BSc (Hons) Psychology and Sociology

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://eresearch.qmu.ac.uk/handle/20.500.12289/7264

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How does the perception of criminality influence lineup decisions?
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
Framed within the context of an exploration of participants' attitudes to, and perceptions of, people of Arabic appearance, this research explores the relation between perceptions of criminality and identification accuracy, building on work by Malpass and Mcquiston (2002) and Maclin (2010). Taking three separate areas of previous study: Stereotypes; Stigma; and Lineup Procedure, this study has merged aspects of each in order to generate a foundation from which this research can build upon. Participants (N=75) took part in this three stage study: a ratings task, where participants were asked to rate faces on one of four possible factors: Attractiveness, Intelligence, Typicality, and Criminality; a lineup task; and a questionnaire exploring the perceptions of Arabic people and culture held by the participants. Each of the participants was randomly assigned to one of six possible conditions (where a person from the ratings task was either present or not). The findings revealed that participants rated White people as slightly more criminal than Arabic people, and were able to make a correct lineup decision concerning White people twice as much as Arabic people. The questionnaire expressed that the participants did not think that Arabic people and their culture were threatening or imposing on the people of the UK, and overall interpreted both in a positive manner.
Recovering from Addiction: An exploration of stigma amongst women in recovery from drug addiction
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
Recovery is increasingly becoming the dominant paradigm within addiction services (Burns and Marks 2014), however it can be argued that it remains misunderstood, as addiction and recovery, are both reported as complex and multi-dimensional in nature (Hammer et al. 2012; Sussman and Sussman 2011). Each has been researched in depth from a number of perspectives, one of the most common being symbolic interactionism, which revealed the importance of identity in the 'recovery process'. Moreover, previous research has made much use of Goffman's notion of a 'spoiled identity' (1963). However previous research has predominantly focused on males, and only recently has it come to be understood that women have differing experiences (Covington 2002; Greenfield et al. 2007; Hunter et al. 2013; Kearney 1998; Kruk and Sandberg 2013; McKeganey 2014). This research therefore was conducted with a view to explore what the claiming of a recovery identity means to the female participants, and to what extent they found this to be an empowering identity or otherwise. While furthermore exploring their experiences of addiction as a factor which 'spoiled' their lives to determine whether they would accept this to be the case and also to uncover what the specific challenges were for females beginning their 'recovery journey'. Naturalistic enquiry (Blumer 1986) was chosen as the most appropriate methodology, with semi-structured interviews conducted with six participants from the recovery community within Edinburgh. The data gathered suggests that women do experience some discrimination as a result of their past problem drug use, however they also report positive experiences, highlighting their feelings of the positive aspects of claiming a recovery identity, which may be as a result of the recent paradigm shift in policy. Also revealed are the ways in which they focus on the importance of identity transformation throughout their recovery which emphasises how vital this aspe
An In-depth Exploratory Investigation into the Lived Experiences of Volunteers engaged with The Families Outside Charity - Helping Families Affected by Imprisonment
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
This exploratory and descriptive study focuses on the 'lived experiences' of volunteers from the Families Outside Charity in Edinburgh. These volunteers work to support and help families who have been affected by imprisonment. This research utilises a phenomenological theoretical perspective thereby emphasising the importance of the personal experiences and interpretations of volunteers working on behalf of the Families Outside Charity. The main aim of this research is to investigate what motivates an individual to give up their free time to volunteer. The adoption of a phenomenological approach enables the gathering and analysis of a 'lived experience' account from the volunteers participating in the research. This research begins by critically analysing previous and current research and literature relating to lived experiences of and impact that volunteers have on charitable organisations. This dissertation particularly focusses upon the impact of that age and motivation have on volunteering. The dissertation also explores the effect that the imprisonment of a family member has on the families involved. This analysis is then contextualised within an exploration of the key aims and practice principles of the Families Outside Charity. This study utilise a qualitative data collection approach combining semi-structure interviews with the photo elicitation method 'Photo Voice'- allowing for detailed and personal results to be gathered in both words and pictures. The findings gathered in this research suggest that the fundamental motivating factor encouraging volunteers to continue their volunteering work comes from their incredible passion and admiration of the organisation. This sense of purpose is underlined by the knowledge that as an organisation Families Outside are doing everything they can to ensure that service users obtain all the support and help they require.
