Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Sleeping customs Cross-cultural studies'

Many researchers have suggested that facial expressions are universal. However, others hold a more nuanced view: That despite universal similarities, facial expressions are culture-specific. In the current study, facial expressions of an Asian American and an Asian national were studied using scenes from two television dramas from the United States and Japan. Similarities and differences were found between the facial expressions of the two characters. The existence of similarities supports the basic universality of facial expressions, while differences were found which support the perspective that facial expressions are culture-specific. These differences were primarily in the relationships between the intensity levels of the external expressions and the internal experiences of the two people. The findings indicate that even when people share basic facial features, the ways they express their emotions differ according to the cultures in which they grew up.
Department of Speech Communication

This collection explores various aspects of Indonesian culture. From remote government settlements off the coast of Sumatra to the urbanized and commercial beaches of Bali, these stories take a look at the complexities, differences and adjustments felt by people of both the East and West. An attempt has been made to detail confusion, frustration, disorientation, struggles, prejudices, misunderstandings as well as epiphanies without Orientializing (to borrow Edward Said's term) various ways of life within the archipelago. To most fairly convey the intricacies and differences between the broad generalities of the two cultures, multiple voices and points of view are incorporated. Americans, a Scottish citizen, and of course, Indonesians are all given significant space here--displaying both intolerant and tolerant notions--in order to maintain the humanity and dignity of all cultures and worldviews involved.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The primary aim of the present study was to examine whether the culture of a society influences the way in which people justify certain aggressive behaviours in certain situations. A total of 756 students from Spain, Japan and South Africa participated in completing the CAMA, a measure of justification of aggression. The results showed that there were significant differences within the countries. There were differences in the levels of acceptance of certain acts between these countries. Further fmdings also indicated that there was a difference between the males of the countries and between the females of these countries. It was found that cultural influences and the norms within these countries bring about differences in justification of aggression in different situations. There were also some general trends of acceptance, with direct and indirect verbal acts e.g. sarcasm, hindering and shouting being more acceptable than physical acts such as hitting, killing and torture. It is hoped that the present findings of this research will make members of society more aware of their responsibility to help reduce aggressive acts by teaching and reinforcing norms against it. It is also hoped that the international community will gain better insight into the fact that South-Africa faces unique challenges because of the political and social changes in the country.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die primêre doel van die huidige studie was om vas te stelof 'n samelewing se kultuur 'n rol speel by die regverdiging van sekere aggressiewe gedrag in bepaalde omstandighede. 'n Totaal van 756 studente van Spanje, Japan en Suid Afrika het die CAMA vraelys voltooi. Die vraelys meet die regverdiging van aggressie in sekere omstandighede. Betekenisvolle verskille is tussen die lande gevind. Daar is ook betekenisvolle verskille tussen die mans van die drie lande asook tussen die vrouens van die drie lande gevind. Daar is gevind dat kulturele verskille en die norme binne 'n samelewing meebring dat daar verskille is in die mate waarin samelewings sekere aggressiewe gedrag aanvaarbaar vind in sekere situasies. Daar was ook 'n groter algemene aanvaarbaarheid van verbale aggressie bv. sarkasme, verhindering en skreeu as fisiese aggressie soos slaan, om dood te maak en marteling. Hopelik maak hierdie navorsing mense meer bewus van elkeen in die samelewing se verantwoordelikheid om die norme teen geweld te versterk asook om die norme aan hulle nageslagte oor te dra. Verder sal die internasionale gemeenskap hopelik beter insig kry oor die unieke uitdagings wat Suid-Afrika bied as gevolg van die politieke en sosiale veranderinge in die land.