Monday, September 30, 2019

Danger of a Single Story Essay

In her inspirational speech on the TED television series, Chimamanda Adichie argues that single stories of specific races or regions often create misconceptions of their true natures. Adichie, born and raised in colonial Nigeria, uses previous life experiences to support her claims regarding false stereotypes, most evidently during her childhood and her first visit to the USA. Living under a colonial environment, Adichie was constantly being exposed to foreign ways of life; she had a decent education, read children books about men drinking ginger beer, and was taught to be thankful for the opportunities she was gifted. However, not until later in her life did Adichie realize that these influences were incomplete and untrue representations of Western life. This helps to demonstrate â€Å"how impressionable and vulnerable we are in the face of a story, particularly as children,† and how we can not truly know the truth until it has been concretely revealed to us. Furthermore, when Adieche moved into her college dorm with a white roommate, she was automatically pitied. Her roommate’s â€Å"single story of [Africa was] catastrophe,† and not until they interacted further did it occur to her that she was no different from anyone else. These are just two examples of common stereotypes; innumerable others exist around the world, one of which is that of Muslims, the prominent occupation of the Arab region. Unfortunately, there are groups who claim to be ‘Muslims’ that commit despicable acts globally, such as the plane attacks of 9/11, the Boston Marathon bombings earlier this year, and the perpetuate persecution of refugees in Central Asia (Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, etc. ), that set a bad image upon Islam. Nevertheless, the media disregards the majority of the positive stories of the Arab region, therefore exclusively establishing Muslims as terrorists inspired by spite and ill-will. The single story of Muslims, as is the stereotype of Africans and Westerners, creates a false and incomplete depiction of their authentic essences.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

The Three Religions Essay

The three major religions in the world are Judaism, Islam and Christianity. The largest religion in the world is Christianity followed by Islam. In 33 C.E. Christianity was founded by Jesus Christ. Christianity is more spread around the globe than any other religion. Islam is the second largest religion in the world. In 637-750 Islam was founded by Muhammad. Islam originated in the Middle East, Islam also holds many beliefs and practices that are in common with Christianity and Judaism. Judaism is the twelfth largest religion in the world. Judaism was founded in 586 B.C. The founder of Judaism was either Moses or Abraham. Judaism follow the Ten Commandments like Christianity does. All three religions had and have greatly influenced the whole world. There are many similarities between Christianity, Judaism and Islam. All three of these religions, Christianity, Judaism and Islam are known as â€Å"Abrahamic religions† because of their history to the agreement God made with Abrah am in the Bible. One of the comparisons between Judaism and Islam is they have no priest like Christianity does. Judaism and Christianity also share many similarities, their holy city is Jerusalem and they both follow the Ten Commandments. Islam’s holy city is Mecca and they follow the Sharia Law. Both Christianity and Islam believe the moral teachings of the prophets. They all have spiritual beings like, angles and demons. All three religions are monotheistic which means they believe in one God. Just like similarities there are many differences between the Middle East religions. All three, Christianity, Islam and Judaism have different holy scriptures. Christianity has the bible (Old and New Testaments), Islam has the Qur’an and Judaism has the Torah. Their House of Worship is different. Christianity worships in a church, while Judaism worships in a synagogue and Islam worships in a mosque. Judaism and Christianity’s holy city is Jerusalem but Islam’s holy city is Mecca. Each one of these religions believes in something different, Christianity believes in Jesus while Islam believes in Allah. They follow different rules in their religions such as, Islam following the Five Pillars and Judaism and Christianity following the Ten Commandments. There were also different people who found each religion. Muhammad found Islam, Jesus found Christianity and Moses or Abraham found Judaism. . There were many  similarities and differences between Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Their similarities and differences show how each of the three religions were formed and created throughout the decades. Each one of these religions, Christianity, Judaism and Islam have there own significances to different people and places. Their significances are carried around all over the world. Christianity, Judaism and Islam started in the Middle East but have spread throughout the world. Not only did Christianity, Judaism and Islam spread around the globe but they have impacted the whole world as well.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Marketing Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Marketing - Case Study Example As a result, Dunkin Donut targets a mass market when compared to Starbucks. As already discussed above that the market has been revolutionized and there is more competition and larger consumer turnout. This increase will further encourage other firms to enter the market and in the next 3-5 market is going to mature by having the maximum number of competitors and consumers. Dunkin can try to use policies such informative advertising to discourage consumers from buying other brands. This would not only ensure that customers do not desert the company at the competitor’s expense but, it will also protect the Dunkin’s dominant position in the market. Dunkin’ Donuts may have been founded 50 years ago, but the philosophy it adopted could very well match any modern company. The company aims to produce high quality products at a very affordable price. They increase the value of their brand by selling only ‘fresh products’ to the consumers. For example, Dunkin’ Donuts has policy that they will throw away any coffee left in the kettle after 18 minutes and serve only fresh coffee to the consumers. This gives a great value to its products as people know that whatever they are buying from the place is not harmful from

National Health expenditures Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

National Health expenditures - Assignment Example Similarly, the net cost of health insurance steadily rose from $2.6 billion in 1970 to $210.6 in 2013.Furthermore, the government expenditure on public health activities $1.4 billion in the year 1970 (CMS, 2007). Based on the National Health Expenditure figures, the value also increased to $75.4 billion by 2013.In addition, the Federal government has also increased its allocation in making the investment in the health sector. In 1970, the Federal government spent $7.8 billion in health investment. In 2013, a staggering $164.6 billion was allocated towards making new investments in the health sector (CMS, 2007). The percentage of GDP spent on NHE has been fluctuating from time to time. In some instance, the percentage change in GDP was negative and in some cases it was positive. In the year 1991, the percentage of GDP reduced sharply with a margin of -8%. In 2009, the percentage increase in GDP was the highest reaching the mark of 5.8% (Hennessy et al., 2007). According to the figures presented above, the analysis indicates that the government has been increasing funding for the purposing of improving quality health provision. One of the core mandates of the Federal government is to provide accessible medical care to its citizens. The federal government has ensured that it provides quality and available medical attention. Furthermore, the emergence of deadly diseases such as cancer that is most prevalent in most developed countries, the need to invest in medical care has been necessitated (CMS, 2010). The prices of medical care coverage have been relatively affordable. Affordability of care services has been made possible with the Federal government commitment to invest in the public health sector. Since the government expenditure in medical investment, medical services have been made affordable. The Federal government has promoted the creation of new national hospitals in a bid to ensure there is the accessibility of medical

Thursday, September 26, 2019

The Difference Between Lyndon Johnson and Ronald Reagan Essay

The Difference Between Lyndon Johnson and Ronald Reagan - Essay Example Lyndon Johnson and Ronald Reagan too used different philosophies in delivering their mandate. The two former presidents of the United States of America led the two most influential presidencies of post-war United States of America. It is, therefore, the intention of the paper to provide a detailed analysis of Lyndon Johnson and Ronald Reagan concerning their philosophies of governance. Lyndon Johnson believed that was the responsibility of the big government to offer solutions to a number of problems facing American citizens (Langston, 1992). Concerning this, Lyndon believed that the social problems the Americans faced could only get a solution from the tax and the government. Johnson valued the program of the great society that aimed at giving quality life to all Americans. The program involved itself in ensuring a better education for the Americans and jobs. In addition, the program could help in fighting poverty as well as empowering the civil societies. The notion behind this was that, the civil societies could help in speaking for the poor through demonstrations and dialog. On the other hand, Ronald Reagan, believed that the big governments were the problem concerning valid solutions for the problems facing the Americans. In this regard, therefore, Reagan believes so much in the delegation of responsibilities. Reagan believes that delegation of duty helps bet ter the lives of miserable Americans than it being the role of the big federal government. In addition, Reagan had the ability to communicate convincingly concerning his vision for the Americans. The eloquence compensated for inadequacy in Reagan’s intellectual ability. Reagan’s conservative nature of wanting to uphold strategies that never worked contradicts Lyndon’s liberal nature. Lyndon remained open to trying new strategies in delivering to the American people, as Reagan believed in the delegation of duty. The delegation had failed severally and yet Reagan embraced it. In

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Food Ads That Are Like Wolves in Sheeps Clothing Essay

Food Ads That Are Like Wolves in Sheeps Clothing - Essay Example Once they watch a commercial about a food product with their favourite cartoon character, that is the image that will stick to them and then they will ask their parents to buy it for them and argue that the commercial says it’s good for them. They become enamoured with the products that are like adorable sheep not knowing that it is only the disguise of the wolves inside just waiting to prey on these naà ¯ve consumers. The video entitled â€Å"We’re Not Buying It: Stop Junk Food Marketing To Kids† (Prevention Institute, 2011) exposes how vulnerable children are to the power of food advertising especially if it caters to their interests. The video asks how the food industry can even penetrate schools with the guise of supporting charity projects but are actually marketing strategies promoting their unhealthy food and beverage products. The video also revealed that most advertised food and beverage products have too much sugar, salt and fat in them but are packaged as healthy food in order to be sold. Since children are bombarded with thousands of such food ads every year, and even incorporated in movies and their favourite video games, then they consume much of this food and drinks in their unhealthy diets. Hence, 1 in 3 children is expected to be prone to Diabetes when they grow up like 40% of their diets come from added sugars and unhealthy fats (Prevention Institute, 2011). I can relate the message in the video with some theories from Sharma & Romas (2012) taken up in class. Health Belief Model discussed in class proposes that one’s health is determined by his personal beliefs or perceptions, and if children believe the message that advertisements convey, then they get sucked into unhealthy diets and lifestyles.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Six Thousand Women Missing in Top Management Jobs Assignment

