Psychology Reflective Paper Essay

This class has not only enabled me to become a better student, but also a more productive adult in various ways. Initially, I came into your class ecstatic because I knew the journey I would embark would be an exciting one; however, I encountered challenges throughout the course although learning new psychological methods is enthusing to me. I learned about the origin of psychology and the evolution of modern psychology. In further detail, I will discuss how the learning goals of this course have influenced my career and personal life. When I began college, I was undecided about what to study. Initially, I enrolled as Biology major. I majored in biology for three years of my college career. Because I was not happy or even satisfied, I decided to pursue studying a subject that genuinely grasped my interest. I knew in my heart that whatever I was searching for had to be something I would love doing for the rest of my life or at least most of it. Therefore, I went on an exploration to find that one particular area of study that would be of great significance to me and my future endeavors. I came across Psychology. I didn’t know much about it. All I knew was that I took it during my freshman year because it was a requirement to take Psychology 101. The entire time while I was reminiscing about this class, all I could remember was the professor lecturing about the human mind and why people do what they do. I found it to be sort of interesting and I said, â€Å"Hey, why not give it a try?† Previously, I had skeptic views. I contemplated about making this big change because I thought there was nothing else left for me to do but to†¦ â€Å"Just do it!† Because I am new to everything that is going on around me within my Psychology courses, there is plenty that I wish to obtain and learn: not just from my professors but also from my peers. One class that I have taken is History and Systems of Psychology, and it is one of my most interesting Psychology courses here at the University. This course is very different from many classes that I have taken. There are seminars, blogs, essays, Greeks, and much more that surround this course. The seminars consist of in class discussions where we converse about different readings and how we feel about what was read, as well as what the writer was trying to convey to his or her audience. Sometimes the discussions can become intense but it is stimulating. I am not much of a public speaker, but the seminars are beneficial to me conquering my phobia of speaking in front of a crowd of people. The course is informative but surprisingly it isn’t boring. I perceive as motivation to do well through the learning goals that are set out before us by the professor. Contrary, to my previous study of Psychology, I have learned a vast amount of information from being in this course. Yes, History and Systems of Psychology will inform and teach me about the ancient Greeks and their attributes towards the development of Psychology but I will also learn skills that will definitely be beneficial in my career as a Speech Pathologist. A Speech Pathologist evaluates and diagnosis speech, language, cognitive- communication and swallowing disorders. They also treat speech, language, cognitive- communication and swallowing disorders in individuals of all ages, from infants to the elderly. The class is not only lecturing, but also growth for future purposes. My fellow classmates and I will be able to network with one another on a more intellectual level. We are all able to discuss our opinions about different topics through seminars. This is a way to help better our communication and listening skills. Patience is gained when waiting for others to speak, even though you may be eager to express your views on a particular situation. It helps us to be more open-minded to others’ opinions which provide us with the opportunity to learn from one another and just the professor. Because it is proven that the focus of psychological studies in modern society may not reflect its colorful and amusing history, its roots however fluctuate from the modern philosophies of the field. In order to totally comprehend psychology, one must first go back into its history and explore its origins. A question that I asked myself and became informed of throughout the course of this semester is: â€Å"How did the studies of Psychology originate? What period was Psychology created?† Because I was able to question myself, I became more involved and interesting not only in Psychology 445, but the overall studies of Psychology. As I answered these questions, I realized that Psychology involves a massive range of topics; alongside, examining the human’s developmental patterns and mental practices from cultural level to neural level. Interestingly, I learned that Speech Pathologists study the same materials as Psychologists. For example, both patricians must know matters pertaining to human mental concerns. These issues can begin right from delivery and endure up until the death of the person. Through the knowledge developed in Psychology 445, I will be able to better comprehend how the individual topics are studied and what has been taught thus far. One of my most beloved and studied psychologist has been Sigmund Freud (Freud). Independently, I studied Freud; the famous Austrian physician transformed the entire face of psychology in such an intense way by creating a theory of personality that strained on the significance of the unconscious mind. Freud’s involvement with clients anguish from mental ailments like hysteria directed him to consider that one’s early childhood encounters as well as our unconscious impulses contribute greatly towards the development of our adult lifestyle behavior and characteristics. You may ask yourself: â€Å"Why is this information important to?† As stated in our learning goals there are many historical psychologists who can give an account for the evolution of modern psychology. It is important for me to understand the history and previous studies because past determinations will enable me to diagnose my clients when I work as a speech pathologist. There are commonalties between psychologist and speech pathologist. Because of these similarities, I have encountered psychological skills that I plan to utilize as a speech pathologist. Interestingly, Psychology continues to evolve! Currently, majority practices do not identify themselves with a distinct school of thought. Instead, workers prefer focusing on certain specialty ranges or perspectives, often creating conclusions from a wide range of theoretical experiences. This methodology has contributed new theories and ideas that still carry on to shape the future of psychology. In conclusion, I learned quality listening and observance skills. In order for me to be a good Speech Pathologist, I must be able to listen and communicate with the patients. I must be patient, stable, tolerant of others, confident, and the ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing. Surprisingly, in class being emotionally stable really is a great trait to have and learn. Because everyone does not have identical in personalities and background life experiences, everyone may not think alike. In most cases, when there is a discussion and there are many different thoughts and opinions being tossed in the air, some individuals tend to become a little upset because they may feel that what they believe is correct. However, when engaging in conversation with others who may have different point of views, there is no right or wrong. Therefore, having emotional stability is important. I believe that this change which I have made is for the best. I feel that with every moment I attend class, I am discovering something new and opening myself up to bigger and brighter opportunities.

Have Gun, Will Travel…to Work

Question 1: Assume that either the Second Amendment or state law gives you a legal right to keep a gun in your car. Do you also have a moral right to do this? Do you have a moral, not only a legal, right to own a gun? Do you have either a moral or a legal right to park a car with a loaded gun in a public parking lot regardless of what the lot’s owner wants? No, I do not have a moral right keep a gun in my car regardless to the Second Amendment or state law gives me the right to keep a gun in my car. Although having a gun in your car is your legal right, the company policy may state it is prohibited.The difference between moral and legal is that your legal right supersedes moral rights. In today society the law over rides the moral aspect of most situations. If you are parked in a public parking lot and it is posted clearly no weapon allowed on the property then you must abide by their rules. Question 2: In your view, do employees have either a moral or a legal right to park ca rs with guns in them in the company parking lot? If so, what about the property rights and safety concerns of employers?If employees don’t have this right, would it be good policy for companies to allow them to stow guns in their cars anyway? Do companies have good grounds for being concerned about weapons in their parking lots? Employees do not have the right to disobey company policies regardless of their moral beliefs. When you are employed by a company, no matter how large or small they are, they have some form of written policies on what they expect of the their employees. Most companies have some type of mission statement about maintaining a safe work place environment.No it would not be a good idea for companies to allow guns to be stored in employees cars if there is a policy of no weapons in place. Companies have very good reason for been concerned with weapon in their parking lots because there are over five hundred work place homicides per year; in addition, 1. 5 m illion employees are assaulted at work, many of them by coworkers or former employees. Question 3: Do you agree with the NRA that if companies ban guns from their parking lots, this restriction would take â€Å"a wrecking ball to the Second Amendment† or nullify the right of people to have weapons for self-defense?Explain why or why not. In your view, have gun advocates been guilty of politicizing this issue? Do you think state legislatures are right to get involved, or should the matter be left to companies and employees to settle? No, I do not agree with the NRA that if companies ban guns from their parking lots, this restriction would take â€Å"a wrecking ball to the Second Amendment† or nullify the right of people to have weapons for self defense. The Second Amendment gives the owner of the property the right to refuse weapons on their private property.I feel everyone believes in the Second Amendment but some people feel more strongly about this issue than others and it is a political issue. The state legislature should not get involved when it pertains to the issue of private property such as company property policies. These types of matters should be left up to the company and their policy makers. Question 4: Because the workplace is the company’s private property, the company could choose, if it wished, to allow employees to bring guns not only into the parking lot but into the workplace itself.Are there ever circumstances in which doing so might be reasonable? Or would the presence of guns automatically violate the rights of other employees to be guaranteed a safe working environment? Some companies allow employees to bring guns not only into the parking lot but into the workplace itself such as police officers, security officers, banks, pawnshops and anywhere the company policy states that guns are allow with the permission of the company. This would not be a violation of the rights of other employees because it is the policy of the company.With such a policy there would have to be some sort of qualification, licensing, and liability. Question 5: What would a libertarian say about this issue? What considerations would a utilitarian have to take into account? What conclusion might he or she draw? A libertarian believes identify justice with an ideal of liberty. Liberty is the prime value, and justice consists in permitting each person to live as he or she pleases, free from interference of others. So, on the matter of gun control in the work place, a libertarian would say, â€Å"If he or she wants to carry a gun then no one should interfere†.Utilitarianism is the moral doctrine that we should always act to produce the greatest possible balance of good over bad for everyone affected by our actions. In this matter a utilitarian would believe that the greatest happiness of all constitutes the standard that determines whether an action is right or wrong. Question 6: If you were on a company’s board of directors, what policy would you recommend regarding handguns, rifles, or other weapons in employees’ cars? In making your recommendation, what factors would you take into account?Would it make a difference how large the company was, the nature of its workforce, or where it was located? If you support banning firearms from the parking lot, what steps, if any, do you think the company should take to enforce that policy? I would recommend the policy of weapons free workplace which would include handguns, rifles, and other weapons in employees’ cars on company property. I would factor in the type of business, the nature of the workforce and where it’s located and then make a sound discussion.If necessary, I would have armed security officers for the safety of the employees and therefore the no weapons policy would still apply. Question 7: Explain whether (and why) you agree or disagree with the following argument: â€Å"If employees have the right to keep guns in the parking lot, then they also have a right to bring them into workplace. After all, we’re only talking about licensed, responsible owners, and same rationale applies: An employee might need a weapon for self-protection. What if a lunatic starts shooting up the company? † I disagree with part of this statement and agree with the other part.I agree with the statement because this is how people think, if they are allowed to bring their guns in the parking lot why not push the boundary and take it inside the building. Yah, you’re talking about licensed, responsible owners, and same rationale applies: An employee might need a weapon for self-protection. What if a lunatic starts shooting up the company? † What if the people allowed to carry that gun on property becomes the lunatic? When policies are put into place there’s usually a reason or a prevention method. Allowing people to have a weapon that close if they get mad or fired would be irresponsib le on the company’s part.

