Suicide Solution Essay Example For Students

Suicide Solution Essay Im about to take up a position which is going to be deamed by some,if not all, as a terrible stand to take. As a matter of fact, if anyone wereto agree with me on ths subject, Id be surprsed. For you see, rather thanarguing from the postion of suicide being an unjustified and inane way todie, I shall argue the other point. That being suicide does have its merits. Before you people start screaming, hear my case out. Most peopleargue that nothing justifies the taking of someones life. Yet what makeslife so valuable? Why do people cling to it so? All we consist of is a bunchof carbon atoms, bound together to form an exoskeleton, organs, and tissue. In this light, there really is not much to life. Out of the 5 billion whoinhabit the planet, very few of them shall emerge to be true world leaders. We will write a custom essay on Suicide Solution specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The rest will just lead a mediocre life of work and little play. The taking of ones life can be argued from a populistic view as well. It makes little sense to preserve life in an over populated world. True, oneless person here on there will not make a large dent. Yet if everyone whoattempts or had attempted suicide were not stopped, the impact would benoticed. Another popular argument for stoppers, people who want to preventsuicide, is that nothing can be bad enough. Yet how do they know this? Theydo not have to put up with the same stuff the suicide victim does everyday. How could they possibly know what the potential suicide victim feels. Justas a severely burned victim may wish to be allowed to die in peace, thesuicide victim wishes the same. To die in peace with no argument fromothers. The argument of look at the people you will hurt also does nothold. Imidiate family members will be the only ones to suffer any great pain. Friends will go on with thier lives and in time forget about the death. Imidiate family too will forget the loss in time. Although it will take mostconsiderably longer for them than it will for friends. Finaly, the argument of suicide being selfish is hard to grasp. Selfish in whose eyes? Certainly not the eyes of the victim. To them, theyconsider it selfish of others to try and preserve their life. Again, theargument of the stoppers dont know what the victim has to go through. Theyare not the ones enduring the pain. Religious people also crop up into the debate. Catholics claim thatfor someone to committ suicide sneds their soul straight to Hell. In manyreligions, suicide is considered taboo. However why is this so? Why should itbe looked upon as disgracefull, when some religions claim death the be thereward for people after their time on earth is done. Suicide is an issue which should be examined at by all angles. Notjust from the angle that it is wrong. End of debate. Rather it should belooked at from the point of view that yes for some people, they should beallowed to die in peace.

Legalization Against Marijuana essays

Legalization Against Marijuana essays -1914 marked the year that the States first began to strictly prohibit substance use. - 1915 to 1937: Early state laws. In this time period, there was no strict tax of prohibition on marijuana. Fear of Mexicans: a large immigration of Mexicans to the southwest prompted white officials to question the culture and customs of the newcomers. One habit that the Mexicans brought over the border was their taste for herbs. Common white folk everywhere latched on the idea that Mexicans are crazy because they smoke pot. Thusly many states passed anti-Marijuana laws in order to curb the influx of strange Mexicans and their funky plants. The cause is clearly a derivative of racism and fear. This accounts for anti-Marijuana laws throughout the southwest in the -Fear of Polygamous Mormons: the one state in the southwest that did not experience much of the Mexican influx was Utah. -Fear of Substitution: few eastern states paid much attention to dope. Caution was used as deemed necessary by the interested public-many thought that since many drugs were becoming illegal in the 20s, weed might be used in place of other drugs. The problem of hard substance addiction would have only been sidestepped. -1937: Marijuana becomes illegal. Many seem to assume that pot has always been considered a bad drug. Not in the states until such a late date was it strictly criminal. In order to get the Marijuana Tax Act passed the Senate held a hearing to determine the legitimacy of the claim that pot should be illegal. The representative of the Government on this bill was a man named Mr. Aslinger. -The history of cannabis products and their use has been very varied. To the agriculturist, marijuana is a fiber crop; to a doctor it is an enigma, to the user a euphoriant to the police, a menace, and to the convict or parolee and family a source of sorrow. Marijuana has been used therapeutically nearly 500 ...