Six Thousand Women Missing in Top Management Jobs - Assignment Example A sizeable proportion of women is not being seen at the top echelons of management in public, private or legal bodies. The phenomenon is being observed across nations despite the development index or political ideology and is also not specific to certain sectors but is spread across sectors with some variations. Equal Opportunity Commission recently in a study (as cited by Curtis 2007) informed that the glass ceiling is holding back women in Britain from top 6000 positions to attain the representative proportion. A survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers (2006) showed that in Cyprus, women hold only 12 % of the top executive positions. African women hold only 0.9% of key management positions and the world over the average percentage of women ranges between 10% and less on both sides of the Atlantic. (Mnganga, 2003). Most of these studies also observed that women are entering the workforce with equal qualifications but progress to top echelons is hampered. International Labour Organisation ( ILO) noted in its proceedings (ILO, 1998) that "women's access to top management posts was still severely restricted though they frequently matched or exceeded their male counterparts in terms of formal qualifications and technical know-how". There are three issues attached to this phenomenon requiring incisive inquiry. Where do these women disappear & what happens to them Does it matter and to whom What should be done, if it matters Where do these women disappear & what happens to them Women are valued if they take care of family responsibilities and vice versa. Working mothers try to balance work and family. Visible and often invisible barriers emerge from the sexual division of labor. The work culture also has a long inheritance of male dominance, which celebrates masculine qualities nested in late hours, old boy's network and informal networks. (ILO, 1998). The task of balancing both the worlds take its toll and many women start treading on a stagnated path and do not actualize their potential. Some quit in between to remain at home and in the process strengthening the stereotyped role of women and probably not even fuelling the ambitions of next-generation daughters to conquer the sky. Though some of these women break away to form their own enterprises and studies suggest that these enterprises do remarkably well. Only very few women succeed in breaking the glass ceiling. (Treanor, 2007; Bawden, 2007).  

Monday, September 23, 2019

Press Release Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Press Release Analysis - Essay Example senators send out press releases highlighting the federal projects that they helped to bring to their states to portray caring and empathetic nature, while women senators make press releases that elucidate their experience and decisiveness, while focusing their narrative on the key positions they hold in Senate, and to declare their clear positions on public policy issues (Thomas and Wilcox 142). The press releases made by the male Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont and those made by female senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin show the discrepancy in emphasis arising from gender orientation of the senators as espoused in Chapter 8 of the book In February 12, 2015, Patrick Leahy released a press statement highlighting the progress which the CIDER Act bill, which he and his colleague from New York, Senator Charles Schumer, presented in Senate in 2003, was making. The gist of the bill is to promote value addition to hard cider in order to allow farmers make the most out of it. Enactment of this bill is likely to make Patrick seem as a caring person, especially among the households that depend on the cider industry. On the same day, Tammy Baldwin and two other colleagues made a press release dwelling on their progress in the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, where they were making a bill to restore the great lakes. Though the release talks of a bill just as in Senator Leahy’s case, the communication shows the overarching stance of the senator regarding the policy on ecological and economic protection of the great lakes and the American people at large. Evidently, the Act that Senator Baldwin and her colleagues talk of wi ll benefit 30 million Americans whose drinking water comes from the Great Lakes. A day earlier, Senator Baldwin’s press release depicted her expressing her position that the VA leadership and the department of veteran Health Administration had failed to follow the existing policies that guarantee the safety of the patients. It happens that on the same

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Addressing Employee Motivation Essay Example for Free

Addressing Employee Motivation Essay Executive Summary Tom was seen to have a loss of motivation at work which was investigated. An analysis showed the main cause to be a lack of communication from his manager, a need for role definition, and a lack of publicity for the success of his project initiative. Recommendation is for Tom’s manager to be informed so they are hopefully able to address these issues and retain and develop Tom’s skills. A problematic work situation relating to a HRM concept in Book 2 1.1 A description of the work problem Tom has a well paid job as a project manager. He created an idea and initiated a project to design and implement a website. After setting up the design and defining the stakeholders, without discussion, another person was brought in to chair the project meetings and keep track of actions for the software team. He felt a lack of clarity in his role and without clear guidance and credit did not feel motivated to push the project as hard as before. Weekly work hours fell back to a normal 40 hours from 50 or 60, and his other ideas were not pushed to management with the same enthusiasm. Motivation was clearly falling. This example relates to motivation and Session 1 of Book 2 can be used to analyse what motivates Tom to go to work. See more:  First Poem for You Essay 1.2 Analysis of my experience using my chosen concepts To understand Tom’s motivation level’s I have analysed his situation using Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs (1954) from session 1 (The Open University, B120 Book 2). According to Maslow, â€Å"a satisfied need is not a motivator†. Matching which needs are met on the pyramid of five categories will give an indication of which unmet need should be a motivator. Figure [ 1 ] Maslows Hierarchy of needs pyramid, and summary of Toms status within it. Figure 1 Maslows Hierarchy of needs pyramid, and summary of Toms status within it. According to Maslow’s theory, Tom has reached the 3rd level, but the lack of communication and feedback has stopped him achieving ‘Esteem’. Maslow states that â€Å"Not meeting these needs has a negative effect on our mental health† and this could explain the low motivation that Tom’s behaviour indicates. Tom was also under the impression that his idea and the quick success of the project would be publicised by his manager and would open up opportunities to be involved in other senior projects within the business. This did not materialise, and the senior management was not made aware of any plans to utilise Tom’s skills. In fact Tom’s manager was based in another country and was often not reachable for consultation either by phone or email. This expectation and its failure to materialise also causes low motivation, as explained in the concept of a ‘psychological contract’ from The Open University (2012). By applying this concept, we can understand that Tom had reason to believe that a successful project would lead to acknowledgement and higher esteem within the company, and even though this was not part of a formal employment contract. When this did not occur Tom felt his psychological contract had been violated, and that his hard work was inconsequential, leading to his low motivation to keep working hard. 1.3 Proposed solutions to the problem The analysis above has identified possible causes of Tom’s low motivation. With this understanding of these reasons, each can be addressed with the right actions. . * Problem : Low motivation, * caused by : Perceived low likelihood of achieving Esteem (on Maslow’s hierarchy) * caused by : lack of communication about tasks. * Classified as : Broken psychological contract If we can determine the cause for the broken contract, we may be able to restore Tom’s motivation to work hard. Also relevant is the Job Characteristic Model from Hackman and Oldham cited by The Open University (2012) which lists five core job characteristics that contribute to satisfying work. If Tom’s work is missing any of the core characteristics his attitude to his job could be affected. Figure [ 2 ]. Hackman Oldham JCM The lack of regular communication between Tom and his manager suggests that there is insufficient â€Å"Feedback from the Job†. B120, Book 2, Study session 4, highlights the importance of â€Å"Constructive feedback†, which â€Å"involves praising strengths and achievements†. Arranging another person to chair project meetings could also mean that â€Å"Task Identity† was not clear. To solve these items, Tom’s manager should take the following actions: * clarify Tom’s role and tasks within the project * Provide regular opportunities for feedback and communication, including praise of achievements when applicable. * Publicise Tom’s contributions to raise his profile in the senior management team and allow development of his career. Relevant Web sites http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/tesco/motivational-theory-in-practice-at-tesco/maslow-and-herzberg.html (accessed 28-Nov-2012) This shows how a successful company has used Maslow’s hierarchy and Herzbergs two factor theory to try to keep employee motivation high. Herzberg could be summarised as â€Å"If you want people to do a good job for you, then you must give them a good job to do.† The Times is a reputable publisher which lends credence to this site, but this is a case study utilising the theories in this report, and not and original source. http://gmx.xmu.edu.cn/ews/business/management/chapter16.htm#what (accessed 28-Nov-2012) This site was chosen because it contains some interesting definitions of motivation factors, and summarises a collection of different theories on analysing motivation in employees. The information is not verified but some theories corroborate with other sources. References The Open University (2012) B120 An introduction to business studies, Book 2 ‘An introduction to human resource management in business’, Milton Keynes. Web source 1: http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/tesco/motivational-theory-in-practice-at-tesco/maslow-and-herzberg.html dated unknown (accessed 28-Nov-2012) Web source 2: http://gmx.xmu.edu.cn/ews/business/management/chapter16.htm#what dated unknown (accessed 28-Nov-2012)

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Defining the Concepts of Class, Race, Gender Essay Example for Free