Former drug users' lived experiences in cities of Edinburgh (Scotland) and Vilnius (Lithuania)
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
The aim of this qualitative research project was to examine the former drug users' lived experiences in both cities of Edinburgh (Scotland) and Vilnius (Lithuania). Moreover, the study sought to analyse and understand of how stigma impacts the daily lives of individuals being in drug recovery process in two different treatments such as 12-step fellowship and Methadone maintenance programme. Through a thematic data analysis of 8 semi-structured interviews, the research projected uncovered that for the majority of participants, public stigma was one of the significant factors related with their sense of insecurity and loneliness. Most of the participants indicated necessity to raise awareness about drug addiction and former drug users' lived experiences in both cities of Edinburgh and Vilnius. Furthermore, research results indicated that participants who were in methadone maintenance treatment had numerous health issues whereas for those on a 12-step fellowship the overall outcomes has less psychological and physical side-effects. However, all of the interviewees agreed that the desire to use drugs has been reduced and even abolished due to the positive effects of both drug recovery programmes.
The Crisis of Masculinity Men's engagement with crisis helpline services from the perspective of crisis helpline operators.
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
This research explores the subjective perceptions of crisis helpline operators, of men's engagement with crisis helpline services. Connell's (1995, 2003, 2000) theoretical concepts of gender and masculinities are applied in order to examine this phenomenon. The study begins with a comprehensive look at the historical literature on suicide by Durkheim (1951) and moving on to more recent work which focusses upon men and suicide exclusively (Campbell et al. 2011; Hogan et al. 2012; Stark et al. 2012). A phenomenological hermeneutic perspective has been used in order to extract contextually rich data which emerged from semi-structured interviews with four crisis helpline operators in Edinburgh and Shetland. The data which emerged from these interviews highlighted a persistence of hegemonic masculinity within Scottish culture. There are very little differences in urban and rural engagement of crisis services by men, according to participants and there was insufficient evidence to support the need for gender specific services; however the services that are available need to be assessed and evaluated in order to keep them relevant in todays technologically advanced society. Being a crisis services operator requires an ability to recognize and manage their own emotions, when dealing with individuals in crisis. Strong emotional support within the crisis organisation accounts for an ability to deal with the emotional labour generated within this type of work. It can be argued, from this research, that there is a need for further research into male suicide because there is a high prevalence of suicide and low levels of engagement with crisis services in Scotland. The photograph shown on the title page was taken by artist and photographer Erik Petrie (2014); it depicts men leaving Hibernian's, Easter Road stadium, after a derby game against Hearts, in which they were defeated 2-1. This photograph displays an inherently masculine part of Scottish culture, football. The researcher chose this photograph as it symbolises, for her, men and their eternal struggle against the hegemony of being a man.
Love, Fear And Coercive Control. A Theoretical Analysis of the Literature into Why Women Return to Abusive Relationships
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
Domestic abuse is a growing area of social science research with roots not only in sociology and psychology but also in philosophy and history. Research into the phenomenon of domestic abuse is varied and wide-spread providing extensive literature into reasons as to why it occurs and why women stay in abusive relationships. It also provides literature into same sex couple abuse and cases of women initiating the violence against their male counterparts. Domestic abuse literature tends to fall into either feminist theorising or family violence theorising each providing indication of what the general opinion of the researcher is. It is from this far-reaching research that it can be found that as many as one in four women will experience some form of violence at some point in their lives whether this is physical violence in their relationship or simply a continual stream of negative comments and emotional abuse from someone as close to them as a partner or family member. This research aims to discover a theory as to why women return to abusive relationships once they have left the abusive partner. This research report will provide an in-depth critical analysis of the current literature while drawing on theories from the sociologies of love and fear to provide an analysis of the potential reasons for a woman to return to an abusive relationship. The report will discuss the notions of traumatic attachment, social entrapment, learned helplessness and coercive control all of which can have an effect on a woman's perceived ability to leave an abusive partner and stay away from the violent situation. Key Terms Domestic abuse, feminist theory, family violence, sociology of love, sociology of fear, traumatic attachment, social entrapment, learned helplessness, coercive control, intimate terrorism
A Sociological Study of a Thriving Evangelical Parish
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
This study seeks to explore a variety of sociology of religion positions by studying a Scottish charismatic, evangelical parish that in contrast to the predictions of decline has increased its membership several fold and seems to be thriving. The 'secularisation thesis' is an area of debate in contemporary sociology with sociologists who support this thesis from Durkheim (1961) to Wilson (1998) contending with Weber that increasing rationality and the differentiation of life spheres and institutions found in modernity inevitably lead to the decline of religion. However this debate now has a plurality of viewpoints with Bruce (2002) seeing the secularisation process as a de-Christianisation process in its European heartland rather than a move to a secular society. Other sociologists of religion such as Stark and Fink (2000), Berger (2010) and Davie (2005) also contest the 'modernisation as secularisation' orthodoxy while conceding that in the British and Scottish contexts there has been a reduction in church membership and church attendance (Brown 2009). This project used a questionnaire approach seeking to identify the factors that explain the maintenance of religion and identifies the significance of the 'experience of the sacred' in a particular church congregation's success, along with the social bonding that local church life makes possible and which offsets the forces of privatism and individualism released in late modernity which threaten the social reproducing of Christianity.
