Communication Opinion Paper Essay

Communication is the most important tool that we as human us. It is an imperative component in our daily lives. Communication begins when we greet or see another individual that we know. There are many forms of communication and they are effective communication, healthcare communication, and regular communication and many more. The time and place in which we used a type of communication depends on the context of the situation and purpose. Understanding the necessary elements of communication allows individuals to know when and how to use different forms of communication. Elements of communication or sender/receiver when you are speaking to someone they receive the message and then they will give you feedback. Encoding is when you put thought into symbols (gesture or words). Assigning meaning to symbols is called decoding. Message is the idea though, feeling or opinion. Channel is the medium in which through which message travels from sender to receiver. Feedback is the receiver response to the message and indicates how the message is seen (Cheesebro, O’Connor, Rios, 2010). The entire basic element are needed in order to communicate with other effectively the basic element help you to convey your feeling your though with an individual in order to get feedback from the person that is receiving the message. Do the basic elements and the rules of healthcare communication differ? They are the same in order for you to speak to a patient or their families you still have to us the basic element of effective communication. The ethical principles by treating patients with dignity and respect, being honest and trustworthy in their professional relationship, and maintaining patient confidentiality. We utilize the same element when we are speaking with an individual on a personal aspect. By being honest with the patient and their families they gain confide in the decision that you will make when carrying for the patient. How might a provider encourage communication to a reluctant consumer? When a consumer is reluctant to communicate you have to gain the consumer trust that you know what you are talking about. Sharing situation in a conversation that is similar to the consumer can be helpful and may break the ice. Smiling and reassuring the consumer that you are knowledgeable in can answer any question that they may have (Repetto, Gibson, Lubbers, Gritz, Reiss,). How might cultural differences influence communication? Cultural differences may affect the way you communicate. The differences may be verbal and nonverbal communication. Facial expressions like smiling can indicate that people are friendly and approachable but in other culture people who smile can be seen as inappropriate. Context whether it is high or low. High context culture explain everything that they are talking about and assume that other do not have any information on a certain topic. Low context culture assumed that people understand what is being said to them and as a result, they do not explain everything. Eye contact show interest in another person but in other cultures eye contact convey honesty. Formality speaking can be formal or in formal depending on cultural norms. Informal culture assume that everyone is equal. Formal cultures assume that there is hierarchy among people. Touching the way people touch one another may depend upon whether they are a contact culture or a noncontact culture. Contact cultures touch each other when they are speaking. Noncontact touching is inappropriate, pushy and aggressive. Even though we communicate there are still barrier that can stop us from communicating effectively with other. There are culture barrier and language barrier. We communicate with other on day to day bases; whether it is speaking to a friend or a consumer in order to communicate effectively we have to use the basic elements of communication in order to establish a relationship that is honest straight forward and respectful to whom you are speaking with. Barrier can be hard to overcome as well as cultural differences but with the basic element in place when we are communicating with other can establish a great relationship between the sender and the receiver. References: Communicating in the workplace Thomas Cheesebro, Linda O’Connor, Francisco Rios, copyright, 2010 Chapter 1 & 3 Practical Application of confidentiality rules to health lake transition instruction Repetto, Jeanne B, Gibson, Robert W, Lubbers, Joyce H., Gritz, Sheila, Reiss, John 2008 vol.29 issue 2

Unit 006 “Roles Responsibilities and Relationships in Lifelong Learning

George Bowskill PAGE 1 15/02/2011 â€Å"Roles, Responsibilities and Relationships as a Tutor in Lifelong Learning† (2:1) The Different types of Boundaries between the Teaching Role and Other Professional roles. The purpose of boundaries are to protect the personal rights of both yourself and the student, they define the acceptable ground rules taking in to account currant legislation.Professional boundaries are important because they define the limits and responsibilities of the people that you interact with in the workplace. When workplace boundaries are clearly defined, the company will work more efficiently because old redundant work assignments are removed and task performance is accountable. When everyone in an company is made aware who is responsible for what? , a healthier workplace environment is created.It then becomes very difficult for someone to blame others for their failed or inadequate performance and good job performance can clearly be identified. the setup of boundaries and priorities go hand in hand because together they help manage interpersonal relationships in the workplace. Together they go a long way toward establishing a productive work environment based on trust. Competent and knowledgeable managers understand these principles and continually model them for their staff.Boundaries within teaching are not easily defined; it can mean different things to different people. Teachers are responsible for recognizing in themselves whether they are â€Å"at risk† of crossing boundaries whether this be legal, moral or ethical boundaries, becoming too personally involved with students, giving one student undue attention, writing or exchanging notes, letters or emails are all forms of boundary abuse The most extreme form of boundary violation is that of sexual abuse..Sexual abuse represents the ultimate breach of the trust in a teacher, the teacher must be able to recognize and rectify this behaviour, before the boundary is over stepp ed. Time restraints are also boundaries, and should be taken into account, we need to ensure what we teach can be done within the time given. The curriculum and the organizational objectives are boundaries to the way and what we teach, the curriculum is specifically what we are asked to teach, hence we have a structure relating to the information we need to ass on to the learners,. We could possibly have organizational objectives also, these are the objectives of the governing body, this could be Government, Exam body, or Professional body, although these should be in line with the curriculum the could possibly add additional boundaries to the way we teach (2:2) Points of Referral to meet the needs of LearnersAs a teacher we have a responsibility to our students to give aid and assistance not only in the academic sense but also with personal and work issues, and in most cases this should be done by referring the student to a professional with a greater and more specific knowledge in these area, these can be both internal and external points of referral, for instance, if the student is homeless or about to become homeless, an accommodation officer would be the direction to point the student, if it is for health reasons we should direct the student to a health professional, ether on campus or at a local surgery.Other points of referral could for example be the students union, a councillor or a careers advisor, a drug and alcohol addiction service, or the citizens’ advice bureau, in other words any internal or external professional that can help the student with any issue they may encounter, we must always remember these people are experts in their given fields, as a teacher we are not. Identify the professional first then note your responsibility, to your student the professional and yourself. (2:3) Responsibilities with regards to other Professionals Page 2 As a teacher we have a responsibility to other professionals and professional bodies.We should res pect their professionalism and maintain constant dialog with other professionals, we should document and record all aspects of our teaching, and make these available to other professionals for various reasons, such as audits and evaluations, other professionals could be Directors, senior management, even internal or external advisors, and exam board personnel, If in doubt it is always advisable to ask assistance from another professional, their experience and knowledge can be far greater than your own. 3:1) Responsibilities for maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment As a teacher it is our responsibility to provide a safe and supportive learning environment for all the students in our care, this is done by utilizing the training cycle Firstly we identify the needs of the student, what they need to learn, and how we intend to teach them.A clean, safe and secure room to learn in, with the room layout adequate for the purpose, Welfare facilities, wash rooms toilets a pla ce to eat and drink, the room to maintain a comfortable temperature with good lighting and ventilation, we need also to set down ground rules to safe guard the physical and emotional welfare of the students and oneself. to enable them to feel secure during the learning experience, and to encourage diversity and equality within the learning environment.We then prepare for teaching, ensuring we have the adequate resources available for the lesson . including a structured time table. Lessons should be S. M. A. R. T. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time bound. We then deliver the lesson, or lecture, using suitable diverse systems of delivery, such as Visual aids, written work role play group sessions, ensuring that all students feel involved in the learning experience. and no one feels alienated, my the teacher or their fellow students.The more a student feels involved in a class the better the learning result will be. To quantify the lesson we assess it, by various mea ns, Student feedback, student progression and achievement, at this point we need to evaluate, did the facility lens its self to the needs of the students, where there any deficiencies in the facility’s in your teaching methods, where the students comfortable, did they feel safe , DO I NEED TO MAKE ANY CHANGES.We should not be afraid to challenge behaviours if we don’t what would be the point of having boundaries as a teacher it is our responsibility to enforce the Page 3 boundaries that we have laid down, encouraging and maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment. 3:2) Ways of Promoting Appropriate Behaviour and Respect for Others Establishing Ground rules and boundaries, encourage the students to have an input in to what the ground rules and boundaries within the class should be, how they wish to be treated, and how you need to be treated, giving mutual respect between teacher and student and student and student, and establish disciplinary action for breac hes of the rules, encourage mutual support within the class both academic and emotional, and encourage he student to help produce a ground rule charter and sign it,. In this way you are allowing them to take ownership of the rules B. F Skinners 1974 (About Behaviourism) is a particularly relevant theory this contends that negative and positive reinforcement will help to direct behaviour, a positive reinforcement will strengthen any behaviour that produces it, . i. e. The carrot and donkey scenario. Where as a negative reinforcement, will initiate the response that the protagonist will want to remove, i. e. f he is removed from the class for a breach of discipline he will not want this to happen again thus removing the negative reinforcement By challenging inappropriate or negative behaviour we are enforcing the boundaries that we have set in essence we are saying these are the rules and they will not be ignored, it also lets anyone who is prepared to breach the boundaries that we as teachers will not allow this to happen, it also conveys the message to compliant students, that we will enforce the boundaries to support, a safe, respectful and supportive learning environment, free from bullying, anti social behaviour, disruptive influences.An environment where all can learn.. Practical Teaching Linda Wilson https://www. professionalboundaries. com/ www. gtcs. org. uk/standards/copac. aspx