Defining the Concepts of Class, Race, Gender Essay Every society known to man has used either race, class, ethnicity, gender or all of the above to determine placement in civilization. Sometimes one or more of these categories comingle and we characterize this as: intersectionality. Finding the words, however, to define class, race, gender, or intersectionality is not an easy feat. Throughout the past few weeks we have read many articles that allowed us many clear descriptions. Prior to this course I would have described class as being a way in which society groups individuals based on economic positions or social status. In my opinion, sometimes political beliefs can attribute towards class placement as well. However, since reading the required texts and watching films based on class, we now know that there are other factors associated with class divisions. For example, we read in Brenda J. Allen’s â€Å"Social Class Matters† article that not only are these two viewpoints large contributors (economic political alliances) towards classes, but also geographic locations. This can be seen when visiting a typical trailer park, where many of its residents are presumably called â€Å"white trash†, or as depicted with lower income families who live in the projects or ghetto. Their locale most likely reflects their social status or class. Moreover, we have learned that these factors also define what class is to the general public: education, occupational position, and power. â€Å"Women without class† by Julie Bettie examines class theory by understanding the ways in which class identity is constructed. It has many illustrations of social class by way of education and occupational positions. The upper crust students of Waretown were typically children of white collar employees. The preps generally outperformed the las chicas, hard living, and often settled living students of this documentary, as exemplified in the titles placed on the over and under achievers. For example, â€Å"preps† is an abbreviation for â€Å"college preparatoryà ¢â‚¬  which was the type of advanced class the children of white collar workers of Waretown enrolled in to prepare for life after high school. While these courses allowed some students endless opportunities, other students in the exact same school attended seminars with lowered educational expectations. Instead these students were encouraged to attend expensive certification courses that upon graduation held them captive in low paying positions with debt remaining after completion. â€Å"The Death of the Social Class† by Pakulsky and Waters believes social class is no longer relevant in the United States. A principal reason for this message states that because slavery is now obsolete, we have the legal upholding of the United States Constitution, and we expect education to be attained by all races. As a result resources have become more prevalent among all races. Race, in the past, was a word that I identified as being someone’s skin color, however as I matured (both mentally and physically) and met individuals from other cultures I soon realized that race is a culmination of many things. Culture and ethnicity are quite influential in determining a person’s race as well. For example, not everyone with dark skin is African American, just as not ever fair skinned person is Caucasian. As exhibited in Cruz-Janzen’s For example in the article Racial formation in the United States written by Michael Omi and Howard Winant, we learn of the Louisiana law that states that if a person has 1/32nd â€Å"Negro blood, they are automatically considered Black or African American. Although Susie Guillory Phipps tells us she is majority Caucasian this law still classifies her as being Black and she unsuccessfully attempted to sue the state to change her vital records. There are many reasons why the government still requires race on legal paperwork. Some argue that some sort of racial classification system is required. One reason may be the government funded subsidies some companies receive as a result of employing a minimum amount of minorities. From a personal viewpoint, race matters because it is a way that people identify culturally with one another. Another reason may be from a biological perspective some diseases and/or illnesses may be common amongst certain races, therefore it would be beneficial medically to be aware of such traits. Women Without Class (Bettie) also identifies various races for the sake of case studies that were researched by the author. The female students identified culturally with one another but sometimes overlapped identities to interact with one another. As in the example of the student Starr who was from a working class background, however she identified with the cultures of the Mexican American â€Å"cholas† after moving to Waretown. This is an example of an extreme case in which the person felt the need to choose one particular group to socialize with because she did not feel as though she had much in common with the other non-Hispanic working class students she chose to interact with this social hierarchy. She gave in to conformity from her past actions to better fit the desires and social realities of her newly acquired friends. Gender is another social aspect that many people use to classify each other. It has been said that had it not been for ourselves questioning or labeling gender, it would not exist at all. â€Å"The Social Construction of Gender† written by Judith Lorber argues gender construction begins being cataloged after viewing the child’s genitals after delivery. Upon birth babies are treated differently based on sex and/or gender. An unintentional yet major classification occurs as soon as the baby is placed in his or her incubator. Nurses and other medical staff wrap the tiny babies in one of two colors – pink or blue. It has even been researched that our speech and tone changes according to the babies sex as well. If we see a baby boy, for example, we quickly begin to daydream of tossing the old pigskin around in the yard or rough housing the baby. For the baby girl, however, we speak in softer high pitched tones and fantasize about planning make believe tea parties with baby dolls as guests. In essence, Lorber believes that gender behavior is learned and is being taught – not necessarily an expression of how we see ourselves. Another gender specific study was examined in R.W. Connell’s â€Å"Gender Relations†. In this article we learned of 2 separate studies conducted. Barry Thorne’s research in which teaching roles in American elementary schools were mostly comprised of females and playgrounds were divided based on gender. The second study was performed by Dunbar Moodies, who researched South African mines that were, not surprisingly, dominated by the male workforce. Another theory learned in Connell’s article was that of trailblazing British feminist – Juliet Mitchell- who taught that there were four elements of gender that subjugate women. Those four facets were believed to be: production, reproduction, socialization, and sexuality. It is also demonstrated in more current literary findings unrelated to gender. For example, Black Picket Fences addresses racial stereotypes, but it also depicts women’s roles separately from male gender roles. Each story that is told from first person shares a journey that taken either from reformed bad boys or girls that have strayed along the beaten path and hooked up with the guy from the wrong side of the track. The males were sometimes peer pressured into joining gangs from lack of responsible male figures and as a result may have performed illegal acts. This clearly represents gender assignments. Intersectionality involves both social and cultural relationships that overlap between race, class, and gender. Perhaps the most obvious portrayal of this theme is Section 2: Biology and Families In Conley’s article â€Å"The Starting Gate† regarding the correlation between low birth weight babies and race it was determined that social standings in society is not based solely on genetics and biology. Instead we learn that other factors may influence our place in society as well. Things like our educational backgrounds and what occupations we choose to support ourselves combine with aspects that are outside of our control, like birth order and race, to decide the social class we will inherent. Women Without Class discusses the concept of some students becoming â€Å"upwardly mobile†. This concept is important because it shows how race and parental occupations sometimes do not decide what social class a person will be invited into. The â€Å"upwardly mobile† students were not necessarily white, and had parents who were blue collar workers as opposed to being a lawyer, doctor, etc†¦yet despite all of this; they were still able to join the social cliques of the elite. These girls were also able to develop a strong sense of class awareness. In fact, Lareau’s â€Å"Invisible Inequality† even states that race has very little to do with class social standings. The data collected from this investigation examines parenting styles all socioeconomic backgrounds from either Black or White families perspective. The researchers were able to map the connections between parent’s resources and their children’s daily activities. Middle class families, regardless of race, tended to take a more traditional approach to child rearing in comparison with lower class families who relied heavily on outside play and extended families for activities. Middle class parents also stressed language development and use of reasoning skills. These parents enroll their children in various age appropriate organized activities that govern family life and create massive effort for mothers. The parents view these activities as passing on important life skil ls to children. They asked leading open-ended questions that required insight and thought provoking answers. Whereas, working class and poor families believe that if they give a child love, food, and a safe environment they will grow to become responsible adults. They also participate in little organized sports or other activities and have much more free time. Working-class and poor parents issue many more directives to their children and some place a great deal of stress on physical punishment. A great example of this is the research of Harold McAllister, a 10 year old from a lower class black family. Harold’s mother asks very little questions of authority figures (such as the family doctor) and does not encourage Harold to be cognizant of his body and any health related questions he may have. He plays outdoors with his older cousins and occasionally attends church. For the most part â€Å"Invisible Inequality† is full of descriptions of race versus class status. However, with regard to birth order and geographic locations determining social status, it is also briefly mentioned in â€Å"Invisible Inequality†. For instance, when we are introduced to another research subject’s family, upper middle class black family – Alexander Williams, we learn that both of Alex’s parents are from small Southern towns and come from large families. This slight mention is yet another example of intersectionality as well. A more extreme example, genetically speaking Ms Phipps (mentioned previously) was considered legally Black; however her social status did not classify her by her race. Phipps identifies with the White race. The case illustrated the inadequacies that claim that race is merely skin color. We have all witnessed or been aware of racial conditioning at one point or another. We make assumptions based on race and classify a person’s race immediately according to their physical appearance. Biologically speaking, there are many factors that influential in determining a persons birth weight. Low income families have less medical care and are exposed to certain agents that prohibit normal growth of the fetus. Also contact with second hand smoke and lead based paints, etc. have been attributed towards low birth weight. Another factor involving biology is the responsibility many women from different racial backgrounds face. White women, for example, have long been expected to remain wholesome and keep the family bloodlines pure. Pressure to remain a virgin until marriage and pre-marital sex were heavily stressed among white women. This forced racial conformity as a means of biological deterioration for the white race. In conclusion, all of the articles and readings discussed previously support Conley’s summation that both genetic and biological starting points do not fully determine our social standings in class. Rather, they work cohesively with other reasons to establish these relationships. Section 3: Working Class Middle Class Identities Although class is especially important I would agree that other issues are becoming increasingly just as important if not more. Factors such as race and or gender influence personal outcomes. Both Women Without Class and Black Picket Fences provided various examples to support this theory.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Methodology Of Cyberbullying Studies Psychology Essay

