An interpretative account of women's experience of body piercing.
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Date
2002
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Abstract
The spate of people with body piercings has drastically increased, yet research on this
issue has been frugal. This research was undertaken to develop an understanding of the
meanings that multiple body piercings has for women, specifically in terms of their
experiences of piercing. Moreover, an emphasis was placed on attaining the participants'
experiences of their (i)dentity(ies), and body image in terms of their piercings. A
hermeneutic phenomenology methodology was used to develop this understanding
premised upon the participants' experiences of multiple body piercings. The sample
consisted of six women participants. Their ages ranged from twenty-one to
twenty-eight. Interviews conducted, were transcribed verbatim. The interpretation of the
data, was informed by a feminist psychoanalytic perspective. There were four themes
overall. The over-arching theme that subsequently emerged, was that of Defence(s)
against Loss, the second theme was that of (I)dentity, the third was Piercings and
Femininity, and finally, the fourth theme was that of Control. Each of the themes were
further broken down into significant sub-themes.
Description
Thesis (M.A.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2002.
Keywords
Psychoanalysis., Self., Personality., Body piercing., Theses--Psychology.