Browsing by Subject "Psychological Research"
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- ItemOpen AccessAdolescents' responses to the distress of others: the influence of multiple attachment figures via empathic concern(2016) Profe, Wade Byron; Wild, LaurenDespite its importance for the successful maturation of adolescents, relatively little is known about the development of prosocial behaviour during this life period. Attachment theory, although largely absent from the literature in this area, provides an informative theoretical description of how prosocial behaviours in response to the distress of others may be socialized. The aim of this study was to investigate the relative influence of attachment security to mothers, fathers, closest grandparents, and friends on the response to others' distress among early adolescents, via the mediation of empathic concern. Cross-sectional, quantitative survey data from 520 adolescents (aged 11-14) from 9 schools in Cape Town were used in the analyses. Zero-order correlations confirmed the expected positive relationships between attachment security to all four figures and empathic concern, as well as self-reported prosocial behaviour, but not for teacher-reported prosocial behaviour. Structural Equation Modelling revealed that empathic concern completely mediated the relation between attachment security and both self- and teacher-reported prosocial behaviour. Furthermore, when controlling for attachment security to mothers, fathers, closest grandparents and friends simultaneously, peer attachment emerged as the only significant indirect influence on self-reported prosocial behaviour. For teacher-reported prosocial behaviour, however, the indirect effect of friend attachment failed to reach significance. The results of this study provide theoretical insight into the influence of secure attachments on prosocial behaviour, and highlight the importance of supportive same-age peer relationships in adolescence.
- ItemOpen AccessAggressive behavior in adolescents with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders(2013) Smith, Keelie; Jacobson, Sandra W; Molteno, Christopher DBehavioral studies of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) have indicated that aggression is common amongst alcohol-exposed adolescents, and that it appears to become more prevalent with age in that population. Such studies have documented the presence of aggression as a behavioral outcome, but have not provided detailed information regarding its presentation, including whether it is proactive or reactive in nature and under which circumstances it arises. Consequently, there is a lack of a theoretical framework within which to understand aggression in FASD. The current research comprised two studies. In Study 1, comorbid developmental disorders that are typically associated with aggression were examined in alcohol-exposed and non-exposed boys and girls. The results indicated a higher prevalence of disruptive behavior disorders, and conduct disorder in particular, amongst the alcohol-exposed boys, and highlighted a significant association between prenatal alcohol exposure and an aggressive subtype of conduct disorder. Based on these findings, Study 2, a multiple-case study, examined the aggressive behaviors of 6 alcohol-exposed and nonexposed adolescents and their classmates.
- ItemOpen AccessAn analysis of the narratives of war-rape of refugee women through their social workers(2007) Phiri, Claudia; Gobodo-Madikizela, PumlaSexual violence has been increasingly used against women during conflicts. The harm of war on women has been poorly visible due to the associated stigma and traditions that blame women for male sexual exploitation. As a result, it creates a collusion of secrecy around issues of sexual violence between women, perpetrators and society. Present literature on issues of trauma tends to draw on a PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder) model with a focus on the individual. As a result, it restricts, and limits the experiences of refugee women by neglecting a collective view of trauma. Research on the war rape experiences of refugee women is a step towards making the harm of war more visible and provides a meaning and context for their experiences.
- ItemOpen AccessAssessing post-traumatic responses among South African adolescents : a comparison of different methods(2002) Suliman, Sharain; Kaminer, DebbieThe present study compares the use of standardised diagnostic clinical interviews, self-report scales, and unstructured interviews, to determine if these different methods of assessment elicit the same or similar information with regards to trauma exposure, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression in adolescents. A sample of Grade ll learners was drawn from two schools in the Northern Suburbs of Cape T own. The total sample comprised of 58 learners between the ages of 16 and 18 years. Each participant was administered a demographic questionnaire, a clinical diagnostic interview, two self-report scales, and an unstructured interview. The diagnostic interview used was the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Aged Children - Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL), and the self- report scales used were the Child and Adolescent Trauma Survey (CATS) and the Children's Depression Inventory (CD1). The demographic questionnaire and qualitative interview were devised for the study. The McNemar Chi-Square statistic was used to determine differences between the interview and self-report methods of assessment, and a content analysis of the qualitative interview was conducted. Additionally, a Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis was used to establish a CATS score, indicating a high risk of PTSD, that was more sensitive to the sample. The results indicate that even though clinical interviews and self-report scales appear to produce different information, if appropriate cut-off points are used, self-report scales can be used as a screening device to reduce the number of clinical interviews required, thus contributing to a more efficient use of resources. They also indicate that unstructured qualitative interviews can elicit useful information about post- traumatic responses that is not captured by the DSM IV criteria.
