Our Changing American Cities free essay sample

A ambitions of these led to the birth of a multitude of labor unions opposed by factories, the middle class, and the government (although unofficially in the case of the last). Various unions gained large memberships most notably, the National Labor Union and Samuel Compeers skilled conglomeration, the American Federation of Labor. Other urban reform movements, oriented at the social aspect of city life, included principally among them efforts by American Churches of all denominations to revivalist the religious component of urbanites lives. Institutions such as the SalvationArmy, soup kitchens, and the Young Mens and Womens Christian Associations served to reinvigorate city dwellers and introduce a higher level of significance to combat the conflict, disillusionment, and isolation often found in the big city. Previously alluded to, the spectacular growth of the cities led to haphazard and unplanned extensions of municipal boundaries (mainly through the newly invented electric troll ey), contamination, corruption, pollution, hazardous environments, and overall undesirable conditions of life for the inhabitants of the cities. We will write a custom essay sample on Our Changing American Cities or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The sculptural aspect of this dissent was dressed by Chicagoan Jane Addams her Hull House, the most famous of her altruistic settlement houses, provided the means by which the poor unemployed could received skills necessary to obtain a job and the such. Another significant settlement house includes Lillian Walls Henry Street Settlement in New York. Indeed, the government was mainly drawn to issues of city planning after natural (or unnatural) disasters devastated urban communities, as in the case of the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 and the Chicago Fire.During the Gilded Age and leading up to the Progressive Era, any people began to crowd up in the cities, looking for jobs in the new industrialization America. Sanitation quickly became a problem as cities continued to rapidly increase in size; trash was often left on the streets and disease was prevalent throughout the filthy, overcrowded streets. By the late nineteenth century, many reformers were looking to improve living conditions and decrease pollution. Alice Hamilton, for example, sought to make the public aware of toxic chemicals and their negative effects on society.Jane Addams, in addition, helped improve city conditions and services or the immigrant population by creating t he Hull House in Chicago. Later, In 191 6, Margaret Ganger attempts to inform the public about the necessity of birth control (a term she popularized) by establishing Planned Parenthood and the American Birth Control League as she tried to legalize contraception. Despite these sanitary problems, women, who were by far one of the most profoundly affected groups, found themselves propelled to city life and new economic opportunities. Millions of girls became stenographers or hello girls, who worked at the telephone switchboards.

