Thematic Analysis in Social Research

This article discusses the importance of thematic analysis in social research and how it helps in identifying patterns and relationships in textual information. It provides an overview of the process and benefits of thematic analysis. The article also includes a case study on Australian masculinity to demonstrate the application of thematic analysis.

Social Research
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Introduction
Thematic analysis
Qualitative content and thematic analysis are significant approaches well used in data set
analysis in the field of social research.It indicates various strategies utilized to analyze particular
texts .it also involves systematic coding and categorizing technique for evaluation of several
textual information in order to identify patterns, relationships and the communication aspects in
social research topic.it offers critical skills to researchers for carrying out others forms of
qualitative analysis and reporting patterns within specific data set (Buetow,2010). This paper
identifies an analysis of information from Australian masculinity topic where it analyses the
interview session s provide to come up with a reliable analysis.
Thematic analysis: data set from an existing semi structured interview transcript has been well
transcribed. The critical quotes have been evaluated, coded and sorted into the themes. It is used
to offer insight and knowledge to researchers regarding information retrieved or data collected. It
mostly distills data set enables one to identify broad studies and analysis as inductive themes
emerge.
Thematic analysis Procedure
1 Collect data Field trips
Transcripts and
interviews
Audio visual
recording
2 Coding data set

3 Code validation Themes
4 Themes /framework
identification
Use of code books
and time frame
5 Data set consolidation Theme names
Fig 0.1: Thematic analysis design
Image Source: http://designresearchtechniques.com/casestudies/thematic-analysis/
Brief Topic literature review
The Australian masculinity has been characterized by discriminatory and inequitable public
policy over the years. According to the interviews the existing legacy of trauma that manifest
from antisocial behaviors and also aberrant conduct in young men have been programmed from
the early years
Numerous young fellows remain enormously impacted by these societal messages of being a
man. For instance, young fellows were especially liable to concur with articulations that society

anticipates that men should act solid (69%), battle back when pushed (60%) and never state no to
sex (56%).
In Australia, an integral key component for the construction of the dominance of masculinity is
that bots need to show they are different for the girls since they establish that they risk being
constantly bullied if they tend to associate with the girls closely and more often (Drummond,
Filiault, Anderson & Jeffries, 2015).
The boys in school also struggle for peer group and status
Transcript analyis
The interviewees provide in this case are Mark, Asha, Jason and Lindsay
Marks interview
Mark was born and raised in Toorak, in Melbourne. Mark attended boy’s private schools, day at
primary school and boarding at secondary level.
Mark indicates that back in primary boys were always good at sports than girls since they are
viewed to have strength and speed.
Boys are all about physical abilities bringing out conflicts as a result of their toughness. Mark
reflects that boys fight and become respected in the social order due to their capacity to fight.
This shapes the life of mark as in future careers and experiences (Gale, N. K., Heath, Cameron,
Rashid, & Redwood, 2013).
Those boys who could not fight were looked down upon as inferior and highly marginalized.
They got isolated and did not participate in competitive sports.

Mark also indicates that in boarding school, the existed rampant bullying to those boys who were
considered to be less physically fit.
According to mark fighting and bullying in high school shaped his life since he became an army
after leaving school. However on one occasion after leaving the army he became an event
organizer and did security work.at a particular event he argued with a drunk person and started
fighting him continuously (Fiske, Hodge, & Turner,2016). This shaped his fate since he was
jailed for 18 months due to having assaulted the man.it is evident form this reflecting that
masculinity in the school shaped lives of boys to negativity through bringing about violence
behaviors in men. Mark offers evidence that in prions the number of men is quite high.
Ash’s interview
Ash on the other hand is 37 years old and was raised in Freemantle. Ash finished university
education aged 19 years and spent quite some time working internationally and travelling in
various countries. Ash is currently a physiotherapist and has one child.
Ash past life have been affected by his past relationship with his family especially the father.
Ash parents separated and divorced (Gattario et al, 2015).He indicates that he felt that his father
somehow isolated the family to a certain extent.It is evident that Ash faced difficulties during
childhood as a boy
According to Ash masculinity issue, his father figure was quite authoritarian
While in school he indicates that there is high gender separation since most boys practiced sports
than the girls.He agrees that factors like physical strength or size characterized the aspects of
masculinity. He notices that he interacted with fellow boys in school who had bad behaviors of
name calling and abuses bring about themes of homophobia, male chauvinism and racism

