Better Communication Essay

Effective communication is the key in the health care critical for health care professionals. The key foundation of any coworkers is being able to communicate clearly. With the help of effective communication people are able to define and understand goals and shear and receive the information better. When there is a lack of communication in the health care industry it can cause a poor medical care and mistakes in patent’s medical history. Therefor; clarity is a must in the health care industry. Active listening is also a part of better communication skills. The supportive and defensive communication is everywhere and lasting. In the health care environment supportive communication is appropriate then defensive communication. Supportive communication expresses encouragement and understanding when communicating with others while during defensive communication the individual feels defended, anxious or threatened. During communication as a individual becomes defensive they are les s able to recognize the values and senders emotions Interpersonal communication is the interaction between two or more people. Good interpersonal communication skills are essential in the creation and maintenance of relationships with others. Dwyer (2009, p.62) explains that ‘in any context, our relationships are built through our interpersonal communication.’ Self concept, emotional intelligence, assertive behaviour, empathy and the ability to actively listen and provide feedback are all desirable interpersonal communication tools considered necessary to maintain relationships and aid in conflict resolution. Dwyer (2009, p. 152) states that ‘Conflict arises when needs are not met. Those needs can be physical, financial, social, educational, intellectual, recreational or spiritual, tangible or intangible. However, even in a situation of conflict, it is possible, by finding areas of common ground, to remove some of the differences and to emphasise the similarities while tackling the conflict and working towards the solution’. Good interpersonal communication skills help to create an understanding between persons in conflict whereby they can make common ground and have a better understanding of whe re the other party is coming from. Dwyer (2009, p. 175) explains that ‘Conflict expressed and addressed in ways that respect relationships and consider as many needs as possible is positive and constructive’. In order to achieve common ground, emphasise similarities and work towards conflict solutions, the communication climate must be positive and both parties must be willing to resolve the issue. The role of Interpersonal Communication in Conflict Resolution In order to communicate effectively with others a sound understanding of your own self concept is required. Self concept can be described as your â€Å"self image†, it is the mental picture that you have of yourself. Yahaya, Azizi, Ramli and Jamaludin (2009) explain that ‘Self-concept refers to the totality of a complex, organized, and dynamic system of†¦ Interpersonal communication is defined by Brooks and Heath (1993) as â€Å"the process by which information, meanings and feelings are shared by persons through the exchange of v erbal and nonverbal messages (as cited in Dickson and Hargie, 2003, p.1). In order to demonstrate my understanding of effective and non-effective communication skills I have chosen to analyse a dialogue between a seasoned policeman and a hardened criminal taken from the movie Heat. It is deep and meaningful interaction between two adversaries. After much deliberation I have narrowed down my analysis to the use of rapport building, self-disclosure and empathy, verbally and non-verbally. I will also attempt to identify the barriers to communication in this dialogue and explore the reasons why these skills were used ineffectively, and suggest how they could have been improved upon. Rapport-building is defined by Robbins (1986, p. 207, as cited in Study Guide) as ‘the ability to enter someone else’s world, to make him feel that you understand him, that you have a strong common bond’ I think it is at the very core of effective interpersonal communication because it ‘is one of the most important features or characteristics of unconscious human interaction’ and without it the purpose of the interaction cannot be achieved. It is ‘commonality of perspective, being in â€Å"sync†, being on the same â€Å"wavelength† as the person with whom you are talking’ (http://www.inspirationalsolutions-lp.co.uk/theimportanceofrapport.pdf). Following that line of thinking it is essential to establish rapport as soon as possible in a didactic interpersonal conversation, whatever the purpose of the discussion is – to learn, to relate, to play or to help (De Vito, p.80). The very first sentence that Hanna says demonstrates an attempt to establish rapport â€Å"Howya doing?† (he does not wait for an answer and continues talking) â€Å"Whaddaya say I buy you a cup of coffee?†. He is wearing casual jeans and a white sweatshirt. First and foremost, congratulations of your engagement. I am very excited that you chose to reach out to me for advice in understanding interpersonal communication with each other before you get married. After taking classes for interpersonal communication Nicholas Epley explained the differences this way, â€Å"Our problem in communicating with friends and spouses is that we have an illusion of insight. Getting close to someone appears to create the illusion of understanding more than actual understanding† (2011 para. 8). There are a lot of books that one could read but in all actuality a successful relationship is based on the two people entering the communion and realizing that marriages take hard work and dedication, no matter how easy it looks. I will advise you on how to mold the following steps such as learning your role in the marriage, actively listening, opening up to your partner about your feelings, and choosing your words wisely into your everyday life which can produce a successful relationship; all this and effective communication is completely up to you. My first major topic for you to always remember is that you must listen to your partner. You probably find yourself asking over and over are you paying attention to me. Did you hear anything that I said? Do not fret over that because every person in a relationship has asked the same question. You may not like what he or she has to say but to have a positive relationship you must listen actively, critically, and empathically. Now please allow me to explain to you what I mean by those terms. Kathy Sole tells us that listening is important to the conversation because it creates meaning between both people (2011). When you want to have an in depth conversation with your spouse, you need to eliminate all noise, make eye contact, actively listen means to truly think about what you hear. Critically listening ties into actively listening because you understand what your spouse†¦ Assertiveness Assertiveness is a simple skill that requires a lot of practice to perfect. Basically, assertiveness requires us to speak our minds, to do so in such a way that the meaning of our communication is clear. Hopefully our expressed wish is acknowledged, but this is not necessary for us to be assertive. To achieve assertive communication, we have to state what is in our minds; that is, our thoughts and feelings. Advanced assertiveness is when we ask for what we want regardless of whether the â€Å"recipient† understands what we communicate, and regardless of whether or not we get what we want. Complete assertiveness requires both levels intellectual and emotional communication. The workplace presents both a challenge and potentially some relief when it comes to being assertive. On the one hand, we work with others, usually often, so there is some sense of familiarity. Yet, we do not live with them. There is a certain built-in interpersonal distance. With acquaintances at work, the challenge is to ask for what we want or at least state our opinion, more or less at intellectual, pragmatic levels. We tend to leave out the personal side, because our relationships are not that personal. From this standpoint, assertiveness is easier because there are less personal consequences. We can state our case and others likely will not take our message so personally. This is truer if the issue at hand is small. It is also more likely to be true of communications among co-workers of equal status. If there are other good elements; that is, more interpersonal warmth, bonding and empathy, talking to the boss can be assertively successful. But we need some slightly deeper personal connection to the boss to make this work, to grease the wheels of information exchange. The workpl ace presents a challenge to being more interpersonally intimate with co-workers who may not really be so friendly. The same is true with bosses that have different levels of power†¦. An Interpersonal relationship in the health care environment is based off the relationship between the people you work with, such as the staff, patients, and doctor. Your interpersonal relationship between you, the coworker, and patients is very important and crucial within the health care environment, you must be able to â€Å"treat your clients with respect†, â€Å"do not be rude or ever shout at them†, never disclose any type of information about a patient to a client†, and â€Å"have feelings for the patients† (2004)(1.3.8). In order for the patients to feel comfortable you must treat them with a certain level of respect and make them feel as comfortable as possible, such as have close relationship with all the patients and staff. For example ask how their day is going, or give them positive feedback about any questions they might have or need help with so he or she is always satisfied with the service. Your â€Å"perspective† in the health care industry is very important and crucial to your coworkers and clients, and you always want to provide them with the best â€Å"quality of care†. Next, a supportive relationship rather than a defensive relationship in the health care environment is more appropriate, and I say this because to be defensive with the coworkers, patients or staff will make that person feel â€Å"uncomfortable†, :†guilty†, or even hostile. On the other hand, a supportive relationship is something you want to have with the clients, staff, and patients because you always want to be able to support them with positive feedback, such as are â€Å"supportive† when a patient asks for advice or a particular type of treatment show â€Å"recognition†, â€Å"acknowledgement†, and â€Å"endorsement†. Supportive is more of a positive feedback and defensive is negative feedback, and defensive or negative feedback is som ething you do not want to happen, you always want to remain supportive, positive, and assertive with people at all times. Assertive style and its appropriateness in health care†the preferred†¦ Course Hero has millions of student submitted documents similar to the one below including study guides, practice problems, reference materials, practice exams, textbook help and tutor support. communication1 Interpersonal Interpersonal Communication in your Relationship Christy Fobert COM 200 Instructor Youngs 6/22/11 Interpersonal communication2 Dear Jason and Amber, I am writing in response to your request asking for some advice on interpersonal communication in your relationship. As you know my husband and I have been attending classes that help with communication in relationships. We also believe we can give you some dire advice based on our own personal experience since we have six years behind us. Being a newly engaged couple and asking for advice before marriage lets us know you are both serious in committing to one another. This also makes it seem you are both committed to keeping your relationship alive and well. The best advice I can give you is to keep your communication alive and well. In this letter I will give you some advice on the concepts of good interpersonal communication. I will explain what we have been learning in our classes and also what I can explain to how we have experienced this in our relationship. The first basic but important skill to communication is listening. Listening to each other shows that you both respect one another and care about what the other is saying. There are three important types of listening and they are: active, critical, and empathetic. The first skill that we will discuss pertaining to the listening is actively listening. Active listening is assertive communication that develops a sense of trust. In my personal relationship letting your spouse know that you are listening lets them feel important and build trust within your relationship. Actively listening in your communication will allow you to build trust because of the openness that it builds. Openness within active listening makes your spouse feel a†¦ Effective communication in healthcare is essential to deliver good patient care. When delegating tasks to co-workers, one needs to be clear and precise. When people have a full understanding of what their job is, they will perform better and patients will get better outcomes. Without effective communication we are setting up our fellow co-workers for failure and our patients as well. Effective communication is necessary to convey the importance of instructions and task to co-workers so they can fully understand the importance of their task and the steps necessary to manage the task. Effective communication is also necessary to be able to understand what our patients are telling us, and how to better listen and relate to them. Rashad is attending the team meeting and is being assertive in trying to clarify his role as assistive personnel. He is showing that the nurses would be able to rely on him to help with their patients during the shift for hygienic care and toileting. He is using an assertive form of communication with speaking up during the meeting. This assertiveness is quickly shot down by the aggressive communication of RN, Robin. Her comments of calling Rashad only an aide is belittling and then stating that those cares are the role of a RN farther the belittling. Robin continues to say that Rashad is not expected to think but to do as told is not uplifting at all and developed into feelings of resentment. These feelings are expressed in Rashad’s new goal; of developing a plan to make Robin pay for her comments. Robin’s comments established a tone of superiority and dominance as she shows her expectations that only the nurses know how to think and that the aides should be more like robots to her commands. This aggressive style of communication hurts others and is used to set someone up to overpower†¦ Interpersonal communication is the type of communication that people use to communicate their ideas, thoughts, ideas and feelings to one another person. In Interpersonal Communication, you are dependent upon another person for the communication to be effective. With that being said I thought that I would have great interpersonal communication skills but sadly I do not. I thought I that I would have great interpersonal communication skills because most of the time I can tell how a person is feeling, try to understand how they feel, and what is driving them to feel that way. That is the reason why I wanted to become a social worker but I am glad that I am taking this class to understand my interpersonal communication skills better. I never really thought of interpersonal communication skills as being as important as they are. Whether we like it or not interpersonal communication a key skill for personal and professional relationships. What you say and what you don’t say both carry a lot of weight in communication. Having effective interpersonal communication means that you use both of these forms to your advantage and remain aware of your behavior throughout a conversation. With that being said there are three key points that I feel that I need to do a great deal of improvement on and they are overcoming my fear to speak, my eye contact, and being aware of my adaptors that I use and how I use them. The first thing I feel that would help my interpersonal communication skills is to overcome my fear to talk people that I do not know. I have to overcome this fear because if not I will never be able to become the great social worker that I can become. I feel that a great way for me to overcome this fear is by talking to strangers at work. By not saying anything or acknowledging my co-worker that I do not know is not sending a message good message to them. If I want to have effective interpersonal communication, I have to get†¦ Effective communication is important for psychological well-being for a number of reasons. Communication allows conveying our needs and feelings to others, as well as to respond to and respect the needs of others. Social supports are an important factor to decrease anxiety and depression. Communication helps to develop significant relationships with friends and family, as well as with romantic partners. Developing skills that allow communication between p eople that we trust allows for expression of emotions, as well as the ability to get feedback and support. Three very important skills are needed for communication. They are assertiveness, conversational or verbal communication skills and nonverbal communication skills. Two attitudes are important in developing communication skills that are effective. These skills are being proactive and thinking win/win. Proactive means taking responsibility for your life. A person can choose to be happy and successful. In the win/win situation, society has labeled life as either a clear winner or a loser. In business, the goal is to provide the best service or product to maximize profits and beat the competition. This plays a major role in why society thinks that in interpersonal interactions it too is a game in which there is a clear winner and loser. A mature and confident way to approach human reactions is thinking win/win. This approach allows for both parties to succeed and achieve goals. Being assertive is one of my greatest assets. I have learned that a closed mouth will never get fed. When being assertive it is not necessary to raise our voice or shout at other people. Being threatening is not assertive either. Many people confuse aggression with assertion. Being assertive allows speaking in normal tones, respecting personal distance and the ability to state opinions needs or wants.