Midsummer Night’s Dream Analysis

Illusions A Midsummer Night’s Dream Essay Is it a dream or reality? The connection between the real world and a world created by our own vivid imagination while we sleep is somewhat uncanny. A plethora of individuals cannot fathom how the brain can create such realistic scenarios in such little time. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, the author uses his knowledge of dreams to create his play. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is not only the title of this play but the overall theme as well. In the story dreams bring many changes within the plot.Dreams change the opinion of characters and open their eyes to a different reality. A large connection between dreaming and theater is made at the end of the play in Puck’s famous final speech. Midsummer also plays a large role in the theme of this play as well. We will discuss all of these topics within the next few paragraphs. â€Å"Like dreams, love is foolish, crazy and driven by desires. † Say s an article called The Meaning of the Title in  A Midsummer Night's Dream  by Shakespeare. The relationship between the four lovers, Hermia, Helena, Lysander, and Demetrius is based on their dreams and desires.When Hermia had a nightmare depicting a snake eating her heart, â€Å"Methought a serpent ate my heart away,/And you sat smiling at his cruel  play† (pg. 64-65) it foreshadowed Lysander’s newfound love for Helena which was only temporary. Lysander was casted into a figurative dream as Puck placed the love petals upon Lysander’s sleeping eyes. When Lysander awoke and Helena was the first one he saw, Lysander began to long for her and fall in love with her. This is important to the plotline because it shows what a dream can do to a person.It also helps build Puck’s character as a careless trickster. Although Helena believes Lysander’s attempts to win her heart as merely a cruel joke the reader understands Lysander is trapped in a dream. Puck then with instruction from Oberon, the King of the Faeries places the love petals in the eyes of the sleeping Demetrius to let him fall deeply in love with Helena who loves him. At the same time Puck is instructed to put these petals into Titania’s, the Queen of the Faeries eyes so that she may hopefully fall in love with an â€Å"ounce, or cat, or bear† (pg. 55).This is so that Oberon can take the Indian boy away from Titania and use him as a servant. This will solve their marital problems and bring balance back to the mortal world. Titania falls in love with Bottom, of whom which was ironically transformed by the all magical Puck into an ass. â€Å"O Bottom, thou art changed! What do I see on thee? †(pg. 75) This shows the illusions of dreams and love. Titania was in love with what she thought to be the most majestic and absolutely wonderful mortal she had ever laid eyes upon while in reality the creature she fell in love with was an ass.This also shows i rony connecting the stubborn personality of Bottom and what he was transformed into. The relevance of Midsummer in the theme of the play is that many things grow in the summer, thrive. It’s a wonderful time and usually what people think of when they think of love. It is the season for life and growth as winter is for death. The nice weather drives people out of their homes and into the open outdoors. This is appropriate because people like Lysander and Hermia wouldn’t normally in winter be traveling through the woods and stop to rest.It would be too cold. The setting also portrays a summer atmosphere. It also believed that the faeries come out to trick passing travelers in the nights of midsummer. They are known to play jokes on them and to get enjoyment out of mortals. This is probably why Oberon is so interested in Helena’s despair. He must feel sorry as well as want to have a little fun with the mortals. He then instructs Puck to fix her love problem. Puck, t he trickster faery is very active during this time.He plays tricks on almost everyone in the play, finding enjoyment in transforming Bottom into an ass and making Titania fall in love with him. This play is based upon love, tricks, comedy, and dreams so the faeries coming out during this time was important to the main plot and in agreement with the legend of faeries coming out during midsummer nights. Lastly Puck’s final speech shows the connection between dreaming and theatre by stating â€Å"While these visions did appear. /And this weak an idle theme,/No more yielding but a dream†(pg. 172-173).This shows us that dreams happen in order to weave the importance of the main theme of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Without the illusion that clouded Titania’s eyes she might not have fallen so deeply in love with Bottom, the ass. During the practice of the play Pyarmus and Thisbe Snout wouldn’t have noticed that Bottom had been transformed. Without the illu sion of the love petals of the pansy flower Lysander might have seen through the weak shade of fake love for Helena. He would have realized his heart belonged to Hermia. Demetrius may have never moved on and loved Helena.The ending during Puck’s speech really ties together the whole play and helps us come to the conclusion that dreams were necessary for the plot and theme of the play. Puck wants us to feel as if it was all a pleasant dream, but at the same time he wants us to remember everything that happened, good and bad and learn from it. Nothing in this play is quite what it seems so it is ironic at the end to be trusting Puck who is such a tricky character. What we take from his final speech is to enjoy the happy ending and always be wary of dreams.Dreams and reality coexist in our lives as much as they do in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. We understand the theme of this play more closely if we examine key points that support the theme and title as one. Illusions and reality, Puck’s final speech, and the relevance of midsummer help us connect the title and theme. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, the author uses his knowledge of dreams to create his play. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is not only the title of this play but the overall theme as well. As â€Å"honest Puck† (pg. 173) says before he departs â€Å"So good night unto you all. † (pg. 173)Bibliography â€Å"A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Analysis of Lines 5-20 of the Epilogue. †Ã‚  Article Myriad. N. p. , n. d. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. ;http://www. articlemyriad. com/midsummer-nights-dream-analysis/;. â€Å"The Meaning of the Title in A Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare – Yahoo! Voices – voices. yahoo. com. †Ã‚  Yahoo! Voices – voices. yahoo. com. N. p. , 10 July 2005. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. ;http://voices. yahoo. com/the-meaning-title-midsummer-nights-dream-6294754. html;. Shakespeare, William. A midsumm er night's dream. Washington Square Press new Folger's ed. New York: Washington Square Press, 1993. Print.

Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words - 1

Human Resource Management - Essay Example 7 Diversity and Employee Retention †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 8 Legal and ethical issues specific to strategic talent management †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 9 Diversity issue at Cityside Financial Service- Case Summary †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 9 The legal issue †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 10 Ethical Issue †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 11 Managing the legal and ethical issues of Diversity †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 12 Conclusion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 13 References †¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 14 Introduction Successful management especially in today’s increasingly diverse workforce is one of the most important global challenges that human resource management and corporate leaders face. Immigration, employees’ migration and gender, class, religious and ethnic differences continue to dramatically impact the composition of workforce and hence corporate managers are unable to fully comprehend its dynamics and unleash the potential that is embedded in a multicultural working environment. Human capital for no doubt is the most valuable and powerful assets of an organization. Effectively managing the human resources is therefore extremely critical to the success of a firm to help it gain competitive advantages and achieve all other organizational goals. Managing diversity and business-success ar e closely related because, when diversity in an organization can be effectively managed, the outcome will be that the workforce will be very productive, highly satisfied, extremely happier of the working environment. Many of the large multinational companies depend on different types of staffing like ethnocentric, geo-centric and polycentric and all these approaches in turn create more diverse workforce making it harder to effectively manage it. This research paper explains general impacts of diversity on human resources management and organizational development. This paper will detail some specific issues that diversity in an organization can pose for hiring, management, retention and development etc and described legal as well as ethical issues in relation to the strategic talent management at City-side Financial Services. Managing Diversity There have been greater efforts to implement various programs and activities to be used in organizations as part of diversity management. Man aging diversity actually constitutes most important area of global corporate efforts and it can be considered as relatively new organizational paradigm. It encompasses innovative thoughts, evolution and knowledge that management can integrate and incorporate these elements for a better practice of diversity management (Ozbilgin and Syed 2010, p. 1). As Ciscio (2002, p. 121) stressed, managing diversity is establishing and developing a heterogeneous workforce so that employees’ potential can be performed in an equitable work environment, and a member or group of members gain no advantage or disadvantage over others. More specifically, people in an organization may belong to very different age, gender, class, religion, ethnicity, education, culture and social background. Human resource managers are expected to manage them all in equal consideration, as no one among them gains advantage over others. Managing diversity thus ensure equitable work-environment for all its people. Di versity

Nurse Facilitated Hospital Discharge Planning in an Elderly Unit Literature review

Nurse Facilitated Hospital Discharge Planning in an Elderly Unit - Literature review Example Patients with complex care needs, including frail and elderly or those with mental problems, may require continuing care in special housing, residential or nursing homes, and need a ‘package of care’ to support them back to good health after hospital discharge (McKenna et al, 2000, p.594-601). Such population demands effective discharge arrangements. Discharge planning is â€Å"a facet of the overall care of the patient, developed through the application of the nursing process† (Watts, 2005). It is a process â€Å"that is dependent on inter-professional collaboration between health and welfare professionals† (Atwal, 2002). Study of problems of discharging patients from hospitals have been in focus during the last two decades, and some of the shortcomings identified are: â€Å"poor communication between hospital and community; inadequate notice of discharge; over-reliance in informed support and lack of support; inattention to patient’s needs before leaving hospital; and wasted or duplicated visits by community nurses† (McKenna et al, 2000, p.594-601). â€Å"Cost effective, coordinated, high-quality discharge planning† is integral to control increasing healthcare costs and hospital personnel must become more adept at preparing patients for discharge as there is a decrease in length of acute hospital stay, and increase in care shift to communities and homes (Lalani & Gulzar, 2001). â€Å"Aged care assessment team (ACAT)† model, operating in Australia, may be helpful in streamlining hospital discharge process in the U.K. (Robinson & Street, 2003). ACAT, a key multidisciplinary group primarily comprising nurses and paramedical staff, is involved in determining the discharge needs of older people Hence, decreasing length of patient stay in hospitals is paramount agenda in every health care planner and eliminating long waiting lists and freeing up of ‘blocked beds’ could be possible with effective an d efficient discharge planning procedures.  

