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Item The everyday conduct of inter-ethnic marriages in Indonesia : participants navigating points of tension and cultivating harmony through adaptive socio-cultural practices : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand(Massey University, 2022) Yulianto, Jony EkoInter-ethnic marriages are a pressing issue in many culturally diverse countries. In Indonesia, inter-ethnic marriages comprise approximately 11% of all marriages. Researchers have predicted that this number will increase due to increasingly positive public perceptions of inter-ethnic marriages among younger generations of Indonesians. However, more research is needed to deepen present understandings of the everyday conduct of such unions. This thesis explores the dynamic inter-cultural, relational, spatial and material dimensions of the everyday conduct of 10 inter-ethnic marriages between Javanese and Chinese persons in East Java, Indonesia. Particular attention is paid to how couples navigate points of inter-cultural tension in their shared efforts to realise harmony in their marriages. This is done through adaptive socio-cultural practices. I also consider how inter-ethnic marriages can function as encounter spaces within which people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds come together to cultivate shared and culturally hybrid lives that draw from the cultural traditions of both partners. This thesis is based around three international publications. The first article conceptualises inter-ethnic marriages as third spaces for inter-cultural re-assemblage. I document the use of various agentive social practices that enable participants to combine key elements of Javanese and Chinese Indonesian cultural assemblages within their inter-ethnic marriages. The second article explores how inter-cultural tensions in the conduct of inter-ethnic marriages are managed by participants through often mundane social practices that contribute to the socio-cultural construction of various locales, across which couples forge their lives together. The third article documents how money, related objects, and practices are often implicated in the inter-cultural relational dynamics, tensions and culturally hybrid practices that emerge when persons from different cultural backgrounds cooperate to forge new lives together. Overall, this thesis contributes to the psychology of inter-ethnic marriages by offering new insights into the ways in which Javanese and Chinese Indonesians conduct their everyday lives together. In particular, this thesis highlights the centrality of approaching inter-ethnic marriages between Javanese and Chinese Indonesians as an intimate and socio-structural process that needs to be understood within the broader context of historical inter-group relations. Accordingly, this research bridges the gap between local experiences of conducting inter-ethnic marriages and broader societal shifts in terms of how members of Javanese and Chinese cultural groups can strive agentively to cultivate more harmonious lives together.Item Effects of stressor congruence with sociotropy-autonomy using a mood induction procedure: a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Psychology at Massey University(Massey University, 1994) Jensen, Emma JaneAaron Beck's cognitive theory of depression suggests that depression results from the activation of underlying dysfunctional attitudes, by a congruent stressor. To test the notion of congruence, thirty-five male and sixty-one female university students were classified as sociotropic or autonomous using the Sociotropy Autonomy scale. These subjects took part in a Velten Mood Induction procedure, in which half of the subjects received a congruent negative mood induction, and the other half received an incongruent negative mood induction. The dependent variables of interest were measures of negative affect and of dysfunctional thinking. Although both congruent and incongruent inductions led to an increase in negative affect and in dysfunctional thinking, the most significant increases were observed for the congruent group.Item Healing from the horror of war : a study of a post-conflict psychosocial program for refugees in Uganda : a research report presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of International Development at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand(Massey University, 2018) Manson, TimUganda, a landlocked African nation of 41 million people, currently hosts 1.1 million refugees from surrounding nations including South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. Many of these refugees have suffered significant psychological trauma as a result of their conflict experiences and through the process of fleeing from their homes and communities. Tutapona is a non-profit organisation that provides group based psychosocial trauma rehabilitation support among war affected populations. This research report examines the effectiveness of the ‘Grow’ program at empowering refugees. The study was carried out in Rwamwanja Refugee Settlement in Western Uganda, which is home to 64,000 people from the DRC. Four refugees who had attended Tutapona’s Grow program were interviewed in depth about their experience and subsequent decisions to ascertain the extent to which empowerment had taken place. The research report concludes that Tutapona’s Grow program has achieved a high degree of success at empowering refugees, especially on the individual and relational levels. More broadly, it suggests that psychosocial interventions in post- conflict settings should be more highly prioritized by humanitarian and development actors.Item Does suspicion of motives mediate the relationship between social exclusion and smile discrimination? : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Psychology at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand(Massey University, 2017) Thacker, Melanie J.Individuals who are socially excluded or suspicious of other’s motives show increased sensitivity to social cues signalling positive affect. Facial expressions such as smiles are cues that signal affiliative intent. They may occur in the presence or absence of positive felt emotion, creating uncertainty for perceivers about affiliative motives underlying the expression. Excluded or suspicious individuals are better able to determine