Wednesday, July 31, 2019

literature review Essay

?A literature review is a text written by someone to consider the critical points of current knowledge including substantive findings, as well as theoretical and methodological contributions to a particular topic. Literature reviews are secondary sources, and as such, do not report any new or original experimental work. Also, a literature review can be interpreted as a review of an abstract accomplishment. Most often associated with academic-oriented literature, such as a thesis or peer-reviewed article, a literature review usually precedes a research proposal and results section. Its main goals are to situate the current study within the body of literature and to provide context for the particular reader. Literature reviews are a staple for research in nearly every academic field ?A literature review is a text written by someone to consider the critical points of current knowledge including substantive findings, as well as theoretical and methodological contributions to a particular topic. Literature reviews are secondary sources, and as such, do not report any new or original experimental work. Also, a literature review can be interpreted as a review of an abstract accomplishment. Most often associated with academic-oriented literature, such as a thesis or peer-reviewed article, a literature review usually precedes a research proposal and results section. Its main goals are to situate the current study within the body of literature and to provide context for the particular reader. Literature reviews are a staple for research in nearly every academic field ? A literature review is a text written by someone to consider the critical points of current knowledge including substantive findings, as well as theoretical and methodological contributions to a particular topic. Literature reviews are secondary sources, and as such, do not report any new or original experimental work. Also, a literature review can be interpreted as a review of an abstract accomplishment. Most often associated with academic-oriented literature, such as a thesis or peer-reviewed article, a literature review usually precedes a research proposal and results section. Its main goals are to situate the current study within the body of literature and to provide context for the particular reader. Literature reviews are a staple for research in nearly every academic field ? A literature review is a text written by someone to consider the critical points of current knowledge including substantive findings, as well as theoretical and methodological contributions to a particular topic. Literature reviews are secondary sources, and as such, do not report any new or original experimental work. Also, a literature review can be interpreted as a review of an abstract accomplishment. Most often associated with academic-oriented literature, such as a thesis or peer-reviewed article, a literature review usually precedes a research proposal and results section. Its main goals are to situate the current study within the body of literature and to provide context for the particular reader. Literature reviews are a staple for research in nearly every academic field ?A literature review is a text written by someone to consider the critical points of current knowledge including substantive findings, as well as theoretical and methodological contributions to a particular topic. Literature reviews are secondary sources, and as such, do not report any new or original experimental work. Also, a literature review can be interpreted as a review of an abstract accomplishment. Most often associated with academic-oriented literature, such as a thesis or peer-reviewed article, a literature review usually precedes a research proposal and results section. Its main goals are to situate the current study within the body of literature and to provide context for the particular reader. Literature reviews are a staple for research in nearly every academic field ?A literature review is a text written by someone to consider the critical points of current knowledge including substantive findings, as well as theoretical and methodological contributions to a particular topic. Literature reviews are secondary sources, and as such, do not report any new or original experimental work. Also, a literature review can be interpreted as a review of an abstract accomplishment. Most often associated with academic-oriented literature, such as a thesis or peer-reviewed article, a literature review usually precedes a research proposal and results section. Its main goals are to situate the current study within the body of literature and to provide context for the particular reader. Literature reviews are a staple for research in nearly every academic field.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