Methodology Of Cyberbullying Studies Psychology Essay According to Dooley, Pyzalski, Cross (2009, p.182), to date, many authors face difficulties in defining and comparing cyberbullying because of the use of different methods. (No Flow from reason of different method to definition) Cyberbullying has been from a general perspective defined as bullying through an electronic means. Drawing from Smith et al. (2008, p.376), cyberbullying refers to an aggressive, deliberate act done by a person or a group of people, using electronic contact means, repeatedly for a certain period against a person who is not able to easily defend herself or himself. This definition emphasizes on the act being aggressive, deliberate, and repetitive as well as having the presence of power imbalance. Belsey (2004) further defines cyberbullying as using technologies of information and communication to support intentional, frequent, and hostile conduct by a person or a group, with the aim of harming other people. From Belseys definition, power imbalance is missing, which implies that power does not necessarily form an essential component of cyberbullying. On the other hand, Wolak, Mitchell, Finkelhor (2007, p.52) argue that, an accurate definition should view repeated actions of online hostility as online harassment (How is this link to the previous point of Belseys definition?). In addition, since the victim can terminate negative online relations easily, he or she possesses a certain level of power, which they were not capable of having if the harassment took place within the schoolyard where they cannot escape easily. On the contrary, there are cases of online harassment, which the victim cannot terminate easily such as difficulties involved in getting rid of information from t he internet (From where? What does this show?). The identification of the main elements of cyberbullying is necessary for a uniform progress in cyberbullying studies. According to Vandebosch van Cleemput (2008, p.500), a research was done through focus groups on 10 to 19 year olds in Belgium regarding their experiences on cyberbullying and their use of information and communication technology. The findings of the research showed that, cyberbullying actions are consistent with the definitions such that they are deliberate, repetitive, and typified by an imbalance of power (Mention Results). These features characterize traditional face-to-face bullying. The research also proposed that, in cyberbullying, behavior is more important as compared to the medium used (What medium? What does it show?). Kowalski Limber (2007, p.24) further define cyberbullying as, simply the electronic type of face-to-face bullying instead of a distinct phenomenon. Viewing cyberbullying as simply a form of face-to-face bullying can overlook the difficultie s of such behaviors. (Mention overall non-consensus with definitions) Differences between Traditional Bullying and Cyberbullying According to Zacchilli Valerio (2011, p.11), traditional bullying involves numerous key components. Bullying is aggressive, deliberate, includes power imbalance and is also repetitive. Aggression refers to any conduct aimed at harming another person. Bullying involves deliberate harm exerted on another person and it is, therefore, not playful. Drawing from Coloroso (2008), traditional bullying takes three main forms including verbal, relational, and physical. Verbal bullying is the most widespread form and involves the use of words to harm other people. Physical bullying is visible and include behaviors like kicking, hitting, biting and slapping. Relational bullying is widespread amid girls as compared to boys. It may involve ignoring, exclusion and spreading rumors. Further, cyberbullying appears to have a number of features of both relational and verbal bullying. Cyberbullying is a new research area (When was it formerly studied?), and it is thus vital to have an apparent definition regarding what cyberbullying entails. Hinduja Patchin (2008, p.152) suggest that, cyberbullying is willful and can cause continual harm to another person through the means of electronic content. This definition focuses on the notion that, cyberbullying entails an intention, and done for a certain period. Smith et al. (2008, p.376) suggested an identical definition where they define cyberbullying as an intentional, aggressive and repeated act by a person or a group using electronic contact means against somebody who cannot guard herself or himself. This definition also emphasizes the idea that cyberbullying is a planned, aggressive behavior occurring several times. Kolwalski, Limber, Agatston (2008) compared and contrasted traditional bullying with cyberbullying based on definitions. The two kinds of bullying entail aggression, repetition, and an inequality of power. In terms of differences, cyberbullying is more appealing as compared to traditional bullying due to anonymity. For instance, a person can be a victim of bullying for a long time without identifying the bully. Therefore, a bully may consider cyberbullying more appealing since it is very hard to track the origin of the bullying. Moreover, punitive fears and disinhibition differentiate traditional bullying from cyberbullying. When teens or children become victims of cyberbullying, they may not tell an adult about it for fear of being deprived the use of cell phones or computers. Disinhibition happens when people do or say things that they cannot do if the victims could identify them. Unlike cyberbullying, victims of traditional bullying mostly identify their bullies (Olweus, 1993). ( What does this show?) Debates and Arguments Regarding the Definitions Most arguments and debates among authors on the definitions of traditional bullying and cyberbullying relate to repetition and power imbalance. Even though majority of authors generally approve including repetition when defining bullying, debate regarding its importance and nature still continues. Tattum (1989, p.17) claimed that, continuing feelings of tension regarding an occurrence may be deemed repetitive even though it occurred just once. Repetition, especially in cyberbullying, is difficult to operationalize, since difference may exist between the perceptions of victim and the perpetrator on the number of incidences and the likely consequences. For instance, Slonje Smith (2008) maintain that, though repetition is apparent when the perpetrator sends several e-mails or text messages, it is not very apparent when the perpetrator creates one derogatory website or an online message, which several individuals can access (Shows Whats?). Regarding power imbalance, an example by Aalsma Brown (2008, p.101) of a second grade boy kicking a sixth grader every day in the bus suggests that, no bullying occurred since the second grader is smaller and less powerful physically compared to the sixth grader. From the example, assessing power imbalance is complex since it is hard to evaluate, particularly in children. However, Rigby (2007, p.19) argues that, wherever power imbalance exists, regardless of its source, the status of a person may be reduced. (Overall mini summary) Challenges of Self-Report Self-Report Studies on Traditional Bullying and Cyberbullying (I dont want this portion, instead I want more emphasis on the challenges of self report problems of survey questions) According to Arsenio Lemerise (2004, p.989), many studies have repeatedly claimed that, bullies can have deficits concerning their morality (Very random; out of the blue). Recent integrative developmental moral hypothesis models have stressed the need for investigating both moral affect and moral cognition in comprehending individual variations in behaviors like bullying since there is an empirical and conceptual overlap between traditional bullying and cyberbullying. Bullying has a positive association with self-reported ethical disengagement in both adolescents as well as in children. A research by Pornari Wood (2010, p.86) indicated that, ethical disengagement is not related to traditional aggression, but to cyber aggression among peers. Moreover, it showed that adolescents and children who had frequent involvement in bullying became more ethically disengaged and had fewer ethical responsible justifications. Bullies justified their moral misbehavior of a supposed bully primarily from a selfish viewpoint, and their thoughts focused on receiving individual gain from their negative behavior (Menesini Camodeca, 2008, p.187). Ybarra Mitchell (2004) examined online harassment using 1,501 regular users of the internet aged between 10 and 17 years in the United States. In the study, online harassment referred to a deliberate and overt action of aggression to another individual who is online. The results showed that, 15% of all the participants were out of which 51% of them were also victims of traditional bullying, and 20% were cyberbullying victims (the remainder 29% ?). The results propose a high relation between traditional victimization and online harassment (Indicates what ). (No flow b/w points) In addition, Raskauskas Stoltz (2007) investigated 84 American students between the age of 14 and 18. They analyzed the links between traditional bullying, electronic bullying, traditional victimization, and electronic victimization. They particularly examined whether being a victim of traditional bullying or a traditional perpetrator predicts retaining the same position in electronic bullying. From the study , nearly all traditional bullies were also cyberbullies, and almost all traditional victims were cybervictims (Shows What?). Gradinger, Strohmeier, Spiel (2009, p.211) carried out a study to examine joint bully and victim conduct of students on 761 ninth grade students of 10 distinct schools in Vienna, Austria. From the study, cyberbullying, as well as cyber victimization, occurred rather infrequently than traditional forms. On the contrary, the incidence rates of students participating in cyberbullying and cyber victimization, which were 5% and 7% respectively, were lower than in former studies whose range was 11 to 49% and 10 to 22% for cyber victimization and cyberbullying, respectively. Such differences are due to a number of country-specific features that researchers cannot identify without cross-national studies. Moreover, the study found that, barely any student is exclusively a cybervictim. Rather, majority of cybervictims were also traditional victims. This implies the overlapping nature of cyber and traditional forms of victimization. Problems of Survey Questions Drawing from Ybarra Mitchell (2004a, p.1308), majority of self-report studies on traditional bullying and cyberbullying have methodological weaknesses, which include a theoretical approaches, weak evaluation instruments with a single-item questions, small sample sizes and absence of psychometric assessment of the instruments used (Explain?). Questionnaires are the common methods that researchers use to gather information on bullying during self-report studies. This method is effective in collecting adequate data from respondents due to its anonymity feature. On the contrary, most survey questions that researchers of bullying use have a problem of using a single item to define and investigate multiple bullying constructs. Smith Sharp (1994, p.13), for instance, a survey question for bullying can read, How often have you participated in bullying another student(s) in school in the past four months? (Implies that they are bullies as well) According to Nunnally Bernstein (1994, p.27), the use of single-item questions to assess constant bullying constructs is improper because; single items only recognize moderate to big distinctions and are not able to distinguish fine levels of a trait. Spector (1992, p.44) further asserts that, single items are undependable, and that, they lack the ability and scope to reveal detail. Cyberbullying self-report studies (Which ones?) have inherited the remarkable trend of research on traditional bullying to categorize students as victims and bullies. Such a system uses the single-item questions and an intrinsic model (By who? What model?) whereby, being a victim or a bully were mutually exclusive behavioral patterns. This has led to generalized rather than specific conclusions on bullying research (Parada, Marsh, Craven, 2005). Debates and Arguments among Authors Rigby Slee (1999, p.121) note that, many studies propose the presence of three kinds of victimization and bullying including physical, social and verbal. However, recent popular instruments use a one-item survey questions to assess bullying. For example, How often have you been bullied in school this year? single-item questions have a tendency of being frequency estimates like frequently, often, once a month or never, and yield scores which have a high statistical variance. Peterson Rigby (1999, p.483) however argue that, as research on bullying advances, more researchers are seeing the significance of assessing the three forms of bullying as well as victimization. Researchers have also been adding instruments as indicative of these forms. In the research, Peterson and Rigby assessed five behavioral aspects namely hurtful names, threatened, kicked or hit, unpleasantly teased, and isolated, to measure various bullying types. On the contrary, no self-report study had before 2004, ack nowledged the exact 3-factor framework adequately (Marsh et al. 2004). (How is this paragraph relevant to cyberbullying?) According to Ahmed Braithwaite (2004, p.38), the vastness of research on bullying consists of quantitative and continuous variables using self-report, teacher-report and peer-report measures of data. Researchers most frequently assess such data by dichotomization to generate results. Nevertheless, MacCallum et al. (2002, p.20) have spotted the fallacies of dichotomizing variables. According to them, dichotomization of quantitative and continuous variables results in loss of statistical significance and effective size, deformation of effects and the likelihood of researchers of overlooking non-linear relations. Due to these intrinsic methodological shortcomings of dichotomization, MacCallum et al. (2002, p.22), wind up that, these techniques ought to not be used unless they are vigorously justified. This is because when researchers dichotomize data for analyzing victimization and bullying, they unavoidably categorize children. Examples of such categorization include victims, bullies and those who are not affected. (Link to cyberbullying) Theories of Cyberbullying Theories Associated With Traditional Bullying Agnews general strain theory (GST) is one of the theories that have associations with traditional bullying. According to this theory, there are three kinds of strain including failure to attain positively valued ambitions, eradication of positively esteemed stimuli, and production of negatively treasured stimuli. GST primarily revolves around the notion that, strain comes from unconstructive relationships with other people. For instance, a bully is producing negatively treasured stimuli, whether emotional or physical abuse, to her or his victim. The sources of strain have indirect links with delinquency and other behavioral problems. This is because; strain generates negative effects such as anger or frustration. (No links b/w points) In addition, theory of planned behavior (? By who?) has relations with traditional bullying. The theory suggests that, attitudes towards conduct come from peoples behavioral beliefs. According to Bosworth, Espelage, Simon (1999, p.344), minors deem agg ressive conduct as validated when a person deserves it, have a likelihood of behaving aggressively. (How well does the theory explain results? Or results explain the theory?) Lack of Theories in Research of Cyberbullying to Explain the Phenomenon Hoffman Miller (1998, p.83) maintain that, a bigger percentage of the independent experimental studies that authors have done to investigate cyberbullying, none has sufficiently capitalized on current advances in the research of traditional bullying. Li (2007, p.4) adds that, more importantly, very little is known regarding the temperament of cyberbullying since there is no theory that theorizes its structure and thus, researchers have not developed psychometrically logical evaluation tools for measuring the construct of cyberbullying. In other words, Solberg Olweus (2003, p.242) argue that, there has been a limited use of theories by researchers to explain the phenomenon of cyberbullying. The studies that have used theories to explain cyberbullying have only touched on traditional bullying theories without even validating their application to cyberbullying. Theory of Mimetic Scapegoating Theory and Cyberbullying According to Norman Connolly (2011, p.287), Rene Girard bases his Mimetic Theory on the belief that, humans are mimetic beings. This implies that, people imitate what they see in other people. Increased imitation leads to increased likeness among individuals, and thus they compete for similar desires and end up becoming rivals. The boundaries amid individuals that maintain order start to crumble. Increased rivalry results in increased violence, while the distorted boundaries threaten destabilizing social order. The traditional man viewed a scapegoat as the only solution to the threat. Thus, by blaming a person or a group of persons for all the distress and hatred, people direct the violence of community towards the scapegoat. This theory applies to cyberbullying where an individual or a group of individual engages in cyberbullying activities out of peer pressure or imitation of what other people are doing. Scapegoating comes in where a group of people team up and direct their aggres sion towards their victims through incitation. Scapegoating is more common in social areas like in schools (Wilcox, 2009, p.9). Pros and Cons of Using Theories for Cyberbullying According to Marsh, Craven, Hinkley (2003, p.193), the use of theories to explain cyberbullying has several pros. To start with, it helps readers have a better understanding of the origin of certain behaviors in the community from a theoretical perspective. For instance, the use of mimetic theory shows how violence among individuals in the society comes about, and explains what inspires a person or a group of people to engage in cyberbullying. In addition, the use of theories provides a strong foundation on which to base future research on cyberbullying. This leads to the expansion of knowledge about the field since researchers are able to carry out experiments to validate such theories, and also either expound on the existing theories or develop new theories depending on the findings of their experiments (Schafer Graham, 2002, p.147). On the other hand, Griezel et al. (2008, p.2) argue that, the most significant issue that affects the cyberbullying field is that, regardless of man y competing models and theories trying to explain bullying actions, there is a scarcity of authenticated theory and experimental research to summarize cyberbullying experience. Debates and Arguments amongst Authors Piquero Sealock (2000, p.451) bases the general strain theory on the suggestion that, strain emerges from negative relationships. In addition, strain has a significant and generally positive relation with drug use and delinquency. Paternoster Mazerolle (1994, p.236) support this claim through their National Youth Survey, which showed that, delinquency weakens bonds with conventional institutions, while strengthening ties with deviant people. Mazerolle et al. (2000, p.89) oppose the claim by maintaining that, only a number of strains measures have a significant association with anger, and noxious experiences on neighborhood conditions.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Internet Censorship & Libraries Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Essa

