The effect of body and part-based motion on the recognition of unfamiliar objects

We investigated the role of global (body) and local (parts) motion on the recognition of unfamiliar objects. Participants were trained to categorise moving objects and were then tested on their recognition of static images of these targets using a priming paradigm. Each static target shape was primed by a moving object that comprised either the same body and parts motion; same body, different parts motion; different body, same part motion as the learned target or was non-moving. Only the same body but not the same part motion facilitated shape recognition (Experiment 1), even when either motion was diagnostic of object identity (Experiment 2). When parts motion was more related to the object's body motion then it facilitated the recognition of the static target (Experiment 3). Our results suggest that global and local motions are independently accessed during object recognition and have important implications for how objects are represented in memory.     

Self-reported Diabetes Prevalence and Risk factors in South Africa: Results from the World Health Survey

Using the data from the South African World Health Survey (WHS), the current study aims to assess the self-reported prevalence of diabetes and associated risk factors by socio-economic characteristics in South Africa. A population-based survey of 2314 participants (1116 men and 1236 women) was conducted in South Africa in 2003. Results indicate an overall self-reported diabetes prevalence of 9.1%, 7.1% for men and 10.8% for women. In terms of diabetes risk factors, high rates of overweight or obesity (58.4%), physical inactivity (55.2%), less than 5 servings of fruits and vegetables in a day (69.3%), and medium or high stress levels (63.3%) were found; 18.4% were smoking daily and 7.3% were risky drinkers. Univariate regression analyses found that from the six different risk factors none apart from having high stress were associated with the occurrence of diabetes. Greater age was associated with obesity and inversely associated with insufficient consumption of fruits and vegetables. Daily smoking and being physically inactive were inversely associated with risky drinking. Low socioeconomic background was associated with unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and stress.     

Post-traumatic stress disorder and health risk behaviour among persons 15 years and older in South Africa

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and health risk behaviours among persons 15 years and older in South Africa. We analysed data from the South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (SANHANES-1, 2012) (N = 15 201; mean age = 36.9 years, SD = 16.5; 2.1% with PSTD, 4.0% with partial PTSD). The survey included questions from validated measures of the following health risk behaviours: problem drinking, current tobacco use, physical activity, sedentary behaviour, vegetable consumption, and fast food and frequent soft drinks consumption. In adjusted logistic regression analysis, only self-reporting with PTSD was associated with problem drinking. The data did not yield significant association between PTSD status and any of the other health risk behaviours (tobacco use, low physical activity, and fast food consumption).     

Values in children's stories in South Africa: an exploratory discourse analysis

This study explored the presentation and construction of the values in story texts for children in South Africa. The data were from five children's stories from a widely-circulated weekly newspaper. The story content was analysed for value-laden themes child readers are exposed to. The themes to emerge from the study suggest the endorsement of values such as delighting in one's natural beauty, the importance of education, martyrdom, inclusivity, telling the truth, gratitude, appreciating one's own talent, truthfulness, respecting one's elders, community unity and forgiveness. Some of the stories touched on family structure, including the absent father as well as gender stereotypes, gender inequalities and social norms.     

Conflict management and job characteristics of nurses in South African public hospitals

This study sought to determine whether job demands and job resources predicted conflict handling styles among nurses within South African public hospitals. A convenience sample of 205 nurses were included (males?=?10.7%; age range 46 to 60 years?=?38.5%, experience of 5 years and more?=?70.8%, African?=?92.2%). They completed Rahim's Organisational Conflict Inventory – II (ROCI–II: Rahim, 1986) and a job characteristics measure developed for this study. Data were analysed to assess which job demands and resources predicted which conflict handling styles. From the results, time demands, crisis management and colleague support predicted the use of an avoiding style, whereas workload, time demands, job security, feedback and colleague support predict the use of the integrating style. Time demands and payment predicted the use of the obliging style, while workload, crisis management and payment predicted the use of the dominating style. The compromising style was predicted by colleague support. It seems from the findings that conflict is frequently predicted by time demands.     

Behavioural and Emotional Development in Children of Divorce

This study reports on teacher perceptions of the impact of parental divorce on behaviour and emotional development in children of divorce. Participants were a purposive sampling of 80 primary school learners with parental divorce experience and a comparison group of 40 others from typical or intact families (n = 120: males = 64; females = 56; age range = 6 to 12 years). Teachers completed the Conners' Rating Scales—Revised (CRS—R: Conners, 1998; Casat et al., 1999) on each of the learners. The findings suggest that teachers perceive younger children from divorced parents were more likely to have emotional and behavioural challenges than those from intact families. By contrast, teachers perceived older children from intact were to have emotional and behavioural difficulties.     

Knowledge,Beliefs and Attitudes Regarding Abortion in South Africa Among a Sample of University Students

A survey study design was used to determine the knowledge of a sample of South African university students regarding the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy (CTOP) Act and their beliefs and attitudes toward abortion. A total of 146 (110 female, 36 male) undergraduate psychology students participated in the study. As part of a larger study participants were given a questionnaire on knowledge, beliefs, attitudes and practices regarding sexuality among young South Africans. The results showed that most of the students were unaware of key provisions of the Act. The data also indicated opposition to abortion except in the case of rape or when the pregnancy posed a threat to the health of the woman. It is concluded that increasing public awareness of the Act is vital not only in improving access to abortion services but also in terms of reducing the stigma that seems to be associated with abortion in South Africa.     

The Reliability of the Dyadic Satisfaction (DS) Subscale in a Low-income Semi-rural South African Community

This study investigated the reliability of the Dyadic Satisfaction (DS) subscale of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) in a South African setting. One-hundred heterosexual, coloured, low-income, semi-rural couples with a mean age of 43.59 years and limited formal education participated in the study. To estimate validity, the DS subscale was correlated with the Index of Marital Satisfaction (IMS) and the Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale (KMSS). There appears to be a particularly strong relationship between the DS subscale and the IMS. The DS subscale can be used reliably as a measure of relationship satisfaction in the South African community studied.     

Perceptions of sugar mommy practices in South Africa

The study sought to explore sugar mommy practices regarding their occurrence, acceptability as well as perceived reasons why older women and younger men enter into sugar mommy relationships. An exploratory qualitative study involving 135 participants from 11 diverse focus groups in terms of age, gender (females=27%) and geotype throughout the nine South African provinces was conducted. Data on the participants’ views, opinions and experiences of sugar mommy practices were collected using focus group interviews. The data were thematically analyzed. The study found that sugar mommy practices were prevalent in South Africa. The perceived reasons for acceptability were: love, survival, and correctness. Perceived reasons why older women have sexual relationships with younger men included: sexual fulfilment, domination, reduction of stress, physical attraction, procreation, lack of self-control, youthful feeling, migrancy, difficulty in finding partners of compatible age and young men being seen as not demanding. Perceived reasons why younger men have sexual relationships with older women included: material gain, reduction of stress, being enticed, rejection by women of compatible age, peer influence and belief that older women are purer. Given the increase in sugar mommy practices, which may have significant implications for the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, it is necessary to understand the underlying perceptions of these practices, in order to develop culturally relevant and socially acceptable intervention programmes.