Access to abstract is permanently restricted to Ball State community only / Access to dissertation permanently restricted to Ball State community only / School of Physical Education, Sport, and Exercise Science

This is a study about gym training young men (age 18-20) and their attitude against anabolic androgenic steroids, AAS. In our study we examine if the muscular ideal in our society have any effect on young men and the young men’s attitude against their body and their training. We want to find out what attitude gym training young men have against AAS, and also what has had the influence to this attitude.          The study contains six qualitative performed interviews with young men who are training at the gym, which are based on relevant information about their training habits, nutritional supplement, influence, the muscular ideal, the gym culture and medias effect on young men when it comes to body ideals.            The young men’s attitudes is connected and compared to prior research about gym-training young men and what affects them to have a certain attitude against AAS, body and training. In our study we also use a theory by Giddens about social interaction and the late modern society we live in.           The conclusions of the result and analysis is that young men who trains at the gym for the purpose of getting bigger and in relation to the training takes nutritional supplements, have a more liberal attitude against AAS compared to those young men who doesn’t. Media, friends, equals at the gym and the gym culture are all factors that affect young men in their positive attitude in opposition to AAS.

Train-Surfing is a high-risk phenomenon that has in recent years, become a trend affecting black male youths in South Africa. This study aimed at examining the motives behind the phenomenon. It also aimed at exploring the role that train-surfing plays in constructing a black, South African, masculine identity and what it means to be a train-surfer. A broader aim of the study was to explore the constructions of masculinity and their influence on high-risk behaviours in men. The reason for the choice of topic was that although train-surfing is not a recent phenomenon it appears to be a growing phenomenon in South Africa. Scientific publications are limited thus far with regard to international and local literature on this issue. This exploratory study used the social constructionist theory as a theoretical framework and presents qualitative research findings based on in-depth interviews of six juvenile train-surfers who reside in Soweto, Gauteng. Thematic Content Analysis was used to analyse the data. The study found that train-surfers tend to show evidence of family discord and are inclined to rely on support from their train-surfing peers. All of the participants lacked a substantial father figure, however many of them showed evidence of consistent support from mother figures. Reasons for participation in train-surfing include impressing young females, a desire for status and fame and peer pressure. Some participants perceived the activity as a sport or hobby, whilst others used symbols of addiction in describing the phenomenon. It was also found that the train-surfing participants used train-surfing as a means to define their identity as young, black males living in South Africa. Train-surfing was found to be associated with other high-risk activities such as taking drugs, drinking alcohol and gang-related behaviours. These findings are important as they highlight the role of high-risk behaviour in adolescents and uncover much needed research regarding men and masculinities in South Africa. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

Hegemonic masculinity (HM) is considered by many boys and men to be the "gold standard" of masculinity to which they are expected to conform (Connell & Messerschmidt, 2005). However, many boys feel that they fall short of this standard and are thus challenged to negotiate their sense of masculinity through positioning themselves in relation to masculine standards in various ways (Wetherell & Edley, 1999). This research therefore aims to explore the process of subject positioning in relation to HM and, if it occurs, the process of successfully aligning masculine identity with alternative (non-hegemonic) forms of masculinity. Eight late adolescent boys from rural KwaZulu-Natal were interviewed, and the data were qualitatively analysed by focussing on the boys' narratives used to describe masculinity and how they position themselves in relation to the various norms of masculinity. The results indicate that these boys did not show signs of having non-hegemonic masculinities. However, all boys reframed HM into a new discourse still based on the acceptance of the hegemonic domination over women and femininity (including less masculine boys), while disavowing practices relating to alcohol use, crime and risky sexual practices. This discourse represented a sanitised version of HM. It was suggested that boys maintain these multiple versions of masculinity in parallel, and use psychological splitting to maintain them. Soccer emerged as serving an important function for the creation and maintenance of these sanitised masculinities. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.