  Ã‚   Libaries across the nation are in a dilemma, should they filter what information is available to it's visitors via the Internet? This scenario is being debated all across the United States. Many states are arguing over whether or not the library has the authority to limit what information is accessible via the Internet computers at the library. The argument is over the First Amendment right of Free Speech. There are family groups who are actually in favor of allowing unfiltered access on the Internet, not what one would think. These groups also support the notion of parents being with their children while they are on the Internet, not something that all parents have the luxury of being able to do. Other groups want the public Internet access points to be filtered, making the claim that any child at anytime can be harmfully exposed to Internet information that they may incorrectly understand. I will be showing options on what the local library should do, and expl aining how I think the issue should be addressed from a topology standpoint as well as a technical one.       Public Libraries    Libraries in the United States have been battling censorship since the American Library Association issued its first Library Bill of Rights in 1939. This document proclaimed the American Library Association's policy on intellectual freedom. With this bill libraries have been successful in defending their collections against censorship and supporting their right to provide unrestricted access to information for all users. Now the battleground has shifted from books to electronic information, mainly the Internet. Censorship of books has decreased, and has in turn shifted and gained much more attention in ... ... Unknown. (1998). City Officials to consider filtering Internet at public libraries. [Online]. Available: http://texnews.com/1998/texas/new1115.html. [1998, Nov.15]. Wallace, Jonathon. (1997). Labelling, rating and filtering systems on the Internet. [Online]. Available: http://www.spectacle.org/cda/rate.html. [1997, Sep. 02]. Wallace, Jonathon. "Purchasing of Blocking Software by Public Libraries in Unconstitutional: A Briefing Paper," available at http://www.spectacle.org/cs/library.html Michels, Spencer. "Easy Access? Should on-line porn be available at local libraries?" Transcript available at http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/cyberspace/July-dec97/library_8-7.html [Aug 7, 1997].    Libraries struggle to control public Internet terminals. [Online]. Available: http://cnn.com/TECH/computing/9901/25/library.porn.ap/ [1999, Jan, 25].   

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The Influence of Stress on Dopamine Levels :: Biology Essays Research Papers

The Influence of Stress on Dopamine Levels In the quest to survive, every living organism is equipped with the armor to withstand the impacts of stress. The African savanna leaves the zebra in an anxiety-ridden position of vulnerability to predators. Stress may can be as basic as the lack of food, habitat, or reproductive success. Humans are especially aware of the impacts of stress due to the nature of todayà ¢s contemporary lifestyle. Too many daily demands can give a person anything from insomnia to indigestion to depression. Every person is equipped to naturally deal with large amounts of stress, but when these amounts exceed what the body can handle, discomfort is considerable. Besides the qualitative approach to coping with stress, what bodily mechanisms are responsible for dealing with anxiety? The nervous system is almost solely credited with this task. The complex interaction system between billions of individual neurons facilitates large number of behaviors that result due to inputs originating inside and outside the organism. Spaces between neighboring neurons are called synapses, and one way in which they communicate is by sending chemical signals called neurotransmitters across the presynaptic membrane to the postsynaptic membrane. Years of nervous system research have determined that stress activates the neurotransmitter, dopamine. The functions of dopamine are numerous, but in general it inhibits transmission of nerve impulses. This transmitter is found throughout the body, though mainly housed in the brainà ¢s interior basil ganglia, in the frontal lobe of the information-processing center of the brain, or in the limbic system (1). Many chronic diseases result from the overproduction or underproduction of dopamine. The dopamineà ¢s inability to move into the frontal lobe of the brain results in the inability to control fine motor movement and is familiarly called Parkinson Disease(1) . If the flow of dopamine throughout the nervous system is not allowed to circulate as usual, then schizophrenia follows (1). Now that the extreme abnormalities of dopamine have been discussed, letà ¢s look at how dopamine affects the average person who is subjected to a stressful environment. One study maintains that the chewing behavior of mice is a response to stress, and therefore it serves as a coping device. The body responds to stress by the activation of the cerebral dopaminergic (DA) system. The study shows that when given the option of chewing, the activation of mouse DA system is drawn out (2) In other words, when allowed to chew, a mouseà ¢s body will have prolonged the presence of stress-managers; this coping mechanism reduces the impact of the stress.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Battlefield of the Mind

