Previous research on respect in intergenerational relations showed a significant association with the sustainability of the relationship that exists between generations. Respect in intergenerational relationships is a relational phenomenon. As such, respect is defined as subjective experiences of interpersonal interactions between members of different generations. For the purpose of this study, intergenerational relationships refer to interactions between people older than 60 years (G1-first generation in a family) and younger people (between the ages of 20 and 30) who constitute the third generation (G3-third generation in a family). The theoretical frameworks that informed this study are a combination of the Interpersonal Theory, Interpersonal Communication Theory that informs the principles of the Self-Interactional Group Theory (SIGT). The Interpersonal Theory and the Interpersonal Communication Theory conceptualise interactions between people on an interpersonal level. The SIGT however gives meaning to interactions specifically between members of different generations. SIGT theory conceptualizes that intergenerational relations and its principles are rooted in the idea of stimulating effective relationships and supporting intergenerational cohesion. According to this theory, interactions between members of different generations always occur within an interpersonal context shaped by continuous interaction between them. This interpersonal context also determines the significance of communication within the interactions between generations. Extensive work on respect in intergenerational relationships has mostly been done in Asian and Western regions, with a specific focus on the typological forms of respect from the perspectives of younger generations. This resulted in the identification of 14 typological forms of respect for older people. Research on respect in Africa conducted in Ghana revealed that respect is a reciprocal construct, while a study in South Africa on respect between Zulu grandmothers and their grandchildren reported a decline in grandchildren‟s respect for their grandmothers. Little to no literature was found on young adults‟ in transition experiences of respect in their relations with older people which constitutes a conceptual gap in the field of contemporary intergenerational research in South Africa and motivates the focus of this study. This study explores respect from the perspective of Afrikaans speaking young adults‟ in their relations with people older than 60 years. Before conducting the research, ethical approval was obtained from the Health Research Ethics Council (HREC) of the North-West University, and the researcher adhered to the ethical guidelines prescribed by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). This research was conducted in a higher educational context, at the North-West University‟s Potchefstroom campus in South Africa. A qualitative approach was used to explore 23 (22 female and 1 male) Afrikaans-speaking young adults‟ experiences of respect in their relations with older people. This group was purposively chosen as being in transitional life phase-from dependence to independence and autonomy. Data were collected over the course of three days by means of the Mmogo-method®, a visual projective data-collection technique. The Mmogo-method® enables the researcher to collect culture sensitive data embedded in the lived experiences of the participants. Participants are provided with materials consisting of a lump of clay, grass straws, colourful beads and piece of fabric in a closed container. Participants were asked to use the material in the container to construct something that could demonstrate how they experienced respect in their relations with a person older than 60 years. The projections participants built served as the focus for subsequent discussion, in the course which they explained what they had made and its relevance to the research question. In addition, prompt questions were asked to stimulate a focus group discussion. Textual data were analysed by means of thematic analysis, and by incorporating the symbolic meaning of the visual representation with the text of each participant. To ensure the quality and enhance the trustworthiness of this study, credibility, transferability, conformability, dependability and integrity of the researcher were applied throughout the research process. Findings revealed that the young adults described their experiences of respect within a specific relational context which they share with older people. Furthermore, their respect for older people is supported by normative values that motivate the young adults to offer them respect. The young adults experience respect in the relational context as reciprocal: they give respect to older people by means of altruistic actions and by being present in the lives of older people. In turn, they receive emotional and material care from older people as a form of respect. The findings of this study inform research into the relational nature of intergenerational respect which may be drawn upon for the development of intergenerational programmes to promote sustainable cohesion in intergenerational relationships. / MSc (Research Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