Dominant discourses on youth sexual health construct young people as at-risk subjects who engage in risky behaviours due to ignorance or poor decision-making. This dissertation challenges the prevailing assumption embedded in these discourses that young people’s sexual behaviours are based on individual rational choices. Drawing on Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of practice and R. W. Connell’s notion of hegemonic masculinity, this dissertation uses an interpretive approach to analyze the narratives and resonant texts of 24 young men in Toronto. It explores how young men construct and perform their masculine identities in the context of their socio-spatial environment; it also examines the strategies that young men use to compete for cultural capital and dominant positions in the homosocial and (hetero)erotic fields. The analysis yields a number of findings. First, it shows that gender identity is a state of being-doing-becoming. Guided by their gender-class-race habituses, young men engage in an unceasing process of defining, affirming, declaring, and validating not only their sense of who they are (self-identity) and where they belong (collective identity), but also the boundary that differentiates the ‘Self’ from the ‘Other’. Second, there is a dialectical relationship between the young men’s masculine habituses and their sexual practices. While all the young men engaged in hegemonic masculine practices to gain ‘respect’ from their peers, their practices varied according to their classes and ethnoracial backgrounds. At the same time, their (hetero)erotic practices are intricately intertwined with their homosocial practices, whereby the intra-group masculine expectations coupled with the broad hegemonic masculine discourses assert significant influences on their interactions with both young women and other young men. Finally, hetero-guy-talk constitutes an important everyday social interaction in which young men actively engage in the (re)production and/or resistance of hegemonic masculine discourses and practices. These results suggest that effective sexual health promotion (SHP) must go beyond the focus on individual sexual behaviours to address the historical, cultural, economic, and political contexts that shape the collective sexual health practices of young men. Furthermore, it may be useful to explore ‘hetero-guy-talk’ as an important ‘third’ space where young men are invited to interrogate and resist misogynist, masculinist, and homophobic practices and be supported to engage in humanizing sexual practices.

Dominant discourses on youth sexual health construct young people as at-risk subjects who engage in risky behaviours due to ignorance or poor decision-making. This dissertation challenges the prevailing assumption embedded in these discourses that young people’s sexual behaviours are based on individual rational choices. Drawing on Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of practice and R. W. Connell’s notion of hegemonic masculinity, this dissertation uses an interpretive approach to analyze the narratives and resonant texts of 24 young men in Toronto. It explores how young men construct and perform their masculine identities in the context of their socio-spatial environment; it also examines the strategies that young men use to compete for cultural capital and dominant positions in the homosocial and (hetero)erotic fields. The analysis yields a number of findings. First, it shows that gender identity is a state of being-doing-becoming. Guided by their gender-class-race habituses, young men engage in an unceasing process of defining, affirming, declaring, and validating not only their sense of who they are (self-identity) and where they belong (collective identity), but also the boundary that differentiates the ‘Self’ from the ‘Other’. Second, there is a dialectical relationship between the young men’s masculine habituses and their sexual practices. While all the young men engaged in hegemonic masculine practices to gain ‘respect’ from their peers, their practices varied according to their classes and ethnoracial backgrounds. At the same time, their (hetero)erotic practices are intricately intertwined with their homosocial practices, whereby the intra-group masculine expectations coupled with the broad hegemonic masculine discourses assert significant influences on their interactions with both young women and other young men. Finally, hetero-guy-talk constitutes an important everyday social interaction in which young men actively engage in the (re)production and/or resistance of hegemonic masculine discourses and practices. These results suggest that effective sexual health promotion (SHP) must go beyond the focus on individual sexual behaviours to address the historical, cultural, economic, and political contexts that shape the collective sexual health practices of young men. Furthermore, it may be useful to explore ‘hetero-guy-talk’ as an important ‘third’ space where young men are invited to interrogate and resist misogynist, masculinist, and homophobic practices and be supported to engage in humanizing sexual practices.

