The subject of forgiveness has been heavily explored during the past few decades; however, limited research has been conducted on the phenomenology of emotional forgiveness, the internal process of replacing negative feelings with positive feelings. This study explored the emotional forgiveness experiences of 7 adult men who were previous victims of abuse by their parents. Using Moustakas's phenomenological research approach, the participants were interviewed about their experiences of emotional forgiving their abusive parents. The recall, empathize, altruism, commitment, and holding on, REACH forgiveness model and family systems theory were the conceptual frameworks to explore the central research question, which addressed the meaning of emotional forgiveness in adult males. The interview data were coded and grouped into themes of shared meaning. The results revealed 8 distinct themes: coping, evolution of emotions, substance abuse, cognitive distortions, making meaning of the abuse, forgiving because Christ first forgave me, and God's grace. Further, the lived experiences revealed that emotional forgiveness was largely dependent on the adult male's acceptance of their difficulty to emotionally forgive and seeking God's grace to help them emotionally forgive their abusive parent. Results of this study have the potential to benefit adult males who struggle to emotionally forgive their abusive parent by providing insights into the emotional forgiveness experience. Furthermore, the results from this study can be shared with the professional community to help them understand the phenomenon of adult males who have survived an abusive parent.

Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

This essay is about the worldview of Swedish people, who experienced healing. I presumed that concepts, which underpin healing phenomena and thereby express the healer’s worldview, could differ from many people’s concepts and worldviews. The question was, if people with a different worldview attended a healing session and experienced positive results for their health, would that give them reasons to reconsider their worldview? Four people were chosen for this research, who had experienced healing and were willing to talk about it. Based on a participating observation, I describe a personal and their healing session, to create an understanding of their experience. Moreover, the healing method Laying on of Hands, which is used during these sessions is described. With the following in-depth interviews, I documented the worldview history of the interviewees, with focus on religious aspects, and compared it with their worldviews after they were convinced, that healing was working for them. In the analysis, coping theory was applied, to describe processes around the healing, which possibly contributed to the change in the patient’s worldview. The results showed a connection between the patient’s goal to regain health and the acceptance of new concepts in their worldview.

This article explores some of the social processes and functions within a community of learners who had to adjust to changing social and academic contexts. The group included 13 learners from Botswana, five of whom were males and eight of whom were females, with an age range of between 25 and 45 years. The learners were primarily Tswana-speaking, with the exception of one who spoke Afrikaans. The learners were registered for an informal one-year counselling certificate course at the North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus. The Botswana learners had no prior contact with mainly white, Afrikaans-speaking communities, such as those found in Potchefstroom. As a result, they had to make various adjustments on personal, academic and social levels. An inductive qualitative approach was followed, using the Mmogo™-method as a case study, to gain insight into the experiences of a group of learners. The Mmogo™-method facilitated the use of culturally appropriate items and the learners were able to use cultural symbols to reflect on their experiences. The learners were asked to make visual presentations of their experiences throughout the time spent in their new contexts. Thereafter focus group discussions were conducted, where the visual presentations were discussed. The central themes were derived from the focus group data and the analysis of the visual presentations. The findings indicate that the process of creating new social meanings occurred through various phases. The initial phases were marked by uncertainty and misconceptions. The early interactions among the community of learners led them to realise that they generally shared the same goals, and also had other things in common, such as political and religious beliefs. The development of a collective consciousness was characterised by the emergence of smaller groups within the large community. As time went by, the collective consciousness in the community deepened and the smaller groups became more diffused. This contributed to open sharing of information and knowledge creation; and it facilitated the attainment of goals. The findings also indicate that there were a number of processes involved in the construction of meanings that contributed to the negotiation of meaning, and an exchange of ideas and information within the community of learners. The communication patterns within the community of learners were found to be open, honest and inclusive. This contributed to the free flow of information and facilitated minimisation of misconceptions. In addition, these patterns facilitated decision-making and encouraged feelings of belonging within the community. Natural leadership emerged and the responsibilities associated with it were discharged in specific and African-conscious ways. The learners also used context-specific analogies to illustrate relational support within their community. For example, they compared relational support to oxen pulling a plough and to a traditional three-legged pot to express the extent to which they mutually depended on each other's talents and resources. The findings also point to certain underlying assumptions that contributed to the development of relational support. In this community, a collective consciousness and sense of trust emerged as the learners worked together towards their goals. The values of sharing and working together are also the defining features of the African worldview. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

