OpenUCT :: Browsing by Subject "Research Psychology"

Browsing by Subject "Research Psychology"

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An analysis of the manifestations of trauma following psychological abuse, and an examination of the process of recovery
(2006) Laas, Sarah Jane; Gobodo-Madikizela, Pumla
This research aimed to provide an in-depth analysis of the experiences of unmarried women subjected to prolonged psychological and emotional abuse within intimate relationships. The manifestations of trauma were investigated, including the psychological ramifications of exposure to repeated emotional abuse, as well as the nature of psychological captivity and the factors that prevented these women from leaving their abusers. The influence of societal gender relations on the women's experiences of abuse was explored, and an examination of the women's processes of recovery was conducted. The sample consisted of 10 women: four white participants, four black participants, and two coloured participants. The age of the participants at the time of interviewing ranged from 19 years of age to 30 years of age. Individual, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted, and data was analysed using thematic analysis.
Open Access
Answering the call : an exploration into factors affecting the motivation of volunteers involved in a telephone counselling organisation
(1994) Brimmer, Welmoet; Oxtoby, Richard ; Schömer, Helgo
This study investigates factors which affect the motivation of volunteer telephone counsellors, including demographic variables as well as volunteers' subjective perceptions of the factors which have influenced their involvement. The study was conducted in two stages. The first consisted of a demographic analysis of two groups of counsellors from an organisation in the Western Cape, while the second stage involved a qualitative analysis of semi-structured in-depth interviews with respondents who were drawn from these groups. 446 volunteers were selected for demographic analysis, of whom 247 were the full complement of current counsellors in the organisation as of April, 1993, and 199 were ex-volunteers who had terminated their involvement during the preceding three years. Eight demographic variables were recorded for each volunteer: current age, gender, age on joining the organisation, educational level, religious orientation, marital and parental status and length of service. Volunteers were predominantly female (75%), and were on average middle-aged, well-educated, and Christian (64%). Approximately half of the group were married. Parents comprised 50% of the group. The average length of service was approximately five years. Length of service was analysed in relation to each of the other demographic variables in turn in order to discover which factors, if any, were implicated in volunteer turnover. Parental status was the only variable found to be significant in terms of length of service across both current and ex-volunteer groups. A regression analysis performed on the data set as a whole identified parental status as a significant predictor of length of service. The second stage of the study consisted of 23 in-depth interviews. Respondents ( 12 current volunteers, 11 ex-volunteers) were selected according to a purposive technique which took the form of a systematic, structured sampling strategy in order to maximize the diversity of obtained responses. A descriptive phenomenological perspective was adopted in order to tap the rich, subjective experiences of respondents. Interview data was analysed according to an inductive, constantly comparative approach. Findings based on respondents' self-report suggest that motivational factors underlying volunteer participation are multifaceted and complex, changing in nature ii and salience during the course of involvement (from initial contact with the organisation until termination of participation). Although self-serving motives seemed to play a major role in influencing participation, especially during the early stages of involvement, altruistic motives appeared to be important in sustaining on-going involvement. On the basis of findings which have emerged from the study, recommendations have been made as to possible strategies that could be adopted by the organisation to improve volunteer management. The most important of these concerns the implementation of a supervision and support structure for all active volunteers.
Open Access
Aphasia and the presence of language in dreams
(2005) Timol, Ridwana
A study was done to ascertain the presence of dreams and the quality of language in dreams in patients with aphasia. 24 aphasic subjects were interviewed using Kagan's (1998) Supported Conversation for Adults with Aphasia (SCA) technique of communication. The main hypothesis investigated was that aphasic patients would experience a better quality of language while dreaming than while awake. Severity being kept constant, aphasia in its acute stage displays greater discrepancy between pre- morbid and morbid language abilities than in its recovering, chronic stage. Therefore, a secondary hypothesis was formulated whereby the difference between language in waking life and language in dreams would be more significant in acute aphasics than in chronic aphasics. Thirdly, it was hypothesized that fluent aphasics would experience less dreaming, if any, since posterior lesions have been found to correlate with cessation or reduction in dreaming. Language in dreams was found to be significantly better than language in waking life amongst the 63% of subjects who reported dreaming. Differences in trends between the categories i) acute and chronic and ii) fluent and non- fluent aphasics, that is the second and third hypotheses, did not achieve statistical significance.