especially in the university level. Ash is very certain that the behaviors of these men often get
into the nerves of the relationship especially when they finally get married which has shaped his
current relationship.
According to his past experiences,It is evident that past experiences with male masculinity make
girls to be afraid of men and their association or friendship dishes.it affect their future marital
status and relationships.
The Australian masculinity has been characterized by discriminatory and inequitable public
policy over the years (Joffe 2012).According to the interviews the existing legacy of trauma that
manifest from antisocial behaviors and also aberrant conduct in young men have been
programmed from the early years.
Be that as it may, some conventional goals appear to drop away. Hardly any young fellows
concurred that society discloses to them they should utilize brutality to get regard (35%), straight
men ought to evade gay men as companions (36%), young men shouldn't figure out how to cook
and clean (38%), and men shouldn't do family unit tasks (39%).
According to Ash,to begin with, there is a predictable hole among people with regards to
perspectives on gender orientation roles. Youthful Australian men are less mindful than young
ladies of sexism and increasingly steady of male strength and fierce frames of mind toward
ladies.
Second, there is decent variety among men. Young fellows have diverse methods for
communicating their manly characters, contingent upon their friend gatherings. There are
additionally substantial varieties among young fellows in their underwriting of sexism and
savagery.

Scholastics have been winding up increasingly mindful of the hurtful impacts of poisonous
masculinity — the arrangement of models our general public holds for men that end up harming
both their lives and others (O’reilly, & Parker, 2013). By managing that men must be solid, have
no sentiments, and command ladies, Western goals of masculinity lead men to pass up parts of
life that ought to be accessible to all individuals, paying little mind to sexual orientation —
things like passionate association and sustaining. What's more, even from a pessimistic
standpoint, harmful manliness can energize brutality or gender violence.
Masculinity involve the existing men’s innate traits in the cultural domain of being a man.There
have existed toxic effects of masculinity as boys grow in school to become men.
What, at that point, would a non-lethal masculinity resemble? Since manliness and womanliness
don't have any inalienable importance, a solid manliness or gentility is one you get the chance to
characterize — or not relate to by any stretch of the imagination, since it doesn't need to mean
anything to you on the off chance that you don't need it to (Proctor 2011).
In school the cultural construct of masculinity unfolds bringing out veracious problematic issues
especially in boys boarding schools and future damaging effects.
1. The Suppression of Emotion
Ash and Mark depicts these experiences while in school
2. The Encouragement of Violence
As masculinity researchers indicate, dangerous manliness trains that brutality is the most ideal
path for men to demonstrate their quality and power, and it disheartens them from discharging

their emotions in different ways. Sociologists Tristan Bridges and Tara Leigh Tober bring up in
Sociological Images that American manliness specifically portrays weapons as a wellspring of
intensity for men. This may help clarify why men have been in charge of the extraordinary larger
part of mass shootings in the United States.
3. The Discouragement of Seeking Help
As per the American Psychological Association, men are more uncertain than ladies to look for
help with respect to their emotional wellness, which may almost certainly be because of beliefs
of manliness.
4. The Perpetuation of Rape Culture
School societies that empower manliness, explicitly in clubs, can energize grounds assault
culture. "This arrangement of social standards on grounds, it is about predominance and
progression," Texas Tech University educator Elizabeth Sharp told The Huffington Post.
Poisonous manliness instructs men that their personality depends on their capacity to apply
strength over ladies, and one regular path for men to state their predominance is through rape and
provocation (Ritchie, Lewis, Nicholls, & Ormston, 2013).
5. Homophobia
The pressure of masculinity brings about pressure and great stigma in friendships and
relationships as indicated by Ash.
6. Misogyny