The ability to map nearshore habitat (i.e. submerged aquatic vegetation) is an integral component of marine conservation. The main goal of this thesis was to examine the ability of high resolution, multispectral satellite imagery and a single-beam acoustic ground discrimination system to map the location of marine habitats in Bag Harbour, found in the Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area Reserve. To meet this goal, two objectives were addressed: (1) Using the QTC View V sing-beam acoustic ground discrimination system, identify which frequency (50 kHz or 200 kHz) is best suited for mapping marine habitat; (2) evaluate the ability to map nearshore marine habitat using WorldView-2 high resolution, multispectral satellite imagery and compare the results of marine habitat maps derived from the acoustic and satellite datasets. Ground-truth data for both acoustic and satellite data were collected via towed underwater video camera on June 3rd and 4th, 2012. Acoustic data (50 and 200 kHz) were collected on June 23rd and 24th, 2012, respectively. The results of this study are organized into two papers. The first paper focuses on objective 1 where the QTC View V single-beam acoustic ground discrimination system was used to map nearshore habitat at a site within the Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area using two survey frequencies – 50 kHz and 200 kHz. The results show that the 200 kHz data outperformed the 50 kHz data set in both thematic and spatial accuracy. The 200 kHz dataset was able to identify two species of submerged aquatic vegetation, eelgrass (Zostera marina) and a red algae (Chondrocanthus exasperatus) while the 50 kHz dataset was only able to detect the distribution of eelgrass. The best overall accuracy achieved with the 200 kHz dataset was 86% for a habitat map with three classes (dense eelgrass, dense red algae and unvegetated substrate) compared to the 50 kHz habitat classification with two classes (dense eelgrass and unvegetated substrate) that had an overall accuracy of 70%. Neither dataset was capable if discerning the distribution of green algae (Ulva spp.) or brown algae (Fucus spp.), also present at the site. The second paper examines the benthic habitat maps created using WorldView-2 satellite imagery and the QTC View V single-beam acoustic ground discrimination system (AGDS) at 200 kHz (objective 2). Optical and acoustic remote sensing technologies both present unique capabilities of mapping nearshore habitat. Acoustic systems are able to map habitat in subtidal regions outside of the range of optical sensors while optical sensors such as WorldView-2 provide higher spatial and spectral resolution. The results of this study found that the WorldView-2 achieved the highest overall accuracy (75%) for mapping shallow (<3 m) benthic classes (green algae, brown algae, eelgrass and unvegetated substrate). The 200 kHz data were found to perform best in deeper (>3 m) regions and were able to detect the distribution of eelgrass, red algae and unvegetated substrate. A final habitat map was produced composed of these outputs to create a final, comprehensive habitat map of Bag Harbour. These results highlight the benefits and limitations of each remote sensing technology from a conservation management perspective. The main benefits of the WorldView-2 imagery stem from the high resolution (2 x 2 m) pixel resolution, with a single image covering many kilometers of coastline, and ability to discern habitats in the intertidal region that were undetectable by AGDS. However, the main limitation of this technology is the ability to acquire imagery under ideal conditions (low tide and calm seas). In contrast, the QTC View V system requires more hours spent collecting acoustic data in the field, is limited in the number of habitats it is able to detect and creates maps based on interpolated point data (compared to the continuous raster data of the WorldView-2 imagery). If, however, the objectives of the conservation management to create high resolution benthic habitat maps of subtidal habitats (e.g. eelgrass and benthic red algae) at a handful of sites (in contrast to continuous coastal coverage), the QTC View V system is more suitable. Whichever system is used ground-truth data are required to train and validate each dataset. / Graduate / 0799 / luba.reshitnyk@gmail.com

abstract: The purpose of this study was to create a brief strength of religious/nonreligious worldview scale that has language inclusive for nontheistic populations. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted using 207 participants from a major public southwestern university and a public midwestern university in the United States. It was determined that the Strength of Worldview Scale (SOWS) is a single-factor measure, which also demonstrated high test-retest reliability. It was hypothesized that scores on the SOWS would be negatively correlated with the Depression, Stress, and Anxiety Scale (DASS), positively correlated with the Purpose in Life Subscale, and not correlated with the Extraversion Subscale of the Big Five Inventory (BFI). Only a modest statistically significant correlation between the SOWS and Purpose in life was found. A regression analysis was also conducted with theistic/atheistic belief as a predictor of scores on the SOWS. A curvilinear relationship was found, indicating that strong theists and atheists score more highly in the SOWS than those who are unsure of their beliefs on the existence of a God, Gods, or Higher Power. Preliminary results suggest that the SOWS may be a promising measure for assessing strength of belief in both theist and nontheist populations. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Counseling Psychology 2015