The Gay Lives of Frederick the Great and William Iii

The Gay Lives of Frederick the Great and William III Frederick the Great of Prussia and William III of the Dutch Republic were two well known great leaders of Europe. They lived decades apart, William from 1650 to 1702, and Frederick from 1712 to 1786, yet had uncannily similar lives, in many aspects. These leaders, because of a somewhat controversial past, have lost many important clues about what their lives were really like. Nonetheless, it is known for sure that both were knowledgeable, great military leaders, champions of justice, and very likely homosexual. One of the few dissimilarities between Frederick and William was the religion they were raised on, which of course was to influence the rest of their lives, particularly in philosophy. At a young age, William was sent to a Calvinist school which emphasized the Calvinist values like modesty and theory like predestination. Although his views were far from conservative, he did tend to dress more simply, and kept a very cool and reserved appearance. William also was born a week after his father's death, leaving him without a strong figure to emulate. If this had any effect on William, it was not apparent, for he firmly believed that he was destined for great things, and his diplomacy became one of his strongest skills. All of William's security in his childhood did not exist for Frederick. Frederick endured a horrible abusive childhood with his tyrannical father. Frederick was very well educated and a lover of all things French- art, philosophy and literature. He was a true dandy- he dressed ostentatiously, and did very fashionable things. He also had a very close male friend- Hans Hermann Von Katte who was about 8 years older. They ran away together, but what exactly their relationship was is unclear. Frederick was careful to destroy any evidence so as to escape his father's wrath. But it didn't work, Frederick's father had the two arrested, and very cruelly had Von Katte beheaded in front of Frederick's eyes. Frederick was bed-ridden and hallucinatory for days. William II also had a close friend, who fortunately did not suffer the same fate. Willem Bentick and William became inseperable at 14. They were so close that when William contracted smallpox, Willem shared his bed, as it was thought that another person with the sick person could draw away some of the disease. Willem and William remained very close, but preceding William's ascension to the throne, it was decided that he would need to be married. He married Mary Stuart, his cousin and daughter of the Duke of York, and very much disliked her. They were polar opposites: Mary wanted affection and was very emotional, while William had his stoic Calvinist mindset. It was sort of the reverse for Frederick: he had a very simple bride, Elizabeth Christine Brunswick, while he was more outgoing, sociable individual. Though the marriage was chosen by Frederick's father, the prince was obedient and understood the importance of the appearance of a strong union. In fact, Frederick had a younger, more openly gay brother who he â€Å"[forced]†¦ to marry ,'to save appearances'† (Dynes 429). Although their marriages were not ideal for either, both William and Frederick stayed with their wives until the end. Frederick coped by buying a palace for his wife; William actually grew to respect his wife and rely on her diplomatic charm. In fact, following her death in 1694 and later his in 1702, William â€Å"was found to be wearing Mary's wedding ring and a lock of her hair close to his heart† (William III). While both kings had decent marriages, Frederick and William were also known for their love of men. William's relationships were less well known, although it was common knowledge that William was interested in men. â€Å"There was a rumour that William was unfaithful to Mary. Her meddling English servants warned her that she would catch him emerging from the bedroom of one of her ladies, Elizabeth Villiers, in the early hours of the morning. There was a scene, with William trying to assure Mary that it was not how it looked†¦ Certainly William was no womaniser and, if anything, his sexual inclinations might have veered more towards young men† (William III) Frederick had many well known lovers. It is said that his father arranged his marriage with Christine to prove Frederick's heterosexuality in addition to producing an heir. Frederick, as a military leader, also was known to have relationships with his friends from the battlefield. Though, to his credit, he never allowed any relationships to interfere with his work or compromise his integrity. Perhaps Frederick's best known and interesting affair was with the famous French poet Voltaire. Frederick's love for French culture encouraged him to reach out to Voltaire, and in 1736 the 24 year old prince sent a letter to the 22 year old, already quite famous philosopher. Thus began their friendship, and they kept a close friendship, or possibly more throughout their lives. Still, there was a conflict of interest between them. Preceding Frederick's coronation, Voltaire â€Å"Never tired of comparing Frederick to Apollo, Alcibiades and the youthful Marcus Aurelius† (Strachey 170). But Voltaire wanted to see a peaceful, united Europe, and once Frederick took the throne of Prussia he seemed only interested in war. Frederick tried to keep Voltaire around, even offering him positions in the court as he still very much valued Voltaire's opinions. Voltaire and Frederick still exchanged writings, Frederick's work still often implying his sexual preferences. It became a problem when Frederick was on his deathbed, and he had Voltaire arrested for possessing his work. Voltaire was freed not to long after and went on to anonymously publish a book about Frederick, The Private Life of the King of Prussia, which was essentially an expose on Frederick's homosexuality. But by the time of Frederick's death, the two men were on very good terms, so much so that Voltaire was the first to coin him as â€Å"Frederick the Great†. William did not have a vengeful lover to put evidence of his same-sex love in the open. He was too diplomatic and calculating to allow for such things to happen. Although his tact left little evidence of his love life, it does tell a great deal about his philosophy about civil rights. Both William and Frederick were champions of civil rights. Furthermore, it would not be ridiculous to think that their homosexuality played a large part in shaping their views, expecially during a time when sodomites were being viciously punished. William was outright stubborn about defending the liberties of his people, which actually earned him the English crown in 1689. While in power, William championed religious freedom and people's rights. He created the Bill of Rights, which was one of the most important documents in English history, perhaps even the world. It forbid unfair taxation, it did not allow the government to infringe upon protest and it demanded a trial with fair, humane punishment for criminals. This document was the predecessor for other rights documents, including that of the United States. Likewise, in Prussia Frederick promoted religious tolerance, reduced harsh penalties and sentences, and even pardoned prisoners that held beliefs that he disagreed with. He encouraged the work of artists, musicians, scientists and philosophers to make Prussia a wholly great nation. Finally, and most well known are the two's military accomplishments. William led the Netherlands in a small united force against the French, and though it ultimately was defeated, it heavily drained French resources while keeping the Netherlands in tact. William also drove out James II of England which, as aforementioned, resulted in him obtaining the English Crown. William loved being on the battlefield, in fact â€Å"Too often he got stuck into the fighting when he should have been in the rear making decisions for the battlefield as a whole† (William III). He kept many of his war companions as his closest confidantes, often drawing criticism for making rulings on their advice and discussions. Whereas William had been more eye-level with his soldiers, Frederick ran his military with an iron rod. The frivolous, fun-loving man who passed so many laws concerning people's safety and rights tolerated nothing in his military. Disobedience and disloyalty meant painful and brutal physical repercussions. But he was able to defeat France and Russia in the Seven Years War, making Prussia a superpower and tripling its armed forces. And like William. Frederick risked his life on the front line, and too often came close to being killed. William III and Frederick II were two men, who, despite their very different upbringings, coincidentally ruled in two very similar styles. Frederick would have known of William III, in fact he had been very inspired by the Bill of Rights William created, but with very little contact they still led uncannily similar lives. It could be attributed to their similar lifestyles: two men that were devoted to their country and their duties, but also had their secrets to hide. Their homosexuality did probably contribute to their similitude, but it was their wit and strong-mindedness that led them both to unconventional and unexpectedly strong leadership. Works Cited Crompton, Louis. â€Å"Frederick the Great. Homosexuality & Civilization. Cambridge, MA: Belknap of Harvard UP, 2003. 505-12. Print. Dynes, Wayne R. , Warren Johansson, William A. Percy, and Stephen Donaldson. â€Å"Frederick II (The Great) of Prussia (1712-1786). † Encyclopedia of Homosexuality. New York: Garland Pub. , 1990. 428-29. Print. Strachey, Lytton. â€Å"Voltaire and Frederick the Great. † Books and Characters, French & English,. New York: H arcourt, Brace and, 1922. 167-99. Print. Waller, Maureen, David Onnekink, and Jason McElligot. â€Å"William III. † BBC – Homepage. BBC. Web. 15 Dec. 2011. .