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Adolescents belonging to lower socio economic groups, seem to be at risk for teenage pregnancies as well as the contraction of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS. It is therefore important to study the sexual behaviour of these adolescents. This study focussed on the sexual behaviour of coloured and black female adolescents from working class communities. The respondents consisted of all the coloured and black female adolescents in a traditional coloured and a traditional black school in a semi-rural area. A self-administrative questionnaire was used. The questionnaire focussed on biographical details, the language adolescents use when they talk about sex as well as their sexual and contraceptive behaviour. The goals of the study were to describe the sexual behaviour of the black adolescents and to compare the sexual behaviour of the coloured and the black respondents. A quantitative methodology was used to examine the black respondents' range of sexual behaviour, communication about sex, sexual force and molestation as well as high risk sexual behaviour. According to the results a high percentage of black adolescents used Western and medical terms when they talk about sex. The sexually active black adolescents had coitus at an early age which could have implications for the incidence of teenage pregnancies and HIV/AIDS. A large percentage of the black adolescents indicated that they did not masturbate. Most of the black adolescents also indicated that they did not talk about sex with other people. A small percentage of the black adolescents reported that they were sexually molested or raped. A comparison with the coloured adolescents indicated that: more of the black adolescents reported that they had had coitus; more black adolescents reported pregnancies, more black respondents reported that they masturbated and fewer black adolescents reported that they smoked and used alcohol.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Adolessente wat aan laer sosio-ekonomtese graepe behaart, blyk 'n hoë risikagroep te wees vir tienerswangerskappe sawel as vir seksueel-aardraagbare siektes en MIV/VIGS. deel vorm. Dit is dus belangrik dat hierdie adalessente se seksuele gedrag nagevars ward. Hierdie studie het gefakus ap die seksuele gedrag van bruin en swart vroulike adolessente afkamstig uit werkersklas gemeenskappe. Die respandente het bestaan uit alle vroulike adolessente by 'n tradisianele bruin skaal en 'n tradisionele swart skaal in 'n semilandelike area. 'n Self-geadministreerde vraelys wat gefakus het ap biagrafiese gegewens, die taal wat adolessente gebruik wanneer hulle van seks praat asook seksuele en kantraseptiewe gedrag is in die studie gebruik. Die dael van die studie is eerstens om 'n beskrywing te bied van die swart adolessente se seksuele gedrag en tweedens om die seksuele gedrag van die bruin en swart adolessente met mekaar te vergelyk. "n Kwantitatiewe metadalagie is gebruik om die spektrum van seksuele gedrag, kommunikasie aar seks, seksuele dwang en malestering asook haë risiko seksuele gedrag van die swart respandente te ondersoek, Die resultate het daarop gedui dat "n graot persentasie van die swart adolessente gebruik maak van Westerse en mediese terme wanneer hulle van seks praat. Die aanvang van koïtus vir die seksueel aktiewe swart adolessente was ap "n vroeë ouderdom , wat implikasies kan hê vir die voorkoms van tienerswangerskappe en MIV/VIGS. 'n Graat persentasie van die swart adolessente het gerapparteer dat hulle nie masturbeer nie. Dit het verder geblyk dat hierdie graep swart adolessente selde verbaal aar seks kammunikeer met ander persone. "n Klein persentasie van die swart adolessente het qerapporteer dat hulle seksueel gemalesteer af verkrag is. "n Vergelyking met die bruin adolessente het aangedui dat meer swart adolessente kaitus gehad het, meer swart adalessente swangerskappe gerapparteer het, meer swart adalessente aangedui het dat hulle gemasturbeer het en dat minder swart adolessente raak en alkahalgebruik gerapparteer het.