A virtual ethnographic exploration of young men's and women's experiences and engagement with online dating platforms
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
There has been an abundance of sociological research into online data in US academia, however the UK is lacking in such academic research. This study is a virtual ethnographic exploration of young men's and women's experiences and engagement with online dating platforms, and what effects if has on the gendered performance shared between men and women. The study involves 10 participants from different backgrounds taking part in an asynchronous online forum which lasted 3 weeks and had a total of 10 questions. The findings of the research suggests there is no research which synthesises the sociological understandings of love and romance with social constructions discourses on gender identities, and the implications of virtual online dating for the nature of the relationships between men and women in heterosexual romantic situations.
Gender and Golf: A Qualitative Study of the Lived Experiences of Top-Level Amateur and Professional Women Golfers in Scotland
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
The aim of this research was to explore the lived experiences of top-level amateur and professional women golfer's in Scotland from a phenomenological perspective. Semi-structured interviews were used as the research method for gathering data. The data was examined through a simplified version of the explicitation process. Data showed that participants had been subject to a number of structural, interpersonal and financial constraints that hindered their progress, enjoyment and integration in golf at some point during their careers. Some data correlated with previous studies; however several new areas of data were identified.
The Alignment of Gender, Class & Generation against Independence? An empirical sociological enquiry
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
This research set out to look at why it is largely Scotland's middle-classes who rejected the chance to make an independent Scotland in the 2014 Referendum. I also focus upon other significant indicators of voting in the Referendum and ask whether there was an alignment of class, gender and generation that produced a 'No' vote last year. My empirical basis was Mortonhall Golf Club (Edinburgh) where I interviewed nine middle-class voters who shared their opinions and views regarding Scottish Independence with me (with all except one of my informants voting No in the referendum). My research location made for an interesting piece of research as so many studies on Scottish nationalism have focussed upon largely working-class locations. This research, then, offers the middle-class view of Scottish Independence. My findings indicate that the middle classes have a much deeper sense of 'British' identity than that found in the working-class, and lack any real socio-economic or cultural motivation to engage with nationalism and so their reasons for opting against Scottish Independence are more or less exclusively accounted for or framed by economic or monetary concerns.
A Sociological Inquiry into the Work of anti-Sectarian workers in Scotland
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
The aim of this research was to explore the work experiences of anti-sectarian workers in Scotland from a phenomenological perspective. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with a number of participants in order to gather data which was subjected to analysis in order to uncover the main themes discussed in greater detail. The data highlighted the finding that sectarian attitudes in contemporary Scotland have generally improved, particularly in relation to the lived experience of an individual growing up were, it appears, they are subject to less sectarian prejudice than perhaps their parents and grandparents might have experienced. However, other themes within the data clearly showed that the issue of sectarian bigotry within Scotland has far from disappeared and that ant-sectarian organisations such as Nil by Mouth still have work to do in terms of the eradication of, what is, a continuing problem, and one which the findings highlight, to a greater or lesser degree, affected all of the anti-sectarian workers interviewed.
The Tattooed Woman: An Exploration into the Motivations & Experiences of Women who Tattoo
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
This research explores the motivations and experiences of women who are visibly heavily tattooed. The research is conducted within a context in which there is a noticeable increase in the amount of women participating in tattooing. There has also, recently, been media outrage in relation to heavily tattooed women, with one such story about a heavily tattooed female primary school teacher who was sent home on her first day because the school had not been aware that she was tattooed before offering her the position. A phenomenological enquiry establishes the methodological and theoretical outlook which this study was conducted through. Semi-structured interviews and the rigorous process of thematic analysis resulted in the generation of data and the subsequent analysis of this. Utilising a historical contextualization of women and tattooing from Mifflin (2013) and DeMello (2000) provided insight into the historical relationship between women and tattooing and society's un-acceptance of this. Applying Butler (2006), de Beauvoir (1974) and McRobbie's (2009) concepts of the contested nature of femininity along with Foucault's (1977) concept of the body as linked to ideologies of power and Goffman's (1963) theory of stigma, findings reveal that visibly heavily tattooed women do experience stigma and discrimination as a result of society's expectations of femininity and negative views of tattooing. The theory of self-presentation (Goffman 1999) provided a paradigm from which to explain tattooing as an act of performance through identity processes. Furthermore, contemporary contributions to the research on women and tattooing from Mun et al (2012), Kang et al (2007) and Hawkes et al (2004) coincide with findings that women are motivated to tattoo for a diversity of reasons, including grief, memories and self-control.
