scholarly journals The Role of the Church in the Transformation of ‘No Sex Before Marriage’ Social Norm in Tanzania: From Shameful to Responsible Sex

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-68
Author(s):  
Adalbertus Kamanzi ◽  
Anna Shilunga

Social norms comprise of “the rules and standards that are understood by members of a group, and that guide and/or constrain social behaviour without the force of laws. Social norms are the public rules of action and thought, acting as the backbone of societal habits, routines, and customs, and legal frames. In African settings, influence is organized mostly along with the gender, age, and religious structures. Religious people play the spiritual and advisory roles in the sexual activities of the adolescents. The standing norm drawn from the religious and social beliefs is “no sex before marriage.” In the communities where the research was done, sex was traditionally linked to marriage. Today more than ever, the Church is currently confronted with a divergence of opinion about sexual relationships and marriage. The reality of our society is the question as to whether the traditional understanding of marriage is still relevant as far as facilitating the believers to make meaningful and responsible choices. The intention of this paper is not to dismiss or under-value the institution of marriage, but rather to re-negotiate the structure of sexual matters in our modern society. The paper works with the concept of social norms in order to shed more light on the role of the Church in the transformation of social norms. Using a thematic analysis on a hypothetical case of a pregnancy of an adolescent in a community, data was interrogated with a series of questions for measuring norms, namely: who the reference group is, what is typical in the group, what is approved of in the group, and whether or not the social norm is conjoint or disjoint.

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 179-194
Author(s):  
Joanne Dono ◽  
Caroline Miller ◽  
Kerry Ettridge ◽  
Carlene Wilson

Abstract A systematic scoping review of anti-smoking mass media campaign literature provided opportunity to explore how social normative theories and constructs are used to influence smoking cessation. Synthesis of findings was constrained by significant heterogeneity. Nevertheless, the results indicate that a broader conceptualization of social norm is worthy of further exploration. Perceptions of what others think and do contributed in multiple ways to the relationship between anti-smoking messaging and quitting outcomes. Furthermore, integrating research on social norms, social identity and communication may improve understanding of why quitting intentions are enhanced in some circumstances but reactance and counter-arguing responses corresponding to lower quitting intentions occur in others. Integrating a broader theoretical understanding of normative influences into campaign development and evaluation may prove useful in demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach in behaviour change campaigns.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wanda Ge ◽  
Guanghua Sheng ◽  
Hongli Zhang

Social norms are important social factors that affect individual behavioral change. Using social norms to promote green consumption is receiving increasing attention. However, due to the different formation processes and mechanisms of the behavioral influence of the different types of social norms, using social norms to promote green consumption often has social norm conflict situations (injunctive norms + negative descriptive norms). Thus, it is difficult to attain the maximum utility of social norms. The present research found that social norm conflict weakens the role of injunctive norms in promoting green consumption. Specifically, negative descriptive norms weaken the role of injunctive norms in promoting green consumption. Alienation, which manifests through powerlessness and meaninglessness, plays a mediating role in the relationship between social norm conflict and green consumption. Self-affirmation moderates the mediating role of alienation between social norm conflicts and green consumption. Self-affirmation reduces the alienation caused by social norm conflict, thereby alleviating the weakening effect of social norm conflict on green consumption.


Author(s):  
Johanna Zanon ◽  
Karin Teichmann

Purpose This paper aims to examine how different levels of message appeals, message sources and social norms influence the purchase (i.e. booking) intention of eco-accommodations. Design/methodology/approach The proposed hypothesis was tested using a 2 (message appeal; rational vs emotional) × 2 (message source; expert vs blogger) × 2 (social norm; injunctive vs descriptive) between-subject experimental online design. Findings Advertising appeals and social norms are major predictors of eco-accommodation’s ad effectiveness and message appeals, sources and social norms, and their classifications interrelate with each other. The highest intention to purchase an eco-accommodation was found for a promotional message, which is sent by an expert, expresses a rational appeal and includes a descriptive social norm. Perceived emotional value in contrast was increased with a blogger statement including an emotional appeal and an injunctive social norm. Research limitations/implications The used experiment only focused on one product, namely, eco-friendly accommodations. The impacts of different message contents might vary as a function of the promoted product. Practical implications To develop persuasive messages which combine all three message contents, experts should craft messages with rational characteristics and address a descriptive social norm. Originality/value Although consumers show a desire to buy eco-friendly tourism products, it seems that supply actually overweighs demand. As research in the field of eco-accommodations is still limited, this study examines the role of different combined promotional message contents to further clarify the apparent gap in green consumption.


1987 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
T. F. J. Dreyer

A practical theological evaluation of potential structures of ministry within the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk, focused on the role of the minister Die modern society in which the church has to fulfill its ministry, differs in many aspects from the traditional society. The question arises whether the old pattern of ministry is still sufficient to accommodate new trends. This paper is an attempt to identify and establish alternative structures. This is done by means of investigating and exploring scriptural perspectives on church ministry. Certain alternative models are weighed against biblical findings and modem concepts. Finally, a revised pattern of ministry is proposed.