The dominant emphasis in Western models of bereavement is on the breaking of bonds with the deceased in order for healing to occur. Failure to let go often leads to a diagnosis of 'pathological grief'. This paper challenges the assumption that death invariably means that the bonds with the deceased have to be severed. Situating Western models of bereavement in a modernist context not only challenges the 'truth' claims of these models, but also facilitates a deconstruction of the elements that contribute to the emphasis on letting go. In contrast to these theories, two Xhosa rituals (umkhapho and umbuyiso) that seek to sustain the bond with the deceased person will be examined. Such rituals demonstrate that it is possible to both maintain the bond and for the bereaved person to move on with their lives. Despite different contexts, it will be argued that these Xhosa bereavement rituals have a contribution to make to Western models of bereavement and some implications for therapy will be explored.

The purpose of this project was to examine the similarities and differences in magazine advertisements directed to women in China and Taiwan. Through content analysis of advertisments in these two countries, the researcher identified how women were portrayed and the social values or lifestyle attributed to them of each society.

Thesis (MPhil )--University of Stellenbosch, 2011.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates the differences in the communication styles of siSwati and American English speakers. Specifically, it investigates the realization patterns of the speech acts of request and greeting in siSwati, by native and non-native speakers of siSwati. It also investigates how these same speech acts are realised by the non-native speakers of siSwati in their first language, English. The participants were 10 Swazis and 10 American Peace Corps volunteers living in Swaziland, Southern Africa at the time this study was conducted. The data were collected by means of a questionnaire followed up with a semi-structured interview. The data were analysed using the framework of the Cross-cultural Speech Act Realization Project as developed by Blum- Kulka (1989). Common trends were noted in the realization of the two speech acts by native speakers and non-native speakers and conclusions were made based on the similarities and differences observed. Overall, the results suggest (i) that there are marked differences in the way in which American English speakers and Swazi people perform and interpret greetings and requests, and (ii) that such differences emanate from the different cultural orientation of the two groups of people. Since such differences sometimes lead to misunderstandings, there is evident need to make people aware of cultural differences in order for understanding and tolerance to prevail in cross-cultural interactions.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die verskille in die kommunikasiestyle van sprekers van siSwati en Amerikaanse Engels. Dit beskou spesifiek die realiseringspatrone van die taalhandelinge versoek en groet in siSwati, deur moedertaal- en nie-moedertaalsprekers van siSwati, en in Engels. Die deelnemers was 10 Swazis en 10 Amerikaanse Vredekorps-vrywilligers woonagtig in Swaziland, Suid-Afrika, ten tye van die studie. Die data is ingesamel deur middel van 'n vraelys wat opgevolg is deur 'n semi-gestruktureerde onderhoud. Die data is geanaliseervolgens die raamwerk van die Kruiskulturele Spraakhandeling-realiseringsprojek, soos voorgestel deur Blum-Kulka (1989). Algemene tendense is opgemerk in die realisering van die twee spraakhandelinge deur moedertaalsprekers en nie-moedertaalsprekers en afleidings is gemaak op grond van die waargenome verskille en ooreenkomste. Oor die algemeen dui die resultate op (i) duidelike verskille tussen die wyses waarop sprekers van Amerikaanse Engels en Swazis versoeke en groethandelinge uitvoer en interpreteer, en (ii) die verskillende kulturele oriënterings van die twee groepe as oorsprong van hierdie tipe verskille. Aangesien laasgenoemde dikwels aanleiding gee tot misverstand, is dit duidelik noodsaaklik dat mense bewus gemaak word van kulturele verskille ten einde begrip en verdraagsaamheid te laat hoogty vier tydens kruiskulturele interaksie.

