Younger and older adults’ susceptibility to the continued influence of inferences in memory was examined using a paradigm implemented by Wilkes and Leatherbarrow. Research has shown that younger adults have difficulty forgetting inferences they make after reading a passage, even if the information that the inferences are based on is later shown to be untrue. The current study examined the effects of these inferences on memory in the lab and tested whether older adults, like younger adults, are influenced by the lingering effects of these false inferences. In addition, this study examined the nature of these inferences, by examining younger and older adults’ subjective experiences and confidence associated with factual recall and incorrect inference recall. Results showed that younger and older adults are equally susceptible to the continued influence of inferences. Both younger and older adults gave primarily remember judgments to factual questions but primarily believe judgments to inference questions. This is an important finding because it demonstrates that people may go against what they remember or know occurred because of a lingering belief that the information might still be true. Also, the finding that participants do actually give more believe responses to inference questions is important because it demonstrates that there is a third state of awareness that people will readily use when making inferences. Participants were also more confident when making remember and know judgments compared to believe judgments. This is an interesting finding because it supports the theory that both remember and know judgments can be associated with high confidence.

The research served a dual purpose: (i) to explore men’s subjective experiences of their violence toward their intimate partners and, (ii) to examine how men talk about their violence in an attempt to establish credibility in their accounts. The first emphasised the subjective and emotional bases of individual experience and the second contextualised these descriptions within a broader societal framework. Highlighting the shortcomings of a quantitative research paradigm, the research utilised a qualitative framework which privileged first-person descriptions as the primary sources of subjective meaning. Although oriented toward a phenomenological approach, the research drew upon elements of psychoanalysis and discursive psychology. Twelve men were recruited from three organisations in Johannesburg. Via in-depth semi-structured interviews, men’s most vivid incident(s) of violence were explored. Thematic analysis revealed two levels of meaning: men’s descriptions of their violence (narrative content) and, processes by which they talked about their violence (narrative form). On the subjective dimension, seemingly contradictory experiences of violence were evident, clustering around five central themes: (i) violence as ‘being out of control’, (ii) violence as ‘having control’ over another, (iii) the continuum of love and violence, (iv) violence versus emotionality and (v) the violent self as ‘not me’. In feminist-psychoanalytic terms, men’s emotional dependence on their partners was denied or repressed. Violence represented a negation or devaluation of the feminine where male vulnerability and powerlessness, once exposed, became intolerable to bear. The ability to integrate and tolerate contradictory aspects of self (i.e. ‘emotional’ and ‘rational’) was a decisive step towards healing and becoming the ‘changed man’. On the discursive level, through ‘talk’, men negotiated an identity of ‘changed man’ that provided distance from the ‘violent self’. Attention to the narrative as a persuasive tool revealed ways in which the men attempted to establish credibility in their accounts of violence – achieved by socially positioning themselves in relation to their violence, agreeing to talk and employing impression management ‘strategies’, such as dissociations, justifications and confessions. Reconciling the two levels of analyses, the tension between dominant gendered discourses on masculinity that men relied on (i.e. that which fosters masculine ‘toughness’, whilst diminishing ‘weakness’ or emotionality), and the psychological interior of their actual experiences was evident. A ‘multiplicity approach’ that accords significance to both societal constructions of gender and their impact on men’s behaviour, whilst giving expression to the psychological reality of men’s experiences could prove beneficial in fostering change.