A sociological study into the potential long term effects of welfare sanctions on 16 - 25 year old males claiming Job Seekers Allowance within Scotland with particular reference to the Oakley Report recommendations to the Department of Work and Pensions.
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
This study into the long term effects of welfare sanctions on the 16-25 year old males within Scotland is motivated by my personal experience in dealing with such issues within my role as a volunteer advisor at a local Citizens Advice Bureau. It is reasonable enough to suggest that those who are in receipt of unemployment benefit regardless of the type, does all that they can to get back into work and if they are not doing so, there should be some form of penalty or punishment. But are these penalties just? Are those who issue penalties doing all they can to educate those most vulnerable, to avoid these forms of penalties? This report will investigate such questions and in doing so, highlight the current situation for those in receipt of benefit and in particular, Job seekers allowance (JSA).
Hitting Home: The Perception and Understanding of domestic Abuse within Polish Migrant Women.
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
The issue of domestic abuse is a concept which affects women across the globe. This study looks at the factors which separate Polish migrant women's experience of domestic abuse from traditional 'mainstream' cases of women residing in Scotland. Data collected, using semi-structured interviews with support workers, were analysed through a thematical framework. This generated themes such as control, alcohol, religion and immigration status. The conclusions generated from this study suggest Migrant women's experience of domestic abuse differs somewhat from mainstream cases. Highlighting the importance of tailored support for the survivors involved. Keywords: Domestic abuse, feminist, Polish, migrant, intersectionality.
An Exploration into the Lived Experiences of Mixed Marriage Couples Living in Northern Ireland in a context of Sectarianism and Conflict.
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
This dissertation offers an exploration of lived experiences of mixed marriage couples living in Belfast in the context of sectarianism and conflict. Data was generated from semi-structured interviews with four mixed marriage couples that were married during the troubles. Due to the divided and sectarian nature of Belfast and Northern Ireland during the troubles, choosing to be in a mixed marriage created a number of issues and concerns regarding safety, intimidation, stigma, and effects on the marriage and family life. This dissertation explores these themes in depth, to reveal a representation of the life experiences of the couples. The key themes revealed within analysis were stigma, location and class, fear, impact on children and increased tolerance. The research found that location and class had a significant impact on the couples lived experiences. When they were able to afford to move to the 'neutral' middle-class areas of Belfast their quality of life improved significantly. The couples all felt fear to a certain extent, particularly at the beginning of their marriages, as the 'troubles' were in their most active period and the divide was at its most violent. The couples all experienced stigma, and were devalued by some family members for entering a mixed marriage. They also felt the need to conceal their relationship in order to avoid the stigma. The impact of being in a mixed marriage family on the children the couple produced meant that they were more open minded and often did not identify strongly as either Protestant or Catholic. However, for the couples there were some conflicts in the marriage regarding what religion their children should join and participate in, and what schools to send them to. A significant theme revealed in the analysis was the observation, perception, experience and feeling of increased tolerance in Northern Ireland. All of the couples spoke of feeling more free, and not having to conceal their mixed marriage for fear of intimidation or stigma.
Kinship care; An Exploration of the Lived Experiences of Grandparent Kinship Carers in Mid Lothian
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
"Kinship care - An exploration of the lived experiences of grandparent kinship carers in Mid Lothian" looks at grandparent kinship carers in Mid Lothian. The project aims to distinguish the lived experiences and what it means to be a grandparent kinship carer in the area of Mid Lothian, Scotland. The method used for this research was semi-structured interviews, this method allows participants to express themselves freely and tell their story by the use of a prompt at the start of the interview and the use of open ended questions to get detailed in-depth answers. The use of semi-structured interviews as the method was appropriate as it allowed the participants to articulate their experiences, views and emotions in their own way. Four main themes were identified within the research these include: Decision Making Process, Health Issues, Poverty and Housing Issues and Advice and Support at the First Point of Contact. These themes all interrelate with each other and embody the experiences of many grandparent kinship carers. Findings include a greater need for consistency and continuity in the advice and support that is given to kinship carers by social workers and the local authorities. Other factors include the need for a fair and consistent allowance for all kinship carers, this should be an entitlement and not viewed as a benefit. One dedicated point of contact for kinship families should be assigned in the first instance of kinship care to establish a relationship and trust to ensure the best outcome for all the family.
