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Meaning and motivation of the car watcher in Knysna, South Africa

Sampson, Mark Garrett
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1087324358

Abstract Details

2004, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Psychology.
In the aftermath of apartheid, millions of South Africans are struggling to meet their basic survival needs of obtaining food and maintaining shelter. Little research has been done on how this daily struggle for survival affects the South Africans’ meaning and motivation in life. The purpose of this study was to examine the motivation and meaning of a sample of South African people, specifically – the car watcher. It focused on the personal histories of people who were once oppressed under apartheid and examined what hopes they might have for the future and how their current living conditions affect their expectations for the future. This study investigated: (a) the background of the car watcher and his family members, (b) the car watcher’s satisfaction with the quality of life, (c) the car watcher’s hopes for the future, and (d) the impact of oppression on the car watcher’s life. Six domains emerged from the data of the ten participants: (1) Family Concerns; (2) Concerns with self; (3) Work Issues; (4) Future Issues; (5) Home Life; (6) Education. Of the six major domains, four appeared most prominent: family, work, home life, and education, with each domain exerting an influence on one another. Eight of the ten participants appeared to be substantially struggling to meet their basic needs on a daily basis. This daily struggle appeared to prevent them from moving beyond their physiological needs to more psychological needs. In addition, each car watcher spoke of being separated from family to some extent. This separation was often a result of the need to find work and become self-sufficient. Education was also affected by the car watchers’ home life. In order to satisfy basic needs, the car watchers sacrificed education for work. Often the car watchers feel a sense of hopelessness because the interaction of these obstacles appears overwhelming. Implications for cross-cultural counseling are discussed and suggest that more research needs to be performed using non-Western theories. The findings also suggest that current literature on motivation and meaning may not be applicable to marginalized individuals who do not have the means to meet their basic needs.
Pamela Highlen (Advisor)
145 p.
Psychology, General
motivation; meaning; South Africa

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Sampson, M. G. (2004). Meaning and motivation of the car watcher in Knysna, South Africa [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1087324358

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Sampson, Mark. Meaning and motivation of the car watcher in Knysna, South Africa. 2004. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1087324358.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Sampson, Mark. "Meaning and motivation of the car watcher in Knysna, South Africa." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2004. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1087324358

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1087324358
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© 2004, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.