Thesis (MPhil (Political Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die vraag wat in hierdie tesis aangespreek word, is hoe genderrolle in die samelewing geskep word. Die rol van die huwelik as sosiale instelling word in diepte bespreek en die funksionaliteit van die instelling word bevraagteken. Genderrolle in die samelewing word deur sosialiseringsagente gekonstrueer. Die sosialiseringsagente sal in hierdie tesis onder die loep geneem word en van nader beskou word. Die studie wou die tendens navors dat die samelewing tans as meer liberaal en nie-tradisioneel gesien word. Dit wil egter voorkom of hierdie skuif nie werklik in alle instellings plaasgevind het nie. Tradisionele waardes blyk steeds onderliggend aan sommige instellings in die samelewing te wees en ten grondslag te lê aan talle instellings. Die data vir hierdie studie is deur middel van kwantitatiewe asook kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodes verkry. Fokusgroepe is gebruik aangesien dit as die basis vir die vraelys en navorsing sou dien. Die vraelys sou dien om óf navorsing wat reeds bestaan te bevraagteken, óf om navorsing te bevestig. Vraelyste is of deur middel van ʼn ontmoeting aan respondente oorhandig of aan respondente wat deur middel van die ‘sneeubal’ effek verkry is, ge-e-pos. Die kriteria wat gebruik is vir die proefgroep was blanke Afrikaanssprekende Christelike studente aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch. Hierdie spesifieke groep is gekies aangesien hulle steeds as tradisioneel gesien kan word in teenstelling met studente wat in die algemeen as liberaal en vrydenkend gestereotipeer word. Die botsing van waardes is veral met die fokus op godsdiens ondersoek, en die impak van godsdiens op die huwelik is bestudeer. Die voltooide vraelyste is statisties verwerk deur gebruik te maak van STASTISTICA, ʼn elektroniese data-verwerkingsprogram. In hierdie tesis het sewe breë temas uit die vraelyste na vore gekom. Eerstens word die huwelik en die nukleêre gesin as belangrike asook noodsaaklike instellings in die samelewing gesien. Tweedens, word genderrolle in die samelewing gekonstrueer. Derdens, is geloof fundamenteel in die huwelik. Vierdens is die rol van die vrou in die huwelik om haar man te ondersteun. Die volgende tema wat beskou word, is dat Afrikaners as kultuurgroep steeds konserwatief is ten opsigte van hul keuse van ’n huweliksmaat, en dat hulle verkies om slegs vanuit hul kultuurgroep ’n huweliksmaat te kies. Sesdens beïnvloed die massamedia as sosialiseringsagent nie werklik persepsies van die huwelik nie, maar eerder seksualiteit. Laastens is ouers as sosialiseringsagente veral belangrik in terme van die rol van die vrou in ii die huwelik. Daar is slegs ten opsigte van persepsies oor seksualiteit, die huwelik asook die Afrikaner as kultuurgroep, ʼn beduidende statistiese verskil tussen manlike en vroulike respondente gevind. Uit die studie blyk dit dus dat genderrolle sosiaal deur die samelewing gekonstrueer word en dat sekere sosialiseringsagente die raamwerk bied waarin persepsies oor gender gevorm word. Die huwelik blyk steeds ʼn instelling te wees wat ʼn belangrike rol in die samelewing vervul. Die verdeling van arbeid in die huwelik blyk problematies te wees aangesien die toetrede van vroue tot die arbeidsmark, die nukleêre gesin beïnvloed en verander het. Uit die data wil dit voorkom asof ’n kontras bestaan tussen die nie-tradisonele waardes van die moderne samelewing en tradisionele idees wat steeds deur godsdiens ondersteun word.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The question addressed in this thesis is how gender roles in society are created and established. The role and function of marriage as a social institution is also discussed. Gender roles in society are socially constructed, and the socialisation agents responsible for this construction of values and norms are evaluated. The question, however, was derived from values in society that seem to adjust to more liberal and non-traditional ideas, especially regarding marriage and gender roles. However, even if perceptions are favourable toward a less traditional society, traditional ideas seem to form the basis of many social institutions. The research was conducted in both a quantitative and a qualitative manner. The reason for this is that each method fills a specific gap within research. Focus groups acted as the basis for the questionnaire and further research. The questionnaire acted as a method to either find support for or contradict existing research. Questionnaires were distributed in meetings with respondents, and respondents that emerged from the snowball method, were contacted via email. The sample consisted of white Afrikaans-speaking Christian students on Stellenbosch University campus who were chosen because of perceptions that students in general are liberal but Afrikaners as a cultural group are fairly traditional. The conflict between this group’s norms and perceptions about students in general was researched. The completed questionnaires were statistically analysed by using an electronic data analysis programme, STATISTICA. Seven broad themes emerged as the main findings in this thesis. First, marriage and the role of the nuclear family in society is a much needed social institution. Second, it became clear that gender in society is a socially constructed concept. Third, it became apparent that religion plays a major role as socialisation agent and fulfils a fundamental role within society. Fourth, the role of women in marriage was clearly seen as that of the supportive wife. Another theme indicated that that was investigated was that Afrikaners as a cultural group are still very traditional and conservative, especially with regards to whom they marry. It seems like Afrikaners still choose marriage partners from within their own cultural group. Sixth, the mass media also seem to be socialisation agents especially with regards to sexuality. Finally, parents as socialisation agents play a big role in forming perceptions, especially with regards to the role of women in society. The study also indicated that there were statistical differences between male and female respondents, but only with regards to sexuality, marriage and the Afrikaner as a cultural group. From the study one could thus argue that gender roles are socially constructed and that socialising agents provides the framework for perceptions with regards to gender. The role of marriage in society still seems very important. The division of labour in marriage seems problematic due to women’s increasing participation in the labour market. It influences the nuclear family on many levels. There appears to be a contradiction between modern society’s non-traditional values and the more traditional values regarding marriage and gender roles still supported by religion.

