Browsing by discipline "Hushållsvetenskap"

The focus in recent research related to household work has been the allocation of time. The results suggest that the overall time spent in household chores has dropped especially amongst the youth and that the work is shared unevenly between genders. Household cleaning is generally regarded as the least pleasant chore despite its necessity in a functional household. Reducing the burden of routine household work has been attempted through rationalization with varying degrees of success. Inspired by this, the major goal of this study is to find out whether understanding the motivation of individuals will provide means for developing more effective methods of rationalization. The focus in this study is the cleaning motivation of young people and, in particular, measuring the motivation through Job Characteristics Model. The research gives insight what factors explain the changes in the cleaning motivation amongst the youth. The motivation is quantified using the so-called motivation potential score. The research data was gathered through a questionnaire based on Job Diagnostic Survey. The answers (N=140) were collected mainly through two Finnish Facebook groups (HC-partiolaiset and Kopeda) although the questionnaire was open to anyone with the correct hyperlink. The answers were analyzed using SPSS statistical analysis software using explorative factor analysis and regression analysis. The results suggest that Job Characteristic Model may work for describing the motivation of household cleaning. The measured mean motivation potential score of the youth was 50.5 with minimum and maximum values 17.5 and 109.6, respectively. Out of the measured factors, only the cleaning frequency clearly explains the changes in the motivation potential score. The results cannot be generalized to the population level due to a small sample size and missing repeated study. More research is required in order to adapt the used models to household cleaning motivation.

Aim. Several study claim that the childhood eating habits have effect until adultery. Increasing the knowledge of nutrition information in Finland has not provided wanted results. To address this problem new methods to implement food education is under development. Recent study evaluating food education method called "taste lessons" (org. "clases du gout") has showed results that show positive effects on children eating habits. The method focuses mainly on inquiry learning and sensory education. During fall 2015 Ruukku ry. implemented a tour called "Makumestarikiertue" that offered knowledge about nutrition in positive fashion by using taste lessons. The basis of this study was to obtain information from Makumestarikiertue. One central aspect of the tour was a track called "aistirata". (transl. sensory track) This track included various food oriented tasks. The study focused on reviewing children and their parent's experiences, interaction created during various tasks, reception of the event and practical functionality of the track itself. Methods. Target audience of the study was event participants (n=1574, in which k=367 were observed). Study material was obtained by observing group k. The material consisted of observational material and notes created during the events. Overall material was acquired from six different events that took place between August and November. Method used for content analysis was qualitative. Grounded method approach was also used during the analysis. Results and conclusions. The results of the study show that the event described in the thesis is capable of inspire participants to express and interpret their experience of senses and create positive experiences with food. The participants were interested of laying thought to their experience towards food and express and describe their reactions. However, this requires that the participants are guided and encouraged enough during the event as the track can otherwise be passed without much reasoning. In addition, the participants require information and tools to connect "aistirata" tasks to their personal behavior towards nutrition. Connection helps the participants to utilize newly acquired information at their own surroundings after the event has taken place.

Aims and objectives. The purpose of this study is to define what primary school teachers find important in food education and how it is present in school and in class. As well as the aforementioned the aim of this study is to, based on the teachers' experience, find out what kind of support and added value primary school teachers get from the Ruuan reitti -learning material, published by Ruokatieto Yhdistys and how the material could be developed further. The theoretical context of this study is compounded of home economics education, the curriculum of home economics education, examination of the learning environment and materials as well as the multidimensionality food education. The research questions are: 1. a) What subjects within food education are important from primary school teachers' point of view? b) How food education is present in their school and in their class? 2. How the Ruuan reitti -learning material supports food education in primary school and what added value does it bring? 3. How would primary school teachers want to change or develop the contents and methods within the learning material? Methods. The nature of this study is qualitative research, which conforms to the principles of case study. The material was compiled using questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and observation. Nine primary school teachers from three different schools in the Uusimaa region took part in the study. Analysis of the dataset was executed as a meta-combination of context analysis and systemic textual analysis. Results and conclusions. According to the interviewees the most important aspects of food education are healthiness, food behaviour, environment and day-to-day life of a child. In schools food education is present during school meals, within the curriculum and in class. In class teachers mainly effectuate the themes they themselves find important. According to the results the learning material is a valuable asset and it applies well in to teaching. As the main development proposal teachers were hoping for more complete material and various electric applications like games, tests and videos.