O objetivo desta tese de doutorado é verificar a presença judaica em textos diversos de Jorge Amado (1912-2001), sobretudo em romances, abrangendo suas duas fases, em articulação com sua leitura de mundo. Quanto ao método, a verificação se dá por meio de rastros/indícios do judeu na obra amadiana, considerando que a presença judaica em seus textos aparece mais como referência ou assunto do que personagem. O pensamento analógico é a tônica da tese. As reflexões têm como gatilho o rastro do judeu no texto, nas quais se articulam parte e todo, em mútua influência. Em relação aos resultados, a presença judaica nos trabalhos de Jorge Amado está ligada a um modo bastante monolítico de ver o judeu. Em geral, figuras judaicas são associadas à militância comunista, assim como se relacionam a um plano mítico/profético sobre o qual a cosmovisão amadiana também se assenta. A forma da obra de Jorge Amado, calcada em diálogo com expressões populares, guarda ecos da cultura judaico-cristã, com ênfase no pensamento escatológico e soteriológico. A conclusão é a de que o judeu no texto amadiano tem função metonímica, algo que se relaciona tanto com sua posição ideológica quanto com sua cosmovisão. Portanto, há um feixe de significados na presença judaica em Amado: de contestação à revelação. / The aim of this thesis is verify the Jewish presence in various texts produced by Jorge Amado (1912-2001), focusing in his novels, also covering the two moments of his career. This will be approached through his worldview. As for the method, the analysis is based on trails/signs of the Jew in Amados works as the Jewish presence in his texts comes up more as reference or subject than representation. The analog approach is applied in this thesis. Trails/signs of the Jew in the texts function as the triggers for the analysis, in which all the elements, being central or peripheral, are in mutual influence. As for the results, the Jewish presence in Amados works is related to a monolithic view of the Jew. In general, Jewish traces/characters are linked to Communist militancy, as well as they are related to a mythical/prophetical level on which Jorge Amados worldview also is based. Authors style pays tribute to popular expressions, reverberating Jewish-Christian culture, with emphasis on the eschatological and soteriological thinking. As for the conclusion, the Jew in Amado works function as a metonymy, something that is related to both his ideological position and his worldview. Therefore there are a number of meanings in the Jewish presence in Amado: from subversion to revelation.

The main objective of this thesis is to create an appropriate methodological procedure for classifying damaged forest in the selected area of Šumava National Park. For this purpose, multispectral imagery WorldView-2 and Landsat 8 are used. Work emphasis on distribution of each phase of forest development affected by bark beetle. According to selected legend, involving multiple stages of damaged but also recovering forest, the images are classified by Neural Network, Support Vector Machine and object classification methods. Application of these methods on selected images required a suitable choice of parameters and rules to achieve optimal results. The results of this thesis compare and evaluate the final classification. Another outcome of this work is to evaluate the influence of the processed images WorldView-2 and Landsat 8 on the final classification performance. All work results are assessed by overall precision, error matrix and kappa coefficient. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

Western value systems and ways of knowing the world are in need of serious critique, especially in terms of colonialism and capitalism. These systems, many argue are fundamentally unjust and unsustainable while also working toinvalidate and erase alternative, indigenous ways of knowing. We need to work towards decolonization by both challenging these dominant Western systems, and exploring and supporting alternatives. That the primary intent of this thesis, which aims to engage and compare indigenous and Western worldviews using two specific case studies of land management. The first, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, represents an indigenous Māori approach in a New Zealand context, while the East Bay Regional Park District represents a ‘conventional’ Western approach in a US context. The analysis of these groups was based primarily on management plans and other assorted documents, as well as personal experience working with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei in particular. The structure and practice of each group were explored separately, and connected with the systems and values of their respective cultural contexts. Comparisons were then made exploring differences in community participation, ways of knowing, and systems of values and belief. The District, while showing significant concern for the environment, was still engaged in limiting and harmful colonial practice. In contrast the practice of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, with its local focus, community engagement, and deep relation with the land, is a worthy source of inspiration in moving towards a world that is more safe, just, and sustainable.

MAAS / Centre for African Studies / The institution of African traditional royal leadership herein after referred to as Vhuhosi, may at times be seen to be falling short in fulfilling its function. Arguably, symptoms such as the misunderstanding of the role and powers of traditional royal leaders, the never-ending land disputes, as well as issues of political transition in South Africa, can be traced back to the introduction of missionary activism. Amid a myriad of challenges, the proposed study seeks to investigate the influence of missionary work on the institution of Vhuhosi. The study’s focus will specifically be on the efficiency, or lack thereof, of the institution to perform its functions following the historical interface with missionary activism. The study will employ a mixture of research methodologies, amongst them the literary study of archive materials, the empirical investigation of the current state of the institution, and the appraisal of the prevalence of mission activities in the modern-day era all of which fall under the qualitative research design. It is envisaged that the results of the study will benefit current traditional royal and religious leaders, government officials in understanding the historical explanation of current trends and tendencies. Most importantly, the study will equip those involved in improving the situation and changing the course of history. Furthermore, the study will benefit scholarship by providing relevant and constructive research material that could inform and/or shape the calibre of leadership in these institutions. / NRF