Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Gender Differences In Adolescents' Autobiographical Narratives, Robyn Fivush, Jennifer G. Bohanek, Widaad Zaman, Sally Grapin

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

In this study, the authors examined gender differences in narratives of positive and negative life experiences during middle adolescence, a critical period for the development of identity and a life narrative (Habermas & Bluck, 2000; McAdams, 2001). Examining a wider variety of narrative meaning-making devices than previous research, they found that 13- to 16-year old racially and economically diverse females told more elaborated, coherent, reflective, and agentic narratives than did adolescent males. There were surprisingly few differences between narratives of positive and negative events. These findings replicate and extend previous findings of gender differences in autobiographical narratives in early childhood …

The Avoidance Of Race: White Teachers’ Racial Identities In Alternative Teacher Education Programs And Urban Under-Resourced Schools, Kelley Marie Mccann Miller

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

Due to the lack of research on White teacher racial identity development and White graduates of alternative teacher education programs teaching in urban under-resourced schools, this study aimed to: examine how White graduates of alternative teacher education programs perceive race and racism in their urban under-resourced schools, explore the impact of their alternative teacher education programs on their racial identities, and evaluate their abilities to deepen their racial identities in the context of their urban under-resourced schools. Critical examination and analysis of the experiences of White teachers, through the lenses of Critical Race Theory, Critical White Studies, and Howard’s Racial …

Enacting Occupation And Identity: Perspectives Of Children And Their Parents, Shanon K. Phelan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Children with disabilities are at risk for limited opportunities to engage in childhood occupations. Occupation is defined broadly as everything people need, want, or are obliged to do, and as understanding how social dimensions shape occupations and opportunities for participation. Emergent literature suggests that identities are shaped by what we do. This research examines how occupation is implicated in the shaping of identities for school-aged children with physical disabilities in light of the socio-cultural dimensions that shape opportunities for children to participate in childhood occupations.

This work is comprised of five integrated manuscripts, in addition to introduction, methodology, and …

"Nevermericans?": How Communication Issues Shape The Perceptions Of Self And The Perceptions Of American Identity Among The International Students, Lyudmyla Pustelnyk

Masters Theses

This study of Intercultural communication and identity uses Cultural Contracts theory and Narrative theory to explore how international students communicate about their understanding of self (identity) and how this understanding is influenced and changes during their studies in the United States. Research participants who have, or are currently studying in the U.S., from Eastern and Central European countries were interviewed about their communication experiences while in the U.S., resulting in different expressions of identity - in-between identity, feeling Americanized, global citizen, and crystallization of native identity - which developed as the result of their U.S. university studies. Their narratives also …

The Journey To Peace And Healing: Discovering Identity Through Culture, Tradition, And Indigenous Knowledege, Vanessa Baíz Soto

Ethnic Studies

An accurate account of U.S. history is that of imperialism and colonization that includes the systematic extermination of indigenous populations, development of capitalism supported by slavery, and the exploitation of labor of oppressed populations, all supported by racist ideologies and practices. These ideologies and practices have been perpetuated and continue to plague the current state of colonized peoples. History has perpetuated itself and colonized peoples remain in a state of siege in which identities have been lost and cultures, traditions, and knowledge appropriated—all contributing to the loss of peace and balance within our lives and communities. This has been my …

The Politics Of Sex: Analyzing The Relationship Between The State And Gender Identity And Desire, Rachel Mayer

Honors Theses

The disenfranchised experiences of women are central to feminist understandings of identity. Crucial to this understanding is the question of what is the cause of female oppression and how to remedy the situation. This introduces the concept of state power and its relationship to women. The state, as the seat of legal and political power, has the ability to serve as both protector and oppressor. The thesis is devoted to exploring feminist perspectives and critiques on state power such as arguments for state intervention in the protection of women through concrete action such as gender-specific laws. Opposing this view is …

The Abaya: Fashion, Religion, And Identity In A Globalized World, Elizabeth D. Shimek

Lawrence University Honors Projects

The abaya is a traditional robe worn by women in the Arab Gulf states as both a symbol of national identity and as a part of Islamic veiling customs. Over the last twenty years, partly due to exposure to Western couture fashion, the abaya has changed from a plain, voluminous black robe to a unique signifier of personal taste through variations in fabrics, cuts, colors, and detailing. This study explores both the physical and symbolic changes the abaya (and the industry surrounding it) has undergone, as well as how these changes both reflect and provoke the conflicts in identity residents …

Me, Myself, & Identity Online: Identity Salience On Facebook Vs Non-Virtual Identity, Nathalie N. Delise

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Many Social Networking Sites have come and gone over the past decade, but Facebook continues to grow in popularity. Facebook is designed to connect people to one another through virtual networks of “friends” where members participate in the presentation of self virtually- through profile creation, maintenance, and exchanges of content. Social Networking Sites create a location for identity formation and projection that is similar, yet distinct, from face-to-face interactions. Facebook offers a unique avenue for people to control their presentation of self, while maintaining reflexive features. This study this study explores the notion of a particular “Facebook role” while specifically …

Theories Of Culture, Identity, And Ethnomusicology: A Synthesis Of Popular Music, Cultural, And Communication Studies, Alyssa Santos

Communication Studies

No abstract provided.