How Does Willy Russell Create Mood Essay

In the Summer Sequence Willy Russell’s three main protagonists are shown to grow up from the ages of 15 to 18, thus becoming adults throughout the song. This means that the sequence acts as a watershed in the respect that it marks a major turning point in the play. This is shown through the atmosphere that Russell creates, which goes from fairly positive, hopeful tone to a more cynical and desperate one over the duration of the sequence. Russell uses several techniques to create these atmospheres throughout. In the opening of the Summer Sequence the atmosphere is clearly a happy one, which is shown by Russell by using words like â€Å"young, free and innocent† to describe the characters. In this section, the word â€Å"innocent† is used twice. This repetition emphasises their youth and their naivety. â€Å"You haven’t got a care†, suggests Russell is trying to create an image of the characters as being without concern, completely free of worry so it reinforces the absolute happiness of the characters. Another adjective that occurs later in the song is â€Å"immortal† which at this stage of the play creates an atmosphere of excitement and spontaneity because the children can’t conceive of an end to their current lives. A technique that Russell uses starts to use here is imagery, â€Å"street’s turned to paradise†, the word â€Å"paradise† bring to mind an idea of secure and complete happiness, which is how he describes them in this verse. Another technique is personification, â€Å"radio’s singing dreams†, giving the radio the ability to do something that brings happiness or joy. This line also works the first time the motif of dreams appears, one that recurs throughout the sequence. The next notable part of the sequence is entirely stage directions, and shows the characters at a fairground. In this part of the sequence the most obvious technique is foreshadowing and motifs arising. In it, Linda is just ignored by the narrator, who is running the stall, when giving the gun to them, but the boys both insist Linda fires it, which is reminiscent of the beginning of the play when Linda takes the airgun from Mickey and beats him at firing at cans. Linda also used to control their social situations, â€Å"let’s throw some stones through them windows†. This scene is also very reliant on the gun motif that runs through the entire play which creates a darker and more sinister atmosphere, and that suggests a level of violence. The fairground scene is also reflected in the musical choice, which is fairground-like music that plays to the tune of ‘Tell me it’s not true’, the song Mrs Johnstone sings at the very beginning of the play while her two sons lie dead on the stage. So, again this ties in with the audiences’ awareness of the boys’ tragic fate, thus, creating a foreshadowing atmosphere and suggests impending tragedy. This links with the gun motif, as together these themes create a sense of impending violence and death. The last line of this section of stage directions is â€Å"Linda is caught in the middle, the game freezes†. This creates a dark atmosphere as throughout the play Linda is always seen to be caught in between the two boys, but so far, it has never ended badly. In this instance, however, it foreshadows the fates of all three characters. The use of the word â€Å"game†, referring to a game of piggy-in-the-middle, could suggest that the context of the play when Linda gets caught up in her own happiness which eventually leads to the tragic fate of the twins. Overall, this section is of a darker tone than the last, but this atmosphere is created through the subtext, so the audience may not be fully aware of why they feel this way about the atmosphere. This is featured through the presence of the narrator, who throughout the play appears on stage to signify or prompt something negative to happen. He hands them the gun, and prompts the game of piggy-in-the-middle that Linda gets caught between. The next section uses metaphors to create a dark, impending atmosphere, that is more openly sinister that the previous section. Russell refers to the characters are â€Å"Lambs in spring†, which suggests not only their innocence and naivety, but an inevitable fate, specifically one that is forced upon them, not of their own doing. This explicitly refers to the brothers’ fate in a way in which the last section didn’t, so the tone is far more marred by the eventuality of their deaths. This date is also referenced when Russell extends the metaphor, â€Å"fate the later seasons bring†, which causes the audience to remember the scene at the very beginning of the play, preventing them from being drawn into the initial happiness of the three teenagers in this sequence. Again, it refers to Linda being caught in the middle of the pair, foreshadowing their final argument. It also refers to Linda paying a â€Å"price†, a theme that was initially shown in the song ‘Easy Terms’, sung by Mrs Johnstone, and in both cases foreshadows the price they’ll have to pay for their involvement in the twins’ lives. The music becomes far more serious and sinister, a repetitive tense note with no actual melody. In the next section a recurring theme is shown with the references to time. This creates a sad, melancholic atmosphere, as the audience is aware of the character’s significant lack of time together, but the characters are not, so their happy unawareness and this dramatic irony is slightly poignant. Again, fate is reference by the narrator â€Å"care not for what’s at the end of the day†, again forcing the audience to remember the fate of the boys, this enhances the melancholy mood of the section. â€Å"What is to come, what might have been†, references both the eventualities of the play, whilst also suggesting they could have been happy, that it could have they could have been happier, depressing the mood even further. It is made poignant by the characters’ blissful ignorance, â€Å"life has no ending†¦Talk away the night†, which ties in with the earlier references of immorality. Again, this dramatic irony, where the audience know that the boys’ lives do have endings that are fast approaching, almost makes the audience beg them to not waste their time talking â€Å"away the night†. â€Å"Share your last cigarette† also ties into the earlier scene where Mickey and Eddie share things, such as sweets and later cigarettes, they promise to share things in their blood brothers pact; but they cannot share Linda. Arguably the downfall of both brothers, meaning that this watershed’s atmosphere is wholly dark. In the next section it is all stage directions, but Russell uses foreshadowing and the use of the narrator’s presence to create a seemingly happy atmosphere that still foreshadows tragedy. In it, the trip are taking photos of each other at the beach. In the one between Eddie and Linda, Eddie down on one knee and demonstrating affections by kissing her hand. Throughout the play, Linda has shaped Eddie’s personality and actions, such as coercing him to throw rocks, and Eddie has appeared to like her from the very beginning and so this foreshadows the dynamics of their later relationship. Mickey and Linda’s photo does the same, as Mickey â€Å"pulls a distorted face†, and Linda chastening him for it, which foreshadows Mickey’s later dependency on medication, and Linda’s efforts to help him get off them. This foreshadowing of tragic events, in a way that appears innocent creates an  eerie, disconcerting atmosphere. As there are no words, it can’t openly reference what’s to come, but uses what the characters think is a harmless and happy moment. This is compounded by the musical choice, which is again ‘Tell me it’s not true’, as fairground music. Again, this foreshadows the final scene, creating a foreboding atmosphere without explicit reference as to why it appears that way. In this scene we see the characters taking pictures of them at the beach, these photos are memories of the last time the three of them are all truly happy. Therefore, the photographs signify the end of their childhood and innocence and dreams. This made clearer by the narrator being the one to take the photographs, thus being the one who signifies the end of their childhoods and lives. The children literally become adults at the end of the beach scene in the Summer Sequence, as well as metaphorically. Because the narrator is a sinister figure throughout the play, and usually is there to prompt the occurrence of something tragic, it creates a sense of impending tragedy even more obvious in this scene. The picture that the narrator takes is of them all together, happy, so he not only brings their childhood to a close, but also their happiness and friendship. In a sense, he symbolises reality as he intrudes on their happiness, despite their ignorance and the audience’s desire for him not to do so. He also represents society as it is eventually social constraints of class and wealth that divide the two. This way the audience are forced to see the society that they are part of and this is the factor that brings the story to an end. The fact that he appears to them as a friendly, even helpful, face increases the audience’s wariness of him and therefore the sinister nature of the scene. The overriding atmosphere of the scene is the last section is one of desperation and uncertainty. Russell uses metaphors such as â€Å"broken bottles in the sand† to symbolise a man-made impression on something naive and happy, which symbolises the characters’ friendship and how it is affected by class. The motif of a dream is repeated, as is the theme of innocence. The references to dreams ties in with the song tell me it’s not true, which refers to dreams. The reference to innocence here again makes the trio seem devious to the fact that they will be subject to tragedy.

