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The South African consumer market is characterised by socio-economic and cultural diversity. Food expenditure patterns, behaviour and preferences differ significantly between the various socio-economic sub-groups. Packaging information, including red meat classification information, could be an important tangible resource used by consumers to gauge product quality. The first objective of the research reported in this paper is to investigate the red meat knowledge, usage and perceptions regarding beef and sheep meat classification and related quality parameters among South African consumers. Consumer perceptions of red meat classification were extracted from a comprehensive consumer survey among stratified representative samples of South African low-, middle- and high-income consumers (n = 165, n = 171 and n = 249). The paper also briefly reports on an in-store ‘observational’ research project that was conducted to develop an understanding of the communication of carcass classification to consumers through fresh red meat product labels at independent butchers and large retailers across South Africa (n = 60). Low-income consumers had very limited understanding and gave little attention to red meat classification. Even though middle-class and wealthy consumers also have a limited understanding of red meat classification, about half of these consumers check for a classification mark. Red meat classification was not mentioned by consumers as a major concern regarding red meat, but related aspects were important such as quality, fattiness, tenderness, juiciness, taste, freshness, smell and appearance. Purchase considerations for beef and mutton/lamb focussed largely on safety, appearance, price and eating quality. Labelling information observed at retail outlets gave very little attention to classification. There is a definite need for consumer education relating to the red meat classification system and for the development of an appropriate front-of-pack labelling system to communicate red meat classification.Keywords: Beef, high-income, knowledge, labelling information, lamb, low-income, middle-income, mutton, perceptions

The purpose of this study is to assess children's perceptions of the nurse as they are related to children's age, the amount of contact children have had with nurses and children's sex. An oral picture test, consisting of 10 photographs, was administered to 45 children in the Edith Bowen Elementary School at Utah State University. The children were interviewed about their perceptions of the nurses in each photograph and their responses were rated as being positive, negative or neutral. The findings of this study indicate that although significant differences exist in children's perceptions of the nurse in terms of positive, negative and neutral responses, these differences are not due to the effects of the age of the children, the amount of contact they have had with nurses or the sex of the children. The conclusions are that children's perceptions of the nurse are affected by a variable which was not tested in the present study and that children seem to reveal the more positive aspects of their feelings about nurses. The author suggests that children's negative feelings about nurses are too powerful to be verbalized and have been internalized by the children due to the influence of social pressure to conform.

The purpose of this thesis was to examine children's perceptions toward teachers, as related to the child's social class background, and to investigate the influence of social class upon their perceptions. A projective pictorial test, which consisted of nine pictures concerning teachers and children, was administered individually to forth fourth grade school children in two Ogden, Utah, public schools. The findings of this study were that there are differences between middle and lower-class children in their perceptions toward teachers. Children of middle-class backgrounds showed more positive perceptions toward teachers, and lower-class children were found to have a more negative perception of teachers.