- ItemOpen AccessAssessing the Application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour to Water Usage During and Following a Water Crisis(2023) Herr, Donna; Tredoux, ColinThe global frequency and severity of water scarcity events are increasing, making it necessary to reduce human demand for available water supplies. This mixed-methods research used the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to investigate determinants of water usage during and after a water crisis. 89 participants were surveyed in Cape Town, South Africa, during the 2018 water crisis, followed by 56 repeated participants 25 months later. The study found that perceived behavioural control was the only significant determinant of actual water usage. A validation sample of 156 participants was also collected at the second time point, and the potential impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the follow-up study was addressed. A TPB questionnaire was created, assessed for reliability and validity, and piloted before use before the first wave of study among a sample of the target population (N = 28). Structural Equation Modelling was used to test the predictive value of the TPB at both time points, and a comparison of the models was reported. This research adds to the existing literature on the TPB by addressing two suggested limitations of past research: (1) a lack of consideration of confounding research contexts and (2) issues of construct validity in current TPB research methods
- ItemOpen AccessThe association between sleep problems, learning disabilities and substance use in adolescence(2007) Fakier, Nuraan; Wild, LaurenThe current study focused on investigating the relationship between sleep problems, learning disabilities and substance use in adolescence. The literature suggests that adolescents with learning disabilities are more vulnerable to engaging in risk behaviours than adolescents who do not have learning disabilities. Early childhood sleep problems also seem to be a robust marker for substance use in adolescence. The prevalence of sleep problems among adolescents is increasing and is particularly high among those with learning disabilities.
- ItemOpen AccessAssociations between grandparental involvement and psychological outcomes in adolescents facing family adversity(2016) Westwood, Sarah Anne; Wild, LaurenWith an increase in life expectancy, there is greater potential for grandparents to be involved in the lives of their grandchildren. The aim of this study was to investigate whether grandparental involvement was related to fewer negative psychological outcomes (i.e. peer, emotional, hyperactivity and conduct problems), and whether this association remained as a protective effect when adolescents faced high levels of family adversity. A cross--‐sectional study consisting of 536 Black and Coloured adolescents (ages 13--‐15 years) from two schools located in the greater Cape Town area was conducted. The results of bivariate and SEM analyses demonstrated that grandparental involvement was associated with a reduction in the presence of all negative psychological outcomes, which shows that grandparental involvement can play a compensatory role in adolescents' lives. The results of a path analysis indicated that grandparental involvement only has a protective effect for reducing peer problems for female adolescents who are experiencing high levels of family adversity. No other association between grandparental involvement and negative psychological outcomes was significant when the adolescent was facing high levels of family adversity. Together the results of this study suggest that grandparental involvement can have a positive effect in adolescents' lives, and therefore future research should move beyond simply looking at an adolescent's immediate family as a source of support.
- ItemOpen AccessAttachment, Empathy and Social Ability as Correlates of Leftward Cradling in Students(2023) Khalfe, Faieeza; Malcolm-Smith, Susan; Pileggi Lea-AnnMany theories have been put forth in order to explain the emergence of leftward cradling bias - the universal phenomenon whereby humans tend to exhibit a bias for cradling to the left when trying to soothe an infant. Current research supports a cerebral laterality hypothesis, which suggests that this bias emerges because of the specialised decoding and processing of facial emotional expressions, affect, and socio-emotional stimuli, as well as non-verbal aspects of communication, all of which take place in the right cerebral hemisphere. The leftward positioning of the infant places them in the cradlers left auditory and visual fields. This placement is argued to allow for better monitoring of the infant. This has a reciprocal advantage for the infant – as they are able to perceive the more expressive side of the cradlers faces. This facilitates optimal relating and subsequent bonding, both of which contribute to developing future prosocial behaviors. Consequently, it has been recently argued that leftward cradling bias is reflective of better attachment, empathy, and social ability. It is also argued that mood-related states of depression and anxiety should disrupt leftward cradling bias, given that both disorders are associated with difficulties in socio-emotional relatedness. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between leftward cradling bias and socio-emotional relatedness. To do so, I looked at the relationship between the preferred cradling side and (1) three variables of socio-emotional relatedness - attachment, affective empathy, and social ability - and (2) mood-related states and symptoms of both depression and anxiety. The sample in this study were undergraduate male and female Psychology students (N = 677) at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. It was conducted online. Participants first placed a demographic questionnaire, after which they completed a series of self-report questionnaires between four cradling bias task trials. Despite a theoretical basis, hierarchical regression analysis indicated that none of the variables of interest predicted cradling side in this sample. Only handedness predicted cradling side, with right-handed individuals being significantly more likely to demonstrate the leftward cradling bias (β = -.11, p = .003). However, this variable only contributed 1% in explanation (R2 = .01). Future research should consider a threshold hypothesis in relation to variables of socio-emotional relatedness. An argument can be made that clinically significant deficits in socio-emotional relatedness, as seen in clinical disorders such as narcissistic personality disorder and borderline personality disorder, could disrupt the otherwise universal leftward cradling bias.