Campaign Advertising Essay -- Advertising

(Local monthly glossy magazine): This magazine targets 31% of the local population making it an ideal media outlet for a local event like the Fitness-Challenge kick off. Since the Fitness Challenge focuses on eliminating childhood obesity, parents will be the main target audience. According to the U.S. census bureau 32% of American families with a child under the age of 12 have a stay at home mother. Only 3% of American families with an elementary age child have a stay at home dad. Taking these statistics into account our campaign will cater towards behaviors and needs of the â€Å"stay at home mom†. Out of the local population that reads â€Å"Our community†, 70 percent are women ages 31-60 years old. This age range and gender covers our target audience therefore making advertisements through this media outlet very effective. A half page ad would cost the campaign 4,000 dollars, a small price for so much exposure. Since the magazine only prints every month, readers tend to flip through the pages mul tiple times, maximizing frequency. $4000 KABC (NBC affiliate) With 40 percent of the local population as regular viewers, advertisements on this program will significantly increase awareness of the Fitness Challenge. Women ages 35-55 represent an astounding 72 percent of viewers. Awareness of the challenge requires introduction of the event concept and benefits. Running at least 30 non-primetime ads two months before the Challenge will familiarize the target audience with the event without bombarding them with information. Thirty prime-time ads will run the month before the event to maximize advertising exposure of the Fitness Challenge Kick off. Cost: Non-primetime-$3750\ Prime-time- $9000 WPTG (urban ra... ... middle of paper ... ...as targeted stay at home moms, dads also hold decision power when it comes to their children’s health. Billboards displaying advertisements for the Fitness Challenge kick off, offer an enormous amount of exposure for the event. Boards strategically placed a long high traffic roadways catch the eyes of interested fathers on their way home from the workplace. Most working individuals drive the same route to and from work meaning that they encounter the same billboard messages twice daily. Therefore the frequency that one individual encounters the ad on a daily basis must equal or surpass two. Multiply this by 2 months and the number of impressions falls well over 100. Cost: 2 months- $ 5000 Total Cost: $31,205 Even after creating a campaign media plan that encompasses multiplatform advertising our budget of $50,000 remains $18795 higher than required funds.

Diversity in employment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Diversity in employment - Essay Example 13). Diversity in the work place has generally been thought of as purely an employment equity issue. However, diversity is coming to be recognized as an asset which can, like any other asset that is well managed, contribute to the bottom line. Diversity is growing almost as quickly as the number of software vendors at an accounting convention (Talbot-Allen, 2001, p. 3) One of the best definitions for diversity I have come across says, "Diversity is the mosaic of people who bring a variety of backgrounds, styles, perspectives, values, and beliefs as assets to the groups and organisations with which they interact" (Rasmussen, 2000, p. 274). A mosaic enables people to retain their individuality while contributing collectively to the bigger picture. Second, this definition of diversity applies to and includes everyone; it does not rule out anyone. Finally, this definition describes diversity as an asset, as something desirable and beneficial! This change represents a move away from dominance by the white-Anglo male toward an increasingly diverse and segmented population. This workplace will include growing numbers of women, people of color, people of different ethnic backgrounds, aging workers, workers with a variety of physical handicaps, and people with alternative lifestyles. Only companies that have cultures that support diversity will be able to retain the best talent necessary to remain competitive. Diversity is not the same thing as employment equity. Diversity Pros and Cons Managing diversity is both a challenge and an opportunity for management. It is a challenge because it requires organisational change; it means fostering a cultural environment that values differences and maximizes the potential of all employees. It is an opportunity because organisations that proactively address diversity have a competitive advantage. They are able to attract, motivate and retain high potential employees. We must begin by recognizing the unique cultures of different racial, gender, ethnicities, abilities, differing lifestyles, etc., provide the basis for new perspectives on understanding organisational behavior. This perspective starts with the assumption that each cultural group organizes and defines experience within its own set of cultural systems. Research has suggested that men, women, and the various minorities do not share a common culture of organisational life. The implication is that each group identifies, defines, and organizes its experience in the organ isation in unique ways (Fine, Johnson, & Ryan, 2002, p.306, 317). A number of factors account for these differing experiences. For instance, women hold lower level positions at lower salaries than men; therefore, they tend to see the organisation from the bottom. Minority employees are fewer in number, so, they view the organisation in an isolation perspective. Second, each group appears most comfortable communicating within their own group. Third, the cultures of gender and race give unique perspectives on organizing experiences. Women and minorities identify interpersonal barriers as obstacles to their success, while white men see formal structures and policies as eliminating any obstacles. Women define moral order in terms of interpersonal relationships (as cited in Fine, Johnson, &am

Research Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Research - Article Example The purpose of this research is to explore the efficacy and sustainability of instructional coaching for teachers of diverse learners. The research question for the study was are teachers, of an institution designed for students from low-income areas, multilingual, and multicultural located in a large district with high economic disparities, efficient when providing instructional coaching intervention. Data was collected using mixed methods, whereby qualitative data was used to explore quantitative data collected from a quasi-experimental study with 36 urban elementary teachers participating. The results showed that teachers were positive about the benefits of instructional coaching to students from low income and multicultural societies (Teemant, 2014). The purpose of this research is to explore the implications for the development of supportive multicultural programs of learning at universities. The question that the research sought to answer was how learning institutions emphasize diversity enough in a multicultural society. Data was collected from 19 new GTA instructors, who completed the training. However, only 12 provided feedbacks. The results showed that instructors preferred removing barriers to integrating diversity issues into the educational experience of all students (Elicker, 2009). The purpose of this study is to develop necessary competencies to implement successfully culturally responsive teaching amongst teachers in their classrooms.