Money management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Money management - Essay Example I have therefore decided to consider one of two options – a life insurance investment and a personally managed fund. Life insurance option If I invest the $500,000 with a life insurance company then I may be able to earn a stable income each year with adjustments for inflation. Based on discussions with my insurance company, Table 1 in Appendix 1 reflects the amount that I would receive if I invest in an insurance policy that makes adjustments for inflation and pays my estate the balance of my policy at death. The table shows an initial investment of $500,000 and indicates that over a 20 year period and assuming a 3.5% rate of interest and an inflation rate of 3%, I would be able to have an inflation adjusted income of $15,000 in year 1 continuing to $26,302 payment in year 20. This policy continues as long as I am alive. The balance on the account at year 20 suggests that there will be sufficient funds for me to earn an income many years after year 20 if I am still alive. The principal amount only starts declining in year 12 suggesting that I will be paid out of interest earned on the investment up year 11, after which payments will start affecting my principal. My total receipt up to year 20 would be $403,045.62 with a balance on the account of $443,861.55. This indicates a net gain of $346,907.17 (($403,045.62 + $443,861.55) – $500,000). Table 3 in Appendix 1 shows the relevant returns. Personally Managed Funds In the event that I choose to manage the funds personally then I would be able to make earnings at rates between 3 to 7 per cent. This fund would consist of a mixture of government bonds (at least 60%) and stocks. I would use the income generated from the fund in the first year – year 1 as a basis to determine my future income if I am to maintain the same standard of living. I therefore allow for an inflation rate of 3% as with the life insurance option. Table 2 in Appendix 1 provides information on this fund. An average rate of r eturn of 5% annually is assumed. The information indicates that after the first payment of $17,500 subsequent payments will require selling investments and therefore reducing the principal initially invested if I am to maintain the same standard of living year after year. Comparison of both options In comparing both options the life insurance fund has a lot to recommend it. It is secure, simple, provides good returns, safe, and has no sales or administrative charges (immediateannuities.com). i. The life insurance offer provides a stable income for the rest of the pensioner’s life and in some cases beneficiaries can receive the balance after death. The income streams from the personally managed fund are not likely to be as stable, even though this is assumed in Table 2. ii. The pensioner can relax and does not have to watch the market and report on interest and dividends as in the case of the personally managed funds. iii. Returns on life insurance funds are normally higher th an those on government bonds. The reason is that a portion of the principal is normally paid with the interest earned. However, the personally managed fund is a mixture of bonds and stocks. iv. The principal is normally safe in the case of the life insurance

Juvenile Gangs Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Juvenile Gangs - Research Paper Example Being raised in an economically depressed neighborhood can understandably lead youth persons to think that their lives are unimportant and thus want for a sense of identity. The social construction gangs offer provides juveniles with a sense of belonging, a particularly significant need for developing youths. In many neighborhoods, adolescents are actively recruited or are intimidated into becoming gang members and seemingly have little choice. â€Å"A few [teens] are virtually born into gangs as a result of neighborhood traditions and their parents’ earlier and perhaps continuing gang participation or involvement in criminal activity† (Moore, 1978). The gangs offer disenfranchised kids, who are undergoing feelings of isolation, a connection to a family-like atmosphere. Some of these youths are wavering between what they consider as their adopted and native cultures but feel a connection to neither. There are many reasons that youths join and remain loyal to gangs, all of which are complex and possibly incomprehensible to the general public. This discussion will briefly explain why juveniles join gangs then discuss gangs themselves, their motivations, general make-up, characteristics, and trends concerning street gang activity. There are numerous early factors that can lead juveniles to become gang members in addition to what might be the most obvious, living in abusive households. Poverty is another of the more significant factors. According to research conducted by the Children’s Defense Fund, nearly one fifth of all youths live below the poverty line in American cities. â€Å"Poor neighborhoods, especially ‘inner-city war zones’, generally have relatively high crime rates, unsatisfactory schools and unhealthy living conditions. They provide a child with few resources, negatively affect development and increase the chances a child will become violent† (â€Å"Rosado†, 2000, p. 15). Children who are subjected to t wo or more risk factors such as poverty and abuse, have a significantly higher risk factor of participating in criminal behavior and juvenile violence. Inner city ‘battle zones’, which have grown significantly in many of the country’s small to medium-sized towns in addition to the larger urban sections of major cities, are described as those areas in which most youths over 14 years old has attended the funeral of more than one friend, a very distinct definition, one that is difficult for most Americans to fully comprehend. (Garbarino, 1999, p. 40). Because youths living in disadvantaged neighborhoods are often ostracized from mainstream society due to their inability to afford similar material goods or the education that would afford them with the means to leave, many of these juveniles grow up under an umbrella of bitterness, anger and open contempt of the societal rules and government laws of the same society that rejected them. This circumstance makes it easie r for them to rationalize their own deviant behaviors because they are merely doing what they believe necessary so as to give themselves a chance at something beyond their present life condition, a chances they not offered elsewhere. Their perception of rejection by the society at large also instills an attitude of despair and hopelessness among youths who are already suffering from other unfavorable conditions, reinforcing the idea that life will likely always be this painful, empty

Maya cultural exploration exercise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Maya cultural exploration exercise - Essay Example It is one of the most ancient civilizations in the area. The Maya civilization lasted over 3000 years. Maya people lived in the Yucatan peninsula. The guide informed that the Maya lived in one of the most densely populated areas. Culturally speaking, Maya were some of the most culturally diverse people in the area. The Maya culture had spectacular art and state of the art architecture. They are also said to have had advanced systems of astronomy which were well advanced beyond the other civilizations of the time. The guide informed me that some of the Mayan architecture still survives to date. The pyramids at Coba and Chichen Itza are some of the remaining pieces of architecture from the Maya civilization. To date the pyramids are preserved as a heritage site. From the guide, I realized that the Maya have a calendar that is different from the one commonly used in modern times. The Mayan calendar is one of the most complete calendars of the time. It is one of the best understood calendars of ancient times. The Maya empire was in its peak in the 6th century AD. At this point in time it was very powerful and very influential in the region. The people depended mainly on agriculture which they were very good at. Other economic activities among the Maya included pottery and hieroglyphics writing. The tour guide explained to me that the Mayan scripture is said to be the only fully written language in the Americas at the time. Along with the writing they also had beautiful art which is considered to be among the most beautiful arts of the time. The Maya are known to be among the first people to make use of the four compass directions. They denoted the four directions with different colors. My guide informed me that the Maya had thirteen different gods. They believed that some gods ruled the heavens while some others ruled the underworld. They had a god for several natural elements. For instance there was the god of stars,

How do breakfast show presenters create a lively and engaging Coursework

How do breakfast show presenters create a lively and engaging atmosphere on their radio shows - Coursework Example Steve Price Breakfast Show on the subject of carbon tax legislation illustrates the key features of spoken language that distinguishes it from written language. The topic of the subject focused on the divisions within the ranks of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), environmental activists, and the public. The breakfast show presenter was Luke Grant. The guest of the breakfast show was Greg Hunt, who plays the role of shadow spokesperson on the matter of climate change. The unique features of spoken language that make it possible for the discussants to explore the different perspectives of the subject matter enhance the discussion between the two. The show is interactional in nature and addresses itself to the subject of environmental conservation policies in Australia. Naturally, the primary target audience is the Australian public. This show captures their interest because of the growing concern on matters of environmental conservation. The different policies taken by the government and other interested parties have both long-term and short-term effects on the general population. The secondary audience includes the political class, the business community, and the wider global citizenry because the subject matter is both global and local in nature. The interactional language employed in the show engages the mind of the audience in the sense that they are able to apply their analytical skills in real-time as the show progresses. They are also able to discern the merits of the arguments by pointing out the logical and illogical parts within the debate. At the beginning of the show, the presenter introduces the subject matter through questions: â€Å"Where are we in terms of this debate? It does look a little like game over, doesn’t it?† (Latest News, 2011). These two questions have the effect of attracting the keen interest and concern of the audience. The questions, in their spoken context, imply the possibility of some form of a crisis. Although wr itten language also employs the use of questions, their import, when assessed in the context of spoken language produces a more dramatic effect. This is because questions are rendered in a regulated volume, pitch, and tone. These qualities are very significant in enhancing the meaning-making process. The questions also prepare the audience for the debate since the rest of the debate becomes an effort to resolve the two questions at the beginning. A second sentence by the presenter is equally significant in the context of the spoken language. Grant interrupts the guest with the sentence, â€Å"Glad to hear that, by the way†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Latest News, 2011). The value of this sentence could be seen both in terms of its interruptive nature and in terms of its ungrammatical form. The sentence interrupts the initial statement made by Hunt. Interruptions are common features in spoken language in the sense that they enable the clarification of matters or change of focus towards the matter s pertinent to the discussion. It is possible to perceive the value of interruptions as a strategic tool for enhancing the rules of logic as understood within the framework of the discussion. The same sentence is grammatically incorrect. In both form and structure, spoken language tends to assume different aspects from written language. This is because

Make sure I'm an international student. I need this essay no longer

Make sure I'm an international student. I need this no longer than 250 wordsi need this as basic as you can and no need for advanced word - Essay Example Articles are characterized by political themes in earlier stages than in my country. For example, an assignment once asked students aged 18 to give views policy-making in America. In my country, the topics generally involve academic tours. Unlike America, cultural values are the key themes in my country. English 1301 aimed at developing essay writing. Emphasis was on argumentation and critical analysis. It was for both academic and personal purposes. For example, an assignment was once designed to test unity and logic of sentences. The pattern of sentences and choice of words was a key point. Summarization and paraphrasing will challenge me in English 1302. This is because I am not confident with my research skills from English 1301. Further, English 1302 is a progression of English 1301 (McWhorter and Aaron 4). I will need more instruction on critical and analytical reading from my professor to be able to pick key points. From my class, I need patience from study