Monday, July 29, 2019

Psychology and Family Law Essay

Introduction: The Rise in Divorce Rates.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Rasul began his paper on the economics of child custody with an observation and analysis of the American family. For him, the last thirty years had been witness to dramatic transformations involving the American family (Rasul, 2006, 1).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This dramatic change since the 1970s consists in the composition of American families. Where thirty years ago, more than half of the American families consisted of a father, mother, and child or children, today such composition only forms one in five families (Rasul, 2006, 1).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Such significant change is attributed to one factor alone, which is divorce. Rasul observes that the instances of divorce have risen dramatically over the years, such that it affects more than one million children every year (Rasul, 2006, 1). In the United Kingdom, another industrialized region, forty-one percent of marriages end up in divorce within fourteen years (Lamb, Sternberg, & Thompson, 1997, 394).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   While divorce rates also increased in industrialized countries other than the United States, and the divorce rates in the United States already reached a plateau, the fact remains that the United States Bureau of Census estimated in 1992 that more than forty percent of first marriages in the country is bound to end in divorce. Moreover, the relative decline in divorce rates is accompanied by an equivalent effect, which is the number of people cohabiting without marriage and nonmarital child bearing. These other arrangements cause the decline in divorce, but end in the same situation of a broken family. (Emery, Sbarra & Grover, 2005, 22).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The increase in divorce rates can also be attributed to the certain developments since the 1970s, which include the growing tolerance of society for divorce. Moreover, society is no longer strictly insistent on the maintenance of stereotypical family arrangements (D’Errico & Elwork, 1991, 104). Changes in Family Law.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As a consequence of these dramatic changes, changes in the field of family law also occur. These changes can be found both in substantive and procedural law (D’Errico & Elwork, 1991, 104-105).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Substantive law has changed due to observations of the effects of restrictive and punitive laws on divorce. Thus, many jurisdictions already steered away from the rule that one of the spouses must have committed some transgression before they can be granted divorce. Now, the prevalent rule in most jurisdictions is in accordance with the â€Å"no-fault† doctrine. This doctrine allows married couples to file for divorce on the simple ground of â€Å"irreconcilable differences (D’Errico & Elwork, 1991, 104).†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another change in substantive law and policy can be found in the gender-neutral stance taken by courts in cases of divorce. The past decades illustrated a bias, manifested in the assumption that mothers have more inherent capability to take care of their children. Today, such an assumption is no longer strongly held. Rather, courts are now showing neutrality in gender and the determination of a family law case now hinges on the consideration of the â€Å"best interests of the child (D’Errico & Elwork, 1991, 104-105).†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another change in substantial law and policy is manifested in the observation that there is a growing predilection over self-determined divorce and child custody arrangements. This trend of change is largely attributable to the belief that divorce is a private matter that must be left amongst them to be resolved. This belief is a break away from the previous prevailing thought about the state’s interest in protecting the sanctity of marriage through the regulation of its dissolution (D’Errico & Elwork, 1991, 104).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These changes in substantive law on divorce and family law necessarily caused changes in the procedural aspect of the law. Thus, the increased ease by which couples could seek divorce and the option of individualizing post divorce arrangements heavily increased the dockets of courts with divorce cases. This led the courts to encourage divorcing couples to find other alternative means of resolving their issues (D’Errico & Elwork, 1991, 105).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are also other factors that make alternative means of resolving family disputes and divorce issues more appealing. The lack of necessity for proving fault in a divorce action removed the need to adjudicate family issues. Moreover, the removal of the presumption in favor of the mother’s capability to care for the child involved courts into making a determination about vague issues, such as love and care, which could be difficult to measure in a court setting. These factors all contributed to the growing popularity of other modes of dispute resolution, such as mediation (D’Errico & Elwork, 1991, 105). Divorce Mediation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One such alternative mode of dispute resolution recently applied in family law is mediation. Thus, divorce mediation, under which process a neutral third party intervenes to help the couple settle their differences through negotiation, receives the most attention lately (D’Errico & Elwork, 1991, 105) especially among parents who wish to get divorced (Emery, Sbarra & Grover, 2005, 22).