Food Irradiation Essay Example for Free

Food Irradiation Essay Food irradiation has the longest history, more than 40 years, of scientific research and testing of any food technology before approval. Research has been comprehensive, and has included wholesomeness, toxicological, and microbiological evaluation. Worldwide, 38 countries permit irradiation of food, and more than 28 billion lb of food is irradiated annually in Europe. It is important to note that food irradiation has a pretty remarkable list of national and international endorsements: ADA, American Council on Science and Health, American Medical Association, Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, International Atomic Energy Agency, Institute of Food Technologists, Scientific Committee of the European Union, United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), and the World Health Organization (WHO). Although the US food supply has achieved a high level of safety, microbiological hazards exist. Because foods may contain pathogens, mishandling, including improper cooking, can result in food-born illness. Irradiation has been identified as one solution that enhances food safety through the reduction of potential pathogens and has been recommended as part of a comprehensive program to enhance food safety. However, food irradiation does not replace proper food handling. So the handling of foods processed by irradiation should be governed by the same food safety precautions as all other foods. Food irradiation cannot enhance the quality of a food that is not fresh, or prevent contamination that occurs after irradiation during storage or preparation. But, treating foods with the irradiation of gamma rays offers benefits to consumers, retailers, and food manufacturers such as improved microbiological quality, replacement of chemical treatments, and extended shelf life. The spices and fumigant sprays used on fruits can be limited and eliminated through the use of irradiation. This improves the quality of the fruit. Pathogens in raw poultry or meat can be reduced by a dose of radiation. Also, smaller doses can disinfest grain and produce and can slow down the natural aging of fruit and vegetables. This all results in the reduced use or elimination of chemical treatments and proves that irradiated foods closely resemble foods in their fresh state. Irradiation has been compared with pasteurization because it destroys pathogenic bacteria. Because irradiation does not greatly raise the temperature of the food being processed, nutrient losses are small and are often much less than nutrient losses associated with other methods of preservation, such as canning, drying, and heat pasteurization and sterilization. Proteins, fats and carbohydrates are not notably affected by irradiation. But certain vitamins are sensitive to food irradiation. Yet, nutrient losses can be minimized by irradiating food in an oxygen-free environment or in a frozen state. According to the Ames, Iowa Council for Agriculture Science and Technology Task Force Report No. 115, consumers consistently rate irradiated fruit as equal or better than non-irradiated fruits in appearance, freshness, and taste. With all of the facts listed above, it is obvious that irradiated foods are the best option instead of harmful chemical products. These chemicals usage and harm are a result of not using food irradiation to benefit consumers. And in an era of increasing concern about food safety, consumers must understand that irradiation is one method of enhancing an already safe food supply.

personal essay- The Girl In Pink :: essays research papers

It's seven o'clock and Megan's alarm has just gone off. Up out of bed and into the closet she goes to find her wardrobe for the morning. The closet door opens to sunlight shining through the open blinds inside the large walk-in closet. To the left and right are haning masses of pink clothes, dresses, jeans, and, in one corner, a couple of employee tee shirts for the movie theare and some black work pants. Se carefully selects her favorite pink halter top, a lighter pink jacket, and a denim skirt. "Time to meet my public," she says to herself. She treks down the stairs, passing me. I just woke up. "Why are you up so early sister?" "Class," I reply. "Oh." Time for breakfast. "Mom, will you make me some eggs? Sunny side up?," Megan asks with a toss of her hair. "Sure hon." The family computer is turned on and Megan thinks to herself, "Which cute boys have emailed me today?" "Seth wrote to me, mom!" Mom smiles, "are you going to write back?" "Are you crazy! If I write back this soon, Ill look desterate and needy. I'll do it this weekend." She starts responding to some of her girlfriends' emails, a quick one or two lines each, and then moves on. A plate of eggs and toast and a glass of orange juice is set at her seat at the dining room table. Without closing anything on the computer, she prances over to pick at her breakfast. Half way through, she stops eating and goes toweigh herself. I pass her again in the hallway. "Are you going in the bathroom?" E ask. "Yes." Great. Well, I guess I'm done inthere now. She doesn't run any water or anything. It just seems to have slipped her mind that she has a huge murror in her room, too. Half an hour later, Megan emerges from the bathrom with perfect hair and flawless make up to compliment her outfit.