Thyroid Autoimmunity: Lived Experiences Of Identity And Community Through Word And Image, Ivy C. Wagner

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Internal and external environments influence holistic well-being as humans live in a constant cycle of self and other regulation. When this process is misguided and the body does not distinguish between what is self and what is not self, it begins to destroy its own bodies' healthy tissue. Autoimmune diseases affect 5-10% of the developed world's populations. When the 80+ autoimmune diseases are combined together, they are the one of the 10 leading causes of death of women under the age of 65. There is no known cure for any autoimmune disease and few studies have been conducted on the …

Shouldering A Silent Burden: The Toll Of Dirty Tasks, Benjamin E. Baran, Steven G. Rogelberg, Erika Carello Lopina, Joseph A. Allen, Christiane Spitzmüller, Mindy Bergman

Psychology Faculty Publications

Dirty work involves tasks that are stigmatized owing to characteristics that the public finds disgusting, degrading, or objectionable. Conservation of resources theory suggests such experiences should induce strain and decreased work satisfaction; social identity theory suggests such work should lead to strong psychological investment in the work, among other outcomes. Integrating these two perspectives, this study hypothesizes and presents quantitative evidence from 499 animal-shelter workers, demonstrating how dirty-work engagement relates to higher levels of strain, job involvement, and reluctance to discuss work while negatively influencing work satisfaction. Additionally, this study takes a unique perspective on dirty work by focusing on …

Defined By What We Are Not: The Role Of Anti-Catholicism In The Formation Of Early American Identity, Brandi Hatfield Marchant

Masters Theses

From the colonial era through the mid-nineteenth century, anti-Catholicism colored key points of development in America's early history. Amidst the English colonial experience, the Revolution and establishment of the republic, and the educational reform efforts of the nineteenth-century, anti-Catholicism emerged as a fundamental factor in the development of America's characteristically Protestant political and religious identity. While many studies of early American anti-Catholicism focus on one region or time period, drawing connections across geographic boundaries and constructed historical periods attests to the sentiment's pervasive and enduring influence. While this sentiment varied in intensity throughout America over time, its presence profoundly shaped …

Deciphering A Duality: Understanding Conflicting Standards In Sex & Violence Censorship In U.S. Obscenity Law, Rushabh P. Bhakta

Political Science Honors Projects

This research examines the division in US obscenity law that enables strict sex censorship while overlooking violence. By investigating the social and legal development of obscenity in US culture, I argue that the contemporary duality in obscenity censorship standards arose from a family of forces consisting of faith, economy, and identity in early American history. While sexuality ingrained itself in American culture as a commodity in need of regulation, violence was decentralized from the state and proliferated. This phenomenon led to a prioritization of suppressing sexual speech over violent speech. This paper traces the emergence this duality and its source.

Theology Of Global Citizenship: Belonging Beyond Boundaries, God Within Boundaries, Jisoo Hong

Political Science Honors Projects

Though creating identity and belongingness under the sovereign requires an enclosure by boundaries, the very act of drawing boundaries imposes inevitable challenges. The limitations of the Westphalian system based on territorial boundaries are becoming more tangible with transnational flows threatening individual’s sense of belonging and the state’s exercise of sovereignty. Global citizenship is suggested as a possible “solution” transcending these arbitrarily drawn boundaries. Nonetheless, my political theological examination concludes that global citizenship is yet another translation of the human beings’ old wish for belonging to, protection from, and unity under a “god,” albeit with new boundaries that differentiate us from …

Insurrectionary Womanliness: Gender And The (Boxing) Ring, Melanie Joy Mcnaughton

The Qualitative Report

Integrating sociological theory on sport with Judith Butler’s concept of insurrectionary speech, the author explores why and how womanliness is produced and problematized. In particular, this article investigates how participating in combat sport violates conventional womanliness by foregrounding physical capability and aggression. Using her identity as a female fighter as a starting point to engage the cultural construction of womanliness, the author connects a critical/cultural look at gender and sport with autoethnography.