Aims. The aim of this study was to find out what kind of things challenge and burden the relationship even to the verge of marital crisis. Previously this subject has been studied in Finland mainly with quantitative methods. The intention of this study was to collect more detailed information about what are those challenging situations in everyday life and how do they impact to the well-being of the relationship. Additionally it was looked into what kind of help couples are looking from marital camps. Methods. The qualitative research data was collected from marital camp participants in 2014. It comprises experiences of 82 individuals, of which 59 responded by writing on paper or electronically through the "E-lomake" service and 23 people responded verbally in a short interview. Semi-structured questionnaire was used as a basis of both written replies and interviews. The study frame was phenomenological-hermeneutic, as the interest was particularly the everyday experiences that respondents were describing. The data was reviewed with a thematic analysis of the narratives, because most important was what the respondents told, or what kind of episodes the narratives retained. Results and conclusions. Especially general haste and lack of time spent together burden relationships. These shows as, for example, tense mood, diverging from each other and declining of the emotional connection. Also communication between spouses diminishes or changes along with haste and then disagreements come more common, too. Good communication skills are considered very important, and for this issue respondents searched help also from marital camps. In everyday life stress is caused by coordination of work and family life, sharing of domestic work and childcare and parenting. Based on this study, thought to break-up does not arise from any specific separate challenge of everyday life.

Man has lived in space for 20 years. The importance of housing and living in space to man has been viewed as physiological and psychological changes, such as from the perspectives of nutrition, stress tolerance, or muscle endurance, but not from the perspective of everyday life. While astronauts are on expedition their main job is scientific research. However, the station is inhabited and lived for long periods of time, eating, hygiene and spending time with colleagues. The purpose of this study is to look at living and everyday life at the station from the perspective of home economics. The study has looked at videos produced on the ISS International Space Station, which can be found on YouTube’s video service. The selection criteria for the videos were that they highlight housing, everyday life and household activities. The material has been analysed by thematising and classifying the situations that have occurred in the videos according to living, everyday practices and household activities. The material was examined from the perspective of how housing is organized and how everyday life and household functions come into play in a non-home environment. According to the study, living in the station and in use of the premises, features and functions can be perceived that are related to home environments. Astronauts live in very small spaces, so versatility is necessary. Defining the ISS space station as a household is challenging, but with certain criteria this can be done, as everyday routines and household activities can be identified in that form of housing and living. Astronauts have a very regular everyday life with rhythms. In the morning, they wash up and eat breakfast. This is followed by the start of the working day with changing tasks or scientific experiments. The content of the working day also includes daily fitness. Astronauts have at least three meals a day and they are communal situations. In the evening, the crew has free time. They can contact the family, read a book, or just look at the globe spinning below from the window. Doing everyday activities with microgravity makes them a new kind of challenge and, on the other hand, fun to perform.

Aims. This study focuses on dishwashing in Finnish households in the 2010s: more specifically by reviewing individual meanings, tidiness habits associated with dishwashing and environmentally sustainable practices. The research problem statement was defined based on a multi-disciplinary literature review. Hallman's perception of housework as a human interaction and a historic review of rationalization of Finnish dishwashing guided the structuring of research questions. Dishwashing related tidiness habits were sought to contextualize from the study data using Aalto's perception of tidiness. The aim of the study was to collect information on dishwashing activities in participating households, define importance of dishwashing as housework and to note dishwashing related tidiness habits brought up by the participants. Previous studies indicate that dishwashing is considered as an important daily housework that has been relieved through rationalization of dishwashing and introduction of machinery, however, the standard of hygiene has increased. Methodology. All participating households were located in Uusimaa region. Data was obtained by thematic interviews which were carried out at participants' home. Interviews were transcribed for classification into themes and types. Adult members of each household were interviewed. In total eight households with varying number of members were interviewed. In total 14 people were interviewed. Results and conclusions. High level of dishwashing hygiene was observed at each household: dishwashing proved to be an important daily activity and its outcome is not to be compromised. Participants using a dishwasher mainly used the dishwasher and piled up some dishes in the sink waiting for washing. Participants who are routined manual washers washed the dishes manually and as soon as possible after use. Tidiness was the main driving force in ecological choices: water saving and the use of environmentally friendly washing liquids. Dishwasher was perceived to ease and speed up washing. In conclusion it can be said that dishwashing is considered being an important daily activity which is sought to be carried out smoothly using good equipment. Based on the results a new research problem statement could be designed focusing on water and energy consumption of dishwashing in households.

This thesis analyses how young, blogging girls see and experience commercialism in blogosphere. My aim is to find out what kind of consumers these girls are and which qualities are typical among them. Do these girls feel that blogs have the possibility to have an influence on other peoples consuming and does commercialism have some kind of role in their blogs. There are some previous studies about adults and older adolescents and their roles in Finnish blogosphere and that is why this study concentrates on 13–15 year old girls. The theoretical background of this thesis is based on consuming, social media and commercialism on internet and blogs. The data of this study was collected from 13–15 year old girls who write blogs quite regularly. They (N=17) answered to five different open questions and were able to see all the other girls' answers and comment on them. Beside this data I also used some blogs and blogposts that these same girls have written. This is a qualitative study that was analysed with the following methods: qualitative content analysis, themes and types. In the analysis I introduce some common thoughts and thoughts that vary from other answers. I have created three different types of a young, blogging girl. These types can be used when constructing curriculas and lessonplans especially in home economics classes These girls' thoughts about consuming do vary quite a bit according to my data. Their wish to be a critical consumer came up in many answers and some of them were able to show some qualities of critical consuming in their answers. These girls were also able to find some factors that have an influence on their consuming in social media. They had different opinions regarding the commercialism of the blogosphere. It is a common thought that their own blogs have some forms of commercialism in them even though they don't have any official co-operation with any companies. Their thoughts of commercialism in social media were very mature.