Guided by Ogbu's cultural-ecological model of human development, this comparative study offers a comprehensive and explicit way of conceptualizing and measuring parenting within the cultural context. Multiple hypotheses are generated for the cross-cultural comparison of parenting styles in Asian Americans and European Americans. The study uses the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health survey data collected from a nationally representative sample of adolescents from grades 7 to 11. Logistic regression, ordered logit, and OLS regression models are employed to analyze ethnicity effects on parenting characteristics and adolescent competencies separately, adding adolescent gender, age, and parent education level as statistical controls. This study explains why family-based and individual-based parenting styles are culturally appropriate for competence acquisition in Asian-American and European-American families respectively. Findings of this study suggest that Asian parenting is largely motivated by the welfare of the family rather than the individual's needs. This pattern is seen in the high emphasis on education, different parental control levels over various behavior domains, characteristics of parental warmth and school involvement, and the way parents approach their adolescents. Greatly influenced by their cultural values about competencies necessary for success, Asian-American parents apparently inculcate the sense of filial obligation in adolescents with an emphasis on school success. European-American parents, on the other hand, develop the quality of self-expression in adolescents with an emphasis on self-esteem. Family-based parenting may be more advantageous to academic and behavioral competencies while individual-based parenting is relatively more effective for psychological adjustments. However, adolescents from both groups score reasonably well over measures of all competence variables. Thus, they may be all considered competent within their cultural contexts, with their differences echoing the fundamental diversity between the two parenting styles. This study presents some challenges to the traditional way of understanding and judging Asian parenting. A more complete scientific understanding of Asian Parenting would be useful for explaining competence acquisition in Asian-American adolescents.
Graduation date: 2003

The importance of language and bilinguality in the development, perpetuation, and "degeneration" or change of culture is a central theme throughout this treatise. Original pictorial representations of Mayan hieroglyphic sculpture are included as examples, and represent artistic styles and language variations of written Cholan and Yucatec. Modern Cholan and Yucatecan languages are important in the decipherment of Mayan hieroglyphic writing, because these two languages were the languages of the ancient hieroglyphs. Bilinguality as a positive factor Is considered in the florescence and duration of the central lowland Mayan area. The impact of Spanish language on indigenous languages of Mesoamerica is traced from 1519 to the present. Special consideration and speculation is given to the role of Yucatec and Chol as "divine" non secular languages in the florescence of Mesoamerican cultures. This thesis is a continuation and development of undergraduate anthropologic field work undertaken in Mesoamerica during the 1970s.
Graduation date: 1994

M.A.
Family therapy is based on First World therapeutic methods and has been used effectively by therapists in that context. Literature (Mason & Rubenstein, 1989:39; Horton & Hunt, 1984:15) reveals that family therapy can also work well in the Third World "if it is not for the blacks but also of the blacks". Innovations are most readily accepted when they fit within the existing culture. These statements suggest that family therapy needs to be practised within the context of a particular culture. The purpose of this study is to establish and present guidelines for the implementation of family therapy in social work in Tsonga families. The study was conducted among social workers in the employment of welfare agencies that have been using family therapy with Tsonga people for three years or more in the Lowveld and Northern regions of the Northern Province. Twelve social workers were selected but only eight participated in the study. Semi-structured interview was used to gather data for the research. The research finding reveals that cultural consideration is essential when working with Tsonga people because they are still adherent to cultural practices. The findings provided a basis through which guidelines for use by social workers in family therapy with Tsonga people were established. The study presents the guidelines as recommendations to be considered when practising family therapy within Tsonga culture.