buy custom Globalization in India essay

buy custom Globalization in India essay Globalization is the integration of countries for a common objective. There are several goals that can make nations to unite. Some of them include economy, information technology, education, politics and social ambitions. According to Allende, globalization normally involves the abolition of barriers that frighten international relations (Allende 10). Theses hindrances comprises of trade tariffs, import quotas and export levies. In view of Amitav, globalization is simply the spreading and harmonization of cultures (Amitav 12). Different authors have given different definitions of globalization. The Oxford English Dictionary explains that the term was used as early as 1930. By then, it simply symbolized the human experience in education as a whole. Russell who was the founder of a Bible School movement used the words corporate giants to define globalization in 1897. He argues that the term was first used by economists and social scientists in the 1960s. He further purports that the word was instituted on the international press in 1980s. After the incident, there was the emergence of various world interpretations and understanding of globalization. Immediately after this, India started to globalize (Smith 18). India began integration as early as 1985. By then, it mainly depended on foreign aids and commercial borrowing. According to Ruddar, the country had poor exports which mainly entailed tea and cotton. He adds that India had many restrictions on import. This greatly hindered the economic growth. It also meant fewer ties with the international community thereby slowing down the globalization rate. A report from Globalization Index in the late 1990s showed that India was among the least globalized countries. From early 2000, the financial strength of the country grew rapidly. This according to Gupta was attributed to the growth in technology, health, and skilled labor. In 2005, the Foreign Direct Investments India rose sharply. This was because the government made industrial reforms that simplified trade with other countries. Since then, India has had a continuous move on globalization (Ruddar 42). To date, the term is not new in the state. The country is recognized as one of the most gl obalized in the world. The research paper explores on globalization in India. This is achieved by an evaluation of the causes as well as the effects of the international unity. There is an elaborate argument about the benefits of globalization in India. In this regard, we talk about the important issues that accompany the process. Challenges of globalization are also discussed. This entails the disadvantages of national integration. The paper is then concluded by an elaborate summary of the main ideas (Conversi 39). Motivation for Globalization in India Every nation is currently in the business of amalgamation. India has not been left behind in the process. The government of the state has worked tirelessly in conjunction with the developed states like U.S in order to become globalized. Chanda outlines that globalization is normally motivated by several factors. They include biological factors, financial stability, search for technology, socio-cultural balance and political inter- connections as discussed below. Search for technology is a key drive towards globalization in India. The world has become a place of technology. Almost every activity or process that is done commercially or officially requires the use of machines. The nation of India also followed suit. So they purposed to hunt for technological expertise (Chanda, 28). These include machinery, pharmacy jewelry, internet, industrial planning, military and architecture among others. India sought for unity with the developed world like America and Europe in order to globalize. According to Kuruvilla, India was on the right track in industrial and labor development by the year 2008. This was characterized by the manufacture of cheap household goods, clothes and electrical appliances. Aspiration for political stability can also motivate amalgamation. Issues of governance pressed India to integrate with other nations. The government was looking for new ideas and policies in government. This included the efforts of the administration to forge ties with other nations through the institution of foreign diplomats. Rosaldo commented by saying that India was a world in motion. He noticed great political ties with the West, Middle East and Africa. It is through stable politics that a country can succeed in all the aspects of development. Security is very vital for globalization to be realized. Once the country is secure and there are no conflicts along the border, then growth becomes inevitable. The need for political stability motivated the country to pursue globalization (Inda and Rosaldo, 32). Biological factors also motivated India to globalize. Biology is the study of life. These comprise both the animals and plants. The country had to seek for agricultural expertise in the developed countries like Japan. Growth meant that India had to employ knew seeds and farm inputs in ordr to improve in food and animal production. Use of agricultural machines also had to be invented. This explains why the scholar by name Allende called India as an invented country. She saw it as a nation on the move to catch up with the rest of the world. Population had to be checked for globalization to be realized. The government collaborated with other nations to borrow new drugs and family control methods to help them contain the high birth rates in India. Desire for economic stability was a major drive towards a global India. Development of a nation requires sufficient funds. This cannot be achieved by isolation. A country must interrelate with others in order to succeed. A report by Ecommerce Journal in 2008 indicates an encouraging report about financial growth in India. The government made commendable monetary reforms. These were meant to ease the restrictions which had been put on trade. Some of these barriers include tariffs on exports and import duty. Foreign investments were accommodated. The policy opened doors for international businesses in the country which had kept off foreign investors for many years. Development projects like roads, banks industries and institutions came up. This is evidence that economic desire made India to seek globalization. Socio-cultural factor also motivated India to amalgamate. Formerly, India as a nation kept to itself and did not relate with other nations. But as the world increased in knowledge, the need for intercultural relations also increased. People wanted to exchange ideas and social life including intermarriages. There was need to exchange knowledge and skills from varied social groups. This opened up India for assimilation with other nations. According to Chanda, globalization was triggered in India by the social groups like traders, adventurers and preachers. Business activities, tours as well as religious teachings led to interaction among different people thereby promoting integration (Chanda, 36). Pressure from the international community made India to amalgamate. The world is narrowing the geographical distance. Today, one can access almost everywhere in the globe through phones and internet. This makes globalization to be an urgent issue that India as a country cannot ignore. This energy made India to globalize so that it is not left behind by the other nations. According to Rosaldo, it was set in motion due to pressure from the developed countries. This explains why he was quick to comment that the nation is a world in motion (Inda and Rosaldo 35). The analysis above critically shows that globalization in India was indeed motivated. That is to say that it was triggered by some significant reasons. Enough evidence has been put across to comply with this idea. Arguments from various authors and scholars have also been used to expose these motivations. Benefits of Globalization in India Globalization in India has several benefits. This comprises the reward that India has because of its unity with the rest of the world nations. According to