This research formed part of a broader research project that explored respect in relationships between young female adults and older people (60+ years) in a South African context. Different themes emerged from this research such as the motivation younger people have for respecting older persons; as well as different forms of giving and receiving respect. This research will specifically focus on themes that emerged inductively about the relational context in which the experiences of respect were expressed and the challenges of respect in the interpersonal experiences. It has been recorded in literature on intergenerational relationships that respect is not only an essential element in these relationships but also that it contributes to constructive relationships. Most of the research about respect has been conducted in Asian and Western countries, while some research has also been done in Ghana, Africa. The above mentioned research findings identified specific behavioural forms of respect, and attitudes and/or emotions associated with respect. Furthermore it has been found that respect can either be earned or deserved, or not, depending on whether and to what extent the person concerned is considered to have met certain requirements. Little research has been done on how people, especially young female adults in South Africa, experience respect in intergenerational relationships. Experiences of respect between people from different generations always take place in an interpersonal context and therefore the Self-Interaction Group Theory (SIGT) was used to understand young female adults’ experiences of respect in relationships with older people. Following SIGT, for the purposes of this study respect is defined as the subjective experience of the relational interactions between people. The focus in this study falls on the experience of respect in relationships with older people from young female adults’ perspective. Traditionally female gender roles have been associated with care. However, these roles changed to more flexible gendered roles and today women are not able to adopt many different roles. The past generations’ women took care of their older parents, whereas in the present women also pursue careers and this may have an influence on their interactions with older people as they may not necessarily be able to take care of the older people anymore. The research project was approved by the Ethics Committee of the North-West University. A qualitative research method informed by an exploratory and descriptive approach was used in an attempt to describe the participants’ subjective experiences of respect in the relationships they have with older people. A purposive sample was used and 26 women (between 21 and 28 years old) who are post-graduate psychology university students in the North West, South Africa, participated in the study. The study used a homogenous group of participants in order to get a detailed picture of their experiences. Young adults are in a transitory phase of their lives and research indicated that it is important to investigate their attitudes towards older people because they are likely to form new values, because their lives and behaviours are more influenced by their peers and because they have less parental supervision. Data was collected in three data-gathering sessions over the period of three days. Textual and visual data was collected through the use of the Mmogo- method®, a projective visual research method which uses a focus group approach. The Mmogo- method® material consists of a lump of malleable clay, different sizes and colours of beads and dried grass stalks of different lengths. Participants are provided with the open-ended materials and based on an open-ended prompt, they are requested to create a visual representation, which in this research was: Please use the material provided and create anything that can tell us more about how you perceive respect in relation to a person, or persons older than 60 years of age. After the exercise participants were asked to explain what they have created. A collaborative effort of co-constructed meanings took place as the visual representation of each participant became the stimulus material for group discussions. The visual representations of participants were photographed and analysed using visual analysis, while the digital recordings of the individuals’ explanations of their visual representations as well as the group discussions were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. Trustworthiness was ensured by applying four strategies, including: credibility, transferability, dependability and conformability of the research findings. The findings revealed that the relationship with older persons is subjectively described in terms of emotional or cognitive experiences and associated with specific relational contexts. In the familial and social context the experience of respect were linked with care and most of these relationships were described as affectionate/emotional. In the familial and social contexts, older persons were placed in a one-up position with the young adults, since the young adults want to obey and/or honour them. Some described the relationship as a relationship where they interacted as equals. In different contexts, work related, educational and familial, young adults expressed ambivalent emotions: some expressed admiration and love, while others expressed frustration and anger. In the work-related and educational relational contexts, the relationships were experienced as being formal and described in cognitive terms. In these relationships young adults expressed frustration and anger