Marketing Simulation Essay

The rest of the sales force time would be equally divided between the segments B, C and D. Change in Strategy: During simulation, we studied the effects of percentage increase of sales force time for each market segment individually along with decrease in list price. As we proceeded with the simulation, we found that * A decrease in list price and an increase in percentage sales force time for segment D would be more fruitful in the short run as it will increase the overall sales volume and overall profit much more than in the case where sales force concentrates more on segment A. This is because the overall market share of highly price sensitive customers in segment D and â€Å"small volume customers† is almost three times of segment A’s market share. * So, even though the profit margin in segment D and â€Å"small volume customers† is lesser than that for segment A, the overall profit was greater because of the scope of much higher sales volume. * Hence, we dec ided to increase the sales force percentage time for segment D to 40% and for segment A to 30%. We decreased the sales force time percentage for segments B and C to 15% each. Also, we reduced the list price from $142 to $136. Challenges during simulation: During simulation, the primary challenge we faced was to decide on the key parameters that should be changed and the level of change in each of these parameters to get optimum profit and higher market share. Key decisions: Since our initial strategy was to increase the sales volume of segment A, we decided to concentrate on sales force time percentage parameter for each segment and the list price of the motors. We studied the effects of percentage increase of sales force time for each market segment individually along with decrease in list price on the overall profit of the company. Solution Analysis Decrease in list price from $142 to $136 and increase in sales force time percentage to 40% for segment D and to 30% for segment A. As we proceeded with the simulation, we found that * A decrease in list price and an increase in percentage sales force time for segment D would be more fruitful in the short run as it will increase the overall sales volume and overall profit much more than in the case where sales force concentrates more on segment A. This is because the overall market share of highly price sensitive customers in segment D and â€Å"small volume customers† is almost three times of segment A’s market share. * So, even though the profit margin in segment D and â€Å"small volume customers† is lesser than that for segment A, the overall profit was greater because of the scope of much higher sales volume. * Segments B and C sales force time was reduced because of the high competition that MM faces in these categories on the basis of the rmal resistance parameter. Hence, in the long run, MM can target for higher profit margins than for higher sales volume if it concentrates the sales and market research resources to segments A, B and C. The main challenge with this approach is that it would difficult to attract customers from these segments who are already loyal to competitors and would require much more effort from the sales team and the product development team to come up with a product that caters the needs of these segments especially segments B and C where MM has yet to prove its overall competitiveness. Learning and experience This simulation exercise helped us to validate whether our suggested solution was an optimal one and also helped us to arrive at new solutions through experimentation which finally led to change in our overall decisions and strategy. It also showed us how varying a single parameter can change the overall market share and overall profits of the company. Finally, it reinforced the theory behind segmentation of customers according to their buying behavior to achieve optimal marketing strategies.

The Effect of Motivators on the Performance of Real Estate Agents Essay

The Effect of Motivators on the Performance of Real Estate Agents - Essay Example Given the above stated observations, one may surmise that real estate agencies in France have attractive profit-making potentials, insofar as they operate in a market which attracts both domestic and international buyers and investors. While that may be the case, the fact remains that the potential of any real estate agency can only be realised through the efforts of its sales force and its agents. As Davis (2002) explains, the performance of individual real estate agencies is inextricably dependant upon the characteristics, activities and qualities of its sales force with it, therefore, being incumbent upon real estate agency managers to deploy such motivation techniques and strategies as would incite performance (Davis, 2002). As may be deduced from the above, the dissertation proposes to undertake an analysis of the French real estate market and the performance of a select number of real estate agencies therein, with specific focus on the extent to which the deployment of motivation techniques may positively impact agency performance. The importance f the study derives from the fact that it will examine the efficacy of implementing motivation theory as a means of inciting higher sales figures and improving the performance of sales teams. ... Furthermore, while the study shall specifically focus on the mentioned in relation to the French real estate market, the theoretical models that shall be discussed and the recommendation that will be proposed, are applicable to the international real estate market and to those business firms whose performance is inextricably linked to the activities of its sales force. In other words, even though the study is of immediate importance to the French real estate agencies, its value extends beyond that to embrace real estate agency performance per se, irrespective of geographic location, and sales-based organisations and firms. Literature Review Numerous management researchers and scholars have emphasised the importance of motivation strategies as a tool for the maximisation of employee output and productivity (Igalens and Roussel, 1999; .Reinharth and Wahba, 1975; Kim, 1984). Few, if any, have disputed the fact that management's adoption of employee-targeted motivation strategies, especially as pertains to sales personnel, improves both individual employee output and overall firm performance but scholars, have, nevertheless, debated the most effective motivation strategies (Kallenberg, 2000; Wallace, 1995). Silvester et al. (2003) maintain that empirical evidence suggests that the adoption of any of the existent motivation theories and the integration of their incentive guidelines into an organisation's management paradigm positively contributes to organisational performance and maximises employee output. To fortify their argument, the researchers undertake a comparative study of the effect of the implementation of an array of motivation strategies and theories on employee output and performance, maintaining that the study

Sunday Participation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Sunday Participation - Assignment Example facilities are able to accomplish all the missions and the operations that are required by the injured since the acute care offered by the facilities require a stay in the hospital emergency department, ambulatory surgery center and it also deals with the current changes in the health sector (Roe, 2005). The facilities prevent the transfer of the patient to higher sectors for further treatment. The categories of the security standards are all important in that the categories depend on each other to bring the perfect security. The administrative category will require the tools from the physical category to use in the safeguard. The administrative category will also need the technical category to make sure that the implementations that they need to take are in the processes needed for the accomplishment of the security requirements. The tools, ideas and the processes combined make the tools able to accomplishment of the desired objectives of the

Sexual Harassment & Organizational Behavior Essay

Sexual Harassment & Organizational Behavior - Essay Example A culture within an organization is developed that will determine its leadership methods, communication channels and group dynamics within a teamwork frame work through the formation of well structured elements. Creation of these elements depends on the organizational setting and the people involved in day to day running of the company. These people include; watchmen, secretaries, salesmen, supervisors, managers, firm owners, directors among others. All of them form the organizational structure and its behavior depends on their individual behaviors. The basis of this model is that it provides power and authority to the organizations’ management to punish errant members of its organization. Employees are inclined towards obedience and looking unto the boss for advice and direction. Any unwelcome conduct or contact that touches on sexual privacy is sexual harassment.3 It affects both men and women although the latter are frequent victims. The following are incidences considered to be sexual harassment. Not every employee in the organization smokes or rather take cigarette in their daily life as a form of pleasure. Smoking as is widely known is harmful to not only the healthy of the smoker but also the person inhaling the smoke from the cigarette. Honesty is very important in an organization not only to the managers but also to individual relationships. Cheating downgrades an individual’s character, integrity and the organizational performance. This group of people are demeaning and demanding in nature. They are not tactful in nature but they mean to offend anyone. They don’t give out important assignments but they earn respect and trust from the rest of the members. They normally have problems with rules, schedules and work hours. In most cases this group of people lose tract of what is going on with the organizations and they are likely to miss details of important duties.

Prospects of Internationalisation of Frontex Research Paper

Prospects of Internationalisation of Frontex - Research Paper Example This paper tells that quite often firms are proved to lack the necessary support in order to expand their operations, a fact that can lead to the limitation of their profitability and may put under risk their existence in the market. On the other hand, even if a firm’s entrance in the international market is effectively supported, other issues can appear; the failure in identifying the risks that the specific initiative may include could lead the organization involved to severe damages. In fact, the above phenomenon is quite common; the responsibility of a firm’s management team for the specific problem cannot be doubted. in the study of Diamantopoulos, it is noted that ‘the methodological pitfalls of international research often lead to questionable research results’. Despite the above problems, the internationalization of firms remains the most effective strategy for the increase of their performance and for this reason it should be attempted if it is con sidered as achievable – except the case of severe operational or financial problems. The current paper examines the prospects of internationalization of Frontex, a manufacturing firm that has a significant presence in Jordan. Since its establishment the firm has achieved to increase its performance within its industry; however, gradually the internationalization of the firm has been proved to be unavoidable. The firm’s power to compete its rivals is going to be tested through its entrance in the French market. L. Kawan and J. Fayum, engineers, established Frontex in Jordan in 1986. For a long time, the firm’s operations were limited to a specific manufacturing activity: the production of drilling machines. Today, the firm's production has been expanded in a wide range of products – machinery - of similar use. The firm began its activities with about 25 employees.

Marketing report for a company that produces health organic food Assignment

Marketing report for a company that produces health organic food products - Assignment Example 200). To start with, is to develop a fresh product line which will aim at improving sales by at least 20%. Secondly, a â€Å"new and enhanced† commodity line to the already on hand customer base will be launched through conveying improvements and revisions. Furthermore, we intend to raise product awareness by at least 40% before the end of this year among the intended audience. Finally, carry out an extensive study on the different segments of the market and formulate new ways of satisfying each segment’s needs (Nash, 2000, p. 68). Market Segments Understanding market segmentation is very important since it will enable QOFPC to concentrate on satisfying the specific needs of its customers (Kotler et al, 2009, p. 200). Though mass marketing has its own advantages, it has also been criticized and companies are currently being advised to concentrate of micro-marketing where production is driven by market segments. There are different segments of the market that needs to be studies in order to know how to engage effectively on the production process. For instance, by QOFPC studying the behavior of its potential customers, it will be in a position to determine how to play between quality and low price in its search to satisfy all its customer categories (Schmid, 2007, p.102). First and foremost QOFPC needs to understand the demographic component of the market. This component takes into consideration things such as age, the size of the families of potential customers, gender, income, occupation, religion, social class, race and education. These demographic units are closely linked with consumer needs and preferences (Schmid, 2007, p.103). For example consumer needs change widely with age; a child may prefer very sweet food products as compared to an old person. Studying the geographic segment (focuses on regions, cities and rural and urban areas) is equally important since it will allow the company to identify the buying capability of its market. People in rural areas are mostly ignorant and have low incomes, hence, require different marketing strategies from those in urban areas (Nash, 2000, p. 70). By understanding these variations, the company will be able to estimate its market size and choose an appropriate media of reaching its market effectively. According to Kotler et al (2009, p. 205), the psychographic segment focuses on people’s lifestyles, socio-economic status, values/beliefs and personalities. Under this segment, psychology is applied to the demographic factors in order to have a clear understanding of the potential customers. People of the same age may have different beliefs that are likely to affect their tastes and preferences. The final market segment that needs understanding is the behavioral segment that focuses on: occasions, benefits, usage rate, attitude, readiness stage, user status and loyalty status. QOFPC needs to study the possibility of occurrence of occasions such as festivals that will boost i ts sales in order to target them effectively (Nash, 2000, p. 70). Moreover, since this company produces health organic foods, it will be of great importance to study individuals who exactly buy the products and their buying capability. Marketing Strategy Using Marketing Mix Marketing strategies aim at creating the value of customers, capturing and delivering that customer value and above all sustaining the customer value (Nash, 2000, p. 90). An appropriate marketing strategy calls for discipline blending and high flexibility.