The purpose of this study was to determine if there were any differences in faculty members' and administrators' perceptions of those factors which should be influential and those factors which are actually accounted for in making decisions pertaining to salary increases at Utah State University. The data for this study was collected from 55 administrators and 303 faculty members at Utah State University. A total of 21 factors, which were identified as being influential and/or determinants of faculty salary increases at Utah State University, were analyzed through the testing of four hypotheses using the chi square test for independence. The critical region for the testing of all four hypotheses was set at the .05 level. Analysis of the data Hypothesis one. (There is no difference in the perceptions of administrators of those factors which are perceived as being of importance in awarding salary increases and those factors perceived by faculty members as actually being used in determining salary increases at Utah State University.) Hypothesis one was rejected on six of the factors. Sex, college within the university, race, fulfillment of role expectation, testing excellence, and student teaching yielded significant values of chi square. Hypothesis two. (There is no difference in the perceptions of faculty members of those factors which are perceived as being of importance in awarding salary increases and those factors perceived by faculty members as actually being used in determining salary increases at Utah State University.) Hypothesis two was rejected on 19 of the 21 factors. Research and the quality of graduate school attended were the only two factors which did not yield significant values of chi square at the .05 level. Hypothesis three. (There is no difference between the perceptions of faculty members and the perceptions of administrators of those factors which are of importance in awarding salary increases at Utah State University.) Hypothesis three was rejected for five of the 21 factors. Number of years at the institution, fulfillment of role expectations, extension services, writing and publication record, and grant proposals funded were the five factors with significant values of chi square. Hypothesis four. (There is no difference between the perceptions of faculty members and the perceptions of administrators of those factors which are actually used in awarding salary increases at Utah State University.) Hypothesis four was rejected for nine of the factors. Sex, years of service at the institution, tenure, rank, and quality of graduate school attended are perceived by faculty members as actually being used in determining salary increases. Administrators' perceptions were found non-congruent with faculty members' perceptions and in fact administrators indicated that they perceive fulfillment of role expectations, teaching excellence, extension services, student advisement as factors usually used in determining salary increases at Utah State University. The primary conclusion of this study is that there is a high degree of congruency between the perceptions of administrators and faculty members of those factors which are perceived to be of importance in determining salary increases. There is nevertheless, non-congruency between faculty members' and administrators' perceptions of those factors perceived to be actually used in determining salary increases at Utah State University. Although administrators as well as faculty members perceive certain factors (e.g., sex, race) as not being of importance in determining salary increases, administrators nevertheless, because of pressure, personal and institutional commitment, actually use such factors in determining salary increases.

This study was designed to reveal the self perception of unwed fathers. Ten men participated in the project; nine of them were 25 years of age or younger. To measure self perception an instrument was constructed in the form of a questionnaire. Each unwed father was then interviewed to discover his perceptions, particularly as they relate to their common plight of unwed fatherhood. The men perceived themselves as normal young Americans, and felt their conduct and intentions were in compliance with peer expectations. Some of the subjects responded to the interview with descriptive and detailed accounts while others were either unconcerned or hesitant and replied in few words. None of the men wanted to be recognized by society as the parent of an illegitimate child. Seven of the ten reported that they did not want any association with their child. Chastity of thought and behavior was not held in honor by a majority of the subjects; conversely, the men (with two exceptions) were looking for new sexual partners. Only two of the unwed fathers had employed some form of conception control while having sexual relations with the mothers involved and these two did not do so regularly. The men were not contributing to the support of their child on a consistent basis, indicating their lack of involvement in a situation in which they share equal responsibility with the child's mother. The emergence of a clearer picture of the unwed father, through the attempt to reveal his interests, problems, and concerns, may assist in the development of strategies and programs to prevent illegitimacy and to effectively aid those involved in it. Perhaps this study of the self perception of unwed fathers will be helpful in this regard.

There seems to be little doubt about the complexity of the parent-child relationship. Increasing research continues to emphasize the importance of this relation to the healthy personality and the self-concept of the youth. Gregory (1958) notes that there is considerable data showing that children who have lost parents due to separation or death have a much greater chance of manifesting antisocial, delinquent, or psychopathic disorders. There is a great deal of research pointing to the problems, reasons for the problems, and the results of the problems in parent-child relationships. Many studies indicate that it is important for a child to have a good self-concept. Rogers (1951) has supported this contention through his work. How a person feels about himself is a reaction to how he believes others see him. Symonds (1939) indicates that parental attitudes towards their children are a most important factor in the children's self-concept. Parents seeking to develop a healthy, normal child need to help him to be accepting of himself. Medinnus (1965) states that in a study he found that those parents that are perceived to be loving have children with good self-concepts. In summary, it is important for the child to perceive his parents in a positive way. Those children reporting a good relationship with parents generally have healthier personalities. However, because of the many factors and the complexity of their interactions upon a child's perception of his parent it becomes obvious that much research is needed in this area of inquiry. This study will consider some of the elements of the perceptions which the child has of his parents.