if their needs were not addressed based on how the relational context defined the relationship. For example in the educational contexts, the needs of the young adults were to get clarity on learning content, to receive support to reach their goals, and to reach emotional safety. Young female adults indicated that respect towards older persons is no longer based on the age of older persons. It rather depends on the reciprocal actions and reactions between young adults and older persons; and that it depends on how the relationship between the generational members develops over time, as well as the ability of generational members to bridge the distance between them and to adopt each other’s life worlds, whilst refraining from judgemental and stereotypical assessment of older persons. This study hence holds important implications for the creation of intergenerational programmes in order to enhance relationships between young adults and older people. A specific contribution of the findings is that when planning interventions intergenerational programmes should be designed to take into consideration the specific interpersonal context. Furthermore, the definitions of respect as held by both of the generational members should be considered in planning intergenerational interventions in specific interpersonal contexts. / MA (Research Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Previous research on respect in intergenerational relations showed a significant association with the sustainability of the relationship that exists between generations. Respect in intergenerational relationships is a relational phenomenon. As such, respect is defined as subjective experiences of interpersonal interactions between members of different generations. For the purpose of this study, intergenerational relationships refer to interactions between people older than 60 years (G1-first generation in a family) and younger people (between the ages of 20 and 30) who constitute the third generation (G3-third generation in a family). The theoretical frameworks that informed this study are a combination of the Interpersonal Theory, Interpersonal Communication Theory that informs the principles of the Self-Interactional Group Theory (SIGT). The Interpersonal Theory and the Interpersonal Communication Theory conceptualise interactions between people on an interpersonal level. The SIGT however gives meaning to interactions specifically between members of different generations. SIGT theory conceptualizes that intergenerational relations and its principles are rooted in the idea of stimulating effective relationships and supporting intergenerational cohesion. According to this theory, interactions between members of different generations always occur within an interpersonal context shaped by continuous interaction between them. This interpersonal context also determines the significance of communication within the interactions between generations. Extensive work on respect in intergenerational relationships has mostly been done in Asian and Western regions, with a specific focus on the typological forms of respect from the perspectives of younger generations. This resulted in the identification of 14 typological forms of respect for older people. Research on respect in Africa conducted in Ghana revealed that respect is a reciprocal construct, while a study in South Africa on respect between Zulu grandmothers and their grandchildren reported a decline in grandchildren‟s respect for their grandmothers. Little to no literature was found on young adults‟ in transition experiences of respect in their relations with older people which constitutes a conceptual gap in the field of contemporary intergenerational research in South Africa and motivates the focus of this study. This study explores respect from the perspective of Afrikaans speaking young adults‟ in their relations with people older than 60 years. Before conducting the research, ethical approval was obtained from the Health Research Ethics Council (HREC) of the North-West University, and the researcher adhered to the ethical guidelines prescribed by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). This research was conducted in a higher educational context, at the North-West University‟s Potchefstroom campus in South Africa. A qualitative approach was used to explore 23 (22 female and 1 male) Afrikaans-speaking young adults‟ experiences of respect in their relations with older people. This group was purposively chosen as being in transitional life phase-from dependence to independence and autonomy. Data were collected over the course of three days by means of the Mmogo-method®, a visual projective data-collection technique. The Mmogo-method® enables the researcher to collect culture sensitive data embedded in the lived experiences of the participants. Participants are provided with materials consisting of a lump of clay, grass straws, colourful beads and piece of fabric in a closed container. Participants were asked to use the material in the container to construct something that could demonstrate how they experienced respect in their relations with a person older than 60 years. The projections participants built served as the focus for subsequent discussion, in the course which they explained what they had made and its relevance to the research question. In addition, prompt questions were asked to stimulate a focus group discussion. Textual data were analysed by means of