Intercultural communication Reflective Journal Assignment

Intercultural communication Reflective Journal - Assignment Example However, multiculturalism presents a huge challenge to intercultural communication (Bloomfield 2007). Therefore, it is important to learn about intercultural communication in order to overcome the obstacles that multiculturalism presents. In this reflective journal, I focus on the aspects of intercultural communication, networking, and career management. In addition, I will also reflect on two major guest presentations, one by a professional from the Butterfly movement, and another by Mr. Adam Whitefield of the World Youth International. Finally, I will reflect on the effectiveness of this journal as a learning experience. 1. Intercultural Communication The aspect of intercultural communication has been core in this course. I have gathered wide and important knowledge on this aspect, and I expect this to be the foundation of my future interactions, both at the professional and social levels. This knowledge, I have acquired through classwork, and other out-of-class activities. The mos t important thing to is that I have learnt and mastered the meaning of intercultural communication. I now understand that this kind of communication is complex and challenging, as it involves people from different backgrounds. I have read in Kalscheuer (2009), that the coming in contact of different people due to the advanced technologies and communication, presents a challenge to intercultural communication. Therefore, although this presents diverse opportunities to people, it is also a common root of conflicts today. However, this course has been eye opening to me, thus my competence level in intercultural communication has improved. Different class activities, including group work, have been a major way through which I have learnt about intercultural communication, and experienced it. Through group work, I have had the opportunity to interact with different colleagues, some of whom I do not share similar social or ethnic background. Together we have discussed, communicated, and l earnt about cultural differences from each other. This also gave me a chance to challenge my assumptions, attitudes, and perceptions I had previously held about certain ethnic groups. Therefore, today, I have learnt the importance of cultural diversity, and I have let go of all the cultural stereotypes I held about certain ethnicities. I have learnt that when one lacks knowledge about intercultural communication, they might fail to see beyond the physical appearance of an individual, because of the irrelevant assumptions and stereotypes, which act as obstructions. Through this, therefore, I have acquired considerable cultural intelligence, which will be of great benefit to my future career, especially when working in an international environment, where I have to deal with clients and colleagues from diverse ethnic backgrounds. 2. Networking With regard to networking, through this course, I have theoretically come to terms with the popular phrase, "It's not what you know, it's who yo u know." In other words, networking is an important aspect of every professional, as technical skills alone are insufficient for one to realize success in their career. This involves making connections and building relationships with different people, mainly for career support and advice. Apart from being of great value to individuals,

How top managements vision can be translated into operational goals Essay

How top managements vision can be translated into operational goals and why this is important - Essay Example The paper tells that in order to benefit from the vision of their top managements, organizations should translate this vision into operational goals. This can be achieved by applying a lot of management practices that are very specific. One tool for ensuring this is done is a scorecard. According to Kaplan and Norton, a scorecard helps managers of a company to clarify their vision for the firm and translate it into measurable objectives and actions that can be understood by employees. This also includes objectives that will enable the organization to balance and respond to the concerns of its stakeholders. The conversion of the vision of top management into operational goals is important because if articulated with effective strategies that are properly executed, it can provide one important way through which an organization can control its destiny. From the developed objectives, the management will be able to develop specific, workable strategies to support these objectives. These s trategies will touch both on primary and secondary management practices, deal with strategy paradox and guide on responsible restructuring. The translation of this vision into specific objectives that are unambiguous to the employees means the employees of the organizations will be in position to align their actions and efforts toward the achievement of core objectives/business of the organization. Generally, it provides a list of operational measures that act as powerful drivers, good for future financial performance. References Kaplan, R. and Norton, D. (1996). The Balanced Scorecard: Translating Strategy into Action. (1st Ed). Havard. Harvard Business Review Press. An organization that has experienced a virtuous spiral and how it compares with the concepts presented in "Treat People Right" An example of an organization that has experienced a virtuous growth is Southwest Airlines and an examination of its situation shows a high correlation to the concepts presented in "Treat Peopl e Right". In this book, Lawler explains how individuals and organizations are interdependent in that they can propel each other into a virtuous spiral of success. He explains that organizations that value and reward their employees motivate them to perform better and this in turn pushes the organization to attain greater levels of accomplishments in agreement with Helge (2006). There is an adequate implementation of the 7 principles outlined in Treating People Right in Southwest Airlines and the company has achieved impressive results because of this. Lawler (2004) explains that the company is a people focused organization that always seeks quality relationship with its employees and identifies its people as its competitive advantage. The Airline has placed an emphasis on careful selection of employees, developing a work environment that is employee-friendly, giving employees the autonomy to control their work and jobs, stock ownership and profit sharing for all employees, and provi ding them with opportunities for growth, development and advancement within the organization. The outcome of this has been excellent customer service which is important for airlines because it influences the attitude of customers toward the company. It has also led to the elimination of the hostile labor relationship common in all other major airlines. Despite being highly unionized, the Airline has never had a strike and this has improved its image in the market. It is mentioned both by employees and customers as one of the best workplaces. References Helge, D. (2006). â€Å"Employee Motivation, Engagement & Retention - Use Corporate Culture to Overcome Negativity.†

Peace between Israel and Palestine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Peace between Israel and Palestine - Essay Example This is no easy task but acceptance that this will never come into fruition is resulting to a defeatist stance that humanity cannot afford. The peace process is an arduous task that must be tackled with commitment and with realistic goals. The first step towards coming to an agreement and bringing the leaders of the two states back to the peace tables is to ensure that there will be a cease fire among all forces especially stealth attacks and those that would inflict casualties among civilians. This would necessarily entail a neutralization of the extremist groups which must be held accountable for without partiality or impunity. The most important disposition in both sides is the ardent belief that peace can be achieved. This must be built on an internal understanding and desire toward that purpose, otherwise, as had been persistently observed from Israel negotiators it will all for naught. The One Voice Movement offers an encouraging model that peace is not centrally for the benefi t of groups, their interests and their spite. It is fundamentally about the people who themselves have understood that peace is the only way to stop all the fighting and cut the losses while there is still something left. The organization is made up of Palestinians and Israelis in their own land and those abroad through an international unit. This is a grassroots initiative aimed to remind and enlighten the two sides and the international community that â€Å"The majority of people on both sides realize that they have everything to gain by ensuring the independence and security of ‘the other’ and thus are prepared to compromise in order to do so† (One Voice Movement, n.p.). This conflict is rooted among the most fundamental issues that had defined many wars throughout world history. The recognition of religious differences cannot be disregarded in this political and cultural conflict. The Palestinian Arabs and the Jewish Israelis had been battling not only for la nd but also for identity. The 1967 War was a pivotal moment in this conflict. I agree with experts that the occupation of Palestinian lands by the Israeli forces was a definitive moment that aggravated the dispute into epic proportions. The destabilization by Israel over the Gaza Strip and its current notoriety must come to an end. The demand by Palestine over the return of this piece of the earth and more importantly of their refugees had been on-going for decades (Heise, n.d., pp.2-3). In this regard, a major change came almost too close, â€Å"The 2002 Arab Peace Initiative would have provided Israel recognition throughout the Arab world in exchange for a pullout from territory conquered in 1967† (The Associated Press, 2013, n.p.) These kinds of initiatives are what the time calls for. We cannot undermine the reality that external forces are necessary to move closer to that elusive peace. The land over which blood has been spilt has been claimed by both Israel and Palestin e not only on territorial basis but more inherently by religious basis that transcend people and groups. This is why no matter how many changes have occurred through leadership and membership, their idealism remains. If there is something more moving than sheer idealism, it is religious idealism. The emphatic understanding of the call of the people who suffer and who live with the consequences of their leaders’ actions must prevail. In the international realm,