Open Access
"--are you gonna wait until it kills you or are you gonna kill it?'' : narratives of individuals dependent on crystal methamphetamine
(2008) Ajodah, Anju; Wild, Lauren; Pluddemann, Andreas
The aim of this study was to investigate the current crystal methamphetamine problem and its trends of abuse as manifested in the local context of Cape Town, South Africa. Twelve individuals (four ex-users, five users in recovery and three current users) who were dependent on crystal methamphetamine took part in the study. They ranged between the age of seventeen and twenty eight years. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in order to gather participants' stories about their subjective understanding of their dependence on crystal methamphetamine. Onset of use was often driven by curiosity and/or peer pressure, as well as to avoid states of psychological discomfort. Crystal methamphetamine use was usually maintained due to the enjoyment of its rewarding effects. Smoking the substance became especially important with more regular use as it served as a powerful, albeit temporary, stress eliminator. Crystal methamphetamine ubiquity appeared to be highly influential in the onset as well as maintenance of the substance's consumption. A range of debilitating physiological and psychological symptoms comprised the state of dependence. The presence of psychotic symptoms was rife within the sample and was often indicative of severe and prolonged crystal methamphetamine use. An inability to function within the external 'drug-free reality' was characterised by participants not being able to fulfill responsibilities and thus was also suggestive of maladaptive patterns of use. Polydrug use was generally common among participants. Some female participants' narratives also pointed towards the association of crystal methamphetamine use and sexual risk-taking behaviours. Identifying an external motivating factor was important in encouraging cessation of use but internal motivation often appeared to be just as significant in attaining as well as sustaining abstinence. Sleeping was the most common strategy used in dealing with the state of severe withdrawal which followed post use. In general, most participants did not perceive treatment as being the most useful means of achieving sobriety. Identifying goals and a perceived sense of purpose appeared important in motivating the individual along the path towards recovery as well as in the maintenance of abstinence.
Open Access
Burnout, work environment, and coping in surgical hospital nurses
(1996) Nixon, Michal; Oxtoby, Richard
This study examined the extent of burnout (as conceptualized by Maslach and Jackson (1981): emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and diminished personal accomplishment) being experienced by nurses in a South African state hospital, and its associations with a range of work environment variables and the ways in which nurses generally cope with their stress. This exploratory study took the form of a cross-sectional, correlational field survey, in which both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from surgical hospital nurses by means of self-report questionnaires. Quantitative measures included were the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI; Maslach & Jackson, 1981), the Work Environment Scale (WES; Moos, 1986) and the Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced Scale (COPE; Carver, Scheier & Weintraub, 1989). Additional quantitative measures of personal control, support, sense of appreciation and job satisfaction were obtained from visual analogue rating scales. The qualitative data comprised a frequency analysis of themes evident in the content of subjects' written responses to four open-ended questions posed in the questionnaire. On each of the three burnout subscales, respondents' scores were categorized into low, moderate or high levels of burnout. Apart from correlational and ANOVA analyses, performed in order to examine relationships between variables and differences in terms of demographics, nursing categories, and nursing specialities, discriminant analyses were performed in order to identify those variables which were experienced differently by nurses reporting different levels of burnout. A number of significant predictors of burnout were identified. Of the work environment variables examined in the study, higher levels of work pressure, diminished physical comfort, and lack of peer cohesion predicted higher levels of emotional exhaustion. Lack of physical comfort and perceived lack of supervisor support were strongly associated with higher levels of depersonalization. Generally, lower levels of perceived autonomy and supervisor support were associated with a diminished sense of personal accomplishment. Regarding coping, frequent use of the problem-focused strategy of planning was found to be associated with lower levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Frequent use of the emotion-focused strategies of positive reinterpretation, seeking emotional social support, and acceptance were related to higher levels of personal accomplishment, whereas increased use of the emotion-focused strategy of denial was strongly associated with diminished personal accomplishment. Regarding palliative/avoidant coping strategies, frequent behavioural disengagement was associated with higher levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, and mental disengagement and focusing/venting of emotions were related to higher levels of emotional exhaustion.