scholars like Smith and Conversi, integration is a better choice to make. They hinted a number of merits. Some of them include effective communication, expanded market, economic liberty, cultural diversity and improved technology as discussed below (Smith 22). India has benefited from effective communication. Unity with the rest of the world made the country to make various connections. Diplomacy has been intensified. This means that information can flow from the diplomats in different countries to India and vice versa without any problem. Amalgamation resulted to sharing of ideas especially on communication. India is then able to communicate using some of the latest and fastest methods. They consist of twitter, fiber optics satellite, internet and telephone. Students can also benefit because globalization has made it possible for them to use e- learning. Globalization has created an expanded marked for India. International relations call for eradication of trade barriers. This effort opens the window for bilateral and multilateral trades. India can therefore sell their products in any country so long as they are related. It can also buy goods from the friendly nations without any problem. According to Ruddar, India had become a major exporter of various products to many destinations a cross the world by 2009. The freedom for exchange of products and capital greatly contributed to an expanded market for the country. The students have benefited through foreign learning. A student in India can easily study in the U.K either by residence or through correspondence (Ruddar 43). Economic liberty is yet another benefit of integration for the country. Financial strength is a measure of growth. This cannot be achieved without interdependence. Unity of nations has made India to be able to access grants, aid and affordable loans from the international community. Globalization is a force that elevates nations from poverty. He further argues that the phenomenon creates a system that promotes an effective and rapid financial growth. Opportunities have become enormous. Workers can move freely and get better jobs in their nations of choice. This is an evidence of a liberated economy. Cultural diversity is an important advantage to note. Indians never used to interact with other cultures. The coming of globalization has resulted to the growth of a mixed culture and belief. According to the WHO report on integration in 2007, cultural diversity is indeed prominent. The report highlighted that there was the use of different languages across the globe including India. Manyy people had accepted cultural assimilation as a true fact. The need for high standard life made people to enjoy foreign ideas, products, technology, lifestyle and environment. The harmonization of different cultures and beliefs promotes peace and understanding. India as a nation has greatly benefited from the ideology. Students in India have also enjoyed studying with different nationals in the same institutions. India has benefited from improved technology. Amalgamation made India to form allies with developed countries. These relations made the country to access a vast knowledge in expertise. According Kuruvilla, globalization was a major breakthrough to India. This is because the country moved forward in a number of areas. Refined war machines and weapons were developed as well as classic electronics. Industrial know- how increased. It led to the innovation of new medicinal. The information capability was also expanded elaborately. This is an evidence of the assistance that globalization has brought to India. From the evaluation, globalization is practically seen to be of benefit to the Indians. This is because of the manner in which it has made the country to improve in almost every sector. Enough facts have been put across to support this concept. Views from various authors and scholars have also been considered. Challenges of Globalization in India Globalization is a good adventure. However, it has several challenges. Scholars like Jagdish have put across a number of concerns. This was also supported by the Wall Street Journal in 2008. Some of them encompass political dominance, criminal activities, and financial crisis, brain drain and health hazards as discussed below. Political dominance is a major challenge of globalization. This is a situation where integration is used by the most developed nations in order to be in charge of the poor countries. Wealth is power. This is why American is called the world superpower. The rich countries manipulate the vulnerable financially challenged nations like India to gain political control over them. A study report released by Paul Hirsch shows that globalization has been politicized since the U. S started controlling the international economy. This is a big challenge to India which is in the process of globalization. The students can be affected because they may not find places to work in after studies. Emergence of criminal activities. Integration created international relations. It also opened the doors for people to travel freely from one country to another. The freedom of movement and action created a loop hole for violent activities. This resulted to the emergence of actions like o terrorism, fraud and drug peddling. Terrorists have a global network where they carry out their violent activities using the developed technology. Fraudsters also use internet, computers and satellite machines to misappropriate funds and properties. Drug kingpins are known to use planes and ships to network their illegal business in the world. Nobody is safe in the globe today. The Indian students are vulnerable to drug abuse and terror activities. This is indeed the risk of integration. Brain rain is also a challenge of globalization in India. The desire for people to have good standards of life as well as financial stability has made them move differently. Immigration is an appropriate example. It involves the movement of people from their country of origin to a foreign one for residence. This results to the departure of valuable know- how from the mother country thereby depleting its resources. India has faced this challenge which has resulted to mass emigration to the West and Africa. According to a report by the Assorted Chambers of Commerce and Industry, brain drain of India students costs the country 10 billion U.S dollars annually. Health challenges have also risen due to globalization. International relations lead to growth in technology, culture and economy. Such developments carry along diseases and pathogens which are very detrimental to human life. For example, the globalization report reveals that immigration has greatly contributed to the spread of HIV and Aids. Use of heavy weapons like nuclear can be very dangerous to human life. Communication gadgets like phones and computers have long term effect on the users if safety precautions are ignored. Health issues emerging from globalization have indeed affected the Indians. Financial crisis is one of the challenges of globalization. Integration translates to economic dependence. This results to economic interconnections among the member states. Any financial implication in one country is bound to affect the rest of the countries. India is one of the countries that are in the chain. The fact that it is globalized means that it is vulnerable to the crisis. For example, the world recession in 2007 was felt globally. India was indeed affected and life became very difficult. This is a challenge that globalization must urgently address. From the discussion above, it is a reality that globalization has disadvantages. Sufficient proof has been given to support the fact. Various writers and reports from journals have also given substantial explanations concerning the topic. In conclusion, globalization in India is a fact. The research paper has highlighted a number of issues to justify the statement. India is one of the most globalized countries in the world today. However, sustaining this requires the state to deal amicably with the challenges that are involved. In this regard, stability is assured in the country. Buy custom Globalization in India essay