Female Acceptance into a Computer Based Society Essay Example for Free

Female Acceptance into a Computer Based Society Essay INTRODUCTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Advancement on technology had brought different changes into the society. These aims to provide additional comfort and making things work more efficiently. But there are changes that people cannot prevent to happen. These are biological changes such as getting old.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   People respond to the aging process as a negative thing. Misconceptions arises that lead to common negative behavior towards the aging process. Getting old is a natural process. Anti-aging solutions are invented to prevent physical changes that it may cause like gray hair and wrinkles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Its no secret that our bodies change as we age. Physical as well as psychological changes as effect of aging can be experienced.   Some changes are obvious, while others are more subtle. Others, may experience the effects of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, which can gradually diminish their abilities to participate fully in activities. While there are still people age comfortably and remain active, alert and vibrant throughout their lives. Their physiologic age may be quite younger than their chronological age.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Because of the negative connotation on the process of aging, women who are known to be more conscious than men generally find it an issue to accept aging as a natural process of life. OBJECTIVES This study aims to discuss the impact of aging to the female group given in a modern and more advance society. This will provide description on how female cope, adapt and react to the aging process. SCOPE AND DELIMITATION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The research covers the issue of aging on female point of view. . It also provide an overview on what is aging and the physical and mental changes it bring to a person. This also identify some misconceptions about aging. SIGNIFICANCE   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The study is significant to discuss the impact of aging to women. It identifies the reasons on how the female gender response to the stage of aging. It discusses the common misconceptions regarding aging that can be properly addressed. This study is also significant for future researches related to the topic. RELATED LITERATURE Misconceptions on Aging There are a lot of misconceptions about getting old. It is a negative connotation that aging means getting near to the end of growth. And that old age is a lonely stage of life. It is also a misconception that when one is old, he/she believes that there are only limited to certain activities especially in the physical aspect. One fears getting old because of the fear of loosing independence. Another misconception is that people think that the happy days of their lives were experienced when they are young. According to a recent study shown, these several misconceptions vary from the reality regarding the issue of aging.   The research was conducted by VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System and University of Michigan researchers to 540 adults who were between the ages of 21 and 40, or over age 60 . They were asked to rate their level of happiness through answering questions. The results are published in the June issue of the Journal of Happiness Studies, a major research journal in the field of positive psychology. There is a stereotype existing between the old and young in the society. One thinks that the happy days of his/her life happens only when he/she is young.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In another research by Linda M. Woolf, Ph.D., the concept of ageism was examined between younger and older men and women in the present study. It was entitled â€Å"Effects of Age and Gender on Perceptions of Younger and Older Adults†. The study discusses the older adults are perceived more negatively than younger adults. Through gender interaction effect, a significant age by was found. Both younger and older men rated stimulus older adults significantly less positively than stimulus younger adults. However, older women rated stimulus older adults significantly more positively than they rated other stimulus-age groups. Older women were the only subject group that did not exhibit a consistent negative bias against older adults. Conversely, younger women rated stimulus older adults more negatively than any subject group. Biological   Effects   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The effects of aging are obvious on the body. Our body is made up of cells and tissues that keep on regenerating and replenishing to keep our body sustaining. As we grow old, this process decreases where replacement of old to new cells are slowing causing the signs of aging to appear.   Physical changes like poor hearing and declining vision takes place. The strength of muscles lessens due to soft tissues like skin and blood vessels that became less flexible are some general changes that occur in the human body as it ages. Skin starts to become dry and wrinkled. It looses its elasticity and the glands function less so sweating occurs lesser than the usual. Moreover, there is an overall decline in body tone that can be observed. The body’s performance becomes less efficient. Not all people experience decreased organ function to the same degree—some individuals are healthier due to good diet and exercise when they are younger. Aging also affects the immune system of a person. Human antibody lessens their act against free radicals. The immune system also changes with age. The antibodies, disease-fighting proteins, protect the body against bacteria, viruses, and other harmful agents in a healthy immune system. A healthy immune system also prevents the growth of abnormal cells, which can become cancerous. With advancing age, the ability of the immune system to carry out these protective functions is diminished—the rate of antibody production may drop by as much as 80 percent between age 20 and age 85. This less-effective immune system explains why a bout of influenza, which may make a young adult sick for a few days, can be fatal for an elderly person.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For females, these changes on the body due to the advancement of age have a greater issue.   Aging causes changes on the physical aspect of a person and one of the major effects of aging occurs in the female reproductive system. With aging, a womans breasts lose tissue and subcutaneous fat, reducing breast size and fullness. There is also a decrease in the number of mammary ducts. The breasts lose support. Aging breasts commonly flatten and sag, and the nipple may turn in slightly. The areola (the area surrounding the nipple) becomes smaller and may nearly disappear. Loss of hair around the nipple is common. Breast cancer risk increases with age. Women should perform monthly breast self-examinations. However, because breast self-exams do not always pick up early stages of breast cancer, women should also talk to their health care providers about mammograms. It also affects the fertility cycle of a woman. Menopausal stage takes place on about age 45 to age 55 of a female where the ovaries does not longer produce egg cells. This means that she can no longer bear a child. This is also the end of the menstrual cycle since there is no longer the release of sexual hormones that motivates the cycle. Although the average onset of menopause occurs in the early part of the sixth decade there is an observable, real and significant decline in the 10 to 15 years before menstruation ceases. Scientific studies on natural populations (those with high marital rates and no birth control) and on â€Å"infertility populations† all confirm the presence of an age related decline in female fertility independent of all other factors. This effect becomes most prominent after age 35.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Aging cause loss of female fertility. Although menstrual irregularities generally begin to show in the last half of the 5th decade (a time termed perimenopause) there is a marked decrease in fertility in the 10 years preceding this that appears to be independent of male or pelvic factors and despite the occurrence of regular menstrual cycles and ovulation. Similarly a decrease in success rates for IVF is seen in this population as well. The discussion then seems to focus on whether this decrease in fertility is due to ovarian factors, uterine factors or both. In other mammals there does appear to be a host of age related uterine changes that do limit fertility however, initial studies in humans failed to show consistent aging changes. Furthermore it now seems that the endometrium of an ovulatory older woman with appropriate levels of estradiol and progesterone should be able to be appropriately receptive to and supportive of implantation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The catch here is that as we age, even while still regularly menstruating, there are subtle shifts in hormonal patterns that may make the endometrium less receptive. As an example, luteal phase defect is far more common at the edges of reproductive life (very young, very old, newly delivered) but progesterone supplementation, which in theory should overcome the defect, does not appear to have made a significant difference in pregnancy rates for older women. More compelling support for the idea that the problem is primarily ovarian in nature comes from the fact that pregnancy rates for younger women and older women undergoing IVF with donor eggs are quite comparable. There are however, still some questions about uterine receptivity and study is ongoing in attempts to isolate out the effect of the â€Å"older uterus† from the effect of aging eggs of poor quality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The bottom line for now seems to be that although everyone agrees that egg quality and ovarian reserve definitely decline with age and are perhaps the primary factors causing an age related decrease in female fertility, there may be uterine factors in play as well. Further study to elucidate the mechanisms at work and, hopefully, to devise new treatment options are indicated. A number of other studies investigates the effects of aging. Scientists have found, for example, a possible explanation for why women have longer average life spans than men. The difference seems to be biologically determined, and male and female sex hormones are probably responsible. The blood levels of female sex hormones drop sharply during menopause. At that time, the incidence of heart disease and high blood pressure in women increases to match the incidence in men, suggesting that the presence of female sex hormones offers some protection against heart disease. Aging Population   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In developed nations, life expectancy has increased more in the 20th century than it has in all of recorded history. A person born in the United States in 1995 can expect to live more than 35 years longer than a person born in 1900. Today more than 34 million Americans are 65 or older, accounting for about 13 percent of the population. By the year 2030, their numbers will more than double: One in every five Americans will be over age 65. A person who lives 100 years or more—a centenarian—was once a rarity, but today about 60,000 Americans are 100 years or older. By the year 2060, there may be as many as 2.5 million centenarians in the United States. The number of supercentenarians—people 105 years of age and older—will probably be as commonplace in the next century as centenarians are fast becoming now. How to Counteract with Aging   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Knowing what to expect and taking steps to counterbalance the effects of aging can help you maintain a young spirit and an independent life. A healthy diet, regular exercise program and positive attitude can help delay the onset and slow the progression of many age-related changes. Many of the changes in our musculoskeletal system result more from disuse than from simple aging. Fewer than 10 percent of Americans participate in regular exercise, and the most sedentary group is over age 50.