Open Access
Confession, surveillance and subjectivity : a discourse analytic approach to advice columns
(1994) Wilbraham, Lindy Anne; Levett, Ann
This dissertation applies the theoretical ideas of Michel Foucault -viz. confession, surveillance and subjectivity - to advice columns from three South African women's magazines. An interpretative analysis effects of discourse, renders salient the relationship between knowledges, discursive practices, power and institutions. Using, as a standing point, Wendy Hollway's work on subject positioning of women in discourses concerning heterosexual relationship practice, the ways in which women are impelled to ""work"" in psychologized and medicalized ways to effect normalization in ""crises"" of ""physical attractiveness"" and ""monogamy"" are examined in advice texts. These technologies and practices produce rewards of power for Subjection, and these powers are critically discussed in terms of (a) ""liberal"" / ""humanist"", ''feminist'' and ""Foucauldian"" strategies of women's empowerment, and (b) the formal dynamics and constraints of advice columns.
Open Access
Coping with HIV-seropositive status: a psychoneuroimmunological perspective
(1994) Orr, Neil M; Le Grange, Daniel
Twenty-seven HIV-infected homosexual men participating in an experimental drug trial were included in a psychoneuroimmunological investigation of the association between levels of short-term emotional distress, methods of coping, hopelessness, loneliness, joy, and CDS-cell counts, CD4-cell counts, and the cumulative rate of CD4-cell decline since infection. A survey of needs was included. The sample (n = 27) was significantly more depressed (p < 0.01), angry (p < 0.001), confused (p < 0.05), and lonelier (p < 0.01) than normative groups. There were no significant differences in emotional distress between asymptomatic subjects (n = 16; CDC II and Ill) and symptomatic subjects (n = 11; CDC IVa, IVcl and 1Vc2). Secondary analyses indicate that the asymptomatic subjects were significantly more distressed than comparable American asymptomatic HIV-infected men, while the symptomatic subjects were not more distressed than comparable American subjects. A survey of needs revealed that financial concems related to HIV-infection were found to be a greater source of distress than symptom status. The sample scored significantly lower than college student norms for coping by means of seeking social support for emotional reasons (p < 0.05), and significantly higher on all scales pertaining to avoidance coping (0.02 > p < 0.001), as well as acceptance coping (p < 0.001). No significant differences (p > 0.05) were found for all problem-focused coping and emotion-focusing coping scales, nor for coping by means of focusing upon and venting of emotions. Five subjects who had been infected for less than two years were excluded from analyses regarding immune functioning. For the remaining 22 subjects, no significant associations between psychosocial factors and CDS-cell counts were found (p > 0.05), nor were there any significant associations between measures of short A regression model containing the coping scales of suppression of competing activities and mental disengagement predicted 33.3 percent of cross-sectional CD4-cell counts (f = 4.737, df = 2, 19, p < 0.05). Both factors were negatively associated with CD4-cell counts. A regression model containing the coping methods of focusing upon and venting of emotions and mental disengagement predicted 29 percent of CD4- rates of decline over time (f = 3.874, df = 2, 19, p < 0.05). The venting of emotions scale was associated with slower rates of CD4-cell decline over time (r = -0.433, df = 21, p < 0.05), while mental disengagement coping was associated with faster rates of CD4-cell decline (r = + 0.314, df = 21, p = 0.16). A median-split of scores on the focusing upon and venting of emotions coping scale and CD4-rates of decline reveals that high venting scores are found in 77 percent of subjects with slow rates of decline, while low scores are evident for 78 percent of those with fast rates of cumulative CD4-cell decline since infection. It was concluded that these results are consistent with previous research concerning with the immunosuppressive effects of habitual repression of emotions and the long-term maladaptive effects of avoidance coping. -term POMS scales of emotional distress and CD4-cell counts and rates of decline over time.
Open Access
Cultural construction of psychiatric illness : a case of amafufunyane
(1990) Mdleleni, Thembeka N; Du Preez, Peter
The purpose of this study was to explore definitions of an illness condition amafunyane and the subsequent help-seeking behaviour amongst Black Psychiatric patients who were attending a psychiatric community clinic in Guguletu, a residential area for Blacks in Cape Town). Psychiatrists have always been faced with the problem of having to deal with patients who present with this condition. The concern was to do an exploratory research in this area using the Explanatory Model framework as a method of enquiry in studying the condition of amafunyane. Within the parameters of this model, Black psychiatric patients presenting at the psychiatric clinic, were studied in order to explore the context of illness definitions regarding the condition of amafunyane. Of importance also was to explore the patterns of help-seeking behaviour employed by these patients, and the effect that the psychiatric orientation adopted at the clinic had on such patterns.
