title: Shame and Resilience among Pākehā New Zealanders

authors: Brennan, Samantha

subjects: shame

abstract: Shame can be a powerful and evocative experience. Shame can contribute to the development of mental illnesses, such as depressive, anxiety, and eating disorders. Shame can also contribute to social problems, such as violent crime. However, shame is experienced by almost everyone. While shame causes serious psychological and social problems for some people, others experience shame with no lasting negative effects. Research is needed to discover why and how some people are devastated by shame while others become resilient in the face of shame. This study fills a necessary gap by linking the study of shame and resilience, and providing a comprehensive qualitative understanding of these important constructs.

An in-depth study of shame has never before been undertaken in a New Zealand social context. As New Zealand is a multi-cultural nation and the experience of shame is culture specific, it was necessary to narrow the investigation to one particular sub-culture. Pākehā New Zealanders were chosen as the target population for the research. Developing understandings of shame and resilience, and their expression in Pākehā culture, can benefit all New Zealanders, as the cultural practices of the dominant culture can profoundly influence other sub-cultures. However, it is important to note that while the study is located in Pākehā culture, it is not specifically a cultural study. Therefore, the findings do not provide a definitive and exhaustive account of the cultural experiences of shame and resilience among Pākehā New Zealanders.

The study blended social constructionist and phenomenological epistemological influences. This allowed for participants’ lived experiences of shame and resilience to be investigated, while recognising the power of social and cultural discourses to affect participants’ experiences and their interpretations. Seventeen participants were interviewed. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis.

Participants experienced shame as being: invariably negative, powerful, hidden, enduring, often debilitating, sometimes unremarkable, physical, and social. While most participants constructed shame as unhelpful and useless, some participants, and I as the researcher, remained open to the possibility that shame can have social benefits. Shame may be useful for bringing attention to a threatened social bond, which can then be attended to and restored. While countless situational triggers for shame were identified, the more significant source of shame was identified as being judgement. Specifically, shame was linked with judgements targeted at one’s identity, or that threatened the security of one’s relationships.

Resilience is complex and significantly influenced by cultural values. Participants contrasted a false cultural ideal of resilience, as rugged, individualistic toughness, with true resilience, which is developed in supportive relationships, over time, through struggle.

Responses to shame were divided into two broad categories. Participants’ natural responses to shame were to avoid, escape, or succumb. These responses are understandable, and sometimes protective in the short term. However, when these responses occur without awareness and conscious choice, long-term psychological and social problems can occur. The more resilient responses to shame are to be vulnerable, be present, and be willing to change. Acknowledging shame and actively engaging in the struggle with shame can ultimately promote resilience.

text: Shame and Resilience among Pākehā New Zealanders Shame can be a powerful and evocative experience. Shame can contribute to the development of mental illnesses, such as depressive, anxiety, and eating disorders. Shame can also contribute to social problems, such as violent crime. However, shame is experienced by almost everyone. While shame causes serious psychological and social problems for some people, others experience shame with no lasting negative effects. Research is needed to discover why and how some people are devastated by shame while others become resilient in the face of shame. This study fills a necessary gap by linking the study of shame and resilience, and providing a comprehensive qualitative understanding of these important constructs.

An in-depth study of shame has never before been undertaken in a New Zealand social context. As New Zealand is a multi-cultural nation and the experience of shame is culture specific, it was necessary to narrow the investigation to one particular sub-culture. Pākehā New Zealanders were chosen as the target population for the research. Developing understandings of shame and resilience, and their expression in Pākehā culture, can benefit all New Zealanders, as the cultural practices of the dominant culture can profoundly influence other sub-cultures. However, it is important to note that while the study is located in Pākehā culture, it is not specifically a cultural study. Therefore, the findings do not provide a definitive and exhaustive account of the cultural experiences of shame and resilience among Pākehā New Zealanders.

The study blended social constructionist and phenomenological epistemological influences. This allowed for participants’ lived experiences of shame and resilience to be investigated, while recognising the power of social and cultural discourses to affect participants’ experiences and their interpretations. Seventeen participants were interviewed. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis.