The Green Revolution in Iran

On June 12, 2009, a series of protests broke out after the results of the presidential election in Iran. The riots started in the capital city of Tehran, and quickly spread throughout the Islamic Republic. Protestors gathered in other major cities around the world, including New York City (Mackey). Hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Iranians were protesting against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s reelection, which was allegedly the result of electoral fraud. These allegations have been investigated by parties in and outside of Iran, including London’s Chatham House and the Institute of Iranian Studies, University of St. Andrews in Scotland, which co-published a report after the election. The report was written by Chatham House's Daniel Berman and Thomas Rintoul, and edited by St. Andrews' Professor Ali Ansari. The following is an excerpt from that report’s summary: In two conservative provinces, Mazandaran and Yazd, a turnout of more than 100% was recorded. In a third of all provinces, the official results would require that Ahmadinejad took not only all former conservative voters, all former centrist voters, and all new voters, but also up to 44% of former reformist voters, despite a decade of conflict between these two groups. 2) The people of Iran are demanding change and a freer government. Now is the time for the United States to recognize a potential new ally. America should support the Green Revolution—named after opposition candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi's campaign color—because a regime change in Iran would strongly promote world peace by removing the Abadgaran[1] regime and its nuclear ambitions; it would remove a regime with a history o f violating the basic human rights of its citizens and foreigners; and it would open up the potential for a new ally and trading partner in the Middle East. Iran’s nuclear policy has changed dramatically since the Ahmadinejad presidency took control of it in August 2005. It has shifted from being open to compromise with the global community to increasing its power and imposing Iran on the region (Chubin 32-33). Paralleling Iran’s nuclear program is a troubling missile program. The Shahab-4, a variant of Iran’s favorite missile, the Shahab-3, has a range of 1,200 miles (FAS). This coupling highly suggests a nuclear weapons program. The Abadgaran regime’s history of violating the human rights of its citizens ranges from harassment to wrongful imprisonment or execution to murder. Women have been harassed by police since the Islamic Revolution for allegedly wearing their hijab[2] improperly. Several hundred women were arrested in Tehran in April of 2007 for their â€Å"bad hijab† (Harrison). The persecution of Baha’is in Iran erupted after the Islamic Republic was established in 1979. Despite being Iran’s largest religious minority group at that time, the rights of the Baha’i community are not mentioned in the Republic’s constitution. It is legal for Iranians to assault, even murder Baha’is because they are left legally unprotected, and labeled â€Å"infidels† (BIC). Another example of Iran’s discrimination is its so-called â€Å"solution† to homosexuality. The government pushes homosexuals to undergo gender reassignment surgeries to conform to its theocratic views on sexuality. These procedures are paid for by the government, and for many poor gays and lesbians in Iran, especially those living in the Republic’s rural areas, it is the only option to â€Å"be like others† (Hays). To conclude assessing the human rights violations of Iran’s theocratic government is the case of 27-year-old Neda Agha-Soltan. Neda was an average young woman in Iran, except that she was taking singing lessons, which is illegal for women in Iran. On June 20th, Neda and her singing instructor got out of her car to get a breath of fresh air near the protests, and she was shot by a Basiji[3] in Tehran (Fathi). She was defenseless, and public attempts to mourn her were broken up by the government. â€Å"Her name means voice in Persian, and many are now calling her the voice of Iran,† said Nazila Fathi in her report of Neda’s death for The New York Times. President George W. Bush’s â€Å"axis of evil† speech undermined support of Iranians who argued for better relations with the United States. When Bush made that speech in 2002, Mohammad Khatami, a reformer, was the president of Iran (Freedman 473). The United States sanctions against Iran have helped to further the Abadgaran regime’s agenda by giving justification to a group that is desperate for it; the sanctions have allowed them to consolidate their power and further oppress Iranians who go against the government’s policies. Iran’s current state is best described in Lawrence Freeman’s A Choice of Enemies: The [Bush] administration found it consistently difficult to get the measure of Tehran. Bush depicted it as a â€Å"nation held hostage by a small clerical elite that is repressing and isolating its people,† but the reality was far more complex . (482) A regime change in Iran could see the lifting of American trade sanctions against Iran; U. S. sanctions have had an impact on Iran’s oil economy. Mohammed Akacem, a petroleum expert at Metropolitan State College of Denver said, â€Å"U. S. oil companies would love to go to Iran, so sanctions have retarded a little bit of Iran’s ability to improve its oil sector (qtd. in Beehner). † Securing another efficient source of oil would help to ease the American economy as alternative energy sources are developed, and workers are trained to perform the tasks necessary to operate these new facilities. The Iranian government's response to this movement is violent and choking. In late July, a mass trial was conducted against over 100 reformist figures, accused of—as reported by Robert F. Worth and Nazila Fathi—â€Å"conspiring with foreign powers to stage a revolution through terrorism . . . (1)†. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei went so far as to say questioning the election was â€Å"the biggest crime (qtd. in Dareini). † The people of Iran are now rising up and demanding their emancipation, and they need support from the global community. The United States needs to support the Green Revolution if it seeks to make a friend of Iran. The proper support could see a regime change and the establishment of an Iran open to cooperation with America, enriching both Iranian and American societies. The average American can help as well if there are organizations set up to aid the opposition movement in Iran by donating and volunteering, and corporate America can set up the aforementioned organizations, and increase the media’s focus on the movement in Iran. All this can be done without any military involvement by the United States. The American Revolution freed us from oppression; let us help the Iranian people free themselves as well.