The contribution of the Key people Essay Example for Free

The contribution of the Key people Essay With reference to at least two different areas of study, discuss the contribution of the Key people, Movements, or traditions to the concept/theme of faith. The Oxford English dictionary defines faith as, complete trust, an unquestioning confidence. Many people, in defining faith, speak about believing in the impossible or trusting in something/someone without proof. As Watton states, Faith is our attitude in the presence of someone, or some event, whose goodness and greatness is greater than we can fully grasp, describe or explain. According to Michael P Gallagher, Faith is a gift of god a human yes of recognition spoken to a divine yes of love. Faith is about a journey, and a quest. A search for truth and meaning. Within the 2 areas of study- the theology of Luke and the Celtic Church and its missionary outreach in the 5th, 6th and 7th centuries, I will examine the concept of faith in relation to key people. I am also going to look at the religious theme surrounding faith-universality. In both Lukes gospel and the Celtic Church a number of key people are called to faith, to leave their old life and join Jesus in a new life of faith. In Lukes gospel, one key person who is called to faith is Simon. Jesus, in the call of the first fishermen asked the disciples to put out their boats. They did as Jesus commanded and a great catch of fish occurs. Simon falls to his knees and said, Depart from me Lord for I am a sinful man. Simons response is like that of Patrick who also bowed down in humility. He is shown as one with great faith and as a key person in Lukes gospel as he left his nets and followed Jesus. Likewise, as in Lukes Gospel we see that Simon arises as a key person who is called to a life of faith, so too in the Celtic Church Patrick emerges as a key person in responding faithfully to Gods call. Patrick was a nominal Christian who found God similar to the call Simon. Patrick was also aware of his sinfulness. I, Patrick, a sinneram to advert to my sins and turn whole heartedly to the Lord my God. In reflection, both Simon, and Patrick are faithful believers and key people in the theme of faith. As Simon is called by God to be a universal Saviour, Patrick too received this call and answers it by in turn calling all sections of Irish society to faith in Christ- I am going to the ends of the earth. Furthermore, for the key people in Lukes gospel and the Celtic Church, the call to faith involves a ministry. A group of key people in Lukes gospel are the 72 disciples. They are central examples of faith and are key people in carrying out Jesus mission. The mission of the 72 was to be a universal one. Luke continually underlines the disciples attempt throughout their ministry to bring salvation and faith to all Jesus taught. It was their work which led to the spread of the Christian faith. Similarly, in the Celtic Church, CB surfaces as a key person in spreading the faith. CB was also called to be a universal saviour and inspired many followers- he had to found a 3rd monastery in Fontaines due to the popularity. He worked with great energy for 24 years bringing people to faith in France, Switzerland, and Italy. His influence continued for centuries after his death as those he converted to faith now handed on the faith. The brothers he taught evangelised untold numbers and founded over 100 monasteries to protect learning and spread the faith. Thus, within the 2 areas of study, faith involved a ministry for the key people, in this case for the disciples in Lukes gospel and for the Celtic Church in the form of CB. Furthermore, it becomes apparent in reading both Lukes Gospel and the Celtic Church that faith involved opposition and difficulty. To follow the Lords conversion to faith involves sacrifice of family, jobs, security, and is fraught with many difficulties. In Lukes gospel, all key people encountered difficulties and opposition to their faith. The widows mite is one example of how faith is very costly. Jesus noticed the widow putting in 2 small coins and he said, I tell you that this poor widow has put in more than all the rest; she has offered her whole livelihood. This was an example of her total faith in God. It is also evident that the faith of key people within the Celtic Church also involved a huge cost. As the poor widow gave up all her possessions, so too were the monks in the early Irish Church expected to take vows of poverty and renunciation. Colmcille turned his back on his distinguished background, and travelled to Iona wishing to be a pilgrim for Christ. This demonstrates his total faith and obedience in Christ. It is therefore evident that faith involves opposition, difficulties, and conflict. Just as the widow encountered the cost of discipleship in Luke, so too did Colmcille face difficulties to his faith in the Celtic Church. Moreover, it becomes apparent that women, in both Lukes Gospel and the Celtic Church, were key figures. As Powell states, women figure more prominently in this book than anywhere else in the New Testament. Mary received a call to faith from God through a personal messenger. Her faith is explicitly shown in the magnificant. Mary responded faithfully to the request. Women in the Celtic Church are also shown to be key figures. Just as Mary displayed a great trust in God in becoming his handmaid, Bridget too answered her call in accepting the veil. She saw her call to faith as strengthening the church in Ireland. One way she did this was by building a double monastery at Kildare in order to bring people to faith. However the female disciples also encounter difficulties in their faith. They are seen as 2nd class citizens and often faced opposition. The widow at Nain for example was classed as an outcast because she had no male representative. Likewise Bridgit encountered opposition from her father in deciding to dedicate her life to God. Finally, it seems apparent that key people, both in Luke, and the Celtic Church are further demanded to show mercy and forgiveness as a way of bringing others back to faith in God. Jesus illustrates this demand to his disciples many times. The parables of the lost show Gods eagerness to bring people back to the faith. The disciples are to forgive others 7 times 70, forgiveness should be unlimited. Likewise, Patrick stands out as a key person in the Celtic Church who has obeyed Gods demand of mercy. Patricks letter to Corocticus illustrates his willingness to forgive even at the last minute before death. So, in reflection, it is evident that for the key people, both in the Celtic Church and in Lukes gospel, a life of faith involved many demands. In conclusion, the concept of faith is an important issue both in Lukes gospel and the Celtic Church. Jesus was the faithful believer who inspired faith in key people like Mary, the 72 disciples, and the first fishermen. Faith was also integral to the lives of the saints and the missionaries of the Celtic Church. Faith in Luke and the Celtic Church involved a call to faith, a ministry of faith, and opposition to faith. Many key women in Luke and the Celtic Church also exhibited faith. The concept of faith also has relevance for human experience today.

Othello as a Tragic Hero Essay Example for Free

Othello as a Tragic Hero Essay One of the most obvious focal point of disagreement about Othello is whether Othello was a tragic hero or not according to the classic conception of a tragic hero; whether his characterization, personal attributes make him fall into the domain of Aristotelian concept of tragic hero; Whether or not he possessed a tragic flaw. To Swinburne, Othello was â€Å"the noblest man of man’s making†. (Swinburne)But T. S. Eliot, on the other hand spoke unfavorably of his â€Å"cheering himself up†, (153) and came out with a celebrated critical term â€Å"Bovarysme†. Robert H.  Heilman (1956) comes very close to restating the Eliot position when he says; â€Å"Othello is the least heroic of Shakespeare’s tragic heroes. † (p. 166) The identification of Othello’s hamartia differs from reader to reader and from critic to critic. Some critics are of the view that excessive Egotism and self-confidence of Othello remain the main cause of his tragedy. He harbors unjustified suspicions against Desdemona. He had a trustful nature and he is thorough in his trust of Iago. (Bradley, 1965. p. 213. Jealousy overpowers him and he lacks self-control. It is hardly likely that even a combination of all these would be equal to what Aristotle considered to be a serious hamartia, and he exhibited any of the failing mentioned above. It would hardly be logical to say that the Othello was punished for crime in the yes of the divine. Another view is that the present failings of Othello may be taken to means that he was he was always like that, and his tragedy comes due some inherent or innate unsoundness in his character. However we get no indication of this in the play. The conception of the tragic hero that we gather from Aristotle’s Poetics is that he is a highly esteemed and prosperous man who falls into misfortune because of some serious hamartia i. e. tragic flaw. Aristotle gives the example of Oedipus and Thyestes, which means that according to him, it was Oedipus’ hamartia that was directly responsible for his fall. Although the meaning of hamartia is far from certain, its most frequent applications is in the sense of false moral judgment, or even purely intellectual errors. Among Greeks no sharp distinction between the two existed. It is generally believed that according to Aristotle the hamartia off Oedipus consists in some moral faults and it has been tried to identify various moral faults in Oedipus. Othello also possessed these moral flaw and his tragedy only comes due to these moral flaws, So according to Aristotelian conception, Othello is a tragic hero as he is a larger than life character and has tragic flaws that bring his destruction. Distinguished Professor Butcher has identified four possible range of meaning of Aristotle‘s Hamartia i. . tragic flaw. The foremost of these connotations is an error due to unavoidable ignorance of circumstances whereas an error caused by unawareness of conditions that might have been identified and for that reason to some extent morally blameworthy is another manifestation of the sense in which the term hamartia was used by Aristotle. The third sense is â€Å"A fault or error where the act is conscious and intentional, but not deliberate. Such acts are committed in anger or passion. Where as fourth one is â€Å"A fault of character distinct, on the one hand, from an isolated error, and, on the other, from the vice which has its seat in the depraved will†¦a flaw of character that is not tainted with a vicious purpose. † This essay will try to analyze all these manifestation of tragic flaws present in the character of Othello to manifest that he was a tragic hero. The character of Othello possesses an aura of personality that makes him distinguished as well naive and unrefined as compared with other characters in the play and other Shakespearean protagonists. That is the sole reason that why he fell a prey to Iago’s plot. Iago told Roderigo, â€Å"O, sir, content you. I follow him [Othello] to serve my turn upon him (I, i lines 38-9). Iago explains that only follow Othello to certain extent. A rudimentary supposition is that as the murder of Othello’s wife Desdemona is the result of deceitfulness of Iago, so himself remained a victim to the evil genius of Iago. Othello’s wrath was a product of his impulsiveness, the inherent flaw in his character, but that was utilized and triggered by the machination of Iago. The offense of Iago to conspire the demise of the Moor is worse since it is embedded in a shrewd mind with organized attempt whereas the wrongdoing of Othello was the result of his naivete. He was blindfolded by a thorn in the heart and mind. But his sin can not be justified only on this ground as there were various methods to check the blameworthiness. However, it can be illustrated that Othello permitted himself to be influenced by Iagos proposition of the unfaithfulness of Desdemona. Iago only provides a justification that was needed by Othello. Some critics are of the view that Desdemonas murder is an outcome of Othellos excessive arrogance and his impulsiveness to decision-making. A. C. Bradley ponders over the dispositions and nature of Othello and says in this regard; â€Å"The sources of danger in this character are revealed but too clearly by the story. In the first place, Othellos mind, for all its poetry, is very simple. He is not observant. His nature tends outward. He is quite free from introspection, and is not given to reflection. Emotion excites his imagination, but it confuses and dulls his intellect. On this side he is the very opposite of Hamlet, with whom, however, he shares a great openness and trustfulness of nature. In addition, he has little experience of the corrupt products of civilised life, and is ignorant of European women. † (p. 217) Despite this major flaw, he possessed some distinct personality traits. His has the capacity to build positive and reciprocal relationships and to take a number of steps to persuade. He possesses the capability to tailor an approach to appeal to the needs of a particular audience and an example of this relationship building is his genuine companionship with Iago. But again this trait of Othello is used against him as Iago takes advantage of his trust and design more evil plots against him. Although Othello possesses some evil propensities but he is capable of preventing these base and evil instincts to dominate him. In order to locate the degree and gravity of his sins, his motives fro his evil actions must be taken into consideration. It can be argued that his sins are product of weak mental faculties and some inherent flaws in his character. It was further enhanced by the manipulation of Iago instead of his pride. His action of murdering Desdemona was also not due to deficiency of confidence as he was a strong leader as manifested by his ability to command military and various other states affairs. But his leadership does not mean that he was forfeited against personal fantasies and whims of imagination. Othello’s basic dilemma was that he was in a totally new socio-cultural milieu. He was in a new city with a new bride who was graceful and young. Furthermore, Othello was in deep love with her does not know her well. He was uncertain about Desdemona decision to select him as her husband, and can only comprehend one clarification, She lovd me for the dangers I had passd. (I,iii,167) He is aware of the prevailing environment of prejudice and bias in Venice and without doubt must inquire why Desdemona would against her own norms and values and associate white Venetians by marrying an outsider. All these added suspicion in his minds before Iago begins his conniving plot. Although Desdemona was an epitome of love and care for her, but his preconceived notions cannot enable him to believe in her love unreservedly. His response to his skeptic mind is to put Desdemona on a pedestal, making her an emblem of purity and trustworthiness Tis not to make me jealous/ To say my wife Is fair, feeds well, loves company, Is free of speech, sings, plays, and dances well. / Where virtue Is, these are more virtuous. Nor from mine own weak merits will I draw/ The smallest fear or doubt of her revolt, For she had eyes, and chose me. (3. 3. 180) Othello arrived at the conclusion that Desdemonas consideration and virtue only capacitated her to feel affection for the unlovable an unstable culmination originating from his low self-worth. When Iago cast away this fictitious idealism with his evil designs, he is merely strengthening what Othello considers profoundly to be thoroughly possible i. e. that Desdemona could love another man. Iago is on hand to verify Othellos primary doubts: Ay, theres the point! as (to be bold with you)/ Not to affect many proposed matches/ Of her own clime, complexion, and degree, / Whereto we see in all things nature tends Her will, recoiling to her better judgement,/ May fall to match you with her country forms, / And happily repent. (3. 3. 228) So all these facts, arguments and supported evidence clearly manifest that Othello was a lager than life character and his tragic flaw contributes toward his tragedy. It is both an amalgam of self-infliction and circumstances beyond his control. He is a noble character but when things go wrong and pressures builds up, Othello’s inadequacies are revealed like the cracks in the dam. This makes him a tragic hero according to very conception of Aristotle. A. C. Bradley refutes the point of view that Othello was not noble and has no characteristics of a tragic hero. He is of the view; This character is so noble, Othellos feelings and actions follow so inevitably from it and from the forces brought to bear on it, and his sufferings are so heart-rending, that he stirs, I believe, in most readers a passion of mingled love and pity which they feel for no other hero in Shakespeare, and to which not even Mr Swinburne can do more than justice. Yet there are some critics and not a few readers who cherish a grudge against him. They do not merely think that in the later stages of his temptation he showed a certain obtuseness, and that, to speak pedantically, he acted with unjustifiable precipitance and violence; no one, I suppose, denies that. (p. 221)