â€Å"Battlefield of the Mind: Winning the Battle in Your Mind† Author: Joyce Meyer Reviewer: Lisa Hutson I believe many times in the Christian and especially in the Pentecostal realm, we tend to do things in the name of Christ because we â€Å"felt† like it was from the Holy Spirit and instead of determining that by lining it up with the Bible, the living word of God, we tend to trust that our â€Å"feelings† are correct. But what happens when those feelings steam from negative, confused, judgemental or passive thinking?I never realized until I read this book that the majority of the bad decisions I have made in my life were decisions I made based on present feelings and that those feelings came from faulty or negative thinking. After I read this book, I understood that it is the things that I think about constantly that are the things that soak up my life. If those thoughts are positive, I will reap positive benefits. If those thoughts are negative, I will reap negativity but it is all in how I think. There are three life lessons that I have learned to incorporate into my daily life in order to live a Christ filled life.When I tend to go through those â€Å"wilderness mentalities†, I have learned to always do my best to be positive, to regularly meditate on the Word of God, and to be thankful at all times. Explaining the importance of being positive, Meyer tells us the mind is a battlefield. After reading 2 Corinthians 10;4,5, Meyer says that we are engaged in a war, our enemy is Satan and that our minds are the battlefield. The devil works diligently to set up strongholds in our mind and he does it through strategy and deceit and that he takes his time to work out his plan (16-17).In order to prevent the devil’s lies from penetrating our minds, we must defend them. You cannot have a positive life and a negative mind. Your life will not get straightened out until your mind does (27-28). Positive minds produce positive lives. Negative minds produce negative lives. Positive thoughts are always full of faith and hope. Negative thoughts are always full of fear and doubt (41). What really struck me about this concept is how Meyer tells us that thinking positive isn’t ignoring the negative, but it is believing that God is bigger than you and your situation and that all things will work together for good as His word promises.I am generally a happy person. I laugh at everything, I like making other people laugh and having good conversations. However, when negative things do arise, I tend to get angry or seclude myself. If I am having a disagreement with a co-worker or an argument with my parents, I will just refuse to talk to them. When the Holy Spirit brings them to my memory, I let negative thoughts produce even more feelings of strife and it takes a long time to get over it. I remember one time last semester when I was so upset with my mother that I refused to talk to her for almost four months!Learn ing to be positive does not mean that the negative situation did not happen but it simply means that we believe that God will heal it or bring good from it. It means forgiving even if we don’t forget but allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our attitudes so that we do not become weighed down by our situations. Meditating on God’s word is another huge lesson I have learned from this book. I believe that my biggest mistake early on in my walk with the Lord was not reading His word for myself. I became a christian at the age of fourteen and filled with the Holy Spirit by the age of sixteen.However, I would rather go on Wednesday nights and hear my youth pastor tell me what the Bible said instead of reading it myself. When I tried to read on my own, I often became very confused and frustrated and gave up. I let other people tell me how to live instead of searching it out myself. I continued this all through high school and finally during my senior year I had a very hurtful situation occur between myself and another family in the church. Since I wasn’t solid in my faith and relationship with the Lord, I let it tear me down significantly and I stayed out the church for about a year and a half.I let another’s faith become my own and when they failed me, I equated that with God failing me. â€Å"This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success. † Joshua 1:8 The Bible tells us that if we want to be a success and prosper in all of our dealings, we must meditate on the Word of God day and night.The Word of God teaches us what we should spend our time thinking about (57). Meditation in this context means to spend a lot of time pondering and thinking on the ways of God, His instructions and His teachings (57). In my situation , I had let sermons, Sunday school, and people in the church mold my faith and thought process instead of spending time myself thinking about the Word. I thought about the Word while I was sitting in church but outside of that, I had not really let it sink in. Now, I am making a significant effort to seek the scriptures myself.Of course, I am involved in church again but I am also making an effort during my own time to spend quality time with the Lord, in prayer and in His word, allowing Him to mold me into what He has created me to be. The last thing that â€Å"The Battlefield of the Mind† has taught me is to be thankful at all times. How can the devil control us if we are going to be joyful and thankful no matter what our circumstances are? â€Å"I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. † Psalm 34:1We can be a blessing to the Lord by letting His praise continually be in our thoughts and mouths (162). Be a grateful person, one f illed with gratitude not only toward God, but also toward people (163). Expressing appreciation is not only good for the other person but it is good for us, because it releases joy in us. Meditate daily on all the things you have to be thankful for. Rehearse them to the Lord in prayer, and as you do you will find your heart filling up with life and light (163). During my teenage years, my family went through a financial crisis. We lost our home and our vehicles.I spent my junior year of high school with my parents living out of a garage that we made into a make-shift home. I remembered crying myself to sleep many nights in that garage. I was embarrassed about our situation, angry at my parents for getting us in this mess, and confused that the Lord could let this happen to us. After about fifteen months in that garage, things finally began to turn around. We were able to sell our property and the garage, move into a rental property and get decent vehicles to drive instead of the old sixties model truck my dad had bought for three hundred dollars during the crisis.I remember being so grateful for that new rental property. It was an old yellow brick home, but it was wonderful to me. I had a room with real walls! I spent all of my savings on making my own bedroom beautiful with new paint, picture frames and curtains. It was through that situation that I truly learned how to be grateful. My parents and I have come a long way from that old garage but I still have a picture of that old garage in a frame in my room at home. Sometimes even now, I find myself being selfish and ungrateful for my many blessings.I think everyone does. However, that memory always shows me how far the Lord has brought me and how much farther He can take me as long as I stay faithful. â€Å"Battlefield of the Mind† by Joyce Meyer has many solid lessons that have taught me a lot about how to live victorious in Christ. As a young Pentecostal believer, I always thought everything was spi ritually supernatural. If God wanted me to think a certain way, He would just zap it into my head. However, as I grow in my relationship with Him, I realize He is not going to spoon feed me forever.He wants me to seek Him. If I put His lessons and teachings into practice, I will live victoriously. Being positive, meditating on His word and always being thankful to Him and to the people around me are just a few ways I can make my life a living sacrifice to Him. However, its really not even a sacrifice, for the blessings and benefits I receive from these practices far out weight the negatives. I learn more and more about myself and about my Heavenly father as I delve deeper into His word.His word is what empowers my positive attitude and reminds me to be grateful not only for His sacrifice but also for the many blessings He bestows on my life daily. I loved this book. I’m sure I will keep it around to read occasionally and remind myself to get my mind in order! Thinking produce s feelings and feelings behaviors and if I’m not happy with any certain behaviors, I must stem it back to what I spend my time thinking about. My mind is the battlefield and when it is renewed in Christ, I will be able to battle the enemy with confidence, perseverance, and power.

Monday, September 16, 2019

How Hybrid Cars Work Essay

A hybrid car is a passenger vehicle that is driven by a hybrid engine, which is any engine that combines two or more sources of power, generally gasoline and electricity. There are two types of gasoline-electric hybrid cars; the parallel hybrid, and the series hybrid. Both use gasoline-electric hybrid technology, but in radically different ways. In a parallel hybrid car, a gasoline engine and an electric motor work together to move the car forward, while in a series hybrid, the gasoline engine either directly powers an electric motor that powers the vehicle, or charges batteries that will power the motor. Both types of hybrids also use a process called regenerative braking to store the kinetic energy generated by brake use in the batteries, which will in turn power the electric motor. Both parallel and series hybrids have small gasoline engines, and produce much less pollution than standard gasoline cars, but also produce much less power – hybrids generally produce between 60-90 horsepower, while the average gasoline engine probably produces about double that. To overcome this power gap, hybrid cars are constructed with ultra lightweight materials like carbon fiber or aluminum. Hybrid cars are also designed to be more aerodynamic than most cars, allowing them to â€Å"slice† through air instead of pushing it out of the way. All these factors combined equate to a super efficient form of car that gets excellent fuel economy and helps the environment by cutting down on pollution. To compare hybrid car emissions levels with those of popular automobiles, see emissions. If you are interested with the hybrid solution to pollution, see pollution. If you are interested in buying a hybrid car, see our article, why buy a hybrid. http://www.hybrid-car.org/hybrid-cars-work.html How Do Hybrid Cars Work By: Steven Magill Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on linkedinShare on google_plusone_share The new hybrid cars offer the best of both worlds. They provide the power of gas and the cost effectiveness of electric cars. These cars are the highlighted display of what technology from different areas can create when put together into one vehicle. Hybrid cars take some time to understand the functioning process. Start by gaining an understanding for how an engine in a hybrid car works. Function starts by utilizing windings moved by an electromagnetic force. This force occurs when an electric current passes over the motor. When the polarity of the current runs one way, the motor turns one way. As the polarity changes course so does the direction of the motor current. This is different from a traditional gas engine. Here the pistons push the gasoline through the crank which in turn provides power for the wheels to move. This process repeats over and over until the vehicle moves. As the gas pedal is pushed down, gas flows into the system and increases the power of the wheels and pistons. Hybrid cars make use of both the traditional engine and the electric engine. The two forces come together to create a revolutionary car power. As the car begins to move, a computer sensor determines which engine type is more suitable for use at that given moment. In cases of high power, the gas engine is utilized. Likewise, when power levels can be low, the electric engine is utilized. On the electric side of things, as the car comes to a stop, the battery regenerates by conserving energy. As the power drains out of the electric battery, the gas engine takes over until the point that the electric battery can be recharged. It can be hard to determine the difference then between gasoline cars and hybrid cars. When a gasoline car is idle, the gas still runs. When a hybrid car is idle, the motor switches from gas to electric. As the car comes to a stop, the energy is absorbed back into the electrical portion of the battery. The only real drawback to a hybrid car is the weight. In addition to the engine weight there are add-ons that are needed to help the electric engine run smoothly. Outside of this factor, the two engines co-exist smoother than ever in a hybrid car. The end result is a worthwhile vehicle that is environmentally friendly and economical at the same time. There are variations on hybrid car models. A selection of vehicles comes equipped with charge coils that allow California users to replenish electrical battery supply. Others utilize alternative fuel sources such as fuel cells. Despite the setting of the car, an owner can rest assured that it is needed to keep the hybrid running in peak performance condition. Each manufacturer tweaks the basic function process of a hybrid. This is what sets each hybrid apart from each other. Regardless of the individual tweaks the basic premise of a hybrid is the same. Create a car that is cost efficient and environmentally friendly so drivers can do their part to help save the environment.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Case 2- Marketing Mix