Open Access
Decisions to care for HIV/AIDS orphans
(2002) Townsend, Loraine
There is substantial evidence to indicate that South Africa is facing the prospect of a large number of children, now and in the future, who will be orphaned as a result of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. In all likelihood, these children would have experienced psychological trauma through the illness and death of people close to them, and the social isolation that accompanies HIV-infection and AIDS-related illness and death. The ideal would be for as many of these children as possible to experience some type of family life in which to grow and mature into responsible adults. The aim of the present study was to explore a range of factors that might influence prospective carers' decisions to care for children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. These include features of prospective carers; features of the orphaned child; and forms of assistance that may be required. By means of a postal survey, the present study explored existing adoptive and foster parents' (N=17S) willingness to care for an HIV/AIDS orphan. Results show that close to 69% of respondents indicated a willingness to care for an HIV/AIDS orphan. Although some differences were noted depending on the HIV status of the child and whether the respondent was an adoptive or foster parent, on the whole they also indicated a preferred willingness to care for an HIV-negative female child, up to the age of 6 years old, of the same culture and from the same family as themselves, and without surviving relatives or siblings. Free medical care and schooling for the child were the suggested forms of assistance required. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (Ajzen, 1991), explored in the present study, did predict intentions to care for either an HIV-negative or HIV-positive orphan. However, certain components of the models did not have good predictive ability calling into question the usefulness of the model as a means to explain and predict intention to care for an HIV/AIDS orphan. Implications of the study provide recommendations for persons involved with children orphaned by HIV/AIDS.
Open Access
A descriptive study exploring community- and clinic-based tuberculosis treatments in two Western Cape communities
(2002) Rausch, Kerstin
This descriptive study focused on two clinics in the Western Cape's South Peninsula (Retreat and Ocean View), with relatively successful cure rates. These successes were explored within the ecological frameworks of comprehensive primary health care (PHC) and the Healthy Cities concept. Clinic-based and community-based anti-tuberculosis treatments were compared in both areas. The relative influence of the Healthy Cities pilot project in Ocean View was also explored.
Open Access
Discourses of whiteness informing the identity of white English-speaking South Africans
(2003) Salusbury, Theresa; Foster, Don
Given South Africa's ethnic complexities, comparatively little has been written about the group known as white English-speaking South Africans, or WESSAs. This is partly because of the lack of collective sentiment shared by people categorised as WESSAs, partly because the group boundaries are not clear-cut, and partly because on the surface there appears to be little that can be said about them. Besides a proclivity for business, a continued attachment to Europe and an apparent inability to organise politically, the acollectivity of the group has been the focus of the literature on the subject, and its cause has been a matter of some bewilderment on the part of authors. This work examines WESSA identity from a new perspective, one influenced by the proliferation of writings on the topic of "whiteness" in Europe and America in recent years. These writings concentrate on how whiteness as a set of discourses positions being white as neutral or "raceless", in contrast to other race groups who are constructed as "ethnic".
Open Access
Divorce in the Muslim community of the Western Cape : a demographic study of 600 divorce records at the Muslim Judicial Council and National Ulama Council between 1994 and 1999
(2002) Toefy, Mogamat Yoesrie; Swartz, Sally
This thesis examines marital discord and dissolution within the Muslim community in the Western Cape. The writer contends that the rising incidence of divorce in a community may indicate underlying social upheaval especially within its family unit. Marriage and divorce reveal individual characteristics, faulty norms and disfuntionality that may be generalised to greater societal trends within a community. The aim of this study is to identify the main reasons and contributing factors that lead to divorce. Such data will assist in planning and supporting proactive communal programmes to reduce the high divorce rate in the community.