A Personal Study on B. F. Skinners Theory on Operant Conditioning

A Personal Study on B. F. Skinner's Theory on Operant Conditioning The theory that I chose to write about is B.F. Skinner’s Operant Conditioning because it intrigues me and is the one that I agree with the most. B.F. Skinner is an incredible American psychologist who developed one of the most influential theories there is. Skinner is a behaviorist and had developed his theory through conducting numerous amounts of research on shaping behavior. Operant conditioning is a behavior modification technique, which he developed in contrast with classical conditioning from Pavlov and Watson. His idea of the behavior modification technique was to put the subject on a program with steps. The steps included setting goals, which would help you determine how the subject would be changed by following the said steps. Operant conditioning is a type of learning where a person’s actions are reinforced or punished. The principle of Skinner’s theory reflects on how behavior that is positively reinforced will most likely reoccur again. In order for responses to be reinforced, information should be presented in small amounts. Another key principle states that reinforcements will also generalize across similar stimuli, which, in turn produces secondary conditioning. In summary, behavior is influenced by the consequences of actions, and reinforcement is crucial in changing or altering behavior. The term reinforcement in itself is any characteristic in the environment that increases the likelihood that a person will repeat a behavior in the future. On the contrary, punishment is any characteristic that decreases the probability that a person will repeat a behavior. According to B.F. Skinner, â€Å"children operate on their environments (hence the term operant conditioning), adjusting their b ehaviors to attract more reinforcements and to avoid punishments†. (12) This theory of Skinner’s proves that children adjust behavior to gain reinforcement and to avoid punishment as well. Operant conditioning and Skinner’s theory have been applied throughout various forms of research and clinical settings. Teachers use this method of operant conditioning to control children in their classroom and parents apply both positive and negative reinforcement to their children as well throughout their daily lives. When it came to more complex sorts of behaviors, the idea of shaping came into play. The procedure of shaping is selectively reinforcing certain behaviors while ignoring or punishing others. It is said that language development and how children come to produce speech have to do with shaping. â€Å"Learning theorists believe that the specific language training a child receives governs language development and that biological predispositions do not play an important role†. (264) When conducting research, Skinner and his students have had successful outcomes in getting simple animals to do extremely difficult things using shaping. We, as humans, are essentially shaped by our environment to enjoy or dislike certain things. This theory both compares and contrasts with my childhood and how I was growing up in a numerous amount of ways. In regards to shaping, I noticed that my parents would reinforce positive behavior as much as possible when I was learning math because it was something I struggled a bit more with as a kid. I would be placed in an environment where all I could do is learn and there would be no distractions. My parents would constantly tell me how crucial it was that I receive good grades. I would be praised for the good grades I received and it made me want to work harder to receive that praise continuously. I still experience a form of operant conditioning even during college. Credit cards give more student loan options to students who are performing well in a university which is another form of a reward that makes them work much harder. However, sometimes operant conditioning doesn’t work and if parents were to punish their child constantly for receiving bad grades, a child can grow to have a hatred towards school as they grow up. It is important to be understanding as well as notice that sometimes children struggle and reinforcement isn’t always going to provide the outcome you want. I believe strongly in discipline and not caving in to your children when you already told them no multiple times. For example, if a kid wants to buy candy or a toy in a store and starts crying, a parent should be stern and continue to refuse the candy bar. If the parent ends up giving in and buying the child the candy or toy, the child can start to put two and two together and apply this method of operant conditioning in a negative reinforcement way. Therefore, there needs to be a consistent pattern displayed through this method. Certain ethical or cultural issues that may connect with the operant conditioning theory from Skinner would be any time that there is physical or mental abuse being placed upon a person. Punishment being placed upon a person should never do any physical harm and reinforcement should be healthy and not anything that could be considered addictive. There needs to be a lot of care and attention that goes into both correcting and teaching behavior. B.F. Skinner is said to have also â€Å"grossly underplayed the role of biology in forging and regulating human behavior dismissing the burgeoning fields of behavioral genetics, evolutionary psychology, and cognitive science. Skinner argued that humans dont really think — that they merely respond to environmental cues†. Therefore, this theory can’t apply across all cultures because there are certain cultural factors that one person may experience opposed to someone else. Parents may use stricter forms of operant conditioning in different countries because that is how they were raised and a child may not have th e same positive effect like Skinner would hope his theory proves. My interactions with children are now influenced by this theory because I have grown more cautious in understanding that essentially you can try to train a child through delivery and reinforcement but ultimately it all comes down to how the kid is. Operant conditioning doesn’t necessarily always provide the outcome you want if the kid refuses to go along with it. I will try to apply the method of operant conditioning when babysitting or when I have my own kids someday to alter behaviors as best as I can if a child is acting up unnecessarily. Some parenting advice that I would give parents would be to stray away from the authoritarian approach as best as possible and realize that there is a difference between discipline and damaging discipline. Using the operant conditioning method to keep children â€Å"in line† and exactly how you want them to act can be harming for them down the line. If a child is always harmfully punished for his wrong actions, there will be a lot of mental damage done and it can hurt the child instead of allow him to grow and understand his wrongdoings. The best advice to understand and incorporate into parenting is that there is a fine line between discipline and compassion/understanding. If a child does something incorrectly, talk to them patiently and calmly without the reinforcement. Sometimes a child can grasp and have a better understanding through the kindness a parent shows because they see the concern come from the heart. It is also important to be consistent if applying B.F. Skinne r’s method of operant conditioning because a child can get confused on what is right and what is wrong. If a child gets punished for doing something but also receives positive reinforcement, they may perform their behavior once more in hopes of receiving that positive reward once again. All in all, B.F. Skinner’s method of operant conditioning does work but it is important to use it to an extent in parenting and understand that it may work for some but not for others. It is all dependent on outside factors such as cultural values, parenting styles, and our lives in general.