Attentional Bias In Alcohol Drinkers Psychology Essay

Attentional Bias In Alcohol Drinkers Psychology Essay Attentional Bias refers to the term not allowing one to examine all possible outcomes when judging about an association. Previous research stems from the famous â€Å"Stroop effect† that was discovered in 1930 by J.Ridley Stroop. This was an experimental effect in which he discovered that the individuals cognitive processing ability was very powerful. In other words ‘The Stroop effect (Stroop, 1935) is a prime example of the human failure to attend selectively to a particular aspect of a complex stimulus (Algom, D., Chajut, E., Lev, S. (2004). Since most researchers are interested in finding out things, the logical next step would be to develop further on and ask whether this actual delay in reaction time is due to moderate drinkers compared to light drinkers. In order to test the effectiveness of this Stroop effect, one uses the colour words example. By this, we mean words that are written using same coloured ink i.e. red written in red ink, and words written in differ ent coloured ink i.e. red written in blue. The participants are asked to read the words and not the colour. This sounds easier to do than it actually is. In this study the methodology and the affects of the Stroop test will be critically evaluated. To achieve this, previous research and literature will be drawn upon. A study of Duka and Townshend (2001) demonstrated attentional bias associated with alcohol cues: differences between heavy and occasional social drinkers, they used a dot probe (alcohol-related pictures and words) and questionnaires, and the aim was to examine whether non-dependent heavy drinkers would differ in their selective attention towards alcohol-related stimuli compared to social drinkers, the results showed attentional bias amongst the heavy drinkers in relation to alcohol-related stimuli, scores in factors such as sociability and sexuality shown to also be high, but low on personality and persistence. A further study of Duka and Townshend (2004) demonstrated the priming effect of alcohol pre-load on attentional bias to alcohol-related stimuli; they used a dot probe and questionnaires, and the aim of this study was to examine whether attentional bias towards alcohol-related stimuli wound increase after priming with either one or two doses of alcohol/placebo, the results on mood ratings showed dose dependent increased in positive mood radar after alcohol pre-load, and in the dot probe task, all participants showed attentional bias towards the alcohol-related stimuli, and the neutral bias was only positive at low alcohol dosage. A study of Sharma, Albery, and Cook (2001) demonstrated selective attentional bias to alcohol-related stimuli in problem drinkers and non-problem drinkers; they used a modified Stroop task (computerized), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory in order to measure Anxiety, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) to allow scoring (high or low), the participants were divided into three groups: local community alcohol service (CAS), student volunteers who were divided into two control groups, the aim of this study was to examine whether patient of problem drinkers selectively attend to alcohol-related stimuli compare to the two control groups of non-problem drinkers, the results indicate significance amongst the CAS group in longer reaction times in responding to colour of alcohol-related words compared to neutral words, with reduced interference for the high AUDIT group, therefore significant; in the low AUDIT group no significance was found. Additionally, no evidence is provi ded in the interference habituated amongst the three groups. A study of Stetter, Ackermann, Scherer, Schmid, Straube, and Mann (1994) demonstrated whether alcoholics develop an information processing bias towards disease-related stimuli, the results indicated an increase of error amongst alcoholics when presented with the disease-related stimuli compared to the neutral conditions, and controls. A further study Stetter, Ackemann, Bizer, Straube, and Mann (1995) by testing their hypothesis that alcoholics develop a disease-related attentional bias, with 40 male alcohol-dependent, and 40 male healthy, and used the Stroop colour-naming task, the results showed alcoholic inpatients performed significantly poorer than the control group under the critical experimental condition (colour-naming of disease-related words), as compared with the non-critical condition (colour-naming of neutral words; p = 0.03), no effects were found on the reaction times. A study of Johnsen, Laberg, Cox, Vaksdal, and Hugdahl, (1994) conducted in Norway demonstrated attentional bias in the processing of alcohol-related words on alcoholic subjects, using the Stroop colour and word test, the results indicate the alcoholics respond slowly on all categories, more so on alcohol-related words compared to the control group, and both groups responded slowly to colour interfering words than neutral words, the findings suggests that the alcoholic subjects allocated their attention to alcohol-related words, therefore allowing their cognitive processes take over making it impossible to ignore the alcohol-related words. Method Participants The participants were recruited the students at London South Bank University. There will be 170 participants in total, 34 males (17-moderate and 14-light drinkers) and 139 females (68 moderate and 71-light drinkers), and all the participants were adults aged 18years plus. Apparatus All participants were asked to complete the tasks on a computer (PC), and the same apparatus was used to store data, and later analyse the data collected. Design The Stroop task method is used and the two-way ANOVA test will be used to analyse data (2 X 2 Mixed subject design). There are two independent variables i) Group (light vs. moderate alcohol drinkers) ii) Word Type (neutral vs. alcohol-related words), and the dependent variable is the reaction time to identifying the colour the word is presented in. In order to verify differences that may occur, the between group and within group will be looked at in more depth. Procedure In this study, the following was explained. Each participant was asked to follow the instructions provided on the screen. Labels were placed on the buttons on the keyboard for each subject to make their responses. There are two set type of words (alcohol-related words and neutral words). The participants were required to complete a serious of trials in responding to the colour of the ink that the word is written in (BLUE, RED, YELLOW, and GREEN) and (VODKIA, J.DANIELS, GIN, and BEER) rather than word. Part of the instruction was that they must complete each trail as quickly and accurately as possible, as their reaction time would be recorded Results The results of the 2 x 2 ANOVA was used to analyse the data. The effects of word type (alcohol-related words and neutral words) f = (1,168) 140.16, p = (moderate drinkers and light drinkers) f = (1,168) 26.68, p = . Neutral Word Alcohol Word Main Effect of Drinking Type Light 840.00 mean score (34.28) sd 870.52 mean score (28.51) sd 855.26 mean score (31.66) sd Moderate 849.91 mean score (28.86) sd 892.67 mean score (21.26) sd 871.29 mean score (24.73) sd Main Effect of Word Type 845.01 mean score (31.95) sd 881.73 mean score (27.39) sd Discussion For this study the hypotheses do support, in other words significance was found. The literature of the prior studies using the Stroop paradigm with alcohol-related stimuli has a number of fundamental methodological problems. According to Sharma, Albery, and Cook (2001) the first problem identified is that the multitude of different variables that could potentially be manipulated giving a totally different set of results. It therefore becomes apparent that one needs to be very clear on exactly what the variables are and what exactly the researcher wants to achieve. Another problem identified is that of the actual format administered. Again, many issues may arise regarding the way in which the test is formatted. If the format is changed, will the result change along with it? As more development is completed in this area of study on alcohol addiction, the researcher no doubt will see that, the variables and the modes of administration discussed above will have a huge effect on the study. For example, one set of results could construct stronger effects than others, and that the other probable central variables make no difference at all to the outcome. The researcher should also take into account that however, a task is administered to the participants is bound to have both advantages and disadvantages, and can be improved upon. This does not mean that one way is better than the other. It just means that the researcher needs to be aware of this and choose a methodology that best works for them. Choosing the correct methodology in any study therefore can be just as important as the actual study itself. What becomes apparent is that there is no particular way of carrying out a study. Either way studies will carry certain advantages and disadvantages. One particular study related to our discussion was the single-word presentation of the Stroop stimuli. In this case, the stimuli were given in card format. One card had all the needed stimuli for alcohol -related words while the other had neutral words. The time taken by each subject to colour name the words on the first card compared to the second was recorded. In other words, recorded reaction time. This format, although used on many studies, comes with its limitations. Evidence obtained concludes that it is difficult to accurately measure the response time by the individuals and that the process evolved is very time consuming and involves a lot of calculations. In other words this type of format may be seen as being time consuming and tedious for the researcher to carry out. Its not all bad however, the card format can have an advantage in that it ‘produces stronger interference effects (e.g. McNally, Amir and Lipke, 1996; Williams et al., 1996), presumably because it provi des a semantic network of words in a given category (Sharma, et al 2001). In addition, the individuals words recorded in terms of its reaction time are not used with any presentation mode, as each participants reaction times to each category of stimuli are averaged prior to statistical analysis. Other objections to the use of card presented stimuli were that the total time measured included both correct and incorrect responses. Previous research shows that the amount of trials where errors occurred is in fact rare and equivalent for different categories of stimuli. Furthermore, studies by Stetter et al also seem to agree. His study shows that card format stimuli does not allow for the measurement of time-cause of alcohol attentional bias. For instance, with these card presentations one would not know if the strongest bias occurred for alcohol words presented earlier and then the bias attenuated. An attempt to rectify this issue was to assess participants habituation to the stimuli across time. This was achieved by observing how reaction times to the alcohol and neutral stimuli changed during the course of the experiment. In relation to Johnsen et al studies, it was criticized in many aspects such as, the word types not being matched on the frequency. Additionally being assured in using two words alcohol-related words, for example ‘liquor store; ‘red wine. (Sharma, et al 2001).However, Johnsen et al stated clearly that since the studies were carried out in Norway, the words were obviously translated in Norwegian ‘vinmonopol = liquor store, and ‘rodvin = red wine, and as you can see, when translated its single words. Further criticisms were put forward to why the participants were asked to press the key response button; and call out the name of the colour. Sharma et al study contained a number of problems. Firstly, the neutral words were long to a given category (environmental features), which affects the reaction times. Secondly, the number of neutral words being associated closely to the four ink colours (e.g. blue, red, brown, green), also how these colours were closely link ed to the words (e.g. blue sky, green grass). Also concerns were put forward on the manner of design (e.g. low, middle, and high) drinking groups. Lastly, problems occurred with the problem drinkers, who may have resolved their alcohol problems being placed amongst the heavier drinkers. To conclude, there are two opposing thoughts with the methodology used; one that the Stroop paradigm is highly objective, valid and reliable, and the other that some are not worthy of inclusion. Many researchers are continuing to offer theoretical explanations to account for the Stroop paradigm, and still trying to make sense on how it could be adapted to be more advanced in being improved. References Algom, D., Chajut, E., Lev, S. (2004). JourA Rational Look at the Emotional Stroop Phenomenon: A Generic Slowdown, Not a Stroop Effect. nal of Experimental Psychology General. 133 (3), 323-338. Duka, T., Townshend, J. M. (2004). The priming effect of alcohol pre-load on attentional bias to alcohol-related stimuli. Psychopharmacology. 176 (3), 353. Johnsen, B. H., Laberg, J. C., Cox, W. M., Vaksdal, A. (1994). Alcoholic Subjects Attentional Bias in the Processing of Alcohol-Related Words. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors : Journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors. 8 (2), 111. Sharma, D., Albery, I., Cook, C. (2001). Selective attentional bias to alcohol related stimuli in problem drinkers and non-problem drinkers. Addiction. 96 (2), 285-295. Sharma, D., Albery, I.P., Cook, C. (2001) .Selective attentional bias to alcohol- related stimuli in problem drinkers and non-problem drinkers, Addiction, 96, 1261-1265. Stetter F, Ackermann K, Scherer E, Schmid H, Straube ER, Mann K. (1994). Distraction resulting from disease related words in alcohol-dependent inpatients: a controlled dichotic listening study. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience. 244 (4), 223-5. Stetter F, Ackermann K, Bizer A, Straube ER, Mann K. (1995). Effects of disease-related cues in alcoholic inpatients: results of a controlled Alcohol Stroop study. Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research. 19 (3), 593-9. Townshend, J. M., Duka, T. (2001). Attentional bias associated with alcohol cues: differences between heavy and occasional social drinkers. Psychopharmacology. 157 (1), 67.