- ItemOpen AccessAttitudes and perceptions towards organizational functioning in substance abuse treatment facilities across South Africa(2008) Bowles, Steven; Louw, JohannThis study examined the attitudes and perceptions of directors and treatment staff towards organizational functioning within substance abuse treatment facilities across South Africa. In South Africa a history of socio-political factors have hindered substance abuse treatment. Large disparities existed between racially defined population groups and the quality and allocation of resources to substance abuse treatment services across South Africa have not been equitable. Understanding organizational functioning within substance abuse treatment facilities is essential to identifying and prioritizing treatment facility issues that both directors and staff believe need attention. The identification and examination of these issues facilitate the development of appropriate strategies to promote treatment facility improvements and the adoption of evidence-based treatment practices. Cross-sectional surveys of substance abuse treatment facilities were conducted in the Western Cape (2005) and in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, and Kwa-Zulu Natal (2006). Forty-four treatment facilities participated in this study from a population of 89 facilities. The Texas Christian University survey of Organizational Functioning (TCU ORC) was used to assess directors' and staff's attitudes and perceptions towards organizational functioning within their treatment facilities. One-way analysis of variance tests were used to examine whether certain contextual and demographic variables influenced directors' and staff's attitudes and perceptions. Results indicated that directors and staff displayed favorable attitudes and perceptions towards the TCU ORC domains organizational climate and staff attributes, and indecisive attitudes and perceptions towards the motivation for change domain. Demographic variables including: ethnicity, levels of education, amount of work experience, and provincial location were found to influence directors' and staff's attitudes and perceptions towards organizational functioning.
- ItemOpen AccessBarking up the wrong tree : pet therapy in South Africa(2003) Naidoo, Pevashnee; Schomer, HelgoThere exists but one local detailed, documented study by Bergensen (1989) that focused on the effects of pet facilitated therapy on the self-esteem and socialisation of primary school children. In addition, a handful of articles have been published in South African journals. It is rather perturbing to note that a proven, highly effective adjunct to conventional therapeutic intervention is lacking in the South African therapeutic milieu. The marked ignorance and defence behind practitioners scorn for this form of therapy is rather perplexing, especially in light of its official existence for over thirty years. This dissertation probes the concept of pet-facilitated therapy by referring to extensive studies, focusing on various sub-populations, and concludes with a study investigating local opposition to pet therapy.
- ItemOpen AccessChanges in dream frequency, vividness and intensity in subjects taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors(2005) Kinnear, Helen; Solms, MarkVarious sources of evidence suggest that dream frequency, intensity and vividness are increased with the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRJ's) commonly prescribed for depression and anxiety. In this study the effects ofSSRI use on dream frequency, intensity and vividness in psychiatric patients was examined through a comparision of the dream characteristics of an SSRI- medicated patient group vs. an unmedicated patient control group. Each group comprised 20 patients recruited through state psychiatric outpatient facilities affiliated with two research universities. Age and gender were evenly spread across the two groups. Psychiatric disorders represented were generalised an.xiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and social phobia. Patients completed a questionnaire consisting of a most recent dream report and self-report likert-scaled questions regarding dream frequency, intensity, vividness and memorability. Two independent raters rated the dream reports for intensity on a likert scale. Self-reported visual vividness was significantly higher (p=0.027, effect size .86) among SSRI users compared with controls, whereas selJreported dream frequency and emotional intensity as well as independent raters assessment of dream intensity were not significantly different across the two groups. Findings of increased dream vividness without increases in dream frequency complement the results of an earlier study. Since serotonin is suppressed during REM sleep, these findings cast further doubt upon the notion of an isomorphic link between REM sleep and dreaming and argue for the searchfor a more sophisticated model of neurotransmitter modulation of sleep-cognition.