Case 2 1. What is the company’s strategy with respect to each of the 4 Ps of the marketing mix? 2. Based on the current marketing strategy, should the company’s promotion mix focus be on personal selling or on advertising? 3. What further questions might you ask Herr Wursching to help his company move toward a more relationship-based business and establish CRM initiatives? What other recommendations might you make for him with respect to CRM? 1.The company’s strategy with respect to each of the 4 Ps of the marketing mix: †¢Product: They have come up with providing cell phone services with advanced satellite network and they have come up with five cell phone options for customers to choose from. †¢Place: The Company’s corporate offices are located all around the world in different cities. The customer service outlets and retail sales are conducted through the company Web site, as well as though licensed electronics retailers.The company does not m aintain its own customer service or retail locations. †¢Price: Customer’s interested in paying a premium for worldwide cell phone coverage are what the company is looking for and in large volumes. †¢Promotion: A Berlin-based advertising and public relations agency to develop a worldwide advertising campaign is doing the promotion for the company. Print and television ads have already entered the European market and will soon be shown in the U. S. market. Several promotions to get its product and name known are already in process. . Based on the Company’s marketing strategy, the company’s promotion mix should focus on advertising. Since they don’t have their own customer service, sales force, or retail locations and due to that fact, the company is receiving customer’s through the advertising. So I think it makes sense for them to focus on advertising heavily. 3. Further questions that I might ask Herr Wursching to help his company move to ward a more relationship-based business and establish CRM initiatives: 1. Will you establish a sales force soon? If so, where? 2.Will you be using the online website for all of your client/sales based activities or will you establish other methods of marketing and offering services? The recommendations that I would make Herr Wursching in regards to CRM would be to purchase software which could be used for client data since they offer their phones/services in worldwide locations. It would be something that would benefit the company regardless of the fact that it’s expensive. The benefits outweigh the costs. Also I think he should set up retail stores in main cities where Client and Customer Representative can interact directly, face to face.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Ethics, Fraud, and Internal Audit at Ut Southwestern

There are many taxpayer supported medical schools in this country, most receiving their fees for services through Medicare and Medicaid. The Department of Health and Human Services requires that medical students who have graduated to the resident status have a teaching physician physically present when performing key portions of patient service to be able to bill those services to Medicare. In fact, the patient chart must be legibly signed by the attending physician that they were present and supervising the specific service in order to bill Medicare (â€Å"Guidenlines for teaching,† 2011).According to an article in the Dallas News, a former employee by the name of Jack Mooney was hired in 1991 by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center as a reimbursement manager to make sure that all medical billings submitted to Medicare and Medicaid were properly documented and billed (Dunklin & Moffeit, 2010). For example, that the teaching physicians were physically present wh en residents were performing services to meeting the required mandates for Medicare billing. He discovered that was not the case and took the information to his supervisors.Stricter policies were put into place for the departments to follow to make sure that all employees were following the necessary guidelines. In 1997, when Mr. Mooney was the director of UT Southwestern’s billing compliance office, he was still seeing and documenting the same problems. Mooney left the college in 1998 shortly after filing a federal whistle-blower lawsuit. The earliest documentation that can be found of UT Southwestern’s Internal Audit departments involvement comes in a 2003 when they approve of some of the college’s compliance policies, but noted that they do not have a policy in place to review reimbursement claim documents.Dallas News notes that six faculty meetings were held during 2007 and 2008 in which billing concerns were discussed. The Internal Audit Annual Reports for those years do not report any ongoing audits, but do report that they provide the billing compliance committee â€Å"independent consultation and guidance to help billing compliance activities address institution risks† (Rubel, 2008). In 2010 we finally see an internal audit performed of UT Southwestern’s billing compliance programs. The report stated that â€Å"the audit identified a significant finding in the Hospital Billing Compliance program†.As of 2010, the program had not yet implemented the 2005 Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (OIG) Supplemental Compliance Program Guidance for Hospitals. Although this guidance is voluntary, it is highly recommended by the OIG to help hospitals in â€Å"preventing the submission of erroneous claims and in combating fraud and abuse in the Federal health care programs (â€Å"OIG supplemental compliance†). The guidance specifically states that â€Å"hospitals should have in p lace procedures regarding resident rotation and monitoring†.The audit report recommends that the compliance program implement the OIG guidance, consolidation of the billing compliance groups (there are currently four), development of a single risk assessment plan with a corresponding audit plan, a monitoring system for both the risk assessment audit plan and the billing compliance audit report. Also of note in the audit report are repeated failures by the same department to meet billing practices. It is noted that these â€Å"recurring systematic failures increase the risk of exposure to potential civil damages and penalties, criminal sanctions, and administrative remedies, such as program exclusion†.The audit recommends that the failures be addressed at the department level and to develop a formal training plan to improve billing compliance. According to the report, all significant findings are tracked by the University of Texas System Audit Office to make sure that al l agreed upon recommendations have been implemented. These reports are unavailable for review and there has been no further comment on the billing compliance audit in the 2011 Internal Audit Annual Report. This issue was first brought to light 20 years ago by someone that was hired to review billing compliance.We know that 7 years ago the internal audit department was aware of the issue, but as far as we can tell, no significant audit of the hospitals billing department, in relation to Medicare billing requirements, was completed until 2010. Was the hospital fraudulently obtaining money from the government? Not in so far as anyone has determined. Was the audit department aware of the issue? Yes, as far as we can tell. Did the internal auditors follow the IIA’s mandatory guidance? Yes in the completion of the audit in 2010 but it is my personal opinion, given the facts provided, that the audit should have been ompleted years earlier. ?References Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2011). Guidenlines for teaching physicians, interns, and residents. Retrieved from website: http://www. cms. gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNProducts/downloads/gdelinesteachgresfctsht. pdf Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. (n. d. ). OIG supplemental compliance program guidance for hospitals (Vol. 70, No. 19). Retrieved from website: http://oig. hhs. gov/fraud/docs/complianceguidance/012705HospSupplementalGuidance. df Dunklin, R. , & Moffeit, M. (2010, May 30). Feds probe alleged fraud at ut southwestern, parkland. Dallas News. Retrieved from http://www. dallasnews. com/news/community-news/dallas/headlines/20100530-feds-probe-alleged-fraud-at-ut-southwestern-parkland-. ece Rubel, R. (2008, November 03). Internal audit annual report fiscal year 2008. Retrieved from http://www. utsouthwestern. edu/media/footer_required_documents/audit-2008. pdf Rubel, R. (2010, February 24). Billing compliance audit report. Retrieved from http://res. dallasnews. com/localnews/responsivedocs_audit_2010. pdf

Friday, September 13, 2019

Case of Genie Essay Example for Free

Case of Genie Essay 1.Describe the case of Genie. What happened to her? Why is this case important? Genie was left in extreme isolation. She was kept in a back bedroom,tied to a toilet. She received little stimulation of any kind and was fed baby food.She was given no visual or other sensory stimulation.This case shows that infancy and childhood are critical times for brain development. 2.What have scientists learned about the way that the brain develops in children? Describe how this development happens. They have learned that there are critical periods for brain development. They discovered that parents fill a vital role in the development of their child’s brain through their interactions with the child.Parents and caregivers must provide proper stimulation to help develop connections. Scientists believed that children’s brains were predetermined to a great extent in terms of how they would develop. However, scientists now know that an infant’s experiences help determine how connections are formed and which pathways will develop in the brain. Thus, rather than being predetermined, an infant’s brain is a work in progress, influenced not only by his or her genetics, but also the surrounding world. 3.Describe how speech generating devices work. Explain the importance of augmentive communication. Speech generating devices are electronic devices that help individuals communicate verbally. Augmentive communication is important because it helps individuals produce or comprehend written or spoken language.These communication devices can be important tools to help children with speech difficulties communicate with parents, teachers, friends, and others in their lives 1.What do scientists mean when they say that there are critical periods for brain development? Why are these periods important? When scientist say that there are critical periods for brain development they  mean that if a child misses that period they’ll be noticeably different from others in the same age group. These periods are important because they’ll need them all throughout life. Case of Genie. (2016, May 13).