thematic analysis, and by incorporating the symbolic meaning of the visual representation with the text of each participant. To ensure the quality and enhance the trustworthiness of this study, credibility, transferability, conformability, dependability and integrity of the researcher were applied throughout the research process. Findings revealed that the young adults described their experiences of respect within a specific relational context which they share with older people. Furthermore, their respect for older people is supported by normative values that motivate the young adults to offer them respect. The young adults experience respect in the relational context as reciprocal: they give respect to older people by means of altruistic actions and by being present in the lives of older people. In turn, they receive emotional and material care from older people as a form of respect. The findings of this study inform research into the relational nature of intergenerational respect which may be drawn upon for the development of intergenerational programmes to promote sustainable cohesion in intergenerational relationships. / MSc (Research Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

As youngsters become adults, the development of their personality becomes the focus of their attention. However, neither Christian youthwork nor adult education within the Protestant Church in Germany is geared towards accompanying and advising them in the midst of their religious questions and changes. There is virtually no scholarly or church literature that would focus on the age group of 18 to 30 year olds. Thus far, the Protestant Church has not yet published non-commercial programs for personality development. This dissertation focuses on evaluating a personality training program that was specially developed for young adults. The structures and the content are analyzed in order to gain insights into how such a training can be implemented in the local church. The empirical results will be complemented by insights from different studies on youth, theological and anthropological perspectives on personality and personhood, and two popular models of courses on the Christian faith. / An der Schwelle zum Erwachsenwerden steht die Entwicklung der eigenen Persönlichkeit im Mittelpunkt des Denkens von jungen Menschen. Aber weder die Jugendarbeit noch die Erwachsenenbildung sieht eine Aufgabe darin, junge Erwachsene in ihren religiösen Fragen und Veränderungen zu begleiten und zu beraten. Wissenschaftliche und gemeindepädagogische Literatur, speziell für die Altersgruppe der 18- bis 30-Jährigen, liegt kaum vor und innerhalb der evangelischen Kirche gibt es bislang keine nichtkommerziellen Persönlichkeitsprogramme für diese Personengruppe. Der Fokus dieser Arbeit ist auf die Dokumentation und die qualitative Evaluation eines Persönlichkeitstrainings gerichtet, das speziell für junge Erwachsene entwickelt wurde. Untersucht werden die Strukturen und die Inhalte des Programms, um konkrete Gestaltungshinweise für die Durchführung in einer örtlichen Kirchengemeinde zu gewinnen. Die empirischen Ergebnisse werden durch Exzerpte aus verschiedenen Jugendstudien, aus theologisch-anthropologischen Erörterungen zu Persönlichkeit und Person sein und die Bewertung von zwei christlich populären Glaubenskursen ergänzt. / Practical Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology)

Declining union density rates have been and continue to be an ongoing issue and worry around the world. In Sweden, union density remains high in comparison to other countries, although not an exception to the declining rates which have largely encompassed young workers. The objective of this study is to research two phenomena that have been identified as influences surrounding why young workers do not become unionised. The research questions are 1. Can individualistic attitudes be linked to the decline in union density among young workers, if so how? and 2. Can employer resistance towards trade unionism be linked to the decline in union density among young workers, if so how?.There are substantial amounts of quantitative research devoted to trying to understand the decline, which motivated writing a report with a qualitative approach. Focus was put on the thoughts and views of six young individuals who are all involved with three Swedish trade unions, HRF, Handels and Seko. The results of the study revealed that both individualistic attitudes and employer resistance can be linked to declining union density rates among youths. Individualistic attitudes were analysed alongside Allvin and Sverke’s theories on the ‘era of individualisation’, which includes declining preparedness to participate in collective movements, the belief in the efficacy of the self and autonomous attitudes towards institutions. Individualistic attitudes that were conferred in the interviews revolved around matters such as young workers not being able to identify themselves with trade unions and their officials. Employer resistance methods were discussed in line with, among others, Brulin’s theory on the work place as a political arena, where employers and trade unions battle for the loyalty of the employees. Resistance towards trade unions seem to appear in various forms and different methods are used in order to obstruct individuals from becoming or remaining unionised. This includes subtle threats and ostracism from managers and co-workers and unmotivated changes of rosters.

Submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, 2014. / Correct neck support is required during sleep to align the spine and maintain neutral posture, and to immobilise the joints in the neck which would allow the cervical paraspinal muscles to relax (De Laittre, 1974; Ambrogio et al., 1998; Erfanian et al., 1998). Poor spinal posture during sleep however, has been hypothesized to result in lateral bending and uneven loading on the intervertebral discs and cervical facet joints, and compression of pain-sensitive structures in the neck (Leilnahari et al., 2011). The pillow is a significant contributing factor to sleep quality and the development of symptoms on waking (Gordon et al., 2011). This should theoretically reduce pressure on the pain-sensitive structures and allow the intervertebral discs to be unloaded and rehydrated (Leilnahari et al., 2011). Aim: To determine and compare the effect of the Simmons’ Beautyrest pillow, a polyester foam pillow, a latex pillow, and no pillow, on cervico-thoracic and forward head posture in the supine and recumbent supine positions in asymptomatic individuals. Methods: Forty asymptomatic subjects between the ages of 20 and 30 years were recruited using convenience sampling. The study was a double-blinded comparative investigation where all participants underwent a case history, physical examination and an orthopaedic examination of the cervical spine. Thereafter, digital photographic images of the participants lying without a pillow and on three different pillows (Simmons Beautyrest® pillow, a polyester foam pillow and a latex pillow) in the supine and recumbent positions were captured. These images were then uploaded onto a computer, and using the linear co-ordinates of each anatomical landmark (which was determined by the researcher using CorelDraw Graphics Suite 12), the cervico-thoracic and craniocervical postures were determined. The cervico-thoracic posture was determined by calculating the gradients of the intersegmental slopes, relative to the horizontal plane, using the formula (y2 − y1)/(x2 − x1). The craniocervical posture was determined by calculating the craniocervical angle. This angle was determined by constructing lines between the anatomical landmarks and measuring the angle produced at C7. At the end of the objective data collection, participants were asked verbally which pillow they found most comfortable. All data was collected by the researcher. Statistical analysis was done using IBM SPSS version 21.0. Repeated measures ANOVA test was used to compare the mean slope measurements in the four conditions. Inferential techniques included Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test and t-tests. A p-value of < 0.05 indicated statistical significance. iv Results: The mean (± SD) age of the participants was 24.3 (± 2.57) years. In terms of pillow preference, 15 participants preferred the latex pillow, 8 preferred the polyester pillow and 17 preferred the Simmons Beautyrest® pillow. In the recumbent position for the C2-EOP slope the latex and Simmons Beautyrest® pillows supported the neck in a similar manner (p= 0.480) and closer to neutral than no pillow and the latex pillow. For the C4-C2 and the C7-C4 slopes, the latex pillow produced the least extreme slope. For the T3-C7 slope, the polyester pillow produced the slope closest to neutral. Overall, for the entire cervical spine, the latex pillow produced the least extreme slopes, but at the cervico-thoracic junction, the polyester pillow produced the most neutral slope. In all segments, the condition without a pillow produced the most extreme slopes. When comparing the slopes themselves, it can be seen that the most extreme deviations from neutral occurred at the C2-EOP segment. The midcervical spine deviated least from neutral. In the supine position, there were no significant differences (p> 0.05) in the sagittal angular displacement between the pillows. Conclusion: The results of this study support the view that there is no one particular pillow that is better than the others for providing optimal support to the head and neck. Furthermore, practitioners should be aware that it is the craniocervical and cervico-thoracic slopes, which are determined with the patient in the recumbent position, that provide significant information regarding support provided by the pillow rather than the sagittal angular displacement assessed in the supine position. / Durban University of Technology

Objective Adolescence is recognised as a risk period for offending and head injury (HI), with higher rates of HI found in the young offender (YO) population compared to the general population. Drug and alcohol use has also been associated with increased risk of offending. This study aims to explore the relationships between HI, Post-concussion symptoms (PCS), reactive and proactive aggression, and offending behaviour in YOs, whilst considering the effects of drug and alcohol use on these relationships. Participants A sample of ninety eight males was recruited from a Young Offender Institute: the age range was 16-18 years of age with an average age of 17. Design A between subjects cross sectional design was employed. Participants were recruited using an opportunistic sampling strategy. Main Measures Self-rated/report measures of: HI, Post-Concussion Symptoms (Adapted Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptom Questionnaire), Aggression (Reactive-Proactive Scale), criminal histories, and drug and alcohol history. Results HI was reported by 73.5% of the overall sample, with 61.1% reporting a “knock out”. Frequency and severity of HI was associated with significantly higher PCS scores. Examination of covariate- drug and alcohol use did not affect these relationships. PCS were a significant predictor of reactive aggression, total number of convictions and number of previous violent convictions. However, dosage of HI (severity and frequency) was not a significant predictor of reactive aggression or criminal profiles. Conclusions There appears to be a dose-response effect of severity and frequency of HI on PCS, with PCS predicting reactive aggression. Such symptoms may compromise functions and lead to increased aggression. This highlights the need for better screening and interventions for HI and on-going symptoms in YOs.