- ItemOpen AccessChildren of mothers with physical disabilities : perceptions of parenting, the mother-adolescent relationship and the adolescent's engagement in risky behaviour : five case studies(2006) Deglon, Under; Wild, Lauren; Swartz, LeslieThis qualitative study investigated the effect of a mother's physical disability on the mother-adolescent relationship, parenting and the adolescent's engagement in risky behaviour. Interviews were conducted with five mothers with visible physical disabilities and with their adolescent children. The adolescents comprised two boys and three girls between the ages of 12 and 15 years. All five mother-adolescent dyads were black, with low maternal educational levels, from low socio-economic backgrounds, and lived in neighbourhoods characterised by unemployment, gangsterism, substance abuse, violence and crime. The multiple case study design was used to compare and contrast evidence from the individual cases. Two separate semistructured interviews, covering the same topics, were conducted with both the mother and the adolescent in order to triangulate the data. The interviews focused on perceptions of (a) the impact of the mother's disability for mother-adolescent relations; (b) disability-related stigma and the adolescent's awareness of the mother's difference on the mother-adolescent relationship; (c) the ways in which the mother's disability and other contextual factors affect parenting and the adolescent's engagement in risky behaviour. The results illuminated a range of barriers andfacilitators to parenting with a physical disability but the variability notwithstanding, the majority of the families reported positive relationships and experiences given the cumulative stressors that they face.
- ItemOpen AccessThe cognitive effects of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome (OSAS) : a comparison between untreated patients and patients on at least 3 months Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) treatment(2006) Wong, Andrea Jane; Ameen, Ozayr; Solms, MarkObjectives: To investigate whether or not OSAS patients from the South African population showed any cognitive impairment relative to healthy individuals from the same population, and to assess whether or not untreated OSAS patients and patients on CPAP treatment differed in their cognitive functioning.
- ItemOpen AccessCognitive outcome of aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage after clipping or coiling : a comparative post intervention study in a hospital population(2005) Pantelis, Eleni; Solms, MarkSubarachnoid haemorrhage secondary to ruptured cerebral aneurysm and clipping are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Despite favourable neurological outcomes, many patients report persistent cognitive and emotional deficits post intervention. To compare cognitive and quality of life outcomes in patients with ruptured aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage treated with surgical clipping or endovascular coiling. Twenty-four patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage treated by clipping or coiling were retrospectively assessed by use of a battery of cognitive tests and a quality of life questionnaire. All patients had favourable grades on admission, that is, WFNS <= 2 and favourable neurological grades on discharge, that is, GOS <=2. treated with surgical clipping or endovascular coiling. Patients in the two treatment groups were matched on age, years of education and on premorbid IQ. The two groups were further matched on time from intervention to assessment and number of treatments. The cognitive performance of the treatment groups was compared to hospitalised controls, matched for age, years of education and premorbid IQ. Comparison of cognitive outcome between the two groups indicated a trend towards poorer outcome in the surgical group which achieved significance on six test measures. There were no significant differences with respect to the quality of life measure. Patients surviving aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage are likely to suffer from a 'subarachnoid-induced encephalopathy' which appears to be more aggravated by the invasive nature of surgery, compared to endovascular coiling, as demonstrated by the poorer cognitive performance ofthe clipping patients.
- ItemOpen AccessColorectal cancer : a neuropsychological approach to non-adherence to screening guidelines of individuals with Lynch syndrome in the Western Cape(2010) Northam, Amy; Solms, MarkLynch syndrome (LS), the most common form of inherited colorectal cancer (CRC), carries with it a lifetime risk of approximately 80% of developing CRC. This study identified unexpected findings with regard to the relationships between neuropsychological functioning, knowledge and non-adherence within the context of LS, and highlights ways in which this might be investigated in the future.