5 Bad Ways to Demonstrate Your Interest in a College

5 Bad Ways to Demonstrate Your Interest in a College Demonstrated interest is an important and often overlooked piece of the college admissions puzzle (read more: What Is Demonstrated Interest?). Colleges want to admit students who are eager to attend: such students help the college get a high yield from their pool of admitted students, and students with strong demonstrated interest are less likely to transfer and more likely to become loyal alums. For some good ways to succeed on this dimension of your college application, check out these eight ways to demonstrate your interest. Unfortunately, many applicants (and sometimes their parents) who are over-eager to demonstrate interest make some bad decisions. Below are five approaches you should not use to demonstrate your interest. These methods could hurt your chances of getting an acceptance letter rather than help. Sending Material the College Did Not Request Many colleges invite you to send in whatever supplemental materials you want to share so that the school can get to know you better. This is especially true for liberal arts colleges with holistic admissions. If a college opens the door for extra materials, dont hesitate to send along that poem, performance recording, or short athletic highlights video. That said, many colleges and universities specifically state in their admissions guidelines that they will not consider supplemental materials. When this is the case, the admissions folks can get annoyed when they receive that package with a draft of your novel, that letter of recommendation when the school doesnt consider letters, or that album of photos of you traveling through Central America. The school is likely to discard these items or waste valuable time and resources mailing them back to you. What You Think Youre Saying: Look at me and how interesting I am! Im so eager to attend your school that I sent you a giant envelope full of extra stuff! What You Are Actually Saying: Look at me! I dont know how to follow directions! Also, I dont respect your time. Im sure you can spend an extra 45 minutes on my application! Trust me, when schools say they wont consider supplemental materials, they are telling the truth and you should follow their admissions guidelines. Calling to Ask Questions Whose Answers are Readily Available Some students are so desperate to make a personal contact in the admissions office that they come up with weak reasons for calling. If you have a legitimate and important question that is not answered anywhere on the schools website or admissions materials, then you can certainly pick up the phone. But do not call to ask if the school has a football team or honors program. Dont call to ask how big the school is and whether or not students live on campus. This type of information is readily available online if you take a few minutes to look. What You Think Youre Saying: Look how interested I am in your college! Im taking the time to call and ask questions! What Youre Actually Saying: Look at me! I dont know how to research and read! The admissions folks are remarkably busy people in the fall and winter, so a rather pointless phone call is likely to be an annoyance, especially at selective schools. Harassing Your Admissions Representative No applicants deliberately harass the person who holds the key to their admission, but some students inadvertently behave in ways that are unwelcome if not uncomfortable from the perspective of the admissions staff. Do not email the office daily with well wishes or fun facts about yourself. Do not send gifts to your admissions representative. Do not show up at the admissions office frequently and unannounced. Do not call unless you have a truly important question. Do not sit outside the admissions building with a protest sign that says Admit Me! What You Think Youre Saying: Look how persistent and clever I am! I really, really, really, really want to attend your college! What Youre Actually Saying: Look at me! I enjoy disrupting your day, and Im also a bit creepy with stalker-like tendencies. Having a Parent Call for You This one is common. Many parents have the admirable quality of wanting to do all they can to help their kids succeed. Many parents also discover that their kids are either too shy, too disinterested, or too busy playing Grand Theft Auto to advocate for themselves in the college admissions process. The obvious solution is to advocate for them. College admissions offices often get more calls from parents than students, just as college tour guides often get grilled more by the parents. If this type of parent sounds like you, just keep in mind the obvious: the college is admitting your child, not you; the college wants to get to know the applicant, not the parent. What You Think Youre Saying: Let me ask questions to demonstrate how interested my child is in your college. What Youre Actually Saying: My kid is so disinterested in college that Im doing all the work of choosing a school and applying. My child lacks initiative. A parents role in the admission process is a challenging balancing act. You need to be there to motivate, support, and inspire. The application and questions about the school, however, should be coming from the applicant. (Financial issues can be an exception to this rule since paying for school is often more of a parents burden than the students.) Applying Early Decision When a College Isnt Your First Choice Early Decision (as opposed to Early Action) is a binding agreement. If you apply through an Early Decision program, you are telling the college that it is your absolute first choice school, and that you will withdraw all other applications should you be admitted. Because of this, Early Decision is one of the best indicators of demonstrated interest. You have made a contractual and financial agreement indicating your unquestionable desire to attend. Some students, however, apply Early Decision in an effort to improve their chances even when they arent sure if they want to attend the school. Such an approach often leads to broken promises, lost deposits, and frustration in the admissions office. What You Think Youre Saying: Look, youre my first choice school! What Youre Actually Saying (if you break your ED contract): Im dishonest and selfish, and you might want to contact competitor colleges to inform them of my breech of contract. A Final Word Everything Ive discussed herecalling the admissions office, applying Early Decision, sending supplemental materialscan be a helpful and appropriate part of your application process. Whatever you do, however, make sure you are following the colleges stated guidelines, and always put yourself in the shoes of an admissions officer. Ask yourself, do your actions make you look like a thoughtful and interested candidate, or do they make you appear inconsiderate, thoughtless, or grasping?

Personal development and careers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Personal development and careers - Essay Example The last part focuses on barriers to communication and strategies that can be implemented to overcome them. 1. â€Å"Learning is the process of acquiring knowledge through experience which leads to an enduring change in behaviour,† (Hucznski & Buchanan, 2010). It can be noted that organisations operate in a dynamic environment which is ever changing hence learning in an organisation is a very important strategy that ought to be implemented in order to overcome the challenges that are often brought about by change. Against this background, this essay seeks to explain this assertion in relation to learning theories. The paper will also outline different elements of learning and how they impact on individuals as well as the organisation as a whole. Basically, the concept of learning was popularized by Peter Senge (1990) who described it as, â€Å"the process whereby people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free and where people continually learn how to learn together through the exchange of ideas,† (Robbins, 2003). ... The ability of the organisation to grow mainly depends on the ability of the employees to generate new ideas which can be developed into feasible strategies that can be implemented in the operations of the organisation. There are mainly two theories of learning namely the behavioural and cognitive theories. Behavioural theory suggests that human behaviour in relation to learning can be explained in terms of external stimuli, responses, learned histories and reinforcement which mean that all human behaviour could therefore be understood in terms of cause and effect (Torrington, Hall & Taylor, 2008). On the other hand, cognitive theory posits to the effect that learning is influenced by mental structures. According to Vygotsky (1978), aspects such as problem solving are influenced by an integration of personal traits such as motivation, cognitive strategies as well as the learner’s ambition to acquire new knowledge in a related subject. In most cases, an individual person is awa re of the reason why he or she is learning hence there is need to positively influence this process for a positive result. Both theories are applicable to learning especially in organisations where it can be noted that people learn through socialisation whereby they interact with their workmates in a bid to exchange ideas and knowledge which is the foundation of learning. There is a close relationship between these two concepts given that they emphasise on the need to transform the organisation for positive growth through changing the behaviour of the employees through the knowledge they will gain from the learning process. The learner will be exposed to a system that will

