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August 2012

THE COMING OUT

Friday, August 31, 2012 Category : , , , 0


SUMMARY

Are you a man or a woman? A woman whose emotional, romantic, and sexual energies are geared towards other women is labeled as lesbian. Although many people do not think of being a lesbian as negative, the unfortunate reality is that some people in society perceive this population as troublesome. Adolescents who present themselves to the world as lesbian open themselves to criticism and rejection by family, friends, and loved ones. Keeping one’s homosexuality can also lead to mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.

This study aimed to investigate the factors that contributed to the coming out of the lesbian adolescents with the end view of proposing guidelines on coming out.

Several theories served as scientific basis for the researcher in handling the topic. The researcher also set factors in which she believed that may greatly affect the subject and these factors served as guides in gathering data. The researcher believes that social orientation and upbringing plays a great role in gender transformation and that coming out is the most crucial stage that a homosexual should undergo. The qualitative method is mainly used.

FINDINGS

The findings of the study are hereby presented based on the variables explored in the problem:


  1. The respondents’ attitudes differed with each other. The first subject was a happy-go-lucky person while the second was quite spoiled and childish.
  2. Both of the subjects were currently I third year high school but studied in different schools. Of the two subjects, the first one belonged to a lower class while the second one belonged to the middle class.
  3. Both subjects came from an intact family. The first one was so attached to his father but that attachment changed when her father worked abroad. The second one was so attached to all members of the family because she was the youngest and only girl of the family.
  4. The two subjects were both Roman Catholic but they differed in the extent to which they practiced their faith. The first subject regularly prayed and observed religious practices but did not attend mass often. And the second one was compiling the sacraments that are taught by the Catholic Church.
  5. The immediate model for the first subject was her father and the immediate models for the second subject were her brothers, aunts, and cousins.
  6. Both of the subjects shared the same experiences in revealing their true identity. At first, their family was shocked but later on they were accepted.

PROPOSED GUIDELINES ON COMING OUT

The researcher proposed guidelines on coming out. Parents of lesbian children may gain deeper insight into their child’s homosexuality by understanding the five developmental stages of coming out. Some may get locked into one stage and never progress. Even at the identity integration stage, coming out is a continuing process. But there are developmental tasks inherent in each stage which needs to be completed some time, in order ultimately to become fully self-actualizing and integrated. Here are the stages:
  1. Pre-Coming Out. Some studies have found that core gender and sex-role identities are formed by age 3, thus sexual object choice is part of gender identity. If that is true, then homosexuality is determined primarily during late infancy and early childhood, and may be identified at a pre-conscious level, or even a conscious level.
  2. Coming Out. Individuals move into this stage when they acknowledge their homosexual feeling, which is the first developmental task of this stage. That may mean simply acknowledging a confusing homosexual thought or fantasy, without fully understanding or labeling what it means. Some studies indicate the median age for this experience is from 13 to 18.
  3. Exploration. This stage of experimenting with a new sexual identity is similar to the heterosexual adolescent’s first major experience of sexual activity with others. However, most individuals with same-sex preference do not experience adolescence in their teenage years. There is a developmental gap in their sexual adolescence, which can be confusing or even frightening to persons who have otherwise matured intellectually, vocationally and financially.
  4. First Relationship. After a period of sexual and social experimentation, exploration can lose its intrigue, and needs for intimacy and a stable, committed relationship then become important.
  5. Integration. This is an open-ended, ongoing process that will last the rest of one’s life. Such an integrated identity usually takes from 10 to 14 years after the first awareness of same-sex feelings. New feelings will emerge; new relationships will be enjoyed. This stage is characterized by non-possessiveness, mutual trust, freedom, and greater success.

CONCLUSIONS

The absence of the father is one great factor of being a lesbian. The relationship that you both established with each other and some of the things that you do together. As a child, Parent-Child Interaction model was proved to be true as parental attitudes determine a person’s sexual orientation away from people or towards people.

Having low self-esteem will hinder the subjects to come out. While having satisfactory self-presentation and strong self-concept had contributed in acknowledging the beauty and accepting the risk of coming out.

As the subjects passed through the coming out phase, they began to feel the burden. Having wanted to be free from it they started generating in them fruits of peace and responsibility and try to think the positive side of it.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the findings of the study, the following are recommended:


  1. It is recommended that these guidelines be reviewed by professionals and other lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual (LGBT) supportive groups to determine their applicability.
  2. After verifying these guidelines, it is recommended that they be made available to teenagers who might be confused about their gender orientation. This can be done through pamphlets and information drives or seminars by guidance centers, special interest groups, and the like.
  3. It is recommended that a mini-workshop be designed based on the guidelines for the benefit of closet lesbian teenagers.
  4. It is recommended that further studies be conducted with lesbians from different age groups, socioeconomic classes, and educational backgrounds to come up with enriched guidelines tailored for each group.

OUTCAST

Tuesday, August 14, 2012 Category : , , , 3



SUMMARY

New religious movements popularly known as cults are often rejected by society and mainstream religion. These movements have different beliefs and practices that are opposed to the mainstream practices of religion. Nevertheless, many people are attracted to join such groups. These groups are exploiting social influence tactics in recruiting people to join them.

The main goal of this study was to investigate and to discover the recruitment tactics used by cults that made them appealing to a number of residents in the different areas of the city with an end view of proposing a model that will present the factors that influence people to such religious movements.