Toxic masculinity "that men are in control, which implies ladies are not; that men lead, and you
should simply pursue and simply do what we state; that men are prevalent and ladies are sub-par;
that men are solid and ladies are feeble." to put it plainly, by joining certain attributes to men and
esteeming them above characteristics related with ladies, harmful manliness energizes a culture
that puts down men for being "ladylike" yet additionally puts down ladies. On account of lethal
manliness, similar to all parts of man controlled society, everyone loses.
The impacts of this include concealment of feelings for men (Sgier 2012). It supports brutality
against ladies yet in addition against men, men don't look for help when they have issues, and
these harmful manliness convictions likewise propagate aggressive behavior at home.
Such a large number of young men are caught in the equivalent choking, obsolete model of
manliness, where masculinity is estimated in quality, where there is no real way to be helpless
without being castrated, where masculinity is tied in with having control over others. They are
caught and they don't have the language to discuss how they feel about being caught, on the
grounds that the language that exists to examine the full scope of human feeling is as yet seen as
delicate and ladylike, he proceeded to compose.
Men feel disengaged, befuddled and clashed about their tendency (Smith 2015). Many feel that
the very characteristics that used to characterize them — their quality, hostility and
aggressiveness, are never again needed or required; numerous others never felt solid or forceful
or focused regardless.
According to Mark life, it’s evident that, Sexual orientation jobs deny young men of the capacity
to comprehend their own feelings, to talk about them in a sound manner, to have solid and

deferential associations with accomplices and relatives, and to figure out how to not utilize
savagery and strength as a method for communicating their necessities or speaking with others
(Talmy 2010).
In schools masculinity keeps young men away from being their entire, genuine selves as people
and rather, request that they fit into a job that puts them and others in danger. Such frames of
mind that men are raised with shape them into conceited and boastful people, which is impeding
to society.
He, in this way, says people need to comprehend that for society to prosper, they have to assume
corresponding jobs.
It is on this ground researchers clears up that sexual orientation is about being a man or a lady.
Men have a sexual orientation job simply like ladies do, this "job" is a thought of what society
supposes they should do, and how they ought to be, show up, act, dress and talk so as to be a
"genuine" man or lady. These thoughts are made by social orders and are not in our actual
science as people.
Effects
It additionally influences the monetary development of nations— if men feel they should be the
ones to profit and be the budgetary supplier then they will be impervious to ladies and young
ladies ending up monetarily autonomous and adding to the development of this nation (Smith, &
Firth, 2011). Regardless of what you look like at it, gender responsibilities are terrible for men,
awful for ladies and the nation.
Researchers proposes that early preventive interventions to deconstruct the masculinity in young
men is the most ideal approach to deal with this.

Utilize different methodologies in tending to the weight of manliness, for example, the
ecological model in tending to this pressure, work at relational, individual, authoritative,
approach and community network levels.
There is a great deal to be done to end this masculinity stereotype and that however the nation is
as of now on the correct way towards gender fairness, all the more should be finished.
Researchers suggests having activities or programmed initiatives that demystify these
generalizations directly from the grass roots (Tyler, & Fairbrother, 2013). There is requirement
for all individuals to get out and separate the sexual orientation jobs we have now and just permit
people the opportunity to be their identity, without driving young men or young ladies to fit into
a crate of thoughts regarding who they ought to be and what they may or may not be able to.
people, families and networks all need to battle against gender stereotypes — for instance,
guardians should know about how they are carrying on before their kids, in the event that they
are instructing their young men this thought of poisonous manliness, in the event that they are
demonstrating their girls that young men are progressively profitable and critical (Vaismoradi,
Turunen, & Bondas, 2013)."Society likewise needs to venture up and challenge these destructive
thoughts, to urge young men to act naturally and demonstrate their feelings and in particular,
show all youngsters that they will be adored and acknowledged similarly as they are and that
they don't need to fit into any crates so as to feel that they have a place. That would truly make a
really amicable and prosperous society.
Perspectives on research findings