This study investigated the process of bereavement in the Xhosa, Zulu and Tswana cultures with participants including three cultural experts and a bereaved family from each ethnic group. Data was collected using semi – structured interviews mainly in the participants’ homes. Analysis was used by comparing and contrasting the information gathered. Empirical research findings revealed that the process in the African culture specifically in these three ethnic groups is different from the western culture as stated in the literature. The literature review findings show that the western culture’s processes of bereavement seem focused in the intrapersonal processes. However, the African Black cultures seem to be focused more on interpersonal processes of bereavement. Recommendations are made in the study on how a western trained Educational Psychologist can approach a bereaved client coming from these ethnic groups. Recommendations are also made for Educators and Parents.
Educational Studies
M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

CPE is Western in origin, it can be transplanted and adapted to the Igbo soil and be fedb with the local nutrients. In the view of the researcher, this can bring about a new CPE model which is called the "Family/Community-Based CPE Model." The above mentioned model puts the family and community at the center of the CPE program. The CPE center will be located in a community-based setting that will enable the CPE students to visit different families and experience community life and to learn how the people respond to different events in their lives. The students can also visit ceremonies that give meaning to the people's lives such as marriage, naming, funerals and other events through which the people express their communal life. Inter-professional collaboration can take place between the CPE center and different professionals, as well as the local practitioners. All these experiences will form part of the verbatim reports and reflections during the program. The already existing actionreflection- action model of CPE will be remodeled to be theory-observation-action-reflection. It is this CPE model that the researcher proposes for the Igbo society.
Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

Whereas there has been much interest amongst anthropologists in the West in studying diseases such as Type II Diabetes Mellitus, there appears to be a paucity of local anthropological studies that analyse the social and cultural dimensions of this disease. In this country, according to the South African Diabetes Association, this disease is most prevalent in the South African Indian population. This study focuses on the South African Indian community in the suburb of Reservoir Hills, Durban, and examines socio-cultural issues around diabetes. Previous research conducted overseas has demonstrated a strong link: between rapid socio-economic changes that affect diet and lifestyle, and increases in the incidence of this disease among particular communities. This dissertation represents an attempt to: 1. Document salient features of the lifestyle, food beliefs and habits of the Indian population. 2. Discuss significant changes in lifestyle and diet that may have contributed to the rise of this disease among the Indian population. 3. Through an analysis of common discourse, analyse and record the thoughts and feelings of research participants regarding the disease and the manner in which they cope with diabetes. Case studies are used to support the author's arguments and an attempt is made to use the research findings to identify ways for community members to better cope with the disease. A number of suggestions and recommendations from medical experts with an interest in diet and lifestyle on prevention and management of diabetes are included in the study. The author argues that a few relatively simple lifestyle/diet changes may have the effect of lowering the high incidence of diabetes in the South African Indian population.
Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2001.

The study was conducted with the aim of assessing the Saudi Arabian cultural knowledge among the non-Muslim nurses. These nurses work in the obstetric units at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Jeddah and come from different cultural groups and are caring for the Saudi Arabian Muslim women. In order for care to be congruent, comprehensive and of a high quality, the patients' needs should be met at the best attainable level. Nurses in all health care settings are expected to demonstrate knowledge of the culture that they serve in order to eliminate barriers. Data analysis was facilitated with the use of the SPSS 11.5 computer program. The study findings may suggest the development of educational guidelines, which will direct the activities of an educational intervention.
Health Studies
M.A. (Health Studies))

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe contributing factors that influence the perceptions of women with fibroids from diverse cultures regarding hysterectomy. The area of research was delimited to issues of hysterectomy among women with fibroid uterus. The study employed a descriptive explorative method and data were collected by means of structured questionnaires. The study was conducted in one academic referral hospital, over a period of six months. The respondents were the patients with fibroid uterus and the doctors and nurses in the gynaecological units of the hospital. The majority of the patients indicated that they were afraid of undergoing a hysterectomy because of the social stigma associated with this life-saving procedure, such as alienation or marginalization by members of their respective communities. The nursing staff and gynaecologists in the unit emphasized the deep-seated fear of hysterectomy amongst women from diverse cultures. The study found that women need information about their bodies and how they function. Health education is also needed for women and their communities. Research is needed amongst members of different communities and diverse cultures to voice their perceptions of women undergoing hysterectomy because of ill health.
Health Studies
M.A. (Health studies)