Prekyba žmonėmis ir prostitucija yra sudėtingas socialinis reiškinys, turintis gilias sąsajas su visuomenės vertybėmis, individo atsparumu įvairiems negatyviems socialiniams reiškiniams. Šis reiškinys ne tik sąlygojmas tam tikrų socialinių veiksnių, bet ir pats sukuria socialines, ekonomines bei fizines problemas. Aukų privataus gyvenimo ir tapatybės apsauga yra svarbi ne tik fiziniam saugumui užtikrinti atsižvelgiant į prekiautojų keliamą pavojų, bet ir siekiant išsaugoti galimybę jiems socialiai reintegruotis. Šio darbo tikslas yra per subjektyvias merginų, moterų patirtis atskleisti prekybos moterimis ir prostitucijos aukų pagalbos proceso ypatumus. Siekiant atskleisti prekybos moterimis ir prostitucijos aukų pagalbos proceso ypatumus, taikyta naratyvo strategija. Ši strategija padeda atskleisti tai, ko neįmanoma atlikti kitokių strategijų pagalba – pažvelgti į socialinius įvykius ir procesus iš vidaus, apibūdinti dalyvių patirtį. Duomenys buvo renkami naudojant pusiau struktūruotą interviu, kai tyrimo dalyviams buvo pateikiamos atvirų esminių klausimų formuluotės, leidžiant savarankiškai atsakyti, nevaržant jų minties laisvės. Tyrime dalyvavo 5 nuo prekybos moterimis ir prostitucijos nukentėjusios merginos, moterys. Jų amžius nuo 18 metų iki 40 metų. Tyrimo rezultatai atskleidė pagalbos proceso ypatumus. Apgaulės ar prievartos būdu į prekybą moterimis ir prostituciją įtrauktos merginos, moterys atsiduria gyvenimo dugne. Teikiant pagalbą joms padeda įvairių sričių... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The human trafficking and prostitution is a complex of social phenomenon with deep connections to the public values of the individual resistance to various unfortunate social phenomenon. This phenomenon is not only based on certain social factors, but also creates a social, economic and physical problems. Victim of privacy and identity protection is not only important for physical security taking into account risks to traffickers, but also to preserve their ability to reintegrate socially. The main aim of this thesis is a subjective experience of the investigation of trafficking in women and prostitution in support of victims of the process characteristics. To reveal the trade in women and prostitution in the victims helping process it was applied to narrative strategy. This strategy helps to reveal what other strategies do not help - to look at the social events and processes from the inside, to describe the experience of participants. Data were collected by using semi-structured interviews, the study participants were given the wording of key questions open, allowing self to respond, without restricting their freedom of thought. The study included 5 of trafficking in women and girls victims of prostitution, women. Their age from 18 years to 40 years. The results revelead the features of the aid process. Fraud orviolence into prostitucion, trafficking in women and girls involved, the women find themselves living at the bottom. The aid will help them to different fields... [to full text]

People convicted of sexual offences are arguably one of the most marginalized criminal offender groups because both the general population and offender populations tend to have hardened views of these individuals (Spencer, 2009; Wilson & Prinzo, 2001). Circles of Support and Accountability Ottawa (CoSA-Ottawa) is an organization that helps people convicted of sexual offences reintegrate into society by challenging traditional forms of community reintegration. CoSA-Ottawa was founded on the principles of restorative justice, which are exemplified in their mottos “no more victims” and “no one is disposable.” The organization relies on the commitment and contribution of volunteers to assist with the reintegration process. While there have been various studies on CoSA from different perspectives (Duwe, 2012; Fox, 2014; Wilson, Picheca, and Prinzo, 2007; Wilson & Prinzo, 2001), there have been few studies directly focusing on CoSA-Ottawa volunteers through a critical lens. This study examines the subjective experiences of CoSA-Ottawa volunteers who work with people labeled as ‘sex offenders.’ The research was conducted using semi-structured interviews with six participants. Each interview transcript was transcribed and analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The master themes that developed through this study include: the humanization of the monstrous, the reintegration and re-socialization through a helping relationship, and overall impacts of these relationships on CoSA-Ottawa volunteers. Using a governmentality and power conceptual framework, this thesis demonstrates how the relationships between the core members and volunteers are transformative and act as an extension of the carceral system. Further, this thesis illustrates that the supportive function of these relationships is explicit, while their governing function is implicit.