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Stretching is an excellent way to help maintain joint flexibility. Weight training can increase muscle mass and strength, enabling people to continue their daily routine activities without maximal exertion. Even moderate amounts of physical activity can reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease and some forms of cancer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Much recent research has been conducted on the effects of exercise on aging. In all of the studies described above, exercise had positive effects on aging. It has been found to increase reaction time, assist in predicting good aging, and improve psychological well-being. Factors such as health, social support, efficacy, and motivation are indicators of the maintenance of exercise. One should acknowledge the factors influencing exercise, recognize the numerous benefits of exercise, and take action at any age in order to live a more healthy and happy life now and in old age. Long-term regular exercises may slow the loss of muscle mass and prevent age-associated increases in body fat. Exercise also helps maintain the bodys response time, as well as its ability to deliver and use oxygen efficiently. Just 30 minutes of moderate activity, incorporated into your daily routine, can provide health benefits. An exercise program doesnt have to be strenuous to be effective. Walking, square dancing, swimming and bicycling are all recommended activities for maintaining fitness into old age. The 30 minutes of moderate activity can be broken up into shorter periods; you might spend 15 minutes working in the garden in the morning and 15 minutes walking in the afternoon. It all adds up. But if youve never attempted an exercise program before, be sure to see your doctor before starting one now. Psychological Aging   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Behavioral medicine research over the past several years has identified a umber of psychosocial characteristics that affect the development and course of a wide range of life-threatening illnesses. Included among these psychosocial risk factors are hostility, depression, social isolation, high job strain, and low socioeconomic status. The specific mechanisms whereby these factors influence the patho ­genesis and prognosis of major causes of death such as coronary heart disease (CHD) and cancer have not been identified yet, but considerable research points to accompanying health behaviors (smoking, dietary habits, and alco ­hol consumption) and biological characteristics (altered functions of the sym ­pathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems [SNS, PNS], of the hypothal ­amic-pituitary-adrenal [HPA] axis, and of the immune system) as likely mediators. Finally, research evaluating interventions targeting psychosocial risk factors in groups of patients with CHD and cancer offer considerable promise that secondary prevention will be shown to have an important place in the treatment and rehabilitation of major chronic diseases . Anti-aging can be a difficult topic to address. A war is currently being fought over the meaning of anti-aging (as research, medicine, brand, or simply adjective) and thus even mentioning the term is likely to prejudice many readers. Defining Anti-Aging   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Like it or not, anti-aging now has a number of quite different common meanings and connotations. Each is championed by a particular group or loose coalition of interests, but advocates for these groups have a way of diving into the fray without defining their terms. This makes reading about anti-aging techniques, technologies, medicine, products, and debates very confusing for the newcomer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For the scientific community, anti-aging research refers exclusively to slowing, preventing, or reversing the aging process. There is, as of 2007, no medical technology that allows this to be done although the jury is still out on calorie restriction in humans. Nor is there any currently available method (short of waiting for people to die) to accurately measure the effects of an alleged anti-aging therapy. In the medical and more reputable business community, anti-aging medicine means early detection, prevention, and reversal of age-related diseases. This is quite different from tackling the aging process itself, and a wide array of strategies and therapies are currently available. Calorie restriction, for example, is a demonstrated way to lower risk for a wide range of age-related degenerative conditions. The wider business community including a great many fraudulent and frivolous ventures views anti-aging as a valuable brand and a demonstrated way to increase sales. At the worse end of the scale, this leads to snake oil salesmen, anti-aging creams that may or may not make your skin look younger, and infomercials that tout the anti-aging benefits of exercise machines. Broadly, and very charitably, we can look at these varied definitions of anti-aging as meaning to look and feel younger in some way which has no bearing on how long you live or how healthy you actually are.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The confusion of most interest is between the first two definitions. Many interventions lengthen life span for individuals by preventing or curing specific age-related diseases that would otherwise prove fatal. For example, ask yourself whether preventing heart disease or diabetes is anti-aging medicine. This would have no effect on the aging process, but it would help many people to live longer, healthier lives. Is this anti-aging research? Scientists say no, some medical and business groups say yes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Aging is such a bad word in our society. We dont want to see old people, much less sit next to them. Even old people dont like to be around other old people.But maybe the reason that many seniors cant embrace their golden years is that they have never had it modeled for them. People today just live longer. The fastest growing segment in todays society is those 85 and older. Its a whole new ballgame for seniors today. A lot are unsure what to do or whats expected of them. In some ways, were pioneers showing younger folk what to do and what they can do when they are this age. Indeed, the work of a person growing old is that of becoming an elder, discovering spiritual treasures and passing them along to others. Despite physical limitations, there are many positives about aging, including more time to be spent in meditation and prayer, working on a closer connection to God and selves. That meditative work can encourage elders to review their lives, see how they made a difference as well as bringing up old wounds and pains. Its here that seniors need to work on forgiving others, themselves and God as they let go of past hurts, grudges and pains. AGING ON FEMALE’S PERSPECTIVE Response to Physical Changes It is a much issue for women when they feel they get old considering females to be a more conscious gender when it comes to the physical aspect. After discussing the physical changes that it can bring, without proper caring, one’s body can be a total wreck. Another issue that aging brought is that it lessen one’s self esteem. Women are conscious of their age. Youth implies beauty. Something that one tries to preserve while she is still has the youthfulness. That is why anti aging creams, pills etc. are in demand to most women. For example, there is a preference of choosing a younger female.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As women age their concerns about health grow—and rightfully so given that women are at greater risks for some health conditions. For example, according to the Illinois Department on Aging, heart disease is the No. 1 leading cause of death among older women. Women are twice as likely as men to die within the first year of having a heart attack. The second leading cause of death for women is cancer—specifically lung and breast cancer—and the third leading cause of death is stroke. Women who have hypertension or diabetes are at greater risk for heart disease and strokes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Like all women, lesbians are at risk for health problems associated with aging. Some evidence suggests that they may even be at greater risk for some age-related health problems. For example, because lesbians as a group are less likely to have been pregnant, more likely to drink alcohol and smoke—and more likely to be overweight—their risk of breast cancer may be greater than the risk among women in the general population. However, we need much more research before we can say much of anything for sure about lesbians’ risks for breast cancer or the other leading causes of death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the Chicago Health and Life Experiences of Women (CHLEW) study we are collecting information about these and many other health concerns of lesbians. We are happy to report that, in general, the 450 lesbians in our study are overall very healthy—in fact, when we first interviewed them in 2000-2001, 74% of them rated their health as good or excellent; only 7% said that their health was poor. Very few women in the study reported being diagnosed with breast cancer , heart disease, or diabetes. However, 17% said that they have high blood pressure (hypertension). One of the reasons for these low rates of problems is that the women are relatively young—the average age of the women in the study is 39 years (only about a quarter of them are over 45 years old). As they get older, lesbians, like other women, face higher risk for these serious health problems. Because we have not yet discovered the cure for aging it is important that we take care of ourselves in order to reduce these risks and improve our overall quality of life. Among the most important ways that we can take care of ourselves include getting regular exercise, not smoking, and using sodium (salt) and alcohol in moderation. Some misconceptions of women and the truth   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The older I get, the worse my body will feel. The increasing stiffness and aches pains that often come with age are not a result of age, but are due to lack of movement. Although there are some changes in the tissues in the process of aging, one can continue to remain remarkably flexible and free of pain through something as simple as regular stretching.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Its too late to start taking care of myself it wont do any good at this age. A healthy lifestyle has been found to be one of the most important factors in how people age. Improvements in lifestyle (with the 3 key areas being good food, exercise and regular relaxation and rest) will bring improvements at any age.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Im getting too old to learn new things Research shows that older people can, and do, learn new things. Attitude plays an important role. People who believe they can learn new things do.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sex is only for the young. People can, and do, continue to enjoy sex well into their senior years. People are sexual beings throughout the life cycle, but sexuality is experienced differently at different ages. Changes in hormones affects the experience of sex, and one may need to find different ways to be intimate. Relaxation is key here so that we dont panic when things dont happen the way they used to. Aging does not imply that they are too old for sex but simply they need to give themselves some breathing room to become familiar with our changing physiologies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The older I get, the less attractive I become. There is nothing more attractive than someone who has aged well. There is a special radiance in a elderly person who is at peace with themselves and life. Attractiveness has absolutely nothing to do with age. Its never too late to change the two most important ingredients to graceful aging attitude and lifestyle.   At the risk of sounding like a broken record to those of you whove read my previous articles there are two very simple but essential lifestyle ingredients for successful aging -relaxation and stretching.       References: http://www.hope.edu/academic/psychology/335/webrep2/ageexercise.htm http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/lifestyle/2006-06/17/content_619419.htm http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/lifestyle/2006-06/17/content_619419.htm http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/ageismwoolf.html http://www.seniorwomen.com/articles/articlesElginOld.html http://www.riversidehealth.com/articles/aging.htm http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/fact/thr_report.cfm?Thread_ID=224topcategory=Wellness http://infertility.about.com/cs/femalefactors/a/femaleage.htm