Young men are educated by society to be that way especially in schools. These social weights
cause them to lie about their encounters and sentiments, or have an absence of confidence and in
the end, become miserable. They are likewise prone to display unsafe conduct and feel
progressively baffled at life's difficulties and typify forcefulness or show almost no feeling
(Vaismoradi, Jones, Turunen, & Snelgrove,2016). This can prompt savagery and imbalance; this
is the reason men need to begin by changing as people, reexamine how they 'do' sexual
orientation, how they bolster ladies and how they connect with others. There should be
commitment and a move in the media and the impact it has on society.
Conclusion of the findings
Men ought to figure out how to open up; they ought to be eager to be precedents to such an
extent that others get the fearlessness to conquer this. Society, then again, requirements to make
safe spaces for men to convey what needs be and their actual characteristics paying little heed to
what society's sexual orientation generalizations and desires are.
Community Networks ought to be shown how unsafe these generalizations can be. Men should
be instructed that taking care of business doesn't mean being forceful or commanding, and that
they can be as delicate and passionate as they need and still be men.

References
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Drummond, M. J., Filiault, S. M., Anderson, E., & Jeffries, D. (2015). Homosocial intimacy
among Australian undergraduate men. Journal of Sociology, 51(3), 643-656.
Fiske, J., Hodge, B., & Turner, G. (2016). Myths of Oz: reading Australian popular culture.
Routledge.
Gale, N. K., Heath, G., Cameron, E., Rashid, S., & Redwood, S. (2013). Using the framework
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Gattario, K. H., Frisén, A., Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, M., Ricciardelli, L. A., Diedrichs, P. C., Yager,
Z., ... & Smolak, L. (2015). How is men’s conformity to masculine norms related to their
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& Masculinity, 16(3), 337.
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O’reilly, M., & Parker, N. (2013). ‘Unsatisfactory Saturation’: a critical exploration of the notion
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Proctor, H. (2011). Masculinity and social class, tradition and change: The production of ‘young
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APPENDIX A
Interview 1:Codes for ASH Interview
Profile Item Codes themes
1 As a woman Ash faced
difficulties during
childhood.
childhood 1.Gende
r
2Feminism 3.Gender
inequalit
y
4.Physical
health
2 Ash on the other hand is
37 years old and was
raised in Freemantle.
Work and age
3 Ash finished university
education aged 19 years
and spent quite some
time working
internationally and
travelling in various
countries.
Category: curriculum
4 Ash is currently a
physiotherapist and is
now a mother to one
child.
Family and career
5 "Society likewise needs to
venture up and challenge these
destructive thoughts,
Code: technical
6 to urge young men to act
naturally and demonstrate their
Feeling

feelings and in particular,
show all youngsters that they
will be adored
7 Ash is currently a
physiotherapist and is
now a mother to one
child.
Career
8 While in school she
indicates that there is
high gender separation
since most boys practiced
sports than the girls. She
agrees that factors like
physical strength or size
characterized the aspects
of masculinity
Discrimination
9 She notices that she
interacted with men who
had bad behaviors of
name calling and abuses
bring about themes of
homophobia, male
chauvinism and racism
especially in the
Violence

university level
10 She is very certain that
the behaviors of these
men often get into the
nerves of the relationship
especially when they
finally get married which
has shaped her current
relationship.
Family
11 It is evident that pats
experiences with male
masculinity make girls to
be afraid of men and their
association or friendship
dishes.it affect their
future marital status and
relationships
Relationship
12 To begin with, there is a
predictable hole among
people with regards to
perspectives on gender
orientation roles.
Responsibilities
13 Youthful Australian men
are less mindful than
Physical strength

young ladies of sexism
and increasingly steady
of male strength and
fierce frames of mind
toward ladies.
14 There are additionally
substantial varieties
among young fellows in
their underwriting of
sexism and savagery.
Youth
15 there is decent variety
among men. Young
fellows have diverse
methods for
communicating their
manly characters,
contingent upon their
friend gatherings
Communication
groups
16 “there is a predictable hole
among people with regards to
perspectives on gender
orientation roles”
Gap
17 Men ought to figure out Feelings

how to open up; they
ought to be eager to be
precedents to such an
extent that others get the
fearlessness to conquer
this
18 According to Ash,to
begin with, there is a
predictable hole among
people with regards to
perspectives on gender
orientation roles.,
Dilemma
19 )."Society likewise needs
to venture up and
challenge these
destructive thoughts, to
urge young men to act
naturally
Code: pedagogical
Knowledge
20 The Australian
masculinity has been
characterized by
discriminatory and
inequitable public policy
over the years (Joffe
Sicial
economic,behaviour