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When applied to help couples arrive at self-determined arrangements on matters of divorce and child custody, mediation is believed to cause four benefits, namely, â€Å"(a) more satisfaction with the terms of agreements, (b) greater compliance with agreements, (c) less postdivorce conflict between ex-spouses, and (d) better postdivorce emotional adjustment (D’Errico & Elwork, 1991, 105).†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Indeed, mediation posed itself as a solution to the ever-increasing rates of divorce in the Untied States, as well as an alternative to ineffective and traditional methods of dispute settlement, such as litigation (Emery, Sbarra & Grover, 2005, 22). Mediation is becoming the alternative method of dispute resolution of choice since it provides professional help to divorces, which have a high probability of getting acrimonious. Thus, there are only few couples that could manage to suffer a divorce in amicable terms. In a survey of two California counties, it was found that 24 percent of divorces therein required professional intervention, while 25 percent involved intense conflict (Emery, Sbarra & Grover, 2005, 23).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mediation is also popular among couples seeking divorce because unlike court action or litigation, it has the ability to facilitate administration of justice and reduce cost, specifically in terms of money and time. Moreover, adversary settlement procedures are now believed to cause problems involving post separation family relationships, arising from parental conflict and divorce. (Emery, Sbarra & Grover, 2005, 23). Comparison of Divorce Mediation and Adversary Settlement.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is not uncommon for mediation to get compared from other forms of dispute settlement, such as adversary settlement. In a study conducted by Emery, Sbarra and Grover, a comparison was made between mediation and adversary settlement through random assignment (2005, 25). They randomly approached families that were interested in contested custody hearing and offered them a mediation program as an eleventh hour settlement attempt (Emery, Sbarra & Grover, 2005, 25).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This study yielded positive results with respect to the time of settlement of issues. Thus, the authors found that cases assigned to mediation were settled in half the time that settlement using adversary settlement occurred. On the other hand, there are other studies that conclude that mediation is better over adversary settlement in terms of cost, because the former is less expensive than the latter. In addition, it was observed that there is a â€Å"trend for greater compliance with child support orders among nonresidential parents who mediated† (Emery, Sbarra & Grover, 2005, 27).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   They also observed that there are more families coming from mediation that go back in order to update or change their existing arrangements. The authors view this in a positive light, saying that parenting plans should be viewed as living agreements that must be changed in accordance with corresponding changes in the stakeholders’ lives. Such changes are best made by going back to the mediation process (Emery, Sbarra & Grover, 2005, 27).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In addition, Emery, Sbarra and Grover noticed in the follow-up sessions to their study that most of their subjects who belonged to the mediation group were more open to the idea or suggestion of changing their original agreements. They are also the ones who actually adjusted their arrangements more often than those subjects who belonged to the adversary system (Emery, Sbarra & Grover, 2005, 28).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The authors noted that the willingness of the subjects to modify their original arrangements, coupled with the actual facts of modification, is a positive finding. Aside from the fact that the changes had been far from chaotic, they prove that parents who underwent mediation had become more flexible in accommodating changes that are important in the lives of their children and their own (Emery, Sbarra & Grover, 2005, 28).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The authors also looked into another factor to compare mediation with the adversary process. This factor is party satisfaction. They noted that each kind of method of dispute settlement has certain strengths. For example, the adversary system’s known strength is that it ensures that the rights of both parties are protected. On the other hand, mediation is known for being more understanding of the feelings of the parties involved (Emery, Sbarra & Grover, 2005, 28).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, this main difference, which had looked so glaring before study, disappeared in view of the results that showed that mediation consistently got high rates of party satisfaction over the adversary system, even if the assessment was based on the criterion that is known for being the strength of such system. More importantly, the authors observed that such high rate of party satisfaction remains relatively unchanged among different time durations. Thus, a party may be satisfied with mediation six weeks after mediation, but surprisingly, parties remain satisfied even after a period of more than a year (Emery, Sbarra & Grover, 2005, 28). Important Elements of Mediation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mediation remains on the top of the list of effective methods of dispute settlement, especially in divorce rates, because it boasts of certain elements that ensure the process’ success. One such element is its capability of enlisting the cooperation of parents in order to take the long view, and consider the best interests of their children in the future (Emery, Sbarra & Grover, 2005, 32).