Effect of Mindfulness on Attention, Learning and Memory

Effect of Mindfulness on Attention, Learning and Memory Chapter-3 METHOD The present study aims to investigate the effect of mindfulness on attention, learning and memory among adolescents. Present study is of interventional nature, as it tries to manage and maintain the attention, learning and memory. The present chapter gives a detailed account of the research method used to carry out the study. The description of various methodological aspects has been presented under various headings: Sample Measuring Instruments Administration of Test Interventional Procedure Scoring Statistical Analyses 3.1 Sample: The sample for the present study was drawn from various school students of Hisar district. A total of 600 subjects were drawn by using the technique of cluster sampling. It was ensured that equal numbers of male and female subjects are sampled for the study. After the screening of 600 subjects, 60 subjects were chosen for intervention having low level of attention, learning and memory. The age of subjects ranged between 13 to 16 years. 3.2 Measuring Instruments: The measures used in the study were selected in accordance with the objectives of the study. The measures used in the study are related to both verbal and non-verbal test which were selected to assess the key variables of the study such as attention, learning and memory. The brief description of the measures used in the study is as under: A). Standard Progressive Matrices (Raven, Court and Raven, 1996) B). The d2 attention test ( Brickenkamp Zillmer, 1998) C). Serial Learning (Janbandhu Deshmukh, 1985) D). Digit span memory test from Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children III (Weschler, 1992) 3.2.1 Standard Progressive Matrices: SPM is a non verbal assessment tool which was originated by Raven, Court and Raven, (1996) for the measurement of Intelligence. It consists of 60 diagrammatic puzzles which are divided into five sets (A, B, C, D, and E) of 12 items each. Each puzzle has a part missing and in it subject’s task is to identify the missing part of the diagram from several alternatives. All subjects are given exactly the same series of problems and asked to work at their own speed. It is an untimed capacity test and the total score provides an index of intellectual capacity. Kuhnlein et al. found a split-half reliability of .94 in German sample of psychiatric patient. Stinissen (1956) Swinnes (1958) have reported correlations of .94 .95 respectively of group of Belgian school children while Barahemi (1974) found the range from .89 to .95. Reliable correlation of SPM with the Binet Weschler scales range from .54 to .86 (Raven, 1948; Taibl, 1951; Sinha, 1951; Borratt, 1956). Rogers Holmes (1978) demonstrated SPM WISC – R correlations range from .83 to .92. 3.2.2 The d2 Attention test: The d2 attention test has been developed by Brickenkamp Zillmer (1998) to measure the selective attention and mind concentration in response to the discrimination of similar visual stimuli while selectively orient to relevant aspects in task and ignoring other irrelevant ones as well as doing so quickly and accurately. This test includes only one form which can be administered either individually or in group. Possible age range of this test is from 9 to 60 years. It comprised 14 lines with 47 characters for a total of 658 items. These contain characters â€Å"d† and â€Å"p† with one to four little dashes set either individually or in pairs above or below each letter. The subjects need to identify and cross out all â€Å"d’s† with two dashes. The d’s† with two dashes considered as the relevant elements in this test whereas the remaining combinations (the â€Å"p’s† with or without dashes and the â€Å"d’s† with one or no dash) are considered as irrelevant elements since they should not be crossed out. The subject is permitted 20 seconds for each line. The internal stability of test proved to be very high (r>.90) and test retest reliability also demonstrated satisfactory (r >.70). Many researches support the multiple clinical and empirical applications of the d2 test. For e.g. d2 test has been used in study of the remediation of attention deficits (Penkman, 2004), the neuropsychological markers of schizophrenia in adolescents (Stolz-Born, Heinrich, Kornhuber, Born, 1992; Klemm, Schmidt, Knappe, Blanz, 2006), the neuropsychological effects of irradiation for childhood leukemia (Langer et al., 2002). 3.2.3 Serial Learning Serial Learning is an experimental procedure developed by Janbandhu and Deshmukh (1985). This is an experiment in learning which includes a list of 10 nonsense syllables (CVC trigrams). In this experiment firstly subjects were show the list of CVC combination and asked to pronounce the syllable that would follow the preceding one. In it subject recalls the list in serial order. In this experiment, first trial is considered as a learning trial, consist ‘no responses’. From the second trial onward the trials taken by subjects are noted down. The subjects were given trials till the time they were not able to recall complete list in serial order. The more the number of the trials taken by subjects, the more the time subjects will take to learn and recall which indicates slow learning. 3.2.4 Digits span memory: Digits span memory test is the subtest of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children III by Weschler (1992). This subtest includes two parts a) digit forward and b) digit backward items. In it the researcher reads a series of numbers to the subject. In first part subject’s task is to listen and then recall these numbers correctly in sequence order as spoken by researchers. In second part, the subjects listen to a sequence of number and recall them in reverse order (Digit backward). The lengths of digit sequences begin with 2 digits, and two trials are given at each increasing list length. In both parts length of digit sequences increases as child responds correctly. Maximum scores of digit forward are 16 and of digit backward are 14. The average split- half reliability coefficient across all age group for digit span was .90 with an average standard error of measurement of .94. Digit span exhibited moderate criterion validity when correlated with the Stanford – Binet I V composite score (r = .48) and Stanford – Binet IV short term memory (r =.52) (Weschler, 1997). 3.3 Administration of tests: The subjects were administered above described tests namely the standard progressive matrices, the d2 attention test, serial learning and digit span memory test. The subjects were approached directly in their institutions for data collection. They were tested in small groups ranging from 10 to 15 subjects or individually after obtaining their willingness to participate in the study. The general testing conditions were satisfactory and atmosphere was uniform all through. Subjects were encouraged to respond in a realistic way without rumination on all tests too much. A good rapport was established with them in order to get real position on the measuring instruments. They were told about the importance of the study and that the data collected will not be made public, rather confidentiality of their responses will be maintained. Subjects were informed that their position on different behavioral measures would be intimated to them, if they desire so. Though there was no time limit, subjects were asked to complete the tests as early as possible. They generally completed serial learning in 15 to 30 minutes, intelligence in 20 to 30 minutes, digit span in 10 to 20 minutes and the d2 test is a timed test in which 20 seconds per line are allowed. The instructions and administration procedures were same for all the subjects, and in accordance with described by the respecti ve test authors. 3.4 Interventional procedure Before the beginning of intervention, the sample screening was done on a sample of 600 students with the help of standard progressive matrices by Raven , Court and Raven (1996), the d2 attention test by Brickenkamp Zillmer, (1998), serial learning by Janbandhu and Deshmukh (1985) and digit span memory test for the assessment of memory by Weschler (1992). In present research intelligence test has been used as a control variable to know about the normal IQ of the subject. These pretest tools were administered on students to measure the levels of decided dependent variables. Students having low score in attention, learning and memory were administered the mindfulness procedure for the period of 6 months. After 6 month’s training program, post testing was done of all three variables i.e. attention, learning and memory. Before Mindfulness practice, an orientation programme for fifteen days has been designed for subject with the help of breathing exercises and imagery techniques. At initial level, students were instructed to direct their attention towards the things present in their environment. Firstly they were instructed to notice whatever sounds they hear from the external environment and they observed, for example, sound of footsteps of passing person outside the room, ringing of bell, chirping of birds, any type of vehicle sound, sound of bench, noise of door etc. This procedure has been continued for a week for approx. 30-40 minutes per day. After that, students were asked to observe the movements of the children sitting around them, like sound of scrapping, sound of yawning, coughing. This procedure was also continued for seven days. In next session, with closed eyes they were asked to focus the attention on their own actions for instance, shaking of body, movement of hands, changing of body position etc. After an orientation program, mindfulness training has been received by the students. Mindfulness training focus on various aspects such as external environment, experience of the body, and attention to thoughts, feelings, mind and meditation exercise. The following are the some exercises which were adopted by subjects during 6 month interventional program. Mindfulness of the Environment: At initial level, Mindfulness Training directs children attention to things in their environment. The following two exercises are introduced in this section. Awareness of objects: In first exercise, children were shown an object (for e.g. clock, scenery) and asked to draw it. They were educated to spend time looking at the object and paying attention to smaller and smaller detail. Next day, same procedure was done. They were instructed to compare the drawings and the subjects were also asked to recognize the missing details from the first drawing that they memorized in the second. This procedure was followed for seven days for 30-40 minutes approximately each day. Awareness of Self in the Environment: In the second exercise of mindfulness training subjects were asked to pay their attention to themselves or experiences in the environment. This session was conducted in evening in which subjects were instructed to write down step by step what they did from morning to evening. They repeated this exercise for seven days and paid attention to their whole day activities and added new things from the previous one. Mindfulness of the Body: After the children awareness of the environment, the next exercise was to focus on their body awareness. This session follows three steps: Attending the senses: The Raisin meditation: This step involves being aware of one’s own experience of an object. For example, subjects were given 3 raisins and instructed to bring to their attention one raisin and observe that carefully as if they had never seen that before. They were asked to observe the thoughts and feelings regarding raisin while looking at it. After that they were asked to smell the raisin, and put it into their mouth, chew that slowly and feel the actual taste. They were instructed to consciously experience their all thoughts, feelings, smell and taste of the raisin. Later, they were instructed to repeat the same procedure with second raisin and considering it as the first raisin which they have ever seen. Same procedure was followed with third raisin. This exercise was also continued for seven days with another small food items such as popcorn, almonds and chocolate etc. Awareness of Movement: In this step children were asked to pay attention to their own body while interacting with environment. Children were instructed to move around the room and to become aware of each movement of their body posture e .g. feeling the movement of thigh muscles, foot coming off the floor and setting it back down, movement of hands and arms were also noticed that they were moving slowly or faster. They were also instructed that if their thoughts begin to wander from their body and their moving experience, they should note it and return their attention to a part of their body. Meditation on the Breath: This 10 days exercise begins with a simple practice of breathing exercise. In this step subjects were asked to notice the movement of their breath in all parts of their body (lungs, stomach, ribs, chest, and shoulder). They were asked to be aware of the natural rhythm of the breath, how cool air enters in the nose and warm air is exhaled. Later on, subjects were instructed to count how many breath they inhaled. One breathes equals one inhalation plus an exhalation. They were told to avoid distracting thoughts and only to pay attention to their breath. This exercise focuses on the current breath and effectively enhances the subject’s awareness on the present moment. Mindfulness Meditation: Mindfulness meditation focused on the present moment, while being aware of the internal sensation, thoughts and feelings. This mindfulness meditation process follows under headings: Attending to the Thinking Process: The purpose of this exercise is to bring subject’s awareness to their thoughts and feelings. Children become aware that how they are the producers of their own thoughts. They were instructed to close their eyes and wonder what their next thought is going to be so that they become very alert and wait for the next thought. This exercise has been continued for 10 days. Meditation on the Bubble: Subjects were instructed to observe their thoughts, release them and let them go without any judgement. For this, subjects continued the meditation for a few minutes in silence. After that they were asked to envision the bubble which slowly rising up in front of them. They were told to visualize as if each bubble contains thoughts, feelings and perception. They were asked to notice the first bubble rising up and observe every thought slowly floating away with bubble. The procedure was same with each bubble. Now they were asked to observe that their mind goes blank, and then visualise the bubble rising up with â€Å"blank† inside and slowly floats away. Another example like imagination of clouds was also included. This procedure has been continued for 10 days. Visualization Meditation: Finding a safe haven: This exercise is related to visualization in which subjects were instructed to imagine a place that they feel comfortable, safe and relaxing. It might be beach, lake, temple and their own bed. Slowly the place becoming clearer to them. They were asked to look at the surrounding of that place, walk around the place. They were asked to stay focused on that place, look closer at certain things and observed their own feelings. If they found that their thoughts were wandering, they were asked to observe them, and then focus on bringing the image of their place back into focus in front of them. When they feel relaxed, can open their eyes. 3.5 Scoring: In Standard Progressive Matrices calculations are based on raw scores. Each of the 60 items were scored as 0 for incorrected or 1 for corrected. Total score is converted into percentile score which translated into IQ respectively according to norms table. The d2 attention was scored with the help of two scoring keys 1 and 2 that are placed in the upper and lower lines so that the number is read off on the scale. The resulting score are TN i.e. total number of elements tried on the 14 lines. Scoring Keys 1 computed E1 which is number of mistakes due to omission and scoring key 2 counted errors of commission. Then numbers of errors are added for each column (E = E1 + E2).For overall performance of D2 attention test; firstly, TN-E has been measured i.e. resulted from subtracting the number of errors (E) from the total numbers of characters processed and secondly, CP i.e. concentration performance which is derived by subtracting the type 2 errors (E2) from the number of correctly crossed out relevant items has been calculated. Standard Scores and percentile ranks can be determined by the raw scores from the appropriate norms table. In serial learning experiment, total numbers of trials were noted. In digit span memory test one score has been given to each correctly repeated digit forward items and digit backward items and then final score is total numbers of trials of both digit forward items and digit backward items. 3.6 Analyses of data The obtained data were subjected to various statistical analyses. Although analyses most pertinent to the objectives of the study are descriptive statistics, correlation, paired t test and independent t test. Correlations among all pairs of variable were computed through Pearson Product Moment method. Independent t-test was run to examine the difference between boys and girls in attention, learning and memory and paired t test computed to examine the effect of mindfulness on attention, learning and memory.