authenticity of such expressions and use the information to guide their social interactions with others. Despite shared theoretical frameworks, no research has examined a potential relationship between social exclusion and suspicion of motives themselves. Sample frames used have also lacked cultural diversity, inhibiting ability to generalise findings beyond Western European or American populations. The current study seeks to address both issues. This study predicted that feelings of social exclusion would make a person more suspicious of others’ social motives and that changes in levels of suspicion would mediate the relationship between a person’s feelings of exclusion and their ability to differentiate the social content of smiles. One hundred and eleven students of East and Southeast Asian origin, aged 18 to 50 years, were recruited to participate in the study from Massey University in Palmerston North, New Zealand. They completed an online survey where they were randomly assigned to one of two experimental social pain conditions (exclusion or inclusion). Cyberball was used to manipulate feelings of social pain, before participants were administered the Suspicion of Motive Index, a smile discrimination task, and the Needs Threat Scale. Results indicated that Cyberball reliably elicited feelings of exclusion and inclusion but found no significant evidence to support the hypothesised relationships between social exclusion, suspicion of motive and smile discrimination. The findings indicate that effects measured in previous research cannot be generalised to the present sample frame in the New Zealand context. The current study raises questions about the theoretical and methodological universality of the constructs and how they may be influenced by underlying cultural differences in intergroup relations, situational context, emotion expression, perception and recognition.Item Social cognition and mood: relationships between depression, self-esteem, and evaluations of other people : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in psychology, Massey University(Massey University, 1990) Conway, LesThis study examined the relationships between depression, self-esteem, and evaluations of other people. Three major hypotheses were addressed. The first hypothesis involves the extent to which people with low self ratings give low ratings to others. Secondly, the hypothesis that depressed men perceive women as more competent and powerful than men is investigated. Thirdly, the hypothesis that self-esteem mediates the relation between depression and social cognition is explored. Additional issues addressed were first, whether the evaluations of other people made by depressed subjects differ as a function of the sex of others and secondly, whether there is utility in differentiating components of self-esteem in studies of depression and social cognition. 262 non-student subjects, aged 16 to 'over 60' years responded to a questionnaire incorporating three forms (self, female others, and male others) of an evaluation rating scale. Limited support was obtained for the first two hypotheses. Mediator variable analysis refutes the hypothesis of a strong mediating effect of either self-acceptance or social confidence in the relationship between social cognition and depression. Implications of these findings for social comparison processes, studies of stereotypic biases, and further research on depression are discussed.Item The effects of group size on mock jury decision making : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology, at Massey University(Massey University, 1993) Dunn, KarynThe present investigation was a partial replication and extension of Saks' (1977) study on the effects of group size on mock jury decision making. Mock juries of size 4, 6, and 12 were formed by randomly assigning 232 student volunteer subjects to one of 30 groups, or to the condition where subjects worked alone (N=12 individuals). The case used was a written transcript adapted from Saks (1977). After reading the transcript, groups deliberated until they reached a verdict. Overall, it was found that groups of 12 came to the correct verdict more often and deliberated the longest, groups of 6, unexpectedly, produced the most hung juries, and the individuals recalled the least amount of the testimony. Groups of 4 perceived their group as being the most fair and were also the most satisfied with their group's decision. They also rated their influence on the decisions made by other members of the group as the highest. In all groups, there was a shift in the pre- and post-deliberation guilt ratings toward the group verdict, indicating an effect of group polarisation, and discussion also increased individuals' confidence in their rating of guilt, providing some support for the model of group influence proposed by Myers and Lamm (1976). In general, the results support previous findings and add to the growing literature which suggests that the effect of jury size is a complex phenomenon requiring more investigation.Item The social construction of obesity in New Zealand prime time television media : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University(Massey University, 2008) Raphael, DeborahObesity is an issue that has always been associated with morality, however in more recent times it has become defined as a health problem (or disease) of epidemic proportions. The construction of obesity as a problem is partly associated with the eternal quest for thinness. Media representations play a role in the construction of obesity and may be increasingly influential as media is becoming more and more prevalent in Western society. Furthermore, media have been shown to have considerable influence in affecting health behaviours and body image. Previous research has shown that media representations of obesity have been predominately negative and obese people are underrepresented in most types of television programming. The goal of this research was to discover how obesity is socially constructed in New Zealand prime time television. Data was collected over the period of a month, forming a synthetic week of recorded television programming that covered the prime viewing period between 6.00pm to 10.30pm. A discourse analytical approach was used to identify three main themes, morality medicalisation, and factual versus fictional. The moral theme involved discourses