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Considering that divorce cases often involve high conflict, open hostility, and tension, it is difficult to call upon parents to cooperate with each other. However, mediation allows parents to take a look at the future of their relationship, maybe not as a couple, but as permanent parents (Emery, Sbarra & Grover, 2005, 32).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mediation is also effective in educating divorcing parents and couples about emotions. These emotions involve not only those felt by the couple involved, but more importantly, those of their child or children. There are several techniques by which the goal of emotional education can be achieved, but one effective way is through the mediator’s reflection of a child’s possible emotional reactions to the crisis situation using his self as a medium. For example, the mediator could say how uncomfortable and scary an experience becomes when the couple starts fighting each other. Thus, mediation allows parents to realize that their bickering actually affects the emotions of people around them, and thereby stop thinking about themselves. It is apparent therefore that mediation does not necessarily provide therapy for the emotional problems of the parties, but it allows them to understand the feelings and emotions involved in order to help them control such emotions in the best possible way and, in the process, achieve a good plan for the family (Emery, Sbarra & Grover, 2005, 33).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Finally, mediation is an effective process because it helps parties avoid treating each other as adversaries. A business-like approach such as the one commonly used in mediation allows the parties to approach issues in a distant and less emotional state. Moreover, not treating each other as adversaries avoids the road to strained relationships that only cause the wounds of the divorce to get worse (Emery, Sbarra & Grover, 2005, 34). Effects of Divorce on Children   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The trend in favor of divorce and single parenthood in industrialized countries has raised concerns about the effects of such family arrangements to children involved. Unfortunately for children, divorce often leads to negative immediate effects, such as serious emotional and psychological disturbance. Considering that psychological symptoms such as emotional disturbance, loneliness, depression, anger, helplessness, and many others are common among the parents or couples involved, it should be expected that such negative effects would be experienced more severely by the children trapped inside the crisis (Lamb, Sternberg, & Thompson, 1997, 394).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is worth noting that the difficulty of children in dealing with their parents’ divorce is aggravated by the fact that the parents involved in the crisis are often too preoccupied with their personal emotions such that they fail to give much-needed support to their children. Worse, these parents often fall in the temptation to make too much demand that worsen the situation for their children (Lamb, Sternberg, & Thompson, 1997, 395).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another problem common to children in divorce situations is the economic problem brought about by the need to maintain two separate residences, and the common situation of mothers who are more economically-challenged than the fathers. However, such situation is avoided or minimized in cases where the parents resolve their conflicts and work out a way of providing for the educational, emotional, and economic needs of their children (Lamb, Sternberg, & Thompson, 1997, 395-396). Conclusion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Divorce and single parenting is increasingly becoming common in industrialized regions such as the United States and the United Kingdom. This trend is caused by several factors and, in turn, causes several issues, practices, and concerns in many different levels, such as the family, children, substantive and procedural law, and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms (Rasul, 2006, 1; D’Errico & Elwork, 1991, 104).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Divorce causes deleterious effects on the parties. However, the negative impact of divorce is more squarely felt by the affected children who, in their tender age, are forced into adjusting and coping with the emotional stress and burden necessitated by divorce proceedings (Lamb, Sternberg, & Thompson, 1997, 394).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Such hardships could be minimized by different factors, such as cooperation between parents in providing emotional, economic and educational support to their children. Parents also have the option of minimizing or totally avoiding antagonism and hostility in the divorce proceedings by choosing to undergo mediation rather than court litigation. Indeed, mediation provides many advantages and avoids the stress involved in court action (Emery, Sbarra & Grover, 2005, 22). References D’Errico, M. G. & Elwork, A. (1991). Are Self-Determined Divorce and Child Custody   Ã‚   Agreements Really Better? Family and Conciliation Courts Review 29(2), 104-  Ã‚   113.  Emery, R. E., Sbarra, D. & Grover, T. (2005). Divorce Mediation: Research and Reflections. Family Court Review 43(1), 22-37.  Lamb, M. E., Sternberg, K. J., & Thompson, R. A. (1997). The Effects of Divorce and    Custody Arrangements on Children’s Behavior, Development, and Adjustment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Family and Conciliation Courts Review 35(4), 393-404.  Rasul, I. (2006). The Economics of Child Custody. Economica 73, 1-25.