Participants experienced shame as being: invariably negative, powerful, hidden, enduring, often debilitating, sometimes unremarkable, physical, and social. While most participants constructed shame as unhelpful and useless, some participants, and I as the researcher, remained open to the possibility that shame can have social benefits. Shame may be useful for bringing attention to a threatened social bond, which can then be attended to and restored. While countless situational triggers for shame were identified, the more significant source of shame was identified as being judgement. Specifically, shame was linked with judgements targeted at one’s identity, or that threatened the security of one’s relationships.

Resilience is complex and significantly influenced by cultural values. Participants contrasted a false cultural ideal of resilience, as rugged, individualistic toughness, with true resilience, which is developed in supportive relationships, over time, through struggle.

Responses to shame were divided into two broad categories. Participants’ natural responses to shame were to avoid, escape, or succumb. These responses are understandable, and sometimes protective in the short term. However, when these responses occur without awareness and conscious choice, long-term psychological and social problems can occur. The more resilient responses to shame are to be vulnerable, be present, and be willing to change. Acknowledging shame and actively engaging in the struggle with shame can ultimately promote resilience.

year: 2014

title: Derivatisation of Polyphenols

authors: Bridson, James Hadley

subjects: tannin

abstract: Polyphenols, such as tannins, offer potential as a bio-derived chemical feedstock.  Their present utilisation is limited mainly to leather tanning and wood panel adhesives.  However, appropriate derivatisation may alter both the chemical and physical properties and thereby allow further utilisation of polyphenols.

Derivatisation of polyphenols was achieved by esterification and etherification of the phenol groups.  Esterification was achieved by alcoholysis of acid chlorides and transesterification with vinyl esters, while etherification was achieved by the ring opening of propylene oxide.  The polyphenols used were resorcinol, catechin, Pinus radiata bark tannin, and Schinopsis lorentzii tannin.  The products were characterised using a range of techniques including NMR (1H, 13C and 2D NMR in both the solution and solid state), ESI-MS, GPC, DSC, TGA, and rheology.

The preparation of polyphenolic esters by alcoholysis provided model compounds to establish the key chemical, spectroscopic, and physical features.  A range of simple polyphenol esters such as resorcinol dilaurate and catechin pentalaurate were prepared using lauroyl chloride.  Furthermore, tannin lauroyl esters were prepared with varying degrees of substitution.  A transesterification method was developed for the preparation of polyphenol esters.  Ester interchange occurred effectively in the presence of base catalyst in aqueous solution or dimethyl sulfoxide with short or long chain vinyl esters.  This included the first report of the base-catalysed transesterification of flavonoids by vinyl esters to give products such as catechin mono- and di-laurate.  Transesterification occurred preferentially at the B-ring as shown by NMR spectroscopy.  Subsequently, this transesterification procedure was used to prepare tannin esters.  The chemical and physical properties of polyphenol esters were assessed using thermal, antioxidant, and UV/VIS light absorption analysis.  Thermal analysis indicated melt/flow properties for some of the polyphenol esters.  In some cases, the thermal stability was also shown to increase upon esterification.  The antioxidant activity was shown to decrease upon transesterification of pine bark tannin with vinyl laurate, while the UV/VIS absorption was shown to increase.  These properties may lend the products towards applications as polymer additives or pharmaceuticals.    

Polyphenol ethers were prepared by the Williamson ether synthesis and ring opening of propylene oxide.  However, the Williamson ether synthesis, a common route to prepare ethers, proved unsuitable for flavonoids.  Catechin and tannin hydroxypropyl ether derivatives of varying substitution were prepared by the ring-opening of propylene oxide in the presence of triethylamine.  Upon hydroxypropylation the thermal properties of the polyphenol were altered.  For example, catechin hydroxypropyl ethers showed a glass transition, which was dependent upon the molar substitution, while rheology showed melt behaviour for several of the tannin hydroxypropyl ethers.

text: Derivatisation of Polyphenols Polyphenols, such as tannins, offer potential as a bio-derived chemical feedstock.  Their present utilisation is limited mainly to leather tanning and wood panel adhesives.  However, appropriate derivatisation may alter both the chemical and physical properties and thereby allow further utilisation of polyphenols.

