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Ukushela: Men's ways of initiating romantic relationships
The initiation of romantic relationships has undergone significant transformation, especially with the rise of online platforms that have reshaped traditional courtship practices. Despite these evolving methods, gender roles continue to shape relationship formation, with societal expectations positi...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English English |
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Department of Psychology
2026
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| _version_ | 1867613230072856576 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Ndhlovu, Sizakele |
| author2 | Makama, Refiloe |
| author_browse | Makama, Refiloe Ndhlovu, Sizakele |
| author_facet | Makama, Refiloe Ndhlovu, Sizakele |
| author_sort | Ndhlovu, Sizakele |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | The initiation of romantic relationships has undergone significant transformation, especially with the rise of online platforms that have reshaped traditional courtship practices. Despite these evolving methods, gender roles continue to shape relationship formation, with societal expectations positioning men as initiators and women as responders. This qualitative study explored how men navigate the initiation of romantic relationships to see whether their approaches will reinforce or challenge dominant discourses of masculinity. Through focus group discussions with thirty male university students (ages 18-35) at the University of Cape Town, the research found that relationship initiation has shifted from formal, structured processes to more casual, everyday interactions. While participants acknowledged the potential benefits of equal participation in relationship formation, they also expressed resistance to changes in established gender practices, particularly regarding emotional expression and financial responsibilities. Young men experience significant pressure to conform to societal expectations of masculinity, both in face-to-face interactions and on digital platforms. These findings highlight how young men both reinforce and challenge dominant masculine discourses during relationship initiation, underscoring the tensions between evolving social norms and persistent gender expectations. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/42566 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | English eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:32:50.328Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Department of Psychology |
| publisherStr | Department of Psychology |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/42566 Ukushela: Men's ways of initiating romantic relationships Ndhlovu, Sizakele Makama, Refiloe Romantic relationships The initiation of romantic relationships has undergone significant transformation, especially with the rise of online platforms that have reshaped traditional courtship practices. Despite these evolving methods, gender roles continue to shape relationship formation, with societal expectations positioning men as initiators and women as responders. This qualitative study explored how men navigate the initiation of romantic relationships to see whether their approaches will reinforce or challenge dominant discourses of masculinity. Through focus group discussions with thirty male university students (ages 18-35) at the University of Cape Town, the research found that relationship initiation has shifted from formal, structured processes to more casual, everyday interactions. While participants acknowledged the potential benefits of equal participation in relationship formation, they also expressed resistance to changes in established gender practices, particularly regarding emotional expression and financial responsibilities. Young men experience significant pressure to conform to societal expectations of masculinity, both in face-to-face interactions and on digital platforms. These findings highlight how young men both reinforce and challenge dominant masculine discourses during relationship initiation, underscoring the tensions between evolving social norms and persistent gender expectations. 2026-01-13T13:29:06Z 2026-01-13T13:29:06Z 2025 2026-01-13T12:29:19Z Thesis / Dissertation Masters Masters http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42566 en eng application/pdf Department of Psychology Faculty of Humanities University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Romantic relationships Ndhlovu, Sizakele Ukushela: Men's ways of initiating romantic relationships |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | Ukushela: Men's ways of initiating romantic relationships |
| title_full | Ukushela: Men's ways of initiating romantic relationships |
| title_fullStr | Ukushela: Men's ways of initiating romantic relationships |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ukushela: Men's ways of initiating romantic relationships |
| title_short | Ukushela: Men's ways of initiating romantic relationships |
| title_sort | ukushela men s ways of initiating romantic relationships |
| topic | Romantic relationships |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42566 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ndhlovusizakele ukushelamenswaysofinitiatingromanticrelationships |