Exploring the lived experiences of women who use weight loss programmes and media influence.
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
This dissertation offers an exploration into the influence that media's portrayal of women's bodies has on ideal body images held by women who participate in weight loss programmes. Data were gathered from women between the ages of 26 and 49 who took part in two focus groups, during which they offered comment on overweight women in the media. There has been a poverty of research which specifically explores the experiences of women who have participated in weight loss programmes, and their perceptions of ideal body image. Previous research has focused on young girls (Dohnt and Tiggemann 2006; Bell et al. 2007; Hutchinson and Rapee 2007) and older women over the age of 50 (Gimlin 2007, Clarke 2002), with little interest in women aged between 25-50. Previous research has indicated that younger women are concerned with their body image and appearance for peer acceptance and assimilation, whereas older women seek body image changes for social status and identity (Borland and Akram 2007; Gimlin 2007). Current data adds to existing literature, as participants contrast the homogeneous attitude towards women in the media and previous literature to emphasise the unique experience women go through when trying to lose weight.
Exploring the use of Space and Place in the Everyday Lives of People Living with a Physical Disability.
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
This research is a phenomenological enquiry into the way physically disabled people use space and place. The need to unravel lived experiences through one-to-one non biased viewpoints (Wojnar & Swanson, 2007) was the landscape for the research design which was implemented; specifically the ethnographic go-along. Through this technique, participants were asked to select a place where we would meet and explore how significant social space was in navigating every day life, and for the construction of participants' identities (Kusenbach, 2003). All participants selected a disability centre. Lefebvre's (Zieleniec, 2007) spaces of interactions were used as a conceptual starting point in order to develop the understandings of social constructions of space, and with application of models of disability, a conceptual analysis developed. Findings revealed that the participants negotiated their way through the disability centres by using it as a space to develop life skills, access support, form social relationships and to attend external places. By using Lefebvre's 'spatial practices' it was found that for each participant, their background life impacted on the way they negotiated their current space. Two participants still heavily relied on family support, while the other two did not. The former mentioned participants relied on social relationships within the disability centre as a form of support. A reoccurring theme across participants' narratives was their issues surrounding the negotiating of transport and public spaces. This finding is prominent among disability studies (Shah & Priestley, 2011), suggesting that the development of accessible transport still needs further considerations in order to contribute to enhancing the lives of physically disabled people. Key Words: Physical disability, space, everyday life, social relationships, family
The Lived Experience of Students from Disadvantaged Backgrounds in Higher Education
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
This study into the lived experience of students from disadvantaged backgrounds entering higher education in Scotland seeks to address the issue of class and widening access to higher education. This research looks into the experiences of Scottish students in higher education from areas of high disadvantaged according to the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD 2014). In particular, the research looks to identify the range of class-based issues that arise when accessing the 'social space' that is Higher Education when this space is viewed as a period of 'secondary socialisation.'
An Investigation into the Lived Experiences of Individuals Applying for Personal Independence Payment
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
The purpose of this dissertation is to provide an examination into the lived experiences of individuals caught up in the application process for Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Upon achieving this, the study seeks to highlight how the benefit's controversial claiming process is negatively affecting the lives of the claimants. Early reports have suggested a number of problems have emerged for disabled claimants when applying for PIP due to frequent delays and issues transcending through the process. The literature review discusses the relationship between disabled people and stress, the social disability model and how disabled people are at risk of social exclusion. The methodological approach adopted within this research involves the use of semi-structured interviews with experienced employees who work closely with those claiming PIP on a day-to-day basis. These interviews were designed to illicit in-depth and multi-dimension understandings of the lived experiences of people claiming the Personal Independent Payment. Further insight into these lived experiences was gained through the collection of data related to case studies of clients who have received help with a variety of issues during their application process, at the Citizens Advice Bureau. The findings and discussion chapter centrally reveals huge delays in the processing of claims for the benefit. These delays have impacted negatively upon the lives of claimants. Moreover many claimants going through the long and complex processes are struggling with different aspects relating to PIP claims and payments. Consequently many applicants have not received adequate financial help during the delay period. When this financial loss is combined with the increased stress and anxiety from completing the applications PIP claimants have experienced multi-dimensional forms of social exclusion due to lack of money and worsening health conditions.