Pirminė arterinė hipertenzija diagnozuojama kas trečiam suaugusiam. Liga jaunėja, ypač tarp vyrų, šios tendencijos nepavyksta paaiškinti vien bendraisiais kardiovaskulinės rizikos veiksniais. Mažai kreipiamas dėmesys į galimą hipertenzijos ryšį su gimimo parametrais ir augimo ypatumais. Nebuvo aišku, kurie iš bendrųjų hipertenzijos rizikos veiksnių ir kokie kritinių augimo tarpsnių ypatumai daro didžiausią įtaką mūsų šalies jaunimo kraujospūdžio raidai. Todėl disertacija skirta įvertinti jaunuolystės amžiaus vyrų (18-21 metų) padidėjusio kraujospūdžio ryšį su skirtingų kritinių augimo periodų ypatumais, kardiovaskulinės rizikos veiksniais, paveldimumu ir jaunuolio šeimos socioekonominėmis sąlygomis. Ištirtas 231 asmuo (48 atvejo grupėje, 183 kontrolinėje grupėje). Darbe nustatyta, kad mažesnė galvos ir krūtinės apimtis gimus kartu su jaunuolystės kūno masės indeksu yra reikšmingi padidėjusio kraujospūdžio prognostiniai veiksniai. Greitesnis ūgio augimas per pirmus septynerius gyvenimo metus ir paauglystės tarpsnio kūno masės indekso bei svorio intensyvesnis augimo greitis turi reikšmingų sąsajų su padidėjusiu kraujospūdžiu jaunuolystėje. Nustatyta skirtinga liesos kūno masės ir riebalų masės įtaka kraujospūdžiui. Konstatuota, kad padidėjusį kraujospūdį turintys jaunuoliai yra stambesnio skeleto. Reikšmingą įtaką jo kraujospūdžiui turi rizikingais kiekiais vartojamas alkoholis ir mažesnis fizinis aktyvumas. Įvertinta mamos ankstyvo sergamumo pirmine arterine hipertenzija ir... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Primary arterial hypertension is diagnosed in every third adult. The disease tends to appear in younger individuals, especially men. However, general cardiovascular disease risk factors fail to explain this trend. Insufficient attention is given to the possible relation between hypertension and birth parameters as well as growth characteristics. It was not known which of the general hypertension risk factors and which of the critical growth period characteristics have major influence on the development of elevated blood pressure in young men in our country. Therefore, this dissertation aims at evaluating the relation of elevated blood pressure in young men (18-21 years old) to the characteristics of different critical growth periods, cardiovascular risk factors, heredity and the socio-economic conditions of the young man‘s family. The research showed the following results: smaller head and chest circumferences at birth along with the body mass index at young adult age are significant prognostic factors for elevated blood pressure; higher velocity of height growth within the first seven years of life and more intensive growth of the body mass index and weight in adolescence have significant relation to elevated blood pressure at young adult age; lean body mass and fat body mass have different influence on blood pressure; young men with elevated blood pressure have bigger skeletons; risky amounts of alcohol consumed and lower physical activity have significant influence on... [to full text]