Author(s):  
Tamar Sharon ◽  
Bert-Jaap Koops

AbstractSocieties evolve practices that reflect social norms of appropriateness in social interaction, for example when and to what extent one should respect the boundaries of another person’s private sphere. One such practice is what the sociologist Erving Goffman called civil inattention—the social norm of showing a proper amount of indifference to others—which functions as an almost unnoticed yet highly potent privacy-preserving mechanism. These practices can be disrupted by technologies that afford new forms of intrusions. In this paper, we show how new networked technologies, such as facial recognition (FR), challenge our ability to practice civil inattention. We argue for the need to revitalise, in academic and policy debates, the role of civil inattention and related practices in regulating behaviour in public space. Our analysis highlights the relational nature of privacy and the importance of social norms in accomplishing and preserving it. While our analysis goes some way in supporting current calls to ban FR technology, we also suggest that, pending a ban and in light of the power of norms to limit what is otherwise technically possible, cultivating new practices of civil inattention may help address the challenges raised by FR and other forms of digital surveillance in public.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 143
Author(s):  
I Gede Nyoman Ardi Supartha ◽  
I Wayan Surka ◽  
I Gusti Kadek Agus Dwi Putra

Introduction: People with HIV/AIDS infected partners does not mean they should stop their sexual activities. Sexual needs fulfilment required commitment and support from their partners consider that the need of the willingness to gained the intimacy. The aim of the research to describing the people experienced in the sexual fulfilment with HIV/AIDS partners. Methods: This research applied descriptive phenomenology qualitative as the method, with in-depth interviews of 8 people with HIV/AIDS partners at Spirit Paramacitta Foundation, Denpasar. Results: Through the thematic analysis with the Colaizzi procedure, found 4 themes that illustrate the experience of fulfilling the sexual needs. The themes are: (1) The Declining of Sexual Relations Quantity and Quality as the Impact of The Changes of Partners Positive HIV Status, (2) Internal Conflicts Emerging in Responding to Sexual Assault, (3) Form of Sexual Activities Adaptation as the Impact of The Changes of Partners Positive HIV Status, (4) The Efforts to Increasing Sexual Quality. Conclusions: The role of the counselor in providing information related to safe sexual relationships is a solution that can overcome the fears and doubts of serodiscordant couples for sexual intercourse.


2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
GODEFROY DANG NGUYEN ◽  
SYLVAIN DEJEAN ◽  
NICOLAS JULLIEN

AbstractWhile most scholars emphasize the role of prosocial motivations of contributors in building open online communities, we show that mere users also adhere to their norms of behaviour to some extent. To this end we designed an original experimentation protocol. With the help of the French Wikimédia Foundation, we questioned a large sample (n = 13,000) of Wikipedia users (whether contributors or not). They were invited, after having expressing their feelings about Wikipédia, to play a Dictator Game. A large proportion of respondents, including those who were merely users, chose an equal split (66% of the sample). This surprising result suggests that they have adhered to a social norm of sharing. Investigating the determinants of this result, we prove that an involvement measured by usage (intensity and variety), as well as by attachment to, and time spent, on Wikipedia, is correlated with the choice of the 50/50 split in the dictator game (DG). Furthermore, the method of instrumental variables gives an indication that adherence to the social norm of sharing may be endogenously determined by involvement in the open online community. Our result highlights the importance of interactions with the institutional and technical frameworks of the community.


Author(s):  
I. Tsyperdiuk

<div><p><em>The milestones of the activity of the Ukrainian editorial office of Vatican Radio during its 80-year history are considered in the article. The reasons for the creation of the Ukrainian editorial office, the peculiarities of its work under the pressure of Soviet propaganda during the Cold War are analyzed. It was found that the broadcast of the Ukrainian editorial office of Vatican Radio was intended to help the faithful preserve unity with the church in the conditions of the destruction of the UGCC and the total onset of militant atheism. It was demonstrated that the work of the Ukrainian editorial office of Vatican radio was still aimed at defending the truth, although it was much easier to conduct evangelization in the conditions of confrontation between the USSR and the West. Rapid information and communication development of society has allowed everyone to speak publicly. At the same time, it made it possible to manipulate public opinion and to disseminate disinformation instantly and in the end contributed to the emergence of a post-truth phenomenon that not only replaced traditional propaganda but also made it part of it. The appeal to the foundations of the Christian being in a changing world distinguishes programs of the Ukrainian editorial office from materials of other broadcasters, the main focus of which is on socio-political events.</em> <em>The reform of the information system implemented by the Vatican has shown that there has been a shift from preaching in the conditions of aggressive propaganda during the confrontation between the two systems to counteracting post-truth, which destroys the objective perception of the world. It is shown that the main task of the editorial office is to unite Ukrainians around Christian values, to preserve and promote the key principles of human existence in the conditions of spreading populism, disinformation, secularization, and relativism of modern society. In its programs, the Ukrainian editorial office of Vatican Radio encourages the audience to cultivate faith, to rely on Christian values and beliefs, emphasizing its unchanging purpose of serving God, people, and the church.</em></p></div><p><strong><em>Key words: </em></strong><em>the Ukrainian editorial office of Vatican Radio, Vatican News, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, post-truth, Christian values.</em></p>


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