifiseer om dit te bestuur en sodoende hule eie opvoedkundige praktyke te vorm.