Quality in health care administration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Quality in health care administration - Essay Example effective care management strategies (Upshaw, Kaluzny & McLaughlin, P192) The Process Component involves a critical assessment of the factors required for the delivery of effective patient care that is individualized to meet the needs of each patient, and the effective management of resources and professional associations required to address patient needs. Primary Outcomes addresses issues such as quality care from the perspective of patient and health professional. Strategic Outcomes involves a broader perspective of outcome in relation to health organizations and healthcare consumers. The Professional Model has a more restricted focus than the Transformational Model as it concentrates on the professional health care delivery system from the vantage point of the caregiver (Upshaw, Kaluzny & McLaughlin, P193). The focus is more traditional, based on the autonomous decision-making role of the individual caregiver. The Transformational model is collaborative and reflects the increasing organizational complexity of the healthcare delivery system. This model incorporates many aspects of professional development that are critical to successful health care delivery, and many aspects of the Professional Model are included in the Professional Practice Component of the Transformation Model. The major areas of focus in this area of the Transformational Model overlap the Professional Model, including Professional Growth, Transformational Leadership, Collaborative Practice and care Delivery. The Professional Practice Component is the most important area of the Transformational Model, and is more dynamic and expansive in its professional goals and overall global perspective on health care delivery than the Professional Model. The Transformational Model contains many elements that are central to CQI. Continuous Quality Improvement is an important management concept that has been applied to the delivery of health care services to achieve the most effective practices from

Identify Statistics Essay Example for Free

Identify Statistics Essay The Human development Index (HDI) is a general measure of how a country has developed over a certain period of time. It is measured through the use of literacy levels, provision of education, healthcare, life expectancy and the gross domestic product of a country. The HDI of most countries is measured by organizations that would like to use the data for various uses including deciding which of these countries need aid. The HDI of Libya, for instance is placed at 0. 47 in the year 2007. This was an increase of 0. 44% which is substantial. This information was provided by the United Nations in the year 2007. Such statistics are collected by UN for the sole purpose of measuring the rates of development and well-being of the human populations in these regions. It is then important in deciding which of the considered nations need help and in which sectors this help might be most needed (UNDP, 2009). This statistic is a bit misleading due to the fact that some contributing factors are not looked at critically. Some of the factors like democracy and rights are not looked at. Therefore, when looking at the index critically, we realize that such important factors are not considered in determination of the well-being of the general population. This therefore leads us to a conclusion that the calculation might not be able to conclusively portray the right picture to those who are using it.

Linguistic Determinism: Words and Thoughts Essays -- Language, Semanti

There is no human language without socio-cultural context; meanwhile language resides inside each individual’s mind and as a result, linguistic interaction did not occur without the use of the language. Individuals do not create languages; they just use that one given to them by society. For Saeed (2009), language is the mirror of culture and it is determined by the categories available in speakers’ own language. Studies about relationship between language and culture and between language and thought have a long history and have placed a much conferred proposal to modern linguistic: the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. This hypothesis points out that influence of language on thought is only a component about such a complex web among language, culture and cognition. However, in essence, it leaves out the cultural pattern. Without language, a sort level of cultural development and cultural knowledge cannot exist, and, on the other hand, a high level of linguistic development could only exist through socio-cultural interaction. According to Flyht (2007), it is extremely evident that language reinforces cultural patterns through semantics whereas new meanings from new words are established by events which happen to people’s lives according to their cultural occurrence. The aim of this essay is to discuss the connection between linguistic determinism and the support of the semantic studies in order to understand words and sentences produced in human mind when the cultural and social pattern it is taken into account. Yet â€Å"knowledge an individual speaker of a language possesses which makes it possible for them to communicate with one another.† (Riemer, 2010: 13). Semantics is a theory of languages, natural or artificial, and it is part of gra... ...theory of substantive universals not only with regard to universal phonetic but also by fixed categories (noun, verb, etc..), which are the underlying syntactic structure of language. The words and grammatical structures of a language have a profound effect on how speakers think, even when they are not talking and listening. The essence of thinking consists of real words and phrases, so people do not have to conceive a concept which does not exist in their language. Also, if two people speak languages that differ in the concepts that they are able to express, their beliefs are irreconcilable and communication between them is impossible. The Semantics proposes that the meanings of words are mentally represented in the form of expressions. The meanings of words can vary between languages because children adjust and organise them from the most elementary concepts.