The research study focused on the integrating of indigenous African knowledge systems in teaching and learning at the Catholic University of Zimbabwe. The curriculum of the Catholic University of Zimbabwe offers a number of degree courses. The study sets out to address the problem with the curriculum of the Catholic University of Zimbabwe, namely, that it is to a large extent dominated by Western knowledge and gives little priority to indigenous African knowledge systems. The majority of the courses offered at the CUZ are Eurocentric in nature and give little regard to the indigenous African knowledge systems. The study was undergirded by the Afrocentric theory which focuses on giving the African world view in terms of knowledge. The research study was informed by the constructivist paradigm which focuses on how individuals analyse and construct meanings of social situations. The research approach is qualitative in nature that means it is based on social interpretation and not numerical analysis of data. The data in the study was generated through face-to-face interviews, focus group discussion and document analysis. The data was presented under different themes. The study found out that they are few courses in the CUZ curriculum which include IAKS. Most of the knowledge and theories in the courses offered at the Catholic University of Zimbabwe curriculum are Western oriented. The knowledge in most of the courses is reminiscent of the colonial education system and gives no regard to indigenous African knowledge systems. The recommendation is for the inclusion of indigenous African Knowledge systems in the CUZ curriculum.
Educational Foundations
D. Ed. (Philosophy of Education)

Text in English
This study investigates the nature of spiritual intelligence and its link to ethnic identity, and gauges the difference across the main ethnic groups in Mauritius. A new scale, the Multicultural Spiritual Intelligence Scale (MSIS) was proposed, using the following six dimensions: self-awareness, transcendental awareness, levels of consciousness, the quest for meaning, sensitivity, and resilience. The MSIS was developed and tested using a cross-sectional survey research design with the option of completing a paper or online version, administered to a sample of 1,177 adult participants in Mauritius. This research looked at the three major ethnic groups in Mauritius: Hindu-Mauritians, Creole-Mauritians, and Muslim-Mauritians, and examined their conceptions of spiritual intelligence and ethnic identification. A factor analysis was conducted on the scale and five specific factors: self-mastery, transcendental awareness, spiritual sensitivity, resilience, and the existential quest. These factors emerged with factor loadings greater than 0.35. The MSIS’s construct validity was tested with other similar scales, particularly Meaning in Life (MLQ) (Steger et al., 2006), the Connor-Davison Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) (Connor & Davidson, 2011), Private Self-Consciousness (PSC) (Scheir & Carver, 1985), and New Indices of Religious Orientation (NIRO) (Francis, 2007). The Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding (BIDR) (Paulhus, 1991) was also included to check for social desirable responses and MSIS’s divergent validity. A Welch ANOVA revealed a statistical difference in spiritual intelligence among the ethnic groups: Welch’s F (2, 639.98) = 3.923. Spearman’s rank order correlation revealed that ethnic identification was connected to spiritual intelligence: rs (98) = 0.52, p < 0.0005. A Games-Howell post-hoc analysis indicated a statistically significant mean difference between Muslim-Mauritians and Hindu Mauritians (0.27, 95% CI [0.083, 0.45]) and between Muslim-Mauritians and Creole Mauritians (0.44, 95% CI [0.25, 0.62]). The Muslim-Mauritians obtained the highest score in both ethnic exploration and ethnic commitment. Ethnic identification implied a prior quest for identity, which was connected with spiritual development. A second study was conducted on a sample of 303 participants using a shorter version of MSIS to confirm the five-factor model. Implications for further research include analysing the MSIS in terms of other constructs and using the MSIS with other minority groups in Mauritius.
Psychology
D.Litt et Phil. (Psychology)