What Really Happened To Roanoke History Essay

What Really Happened To Roanoke History Essay Years before the first major American settlement of Jamestown was established, Sir Walter Raleigh, a European, was sent by Queen Elizabeth I to land on Roanoke Island, in what is now North Carolina. Upon arriving, Raleigh attempted to befriend the natives in order to be able to set up a colony there. Eventually there was another expedition made with a different group of people who would permanently live on this new land we now call America. Many people know this story, and that it ended in the utter disappearance of a large group of settlers. The only clue that the vanished group left was the word CROATOAN carved on a nearby tree (Lois 16). A lot of people think that the settlers all died since no direct ancestry has been traced back to them yet, but most people over look the most plausible possibility; most settlers ended up assimilating to nearby Indian lifestyles and families, leaving their would-be colony behind, and starting new with the native people. The voyage to Roanoke was the last of two main voyages to settle in America. On this voyage, John White, a man who was already familiar with the land, would be the leader. White put together a group of 110 civilians, different from the group of soldiers Raleigh had brought before (Durant 103). The benefit of having civilians settle for this voyage is that they had motivation for survival. The previous expedition had soldiers who were paid to venture into the new land and settle. This new crowd was completely volunteer; their only payment was acreage promised by the Queen (104). Since the families would have land in America, they would have to learn to survive and be self sufficient in the new world. On April 26, 1587, John White led his expedition to Roanoke to start their new life (Fritz, Talbott). After arrival at Roanoke, the settlers there developed an established area for them to live in. It could support them, to an extent. A settler named Edward Stafford led a group of 20 people down to visit the Indians who lived on Croatoan Island (Durant 118). Accompanying them was an Indian that was originally brought back to Europe by previous expeditions (Durant 118). The Croatoans befriended White, even though one of their members had been killed by previous skirmishes. John White and his settlers didnt make friends with all the tribes, though. There had been one tribe, the Roanoacs, whom John White planned to murder in revenge of them killing one of Europes former citizens, George Howe (119). Eventually after being on the island for quite some time, the colonists encouraged White to return to England for provisions. Originally, he argued the idea because he didnt want to abandon his daughter and her newborn child. Eventually he was persuaded and he waited for Fernandez, the pilot of the initial voyage to pick him up aboard the Lion (121). Due to storms, Fernandez arrival was delayed, but on August 27, 1587 John White left the Island of Roanoke along with its settlers, for Europe (123). Little known to White, this would be the last time he would ever see them again. White returned in 1590 to the island of Roanoke to find almost nothing left of the colony. It is said that White and his men could see fire burning through the trees, and, To reassure the colonists that they were a friendly party, they first sounded a trumpet and then spend the night singing English folk tunes and calling out familiar greetings, but no answer came. (Kupperman 130). Karen Kuppermans book titled Roanoke, says that White told the colonists to carve clues to let them know where they had gone, and the word CRO was found on a tree (131). White wasnt surprised because the colonists and him had discussed moving north to a different area by the time he got back. After finding the famed CROATOAN carving, white planned to sail to Croatoan in the spring after spending winter in the West Indies, but storms prevented his return, and White never made it back to find the colonists (133). Many theories are present to what could have happened to these colonists. The one that most resonates with me is that the colonists assimilated with the natives; and there is much evidence to prove this. First off, the colonists had already befriended the Croatoan, the tribe in which the clue they left was based on. It is not unusual to assume that the starving colony would seek help from the local tribe who had lived there since the existence of their people. Upon settling Jamestown, John Smith had published a book talking about the settlement and the area of what is now Virginia, and in it he reports, Indians had told him of people like the settlers, whom Smith took to be the lost colonists (Kupperman 137). Kuppermans book reiterates the legends of colonists intermarrying with the Indians; Local legends in North Carolina maintain that the lost colonists survived and intermarried with the Indians and that their descendants live in the region today (141). When we look at it from a mo re current standpoint, it is easy to see in todays society that mixed race is everywhere. If you look at a Native American descendant of today, you can tell that he is Native American. But when someone is a child of mixed raced parents, some traits can be more dominant than others. Is it not possible that when the white settlers merged with the Indians that their physical traits were more prominent that the whites? This would defend the statement that most of the surviving colonists and their descendants were hard to discover, due to the fact that they merely blended in with the rest of the Indians. By the time America became more settled, the original lost colonists of Roanoke would have been dead. More evidence of survival of the Roanoke settlers is backed up by James Horns article titled Roanokes Lost Colony Found? It speaks of a Powhatan named Machumps who traveled to England and told the English of an Indian tribe forming two story houses made of stone, and they did this after being taught by English who survived the slaughter of Roanoke. On a side note, the slaughter on Roanoke was an attack on the village by local Indians, which led people to believe that the colonists had all perished. According to this article, it could very well be possible that some escaped and survived. John White has a recorded journal entry that he wrote, detailing the request that the colonists made, suggesting that he return to England to update Raleigh on their status and get supplies. In the colonists request they state, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦for the present and speedie supllie of certain our knowen, and apparent lackes, and needs, most requisite and necessarie for the good of usà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦uncessa ntly requested John Whiteà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦in all our behalfes to passà © into Englande. (Quinn, The Roanoke Voyages). This journal entry even more stresses the fact that the colonists supplies were dwindling. Since John White didnt return, the only option for supplies they had was living with the Croatoan. In Lois Miner Hueys book American Archaeology Uncovers the Earliest English Colony, she speaks of a glass trade beadà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and three brass disks. (20). These items, were no doubt offered as necklaces in exchange for food or other goods (Huey 20). The English could have probably survived for quite some time on bartering trades with the Natives alone. While clues like this and many others are found, no one will know for sure if they used them to trade for food. In the end, the Lost Colony of Roanoke will always be a mystery. I do not believe that in my lifetime they will uncover the certain truth. Judging by the facts that I have read, and the references that I have researched, the only plausible idea is that the colonists assimilated with the Croatoan. The colonists left the carving in the tree to signal to John White that, upon his return, he should look for them there. Also, the Indian immigrant Machumps speaking of English existence within the tribes reinforces the idea. Even from the viewpoint of today, when we look around at how intensely diverse our culture is, it is not hard to believe that back then at the beginning of our America, the English could have started mixing with foreign races. Maybe they mixed because that is the only way they would have survived and kept their bloodline going. Roanoke is the Lost Colony, but I believe the distant relatives of the colonists are among us, today.

The Epic Poem, Beowulf - Vengeance and Revenge in Beowulf Essay

Vengeance and Revenge in Beowulf    The oldest of the great lengthy poems written in English and perhaps the lone survivor of a genre of Anglo-Saxon epics, Beowulf, was written by an unknown Christian author at a date that is only estimated.   Even so, it is a remarkable narrative story in which the poet reinvigorates the heroic language, style, and values of Germanic oral poetry.   He intertwines a number of themes including good and evil, youth and old age, paganism and Christianity and the heroic ideal code, into his principal narrative and numerous digressions and episodes; all of which were extremely important to his audience at the time.   Vengeance, part of the heroic code, was regarded differently by the two distinct religions.   Christianity teaches to forgive those who trespass against us, whereas in the pagan world, revenge is typical and not considered an evil act.   In Beowulf, the ancient German proverb "revenge does not long remain unrevenged" is strictly adhered to and verifies that revenge is part of pagan tradition. Two human relationships were deeply significant to the Germanic society.   The most important, the relationship between the warrior and his lord was based on a common trust and respect.   The warrior vows loyalty to his lord and serves and defends him and in turn the lord takes care of the warrior and rewards him lavishly for his valour.   The second human relationship was between kinsmen.   As Baker and Ogilvy suggest, a special form of loyalty was involved in the blood feud. (P.107)   If one of his kinsmen had been slain, a man had an ethical obligation either to kill the slayer or to exact the payment of wergild in compensation.   The price was determined upon the rank or social status of the victim... ... view was "an eye for an eye," if a man kills your kinsmen you exact revenge.   On the contrary, the Christian view was more like as Mohandas Gandhi said "An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind."   Christians believed God would inevitability do what is right and would rather turn the other cheek then have it result in more blood and murder.   Throughout the poem, the poet strives to accommodate these two sets of values.   Though he is Christian, he cannot negate the fundamental pagan values of the narrative story. Works Cited and Consulted: Abrams, M.H., ed.   Beowulf: The Norton Anthology of English Literature.   New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2001.   Baker, Donald C. and J.D.A. Ogilvy.   Reading Beowulf.   Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1983. Earl, James W.   Thinking About Beowulf.   Stanford: Stanford University Press: 1994.