Social work Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Social work - Assignment Example From the first chapter, I was able to understand why it is important to study human behavior theories. According to Robins et al, a theory is an idea that has to be backed by certain evidence or proof (3). Human behavior theories are therefore ideas or propositions which try to explain why humans behave the way they do. These theories are backed by evidence that have been observed and documented over the years (4). The reason why we study human behavior theories is to be able to understand human behavior. According to Robbins et al the human behavior is a complex phenomenon (7). This is basically people are different. When the behavior of people is studied and documented in the form of theories, it is possible to understand why a person behaves the way he or she does in the society.. Without the theories, analyzing, and understand how people behave is quite difficult. From the first chapter, I was also able to appreciate the concept of social construction of theories (13). The social construction of theories is basically concerned with the development of a constructed understanding of the world (14). In the social development of these human development theories, the meaning of these theories is not developed separately within the individual but rather in synchronization with other human beings (16). From the first chapter, I was able to appreciate the various aspects that are important in developing and understanding these human behavior theories. Various ideologies, scientifically developed theories as well as social work practices form the basis of understanding the human behavior. It is however worth noting that despite the importance of the social construction of the theories, it is greatly affected by determinism nod reductionism (19). Reductionism refers to the practice of reducing the human behavior all down to a single factor such as biological cognitive or behavioral