Strategic management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words - 1

Strategic management - Essay Example When looking at the exchange of new developments and the economy which is expanding globally, there are several ways in which the fashion industry can help. Two regions which this is being noted are in India and Mexico. These are two of the fastest growing regions in terms of global expansion, including technology, fashion and other global interests (Lemaire, 2011). The ability to invest within these regions can provide different types of insight into the expansion of corporations within the areas. The country of India was chosen first because of the continuous debates that are appearing in terms of expansion, specifically with retail industries. Currently, India is experiencing a strong inflation from the government. To counter-act this, measures with the government and with developed countries are taking place, specifically by opening the doors to new prospects and economic stimulation. Places such as Wal – Mart are bidding to become some of the first retail entities that ar e in India. At the same time, the fashion is growing expansively in areas such as Mumbai and Delhi. Fashion weeks and growth from entertainment entities, such as Bollywood, are continuing to grow expansively and offer more in terms of fashion retail. The movement into developing with the country, as well as the opportunities and prospects within this region are allowing the FDI for fashion retail to be a main opportunity for the country (Chakraborty, 2008). Mexico was also chosen because of the initiatives that are currently taking place within the country. For the past 20 years, Mexico has gone through several changes in development, specifically because of the economic growth and development, political changes and the social movement toward becoming global. While there have been fluctuations in opening or closing the region, the free trade agreements and the initiatives to trade with other regions has allowed the country to begin develop at a rapid pace. Most that are in Mexico ar e now conscious of the global styles and expectations. This has been followed by structural changes within corporations and in society, as well as the continuous movement toward external pressures and opportunities within the country. While the country hasn’t yet developed a strong basis for international sales, there is opportunity because of the large amount of advancement in structure and global perspectives that have taken place through time (Blecker, 2007). Both countries are in a similar position in relation to FDI. Both are developing countries that are undergoing change politically and socially. The doors of both countries are opening, specifically because of free trade agreements, political affiliations and the need to expand in a different direction. This is being followed by the social and cultural awareness that is continuing to take place between both of the countries. For fashion retail, are several opportunities to move in at the beginning of investments and to begin creating a specific affiliation with the growth of the culture and the bridge to globalization that is now taking place in both regions. Strategy Development Directions There are several ways that the strategy for the countries can be developed to further the options for fashion retail. The first strategy considered will be through the theory of the Ansoff Matrix. Table 1 and 2 show how this matrix can be applied to both India and Mexico in terms of

Swot Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Swot - Essay Example ariety of freight including sand, drill cuttings, propane, sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide, wood products, feed products, and fertilizers (Lehigh Railway LLC , par 1). Moreover, they also boast of a full range of transloading services through their in-house manpower or through their reliable transload service sub-contractor. Railway is also proud of the quality of their highly-skilled employees. LRWY has weaknesses too which they are currently addressing. This includes their problem with the lease contracts with Norfolk Southern. They are also beset with problems of locomotive power shortages. A key opportunity of LRWY is the presence of Marcellus Shale in its location. Marcellus Shale formation is considered by some geologist as a major source of natural gas (Geology.com , par 2). People in the natural gas industry believe that the Marcellus can be a major contributor for the supply of natural gas for the United States. This development presents possible new business opportunities for LRWY. The threats being faced by the company is the presence of other railroad companies in the area. However, the main threat that confronts them is the possible cancellation of their lease contract with Norfolk. As in any infrastructure, they are also aware that their railway may be damaged through Acts of God such as earthquakes, floods or hurricanes. Presently, LRWY’s advantage over its competitors is its location or geography. Its line encompasses a large area from Athens to Laceyville, Mehoopany, Meshopen, Presswood, Rummerfield, Sayer, Skinners Eddy, Towanda, Ulster, Wyalusing, and Wysox (Lehigh Railway LLC , par 1). The strategic issue that will challenge LRWY is the probability of a high growth rate in its business as against their capability to meet the demands of a growing market. The company must be able to gear up for this future growth in its business if it wants to remain competitive. In the next five years, aside from coping with this expansion, the

Analysis and Importance of Peter Voulkos' Work in Ceramics Research Paper

Analysis and Importance of Peter Voulkos' Work in Ceramics - Research Paper Example This discussion will also include an analysis of some of this artists’ work. Biography Peter Voulkos is a well-known ceramic artist who in the 1960s was honored as the leading ceramic artist in California. He is acknowledged for raising ceramics to a higher rank of pensiveness and articulation of a person’s ideas. Peter Voulkos was born by his Greek immigrant parents in the year 1924. He went to school in Montana State University, where he studied painting and ceramics. He also won himself a masters of fine arts degree in California College of the Arts. Production of dinnerware was the first activity he undertook in his ceramics career. He later pioneered a department of art ceramics in Otis College of Art and Design and University of California, Berkeley. In the latter university, he worked until the year 1985 from 1959. His work was influenced by abstract expressionism whereby they renovated traditional ceramics to large scale and non-traditional ceramics (Carasso 56) . Peter Voulkos began his ceramics work in his senior year in the year 1949 at Montana State College. Despite being a ceramic artist, Voulkos also used other materials in his sculptures. He used bronze, and in other cases, he painted his works. Some of the pieces of art he made using bronze casting are Missoula and Bucci. In his later years, Voulkos was initiated into the use of wood-fired to make his sculptures. His work is found in quite a number of museums all around the world such as Museum of Modern Art, found in New York, Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art, found in Japan, Victoria and Albert Museum, in London, and The National Gallery, in Melbourne, Australia among other museums. Voulkos normally did his work in the presence of an audience. This was to help the audience, which was inclusive of other artists, to understand the techniques he used in his work. His work many times comprised of a plate, ice buckets, and stacks with wood firings. Normally, this ceramic artist dest royed other smaller pieces of art then made a new one of a larger scale. Peter Voulkos passed on in the year 2002 due to a heart attack after leading a ceramics workshop at a college in Ohio, Bowling Green State University (Carasso 57). Significance of Peter Voulkos ceramic work Peter Voulkos has been of great importance to the field of ceramics. To begin with, he facilitated the movement of abstract expressionism. This as stated above entailed the transformation of traditional ceramics to non-traditional ceramics. He amongst other artists made use of this movement in their artwork. This enhanced the way in which they expressed themselves. Peter Voulkos made the transition easy by elevating the conservative ceramics above the accepted limits. This formed a platform for abstract expressionism. Through this mode of expression, he managed to be the leading sculptor in the 1960s and created an avenue for California to be a centre for moulding using clay. This show the role he played in improving the use of clay in ceramics. It also illustrates his role in the facilitation of abstract expressionism, which faced challenges then, but currently is being used by many artists. Voulkos also loved working with an audience. This is of great importance since it created a channel through which he could educate his students on how he created his pieces. It also created an avenue for other artists to learn relevant techniques that could assist them in their work. As a result of this,

Whether it should be legalized to genetically choose the feature of Research Paper - 1

Whether it should be legalized to genetically choose the feature of your own child - Research Paper Example Human rights advocates have also stepped in saying that it is unlawful for the initial genetic structure and composition of a child to be altered or interfered with in any way. Lastly, religious leaders have also come up strongly against genetic intervention basing their arguments on various religious books. Educated and experienced researchers have gone further to compile literary articles that have been used in research fields by students who have shown upending a solution to the above question interests in learning and finding the solution to the above question. This research question is very crucial as it forms the basis of comprehension and cogent reasoning of various intellects to come up with a rational conclusion. Human genetics has always raised fundamental questions across a wide range or variety of disciplines. Due to this, there has been a continuous infusion of capital, talent, and time in a bid to come up with certain important characteristics of human genetic composition. Over the past two decades, researches in various matriculation institutions, government based organizations and at individual level have been in progress with an aim of coming up with or targeting the same goal. As understood, research is not always perfect, these researchers and organizations have always centered their research on the original theses by other researchers. For instance, most of the researches that have been done in this field have been based on the findings of the Dutch Monk, Gregory Mendel’s Genetic Determinism, for instance, the law of inheritance (Edelson 28). An example of a nation that has taken the matter to a greater height compared to other countries is the US. Research reveals that its government has invested approximately $3 billion over the past one and a half decade in the Human Genome project. This project is aimed at decoding or comprehending the language of human genes. Its final aim is to come up with identification of the genetic components of

Motivation - Staying ahead of the competition ( Chapter 6) Essay

Motivation - Staying ahead of the competition ( Chapter 6) - Essay Example Recognition of gaining achievements during work is highly valued by employees and this boosts up the morale level of employees to a very large extent. Employees if motivated tend to remain highly satisfied with their working conditions. The Maslow’s hierarchy theory is a very good tool which is used for deducing the required motivation factors for the employees of the organization. Empowerment towards taking decisions of one’s job is highly motivating factor for the employees. They feel quite satisfied once they are in control of their tasks and have the autonomy to conduct the task accordingly. It is a strong stand point for the organization if they have set their goals in alignment and in consideration with the goals of their employees. If there is a point of interest of the employees towards achieving the goals for the organization, then there are high chances that the employees will be strongly motivated towards accomplishing their tasks. Strong and influential leaders possess the talent of motivating the employees to work harder. Motivated employees tend to produce better results and this in the short run as well as in the long run tend to allow the organization to remain ahead of the competition. In competitive environments, leaders tend to face difficulties in motivating their employees but with a positive attitude and delegating a strong sense of responsibility towards the employees, the organization can take its path towards success by the hard work of employees. While working in the organization, different types of conflicts may arise during working policies or decisions taking by management. Leaders should possess skills so that they can smartly deal with the conflicts that have taken place. If conflicts are resolved on a proper note then this motivates the employees to have a positive image of the organization as well as their management. Instilling a sense of positive humor and fun with