Testing in Educational Facilities Essay -- Learning Test Tests Argumen

Testing in Educational Facilities A puddle of saliva covers my book as I wake up to the buzzing of my alarm. Oh no! My head was heavy and waking up was not something I wanted to do, especially when I realized that I fell asleep while I was studying for my chemistry test. I had fifteen minutes to get ready for school. At that point showering was not going to be my priority. I had fifteen minutes to memorize as much information as I possibly could. But I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, in fact, merely impossible. So, I threw on my clothes, grabbed a piece of gum, and tossed my books into my bag. Today was not going to be a good day. Since the day we are born we are watched. We are observed, then analyzed, and then soon tested. All of these things are simply done for our own good. They are there to make sure that we, as children, are off on the right start. But, at what age does it turn bad? When testing gives us the wrong ideas about competitiveness, when testing is used to compare us to others, and when testing puts unnecessary pressures and stress on us, it is no longer good as a whole. Because of these reasons, and many more, testing in educational facilities is detrimental to the learning process. On the opposing side, testing is not looked upon to be detrimental to the learning process. Some even consider it to be crucial to learning. Testing is often considered to be used simply as a measure of progress throughout the progression of learning. Some people view testing and grading as a motivation to allow students to strive to be the best and push to be better than those around them. Some people even believe that testing and grading is an important tool to prepare some students for the real world. S... ...ntage of there education is a gift. And with this gift I want to make it a celebration. Every student in America should no longer have to worry about there academic standing but rather there intellect and intelligent piece of mind. Learning has gotten to the point where it no longer is encouraging but rather discouraging. And I am no longer going to just sit around and watch it happen. I was once part of it, and I will not be part of letting it go on. Learning is an important factor of this world, and if we wont settle for bad grades, then why should be settle for bad learning habits. Works Cited Hillocks, Jr, George. The Testing Trap: How Assessments Control Learning. New York, NY, 2002 Henning-Stout, Mary. Responsive Assessment. San Francisco, CA,1994 Gellman, Estelle. School Testing: What Parents and Educators Need to Know.Westport, CT 1995

Ancient Egyptian Culture Essays -- History, Ancient Egyptian Society

Ancient Egypt was a fascinating and complex place. Luckily for historians, Egyptians had made great strides in record keeping which have made studying their culture and society easier than some previous historical eras. Ancient Egyptians were a people who were intensely religious, deeply divided by gender roles and a strong hierarchy, and quite advanced for their period in terms of their technological and economic innovations. Egyptians were deeply religious, and religion played a role in nearly all aspects of their daily lives. When the ancient Egyptians experienced periods of peace and prosperity, they attributed credit for the success to their deities (Slaughter, 5). The Egyptians experienced centuries of remarkable stability and considered this state to be the ma’at, which was Egyptian for the â€Å"natural order† (Slaughter, 5). Even though they considered good order and balance in their society to be natural, it had to be protected by the pharaoh, who was considered to have been born mortal but imbued with godhood upon receipt of the throne, and was expected to be an earthly presence of the divine (Slaughter, 5). His religious standing gave the pharaoh a unique legal and authoritative position in ancient Egyptian culture. The pharaoh was expected to defend the nation, take responsibility for all administrative duties, declare all of the laws, and own all of the land (Slaughter, 5). For practical reasons, much of the pharaoh’s responsibilities were delegated to a bureaucracy (Slaughter, 5). Within this bureaucracy, staffed mostly by men, success was measured by the degree to which a person promoted order and prosperity within their stewardship (Slaughter, 5-6). Ancient Egypt had a strong social hierarchy, where a small group of... ...rmenting barley and wheat in a similar fashion to modern methods (Discussion, Tad Gale.) Their engineering feats were also impressive, and ranged from the technical prowess that showed itself in their massive pyramids, to the mastery of physics involved in developing advanced chariots that ran faster, quieter, and more stable than their counterparts created by their enemies (Discussion, Blair Vanderlugt). The nature of ancient Egyptian society was quite unique for its time period. Egyptian culture was distinct from neighboring nations, and Egyptians had many advantages that gave them an edge politically and commercially. They were committed to their religion, which touched their lives in nearly every way, they had strong gender and class differences that made them a very divided society, and they had a high degree of expertise in engineering and similar fields.

Does Religion Cause Wars?

There is a conventional belief among many individuals that religion is the main cause of the present and past wars inflicting torment within the world. However, many humans fail to see past that belief; they are unable to understand that religion is just a small factor amongst the many contributing to the cause of wars. In fact, religion is merely a tool and an excuse used to hide the need for power and sins of the human nature. Among these factors, it may be the misinterpretation of religious teachings and the differing ideals of many individuals.Unfortunately, these factors are often overlooked as most people view this issue with a simplistic mindset. The idea of religion is often able to bring peace and harmony within the world. In saying this though, religion may be twisted and exploited by individuals for either economic or political reasons, mostly with the blind ambition for power and control. Such people have used religion as a tool and an excuse in order to achieve their own personal desires. This is apparent with the previous Iraqi president, Saddam Hussein.The Iraqi president had aimed to persuade the Jihadists to start a holy war against the United States and British forces, who were seeking to dismiss him for his position. Saddam Hussein had publicly voiced his call toward the Jihadists in an Iraqi state television, where he encouraged them through his statement, â€Å"jihad is a duty in confronting them†¦ Those who are martyred will be rewarded in heaven. Seize the opportunity, my brothers† (Saddam Hussein). It is evident; however, that Saddam Hussein did not really view the war he intended to begin as a religious war.Instead he planned to use religion as an excuse for his own political gains, which was to maintain his position as president of Iraq. In conclusion, religion is not the sole reason of the previous and present wars within the world, it is also the people themselves who exploit and twist religion itself. Many individuals of ten find it difficult to give religion a precise definition. It is within their ability to understand the concept of religion yet are unable to provide an accurate definition of the word. Therefore, many may have their own interpretations of what religion truly is.This notion is similar to how individuals may have varying views in regards to the religious teachings of their religion. Sadly, in some cases, people may actually misinterpret the teachings of their religion, which can often lead to disastrous outcomes. Such consequences are evident with the infamous belief of ‘Jihad'. The concept of Jihad means â€Å"holy war† or â€Å"the holy struggle†. It also teaches that there shall be no use of violence â€Å"except in the case of defensive wars, wars which are waged to punish a tyrant, or those which are meant to uphold freedom† (Concept of Jihad, pg 2).Unfortunately, there are others who misunderstand the concept of Jihad and instead believe it to be co mplete submission to Allah, which further means they are â€Å"prepared to die (martyrdom) in the course of this submission†. Such cases usually result in terrorism and suicide bombings, where individuals believe that by forcing others into their religion, by death, will please Allah. The most known example of these occurrences is the September 11 suicide bombings where approximately two planes crashed into the twin towers in New York, USA.This event was not necessarily a war but was instead an attack part of the already ongoing war between the United States and the Islamic, terrorist group, Al-Qaeda. From this event it is evident that the members of Al-Qaeda had misinterpreted the concept of Jihad and instead violated the religion by using violence for unnecessary reasons. It can be concluded that even though religion may play a role in the cause of wars, it is not necessarily the only factor to blame but also the misinterpretation of the religious teachings of religions.It is not solely religion itself that spur the gruesome wars that have occurred throughout history, but also the varying ideals of the religious worshipers. Unfortunately, in some cases there is a chance that the ideals of certain individuals may have a larger influence on them than their own religious beliefs. Such terms are often confused with each other; however, there is a prominent difference between the two. Beliefs are set in stone already, statements or truths that humans have decided to place their confidence in.On the other hand, ideals are personal concepts of perfection; they have no boundaries unlike beliefs. When the ideals of humans have a larger power over them, the results often have a high chance of becoming cataclysmic. Such results are evident within Nazi Germany during the Second World War, after the 1930s. Germany had been under the dictatorship of a tyrant known as Adolf Hitler. Hitler was infamously known for his cruelty and mass murder towards the Jews in Germa ny at that time.His reason for his actions was that by protecting himself against the Jews, he was â€Å"defending the handiwork of God† (Mein Kampf, pg 60). Despite his religious reason, he had a deeper hatred towards the Jews and desired an ideal world, where there was only a majority of pure descendants of the â€Å"Aryan† race. The Aryan race involved humans with certain features such as blonde hair and blue eyes. Hitler believed that the Jews were contaminating his ideal race as they offered the â€Å"most striking contrast to the Aryan† (Mein Kampf, pg 259), thus leading to his revulsion towards the Jews.It is unmistakable that the beliefs of Hitler were not the only cause of his actions but also his extreme ideals, which had lead to the carnage he had incited. Therefore, it is not only religion itself that cause wars but also the differing ideals of humans. Religion is often unfairly blamed as the direct cause of wars throughout the world. It is often use d as a scapegoat as many people cannot look past that simplistic view. Many individuals have never considered the possibilities of other factors contributing to such wars.A few of these factors are the exploitation of religion for the personal gains of individuals, the misinterpretation of religious teachings and the differing ideals of many humans. From these factors, it is evident that it is not just religion itself that causes the wars, but the people themselves also who actually wage these atrocities. Adolf Hitler (1998). Mein Kampf. United States: Houghton Mifflin Company PDF file viewed at – http://www. greatwar. nl/books/meinkampf/meinkampf. pdf Last accessed 26/2/12 A. Ezzati. 1986). The Concept Of Martyrdom In Islam . Available: http://www. al-islam. org/al-serat/concept-ezzati. htm. Last accessed 26/2/12. Coel Hellier. (2011). Nazi racial ideology was religious, creationist and opposed to Darwinism. Available: http://coelsblog. wordpress. com/2011/11/08/nazi-racial- ideology-was-religious-creationist-and-opposed-to-darwinism/#sec5. Last accessed 26/2/12. Dr. John Kelsay. (1999). THE RETURN OF THE RELIGIOUS WAR . Available: http://rinr. fsu. edu/fallwinter99/features/religiouswar. tml. Last accessed 26/2/12. Hadrat Mirza Gulam Ahmad. (1995). Jihad. The true Islamic concept. Available: http://www. alislam. org/library/articles/Jihad-Brochure. pdf. Last accessed 26/2/12 Jim Lehrer. (2003). Saddam Hussein Calls for Jihad. Available: http://www. pbs. org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june03/saddam_4-1. html. Last accessed 26/2/12 M. Amir Ali. (Unknown). Islam, Jihad, and Terrorism. Available: http://www. aboutjihad. com/terrorism/islam_jihad_terrorism. php. Last accessed 26/2/12.