Open Access
The effect of making the issue of 'violence against women' salient on the gender identity of women from the Western Cape : an experiment study
(1997) Jeannot, Chantal; Finchilescu, Gillian
The idea for this dissertation emerged out of my interest in the identity of South Mrican women. A specific area of interest was which part of South Mrican women's identity was more salient- race or gender. Another specific area of interest, based on the proposition of social identity theory that different aspects of identity could be salient within different contexts, was which contexts, if any, would make gender identity more salient than race identity. (The was of interest particularly with regard to black women.) In an attempt to further explore the identity of South Mrican women, with particular reference to the above questions, Study 1 was conducted. Based on the literature (e.g. Davis, 1981; hooks, 1981, 1984 ), one expectation was that while gender might be more salient than race for white women, for black women, race would always be more salient than gender irrespective of context. A content-analysis of the focus group transcripts for Study 1 did not support this expectation. Both black and white women cited the issue of 'sexual violence against women', specifically rape, as the one factor that made the 'woman' aspect of their identity salient, and engendered a feeling of 'us' (women) versus ‘them' (men). In order to further investigate this result, a second study was conducted. In Study 2, a pretest post-test experimental control group design was used to examine the effect of the issue of 'sexual violence against women' on the gender identity of black, white and coloured women. Forty black women, 40 white women and 40 coloured women from the Western Cape participated in the study. Gender and race identity were explored using multidimensional scales, a social distance scale, a personality atttibutions measure, and an identity checklist. These measures were administered at both the pretest and the posttest. ‘Sexual violence against women' was operationalised as an article about rape which was presented to women in the experimental group while women in the control group received a neutral intervention. The hypothesis was that at the pretest, women (in particular black women) would perceive themselves as 'closer' to other members of their own race (including men) than to other women of different races. Thus race would be a more salient aspect of identity than gender. Based on the results of Study 1, it was further hypothesised that at the posttest women in the experimental group would perceive themselves as 'closer' to women of other races than to men of their own race.
Open Access
The effects of partner type on condom choice and condom use
(2010) Zondo, S; Thomas, Kevin
South Africa has one of the world's highest rates of HIV infection. Little previous research has focused on the relationship between individuals in different sexual contexts and their attitudes toward condom choice. I tested the hypotheses that (a) implicit and explicit measures of attitudes towards condom choice would show that individuals in casual sexual contexts, compared to those in the context of exclusive sexual relationships, would spontaneously associate more strongly with brand-name condoms over generic condoms, and (b) there would be a positive correlation between explicit and implicit attitudes towards condom choice.
Open Access
Emotional biases in confabulation : the role of the frontal lobes
(2004) Balchin, Ross; Solms, Mark
The neuropsychological understanding of confabulation has recently been enriched by the finding that confabulating patients present positive emotional biases in their false recollections. The exact mechanisms of this motivational phenomenon have been heuristically linked to the frontal lobe impairment accompanying confabulation. The present study aims at providing direct support for this claim. A patient with damage to the prefrontal cortex is examined and his performance is contrasted with two confabulating patients, a patient with non-frontal neurological damage and twenty matched controls on a number of tests of emotional processing.
Open Access
Evaluating the role of Kinesiology, as an adjunct therapy, in the management of patients with Crohn's disease
(2002) Jogee, Rasheda; Swartz, Sally; Bokhorst, Frank; Winter, Trevor
This randomized controlled experimental study was designed to determine whether Kinesiology, as an adjunct to medical therapy, would improve the management of patients with Crohn's disease. One hundred and fifty consecutive Crohn's disease patients, attending the Gastrointestinal Clinic at Groote Schuur Hospital, were randomly assigned to a Kinesiology (n=50) and a Control Group (n=50). In order to assess the effect of physical contact, a third group who received Massage (n=50), was also included. All participants attended their monthly hospital visits and continued taking their prescribed medication.
Open Access
Evaluation of a pilot crime prevention project in the Western Cape
(2002) Nel, Natasha; Louw, Johann
The non-governmental organisation U Managing Conflict (UMAC) is responsible for the implementation of a local crime prevention initiative in the Western Cape. The pilot project involves establishing community safety forums (CSFs) consisting of representation from government departments, communities and civil society. The CSFs project has two primary goals. The first is to facilitate information sharing and co-operation between relevant local stakeholders, and the second is to ensure that role players participate in multi-agency crime prevention planning and project initiation.
