Ankara Üniversitesi Dil ve Tarih-Coğrafya Fakültesi Dergisi (Jul 2016)
Content Analysis of College Students' Autobiographical Memories about Circumcision
Abstract
This study examined college students' autobiographical memories about circumcision by using the content analysis method and laid out the main themes as social and cultural experiences, medical elements, religious elements, manhood, emotionally positive experiences, emotionally negative experiences, and reference to past/time. After content analysis was completed, chi-square tests were run and the most prominent theme in circumcision memories were found to be social and cultural experiences (χ2 = 25.37, p < .001). In order to compare the frequency of emotionally positive and negative experiences in circumcision memories, chi-square test was run and it was found that while college students were narrating their autobiographical memories about circumcision, they referred to emotionally negative experiences more frequently (χ2 = 52.32, p < .001). In conclusion, in this study the participants were found to remember their circumcision memories most frequently within the context of social and cultural practices, and usually with negative emotions; and in this way the content landscape of circumcision experience was laid out.