Human sexuality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Human sexuality - Essay Example Much of the literature avoids the issue of heterosexual anal sex as if it were an abnormal behavior, but studies are increasingly indicating that this is not the case and that anal sex may present a much greater risk for disease transmission than many people realize. By looking at four recent studies into the special issues that confront heterosexual couples who engage in anal sex, it will be understood why more studies and public education efforts must be made if the spread of AIDS is to be curtailed. Barry Schoub (1999) illustrates the various ways in which HIV is transmitted from one human being to another, highlighting the need for the virus to be transferred intravenously, i.e. through the bloodstream. The primary bodily fluids in which the virus is transferred, though, are reported to be blood, vaginal fluid and semen (Schoub, 1999: 92). In discussing the transmission types, particularly as it applies to the virus in vaginal fluid and semen, Schoub highlights the presence of greater numbers of CD4 receptor sites, which improve the chances of the HIV virus finding a new home in the uninfected partner. Because of this, he indicates transmission of the virus can occur after only one exposure with very little secretions exchanged (Schoub, 1999). While a great deal of his study focuses on the susceptibility of the CD4 cells in the male and female genitalia, Schoub also points to the problem of M-cells located in the rectum as these cells could be especially vulnerable to infectio n during such activities as anal sex (Schoub, 1999). This connection to anal sex brings several concerns to the forefront as this particular practice has been a rather taboo subject in most studies regarding the spread of AIDS and HIV. In â€Å"Assessing the Role of Anal Intercourse in the Epidemiology of AIDS in Africa† (2003), researchers Stuart Brody and John Potterat review published

The Importance of College Essay Example for Free

The Importance of College Essay Higher education can be very beneficial to the individual and to the broader community. The common conception that higher education would mean higher pay is proven to be true. Not only is college beneficial to the individuals, but in the long-run, it helps their communities as well. College-graduates can provide their communities with new businesses and a better skilled work-force. Therefore, it would be an advantageous for people to attend college as it will promise a brighter future. College education was said to be beneficial even in the earliest years of American history. One of the many people who advocated college was Thomas Jefferson, â€Å"The less wealthy people†¦ by the bill for a general education, would be qualified to understand their rights, to maintain them, and to exercise with intelligence their parts of self-government†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (88). His writings about education has shaped the early decades of America’s schooling system. He thought that education would help to ensure the equality of all people in the country. Higher education was thought to be beneficial to early America because it was supposed to preserve the nation’s democracy. Schools like Harvard in 1636 and Yale in 1701 strongly approved of a good education. The colonies of America directly supported many of the early colleges (Rudolph 492). In the 1950s, The Truman Commission on Higher Education helped push the community college movement. They said that education would promote â€Å"equal liberty and equal opportunity to differing individuals and groups† (Ostar 168). This group wanted the citizens of America to be able to understand their rights and duties in the democratic nation. Typically, today’s belief about college is that it provides better economic benefits. These benefits could be higher status jobs and better pay. These beliefs stem from many sources. Every year, newspaper and television would feature stories about the current college graduates and their future jobs. These stories contribute to giving the public the idea that college is about success. President Bill Clinton gave a speech at Princeton University about the significance of going to college. He proclaimed that a higher education would lead to better individual economic interest. He continues to say that â€Å"Two years of college earn a quarter of a million dollars more than their high school counter-parts over a lifetime† (Reaping 20). Policymakers encouraged people to attend college when they allowed forty billion dollars over five years to be used for better development of education. Because of all the publicity associating with better pay, many Americans now believe the same. There has been research to confirm the views of higher education and higher pay. Schultz, Becker, and Mincer formally proved the relationship of the two. Becker said investments in human capital would increase in value as the individual’s skills increased. Education was said to be an investment that would later return with positive outcomes. Leslie and Brinkman estimate that mean rate of return to obtaining an undergraduate education was about 12. 4 percent (Reaping 145). Berger and Black university of Kentucky’s Center for Business and Economic Research said, â€Å"The most enduring economic impact of the universities is the increased earning power that students take with them into the job market† (NELA). They convey that college education would help the individuals throughout their life. They would contribute to the nation by starting new business with a better labor force. Better education may also have a beneficial effect on civil society. Civil society could be strengthened by community involvement and organization that helps keep communities together. It is thought that higher education prompts people to volunteer, donate to charities, and overall help their community. It is estimated by the Kentucky Long-Term Policy Research Center that people with better education are more likely to be involved in their community and participate in leadership activities. These college-educated participants are likely to be in a group to solve problems for their community. They concluded that a person doubles their probability to be a leader of a community if they have a four-year degree or higher compared to a high school graduate. Individuals were surveyed about donating to charities. 85 percent of high school graduates responded â€Å"yes† while 93 percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher did the same (NELA). Since Fall 2002, there are more people with college degrees than ever before. Workers who attended college went from 26 percent to 33 percent between 1992 and 2000. This is because employers like workers who have graduated from college more compared to non-graduates. Studies have shown that college-graduates are generally better at â€Å"creative thinking, effective communication, problem solving, organization, teamwork, research, and decision making† (NELA). People with a college degree are half as likely to be without a job compared to people who are high school graduates. This is because many managers generally feel that college-graduates are more determined and serious about their job. Managers also tend to give more promotions to the college-graduates over the non-graduates (NELA). Higher education can lead to public economic benefits. These improvements generally help the nation’s economy as a whole. This comes from the peoples participations with better education. Increased tax revenues would mean that the nation is better off. In 1994, college-graduates paid 71 percent of all federal incomes taxes. Better education would also mean better productivity. America’s productivity has increased over the last twenty years because of the steady increase of the quality of education. Increased consumption would also be good for the nation because it would lead to a stronger economy. Studies have shown that the increase of consumption is direct result of better education. Since the economic system is always changing, higher education has allowed the workforce to be more flexible because they gain generalized skills such as critical thinking, writing, and communication. The final public economic benefit is that college-graduates are less likely to rely on government assistance programs for living, such as Food Stamps, Medicaid, housing assistance, and other programs (Reaping 15). There are many individual economic benefits with higher education. College-graduates earn more in both their lifetime and annual incomes. In 1995, a person with a bachelor’s degree earned 73 percent more money than a high school graduate. There have been studies to prove that people who went to college earn better fringe benefits such as vacations and health care. College-graduates are hired at a higher consistency. In 1998, unemployment has decreased for people with a bachelor’s degree. People with only a high school diploma are three times as likely to be without a job. Another benefit of having a college degree is improved working conditions. These people enjoy air conditioned heated rooms with other benefits like computers. Overall, their working conditions are better than high school counterparts. Research has told us that college graduates are better at changing jobs. This is because they have learned more skills to apply to a broader range of differing jobs. The Census Bureau’s survey says that â€Å"those with a bachelor’s degree or more have higher value interest earning assets, home equity, and other financial assets† (Reaping 16). There are public social benefits that stem from college graduates. Out of a population of 100,000, there were 122 prisoners with college experience compared to 1,829 prisoners with some high school education. A study showed that 77 percent of people with college degrees help their communities by volunteering compared to only 45 percent of high school graduates. Another public social benefit is that there are better voter turnouts with college graduates. In 1992, 79 percent of college educated people ages 25-44 voted; this is compared to 50 percent of those with only a high school diploma and 27 percent of those without a high school diploma. Studies have shown that the offspring of the better educated parents have a better chance to go to college. The daughters of the college graduates are less likely to have unexpected pregnancies. College-educated people also have more free time. They have time to read more literature than high school graduates. They also visit theme parks, museums and sporting events at higher rates (Reaping 23). With all these great benefits from college education, there is no reason why students shouldn’t go to college. The experience will stay with the individual throughout their life. Their private economic benefits are better, while simultaneously helping their nation with public economic benefits. College education is the way to a brighter and more prosperous future for all. Works Cited Jefferson, Thomas. The autobiography of Thomas Jefferson, 1743-1790: together with a summary of the chief events in Jeffersons life. New York: Dover Publications, 2005. Print. NELA. NELA. N. p. , n. d. Web. 1 Oct. 2013. Ostar, Allan W. Colleges and universities for change: Americas comprehensive public state colleges and universities. New York: AASCU Press, 1987. Print. Reaping the benefits: defining the public and private value of going to college: the new millennium project on higher education costs, pricing, and productivity. Washington, D. C. : The Institute for Higher Education, 1998. Print. Rudolph, Frederick. The American college and university, a history. 1st ed. New York: Alferd. A. Knopf, 1990. Print.