An adolescent’s subjective experiences of mindfulness were explored in a single case study of a 17-year-old female. Data were created by means of “mindfulness sessions”, unstructured interviews, creative expression, journals and field notes. The data were analysed and interpreted using a combination of typological and interpretive analysis strategies. Findings are presented within a conceptual framework of mindfulness derived by the author from the literature review. The conceptual framework includes the following five “dimensions” of mindfulness: ‘present-centered attention and awareness’, ‘attitude and heart qualities’, ‘self-regulation’, ‘universalism of mindfulness’, and ‘mindlessness’. The adolescent’s subjective experiences of each dimension of mindfulness are presented in terms of the primary and secondary themes that emerged from the data. Emerging themes include being task-oriented, experiencing greater external than internal awareness, and enhanced sensory experiences, in terms of present-centered attention and awareness in mindfulness. In terms of the ‘attitude and heart qualities’ dimension of mindfulness, the participant experienced the themes of perfectionism and “letting go”, and an increased intention to practice mindfulness. The study found that the participant experienced self-regulation of attention in mindfulness as interest-driven, needing silence, requiring effort, and improved with awareness. The participant experienced a greater awareness of mindlessness, as well as the themes of mindfulness being applicable to everyday life, and an initial conflict as to the place of mindfulness in the contexts of science and religion. Overall findings suggest firstly that the participant subjectively experienced mindfulness as being predominantly task-oriented. Secondly, it appears that the participant experienced personal growth and development in terms of her understanding and practice of mindfulness. These findings could make a potential contribution towards qualitative research on mindfulness, and research on how mindfulness could possibly apply to an adolescent. Studies have shown mindfulness to be a potentially promising intervention and quality to be cultivated in the development of well-being. This study is thus significant in the context of positive psychology and a move towards more holistic health and well-being. Copyright / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Magister Artium (Psychology) - MA(Psych) / for women to study at institutions of higher learning have increased, when compared to past generations. Despite this, student mothers, specifically, are confronted with the extra burden of parenting, together with their academic work. Using an exploratory approach, within a qualitative research design, this study aimed to explore perceptions and experiences of student mothers enrolled at the University of the Western Cape. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants, who had at least one child and were registered for a full-time undergraduate degree at the institution. Four semi-structured focus groups were held, with five to seven participants each, entailing a total of 25 female students. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, and Bronfenbrenner’s Process-Person-Context-Time model was adopted, which allowed for a nuanced understanding of the student mother within various contexts. The study received ethics approval, adhered to good ethical principles and was conducted with permission from the university’s registrar. Key themes related to the challenges experienced by student mothers were identified, including financial difficulties, and the stress of balancing their dual responsibilities of student and mother. Proximity to their children complicated their attempt to fulfil dual roles. Geographical distance from the child(ren) facilitated their performance as a student, but often at the expense of their role as mother, resulting in guilt. Close proximity to the child facilitated a closer bond with the child(ren), which impeded their academic performance. Familial support was noted as an important facilitator of performance. Family members often assisted with caregiving of the child, allowing the student mother to engage in her role as student. Some student mothers perceived a lack of support from the university, whilst others argued that it is their own responsibility to manage their commitments to study. Despite these difficulties, many student mothers found that motherhood was a motivation for them to study to secure a future for themselves and their child(ren).

Background: The recent uprisings in Syria have displaced many individuals within and outside the country. Despite the large number of people affected by the war, little research captures their experiences. The literature in this area is predominantly of a statistical nature. This is problematic in the field of Counselling Psychology, which moves away from diagnosis to focus on individual experiences. Aim: The aim of this study is to understand the subjective experiences of Syrian refugees in the UK, particularly the strategies that have aided them in coping with these experiences. Research has indicated therapeutic benefits for the communication of coping strategies. Methodology: The research utilised a qualitative methodology, adapting principles of Narrative Inquiry. A total of three males participated in the research. Each participant was asked one opening question prior to beginning his story. Prompting questions were developed according to the content of each narrative. Each interview was transcribed and analysed in Arabic, which was the language spoken in the interviews. An inductive thematic analysis was utilised to analyse each transcript independently. Analysis: Each participant's story was presented separately, as the themes from each narrative differed from the rest. Essam's narrative was identified as consisting of five principal themes; 'Situation in Syria', 'Searching for a Better Place to Settle', 'Journey from Jordan to the United Kingdom', 'Support and Coping Strategies' and 'Feelings'. Mustafa's transcript was analysed as containing four principal themes; 'Experiences of the War While in Syria', 'Support and Coping Strategies', 'Impact of the War on Health' and 'Coming to the United Kingdom'. Talal's interview was analysed as covering six principal themes; 'Political Opinion', 'Experience of Being in the Army', 'Working to Help and Guide Others', 'Escaping from Syria', 'Life in the United Kingdom' and 'Support and Coping Strategies'. Conclusion: This research generates further understanding of the subjective experiences of Syrian refugees residing in the United Kingdom, which can inform future psychological interventions with this population. The participants' descriptions of various coping strategies that helped them with their experiences may help guide practitioners to understand potential barriers to treatment. Furthermore, cultural differences were identified which could also aid in understanding why Syrians may not attempt to access psychological support. Recommendations are suggested for working psychologically with Syrian refugees, alongside acknowledging limitations of the research and suggestions for further investigation and practice.