Primary arterial hypertension is diagnosed in every third adult. The disease tends to appear in younger individuals, especially men. However, general cardiovascular disease risk factors fail to explain this trend. Insufficient attention is given to the possible relation between hypertension and birth parameters as well as growth characteristics. It was not known which of the general hypertension risk factors and which of the critical growth period characteristics have major influence on the development of elevated blood pressure in young men in our country. Therefore, this dissertation aims at evaluating the relation of elevated blood pressure in young men (18-21 years old) to the characteristics of different critical growth periods, cardiovascular risk factors, heredity and the socio-economic conditions of the young man‘s family. The research showed the following results: smaller head and chest circumferences at birth along with the body mass index at young adult age are significant prognostic factors for elevated blood pressure; higher velocity of height growth within the first seven years of life and more intensive growth of the body mass index and weight in adolescence have significant relation to elevated blood pressure at young adult age; lean body mass and fat body mass have different influence on blood pressure; young men with elevated blood pressure have bigger skeletons; risky amounts of alcohol consumed and lower physical activity have significant influence on... [to full text] / Pirminė arterinė hipertenzija diagnozuojama kas trečiam suaugusiam. Liga jaunėja, ypač tarp vyrų, šios tendencijos nepavyksta paaiškinti vien bendraisiais kardiovaskulinės rizikos veiksniais. Mažai kreipiamas dėmesys į galimą hipertenzijos ryšį su gimimo parametrais ir augimo ypatumais. Nebuvo aišku, kurie iš bendrųjų hipertenzijos rizikos veiksnių ir kokie kritinių augimo tarpsnių ypatumai daro didžiausią įtaką mūsų šalies jaunimo kraujospūdžio raidai. Todėl disertacija skirta įvertinti jaunuolystės amžiaus vyrų (18-21 metų) padidėjusio kraujospūdžio ryšį su skirtingų kritinių augimo periodų ypatumais, kardiovaskulinės rizikos veiksniais, paveldimumu ir jaunuolio šeimos socioekonominėmis sąlygomis. Ištirtas 231 asmuo (48 atvejo grupėje, 183 kontrolinėje grupėje). Darbe nustatyta, kad mažesnė galvos ir krūtinės apimtis gimus kartu su jaunuolystės kūno masės indeksu yra reikšmingi padidėjusio kraujospūdžio prognostiniai veiksniai. Greitesnis ūgio augimas per pirmus septynerius gyvenimo metus ir paauglystės tarpsnio kūno masės indekso bei svorio intensyvesnis augimo greitis turi reikšmingų sąsajų su padidėjusiu kraujospūdžiu jaunuolystėje. Nustatyta skirtinga liesos kūno masės ir riebalų masės įtaka kraujospūdžiui. Konstatuota, kad padidėjusį kraujospūdį turintys jaunuoliai yra stambesnio skeleto. Reikšmingą įtaką jo kraujospūdžiui turi rizikingais kiekiais vartojamas alkoholis ir mažesnis fizinis aktyvumas. Įvertinta mamos ankstyvo sergamumo pirmine arterine hipertenzija ir... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

This thesis examines the ways in which a group of male youths from Montreal interpret the world and construct their identities through the lens of hip-hop. The theoretical framework draws mainly from discussions of youth subcultural theory as articulated by the Center for Cultural Studies in Birmingham, as well as current research on hip-hop culture and youth identities. Using narrative inquiry as a methodological framework, this study highlights how the participants' perceive their neighbourhoods through gangster rap culture, and construct their identities according to these perceptions. This study also reveals how the participants' create original rap lyrics as a self-reflexive tool, and how listening to rap music shapes their linguistic expression.

Dominant discourses on youth sexual health construct young people as at-risk subjects who engage in risky behaviours due to ignorance or poor decision-making. This dissertation challenges the prevailing assumption embedded in these discourses that young people’s sexual behaviours are based on individual rational choices. Drawing on Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of practice and R. W. Connell’s notion of hegemonic masculinity, this dissertation uses an interpretive approach to analyze the narratives and resonant texts of 24 young men in Toronto. It explores how young men construct and perform their masculine identities in the context of their socio-spatial environment; it also examines the strategies that young men use to compete for cultural capital and dominant positions in the homosocial and (hetero)erotic fields. The analysis yields a number of findings. First, it shows that gender identity is a state of being-doing-becoming. Guided by their gender-class-race habituses, young men engage in an unceasing process of defining, affirming, declaring, and validating not only their sense of who they are (self-identity) and where they belong (collective identity), but also the boundary that differentiates the ‘Self’ from the ‘Other’. Second, there is a dialectical relationship between the young men’s masculine habituses and their sexual practices. While all the young men engaged in hegemonic masculine practices to gain ‘respect’ from their peers, their practices varied according to their classes and ethnoracial backgrounds. At the same time, their (hetero)erotic practices are intricately intertwined with their homosocial practices, whereby the intra-group masculine expectations coupled with the broad hegemonic masculine discourses assert significant influences on their interactions with both young women and other young men. Finally, hetero-guy-talk constitutes an important everyday social interaction in which young men actively engage in the (re)production and/or resistance of hegemonic masculine discourses and practices. These results suggest that effective sexual health promotion (SHP) must go beyond the focus on individual sexual behaviours to address the historical, cultural, economic, and political contexts that shape the collective sexual health practices of young men. Furthermore, it may be useful to explore ‘hetero-guy-talk’ as an important ‘third’ space where young men are invited to interrogate and resist misogynist, masculinist, and homophobic practices and be supported to engage in humanizing sexual practices.