2012).According to the
interviews the existing
legacy of trauma that
manifest from antisocial
behaviors and also
aberrant conduct in
young men have been
programmed from the
early years.
2. Codes:Marks interview
2. Codes:Marks interview
profile Item codes themes
1 Mark indicates
that back in
primary boys
were always
good at sports
than girls since
they are viewed
to have strength
and speed.
Advice Career
choices
Male
dominance
Oppression Physical abilities
2 Boys are all physical

about physical
abilities bringing
out conflicts as
a result of their
toughness.
Mark reflects
that boys fight
and become
respected in the
social order due
to their capacity
to fight
oppression
3 This shapes the
life of mark as in
future careers
and experiences
(Gale, N. K.,
Heath,
Cameron,
Rashid, &
Redwood,
2013).
Careers
4 Those boys who
could not fight
were looked
down upon as
inferior and
highly
marginalized.
They got
isolated and did
not participate
in competitive
sports.
Fighting
5 Mark also
indicates that in
boarding school,
the existed
rampant
bullying to
those boys who
were
considered to
be less
Physically

physically fit.
6 According to
mark fighting
and bullying in
high school
shaped his life
since he
became an
army after
leaving school.
Bullying
7 “after leaving
the army I
became an
event organizer
and did security
work.at a
particular event
he argued with
a drunk person
and started
fighting him
continuously”
Fighting
8 “This shaped my
fate since he
was jailed for 18
months due to
having
assaulted the
man.it is
evident form
this reflecting
that
masculinity”
Assault
9 school shaped
lives of boys to
negativity
through
bringing about
violence
behaviors in
men.
Violence
10 Mark offers
evidence that in
prisons the
number of men
Opppression

is quite high
11 Young men are
educated by
society to be
that way
especially in
schools
Education
12 These social
weights cause
them to lie
about their
encounters and
sentiments, or
have an
absence of
confidence and
in the end,
become
miserable
Socio
economic
13 “ Men are
likewise prone
to display
unsafe conduct
and feel
progressively
baffled at life's
difficulties and
typify
forcefulness or
show almost no
feeling….”
Behavioral
approaches
14 Mark indicates
that back in
primary boys
were always
good at sports
than girls since
they are viewed
to have strength
and speed.
Physical
strength
15 There should be
commitment
and a move in
Socio
economic

the media and
the impact it
has on society
16 people, families
and networks all
need to battle
against gender
stereotypes
Community
17 for instance,
guardians
should know
about how they
are carrying on
before their
kids, in the
event that they
are instructing
their young men
this thought of
poisonous
manliness,
Instruction
styles
18 “Mark offers
evidence that in
prisons the
number of men
is quite high…”
Curriculum
19 “shaped my fate
since I was
jailed for 18
months due to
having
assaulted the
man.it is
evident form
this reflecting
that masculinity
in the school
shaped lives of
boys to
negativity
through
bringing about
violence
behaviors in
Reflcetion

men”.
20 “According to
the interviews
the existing
legacy of
trauma that
manifest from
antisocial
behaviors and
also aberrant
conduct in
young men have
been
programmed
from the early
years…”
Society
Thematic codes and themes list
Category:
Sub category 1
Code: Masculinity
Code: Australian men
Code: pedagogicial
Code: socio emotional

Code: interviewee personal expression
Code: technical
Sub category 2
Code: styles
Code: behavioral approaches
Code: group of boy’s management
Code: socio emotional
Code: unwritten curriculum
Category: physical oppression
Code: fighting
Code: bullying
Code: violence
Code: fighting
Category: verbal oppression
Code: name calling
Code: threats

Code: laughing and isolating
Themes list
1. Ethnicity
2. Religion
3. Language
4. Career aspirations
5. Career choices
6. Advice
7. Male domination
8. Feminism
9. Gender inequality
10. Physical health
11. Oppression through use of physical force