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Market research proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Market - Research Proposal Example It has been two years since the company decided to include C&C on the Irish and London Stock Exchange. The initial public offering in May 2004 became an enormous success as numerous investors have been eyeing the company for years. This event has caused significant changes to the company's manufacturing and marketing departments. In addition to that, this public openness of the company to different investors has become the object of a great deal of criticisms when it comes to the company's privacy and the health and safety effects. Logically, beverage industry is one of the riskiest industries when it comes to the health and safety of employees (Paterson, 2001). Fortunately, the company has protected its employees and avoided the risks the different operations in beverage industry entail. Yet, the public stock offering was perceived by some analysts as catalysts in the different risks of the company. Also, the stock offering of the company in the international market has changed the market's perception of C&C from a private company to a mass-oriented enterprise. Hence, this research aims to investigate and analyse the changes the company underwent after its initial public offering. ... Other sources will include interviews and random surveys to the Irish market. This is essential in order to identify the public's perception of the company and what has to be changed to leverage the company's assets (Taylor, 2000). Basically, the population to be investigated comprises of the present market of Bulmers and Magners. This population will include both patronisers and nonpatronisers of Bulmers and Magners. They will be picked randomly and materials will be gathered through normative methods such as surveys and questionnaires. The materials gathered will be investigated, categorised and tabulated in order to be evaluated. The researcher will use statistical and nonstatistical methods to strategically interpret the materials gathered into stable conclusions. Thus, these statistical and nonstatistical methods to be used by the researcher, together with sufficient evidences, will represent the qualitative and quantitative interpretations. Basically, the major conclusions will comprise of the qualitative research. Yet, it has to be supported by quantitative results to further support the findings (Lowry, 1999). Moreover, there is an abundance of literature which may greatly help in evaluating the materials. The aim of this study is to expand that issue by collating and reviewing useful and related literatures. Determining the current position of Bulmers and Magners in Irish and international markets is helpful in drawing an overall picture of the situation, enabling the researcher to provide recommendations on how the current practices in the company can be improved to closely align the market positions of the two C&C brands. Although the research will

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Correlation of Birth order and Motor development Research Paper

Correlation of Birth order and Motor development - Research Paper Example Development of movements are often invisible and aren’t recognizable at an early age. These physical impairments create numerous challenges for children affecting their psychological and physical development. Thus, Development Coordination Disorder (DCD) enables slow motor development, in children. It affects both intellectual and physical progress of a child. Children born with extreme low weight are more inclined to motor, cognitive and behavioral impairments and they increase with age. Therefore, recent record shows that preterm children are persistently diagnosed with deficient motor skills. Children have to go through a neuro-motor exam, which establishes their standard of DCD for treatment (Dewey et al., 2011).  Ã‚   Lehman has described birth order as customary environment and parental influence on children. The difference in behavior and physical growth is directly affected by the presence of siblings. However, these affects can differ due to optimistic and pessimist ic environment around the child. It also includes school’s environment, and its impact on child’s psychological and motor development. However, evaluation of relationship between birth order and academic achievements has shown pessimistic results. Investment of quality time by parents with higher order sibling has been observed less, which has resulted in negative and measured development of children (Lehmann et al, 2012).Child’s position in the family and sibling’s gender are important factors that affect development. However, psychological.

Friday, July 26, 2019

Soldier's Heart Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Soldier's Heart - Assignment Example People most likely to be affected by PTSD are individuals with an unstable family background, a history of low self-esteem, and prolonged exposure to the traumatic instances. People less likely to be affected by PTSD are those that have graduated high school or college and have a higher socio-economic status; however, regardless of their origins, veterans have one of the highest rates of PTSD of any group. According to Lt. Col. David Grossman, wars have far more psychological casualties than they do physical ones. Despite the high rate of PTSD among soldiers, only a small percentage of the afflicted actually seek psychological evaluation. Doctor and employee of Vermonts Department of Veteran Affairs Andrew Pomerantz reasons that most veterans with PTSD to not seek treatment because they dont want to be viewed as â€Å"weaklings.† Remembers Julie Proulx, girlfriend of late marine Jeff Lucey, â€Å"He didnt want the marines to think he was weak. He was very reluctant [to seek help].† Lucey ultimately committed suicide due to the effects of PTSD and subsequent depression. Not only do veterans fear that they will be labeled as weak, but many perceive the stigmatization of so much as seeking mental health evaluation as â€Å"job-ending.† Some soldiers, such as Rob Sarra, often fear that they will be discharged as mentally unstable. PTSD affects more than just the lives of the individuals who develop it: the disorder also takes a toll on the lives of their loved ones. The wives of returning soldiers often report their husbands to be more irritable and snippy. Sarra discusses his struggles with developing alcoholism and subsequent fights in bars. In one instance, he became so enraged that he almost killed a man, only to become re-aware of his surroundings. â€Å"If I had killed that man,† he notes, â€Å"there would be no getting around that.† Veteran Andrew Pogany reported that he developed anxiety and severe panic attacks, during which time he