Research Study: Factors Causing Cannabis Use

Research Study: Factors Causing Cannabis Use Factors Leading towards cannabis use  and what can be done about them:  A study carried out in local transport drivers  of district Peshawar, Pakistan. The problem of drug trafficking represents a crippling facet of reality in Pakistan that is affecting 34% of the country’s population in terms of having problems with drug usage, and or abuse. The district of Peshawar, which lies near the Khyber Pass access to Afghanistan, places that region at the centre of trafficking activity that has made illicit drugs readily available to the populace at highly affordable prices due to the proximity of heavy drug activity. Drug use is an international problem, one that increasingly is focusing on Pakistan as a result of it being in the center of the most active drug producing regions in the world. As such, the country has developed a serious internal problem in that its citizens have become swept up in the production, trafficking as well as use of drugs. The preceding are activities that undermine the nation’s economy as the money flows are black market, and one which is costing the country its most valuable resource, is people, wh o are in ever increasing numbers being wasted as well as suffering from the ravages of drug use, and addiction. The purpose, and role of government represent a complex issue that in its own right deserves a study onto itself. In the context of the examination thus identified, a summary of this complex relationship shall be put forth as it is an integral aspect of the preceding. Reus-Smit (1999, p. 129) tells us that: â€Å"The moral purpose of the modern state thus entailed a new principle of procedural justice—legislative justice. This principle prescribes two precepts of rule determination: first, that only those subject to the rules have the right to define them and, second, that the rules of society must apply equally to all citizens, in all like cases. Both precepts were enshrined in the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, which states that â€Å"[l]aw is the expression of the general will; all citizens have the right to concur personally, or through their representatives, in its formation; it must be the same for all, whether it protects or punishes.†Ã¢â‚¬  Rousseau provides further amplification of the purpose of government as he held â€Å"†¦that the laws legislated by the people or their representatives must apply equally to all citizens in all like cases. â€Å"Every authentic act of the general will,† he writes, â€Å"favors all citizens equally, so that the sovereign, knows only the body of the nation and makes no distinctions between any of those who compose it† (Reus-Smit (1999, p. 130). Schmidtz (1991, p. 10) cites Hume (1978, p. 539) who states: â€Å"†¦the beauty of the state is not that it results from a collective decision but rather that it makes collective decisions unnecessary. People no longer need to come to an agreement about what is in their collective interest, for magistrates need consult no body but themselves to form any scheme for the promoting of that interest. Thus, bridges are built; harbours opend; ramparts raisd; canals formd; fleets equipd; and armies disciplind; every where, by the care o government , which, tho composd of men subject to all human infirmities, becomes, by one of the finest and most subtle inventions imaginable, a composition, that is, in some measure, exempted from all these infirmities† The foregoing tells us that government exists to look after, and for our best interests for the collective good. Thus the drug problem represents an issue that is not in the best interests of the people, and is government’s responsibility to confront and resolve. Thus, the reduction of drug use, and the reduction of drug production, and trafficking are priorities that the country needs to address in order to safeguard the future of its citizens, as well as return the country’s economic healths and vitality. This examination shall delve into the forgoing in the context of the â€Å"Factors Leading towards cannabis use and what can be done about them: A study carried out in local transport drivers of district Peshawar, Pakistan.† The problem of drug use is a global phenomenon, one that is especially pervasive in Pakistan. The country’s proximity to Afghanistan, which ranks as one of the top drug producing nations on the globe, coupled with the high drug productive capabilities of Pakistan, and the high poverty levels in the Peshawar region, makes for the perfect breeding grounds for addiction. With in excess of 4 million drug users in Pakistan, representing one of the highest per user percentages internationally, the scope of the problem with respect to production, trafficking, and addiction represent a triple edged sword that few countries are faced with. The foregoing, has been aided by corruption in governmental posts as well as the infiltration of regional tribal leaders who either traffic in, or have interests in this trade, into political positions further complicating the task of control and reduction. Justification for the study The international initiative to reduce drug user, and availability in all countries, with emphasis on the nations of the United States, European Union member states, and other destination points has been undertaken to lessen the potential exposure to drugs on the part of adolescents, and young adults as well as to reduce crime. The flow of drugs fuels the coffers of organized crime amounting to sums in the billions of euros that is fed by the commission of petty crimes, murders, and other societal acts resulting from addiction, procurement, and supply at all levels in the matrix. The costs in terms of humanity, resources, and suffering are almost incalculable. The reduction of drug flow as well as usage represents a solution that benefits all but those who are reaping huge profits from its movement, and sale. Problem Identification In equating the problem as well as ramifications of the factors leading toward the use of cannabis, and what actions can be taken to reduce the foregoing, various approaches, and methodologies have been put forth by nations, and international organizations such as the United Nations to address this issue. The two main schools of thought in attempting to resolve this conundrum are the curtailing of supply as a means to limit drug availability along with punitive measures for suppliers and users, and the education of users, and potential users to the dangers of drug use, and providing them with a means to obtain treatment. The foregoing represents the tactics of the two main destination points, the United States, and the member states of the European Union, respectively. These are the external forces acting upon Pakistan in addition to the drug supply passing through the country from Afghanistan as well as the growth, and production of drugs within the country that makes heroin, cocain e and cannabis freely and readily available to the residents of Peshawar. It is one of the main through routes for the distribution of drugs. The preceding has created an immense problem for the government of Pakistan to implement methods to resolve these issues, and address the needs of its populace in treating as well as stemming drug usage for their own well being. Aim of the dissertation The aim of this examination is to explore as well as uncover the factors leading to drug usage in the Peshawar district, its effects on the populace, and what steps, methodologies, and procedures can or should be implemented to stem its growth, and effect a reduction that is sustainable. Specific Objectives The objectives are represented by the following: To identify factors leading to the use of cannabis by local transport drivers in district Peshawar. To identify ways to tackle factors that lead towards cannabis use by local transport drivers. To provide recommendations to deal with the issue of cannabis use by local transport drivers of district Peshawar. Output of the study This facet of the study is to provide a background of information on the issue that provides an informational basis via which to better understand the forces acting on drug usage in Peshawar from an internal as well as external perspective to reach a recommendation that provides a means to reduce drug usage. Stakeholders/target audience The stakeholders in this examination are represented by the destination states for the illicit drugs grown, cultivated, and produced in the region that is trafficked as well as the local residents who have been impacted directly by this activity to the point whereby Pakistan has one of the highest percentage rates of drug users in the international community. The concentration of drug activity in Peshawar has thus directly affected its residents, and is taking the future away from an entire generation that is caught in the web of illicit drugs. The target audiences represented by this examination are those parties involved in seeking a means to reduce drug use in the district, on a national as well as international level. Methodology The methodology to be utilized in this examination shall be based upon secondary sources utilizing a broad cross section of ideas, studies, approaches, and actual drug reduction strategies taken from key countries, and regions internationally. The sources will utilise books, journals, articles, and the Internet to gain as broad a perspective as possible that is limited by the amount of data as well as time constraints. The limitations are a result of the preceding as some potentially enlightening information could possibility be overlooked, and or not obtained as a result of the amount of data available. Research forms the core of this examination as it will provide the information from which specific aspects will be gleaned that relate to the study. Anderson (1998, p. 27) states that. â€Å"Researchis a dynamic activity that travels a long and winding trail from start to finish. It is not a single event, rather, the act of doing research is a process. And like instructional design, evaluation, decision-making and planning, the research cycle has a set of basic elements that interrelate and interact with each other† He adds that (Anderson, 1998, p. 27): â€Å"All research involves certain common elements such as defining the questions, reviewing the literature, planning the methodology, collecting and analyzing data, and disseminating findings. At first glance, this may seem like a rather logical, straightforward process, but it is not. Research is dynamic, it evolves as activities unfold and the elements of the research process interact and impact on one another. Time is required to allow research questions to develop, literature to be searched, data to be collected, interpreted and analyzed, and findings disseminated.† Chapter 2 – Problem Analysis The examination of the impact of cannabis use on local transport drivers of the Peshawar district in Pakistan immediately provides a visual as well as mental signal as to the potentially dangerous ramifications. Cannabis is a hypnotic drug derived from a plant which has intoxicant qualities that have some uses in medicine, but is better known for is use as a recreational drug where it generates a considerable range of side effects that impact differing people in varied manners. Mikuriya (1969, p. 904) listed the following potential therapeutic uses: analgesic and hypnotic, as an appetite stimulant, antiepileptic, antispasmodic, as an aid in the prevention as well as interruption of migraines and tic douloureux, as an antidepressant as well as tranquilizer, as a psychotherapeutic aid, antiasthmatic, in the acceleration of childbirth (oxytoxic), as a topical anesthetic, in certain uses as an agent that facilitates patient withdrawal from additions to opiates and alcohol, and as an antibiotic In terms of the context of this examination concerning the factors that lead to the use of cannabis, and what can be done about the situation, utilizing the context of transport drivers in Peshawar Pakistan, the focus is thus on the user side of the equation in terms of cannabis as a recreational drug. In that context studies, and analysis by a broad number of researchers as well as the documentation found in journals, books, and articles clearly point out through conclusive as well as subjective findings that cannabis has a broad number of impairment qualities that can manifest themselves. Key to that understanding is the fact that these manifestations can occur in differing degrees of intensity as well as singular, and or multiple combinations in the user, who may or may not be aware of these effects. The preceding makes the use of this drug even more dangerous for individuals engaged in the operation of machinery, and in particular trucks. The Center on International Cooperation (2004) provided an overview of the problem in stating that Pakistan is known for governmental corruption that plays a part in the drug trafficking that occurs within its borders. The proximity of Peshawar to the border of Afghanistan as well as its own growing. and related drug production activities makes that district a den for drug use as a result of its ease of availability. and low price. Contributing to the problem is the lack of employment opportunities that has created a large number of individuals living in poverty. The International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (2006) states that low income, lack of economic opportunities, and proximity to the availability of drugs makes for high usage. The forgoing, coupled with the fact that cannabis is a social, and or recreational drug that does not have the stigma of heroin, and cocaine, yet does have many of their same qualities, creates an environment ripe for addiction. The foregoing is de monstrated by the fact that after to Iran, Pakistan has the highest percentage of drugs users in the world (International Crisis Group, 2001). Factors that lead to the use of cannabis, in addition to the broad circumstantial aspects thus far mentioned, are peer pressure, and use as well as social contexts (Ausubel, 1969, p. 17), and the lack of education, opportunities, and outlets for social and recreational pursuits, and information on the dangerous effects of cannabis use (Kahn, 2002). In terms of transport drivers, their jobs entail repetitive, monotonous, low paying work that leaves plenty of time for mental wandering, boredom, and association with individuals who are drug users as well as being young of age. That age group is therefore highly prone to peer pressure, thus throwing them into a