Open Access
Evaluation of a school-based intervention programme for South African children of divorce
(2009) Botha, Cornelius J; Wild, Lauren
Currently, parental separation in South Africa affects an estimated 30 000 children under the age of 18 annually. These children spend a great part of their day at school where they have to interact with peers and teachers and are expected to perform academically, but parental separation could have a significant impact on their ability to do so. Although research has found that children can be adversely affected by parental divorce, schools in South Africa do not offer any group interventions in an attempt to assist and guide children through what could be an ordeal for them. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the school-based Children of Divorce Intervention Programme (CODIP) at two South African schools. CODIP is a preventively oriented 12-week group programme for nine to twelve year old children. The aims of the programme are to create a supportive group atmosphere in which children can share divorce-related feelings and clarify misconceptions about divorce. Participants are also taught problem-solving, communication and anger management skills. Twenty-five boys of divorce from two schools (ages 10 to 13 years) were randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one delayed intervention control group. The boys' understanding of divorce was assessed through the completion of the Children's Belief about Parental Separation (CBAPS) scale. The Self Perception Profile for Children (SPPC) was used to assess children's perceptions of themselves, while the Parent-Child Interaction Questionnaire for Children (PACHIQ-R-CH) was employed to determine the boys' perceptions of their families. Questionnaires to determine the boys' general adjustment were completed by the boys, teachers and parents. Boys completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), teachers the Teacher-Child Rating Scale (T-CRS), the AML-R Behaviour Rating Scale and the SDQ, and parents completed the Parent-Child Rating Scale (P-CRS) and the SDQ.
Open Access
An evaluation of the psychotherapeutic milieu therapy programme of the William Slater Centre for Adolescents and Young Adults
(1997) Ahmed, Nazeema; Louw, Johann
In recent years there has been increasing recognition of the turmoil of the adolescent developmental period. This has primarily been the result of research demonstrating high morbidity, and at times mortality, for this age group. With the acknowledgement of adolescent mental health problems, and adolescent depression in particular, came the application of a range of treatments for adolescent problems and disorders. This in tum gave rise to a need, from funders and practitioners alike, to demonstrate the efficacy of the interventions. While traditional social science methods were utilised for this purpose, the rise of the field of evaluation brought new vigour to the area of efficacy of psychological treatments. It was this new approach that informed the structure and methodology for the present thesis. The aim of this thesis was to evaluate the William Slater Centre for Adolescents and Young Adults' psychotherapeutic milieu treatment programme. The efficacy of this milieu treatment programme was determined by analysing the following: (i) the structure of the programme; (ii) the process of the programme; and (iii) the short-term outcome of the programme. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods were used. Results of the evaluation are manifold, with each chapter of the thesis providing insight into varying aspects of the Centre's therapeutic programme. Detailed descriptions of the structure and process of the William Slater Centre and its therapeutic programme is provided. This is followed by an in-depth account of the implementation of the therapeutic programme, where details of the day-to-day functioning of the programme is provided. The final part of the thesis is a brief examination of the short-term outcome of the programme and the staff and adolescent patients' perceptions of the strengths and limitations of the Centre's programme. The thesis provides a comprehensive overview of the structure and functioning of the William Slater Centre and its programme. Emphasis is placed on the concordance of the therapeutic programme with milieu therapy principles. The thesis demonstrates that while the Centre provides an essential service to the adolescent psychiatric population, significant organisational problems of the Centre and the programme require attention.
Open Access
An experimental study of adolescents' identification with South Africa and Africa
(2001) Eaton, Elizabeth M R; Dawes, Andrew
South African social psychological research on national identity has been limited. The current research aimed to address some of the gaps in the local literature. Two studies were conducted among Grade 11 learners at Cape Town high schools. Study 1 (N=565) included Black African-language speakers, Coloured English-speakers, White Afrikaans-speakers and White English-speakers aged between 16.5 and 18.5. This study was an experimental test of hypotheses based on the principle of 'functional antagonism' within Self-Categorisation Theory (Turner, 1987), as well as on other concepts derived from European and local research. Based on methods used by Cinnirella (1998) and Rutland and Cinnirella (2000), participants were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions designed to make national, sub-national, or personal identity salient. The effect of this experimental manipulation on identification with South Africa and with Africa was then assessed across ethnic groups. Study 1 also investigated the relationship between attitudes towards diversity, perceived sub-national group security, and strength of identification with South Africa. Study 2 (N=91) was restricted to Coloured English-speakers within the same age range as in Study 1. Study 2 tested a hypothesis about the relative sensitivity to the experimental manipulation, of alternative measures of identification. No effects for the experimental manipulation of identity salience were found on any of the dependent variables. Significant differences were, however, found between ethnic groups on absolute and relative identification with South African and Africa, as well as on certain pertinent attitudes and beliefs. The result of Study 2 provided a degree of methodological triangulation for Study 1, while also providing additional information about the relative strength of South African, Africa, and nine other social identities. The results are discussed in the light of findings from prior South African research.