Objectives The aim of this study is to research and analyse preliminary debates by Finnish Parliament about the citizens initiatives called "Tahdon2013" and "Aito Avioliitto". The themes that emerged from the debate are analysed and discussed in the light of literature and previous studies. The themes are quantitatively or qualitatively meaningful topics risen from the debate. Different voices are identified from the debates through the Bakhtin's (1991) polyphony theory and the model of the activity theory of speech by Ritva Engeström (1999). The purpose is to clarify what is being discussed about the renewal of marriage law and Rainbow Families in the Finnish Parliament and to analyse voices behind these opinions. The frame of reference is family research in Home economics science. Methodology Citizens' initiatives Tahdon2013, discussed in spring 2014, and Aito avioliitto, discussed in fall 2016, were used as material in this study. Citizens' initiatives can be found transcribed on the Parliament website. Findings and conclusions The analysis of both citizens' initiatives reveals that there was a clear dichotomy between those who supported and resisted the amendment to marriage legislation. From the literature it can be concluded that meaning of marriage has been changed in the society to the direction where marriage does not necessarily mean having children and people do not get married for safety. Getting married is more about love, not about having children. There has been a clear separation between a family and marriage, parenthood and sexuality. For those who resisted the change of legislation, marriage is still an old institution for starting a family. These arguments were related to Christian and more conservative values. For those who supported the change the main arguments surrounded around human rights and being able to marry the person who you love despite the gender of the other. Differences in opinions were caused from differences in values. Differing values inflicted different voices that members of parliament were using. Only a few personal voices could be found, but it can be concluded that certain rules were followed in conversations, which made it more difficult to find different voices. However, it was possible to adapt the polyphony theory in to this setting as well.

Objectives The purpose of the study is to find out how the 14 cookbooks selected for research help homemakers towards a more ecological and sustainable future. Research questions are divided into three themes: sustainable development, ecology and ecological choices. This study examines the pictures, recipes and texts for cookbooks as well as the functionality of their instructions. In general, very few studies have been conducted on cookbooks. Methods The study focuses on 14 Finnish cookbooks, each containing a structure of recipes according to different seasons. Cookbooks were published during years 2010-2013 and were written by food professionals, amateurs, musicians, and other people familiar with the topic. The data were analyzed by using qualitative content analysis with the help of key questions: what, why and how. Books within the same theme were compared against each other, and recipes and pictures were evaluated for how they support the homemaker. Results and Conclusions Originally, the cookbooks studied here were supposed to be ecological, however, the seasonal separation was not sufficient to describe ecological qualities, since ecology is the sum of many factors as defined by the theoretical part of the thesis. The cookbooks studied here help the homemaker to move towards a more ecological and sustainable future to varying degrees. Only two cookbooks emerged as more informative on the topic. When the homemaker is ready to make sustainable changes, he or she can get new ideas for everyday life, such as dining instructions, from the ecological cookbooks. Thus it can be said that ecological cookbooks play a role in helping the homemaker to move towards a more ecological and sustainable future.

In this study, I examine how consumers choose wine. The research questions are as follows 1. What factors in general affect wine buying? 2. What factors influence choosing wine in the store environment? 3. What is the significance of responsibly consuming in choosing wine? The research background consists of research on wine-making, its environmental impact, as well as wine-labelling. This framework also includes the wine choosing- and consumer behaviorism theories. Previous research has shown that wine choosing is affected by price, country of origin, taste descriptions, as well as the labelling. The data consists of seven research subjects, of whom five were women and two men. The subjects were between 29-70 years of age, six subjects lived in the Helsinki metropolitan area and one in central Finland. The data were collected with the thinking aloud protocol, in which the subjects report their wine selection process by speaking aloud. All the wine selecting was done in the Alko store environment. The recorded data was transcribed, after which it was structured with content analysis to fit the research questions. The analysis highlighted the researcher's abductive reasoning, where the collected data and the theoretical framework alternated to answer the research questions. My research shows that wine consumption is social: it is consumed in everyday life, as a socializing drink, and in combination with food. The main wine selection factor is time. When there is little time the subjects either chose a familiar product, or ended up impulsively for a colorfully labelled product. With more time, the subjects spent more time on comparing products. Independent comparisons made in the selection process were aided by the Alko product information cards. They contain information about the price, flavor descriptions, as well as taste type classifications and food symbols. Alko customer service is valued and needed especially if you're looking for wines to pair with food. Sustainability and ecology did not largely influence wine selection. Except for organic wines, the subjects had incomplete knowledge in different wine growing methods and the associated labelling. In general, it can be stated that the less the consumer had knowledge of the label entries, the more frustrated they were, when there were several entries. All the subjects were, however, interested to know more of the entries. It seems that the information given by the Alko information cards and customer service, affect the customers attitude towards the different entries.