The ways of reaching out to the people to supply news are substantially increasing after the emerge of the Internet. Because of the Internet anyone can make their message heard. The Young Turks claims to be the largest online news show in the world and they have over 650 000 subscribers on Youtube. Therefore it is important to study how alternative media differs from more traditional media.  This study focuses on alternative journalism on Youtube. The aim of this study is to identify the difference between the Youtube channel The Young Turks and CNN. The weight in the study lays in the ways the news is being presented. This study uses qualitative content from four news videos made by The Young Turks and four news videos made by CNN. This study focuses on the specific content in a few news videos rather than the overall content in several news videos. A dramatic analysis method is used to determine how the two media channels differ.  The result shows that the news videos made by CNN used objectivity as a means to claim their professionalism more often than The Young Turks. CNN’s news reporting was also clearer in presenting sources, compared to The Young Turks.

This study elucidates the feelings and the experiences by working with the complex of problems of self-injurious behaviour, of six professionals. The purpose with this study has been to examine the feelings and the experiences of the professionals, coming up when they meet and treat young girls with self-injurious behaviour. The empirical basis of this study is built on interviews of six female professionals, working in the County of Kalmar. The statements of the informants were analyzed out of Goffman’s Role Theory and the norm perspective on social behaviour. Through the interviews we saw that the professionals act out of the rolls that they are expected to. There are expectations from the colleagues, from the clients and from the community that every professional handles in an individual manner. The way they handle the problematic situations varies between persons and depends on the character of the circumstances. The result shows that the work of the professionals arouses many feelings. It varies what kind of feelings they experiences but they do feel fear, powerlessness, sadness, happiness and most of all frustration. They handle their feelings through tutorial, support from the co-workers and through reflection.

Small and medium size enterprises (SMEs, hereafter) are important drivers of the global economic development. For the SMEs, to establish and growth, having access to the sources of finance is of great importance. Anecdotal evidence suggeststhat while the importance of having access for the SMEs is apparent, they have been disadvantageous in many different ways. The disadvantage position of the SMEs can even be worse when they are younger (e.g., The World bank, 2001, p. 6-7). Prior research documents many factors that affect the financial constraints of SMEs. In this study, we investigate the association between SMEs age and financial constraints. In addition, we test the moderating effect of collectivism on SMEs’ financial constraints, as collectivism is documented to have an effect on bank corruption. We first hypothesize that there is a negative association between SMEs’ age and financial constraints. We further propose that the negative association between SMEs’ age and financial constraints decreases as collectivism (at the country level) increases. Using a World Bank’s sample of 31422 firms across 38 countries, we find that younger firms, compared to the older firms, experience higher level of financial constraints.Further, we observe an insignificant results regarding the moderating effect of collectivism on the proposed association.We offer contribution to the existing empirical evidence onfactors that affect financial constraints. Providing such an evidence may be found relevant to the economic institutions such as the World Bank and regulatory bodies, as they are allocating resources and making macro level decisions regarding the economicdevelopment through SMEs around the world.