Catherine Malasa Essay

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior. Psychology is a multifaceted discipline and includes many sub-fields of study areas such as human development, sports, health, clinical, social behavior and cognitive processes.  Because psychology is new a social science, it attempts to investigate the causes of behavior using systematic and objective procedures for observation, measurement and analysis, backed-up by theoretical interpretations, generalizations, explanations and predictions Psychology is an academic and applied discipline that involves the scientific study of mental functions and behaviors[1] with the immediate goal of understanding individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases,[3][4] and by many accounts it ultimately aims to benefit society. In this field, a professional practitioner or researcher is called a psychologist and can be classified as a social, behavioral, or cognitive scientist. Psychologists attempt to understand the role of mental functions in individual and social behavior, while also exploring the physiological and neurobiological processes that underlie certain cognitive functions and behaviors. Question: What Is Cognitive Psychology? Answer: Cognitive psychology is the branch of psychology that studies mental processes including how people think, acquire knowledge, perceive, learn, remember or store information and then apply it. As part of the larger field of cognitive science, this branch of psychology is related to other disciplines including neuroscience, philosophy and linguistics. Cognitive psychology studies in areas of research such as, Perception, attention, reasoning, thinking, problem solving, memory, learning, language, and emotion are areas of research. Classical cognitive psychology is associated with a school of thought known as cognitivism, whose adherents argue for an information processing model of mental function, informed by functionalism and experimental psychology. On a broader level, cognitive science is an interdisciplinary enterprise of cognitive psychologists, cognitive neuroscientists, researchers in artificial intelligence, linguists, human–computer interaction, computational neuroscience, logicians and social scientists. Computational models are sometimes used to simulate phenomena of interest. Computational models provide a tool for studying the functional organization of the mind whereas neuroscience provides measures of brain activity. The core focus of cognitive psychology is on how people acquire, process and store information. There are numerous practical applications for cognitive research, such as improving memory, increasing decision-making accuracy and structuring educational curricula to enhance learning. Until the 1950s, behaviorism was the dominant school of thought in psychology. Between 1950 and 1970, the tide began to shift against behavioral psychology to focus on topics such as attention, memory and problem-solving. Often referred to as the cognitive revolution, this period generated considerable research on topics including processing models, cognitive research methods and the first use of the term â€Å"cognitive psychology. The term â€Å"cognitive psychology† was first used in 1967 by American psychologist Ulric Neisser in his book Cognitive Psychology. According to Neisser, cognition involves â€Å"all processes by which the sensory input is transformed, reduced, elaborated, stored, recovered, and used. It is concerned with these processes even when they operate in the absence of relevant stimulation, as in images and hallucinations†¦ Given such a sweeping definition, it is apparent that cognition is involved in everything a human being might possibly do; that every psychological phenomenon is a ognitive phenomenon. † Noam Chomsky helped to launch a â€Å"cognitive revolution† in psychology when he criticized the behaviorists’ notions of â€Å"stimulus†, â€Å"response†, and â€Å"reinforcement†. Chomsky argued that such ideas—which Skinner had borrowed from animal experiments in the laboratory—could be applied to complex human behavior, most notably language acquisition, in only a superficial and vague manner. The postulation that humans are born with the instinct or â€Å"innate facility† for acquiring lan [pic] [pic] The Muller-Lyer illusion. Psychologists make inferences about mental processes from shared phenomena such as optical illusions. helped to renew interest and belief in the mental states and representations—i. e. , the cognition—that had fallen out of favor with behaviorists. English neuroscientist Charles Sherrington and Canadian psychologist Donald O. Hebb used experimental methods to link psychological phenomena with the structure and function of the brain. With the rise of computer science and artificial intelligence, analogies were drawn between the processing of information by humans and information processing by machines. Research in cognition had proven practical since World War II, when it aided in the understanding of weapons operation. [47] By the late 20th century, though, cognitivism had become the dominant paradigm of psychology, and cognitive psychology emerged as a popular branch. Assuming both that the covert mind should be studied, and that the scientific method should be used to study it, cognitive psychologists set such concepts as subliminal processing and implicit memory in place of the psychoanalytic unconscious mind or the behavioristic contingency-shaped behaviors. Elements of behaviorism and cognitive psychology were synthesized to form the basis of cognitive behavioral therapy, a form of psychotherapy modified from techniques developed by American psychologist Albert Ellis and American psychiatrist Aaron T. Beck. Cognitive psychology was subsumed along with other disciplines, such as philosophy of mind, computer science, and neuroscience, under the cover discipline of cognitive science. Cognitive psychology is the branch of psychology that studies mental processes including how people think, perceive, remember and learn. As part of the larger field of cognitive science, this branch of psychology is related to other disciplines including neuroscience, philosophy and linguistics. The core focus of cognitive psychology is on how people acquire, process and store information. There are numerous practical applications for cognitive research, such as improving memory, increasing decision-making accuracy and structuring educational curricula to enhance learning. Until the 1950s, behaviorism was the dominant school of thought in psychology. Between 1950 and 1970, the tide began to shift against behavioral psychology to focus on topics such as attention, memory and problem-solving. Often referred to as the cognitive revolution, this period generated considerable research on topics including processing models, cognitive research methods and the first use of the term â€Å"cognitive psychology. † The term â€Å"cognitive psychology† was first used in 1967 by American psychologist Ulric Neisser in his book Cognitive Psychology. According to Neisser, cognition involves â€Å"all processes by which the sensory input is transformed, reduced, elaborated, stored, recovered, and used. It is concerned with these processes even when they operate in the absence of relevant stimulation, as in images and hallucinations†¦ Given such a sweeping definition, it is apparent that cognition is involved in everything a human being might possibly do; that every psychological phenomenon is a cognitive phenomenon. † How is Cognitive Psychology Different? †¢ Unlike behaviorism, which focuses only on observable behaviors, cognitive psychology is concerned with internal mental states. Unlike psychoanalysis, which relies heavily on subjective perceptions, cognitive psychology uses scientific research methods to study mental processes. Who Should Study Cognitive Psychology? Because cognitive psychology touches on many other disciplines, this branch of psychology is frequently studied by people in a number of different fields. The following are just a few of those who may benefit from studying cognitive psychology a web site that should be useful if you are studying psychology †¢ PsychBLOG †¢ Course Content †¢ Themes †¢ Investigations Core Studies †¢ Home Top of Form [pic][pic][pic][pic] Bottom of Form Search Holah Top of Form [pic][pic][pic][pic][pic] [pic][pic][pic] Bottom of Form [pic]Core Studies †¢ Cognitive Psychology †¢ Developmental Psychology †¢ Individual Differences †¢ Physiological Psychology †¢ Social Psychology Exam Help †¢ Course Structure †¢ Exam Questions †¢ Exam Technique A Bit More Stuff †¢ About †¢ Links †¢ Further Reading [pic][pic] [pic][pic]Home ;gt; Cognitive Psychology Cognitive Psychology masters in psychology Cognitive psychology studies our mental processes or cognitions. These mental processes that cognitive psychologists focus on include memory, perception, thinking and language. The main assumption of the cognitive approach is that information received from our senses is processed by the brain and that this processing directs how we behave or at least justifies how we behave the way that we do. Cognitive processes are examples of hypothetical constructs. That is, we cannot directly see processes such as thinking but we can infer what a person is thinking based on how they act. Cognitive psychology has been influenced by developments in computer science and analogies are often made between how a computer works and how we process information. Based on this computer analogy cognitive psychology is interested in how the brain inputs, stores and outputs information. However we are much more sophisticated than computer systems and an important criticism directed at the cognitive approach is that it often ignores the way in which other factors, such as past experiences and culture influence how we process information. Loftus and Palmer’s (1974) study of eyewitness testimony demonstrates how the cognitive process of memory can be distorted by other information supplied after an event. This highlights that memory is not merely a tape recording but is a dynamic process which can be influenced by many events such as leading questions. The study also shows that memory is a dynamic process and changes to make sense of experiences. When we behave in a particular way towards another person it is likely that we attempt to understand how the other person is thinking and feeling. Baron-Cohen’s (1997) study shows that our behaviour can be influenced by a cognitive process called a theory of mind. Having a theory of mind enables a person to appreciate that other people have thoughts and beliefs that are different from their own. Baron-Cohen’s study attempts to demonstrate that the central deficit of autism is a failure to fully develop this cognitive process of a theory of mind. It has been argued that humans are unique in possessing the ability to communicate with language which involves very sophisticated cognitive skills. However this argument is challenged by the study from Savage-Rumbaugh et al. (1986) who studied the language capabilities in pygmy chimpanzees. A main strength of cognitive psychology is that this approach has tended to use a scientific approach through the use of laboratory experiments. A strength of using laboratory experiments is that they are high in control therefore researchers are able to establish cause and effect. For example Loftus and Palmer were able to control the age of the participants, the use of video and the location of the experiment. All participants were asked the same questions (apart from changes in the critical words), and the position of the key question in the second was randomised. Furthermore, such standardised experiments are easy to test for reliability. However, as many cognitive studies are carried out in laboratory settings they can lack ecological validity. When cognitive processes such as memory and theory of mind are studied in artificial situations it may be difficult to generalise the findings to everyday life. A further strength of the cognitive approach is the useful contributions that have arisen from this approach. For example, many modern types of therapy are based on the cognitive approach. Understanding cognitive processes allows us to help people to improve their cognitive processes such as memory and language. The Baron-Cohen et al. study enables us to better understand the behaviour of people with autism, Loftus and Palmers’ study highlights the limitations of eye-witness testimonies and the ape research may offer strategies to help children with language difficulties to develop language or to use strategies such as the lexigram system. Furthermore the cognitive approach has become the dominant approach in psychology particularly since it has become allied with neurology. The cognitive approach nowadays is often called cognitive science and is able to provide a very sophisticated understanding of how the brain processes information. A weakness of the cognitive approach relates to the validity of measuring cognitive processes. We can only infer what a person is thinking and therefore the cognitive approach relies heavily on self report measures and observation. There are a number of reasons why we have to question the validity of self report measures and observation. For example we can only infer that adults with autism have theory of mind difficulties from the results of the Eyes Task or that pygmy chimps are really using language when they communicate through a Lexigram. However, because of the developments of brain scanning techniques we are able to record the active parts of the brain more accurately nowadays and cognitive science is providing a more and more detailed description of how cognitive processes work. For example, brain scanning techniques are giving great insights about how memory works. It has been argued that a weakness of the cognitive approaches reliance on the computer analogy leads to a reductionist and mechanistic description of experiences and behaviour. Reductionism is the idea that complex phenomena can be explained by simpler things. The cognitive approach often takes this narrow focus and ignores social and emotional factors which may impact on cognition. For example, the autism study investigated just one central cognitive deficit as an explanation for autism. However the reductionist approach does have strengths. An advantage of the reductionist view is that by breaking down a phenomenon to its constituent parts it may be possible to understand the whole. This type of single mindedness has lead to some great discoveries in psychology as it has in the ‘natural’ sciences.