- ItemOpen AccessComparing featural and holistic composite systems with the aid of guided memory techniques(2007) Sullivan, Taryn; Tredoux, ColinThis study compares the effectiveness of two computerised composite construction systems - a holistic, recognition-based system named ID and a featural system that is utilized internationally, namely FACES. The comparison aimed to test whether ID produces better quality composites to FACES, and whether these composites could be improved with the aid of context reinstatement tehcniques, in particular guided memory. Participants (n=64) attended a staged event where they witnessed a female 'numerologist' for 20 minutes. Five weeks later they were asked to return to create a composite of the woman using either FACES or ID. Reconstructions were made in view, from memory after a South African Police interview or from memory after a guided memory interview. In addition, experts for each system constructed composites of each perpetrator. Studies have reported enhanced identification when multiple composites are combined to create a morpho. Hence, the guided memory composites for each perpetrator were morphed to create three ID and three FACES morphs. The complete set of 76 composites was then evaluated by 503 independent judges using matching and rating tasks. The study hypothesised that ID would perform better, but results suggest that the two systems performed equivalently. Results also suggest that the guided memory interview did not have the desired effect of significantly improving participants' memories of the perpetrator, and that contrary to expectations, the morphed composites performed extremely poorly and were rated the worst and identified the least. Related findings and ideas for future research are discussed.
- ItemOpen AccessThe construction of masculinity in male students' talk on (heterosexual) rape in South Africa: a discourse analysis(2013) Everitt-Penhale, Brittany; Boonzaier, FlorettaOne in three South African women will be raped in her lifetime; the gravity of this issue makes investigating factors influencing rape perpetration a crucial endeavour. Drawing on a feminist post-structuralist framework, this study is based on the assumption that how masculinity is constructed in a given context may influence some men's sexually aggressive behaviour within that context. Six focus group sessions, each consisting of between four and six male university students (with a total of 30 participants) were held, in which the reasons for why some men rape in South Africa were discussed. Focusing on constructions of masculinity and heterosex, the data was analysed using discourse analysis based on the Foucauldian notion of discourse. The data was divided into three main sections, namely 'the Discourse of the Male Sexual Drive', 'Heterosex', and 'Masculinity as Power'. Consistent with previous literature, within the data the male sexual drive was constructed as being largely out of men's control, with men depicted as not being culpable for raping when they do not have access to consensual sex; when the victim is wearing revealing clothing; or when the victim is drunk. Heterosex was also constructed as having considerably different meaning for males and females, with a clear presence of the 'sexual double standard', in which men are praised for having sex whereas women are denigrated and seen as morally lacking. The rules of heterosexual conduct were also constructed as being mediated by culture, in ways in which it was argued ignore the individual rights and responsibilities of the victims and perpetrators of sexual violence. Having power was further constructed as the principle feature of masculinity, with rape being a means of attaining power. Therefore, men without access to power in other areas (primarily poor and/or black men) were depicted as being the most likely to rape. Rape was also seen as a response to women's empowerment, as well as a mechanism through which women that are "too proud" can be humbled, and was thereby constructed as a tool through which male power over women is maintained. It is argued that some of the constructions within the data are problematic in that they support racist, classist and patriarchal ideologies; often place the blame for rape entirely onto women, whose rights are at times ignored; and remove culpability from the perpetrators of rape. The findings of this study therefore demonstrate the importance of challenging accepted rape myths and underlying assumptions about masculinity and heterosex in order to address the issue of rape in South Africa
- ItemOpen AccessThe contribution of different forms of violence exposure to internalising and externalising symptoms in young South African adolescents(2013) Du Plessis, Bernice; Kaminer, DebbieStudies conducted in high income countries have increasingly recognised that youth who are violently victimised are often victimised across more than one life domain, a pattern of violence exposure termed poly-victimisation. Further, poly-vicimisation has been associated with a greater severity of internalising and externalising symptoms than single types of exposure. However, there is a dearth of studies on the rate and impact of poly-victimisation among youth in South Africa. The current study assessed the rate of exposure of younger adolescents (N = 616; mean age 12.8 years) in a high-violence, low-income community in Cape Town to domestic, community, school and sexual violence either as victims or witnesses. It further explored the independent and relative contributions of each different type of violence exposure, and of polyvictimisation, to the severity of depression, aggression and conduct problems. Participants in Grade 7 at nine schools completed questionnaires measuring demographic variables, violence exposure, and symptoms of depression, aggression and conduct problems. Almost all of the participants (98.9%) had witnessed violence in their neighbourhood, 40.1% were victims of violence in their neighbourhood, 58.6% had been victims of violence in their homes, 76% had witnessed interpersonal violence in their homes, 75% had been exposed to school violence, and 8% reported experiences of sexual abuse. The median number of violence types participants were exposed to was four, with poly-victimisation being extremely prevalent: 93.1% of the sample were exposed to more than one type of violence, with 75% having been exposed to more than three different types. In a multivariate analysis, female gender, being a victim of domestic violence and poly-victimisation each made a significant independent contribution to levels of depression; being a victim of domestic violence, witnessing community violence, being a victim or witness of school violence and being sexually violated each made a significant independent contribution to levels of aggression; and being both a victim and witness of violence in the home and in the neighbourhood, together with male gender, each made a significant independent contribution to conduct problems. Poly-victimisation did not contribute significantly to levels of aggression or conduct problems. Being a victim of violence at home conferred the most risk for depression, aggression and conduct problems. The findings indicate that for the young adolescents in this study, violence exposure can be viewed as a condition as opposed to a discrete event, and that in this context of high rates of poly-victimisation, domestic victimisation stands out as the strongest risk factor for both internalising and externalising symptoms. Intervention implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.