From Determinism to Cognitive Theory

From Deterministic Behaviorism to Cognitive Theory: An Evolutionary Trail Alesia G. McDaniel University of the Rockies Abstract The Behaviorist theory, introduced by Pavlov and popularized by Watson and Skinner is discussed based on its roots in the philosophy of determinism which maintains that all behavior is the result of a specific cause. The theory of evolution and the consequential nature-nurture debate following contributes to the search for the meaning of behavior. A relationship to present day behaviorism theory and the rise of cognitive behavioral theory with its branches of cognitive behavior therapy and neuroscience will be explored. An analysis of the similarities and differences between the two constructs in the field of psychology, leads to a discussion of how these theories are used in current psychological practice. Keywords: Determinism, Behaviorism, Cognitive Theory, Cognitive Behavioral Psychology From Determinism to Cognitive Theory: An Evolutionary Trail The history of psychology is informative. It began 100 years ago with an introspective search for mind (Skinner, 1990) that came from philosophy and metaphysics. A philosophical principle called determinism appears to serve as a root for what later became behaviorism. This paper will outline an evolutionary trail. Beginning at the sea of determinism and crossing the plains of evolution, through the jungle of experimental psychology to find the path leading to the oasis of explanation of behaviorism where after a short rest, the trail winds around the curve of cognitive theory ending at a fork in the road. At this point, one path leads to current cognitive therapy practice and the other to current applications of behaviorism. The Sea of Determinism Determinism emerges as the explanation of a principle of physics called cause and effect which asserts that all behavior is the result of some cause (Bargh, 2000). Causation comes as a direct result of purpose or reason. No event is uncaused and all events are of necessity. Philosophy tends to use introspection to flesh out concepts of how the mind interacts with the body. Introspection was rejected by the experimental psychologists. The Plains of Evolution Behaviorism is the idea that all behavior can be traced to specific causes either environmental or reflexive. Thompson (1994) states that behavior of the organism as a whole is the product of three types of variation and selection and that natural selection is the first type. It is responsible for the evolution of the species and hence for species behavior. The Jungle of Experimental Psychology Watson attacked introspection in his behaviorist manifesto of 1913, and for that or other reasons, introspection was essentially abandoned (Bargh, 2000). Behaviorists came out of structuralism and functionalism as a protest of the mentalism that guided the careers of Wundt and Titchener. Experimental psychologists hoped to isolate compounds of images, feelings and sensations in a way that they could measure them and us the measurements to predict the cause of human behavior (Bargh, 2000). It was hoped that these elements could be organized into a type of table as is used in physics. The failure of experimental psychologists to isolate behavior in this manner gave rise to Behaviorist theory. An Oasis: Behaviorism Pavlov’s conditioned reflex formed the basis of Watson’s behaviorism (Thompson, 1994) B. F. Skinner and John Watson developed â€Å"nurture focused† determinism with in two models of behavioral conditioning (Bargh, 2000). B. F. Skinner is known for development of Operant Conditioning which differed from Watson’s version by addition of operation procedures in addition to the CS and the UCS in his S-R model. Operant conditioning addressed the causality of human behavior and as such involved specification of how stimuli, responses, reinforcers, and drive states are woven into relationships that change and sustain an organism’s behavior (Herrnstein, 1977). This method had some limitations that contributed to the rise of cognitive theory as the answer to the question of why humans behave as they do. This process lacked objectivity to sustain its vision and goals. Psychological study without consideration of internal process in unproductive. It is missing a significant variable. Behaviorism came about as a reaction to the subjectivity and unreliability of methods used in experimental psychology and strove to provide a mechanical account of human behavior (Bargh, 2000). It was based on the physiological concept of reflex as a result of external stimulation. The S-R unit was seen as the basic building block of human behavior with no theoretical base. There isn’t any empirical evidence to prove its actual existence. As long as the S-R units of the behaviorist experiments remained contained in labs and boxes, it proved successful, but when taken to higher level processes such as language and social interaction, the S-R unit was no longer plausible. It was thought that what was discovered in the lab with pigeons and rats was transferrable to human behavior outside the lab. The failure of behaviorism’s model to explain higher mental processes of language acquisition, social interaction, memory, and judgment led to cognitive theory to find the missing link (Bargh, 2000). The Curve of Cognitive Theory Behavioral theory exposed the rudimentary or first principles of human behavior from which cognitive therapy evolved. Behaviorism denied internal processing and focusing only on external stimuli leaves much to be desired. The behaviorist held to the idea that the mediating internal constructs and processes hinder achieving the results of the assumption that human behavior can be explained by nurture focused determinism (Bargh, 2000). An integration of cognitive and dynamic psychology to understand all processes that cause behavior is needed. Cognitive theory focuses on the internal processing of external events as the cause of behavior and as such relates to determinism. Perhaps behaviorism failed to completely answer the questions of causality of human behavior because it denied that consciousness plays a role, with consciousness, representing those processes that motivate behavior internally. Perception, interpretation, memory, judgment, evaluation, and goal pursuit all serve to cause behavior. Maybe behaviorists were trying to disprove religious teachings of their time and the belief that God or the Devil had something to do with behavior. They were not willing to deal with what they did not know how to measure. As cognitive science picked up where Behaviorism left off, psychology begins to unravel a process by which an understanding of how the internal processes of the human mind work in combination with individual differences in consciousness and how that influences and directs human behavior. The Fork in the Road: Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Current Behaviorism Applied Cognitive behavior theory and behaviorism theory translated to cognitive-behavioral therapy currently helps practitioners to flesh out the root causality of problematic behavior with their clients. An understanding of why we do, what we do or, what thinking leads to certain behaviors is crucial to eradication of self-destructive behavior as well as restoration and growth after experiencing trauma or victimization. Applications of these theories have contributed to advances in treatment of addiction and trauma. The practices of psychotherapy and medication therapy have also benefited from advances in this area. The End of the Trail? The trail began seeing behavior as the effect of a cause. It continues to evolve from the present path of thinking processes being the cause of behavior. Experimental psychology, behaviorism blazed new trails toward the manifest destiny that is the mind. As new trails are being blazed to understand how thought is related to behavior the evolution continues. . References Bargh, J. A. (2000). Beyond behaviorism: On the automaticity of higher mental processes. Psychological Bulletin,126(6), 925-945. doi:10. 1037/0033-2909. 126. 6. 925. Goodwin, C. (2008). A history of modern psychology, 3rd ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Herrnstein, R. J. (1977). The evolution of behaviorism. American Psychologist, 32(8), 593-603. doi:10. 1037/0003-066X. 32. 8. 593 Skinner, B. F. (1990). Can psychology be a science of mind? American Psychologist, 45(11), 1206-1210. doi:10. 1037/0003-066X. 45. 11. 1206 Thompson, R. F. (1994). Behaviorism and neuroscience. Psychological Review, 101(2), 259-265. doi:10. 1037/0033-295X. 101. 2. 259

