Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this paper was to review the available literature concerning how low-income women
experience their heterosexual relationships. Particular attention was paid to the constructs of social support
and intimacy which have both been cited as important variables for coping with stress. It was found that,
despite there being more stressors associated with poverty, very little research has been conducted on lowincome
women. However, when comparing the available literature, there seem to be important differences
between low-income and middle-class women's expectations regarding heterosexual relationships. The
literature suggests that for low-income women, heterosexual relationships can often be experienced as an
additional source of stress, particularly as traditional gender roles playa greater role in expectations regarding
the provision of social support. It therefore seems as though some low-income women, in a bid not to submit to
traditional role expectations, choose to stay single and strive for financial independence in order to retain
power within heterosexual relationships. The need for intimacy was not clearly articulated by low-income
women but a desire for a sexually faithful partner was expressed. Although it seemed as though low-income
women did not expect social support or intimacy from their male partners, they did articulate other specific
expectations. The literature suggested that low-income women could reliably expect sex and the conception of
children. from their heterosexual relationships but that their other expectations were often disappointed.
However, heterosexual relationships are considered an important means for low-income women to gain status
within the community. Finally, the current review of the literature highlighted the considerable overlap between
the constructs of social support and intimacy. In conclusion, further research needs to be conducted
(particularly in South Africa) in order to determine how low-income women experience their heterosexual
relationships. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie was om 'n oorsig te kry van die beskikbare literatuur oor laeinkomstevroue
se ervaring van hulle heteroseksuele verhoudings. Aandag is in die besonder
gegee aan die konstrukte van sosiale ondersteuning en intimiteit, wat albei as belangrike
veranderlikes tydens die hantering van stres aangedui is. Daar is bevind dat, ondanks die feit
dat daar meer stressore is wat met armoede in verband gebring word, baie min navorsing nog
oor lae-inkomstevrouegedoen is. Wanneer die beskikbare literatuur egter vergelyk word, lyk
dit asof daar belangrike verskille is tussen die verwagtinge wat onderskeidelik laeinkomstevroue
en vroue uit die middelklas het ten opsigte van heteroseksuele verhoudinge.
Die literatuur voer aan dat lae-inkomstevroue heteroseksuele verhoudings dikwels as 'n
addisionele bron van stres beleef, veral aangesien tradisionele geslagsrolle 'n groter rol speel
in verwagtinge rondom die verskaffing van sosiale ondersteuning. Dit lyk dus asof sommige
lae-inkomstevrouein 'n poging om hulle nie aan tradisionele rolverwagtinge te onderwerp nie,
verkies om nie te trou nie, maar om eerder na finansiële onafhanklikheid te streef in 'n poging
om die mag in heteroseksueleverhoudings te behou. Die behoefte aan intimiteit is nie duidelik
deur lae-inkomstevroue aangedui nie, maar wel 'n behoefte aan 'n enkelvoudige
heteroseksuele verhouding. Alhoewel dlt gelyk het asof lae-lokomstevroue nie sosiale
ondersteuning of intimiteit van hulle mansvriende verwag het nie, het hulle ander spesifieke
verwagtinge genoem. Uit die literatuur wil dit lyk of lae-inkomstevroue met redelike sekerheid
seks en die verwekking van kinders van hulle heteroseksuele verhoudings kon verwag, maar
dat hulle ander verwagtinge dikwels teleurgestel word. Nogtans word heteroseksuele
verhoudings as 'n belangrike manier gesien waarop lae-inkomstevroue status in die
gemeenskap kan verkry. Die huidige literatuurstudie belig ook die aansienlike oorvleueling
tussen die konstrukte van sosiale ondersteuning en intimiteit. Ten slotte is dit duidelik dat
verdere navorsing gedoen moet word (veral in Suid-Afrika) om te bepaal hoe laeinkomstevrouehulle
heteroseksueleverhoudings beleef.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52611 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Cooper-Evans, Mia Samantha |
| Contributors | Kruger, L. M., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 33 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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