Activities in Los Angeles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Activities in Los Angeles - Essay Example In the end, the two theme parks offer enough activities for the whole family. Most people see shopping as the most exciting experience in Los Angeles, especially because of the large shopping malls with a variety of products. The Third Street Promenade is among the top shopping centers because of its eccentric shopping atmosphere. It offers vintage stores with unique cultural artifacts, shops with luxury goods, and outdoor dining options. There are several outdoor recreational activities in Los Angeles. L.A.’s 75 miles of coastline and desirable weather provide a perfect outdoor experience for people who enjoy the sun. Activities range from beach surfing in Venice, Malibu or San Pedro beach to outdoor barbeque parties. Several barbeque locations offer exquisite meals and meat delicacies. There are several other engaging activities in Los Angeles such as hiking, golfing, snowboarding, and skiing. The sights of Hollywood and big budget art museums are just a supplementary excitement to the theme parks, beaches, and social experience that Los Angeles

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Online courses versus Traditional courses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Online courses versus Traditional courses - Essay Example Sometimes students get involved in discussions because they feel more comfortable sharing their opinions than in a normal face to face manner. Furthermore, there are varieties of free education tools (audio or video) that will create the feeling of a classroom setting. It is difficult to make friends in an online class because one never meets one another, as well as their professor in real life. Additionally, it might be extremely difficult to discipline one self enough especially when one is computer illiterate or unfamiliar with accessing the web. Traditional courses give students the liberty to be in class on time for lectures, turn in assignments, meet with groups or take test at a scheduled time. There are chances to connect with a lot of people in the classroom, make friends easily with your classmate, have easy access to your professor during office hours, ask questions and get instant help. It is not open, sometimes when people keep out of class they might go far behind on the course especially when taking quizzes. As a family and a working student, there are classes that may not fit your schedule; one may have to drop some classes to find room for another one. One can connect to a lot of people in the classroom, make friends easily with their classmates, have easy access to your professor during office hours, ask questions and get instant

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

South Korea's Environmental Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

South Korea's Environmental Analysis - Essay Example There exist tight knitted system between the government and businesses in the labor market with the government ensuring that the laws and regulations on getting business startup licenses and procedures take the shortest time possible. This is carried out in order to continue increasing the labor market and completely eliminate the low unemployment rate still remaining in the nation. The only problem that the free market system has is that with the lack of strict market control by the government, corruption has been on the increase as people try to control the markets and monopolize it and especially the local market where the government does not bother much with. The corruption has rendered small and medium sized business had to flourish and succeed as the larger established businesses take up the larger share in the foreign investment and use their market stability to expand their wealth and sophistication making it hard to compete successfully (Mo & Brady, 2010). South Korea due to its establishment in the global market and economic success has it small and medium sized companies facing several entry and exit barriers. Some of these barriers include reputation, price discrimination, capital costs and organizational advantage among others (Mo & Brady, 2010). With some of these companies having established themselves in the industry, the startup companies face a very high capital cost just so that they can be able to establish themselves even if not match to the same level in assets and competition. The high capital costs requires heavy borrowing from banks and this leads to the company starting on a high debt percentage and this affects its sustainability in the industry. Even if it wants to exit the market, the debts and other overhead charges will be too much for it leading it bankrupt. With the large established organizations in South Korea such as Samsung and LG, they have cemented their organizational cultures and

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Business ethics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Business ethics - Research Paper Example The alternative is a possibility of traits that are long. Various different traits from successful leaders and leadership positions are identified, and the descriptions are generalities. The focus allows for agreements on the traits with most relevance to effective leadership and theory complexity (Crane & Matten, 2007). In this case, the theory has implications on Robert Nardelli’s approach to leadership. Trait theory awards constructive information on leadership. The focus applies to people across levels from distinct forms of organizations. Management utilizes such information within the theory in evaluating their focus in the organization as well as assessing how the position could be strengthened in the firm (Brenkert & Beauchamp, 2012). Robert Nardelli’s traits include characteristics such as physical vitality and stamina as well as action-oriented and intelligence judgment. It is impactful to have eagerness in accepting responsibility and enhancing task competence. Robert Nardelli shows an understanding of the company stakeholders, followers, and respective needs (OSullivan, Smith & Esposito, 2012). Top management involves skill derived from people and necessary achievement of capacity in the motivation of people. Robert Nardelli showed courage and resolution through trustworthiness and decisiveness in outcomes. Nardelli displayed features of assertiveness, self-confidence, adaptability and flexibility (Crane & Matten, 2007). Contingency/Situational leadership theory concerns the context to which applied leadership is unaccounted for based on Behavioral and Traits theories. Robert Nardelli’s focus is to the situational variables where he modified his leadership styles to personal characteristics and context of a current situation (Baack, 2012). Proponents of the theory add that effective leadership identifies when to adapt their personal characteristics for

Monday, September 9, 2019

Annotated bibliography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Annotated bibliography - Essay Example The Truth and reconciliation process offers restorative form of justice that seeks to repair and solidify relationships between conflicting parties, victims and the general society. Restorative justice differs from retributive justice as it does not recognize punishment for those found guilty of facilitating conflict. The purpose of TRC in championing truth and reconciliation process is to determine and unveil truth to the public regarding the issues behind a particular conflict. Truth and reconciliation process therefore seeks to facilitate acknowledgement about a certain conflict, public mourning, healing and forgiveness among the people. In light of the above, Derek Rasmussen’s recommendation of reconciliation to forgive remains the only viable and practical way to achieve restorative justice, which is the basis of truth and reconciliation process. This is a news article written by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in reflection of the factors that led to the creation of the Canadian Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The article also identifies and recognizes commissioners appointed to serve in the TRC. According to the article, the move by the Canadian government through court to establish TRC related to the need to reconcile and console aboriginal Canadians who suffered in the Indian Residence School. The mandates of the TRC as indicted in the article were to investigate the reasons that led to the creation of the IRS system of learning and its impacts on the children. The article also reveals series of resignation by chairs of the committee as one of the challenges TRC of Canada faced. This article defines a very important material in facilitating the study bearing the clear information it depicts. Its importance to this study also relates to succinct definition and description of truth and reconciliation process as well differentiating restorative from retributive forms of justice. This article is an interim report of the

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Internet Piracy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Internet Piracy - Essay Example The Internet is a vast repository of music, movies, games and software. As the access to the Internet increases, the rate of piracy also increases. People with access to the Internet can download computer software, music or movies and other copyrighted material in digitalized form; and copy, replicate and sell it on the black market. All these activities constitute physical forms of piracy. Nevertheless, in developed nations, although people have widespread access to the Internet, the piracy rate is on the decline (Assenova). There is a direct relationship between such physical piracy and the Internet. Piracy has affected the international music industry. The proliferation of the Internet has made file – sharing and unauthorized downloading of music, very simple. Software pirates invented new technologies and tools to share music over the Internet. For instance, Napster introduced peer – to – peer technology that posed a serious threat to the music industry. It d ecreased the sale of legitimate music works, which caused the music industry to sustain severe financial losses (Mcclintock). Piracy did not stop at this and extended its depredations to the movie industry. The latter implemented several programs to protect itself from piracy, and the major movie companies launched joint campaigns against movie piracy, and made a number of efforts to enhance public awareness about piracy. These companies conducted antipiracy campaigns in university campuses and colleges across the US (Mcclintock).

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Relationship between Mind and Body Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Relationship between Mind and Body - Essay Example Similarly, the paper discusses whether one is more significant than the other is in a human life. Descartes talks about a possible existence of material outside God and the Self. Accordingly, the author holds that the existence of such objects is only possible because God creates them. Therefore, the author postulates that the materials exist because they relate to pure mathematics. It because Descartes believes that God makes what he thinks in the way it is. Similarly, nothing is impossible for God to create unless someone does not understand a thing (Descartes, Meditation VI: about the existence of Material things from the Body). Consequently, after discovering the possibility of the existence of the objects, the author then turns to the presence of mental pictures as evidence. Therefore, he distinguishes perception and imagination. Accordingly, he asserts that creativity refers to the capacity of knowledge to the body that is immediately present to it, without conception or intellection (Descartes, Meditations, 6), which prevails as a mental image. Understanding is not automatically a picture. He applies an example, that when he has a mental image of a triangle, he does not just perceive it to be a figure with three lines; he says he looks at the lines as if they were present to the mental eye. Therefore, that is what Descartes calls a mental picture. Descartes gives priority to the mind than the body. It is because the mind controls the body. In other words, the body only responds to whatever the mind perceives, conceives, and accepts as reality.  

Friday, September 6, 2019

Psychology Essay Example for Free

Psychology Essay This required Portfolio assignment will provide you with the opportunity to practice and hone your research skills. It has been designed to help you think scientifically about real world problems and issues and to apply your knowledge of the research process to various topics in Psychology. This assignment accomplishes that goal by challenging you to: †¢ Differentiate between the common use of the word research and the use of the word research in the social and behavioral sciences †¢ Identify the major steps in the research process using a classic study in Psychology as an example. Part I: Defining Research The word research is used in many different ways. Consider the following examples: †¢ Your friend tells you that he intends to research different hair products before deciding on one to buy. †¢ A real estate agent advises you to research home values in your neighborhood before putting your house on the market. †¢ A police officer reports that she is doing ‘some research’ on possible motives for a crime that was committed. †¢ A writer states that he does ‘extensive research’ before beginning his fictional works. Answer the questions below: 1. How is research defined in the social and behavioral sciences? 2. What makes scientific research different from the examples provided above? In your response, be sure to address the characteristics of ‘good’ psychological research. Part II: Understanding the research process Researchers in Psychology follow a systematic process of investigation. Carefully read Chapter 2 of your textbook, paying special attention to the section on Experimental Research. Then go to Chapter 7 in your textbook and read the following section: Research In-Depth: Counterfactuals and â€Å"If Only†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Thinking. Answer the questions below, using Medvec colleagues’ first study as an example: 1. What hypothesis did Medvec colleagues set out to test in their first study of the ‘near miss’ phenomenon? Describe the theory associated with this hypothesis. 2. Identify the variables in the study and describe how they were measured. How did the researchers operationalize (test or measure) affective response upon winning a bronze or silver medal? 3. Who were the participants in the study and what did they do? 4. Describe the data that were collected and analyzed. 5. Describe the results of the study. What did the researchers conclude? 6. If you were to design a follow-up experiment on this subject, what might it be?