Free Essays on Environment Affecting Behavior

A person's character is distinguished by the features that make up and identify an individual. This is what sets a person aside from everyone else. A person's character and the way a person behaves can be greatly influenced by their surroundings. Behavior is a learning process that begins at birth. A person reacts to what is happening around them; the way a person responds to a situation derives from their character. An environment with complexity, mystery, legibility, and coherence is the type of environment a person will seek. Providing a person with this type of environment will allow the person to feel comfortable, and the person will want to be involved in what is going on around him/her. In this environment, the person will want to learn and will want to experience new things that are around him/her. Comfortable atmospheres increase a person’s well being and improve a person’s behavior. Once a person learns what is comfortable, the person will be able to deal rationally with problems that come about. According to Carl Jung, the personalities of parents are a major influence on a child. Providing a child with enough love, guidance and attention surrounds a child with a stable and beneficial atmosphere allowing the child to grow and learn for him/herself what life is about. For example, comparing a baby who grows up with his/her biological parents would be the same as a baby growing up with adoptive parents, both can provide the same care. A parent is someone who brings up and provides care for another. No matter who the child grows up with, if provided the same care, â€Å"even children who grow up with their biological parents resemble their parents in personality on to a moderate degree (Bratko & MaruÃ… ¡ià ¦, 1997).† According to Sigmund Freud a personâ⠂¬â„¢s ideas of right and wrong are learned from parents, teachers, and other people in authority. So in reality no matter if the person is a parent, teacher or other person in ... Free Essays on Environment Affecting Behavior Free Essays on Environment Affecting Behavior A person's character is distinguished by the features that make up and identify an individual. This is what sets a person aside from everyone else. A person's character and the way a person behaves can be greatly influenced by their surroundings. Behavior is a learning process that begins at birth. A person reacts to what is happening around them; the way a person responds to a situation derives from their character. An environment with complexity, mystery, legibility, and coherence is the type of environment a person will seek. Providing a person with this type of environment will allow the person to feel comfortable, and the person will want to be involved in what is going on around him/her. In this environment, the person will want to learn and will want to experience new things that are around him/her. Comfortable atmospheres increase a person’s well being and improve a person’s behavior. Once a person learns what is comfortable, the person will be able to deal rationally with problems that come about. According to Carl Jung, the personalities of parents are a major influence on a child. Providing a child with enough love, guidance and attention surrounds a child with a stable and beneficial atmosphere allowing the child to grow and learn for him/herself what life is about. For example, comparing a baby who grows up with his/her biological parents would be the same as a baby growing up with adoptive parents, both can provide the same care. A parent is someone who brings up and provides care for another. No matter who the child grows up with, if provided the same care, â€Å"even children who grow up with their biological parents resemble their parents in personality on to a moderate degree (Bratko & MaruÃ… ¡ià ¦, 1997).† According to Sigmund Freud a personâ⠂¬â„¢s ideas of right and wrong are learned from parents, teachers, and other people in authority. So in reality no matter if the person is a parent, teacher or other person in ...