Gmmm

Case 1. Southwestern university Southwestern university (SWU), a large state college in Stephenville, Texas, 30 miles southwest of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, enrolls close to 20,000 students. In a typical town-gown relationship, the school is a dominant force in the small city, with more students during fall and spring than permanent residents. A longtime football powerhouse, SWU is a member of the Big Eleven conference and is usually in the top 20 in college football rankings.To bolster its chances of reaching the elusive and long-desired number-one ranking, in 2003, SWU hired the legendary Bo Pitterno as its head coach. One of Pitterno’s demands on joining SWU had been a new stadium. With attendance increasing, SWU administrators began to face the issue head-on. After 6 months of study, much political arm wrestling, and some serious financial analysis, Dr. Joel Wisner, president of Southwestern University, had reached a decision to expand the capacity at its on-campus stadium. Adding thousands of seats, including dozens of luxury skyboxes, would not please everyone.The influential Pitterno had argued the need for a first-class stadium, one with built-in dormitory rooms for his players and palatial office appropriate for the coach of a future NCAA champion team. But the decision was made, and everyone, including the coach, would learn to live with it. The job now was to get construction going immediately after the 2009 season ended. This would allow exactly 270 days until the 2010 season opening game. The contractor, Hill Construction, signed his contract. Bob Hill looked at the tasks his engineers had outlined and looked President Wisner in the eye. I guarantee the team will be able to take the field on schedule next year,† he said with a sense of confidence. â€Å"I sure hope so,† replied Wisner. â€Å"The contract penalty of $10,000 per day for running late is nothing compared to what Coach Pitterno will do to you if our opening g ame with Penn State is delayed or canceled. † Hill, sweating slightly, did not need to respond. In foot-ball-crazy Texas, Hill Construction would be mud if the 270- days target was missed. Back in his office, Hill again reviewed the data and noted that optimistic time estimates can be used as crash times.He then gathered his foremen. â€Å"Folks, if we’re not 75% sure we’ll finish this stadium in less than 270 days, I want this project crashed! Give me the cost figures for a target date of 250 days- also for 240 days. I want to be early, not just on time. 1. Develop a network drawing for Hill Construction and determine the critical path. How long is the project expected to take? 2. What is the probability of finishing in 270 days? 3. If it is necessary to crash to 250 or 240 days, how would Hill do so, and at what costs? As noted in the case, assume that optimistic time estimates can be used as crash times. aa

Ancient nubia

Ancient nubia Definition of a civilization According to my definition of a civilization the ancient Nubian qualify in all fields. They have achieved a division of labor, which sparked advanced government, a written language, advanced technology, and a calendar.Division of labor During the Neolithic age, the Nubian people abandoned their hunter-gatherer society and adopted a new way of life, one with farming and raising animals. It created a division of labor. In the early stages there were a few basic occupations one could pursue. Farming, ranching, and medicine making were the most common of the early careers.As the Nubian civilization evolved many other occupations became available to the people. There were need for hotels, markets, bathhouses, artist, priest, and blacksmiths. One could also take a career as a politician, military officer, record keeper or other careers related to the government. Trading was another way to go. Many people made a living by managing the trade with other countries or working on the trade ships.A shell bracelet found in the grave of a Nubian me...The division of labor required Nubian's to stay in one area rather than travel the land by seasons, and in turn that spawned all other aspects of their civilization.Advanced government Before the Nubians had kings or chiefs the people that usually controlled the population controlled the trade. Trade managers were the people who took farmer's cattle or crops and traded them up the river for whatever the farmer wanted. Nubia depended heavily on trade. Without it they would surely perish. Because of this, trade managers eventually became the official rulers of Nubia. Nubia had established an early form of monarchy supported by three different rulers. The royal crown prince, the general of the river, and the prince of akin were the three main areas of power. All of these positions were hereditary. Though the rulers...