circle of high potential usage (IRIN, 2006). All of the preceding represents unmistakable contributing factors that make it extremely difficult to escape falling into drug use. In delving into the examination of the problem a ‘problem tree’ is a useful tool in analyzing situations as it aids in the identification of major problems in the examination, along with the causal relationships (Robertson, 2001. p. 32). In applying this methodology to the preceding examination, the following analysis of the factors equated with the problem become evident. Figure 1 – Problem Tree Analysis of Factors Leading to Cannabis Use and What Can be Done About Them: A Study Carried Out in Local Transport Drivers of the Peshawar District in Pakistan The preceding analysis shall thus form the matrix upon which this examination will focus. Chapter 3 – Literature Review Cannabis sativa was labeled by Linnaeus in 1753 is known by many names, the most popular, and universally understood being marihuana, and weed (Grinspoon, 1971, p. 1). Known for medicinal as well as being a euphoriant, the first recorded use of cannabis is â€Å"†¦found in the Herbal, an ancient equivalent of the U.S. Pharmacopoeia, written about 400 to 500 B.C. â€Å" (Grinspoon, 1971, p. 1). Also known as ‘Indian Hemp’, it is a stout, bushy, branching plant whose height varies from 5 to 15 feet in height, and is an old crop that has been grown in China as well as Asia for centuries (Hill, 1952, p. 28). In terms of products, Indian hemp is utilized â€Å"†¦for ropes, twine, carpets, sailcloth, yacht cordage, binder twine, sacks, bags, and webbing† as well as â€Å"Hemp waste, and the woody fibers of the stem are sometimes used in making paper† (Hill, 1952, p. 29). In addition â€Å"The seeds contain an oil that is useful in the soap and paint industries as a substitute for linseed oil† (Hill, 1952, p. 29). Medicinally, â€Å"Cannabis has long been used as an indigenous medicine in the south of Africa, South America, Turkey, Egypt, and many areas of Asia including India, the Malays, Burma, and Siam† (Grinspoon, 1971, p. 218). Despite the Western notion of cannabis as simply an intoxicant, there is documented evidence of its beneficial use in medicinal remedies. There is a large body of evidence from the Orient on the use of cannabis in medical applications (Grinspoon, 1971, p. 219). In studies conducted by Dr, W.B. O’Shaughnessy in 1839, who at the time was thirty-three and an â€Å"†¦ assistant surgeon and professor of chemistry at the Medical College of Calcutta †¦Ã¢â‚¬ , he experimented on â€Å"†¦patients suffering from rabies, rheumatism, epilepsy, and tetanus† (Grinspoon, 1971, p. 219). O’Shaughnessy reported â€Å" †¦ anticonvulsant properties of the previously untried materia medica, expressed his belief that in Hemp the profess ion has gained an anti-convulsive remedy of the greatest value† (Grinspoon, 1971, p. 219). O’Shaughnessy’s research led further investigation by Dr. R. M’Meens for â€Å"†¦tetanus, neuralgia, the arrest of uterine hemorrhage, as an analgesic during labor, in dysmenorrhoea, convulsions, the pain of rheumatism, asthma, postpartum psychoses, gonorrhea, and chronic bronchitis† (Grinspoon, 1971, p. 219). Dr. M’Meens studies and reports resulted in cannabis being assigned (M’Meens, 1860, pp. 94-95): a place among the so called hypnotic medicines next to opium; its effects are less intense, and the secretions are not so much suppressed by it. Digestion is not disturbed; the appetite rather increased; . . . The whole effect of hemp being less violent, and producing a more natural sleep, without interfering with the actions of the internal organs, it is certainly often preferable to opium, although it is not equal to that drug in strength and reliability. M’Meens also found that cannabis had use as a sedative among other medicinal purposes (Grinspoon, 1971, p. 220). Dr. Hare in 1887 noted that the use of cannabis â€Å"†¦quieting restlessness and anxiety, and by turning the mind of the patient to other channels. . . . Under these circumstances, the patient, whose most painful symptom has been mental trepidation, may become more happy or even hilarious† (Hare, 1887, p. 225-226). However, the Tax Act of 1937 â€Å"†¦completed its medical demise, and it was removed from the U.S. Pharmacopoeia and National Formulary in 1941† (Grinspoon, 1971, p. 218). Modern day medical findings see its proponents suggesting the legalisation of marijuana in terms of its medicinal uses (Earlywine, 2002, p. 167). Naturally, the preceding views have sparked a number of debates. It has been found that â€Å"Smoked cannabis clearly helps some problems and may cost less than other medications†, and that â€Å"Synthetic cannabinoids can also alleviate symptoms of many disorders† (Earlywine, 2002, p. 167). G.T. Stockings, a medical researcher, administered a synthetic cannabis preparation to fifty depressive patients, and thirty-six showed definitive improvement (Stockings, 1947, pp. 918-922). Mikuriya (1969, p. 904) in reviewing the medical evidence as well as literature listed the potential and possible therapeutic uses of cannabis: analgesic and hypnotic, as an appetite stimulant, antiepileptic, antispasmodic, as an aid in the prevention as well as interruption of migraines and tic douloureux, as an antidepressant as well as tranquilizer, as a psychotherapeutic aid, antiasthmatic, in the acceleration of childbirth (oxytoxic), as a topical anesthetic, in certain uses as an agent that facilitates patient withdrawal from additions to opiates and alcohol, and as an antibiotic The current position of organized medicine in the United States is that cannabis has been condemned as medically worthless, and even dangerous (Grinspoon, 1971, p. 226). In fact the members of the Committee on Legislative Activities of the American Medical Association in 1937, in protesting the Marihuana Tax Act, stated (Cary, 1937, pp. 2214-2215): There is positively no evidence to indicate the abuse of cannabis as a medicinal agent or to show that its medicinal use is leading to the development of cannabis addiction. Cannabis at the present time is slightly used for medicinal purposes, but it would seem worthwhile to maintain its status as a medicinal agent for such purposes as it now has. There is a possibility that a restudy of the drug by modern means may show other advantages to be derived from its medicinal use. Your committee also recognizes that in the Border States the extensive use of the marihuana weed by a certain type of people would be hard to control that in the Border States the extensive use of the marihuana weed by a certain type of people would be hard to control† In 1967 a position paper written in the Journal of the American Medical Association stated â€Å"Cannabis (marihuana) has no known use in medical practice in most countries of the world, including the United States† (Council on Mental Health and Committee on Legislative Activities and Drug Dependence, 1967, p. 1181). The factual evidence however points to otherwise as a classified undertaking by the United States Department of Defence in the United States that suggests the utilisation of cannabis compounds might be useful for (Culliton, 1970, p. 105): analgesics blood pressure reduction, and psychopharmacotherapeutic agents The limited utilization position of the United States in the uses of marijuana for medical purposes is outdated, according to global practices. The only uses legally approved in the United States are in California, and Arizona for medical purposes as approved by a physician, primarily for glaucoma, and high blood pressure (Christenson, 2004). Research conducted at the Complutense University in Madrid revealed that components contained in marijuana that were derived from the plant inhibited the growth of cancerous brain tumours (Annie Appleseed Project, 2007). The findings of that study were published in the journal of the American Association of Cancer Research. Other research and studies have also found that â€Å"†¦cannabis restricts the blood supply to Gliobastoma multiforme tumours †¦Ã¢â‚¬ , which is an aggressive brain tumour (Annie Appleseed Project, 2007). The foregoing study which was initiated in the United States in 1974, and then subsequent left unfounded was p icked up by the Complutense University Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 1998 were it was â€Å"†¦discovered that THC could selectively induce programme cell death in brain tumours without affecting healthy cells† (Annie Appleseed Project, 2007). In addition, new research and studies have uncovered what other cultures, notably Asian, have known for decades, that marijuana in certain uses does have value as a medicine. In a recent study conducted at the University of California, it was â€Å"†¦found that smoked marijuana was effective at relieving the extreme pain of a debilitating condition known as peripheral neuropathy †¦ (as well as potentially beneficial uses for) †¦ cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, arthritis and other debilitating illnesses.† (International Herald Tribune, 2007). The foregoing positive uses of cannabis as well as the wide spread use in Asia on an historical basis for medical purposes underlines the rationales for providing the broad based background information which was utilized to set the context that the initial foundational uses of cannabis in that region on an historical basis served a different purpose from its present. That background is important in understanding that the m ental, and historical context in terms of cannabis in the Asian region differed greatly from the policy, and views of the United States, and Europe that impose criminal penalties that have spread to other regions, including Asia as the over riding policy that deals with usage today. In equating the use as well as regional context regarding Pakistan and cannabis, it is important to understand that the country borders China, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan. The preceding is important in that Afghanistan is â€Å"†¦ the principle opium supplier to heroin and morphine base laboratories located in Pakistan †¦Ã¢â‚¬ , Tajikistan as well as Turkey (Center on International Cooperation, 2004). The drug industry provides a livelihood for many of the poor of Afghanistan as well as Tajikistan, and the Peshawar district (Center on International Cooperation, 2004). The governmental administration in Pakistan has corrupt elements, subject to the payment of funds to ease controls, and police interference, thus keeping the market fluid (Khan and Wadud, 2001). With Peshawar located extremely close to the Afghanistan border, and Khyber Pass, it is the center of drug trafficking, and thus also fosters a drug supportive culture. The significance of the preceding is that the u nderlying hard drug culture fosters softer drugs use, cannabis, as more acceptable and a lighter form of involvement (United States Department of State, 2006). Cannabis is cultivated as well as grows wild in the region, thus making its availability easy for any resident (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2007). Figure 1 – Map of Pakistan (unique-century, 2007) The significance of the medicinal historical background as well as the drug industry trade, and the overall poverty of the region set the conditions for drug use among the populace as well, important factors in the understanding of motivations for use, and conditions that drag individuals into use. Important in this understanding is that Afghanistan’s drug trafficking represents an estimated one-third of the overall Gross Domestic Product, which is fostered by a corruption government administration (United States Department of State, 2006). The region itself is also subject to the drug trade as a result of the land expanses of land, and the huge number of individuals living at, and below the poverty line. In addition to the indicated countries, drugs form a big part of the economies of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka (Center on International Cooperation, 2004). The heavy undercurrent of drugs, opium, heroin, and thus cannabis represents a lure for a means out of povert y as well as a manner in which a large number of the populace are exposed to drugs at an early age. Pakistan itself traffics in drugs as well as cultivates opium, and is a major transit country for hashish and opiates from Afghanistan (Center on International Cooperation, 2004). The country also has unconfirmed labs, and facilities along with an estimated 3 to 5 million addicts. Drug traffickers in Pakistan move product from Afghanistan to Turkey by land, through Iran as well as by sea. The foregoing is also an important consideration in the use of cannabis as a softer drug that is less addictive, and more importantly is affordable as a hard drug substitute in terms of poor economic opportunities as well as physical isolation for Pakistanis (International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, 2006). In the Asian region, cannabis is seen as an herb more than a drug. Unlike hard drugs such as heroin and cocaine, cannabis is seen as a social and recreational drug. It is easily grown in almost any type of conditions, and the climate in Pakistan is particularly suited to cultivation. It is important to mention that cannabis in today’s form differs from their culture of the 1960’s and 70’s in that it has been cross bred, and its potency has increased dramatically, estimated by 20 times (Drug Addiction Advice Project, 2007). The last factor, increased potency has changed the dynamics of cannabis to one that borders on the additive qualities of cocaine. Cannabis is a mood-altering drug, which represents one of the key rationales for its use among the improvised peoples of Peshawar as it provides an increased internal feeling of well being and happiness, increases laughter, and also heightens one’s appetite. The preceding are factors in the hard life of poorer Peshawar residents as they have little to be happy about. Cannabis, like alcohol helps people to relax, and in many instances aids them in thinking that it helps them to cope with their problems (Department of Human Services, 2002). 3.1 Actions Against Cannabis The global drug problem has been the subject of immense study as well as policies. A key development that has influenced the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances has been the Inter-American Commission on Drug Policy (Smith, 1992, p. 16). After years of study, the Commission issued a policy report in 1991 that advised that the means to control, and thus reduce global drug use rested in understanding the following dy