To pursue this goal, the researchers utilized the participant observation technique which was reinforced by self-made questionnaires, structured tests, and interview guides. The gathered data were coded, presented, analyzed, and interpreted. This became the basis in formulating a proposed model on cult recruitment.

FINDINGS


  1. The characteristics of people who most likely fell for the appeal of cults were diverse. They belonged to different age groups. They had different personalities, cognitions, educational backgrounds, and religions.
  2. Cults were not religions but merely religious groups. Moreover, the groups had beliefs and practices that were contrary to mainstream religion.
  3. Cults exploited social influences tactics such as persuasion and foot-in-the-door technique in attracting people to join them.
  4. Members were recruited by someone whom they knew such as family members and teachers.
  5. Members joined because they had needs that had been provided for by the group. Some of the needs were protection, salvation, and belongingness.


PROPOSED MODEL ON CULT RECRUITMENT

The proposed model on cult recruitment shows some of the factors that explain why some people join cults. This model consisted of four variables: source, message, channel and audience, together with their respective characteristics that reveal why some people become vulnerable to cult recruitment.


Cult Recruitment Model

CONCLUSIONS

After thorough investigation and assessment of the data in this study, the researchers concluded that many are attracted to join cults since the groups employ social influence tactics like persuasion, compliance, reciprocity, among others. Moreover, the appeal is very great when the groups provide for the needs of the targets. Members found acceptance, love, belongingness, identity, protection, salvation and hope. Hence, they found their home.

RECOMMENDATIONS


  1. That the public will be educated on the emergence of new religious movements, taking into account the respective backgrounds, leaders, practices, and beliefs of new religious movements and the possible disadvantages if people join such groups.
  2. That the society must not treat cult members as outcasts since these people are human beings with dignity and freedom.
  3. That the family members should provide an atmosphere of love and belongingness so that members will not seek an alternative home.
  4. That future researchers try a more intense study and go deeper in finding more relevant information about the founders of different religious movements in terms of childhood experiences, family background, education, personality, needs, and crises.
  5. That future researchers have a comparative study on member’s and non-member’s perceptions on cults.




I’M GONNA MAKE YOU LIKE ME!

Monday, August 13, 2012 Category : , , , 1


SUMMARY

Self-monitoring involves a concern with social appropriateness of one’s behavior, an attention to social comparison information as cues for appropriate expression, the ability to control or modify self-presentation, the use of this ability in particular situations, and the extent to which an individual’s expressive behavior is consistent or variable across situations (Snyder, 1974, p. 529).

In a certain private sectarian educational institution in the city, students, teachers, and staff come from different places and have different personalities. The school also has very high standards and therefore requires that the students, teachers, and staff perform also at a high level. Student’s cooperation in the class would sometimes depend on the teachers’ impact on the students. It is therefore important for teachers to place a good impression on the students.

This study aims to determine the kind of self-monitoring competence, the general profile including strengths, weaknesses, and values, and the work/family relations of the probationary teachers of the Grade School and High School Department of a selective private sectarian educational institution in the city in attempting to create a favorable impression on their superiors, colleagues, and students. This study is undertaken to come up with a proposed personal enhancement program.

The researchers used the quantitative research method in gathering information through the participants from a certain private educational institution in the city. The Descriptive Survey Method was used, which typically seeks to ascertain respondents’ perspectives or experiences on a specified subject in a predetermined structured manner. The researchers also used direct observation and interviews. Through these techniques, the researchers were able to collect more data and came up with sensible results.

FINDINGS

After the data gathering process, the following findings are reported:
  1. Respondents were said to be supportive and helpful towards their families.
  2. Respondents were patient and passionate about their chosen careers.
  3. Respondents were respectful and kind of their co-teachers. They were very open and they always respected each other’s thoughts and beliefs.
  4. The different self-presentation tactics used were Ingratiation, Intimidation, Self-promotion, and Exemplification.
  5. Based on the findings of the study, the researchers came up with a Personal Enhancements Program in order for the respondents to enhance their capabilities in whichever aspect of their lives they seem insufficient.
PROPOSED PERSONAL ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM

The proposed Personal Enhancement Program is designed in order to provide the participants adequate information as to the ideal behaviors needed in order to perform better at their jobs and to maintain the behaviors needed to eventually become regular employees of the institution. There are 2 modules in the program and each module is composed of 2 sessions. The first session of the first module is about self-awareness. The teachers are made to answer a self-assessment form and in the second session, the teachers are to draft a personal growth plan. In the first session of the second module, the teachers are taught basic make-up and grooming tips and in the second session, teachers are taught and are made to experience how to improve and maintain the quality of their teaching.

CONCLUSIONS

With all the data gathered, the researchers have found that it is not necessary for the teachers to fake attitudes just to make their students or pupils like them. The very thing that teachers should greatly consider is their attitude and their patience. Teachers’ passion for their chosen careers is also highly considered.

Furthermore, in the general analysis for Self-Monitoring, it was found that most of the teachers are low self-monitors; however human as they are, they also have the tendency to live up to the expectations of other people. Consciously or unconsciously, probationary teachers do things that would somehow make themselves likable.

With regards to the self-presentation tactic, Ingratiation is the most commonly used, followed by Self-promotion and Exemplification and then by Intimidation. Managing appearances was also considered by the respondents.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the findings, the researchers proposed the following recommendations:
  1. That teachers’ physical disposition should also be evaluated by their superiors.
  2. That teachers’ sense of individuality should be highly considered and developed.
  3. That the proposed program entitled “The Teachers’ Guide to Personal Enhancement” should be implemented and adopted by public and private schools.