How to Communicate With Special Education Parents

How to Communicate With Special Education Parents The best way to avoid crises with parents or even, heaven forbid, due process, it’s good to have regular communication methods in place. If parents know you are open to hearing their concerns, you can nip any potential misunderstandings that lead to a crisis in the bud. Also, if you communicate regularly when you do have concerns about problem behaviors or a child in crisis, parents won’t feel blindsided. Find Out How a Parent Prefers to Communicate If a parent doesn’t have email, that won’t work. Some parents only have email at work, and may not want to receive messages by email. Some parents may prefer phone calls. Find out what are good times for a phone message. A traveling folder (see below) is a great means of communications, and parents may just prefer to respond to your messages in a notebook in one pocket. Parents Are Stressed Some parents may be embarrassed about having children who need services- for some parents parenting is a competitive sport. Some special education children are poorly organized, extraordinarily active, and do poorly at keeping their rooms clean. These children can stress parents out. Another issue for parents of special education children is that they often feel that no one sees the value of their child because of their challenges. These parents may feel the need to defend their child when you really just want to share a concern or work out a mutually agreeable solution. Don’t Play the Blame Game If these children weren’t challenging, they probably wouldn’t need special education services. Your job is to help them succeed, and you need their parents’ help to do it. Make Your First Email or Phone Call a Positive One Call with something positive you want to tell the parent about their child, even if it’s â€Å"Robert has the greatest smile.† After that, they won’t always pick up your emails or phone calls with dread.  Keep records.  A communication form in a notebook or file would be helpful. Handle your parents with TLC (tender loving care) and you will usually find allies, not enemies. You will have difficult parents, but I will discuss them elsewhere. Email Email can be a good thing or an opportunity for trouble. It is easy for email messages to be misunderstood since they lack the tone of voice and body language, two things that could assure parents that there is not some hidden message. It is good to copy your building administrator, your special education supervisor or a partner teacher all of your emails. Check with your special education supervisor to find out who he or she would like to see receive the copies. Even if they never open them, if they store them, you have a backup in case of a misunderstanding. It is especially important to email your supervisor or building principal a heads up if you see trouble with a parent brewing. Phone Some parents may prefer a phone. They may like the immediacy and the sense of intimacy created by a telephone call. Still, there is potential for misunderstanding, and you never know exactly what frame of mind they are in when you call. You can set up a regular phone date, or just call on special occasions. You might save this for just good news, since other kinds of calls, especially calls involving aggression, may put parents on the defensive since they haven’t’ had a chance to prepare for it. If you leave a message, be sure you say Bob ( or whoever) is fine. I just need to talk (ask a question, get some information, share something that happened today.) Please call me at . . . Be sure to follow up a phone call with an email or a note. Restate briefly what you talked about. Keep a copy. Traveling Folders Traveling Folders are invaluable for communication, especially on completed projects, papers or tests. Usually, a teacher will designate one side for homework and the other for completed assignments and the communication folder.  Often a daily Home Note can be included.  It can be part of your behavior management plan as well a means to communicate. It is still good to save copies of parent’s notes, or even both sides of the conversation, so you can share them with an administrator should you see trouble coming down the pike. You might want to either put a plastic insert with a list of what should come home each night and directions for how to complete the folder or staple the same to the front cover of the folder. You will find parents will be pretty good at packing this folder in the child’s backpack. Stay In TouchRegularly However you decide to communicate, do it on a regular basis, not just when a crisis arrives. It might be nightly, for a communication folder, or perhaps weekly for a phone call. By keeping in touch, you not only can share concerns, but you will be eliciting the support of parents in reinforcing the good things you want to see happen for their child.

Eugenic Sterilization Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Eugenic Sterilization Law - Essay Example In 1924, Carrie Buck a teenager mother was accused in a court of law for bearing a child outside of wedlock and that her child would probably be socially inadequate. Ms. Buck, whose feeble-minded mother had been admitted in the state colony of epileptics and feeble-minded, was the first American to face eugenic sterilization law. Harry Laughlin’s authentication about Ms. Buck and her child and Eugenic Record Office testimony about her child’s disorder made the court rule in favor of the states. She appealed for a review of the case but the Supreme Court also ruled in favor of the state. Basing his argument on the fact that Ms. Buck was feeble-minded, chief justice Oliver W. Holmes ordered Superintendent Bell to go ahead and perform salpingectomy operation on Carrie Buck. He concluded that it was better for the entire world if unfit human breeds were wiped from the society instead of waiting for them, to bear offspring and execute them for crimes.Later, Paul Lombardo a h istorian at the University of Virginia found out that, apart from Miss Buck’s child turning out to be a very bright student at 7 years old, Buck had been raped. Following this, Eugenics Record Office was forced to close and with time eugenicists’ claims were disapproved by other scientists. This decision had also contributed to more than 65,000 inferiors being forcefully sterilized between 1927 and 1979. United States government has since then been holding annual anniversaries to apologize for the shameful Buck decision.