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No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Dissertação_TamaraMenezes_UFAM_Versao-FINAL.pdf: 1159836 bytes, checksum: 81ad0a55c2235a350000aff173742842 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-05-29 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The care work involves different dimensions and runs through institutions and their processes of institutionalization. The Psychodynamics of Work - PDT deals with the subjective dimension of work. The work of the social caregiver has implications of social relations of class, race, ethnicity, age, gender. Subjectivity is socially instituted and refers to what is unique, personal and legitimate of each subject. Work has a function in the constitution of the worker as subject, being central in human life and producer of identity in the world. The present study proposed the study of subjective experiences in the work of social caregivers of a host institution who assist children and youngers in situations of social vulnerability in the city of Manaus-AM, in order to promote health of these workers (central objective). It is an action-research of a qualitative nature. The method used was the Work Clinic, proposed by Christophe Dejours, a context in which the speech space and discourses constructed in the collective are privileged. Starting from the categories of analysis proposed by the PDT, with the analysis of work organization, identifying individual and collective strategies of defense and coping, prescribed work and actual work, subjective experiences of pleasure and suffering at work, seeking later to understand the established socio-professional relations and their implications in the construction of this work collective's identity. Regarding the results, the speech of the caregivers brings the precarious conditions of work as aggravating factors of the suffering in the work, signaled by the lack of autonomy in its activities. The research allowed the collective of social caregivers to reflect on the organization of work, through the discourse constructed collectively in the context of the work clinic. In the action of the work of the social caregiver, there is the engagement of subjectivity in its totality. In this sense, it is possible to say that the work of the social caregiver consists in a protection of the subjectivity with respect to the world, since the constitution of its identity is related to its know-how. Defense strategies are observed in the individual and collective dimensions, with negation, rationalization and the ideology of the production of ill-treatment. The coping strategies are flagged in the collective, with the use of practical intelligence and cooperation. The sense of caring work is anchored in subjective experiences, and is shaped by the recognition, signaled as the main source of pleasure in caring work. The study points to the importance of deepening the theoretical-methodological issues of the PDT and contributes to the expansion of this research approach in psychology. This research contributed to the widening of the gaze to the possibilities of delineating a path in the (re)signification of the sense(s) of care work, promoting a qualified listening space and assisting the caregivers in the subjective mobilization in the face of situations that aggravate the suffering at work. / O trabalho de cuidar envolve diferentes dimensões e perpassa por instituições e seus processos de institucionalização. A Psicodinâmica do Trabalho – PDT trata da dimensão subjetiva do trabalhar. O trabalho do/a cuidador/a social possui implicações de relações sociais de classe, raça, etnia, idade, gênero. A subjetividade é instituída socialmente e refere-se ao que é único, pessoal e legítimo de cada sujeito. O trabalho possui uma função na constituição do trabalhador enquanto sujeito, sendo central na vida humana e produtor de identidade no mundo. A presente pesquisa propôs o estudo das vivências subjetivas no trabalho de cuidadores sociais de uma instituição de acolhimento que atende crianças em situação de vulnerabilidade social na cidade de Manaus-AM, com vistas à promoção de saúde destes trabalhadores (objetivo geral). Trata-se de uma pesquisa-ação, de natureza qualitativa. O método utilizado foi a Clínica do Trabalho, proposta por Christophe Dejours, contexto no qual se privilegia o espaço da fala e os discursos construídos no coletivo. Partiu-se inicialmente das categorias de análise propostas pela PDT, com a análise da organização do trabalho, identificando as estratégias individuais e coletivas de defesa e de enfrentamento, o trabalho prescrito e o trabalho real, as vivências subjetivas de prazer e sofrimento no trabalho, buscando posteriormente compreender as relações socioprofissionais estabelecidas e suas implicações na construção de identidade deste coletivo de trabalho. Relativo aos resultados, a fala dos cuidadores traz as condições precárias de trabalho como agravantes do sofrimento no trabalho, sinalizadas pela falta de autonomia em suas atividades. A pesquisa permitiu que o coletivo de cuidadores sociais refletisse sobre a organização do trabalho, através do discurso construído coletivamente no contexto da clínica do trabalho. Na ação do trabalhar do cuidador social, há o engajamento da subjetividade em sua totalidade. Nesse sentido, é possível dizer que o trabalho do cuidador social consiste em uma proteção da subjetividade com relação ao mundo, haja vista a constituição de sua identidade estar relacionada ao seu saber-fazer. As estratégias de defesa são observadas nas dimensões individual e coletiva, com a negação, a racionalização e a ideologia de produção de maus-tratos. As estratégias de enfrentamento são sinalizadas no coletivo, com o uso da inteligência prática e da cooperação. O sentido do trabalho de cuidar está ancorado nas vivências subjetivas, e se configura por meio do reconhecimento, sinalizado como principal fonte de prazer no trabalho de cuidar. O estudo aponta para a importância no aprofundamento das questões teórico-metodológicas da PDT e contribui para a expansão desta abordagem de pesquisa em psicologia. Essa pesquisa contribuiu na ampliação do olhar para as possibilidades de delinear um caminho na (re)significação do(s) sentido(s) do trabalho de cuidar, promovendo um espaço de escuta qualificada e auxiliando os cuidadores na mobilização subjetiva frente às situações que agravam o sofrimento no trabalho.

