Materinski instinkt – mit ali dejstvo? : diplomsko delo

Lutman, Lina (author), Mivšek, Ana Polona (mentor)

Uvod: Že stoletja se znanstveniki sprašujejo, ali obstaja materinski instinkt. Instinkt naj bi pomenil neobvladljivo vedenje, prisotno pri vsakem posamezniku iste vrste. Pri opisu človeške narave je primernejša beseda nagon, ki jo razlagajo kot načrtovano, dolgotrajno željo po nekem dosežku. Namen: Namen diplomskega dela je s pomočjo že obstoječe literature raziskati, ali je pojem materinski instinkt naravno pogojena lastnost vsake ženske ali pa je socialni konstrukt, s katerim ima družba nadzor in vpliv nad žensko plodnostjo in rodnostjo. Izvedeti tudi želimo, kaj ženske verjamejo in menijo o materinskem instinktu, ter kako se mnenje razlikuje med ženskami, ki imajo otroke, in tistimi, ki so namerno brez njih. Metode dela: V teoretičnem delu je bila uporabljena deskriptivna metoda dela s pregledom znanstvene in strokovne literature. V empiričnem delu diplomskega dela smo uporabili kvalitativno obliko raziskovanja, in sicer polstrukturiran intervju. Po koncu intervjuvanja smo izvedli transkripcijo, za obdelavo podatkov pa smo uporabili metodo vsebinske analize. S pomočjo odprtega kodiranja in kategoriziranja besedila smo rezultate razdelili v šest kategorij. Vsi podatki so bili anonimizirani. Rezultati: Ugotovili smo, da so vse intervjuvane živele v razumevajočih družinah. Vse gledajo na materinstvo pozitivno, ampak se zavedajo odgovornosti le–tega. Ne obsojajo odločitev, ki so jih sprejele druge ženske. Ženski z otroki menita, da materinski instinkt obstaja, in da ga sami imata. Ženski brez otrok pa ne verjameta vanj. Ženski z otroki sta se zanje odločili zaradi nekega nagona in nadgraditve partnerskega odnosa. Tisti, ki otrok nimata, imata različne razloge. Njuno odločitev družina in ostala družba obsoja, a se nanje ne ozirata. Razprava in zaključek: Biologi menijo, da sta za nastanek materinskega instinkta potrebna zvišana hormona oksitocin in prolaktin, kar se zgodi med nosečnostjo in po porodu, psihologi pa, da je materinski instinkt posledica osebnostnih značilnostih posameznika ter življenjskih razmer v katerih se ženska trenutno nahaja. Sociologi se strinjajo, da je to socialni konstrukt, s katerim ima družba nadzor nad žensko plodnostjo in rodnostjo. Ženski, ki sta namerno brez otrok, ne verjameta v materinski instinkt ter si želita, da njunih odločitev družba ne bi obsojala, temveč bi jih sprejela in razumela.

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: materinstvo, nagon, hormoni, psihologija, socialni konstrukt
• Work type: Bachelor thesis/paper
• Organization: ZF - Faculty of Health Sciences
• Year: 2020
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-113510
• COBISS.SI-ID: 5762667
• Publication date in RUL: 14.01.2020

Secondary language

• Language: English
• Title: Maternal instinct – myth or a fact? : diploma work

Abstract

Introduction: For centuries scientists have been studying the existence of maternal instinct. The word instinct supposedly represents uncontrollable behaviour that is present with each individual of the same species. When describing a human nature, the more appropriate word is drive. This is a planned, long term wish for an achievement. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to prove, with already existent literature, that maternal instinct is a social construct that has control over human reproduction. We also wanted to find out what women believe about the maternal instinct and if there is any difference in opinion between women with children and those intentionally without children. Methods: In the theoretical part a descriptive method with an overview of the technical literature was used. In the second part qualitative research was used, that being a semi-structured interview. In the end the interviews were transcribed, and the results were processed with a thematic analysis. With the help of the open coding and categorising of the text we divided the results according to themes. All data was anonymous. Results: The results were categorised in six categories. We learned that all women grew up in loving and understanding households. They all have a positive opinion about mothers and motherhood. They think it is a very responsible job and they do not judge other women’s decisions. Women who have children believe in maternal instinct and they think they have one. In opposite, women that want to remain childless do not believe in maternal instinct. Women with children think they have a special drive that leads them towards having children, but they also wanted to upgrade their relationship with their partners. Women without children have different reasons to remain childless. Their decisions are judged by their families and society, but they do not care about their opinion. Discussion and conclusion: Biologists think that two hormones (oxytocin and prolactin) lead to maternal instinct, but only when the woman is pregnant and when she gives birth. Psychologists believe that the maternal instinct or drive is a consequence of one’s personality and woman’s life situation. Sociologists agree that maternal instinct is a social construct with which the society controls women’s fertility. Women who are intentionally childless do not believe in maternal instinct and wish not to be judged by society.

• Keywords: motherhood, drive, hormones, psychology, social construct