PROJECT MANGGMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

PROJECT MANGGMENT - Essay Example Within the Project team, teams are formed based on the interdependence of tasks to be performed. The composition of groups is to ensure that time is not lost in processing of information and consequently the decision-making process (Chapin & Huber-Sannwald 2001). The current project team performance has been enhanced by creating a scenario where each member of the group has sufficient understanding of the tasks expected concerning performance. Such is the clarity in task assignment that the team members can self-monitor their performance and daily progress. Another feature of the group is the communication channels that exist and must strictly be adhered to. These channels are developed to ensure the shortest time lapse between the sender, the receiver, the feedback and the implementation of available information. The channels ensure that the departmental heads get a periodic briefing on the progress of their groups and can be prompt in their responses and effectively manage situations before they get out of hand. Under communications and information processing, the project management team has a program design that demands regular meetings with the primary objective being performance evaluation and charting the way forward. With short term goals being the norm, these impromptu meetings serve to ensure that the activities are on track as per procedure requirements. For those activities not at par with their projections, necessary steps are taken to ensure that any disruption erupts in relation to the progress of the organization (Project Management Institute 2013) The limits of authority are currently clear such that team member is aware of the boundaries of their authority. Such limits are set to ensure that there are no overlapping duties that may raise conflicts of interests among the team members. Additionally, to ensure accountability, each level

Marketing and brand Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marketing and brand Management - Essay Example The report recommends what Wii must do in order to sustain its current market share of 45% with Sony and Microsoft catching up. Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 2 Introduction 3 Nintendo Wii: Marketing Analysis 3 Conclusion and Recommendations 7 References 7 Introduction Nintendo’s Wii was once the market leader in the gaming industry of the United States. Positioned as a sole gaming console for the whole family, Wii held a market share of massive 75% (Matthews 2011). Unlike its competitors Sony’s Play Station and Microsoft’s Xbox which were positioned as a game console for only hardcore gamers aged from 19 to 35 predominantly males; Nintendo went down in the mass markets of families and realized that there was no such thing as a casual gamer. It brought the ex-gamers and casual gamers on the same platform of Wii with low prices and a tagline of â€Å"Wii like to play!† (O'Gorman, 2008; Anthony, 2008). In the short-run, Wii did experience a boost in i ts sales. So much that it outsold its competitors with huge margins. Especially during Christmas, where more importance was placed to family values, Wii managed to attract families and hence, won the 75% market share of the industry (Matthews, 2011). Nintendo Wii: Marketing Analysis In order to analyze the branding strategies of Wii, it is compulsory to understand the concept of the ‘Blue Ocean Strategy†. This concept entails the brand to keep a pulse check on the market as to where in the market are the competitors positioned as. This concept rightly depicts that it is not advisable for a brand to be in direct and head on competition with other players but a better option would be to search for space and gaps in the market and position the brand in that space which is untargeted by the competitors (Anthony, 2008). Likewise, when all the players in the market (Xbox and Play Station including Wii) were focusing on the hardcore gamers’ market, Wii repositioned itsel f to the wider market of families. With this move, Wii was able to build a sounder customer base as compared to its competitors as Xbox and Play Station were still stuck on the hardcore gamers’ market. Now, even those who did not give preference to game consoles as such, were buying Wii consoles either because at their own pleasure or as a gift for the family (O’Gorman, 2008). Provided that Nintendo kept Wii’s design user friendly and simpler to use, its unique make was found to be easily used and controlled by both beginners and expert and adept players (Nintendo, Inc. 2007). Other brands namely Sony Play Station and Xbox have complex controls with non-intuitive or illogical buttons that are shapes and require time for the players to get used to them. Nintendo’s Wii on the other hand is uniquely designed to cater to the needs of non-gamers and soft-core players who find it more user-friendly (Nintendo, Inc. 2007). As far as the pricing is concerned, Wii was targeted to the wider household markets in the game console industry. This meant that Nintendo had to push the prices down in order to attract more consumers. Its advertising and promotional strategies helped Wii to become the most selling brand during Christmas time and especially amongst families who preferred to own only one of all