To Kill A Mocking Bird : Children Are What They Learn (grade 10 Essay :: essays research papers fc

Children are often influenced by adults in their life. Children often receive advice and encouragement from their parents or adult figures. In Haper Lee's novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus Finch helps, his daughter, Scout deal with situations, causing her to become a mature, open-minded individual. Scout learns about courage when Atticus sends her and Jem to read to Mrs. Dubose everyday. Scout learns to fight with her heads instead of her fists when Atticus is defending Tom Robinson. Scout finally learns what Atticus means when he says that you can't understand a person until you walk around in their skin. Atticus' influence shows in Scout accompanying Jem to Mrs. Dubose's. First, Scout learns about courage from Atticus. One can see this when Atticus sends her and Jem to read to Mrs. Dubose as a punishment for destroying her garden. Scout at first does not realize the courage Mrs. Dubose has. She thinks that she is just an angry, bitter old woman. Through going with Jem each day to her house, Scout finally discovers how courageous Mrs. Dubose is. One can see this when Atticus says, "‘I wanted you to see something about her – I wanted you to see what real courage is instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what'" (116). This quote clearly shows that Scout learns about courage through the influence of Atticus, as well as Mrs. Dubose. It shows that Atticus does his best to steer his children in the right direction so they will mature into kind, loving people. Atticus also influences Scout when he a sks her to fight with her head. Second, Scout learns how to fight with her head. One can see this when Atticus is talking to her about the Tom Robinson trail. He tells her that several people in the town will say mean things about him, and that instead of attacking them, or fighting them, Scout should ignore them. He tells her to hold her head up high. One can see this when Scout says, "Somehow, if I fought Cecil I would let Atticus down. Atticus so rarely asked Jem and me to do something for him, I could take being called a coward for him" (81). This quote illustrates that because of Atticus, Scout chose not to fight.

The Brownfield Problem Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Brownfield Problem Brownfields are abandoned, idled, or under-used industrial and commercial sites where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real, or perceived environmental contamination that can add cost, time, and uncertainty to the redevelopment process. Throughout the country there are an estimated 450,000 brownfields. These vacant properties exist mostly in cities, serving no practical purpose, and act as both eyesores and environmental as well as economic pitfalls. The inner cities, where most brownfields exist, were once the only choice developers had in deciding where to build industry. However, since the birth of environmental laws and regulation, the redevelopment of these properties has become a complicated and often very costly procedure. This procedure causes many businesses and corporations to look outside of the inner cities and urban areas for locations to grow and develop. This trend not only leaves the inner cities vacant and economically useless, but also leads to urba n sprawl, a phenomenon that leads to the development of greenfields, or the pristine, undeveloped land outside the confines of massive urban areas. Many sites across the country that were once used for industrial, and/or, commercial use have been abandoned by the companies who used them. Some of these sites are contaminated; however, some of them are merely perceived as being contaminated. In those cases, the sites have been linked to big industry, or nearby sites. In the past, any such site has been avoided or ignored as a possibility for redevelopment. This situation is caused largely by federal and state environmental laws and court decisions that impose or imply potentially serious liability. The circumstances surrounding this uncertain liability has encouraged businesses to build in previously undeveloped and non-urban areas, that are referred to as greenfields, where they are confident that no previous industry has been active. A report from the General Accounting Office finds that: "As states and localities attempt to redevelop their abandoned industrial sites, they have faced a number of obstacles, including th e possibility of contamination and the associated liability for cleanup." This situation has lead to a number of far-reaching problems including social, economic, and enviro... ...ization to determine the extent of environmental contamination and the cost of removal or remediation. Then, funds should be set aside either from the Superfund Trust Fund or general revenues to provide resources to local governments to develop brownfield site inventories, site assessments, and brownfield redevelopment strategies, the main goal of which would be to attract private investment. EPA should expand their Brownfields Initiative to include funds for preparation and implementation of brownfield redevelopment strategies. Federal funds should be made available for the creation and capitalization of local revolving loan funds for local governments or the private sector to perform activities such as removal, remediation, and small business development at brownfield sites. HUD should provide resources to accelerate actual development, through leveraging private sector investment and other means, to move beyond cleanup and remediation. All agencies need to find ways to assist by providing resources that will aid in the redevelopment of brownfield sites. Bibliography: EPA Homepage Brownfields Inc. Homepage Chicago Tribune; 3,1:2, May 30, 1996. Urban Land; Vol. 55, #6, pg 43.

Christian Teens :: essays research papers fc

Teens reflect a culture all of their own within American society. The language that they speak, music that they listen to, and many aspects of their lives differ from that of past generations (Linehan 3). Therefore, many people of older generations tend to make judgments and assumptions about teenagers. These assumptions are typically based on the manner in which teenagers speak, dress, and present themselves. Because of these generalizations, faith of many teens is commonly overlooked. In a society where violence seems to be accepted and many teens are lost about who they are, faith can be the one bond interlinking a group of many. Despite occurrences such as the shootings April 20, 1999 at Columbine High School, and other negative aspects surrounding teenagers’ lives, there are still many young people involved and/or seeking a life with faith in Christ. Although there are many instances of violence and hate in society today, one that shocked the nation more than most was the massacre at Columbine High School. Some people say that the boys’ families caused them to kill, some say it was other students, however there was also another ingredient... a lack of faith in their lives (Grace and Mitchell 58). In a world where many teenagers are surrounded by things such as materialism and discrimination many have the strength to maintain a spiritual life. However Klebold and Harris, the shooters at Columbine High School, had a loss of a sense of sin. They killed innocent people, one of whom was Cassie Bernall, a devout Christian. When a Columbine gunman asked Cassie Bernall if she believed in God, she allegedly replied, â€Å"Yes, and you should too.† Moments after hearing this reply, one of the gunmen put the gun to he head and took her life. Such a strong testament of her faith in Christ cost young Bernall her life (58). Because of this strong commitment, many consider Bernall a martyr of sorts, and say that she is a testament to their own faith (Grace and Mitchell 58). Many teens and younger youth have been greatly influenced by Bernall’s decision to stand up for her beliefs, this is a large encouragement to teens everywhere, especially because we live in a society where teens’ identifies are greatly challenged (59). Susan Teran is one student to whom Bernall’s act spoke out to. â€Å"If there were a shooter in my school,† says Teran, â€Å"I’d volunteer to sacrifice my life.