Derivatisation of polyphenols was achieved by esterification and etherification of the phenol groups.  Esterification was achieved by alcoholysis of acid chlorides and transesterification with vinyl esters, while etherification was achieved by the ring opening of propylene oxide.  The polyphenols used were resorcinol, catechin, Pinus radiata bark tannin, and Schinopsis lorentzii tannin.  The products were characterised using a range of techniques including NMR (1H, 13C and 2D NMR in both the solution and solid state), ESI-MS, GPC, DSC, TGA, and rheology.

The preparation of polyphenolic esters by alcoholysis provided model compounds to establish the key chemical, spectroscopic, and physical features.  A range of simple polyphenol esters such as resorcinol dilaurate and catechin pentalaurate were prepared using lauroyl chloride.  Furthermore, tannin lauroyl esters were prepared with varying degrees of substitution.  A transesterification method was developed for the preparation of polyphenol esters.  Ester interchange occurred effectively in the presence of base catalyst in aqueous solution or dimethyl sulfoxide with short or long chain vinyl esters.  This included the first report of the base-catalysed transesterification of flavonoids by vinyl esters to give products such as catechin mono- and di-laurate.  Transesterification occurred preferentially at the B-ring as shown by NMR spectroscopy.  Subsequently, this transesterification procedure was used to prepare tannin esters.  The chemical and physical properties of polyphenol esters were assessed using thermal, antioxidant, and UV/VIS light absorption analysis.  Thermal analysis indicated melt/flow properties for some of the polyphenol esters.  In some cases, the thermal stability was also shown to increase upon esterification.  The antioxidant activity was shown to decrease upon transesterification of pine bark tannin with vinyl laurate, while the UV/VIS absorption was shown to increase.  These properties may lend the products towards applications as polymer additives or pharmaceuticals.    

Polyphenol ethers were prepared by the Williamson ether synthesis and ring opening of propylene oxide.  However, the Williamson ether synthesis, a common route to prepare ethers, proved unsuitable for flavonoids.  Catechin and tannin hydroxypropyl ether derivatives of varying substitution were prepared by the ring-opening of propylene oxide in the presence of triethylamine.  Upon hydroxypropylation the thermal properties of the polyphenol were altered.  For example, catechin hydroxypropyl ethers showed a glass transition, which was dependent upon the molar substitution, while rheology showed melt behaviour for several of the tannin hydroxypropyl ethers.

year: 2007

title: Mā hea (which way)? Mō te aha (what for)? Too many questions, not enough answers, for Māori on the march

authors: Te Awekotuku, Ngahuia

subjects: Aotearoa/New Zealand

abstract: This presentation will be in four sections. The first section introduces two major issues: mana motuhake, and mana tāngata, then we will consider some proposed legislation: the Foreshore and Seabed Bill and the Civil Union Bill. Then I will look at strategic Māori responses to political pressure over the last three decades and note two recent and dramatic examples – the Hīkoi Takutai Moana, April 2004, and the Enough is Enough Rally, August 2004. The final section considers the implications for psychologies and psychologists working today in Aotearoa.

text: Mā hea (which way)? Mō te aha (what for)? Too many questions, not enough answers, for Māori on the march This presentation will be in four sections. The first section introduces two major issues: mana motuhake, and mana tāngata, then we will consider some proposed legislation: the Foreshore and Seabed Bill and the Civil Union Bill. Then I will look at strategic Māori responses to political pressure over the last three decades and note two recent and dramatic examples – the Hīkoi Takutai Moana, April 2004, and the Enough is Enough Rally, August 2004. The final section considers the implications for psychologies and psychologists working today in Aotearoa.

year: 2012