Reflexivity And Normative Change, Karin Garrety

Karin Garrety

Normative change programs - that is, programs that attempt to effect organisational change through altering employees’ beliefs, values, emotions and self-perceptions - have been heralded by some as the royal road to corporate ‘excellence’. Academic literature on the phenomenon, however, is pervaded by a sense of unease. Critics claim that these programs invade employees’ subjectivity, and erode their autonomy and capacity for critical thought. In this paper, I employ concepts from the work of George Herbert Mead and Rom Harré to explore the reflexive processes of managers subjected to a normative change program that was carried out in an Australian …

The Narrative Reconstruction Of Psychotherapy And Psychological Health, Jonathan Adler, Lauren Skalina, Dan Mcadams

Jonathan M. Adler

When people complete psychotherapy, they carry the story of the experience with them. This retrospective reconstruction serves several psychological purposes, including contributing to narrative identity and influencing the maintenance of therapeutic gains after termination. Based on a prior qualitative investigation of therapy narratives (Adler & McAdams, 2007a), a new sample of 104 former clients wrote about their psychotherapy after treatment end. Quantitative analyses indicated that the retrospective narratives of participants high in subjective well-being focused on the protagonist's agency in struggling with a discrete problem. In addition, the narratives of participants high in ego development described a coherent story of …

How I Was Saved: Christian Faith Narratives In Contemporary Society, Allison Berg

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Recent studies indicate that Christian membership numbers have declined in the last few decades. At the same time, polls record that Americans are becoming more religiously diverse. Some scholars suggest that these changes in American society are also leading to changes in the ways that Christians talk about their faith. Since Christian theology and tradition demands that Christians continue to share their faith with others, it is necessary to understand the ways that Christians talk about their faith today. Of interest to this study are faith narratives: stories about one's faith journey and experiences. Through sharing stories about their faith …

Mother: A Textual Analysis Of Contemporary Mother Identities In Popular Discourse, Katherine Mayer

Master's Theses (2009 -)

For centuries, women have struggled to understand the meaning of one of their most important roles in society, mother. Internet discussion boards have become an important venue for women to participate in ongoing discussions about the role of mothering in contemporary society and serve as a means by which they are actively shaping society's understanding of the role of mothers.

A textual analysis of a popular mothering discussion board yielded two dominate mothering identities, tensions that exist for each mothering type and how mothers resolve those tensions through the mothering discourse. The study ultimately revealed the ways in which the …

Religiosity, Identity, And Depression In Late Adolescence: A Longitudinal Study, Erin Sandler

Honors Theses and Capstones

In this study, longitudinal associations among religiosity, identity style, identity commitment, and depression were examined in a sample of late adolescents. Online survey data were collected in two waves with an approximate six-week interval. Correlations demonstrated that high levels of negative aspects of religiosity, such as negative religious coping, predicted high levels of depression. Other aspects of religiosity, such as positive religious coping, did not predict depression. In addition, high levels of diffuse-avoidant identity style predicted high levels of depression, and high levels of identity commitment predicted low levels of depression. However, when a regression was performed with all the …

National Identity And The Education Of Immigrant Youth In Spain, Kathleen C. Mautner

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis examines the present-day educational policies enacted by Spain in response to the country’s growing immigrant populations, specifically by comparing the policies implemented in two of Spain’s distinct autonomies. The thesis ultimately argues that the regions’ differing conceptualizations of national identity and their distinct relationships to the central Spanish state play a fundamental role in their motivations to enact comprehensive and effective policies that promote immigrants’ educational and social success.

Korean Americans And Multiculturalism: Beyond The Demographics, Gabrielle Kim

Global Tides

Samuel P. Huntington and the theory of the political good claim that any interactions between different religious and ethnic groups will bring about conflict. Therefore, “multiculturalism” only connotes the existence of more than one culture, with no hybridization between them. However, with increasing globalization and migration, it is becoming more difficult for a state to maintain one political identity. Through the example of Koreans in America and Korean-Americans, it will be shown that multiculturalism is not just a source of conflict, but actually connotes the harmonious combination of multiple cultures in one entity, becoming an identity itself.

Hbcus As Sites Of Resistance: The Malignity Of Materialism, Western Masculinity, And Spiritual Malefaction, Ty-Ron M. O. Douglas Ph.D.

Ty-Ron M. O. Douglas, Ph.D.