in which moral judgements were made about obese individuals, on both their character and actions, generally positioning the obese person as morally lacking. The medicalisation theme contained discourses around obesity as a health issue that constructed health issues as the fault of the individual which could be solved only one way- by losing weight. This functioned to position obese people as sick or unhealthy. The third theme, factual versus fiction presents the differences found between depictions of fictional obese characters and real people on television. Overall, obesity was found to be constructed negatively in television media. On television, the obese person is one which is either invisible, or is the object of moral judgements about the obese individuals worth as a person and their perceived poor health. Television representations of obesity, in some part, lead to the marginalisation of obese people. However the loathing for excess weight has been around for centuries and is so deeply ingrained in public discourse that to make a difference in how obese people are seen and treated, there would have to be a change in how society thinks about obesity, not just in how the media portrays obese people.Item An investigation into a relationship between locus of control and attribution theory in the field of consumer decision-making : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University(Massey University, 1980) Orr, Kathleen BlancheThe present investigation examines a relationship between Rotter°s (1966) Locus of Control Theory and Kelley°s (1967) Attribution Theory in the field of Consumer Decision-Making. The main hypothesis tested whether there was a difference in the probability of choosing in favour of a product with consensus information between individuals who have a belief in external control and individuals who believe in internal control. Secondary hypotheses were also investigated to detail other aspects of this relationship. Firstly, it was suggested that with externally and internally controlled Individuals, the probabilities of choosing in favour of consensus and distinctiveness information will differ. Secondly, that the probability of choosing in favour of personal control, and non-personal control information will differ for externals and internals. Finally it was suggested that the probability that externals and internals will have their responses rated as external or internal respectively, will be greater than the reverse. The main hypothesis was not substantiated, however there was a strong trend in the predicted direction, suggesting the value of future research. Some support was found for the secondary hypothese. Results are discussed in light of social learning and attribution theories and suggestions for future research offered.Item Women, power, gender and self : a discourse analysis approach : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University(Massey University, 1994) Anderson, Karen PPrevious research that has provided information about the concepts of power and self has come largely from the traditional empiricist paradigm. This research generally reflects the notion that there are different kinds of power which are equated with masculinity and femininity. In general, power based settings and women are viewed as incompatible. Sense of self has been traditionally presented in the research as something identifiable and consistent. Gender is a thread that runs through the research and the literature on both power and identity, and it is a constructive part of our understanding of them. This study uses a qualitative approach to look at the accounts of ten women in terms of power and how this relates to their sense of self. Potter and Wetherell's (1987) model of discourse analysis has been used in analysing the research interviews. The results of the study tend to support Potter and Wetherell's contention that "self" will be constructed in various ways depending upon context. It also appears that these constructions are inextricably linked with power and gender. Trait and role discourses are used by the women and described in the study. The function of each enables the women to talk about different presentations of "self" that do not contravene the dominant discourses when discussing themselves and power.Item "It's all of these puzzle pieces" : the representation and the manifest discourse of dyslexic experience : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Social Anthropology at Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand(Massey University, 2016) Gibbons, RuthDyslexia as a term to define bodies has undergone various interpretations in the 120 years since it was first diagnosed (Shawitz 1996:98). The numbers of people calculated as dyslexic world wide ranges from 1 in 4 to 1 in 10 reflecting confusion about what dyslexia actually is, as well as issues around how people are diagnosed (Elliot and Grigorenko 2014:31-34). Research about dyslexa has happened in a variety of fields including education, psychology, and medicine but anthropology has been predominantly silent in the discourse of dyslexia. This thesis explores dyslexia from an anthropological perspective as embodied experience and expression through worlding. Through working collaboratively with people with dyslexia it explores intersubjective relationships, language expression, sensory awareness and being-in-the-world. A central part of this exploration was using art as a way to understand knowing (Rapport and Harris 2007, Hogan and Pink 2010), which expanded into explorations of how dyslexics attune sensory knowing and pay attention to all of the experiences of everyday life. Using art as an empathetic ethnographic invitation I discuss and explore dyslexia as a way of knowing and moving through the world. Therefore, I focus on dyslexia beyond a diagnosis into the way people inhabit and negotiate their experiences as complex, creative agents in their lifeworlds. The research covers creation of artworks, making new words to represent dyslexic experiences and many discussions late into the night. It has been a collaborative exploration of experience. From discussions of whether Giraffes need scarves through to declarations of “we are iron man” my collaborators have expressed their ways of being-in-the-world and this thesis engages with their dynamic ways of interpreting and knowing the world.