This thesis explores how the body and femininity are constructed by starting from the subjective experiences of 12 young women labelled with an intellectual impairment. The methodological approach is inspired by so-called participatory research. The study combines the concepts of (dis)ability and gender from a sociological perspective. It shows how the young women negotiate norms regarding the body and femininity to pursue the coveted body and femininity ideals, but also to do the opposite: resist these ideals. The thesis is based on the following four articles: Theorizing the Body: Conceptions of Disability, Gender and Normality addresses different perspectives on the body in relation to conceptions of disability, gender and normality. The article highlights the importance of integrating disability and gender when exploring an understanding of conceptions and constructions of the body. Negotiating Normality: The Complexity of Showing (off) Bodies identifies four different strategies the young women use to make themselves visible as fashionable young women of today, e.g. as non-disabled. It shows that these strategies comply with conceptions of fashion, and that they are at the same time expressions of different marks of resistance.                                                                            Risky Transitions in an Ableist Environment: The Experience of Frequent Critical Looks presents an exemplification of social construction of the body by focusing on critical looks. The concept of critical looks is analysed from an intersectional perspective, specifically in relation to how (dis)ability, gender and, to some extent, age interact. It shows how the body is made visible by being stared at, both to oneself and to others depending on place and interactions. Reflections on Collaborative Research: to What Extent, and on Whose Terms? discusses the possible methodological and ethical dilemmas found in different research phases, and in relation to the participants, in collaborative research within disability research. It shows that collaborative research can benefit from being problematized and discussed further regarding the categorization of disability as well as participation.

The profession of psychology in South Africa has not always been regulated by a statutory body such as the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). Currently, the profession of psychology is regulated by the HPCSA and psychologists and the HPCSA find themselves in a lawful and interminable relationship. The HPCSA’s motto is to protect the public and to guide the profession, but it was questioned whether psychologists actually experience guidance from the HPCSA. In response to this problem, this study aimed to explore the subjective experiences of a group of South African psychologists regarding the HPCSA as well as the ethical code which serves as a guideline for the conduct of psychologists. This study made use of a sequential mixed method design, which comprised of a qualitative phase followed by a quantitative phase. All participants in this study were qualified psychologists. Seven participants took part in the qualitative phase and 74 participants took part in the quantitative phase. The data from the qualitative phase was grouped into broad categories and served as the basis for compiling a questionnaire for the quantitative phase. After collecting the completed questionnaires, the data was read into SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences), which was used for the statistical analysis of the data. The data was analysed by means of frequency distributions and mean scores. During the analysis of the data, six themes where identified: five regarding the HPCSA as the regulator of psychology and one regarding the ethical code that guides the conduct of psychologists. The themes include “guidance and mentorship”, “the HPCSA as a watchdog”, “the HPCSA’s motive”, “reverence that psychologists have for the HPCSA”, “the competence of the HPCSA” and “psychologists’ view on the ethical code”. The results indicated that an ambiguous relationship exists between this group of psychologists and the HPCSA, as these two entities seem to function separately. Generally, psychologists who took part in this research have a negative view towards the HPCSA, although they realise the necessity for the HPCSA as a regulating body for psychology. The recognition of this need is a platform for a workable relationship between psychologists and the HPCSA. The participants provided less detail and responded more neutral regarding their views on the ethical code, and it is concerning that quite a number of psychologists indicated that they did not know the code. This study concludes with recommendations for the HPCSA to be more approachable and to provide psychologists with more support. / Thesis (M.A. (Research Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.