Critically discuss an established marketing theory Essay

Customer expectations are increasing because of the increasing choices from a wider range of consumption. Nowadays, customers do not just buy clothes from a boutique, but also large retail stores, web stores or even mobile phone shopping apps. Claes Fornell International states, â€Å"the multiple channel models focus on providing information, purchase or fulfillment orders, after-sale servicing and technical support† (CFI Group, 2006). There are many considerations that customers may make when they repurchase: Past experience, convenience, service, price, product features, company image, and the recommendations of others. These considerations are determined by the way that companies integrate initial purchases and problem resolution in a multi-channel environment. Marketing mix originally had 12 elements which were defined by Broden (1965). Thy are product planning, pricing, branding, channels distribution, personal selling, advertising, promotions, packaging, display, servicing, physical handling, and fact finding and analysis. McCarthy (1964) afterwards redefined the marketing mix based on the idea of Borden. He combined Borden’s 12 marketing mix elements to the four new elements: product, price, place and promotion, also called the 4Ps. McCarthy suggested they are combination of all of the factors at a marketing manager’s command to satisfy the target market. Therefore, the 4Ps concept is now the most common way in defining marketing mix. It is something that companies need to consider in order to market a product or service, they also provide a guideline for the companies to achieve a successful marketing campaign. The 4Ps are designed to analysis the needs and wants of customers, in order to satisfy them and therefore attract more customers and sales. Each element of the 4Ps plays an important role in fulfilling the satisfaction of customers and these roles change with the changing environment of the marketplace. This essay will be covering the concept of 4Ps and also how this concept is applied in the current multi-channel marketplace. The first p Product is the most important thing in an organization. Baines, Fill and Page (2011) define â€Å"Anything that can be offered for use and consumption, in exchange for money or some other form of value, is referred to as a product†. It might be tangible or intangible. As mentioned in the first paragraph, customers think a lot before they purchase, they do not just buy a product for the function of a product, but many other elements as well. So, product can be divided into 3 different forms in order to understand the elements, which are core, embodied and the augmented forms. Core product consists of the benefit or satisfaction that a customer expects from purchasing a product or service. The benefit can be in terms of either functional or emotional. Embodied product takes account into the physical benefit of a product such as the features, durability, design, packaging and brand name. Augmented product consists of the embodied product and also the other factors affecting the purchase activity. The second p is price. It is described as the amount a customer pays in exchange for goods and services. This is another crucial thing to a company, as price determines the money it earns through setting the prices of products. Companies have different pricing strategies in order to satisfy their target customers, setting a price for a product is difficult to a company. If the price is too high customers may not be able or willing to purchase whereas a very low price may make the customers think that the product are in very low quality therefore refuse to purchase. How should price be set depends heavily on the product itself and this relates to the expectations of the customers about the product. Not only the quality of the product but also other factors such as features of the product, the packaging and some other psychosocial expectations determine the price of a product. Place is the next p, it can also be called distribution. Baines, Fill and Page (2011) define this â€Å"Place or distribution concerns how to place the optimum amount of goods and/or services before the maximum number of a target market at the times and locations they want.† It focuses on the availability of the product at the desired place and time. Places can be in many kinds such as physical stores like departmental stores and supermarkets. It can also be in virtual form such as e-malls and e-market.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Distribution activities are vital element in creating customer value. A product will provide customer value and satisfaction only if it is available to the customer when and where it is needed, and in the appropriate quality† (Douglas, James, and Ellram, 1998). The delivery of a product is important as it affects customer’s satisfaction and the evaluations over the quality of the service. Therefore companies need to think and manage well enough of the way s of distributing their products or services and here are some crucial factors of delivering goods: speed of the delivery, availability, range of choices, level of convenience and also after sale services. Lastly is promotion, it is also called marketing communication. Baines, Fill and Page (2011) state, â€Å"It is used to communicate elements of an organization’s offering to a target audience. This offer might refer to a product, a service, or the organization itself as it tries to build its reputation.† There are four promoting methods that companies commonly use, which are advertising, public relation, sales promotion and personal selling. Also today, promoting through Internet is the most popular way as it is cheap and effective, with the rapid development in technology and the increasing amount of access to the Internet. Since the purpose of promotion is to increase customers’ awareness to a product, companies usually begin to promote before a particular product is actually launched into the market. However, the volume of promotion depends on the finance of a company. A company with cash flow or other financial problems may find it difficult to implement prom otion activities due to costs. The marketing mix 4Ps models seem to be a very effective marketing strategy as it gives guidelines to companies of how to market a product or service. However many studies have criticised the 4ps concept as not being customer oriented. Today’s marketplace is customer oriented, companies should do everything in the favor of customers. Therefore, the original 4Ps marketing mix model defined by E McCarthy that is claimed to be product-oriented should be adjusted. Lauterborn (1990) suggests that the 4ps elements should be considered in the customer’s perspective, through converting the 4Ps to 4Cs, which is from product to customer solution, price to cost of customer, place to convenience, and promotion to communication. Mà ¶ller (2006)  criticised the 4Ps marketing mix in 4 areas: Internal orientation, lack of consumer interactivity, void of theoretical content and does not offer help for personification of marketing activities. The mix does not take into account the element of service marketing, it also ignores the relationship building with the customers. The idea of the marketing mix has implied the central element as marketers but this is not correct. ‘Customer-focused management’ should be the core of marketing. So nowadays in the marketplace, companies focus heavily on the ways of engaging with customers, by offering good customer services and provide the best buying experience to the customers. It is no longer just focus on the product itself. Apple’s product like iphone and Macbook are designed fashionable together with newest technology and good functions. However the company also pays huge effort in serving the customers, the features and functions of the product are not the only concerns. Well-designed Apple stores and massive amount of staff in each store provide a good atmosphere for the customers when they are making purchases. This provides memorable buying experience to the customers and therefore huge amount of sales can be generated. In the side of promotion, companies no longer promote their products by emphasising the features of the product but to engage with the customers. Many organisations use social network sites such as Facebook and Twitter as their promotion platform. Pages are created and the purpose of that is to interact with the customers. They tend to build relationships with customers through updating company’s status frequently and also observation from the customers’ activities. The TV adverts of the iphone now focus more on how it gets involved in customers’ daily life. It does not just mention the functions of the phone but highlight the way that iphone improves our life. Besides, there are also significant changes of the distribution of products under the multi-channel market place. More customers now make their purchase online instead of in store. This is because of the rapid development of technology and the increased popularity of online shopping, and it is convenience as well. This change has caused huge impact on the retailing industry. Increasing numbers of customers download movies and songs from the  Internet or iTunes Store, this made companies such as Blockbuster and HMV suffers, causing them to close stores and cut the number of staff. The use of marketing mix of a company depends on many factors, such as the finance of the company, the resources available and also the changing condition of the market and customer’s wants. The 4Ps are closely related, one change of one of the Ps has direct effect on the others. Companies need to pay huge attention to the current market with rapid changes, in order to make adjustments to their marketing mix. The 4Ps marketing mix, has been criticised by different studies in terms of its limitations to the current consumer-oriented market. However, despite the limitations, this concept still remains strong because of its simplicity. The majority of the marketing textbooks still define marketing mix with the component of the 4Ps. Companies still manage their marketing mix on the basis of this concept, perhaps with little variations according to the market condition. It is better for people to learn the 4Ps concept of marketing mix even though the concept might not fit into today’s marketplace, as it is relevant and it provides a clear guideline. Although there are many new marketing approaches and frameworks that have been suggested by different studies, these findings still cannot be agreed in the real business life as they are just raised theoretically but not empirically. This is because there is still a lack of data about how practitioners make use of the marketing mix to tackle the marketing problems, there is also a lack of effects of the 4Ps components on the success or failure of marketing programmes (E. Constantinides 2006). However, it is still preferable for the companies to consider improving the limitations of the 4Ps framework by taking account into the other suggested approaches that are focusing more on the customer side, given that the frequently changing of the customer behavior and wants. References E. Constantinides (2006) ‘The Marketing Mix Revisited: Towards the 21st Century Marketing’, Journal of Marketing Management, 22:3-4, 407-438 (Online), Available: http://dx.doi.org/10.1362/026725706776861190 (Accessed: 28 November 2013) Russ Merz, Ph.D. (2006) Customer-Focused Strategies in the Multi-Channel Marketplace, (Online), Available: http://www.vigilmetrics.com/Resources/Articles/CFI-Multi-Channel-Strategy.pdf (Accessed: 28 November 2013) Marketing Mix – 7P’s That Defines The Meaning Of The Marketing Mix, (Online), (2013) Available: http://marketingmix.co.uk/definition/ (Accessed: 28 November 2013) Chai Lee Goi (2009), ‘A Review of Marketing Mix: 4Ps or More?’, international journal of marketing studies, (Online), Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 1-14. Available: www.ccsenet.org/journal.html (Accessed: 29 November 2013) Baines, Fill and Page (2011), Marketing, 2nd ed., United States, Oxford University Press Borden, N.H. (1964), â€Å"The concept of the Marketing Mix†, Journal of Advertising Research, June, pp 2-7. . McCarthy, E.J. (1964), Basic Marketing, a Managerial Approach, Homewood, Ill.: Richard D. Irwin, Inc.. Lauterborn, B. (1990). New Marketing Litany: Four Ps Passà ©: C-Words Take Over. Advertising Age, 61(41), 26.

