https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/1 2026-06-29T18:02:53Z 2026-06-29T18:02:53Z Hill, Sonia https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32674 2026-06-25T11:36:11Z 2025-10-13T00:00:00Z

The impact of a mild traumatic head injury on self efficacy and work adjustment Hill, Sonia This research explored the impact of an mTBI on self-efficacy and work adjustment. Bandura (1997) defines self-efficacy as an individual’s belief in their capabilities to execute actions required to achieve a goal. Research indicates that although most individuals recover from an mTBI within weeks to months, a proportion continue to experience persistent physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms that may negatively affect daily functioning and occupational participation (Carroll et al., 2020; Cole & Bailie, 2015). The study highlights that workplace factors, including insufficient workplace support, contributed to difficulties in adjusting to work following an mTBI. A biopsychosocial (BPS) theoretical model was adopted, providing a comprehensive framework through which to investigate the interactive relationship between biological impairments, psychological factors, and the work environment. Bandura’s self-efficacy theory was further utilised to understand the participants’ beliefs in their physical, cognitive, and emotional capacity to cope with challenges during work adjustment following an mTBI. The impact of self-efficacy was explored through the primary sources of self-efficacy, including mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion, as well as the regulation of emotional and physiological states. Participants included individuals who had previously been involved in a motor vehicle accident (MVA), sustained an mTBI, been employed in stable skilled positions, and had subsequently returned to work. A qualitative research method was employed, and 17 participants were initially selected through non-probability purposive sampling. Following data saturation, only 10 interviews were included in the final analysis. Participants were recruited from private neuropsychological practices in KwaZulu-Natal. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) was administered, and historical records were reviewed. A phenomenography approach was utilised to describe, compare, and contrast categories of the participants’ collective experiences in order to gain deeper insight into the impact of an mTBI on self-efficacy and work adjustment. Self-efficacy emerged as a central construct, influencing the participants’ perceived capacity to manage physical, cognitive, and emotional challenges following an mTBI. The study further identified workplace support and accommodation as key mediating factors that influenced self-efficacy and facilitated successful work adjustment following an mTBI.

2025-10-13T00:00:00Z Dladla, Thabang Shaun https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32673 2026-06-25T10:57:06Z 2025-10-01T00:00:00Z

Archie Mafeje and the liberation of philosophy and Social Sciences in Africa Dladla, Thabang Shaun This thesis articulates a conception of philosophy and the social sciences which understands reality on its own terms. It is an intervention in the practice of philosophy and the social sciences in South Africa, which owe their existence to the colonial heritage and continue to neglect the unjust and divisive social reality that defines South Africa. The argument defended by this thesis is that such continuity is indicative of outstanding liberation on the part of the indigenous people conquered in the unjust wars of colonisation. This thesis draws on the work of Archie Mafeje to elaborate and defend his account of African Philosophy and liberatory social science practice, as a historically specific expression of the liberatory struggle of Africans against unjust Euro-centric colonial domination. Basically, this research focuses on Archie Mafeje’s thought and practice on the issues concerning epistemic decolonisation and authentic liberation of the social sciences and philosophy in the continent, a discourse that engulfed the African academy since post-independence circa 1960. Mafeje was a constitutive part of that particular historical unfolding and participated in the debates that shaped the practice of the social sciences and philosophical discourses in varying intellectual circles in the post-independence era. That he was exiled from South Africa speaks of the outstanding liberation on that part of the African continent which he also laboured to achieve. Mafeje’s work represents an instantiation of a liberatory practice of philosophy and the social science in Africa generally, and with particular reference to South Africa.

2025-10-01T00:00:00Z Gumede, Siphoesihle Phindile https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32666 2026-06-24T15:40:29Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Famed liberation fighter: a political biography of Solomon Kalushi Mahlangu, 1956-1979 Gumede, Siphoesihle Phindile This thesis critically examines the life and identity of Solomon Mahlangu, a pivotal yet widely commemorated figure in South Africa’s liberation struggle. Drawing on extensive archival research, the thesis demystifies Mahlangu’s life by focusing on his formative years, beginning with his birth in 1956 in Mamelodi, northeast of Pretoria. It explores the socio-economic hardships of his childhood, his educational journey, and the political awakening catalysed by the 16 June 1976 uprisings. The research traces his trajectory into exile, culminating in his execution by hanging in 1979, and interrogates the legacy he left behind. By foregrounding overlooked biographical details and contextualising these within the broader national discourse, this thesis challenges the dominant commemorative narratives that have often silenced or simplified Mahlangu’s lived experiences. In doing so, it fills a critical gap in South African historiography, offering a nuanced portrait of a young man whose life and sacrifice continue to inspire generations. The thesis underscores the importance of biographical inquiry in reclaiming historical agency and enriching the collective memory of the nation’s struggle for freedom. Text and abstract in English

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z Schwartz, Robynne Catherine https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32664 2026-06-23T19:38:22Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Smoke and mirrors: when does indifference to truth become socially acceptable? Schwartz, Robynne Catherine The current research project aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the social phenomenon of bullshit. Across three studies (Study 1: N = 133; Study 2: N = 266; Study 3: N = 255), we examined the extent to which individuals are receptive to and engage with various forms of bullshit information, including pseudo-profound information (Studies 1 to 3) and fake news (Studies 2 and 3). More specifically, using a cross-sectional survey design, we explored whether and how the perceived normativity of providing an opinion (Studies 1 to 3), the social context (Study 3), and scepticism toward an “objective” truth (Studies 1 to 3) influence bullshit receptivity and engagement. Our results indicate, first, that receptivity to misinformation is heterogeneous in nature in that persuasive bullshitting was positively related to fake news receptivity, but not to pseudo-profound statements. Secondly, the conceptualisation of the obligation to provide an opinion from a social norm perspective influenced the extent to which individuals share misinformation. Finally, rejection of an “objective” truth was to some extent related to the receptivity of various forms of misinformation, such that conspiracy ideation was associated with receptivity to both pseudo-profound statements and fake news, but not with engagement with misinformation sharing. The scope and implications of our results are discussed in detail. Text and abstract in English

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z