- ItemOpen AccessCoping Motives as a Mediator of the Relationship between Trauma Exposure and Substance Misuse in South African Adolescents(2022) Assim, Ayesha; Kaminer, DebraSouth African adolescents experience high rates of trauma exposure in their homes and communities, which places them at a greater risk of developing substance misuse. Studies in high-income countries have shown that substance misuse in traumatised adults is driven by their ‘coping motives': maladaptive beliefs that substances help cope with negative affect. However, very few studies to date have explored this risk pathway in trauma-exposed adolescents, particularly in lower resource contexts. The current study examined whether coping motives mediate the relationship between different forms of trauma exposure (child maltreatment versus community violence) and different forms of problems related to substance use (alcohol and marijuana) in a sample of South African adolescents. High school learners at three government schools in Cape Town (N = 688; M age = 15.03) completed self-report measures of child maltreatment and community-based trauma exposure, alcohol and marijuana use, alcohol and marijuana-related problems, and motives for using alcohol and marijuana. Child maltreatment and community violence exposure both predicted alcohol-related problems while child maltreatment, but not community violence exposure, predicted marijuana-related problems. Coping motives, and to a lesser extent conformity motives, partially mediated the relationship between child maltreatment and alcohol-related problems, while coping motives but no other motives partially mediated the relationship between child maltreatment and marijuana-related problems. The relationship between community violence exposure and alcohol-related problems was not mediated by any alcohol use motives. The findings suggest that coping motives increase the risk that adolescents who experience child maltreatment will have substance use problems. Targeting coping motives could be an important focus for substance misuse interventions for trauma-exposed South African adolescents.
- ItemOpen AccessCulture, self, and cognition: adding Africa to the mix(2017) Janse van Rensburg, Gerard; Tredoux, ColinCross-cultural differences in cognition have been well established across the world, and differences in Individualism (IND) and Collectivism (COL) are believed to underlie the majority of these cultural variations. IND-COL measures are frequently used to categorise nations as either IND or COL and these nations are subsequently used to draw IND or COL samples for comparison on various cognitive tasks. The multicultural nature of South Africa and inconsistent findings on IND-COL in SA makes such IND-COL categorisation problematic. African nations have also been conspicuously missing from international cross-cultural research on culture and cognition. This study set out to explore the utility of IND-COL measures in South Africa, with special regard to possible racial or linguistic differences. It also set out to remedy the absence of African nations in the international literature by replicating a previous study on culture and cognition within a South African sample. The shortened HVIC scale by Triandis and Gelfand (1998) was used to explore racial and linguistic differences in terms of IND-COL within a South African university population (N = 1380). Psychometric analyses showed good reliability, internal consistency, and construct validity. Regression analysis revealed race and language as poor predictors of IND. COL prediction was marginally better, accounting for 8.2% of variance, and with African Language as a significant predictor (beta = -.432, p < .01). To address the absence of Africa in the literature, replication of the eye-tracking and memory study by Chua et al. (2005) was attempted in a South African university population (N = 52). Due to the multicultural nature of South Africa, participants were recruited and sorted according to scores on a shortened version of the HVIC into an IND group (n = 25) and a COL group (n = 27). After correcting for outliers, no significant differences were found between the two groups regarding eye-movement patterns or memory. The two SA groups did, however, differ significantly from the American group but not the Chinese group in the original study by Chua et al. (2005). Discrepancies in IND-COL research in SA are likely due to a lack of comprehensiveness in terms of the cultural tasks included in the surveys. Increasing acculturation in post-Apartheid South Africa, especially among university students, may also play a large role. Further issues regarding IND-COL measurement in South Africa, as well as issues surrounding IND-COL measurement internationally were also discussed. Methodological issues in studying the links between IND-COL and cognition within a South African context were likely the reason behind the lack of differences found in this study in terms of eye-movement patterns and memory for the two SA groups.