In this paper, the author challenges stakeholders (i.e., administrators, educators, students) of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to examine how HBCUs can continue to serve as sites of resistance against the prevailing cultural norms of materialism, Western masculinity, and spiritual malefaction. The author traces his evaluation back to the crucible of the civil rights movement and the 'iconization' of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., asserting that HBCUs must be intentional about accounting for the cultural and generational shifts in the Black community in order to continue to effectively produce students who are committed to service and social justice. Drawing …

Articulating Identity In And Through Maine's North Woods, Karen Hutchins, Nathan Stromer

Publications

Land-use changes can interrupt relationships to place, threaten community identity, and prompt instability, altering the social and physical context and impacting the present and future state of the social–ecological system. Approaches that map system changes are needed to understand the effects of natural resource decisions and human–nature interactions. In this article, we merge theories of articulation, the event, and symbolic territory into a critical framework to analyze online newspaper article responses and blogs referencing a land-use controversy in the State of Maine, USA. Application of this framework reveals land-use controversies as place-making events that alter contexts and sense of place, …

Gender Identity, Ethnic Identity, And Smoking Among First Nations Adolescents, Lorraine Greaves, Joy Johnson, Annie Qu, Chizimuzo T.C. Okoli, Natalie Hemsing, Lucy Barney

Nursing Faculty Publications

Smoking rates among Aboriginal adolescents are the highest of any population group in British Columbia, Canada. Recent studies suggest that substance use is affected by gender and ethnic identity among youth. The purpose of our study was to explore the association of gender and ethnic identity with smoking behaviour among First Nations adolescents. This study is based on a convenience sample (i.e., an on-hand, readily available sample) of 124 youth (123 First Nations and 1 Métis) recruited at youth drop-in centres, health fairs, and cultural activities. We obtained information on demographics, smoking history, Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI), composite measure …

The Effect Of Perceived Expectations Of Alcohol Use And College Life On Freshmen’S Drinking Behaviors, Katherine Novak

Katherine B. Novak

Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Sociological Society, Minneapolis, MN, March 29-April 1, 2012.

Race, Ethnicity, And Exclusion In Group Identity, Rochelle Milne Burnaford

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The current project investigates exclusion in terms of racial/ethnic identity and group behavioral norms. Research concerning the "black sheep effect" evidences the tendency for group members to derogate a fellow in-group member who has violated an important social norm (Marques, Yzerbyt, & Leyens, 1988). Similarly, Oyserman's (2007) model of identity-based motivation argues that any group identity can shape behavior through a process of identity infusion such that group members are motivated to behave in ways that are in-group identity-infused and equally avoid behaviors that are out-group identity-infused. Finally, identity misclassification research provides evidence that individuals feel threatened by the notion …

Intersectionality Of Ethno-Cultural Identities And Construal Of Distant Suffering Outgroups, Marek Palasinski, Jackie Abell, Mark Levine

The Qualitative Report

In this paper, we explore how white Catholic men talk about the indirect dilemma of non-intervention for black ethnic outgroups. We illustrate how they mobilise global categorisation (all humanity) and use various forms of denial to deal with their non-involvement. Having analyzed representative fragments of their prejudice avoidance talk, we conclude with some observation about the strategic deployment of categories and denial forms as part of identity management talk. In contrast to quantitative research that oversimplifies the ingroup-outgroup distinction, we show how the status and outgroupness levels of the needy appear to be both flexible and intricate, which depends on …

Exploring Identity Within The Recovery Process Of People With Serious Mental Illnesses, Kellie Buckley-Walker, Trevor P. Crowe, Peter Caputi

Trevor Crowe

Objective: To examine self-identity within the recovery processes of people with serious mental illnesses using a repertory grid methodology. Method: Cross-sectional study involving 40 mental health service consumers. Participants rated different "self" and "other" elements on the repertory grid against Constructs related to recovery, as well as other recovery focused measures. Results: Perceptions of one's "ideal self" represented more advanced recovery in contrast to perceptions of "a person mentally unwell." Current perceptions of self were most similar to perceptions of "usual self" and least similar to "a Person who is mentally unwell." Increased identification with one's "ideal self" reflected increased …

How Different Is Different? Investigating Criteria For Different Identity Judgments, Harold C. Hill, Michelle Corcoran, Peter Claes, John Clement

Harold Hill

Any face seen for the first time will have a closet neighbour in memory. In order to avoid false alarms, we must be able to distinguish similar from identical faces. Work is reported investigating same/different judgments as a function difference in three dimensional shape defined in terms of standard deviation in a principal component based face space. The aim is to determine the criterion difference below which observers respond “same”. A threshold corresponding to a dprime of 1 was also calculated. Both were first measured under three conditions – same view images, different view images and animated images of the …