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Item A phenomenological thematic analysis of dreams after a near-death experience : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Psychology at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand(Massey University, 2025) Brough, NicholasDreams are subjective conscious states influenced by waking emotional events. For some people on the brink of death, a subjective near-death experience (NDE) is activated potentially giving a glimpse into disembodied and altered consciousness. Interviews with 10 participants who had NDEs were conducted to record phenomenological lived experiences of dreaming. Thematic analysis was utilised to arrange reports into four global themes: ‘Dreams are Teachers’ revealed how NDEs altered attitudes and beliefs about the value of information in dreams which had practical implications for solving waking problems, creativity, and exploring who one is and why they are here. ‘Suspended Dream Time’ draws on how dreams contain memories of past lives and provide insight into the future. The subjective nature of an NDE also impacts interactions within dreams. ‘The Conscious States of Dreaming’ illustrates how participants experienced their bodies and minds when connecting with dream content and the functions this served. The subjective consciousness of an NDE also influenced notions of reality which found expression in dreams. ‘Dreams are More Memorable’ captured how dreams became more vivid and emotional since returning from the threshold of death. These are then compared with relevant findings from other studies.Item Conversing and conforming : small business owners’ lived experiences of family communication patterns in their youth : a reflexive thematic analysis : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Business Studies in Communication at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand(Massey University, 2024) Fordyce, NataliaSmall businesses are critical to the healthy functioning of the New Zealand economy. Due to the scale of these businesses, owners are typically heavily involved in the operations of their business. There is significant value in understanding the lived experiences of small New Zealand business owners during their formative years, as this contributes greatly to how they perceive and interact with the world today. However, limited research to date has been concerned with the childhood experiences of small business owners, and even less exists in a New Zealand context. Using Family Communication Patterns (FCP) theory, this study aims to address this gap by asking how the family communication patterns experienced in early life may have impacted on the lived experiences of small New Zealand business owners. Taking a qualitative approach to this often quantitatively geared theory, a phenomenological theoretical framework was engaged while using reflexive thematic analysis (RTA) to explore the lived experiences of eight small business owners. These business owners live and were raised in New Zealand, and now own businesses of less than 20 staff, placing this study in a uniquely New Zealand context. Through enacting RTA, six themes were generated from the small business owners’ experiences: (1) Independence from an Early Age, (2) Religiosity and Associated Values, (3) Nuanced Family Dynamics, (4) Conforming to Authority, (5) New Zealand: An Emotionally Guarded Culture, and (6) Rejecting or Emulating Family Practices. The findings depict the lived experiences of small business owners to be characterised by independence from an early age, which is tied into resilience built from overcoming adversity, as well as problem solving and self-efficacy. Also indicated in the findings is the important grounding of religiously oriented family communication, as well as the culturally situated discomfort individuals feel disclosing their feelings and emotions. Finally, it is evident that childhood experiences of family communication continue to have a great impact in the lives of the small business owners today.Item Exploring young women's vegan experiences in Aotearoa : "[E]verything apart from white men is under threat…" : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the degree of Master of Science in Psychology at Massey University, Albany, Aotearoa New Zealand(Massey University, 2023) Markert, SarahIn the last ten years, veganism has transformed from a fringe social justice movement into something akin to a trendy lifestyle choice. Across the Western world, young women are its most likely followers. To explore this shift, this study sought to understand how young vegan women negotiate being vegan among mainstream norms and pressures in Aotearoa New Zealand. It looked to see how young women's vegan experiences intersected with veganism as a social justice movement. The role of social media platforms was also investigated. Assuming a critical feminist standpoint, narrative discursive analytics were applied to the narratives of eight self‐identifying vegan women. Their narratives exhibited high levels of stigma, requiring active management against mainstream norms. In part, neoliberal and postfeminist contexts shaped the women's negotiation of veganism, interpellating them into regimes that positioned health as an individualised responsibility. Concurrently, veganism was a significant source of meaning‐making that touched on such spheres as knowledge production, spirituality, and multiple, intersecting oppressions. Overall, my analysis emphasises that young vegan women today occupy a space in which veganism represents more than a diet and yet, they remain constrained by grander socio‐cultural, pollical, and historical scripts, curbing radical political potential.