Ex-convicts Re-entry into the Society Essay

The society treats the ex convicts with unfairness and injustice that they do not deserve. As much as they are responsible for all the deeds they do, the American society is not sorry for this treatment. It is envisaged that the purpose of any prison facility in the world is to correct the deviant behavior in a person in order to prepare the successful re-entry to the society a reformed person. However, this is does not seem to be the case for American ex-convicts in the 21st century. The ex-convict today is the neighborhood next door who we see daily and sometimes we have a relationship. The realization that one is a convict proves an insurmountable task to the individual to prove that he or she is a reformed person but the laws and policies do not recognize this. The biggest question that begs for an answer is why it is so such a serious matter? What is to be blamed or who is to be held culprit? Do we need a reformation of the current policies concerning life after prison? This research will concern on the reasons why ex-prisoners are not fully integrated back into the society even after prison and the factors lying behind such treatment from the society. The American prison today The concern lies on whether the prison today is doing the right work to bring the traits and qualities desired in the modern society in convicted persons. In America today, for one to achieve in life, education forms the most counting factor. It therefore means that securing a good job requires higher education while low education only warrants low and often stressful jobs. Prison statistics shows that about 75% of inmates did not complete high school and hence they lack the high school degree. In addition, there is an increase in the number of inmates who do not have high school diploma which means that an increase in crime is related to low education. This information means that for such convicts to be suited well in the society, one of the requirements in the prison is to offer education as the rehabilitative program. This ensures that recidivism is reduced by providing the required solution. Nevertheless, the prisons strategies of correcting the convict are different and emphasize on harsh and negative treatment. This deviates from the main purpose of prison. The Prison Commission on â€Å"Confronting Confinement† by Gibbons and Katzenbach (2006) report shows that, most of the prisons in America use excessive force in treating the inmates. The big picture is that the prison guards are just brutal enough to cause break of the heart even the hardiest of them. Bearing in mind that most of the inmates are convicted of rape, crime, robbery with violence, murder and drug abuse, the question of brutal and tough treatment does not make sense. This kind of correcting is opposite the logic of the actual reason of imprisonment. It only leads to a hardened ex-convict who feels that the society is against him or her. In fact, the situation in the prisons worsens the state of affairs. The â€Å"Prison nightmare† by Deparle (2007) clearly shows that the prison is a hell of a place that requires intervention from the state and the public. The life in prison is deplorable; conditions are inhumane, unhealthy, unproductive and violent. This really affects the staff and the inmates themselves due to the unending trauma and stress. The unfair treatment of inmates discriminating between race and class and the type of offence, makes the prison to be the devil rather than the savior to the community. The community must be protected from rogue persons who are not capable of maintaining the dogmas of the society. It is in this light that the prison must be seen as a failed system in our society. The rehabilitation programs like educational programs, drug rehabilitation and counseling programs were terminated in the twentieth century despite the increase in the population of prisons. Therefore, the fact is that most of the ex-convicts come back into the society to seek revenge armed wit nothing but hardness, pain, stress, trauma, mental disability and thus do not fit back in the society. The ex-convict life and its challenges It is clear now that the prison facilities are not living to their dreams as set to do by the constitution. The number of ex-convict is high today in comparison to the earlier centuries. The alarming news behind this large number is that they passed through the prison that we have already seen needs to do reforms, from the staff to the policies governing the correction and treatment of convicts. The persons with prison experience, due to lack of effective corrective measures, pose a threat to the community since they deviate more than the initial stage. In addition, most of the ex-convicts convicted of crime and drug are suffering from HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and other communicable diseases which is an alarm to security due the attitudes of most of these ex- convicts. On the other hand, after prison, life is no better for most of them due to low education, drugs and restrictive laws and policies. The society does not really accept them back and thus re-entry and acceptance makes life hard. This leads to the rise of recidivism and increased rate of crime from the same ex-prisoners. The first of these injustices is restriction from voting known as felon disenfranchisement. This law date back to the founding years of America claiming the ‘spotlessness of the poll box’ in 1884 (Manza & Uggen, 2006). The argument was that, felons could use their votes unlawfully to corrupt the ballot box and that since already they have first violated the social contract, then they can also corrupt the franchise responsibility. The view of this time was the ‘excellent government’ meaning that all issues that seemed or were perceived to avert such causes, all measures would be placed to avoid that (Manza & Uggen, 2006). For the past years, this issue has not been much debated upon or given enough light until the twentieth century when it caused a major stir in 1998. Human rights watch revealed that 4 million people were locked out of voting and they were concerned that this could affect any election. Close monitoring by Uggen and Manza (2006) reveals a note of origination in discriminating against the blacks. The notion that blacks were the most felony convicted race due to poverty hence the likelihood was that they committed most crimes. This is strongly supported by the discrimination of the black man up to the twentieth century. The lack of access to employment is another major challenge that ex-convicts face in their journey towards re-entry and full rehabilitation into the society. Hull and Conyers Jr. in their book say that, two thirds of ex-convicts end up behind bars again within three years of release. The employers are keen on background checks meant to lock out the job seekers with felony conviction. There is no law that expressly prohibits ex-convicts from getting employment but the many bans across the board violate the civil rights act of 1964 as indicated by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. This reveals that, to solve this problem, one has to seek redress from the state law. Major tribunals have allowed employers to disqualify job seekers with felony conviction if it is related to the job being sought. Where corruption seems plausible, the background check proves crucial, and therefore any record of conviction disqualifies the person. Restrictions on occupational licensing is a major setback to the ex convicts life after prison. The fact that even setting up an own work is prohibited means that the government wastes money for the upkeep of prisoners in jail. It negates the logic why a person from a correction and rehabilitation center does not fit into the society. The lack of employment and the despair from job turning down by prospective employer causes recidivism (Hull & Conyers, 2006). This opposes the principles of fairness and justice if people cannot be treated fairly in matters of public or private. The democracy of a people involves giving equal chances to all without any prejudice. This is not the case for the ex-convict when it comes to search of funds for higher education when compared to other students. The Higher Education Act of 1965 is meant to aid needy and poor students with funds to acquire college education. However, the amendment by Congress in 1998 denies ex-convict of drug abuse the right to seek these funds for college education. In addition, under federal law, drug convict means that one cannot qualify for ‘Hope Credit’ leading to high number of students denied access to financial aid (Hull et al. , 2006). Helping the ex-convicts find back their lives and enjoy the full benefits of a citizen needs changing the status quo especially in the laws. The social welfare challenge is also another part that requires check up to give the ex-convicts a sense of belonging and their importance to the society. According to Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1956, ex-convicts who had been charged with drug possession are entitled to no temporary assistance for needy families, social safekeeping, Medicare, food aid and other health benefits. This infringes on the ex-convicts efforts to be best fit in the society. Ex-convicts feel that the social welfare part of their lives is curtailed which is equivalent to punishment which goes to great pains since it takes long to be paroled. The question whether ex-convicts can hold public office lies greatly to state and constitutional law. The constitutional law doe not bar ex-convict from holding a public office because of the malice that can arise if a president does not need a challenge from and opposing team. Despite this, the state law on the other hand bars a felony convict from holding or running for a public office. The fact is that the restriction of the ex-convict from holding public offices is much humiliating especially for people who are convicted while serving in public offices. Furthermore, most of the information about conviction is readily available to the public today especially on the internet. This is very restrictive and poses as a challenge to most of the ex convicts who are charged with minor felony. This also applies to ex-convicts who have not despaired and are determined to reclaim their lives back in the society after imprisonment. It is therefore stressful for them to find that their efforts are interrupted by the laws of the country and thus they question the principle of democracy. In this light, the function of the prison as a corrective and rehabilitative facility is questioned and the government spending on prison is ridiculed. Aside from ex-offenders being barred from holding public office, parenthood forms an insurmountable challenge to them. Besides family reunion being eventful and complicated, the 1997 Adoption and Safe Families Act require that parents abdicate parenthood if they do not spend 15 months with them. The imprisonment term average is 18 months implicating that family break up is real for those ex-convicts who are jailed for years. These are the challenges that can result to more crimes leading to a cycle of the same which means that recidivism is no near to ending. With this kind of a prison system, it means more problems will be created. On the other hand, the society’s reception and treatment of the ex-convict warrants a checkup and change to avoid punishing the ex convict (Thompson, 2008). Research shows that foster care after family break up leads to high cases of juvenile delinquency which dovetails to crime. This can only be interpreted that the protection of the community by these laws and policies provides an avenue for the next future generation of offenders. The issue of parenting is complicated and hurting when it is disconnected either to the father or mother, it is the most unique experience. Therefore, this law punishes the parents all their lives not to add that most are poor. It is an excusable path to mental anguish, stress and trauma to such ex-convicts citizens in this country. The issue of acquiring secure housing is just another restrictive issue concerning the affairs of ex-convict’s re-entry to the society. The local, federal and the state laws have three categories on barriers upon ex-convicts, the absolute statutory exclusions, denying and termination of housing for substance abuse and one strike you are out. The first concerns those instances that an ex-convict manufactures substance or has been convicted of sex offence. It means that the ex-convict is banned out for life on public houses. Secondly, if the ex convict is still using substances illegally and the third involves a case where an individual is denied admission due to activity of crime or substance abuse which might lead to disruption of other house occupants just slightly before occupying the house. These laws under PHA are directed by the Housing Opportunity Act destabilize the lives of ex-convicts who have so much to correct for their successful re-entry into the society. The changing wind When ex convicts experience a difficult and often barring life influenced by the laws and policies, they feel frustrated and rejected. The fact that one is expected to display good conduct to pay for health services, cater for the family despite having no job is overwhelming. These situations places the ex-convicts between a hard place and a rock and thus chances of getting back to crime or illegal substance abuse are imminent. The questions of giving the ex-convicts a second chance have arisen due the increased amount of people with felony records. The political, social and economic consequences related to the re-entry of ex-convicts into the society reveal high costs and disadvantages. The society is exposed to disrupted morals due to drug abuse culture. The lack of family role models and parents to guide the life of young people is an indication of a falling society. A community where most of the people are ex-convicts and majority fall under the category of those counted poor means that drug abuse, crime, increase in communicable diseases and unemployment can be the order of the day leading to recidivism. Today, this is the question that concerns the country’s change of policies at the twenty-first century. Despite other issues concerning war, terror and relations with other countries, America is faced by internal issues like these. Other countries like European countries have strategies to make sure that their prisons and justice department balance the whole picture for the benefit of all and maintain the best secure free society (Petersilia, 2000). Today, the stigmatization and citizen resistance to support ex-offenders is waning due to the introduction of productive restorative community justice approach that is meant to bring all people to work together for the benefit of the whole. The re-entry of ex-offenders to the society is a complicated issue that requires serious planning and change of policies. Looking for possible solutions to reintegration needs a change of the public attitude towards ex-convicts (Levinson, 2002). The message is that, the situation is not hopeless; America has not lost the battle what we need is changing the past and embracing the present for the well being of our future. Religious leaders, some politicians, organizations, radio talk shows and the general public have taken an active role in talking about the issue of prisons and ex convict’s lives. The fact that they are citizens just like any other has seen the rise of talks all over for their clearance in the eyes of the public. Although some of the politicians do not want to hear this, the campaign is rife and is gaining momentum. The century is turning tides to those who still hold bad attitudes towards ex-convicts. To support an ex-convict was a liability before but for today as Delgado puts it, it’s a launching pad for people with political ambitions. The conditions of deterioration of policies of prison and aggravation of issues pertaining ex-convicts have touched on the politics of the Republican Party hence a win to the Democrats. The meting out of harsh policies and stiff laws does not offer any solutions; instead it creates more problems to the society. The ex-convicts form a convict bloc that has connections to the high echelons of power and class and they form a formidable force which is capable of swaying the outcome of any election. In addition, the speaking out against corrupt policies held in prisons and courtrooms has brought justice to others who are convicted for fair hearings (Delgado, 2007).