England Changed My Life :: Personal Narrative essay about myself

England Changed My Life    Question Answered: Recall a multicultural experience that has positively impacted your educational career. Discuss your experience and describe the ways in which you have benefited from this experience.    It all started with an unfortunate and disheartening circumstance. The father of my oldest and dearest friend, Caitlin, had been transferred. Caitlin would no longer be living down the street from me. In fact, she would be over 4,000 miles away just south of London, England. To a pair of twelve year old girls, England was an unimaginable land of tea-drinking fops living on an island almost an eternity away. Needless to say, the day of her departure was an unhappy one. However, three years older and a world wiser, we girls have come to appreciate and even enjoy the influence this situation has upon our lives.    Six months after Caitlin and her family moved away from Pittsburgh, I found myself in plane destined for Heathrow airport. Not only did I arrive with an unnecessary amount of luggage, but also a head full of pre-conceived notions. First and foremost, I believed that everywhere in the world would be exactly like the United States. This idea was proven false five minutes after stepping off the plane. Walking into the parking lot, I took notice of a petty detail I would have otherwise been oblivious to. The license plates were strikingly different! This simple aspect was enough to make me realize that I was no longer at home. Throughout that first day, many stereotypes of the English that I had long believed were each erased from my mind. As it turns out, not everyone likes to drink tea, there isn't a garden party every evening, and the Queen most definitely does not ride around in a horse-drawn carriage with a magnificent entourage all day greeting the simple peasant folk. Luckily, I r ealized these things before I had an opportunity to make a fool of myself and severely offend the people I met.    Not only did my experience in England increase my social aptitude, but also greatly improved my understanding of the world as a whole. When I returned to school in the following months, I could grasp the concept of different cultures and countries. They were no longer simply spots on a map, but real places filled with interesting people leading fascinating lives.

Searching For a Balance in Education :: Learning Education Essays

Searching For a Balance in Education The definition of "education" encompasses many different meanings. It can be defined as schooling, studies, learning, the educational system, and the list continues on. Both Adrienne Rich and Jon Spayde feel that education is composed all of these elements. But learning at a school, inside of a classroom is only the beginning. There is much more to learn other than what is inside of a text book. Learning, in large part, will come from experiencing the happiness, horrors, tragedies, and other lessons that life will bring us. We will not be able to truly appreciate our gift of knowledge until we learn to look within ourselves and to gain the self- awareness we need to recognize the meaning and importance of education. Spayde and Rich feel that a school education alone does not prepare us for the real world. Both Spayde and Rich give accounts of what they have experienced inside the educational arena. (66) Jon Spayde, author of "Learning in the Key of Life, ²s ntless experiences of many writers to illustrate the various types of education that exist in today ¹s society. He and his colleagues don ¹t necessarily believe that a formal education is the only way to learn, but instead there are various avenues for acquiring knowledge.  ³The whole world is a classroom, and to really make it one, the first thing is to believe it is. "(62) In Spayde ¹s essay, Elizabeth Sutton- Lawrence discusses Greek education, known as "in-the-street education,"where the Greeks "learned largely in part from first-hand experience. Socrates met and challenged his "pupils ²"in the streets, at dinner parties, and after festivals. ²"(us) Even if universities had been established in Greek times, Socrates, most likely would still have chosen to educate himself in the streets. He probably would have chuckled at the idea of formal schooling. (62) According to Spayde, not only did the Greeks believe in self-education, but so did other classical philosophers. They believed that to enliven the mind  ³"You need to be very alert to the world around you."(63) Awareness is so critical to our learning experience. We ¹ll never appreciate the beauty that life brings us if we don ¹t sit back and reflect on the experiences that we ¹ve learned from. New York Jazz and rock writer Gene Santoro expressed that we can also learn a lot from  ³popular culture. ² "Jazz", for example,  ³"is the artistic version of the American experience.

Cleopatra as a Historical Figure Essay -- William Shakespeare Literatu

Cleopatra as a Historical Figure In hieroglyphs, the name reads â€Å"Kleopadra†. It is a name which in Greek means â€Å"Glory of Her Race† (Weigall, 44). It is a name belonging to a woman who has transcended the boundaries of time so that we may know her story. What better way to describe Cleopatra, the last Queen of Egypt, Ruler of the Nile, sent from the Gods themselves to lead her people, than â€Å"Glory of Her Race†? Cleopatra, the last ruling descendant of the Ptolemaic Dynasty, has arguably unparalleled fame as a female historical figure. Yet we must ask ourselves: why? What is it about this individual that strikes us as so intriguing that we, like the Elizabethans before us, centuries ago, like the Romans two millennia past, should divert so much of our attention into construing the motivations behind the enigmatic figure that is Cleopatra? We must look not only to Cleopatra, but also to the historical events surrounding the last few years of her rule, in order to truly understand the historical significance bestowed upon her. It was a combination of the tumultuous political upheaval and civil unrest of Rome c.a. 40 B.C. that allowed Cleopatra to utilize her exotic mysticism and considerable political cunning to manipulate the situation in an attempt to fulfill her ultimately patriotic ideals. It is her vital and unique role in these hugely significant historical events that makes her equally indispensable in the annals of history. The land of Ancient Egypt has forever been a source of intrigue and mystery, both to the people who lived outside of its influence, and to those of us living thousands of years after the Pharaohs ruled the Nile. The dichotomy that existed during the time of Cleopatra between the West, Rom... ...ction).† The Norton Shakespeare: Tragedies. Eds. Stephen Greenblatt, Walter Cohen, Jean E. Howard, and Katherine Eisaman Maus. London: Norton, 1997. 854-847. Shakespeare, William. â€Å"Antony and Cleopatra.† The Norton Shakespeare: Tragedies. Eds. Stephen Greenblatt, Walter Cohen, Jean E. Howard, and Katherine Eisaman Maus. London: Norton, 1997. 856-934. Volkmann, Hans. Cleopatra: A Study In Politics and Propaganda. London: Elek Books, 1958. Weigall, Arthur. The Life And Times Of Cleopatra. New York: Greenwood Press, 1968. Works Cited Deats, Sara Munson. "Rabbits and Ducks." Literature Film Quarterly 20.4 (1992): 284- 294 Rabkin, Norman. Shakespeare and the Problem of Meaning. Chicago: University of Chicago (Press), 1981 Shaw, William P. "Textual Ambiguities and Cinematic Certainties in Henry V" Literature Film Quarterly 22.2 (1994): 117-123