Thursday, July 25, 2019

HAPPINESS AND MORALITY Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

HAPPINESS AND MORALITY - Term Paper Example Based on the points raised by virtue ethics, a person is being moral when he is performing moral acts. Therefore, the requisite for cultivating a reputation as being virtuous is through performing acts that are moral or virtuous which makes the person becomes moral or virtuous. This is the heart of her argument regarding the supposed autonomy of happiness and morality with each other. Aristotle postulates â€Å"being moral will make you happy† (qtd. in Vitrano 4), which Vitrano argues saying that the morality and intellectual character of a person do not automatically lead to happiness (3). In her words, Vitrano states â€Å"we do find happy immoralists, people who knowingly break the rules of society and appear unaffected by it† (3). Vitrano makes a plausible explanation for her conclusion that a person who appears to be moral needs first to perform virtuous acts or by being virtuous. One cannot establish his or her image as a virtuous person without doing acts that ha ve intrinsic moral values in it. I agree with Vitrano that an appearance of a virtuous individual entails the actual doing of things which are deemed virtuous. For instance, a president is not seen as a virtuous person without acting like one, such as abolishing the death penalty because it is pro-life. If the president does the opposite by signing the retention of that capital punishment, on a philosophical perspective, he appears to be immoral by doing the exact opposite of a virtuous act. Based on Aristotelian perspective, moral or intellectual virtues are the key to happiness; meaning, failure to appear virtuous by not performing moral acts does not make a person happy. However, I do agree with Vitrano that moral acts do not necessarily result to happiness because it is an independent domain apart from morality and intelligence. This has also the same logic with what Martin says, â€Å"Individuals blessed with every good fortune can be unhappy because they are depressed, and in dividuals with little good fortune can still be happy† (8). In the same way that fortune does not mean happiness, doing moral acts also does not automatically lead to happiness. Pascal’s Wager: Similarities and Differences with Vitrano’s Christine Vitrano’s view of happiness and morality shares some similarities with Pascal’s Wager. Both Vitrano and Pascal acknowledged the subjectivity among humans in terms of reasoning their state of happiness and their religion. Vitrano states that happiness cannot be construed on the volume of material possessions a person has or the moral and intellectual cause of his or her actions (3). Happiness is when humans view their lives positively, albeit fortune or doing things with morality and intellectual purpose as foundations (Vitrano 3). In other words, human happiness depends on the personal outlook of the person regarding the way he or she lives life. This view is embodied in the â€Å"life satisfaction viewâ €  that follows the subjectivity of one’s basis for being in a state of happiness (Vitrano 3). On one hand, Blaise Pascal in his work Pensees, encapsulated in his Wager the rationalization behind every religion. In the same case as Mathematics believes the existence of an infinite number although its appearance has not yet been witnessed, the same case applies to the existence of God. In Pascal’s Wager, he quantifies that God is â€Å"infinitely incomprehensible† because he is not, by affinity, related to us, and that he has neither â€Å"

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Math problems Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Math problems - Speech or Presentation Example Any negative value will be also inappropriate. 2. Examine the rise in gasoline prices from 1997 to 2006. The price of regular unleaded gasoline in January 1997 was $1.26, and in January 2006, the price of regular unleaded gasoline was $2.31 (â€Å"Consumer price index,† 2006). Use the coordinates (1997, 1.26) and (2006, 2.31) to find the slope, or rate of change, between the two points. Describe how you arrived at your answer. represents an estimate of the average cost of gas for year x starting in 1997 (â€Å"Consumer price index,† 2006). The year 1997 would be represented by x = 1, for example, because it is the first year in the study. Similarly, 2005 would be year 9, or x = 9. I expect the lines to be intersecting (or close to parallel) because there will be difference in average cost of gasoline each year and the price of gasoline in January of each year due to fluctuation of

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

John F. Kennedy's Presidency And How His Family Influenced Him as Research Paper

John F. Kennedy's Presidency And How His Family Influenced Him as Person And President - Research Paper Example Kennedy’s family was a businessman of great success. As a successful businessman, Joseph sponsored many political office holders, including President Roosevelt who appointed him the chairman of the American Security Exchange as well as the Ambassador to Great Britain from 1937 – 1940. It was during his political career that he prepared his children to take over the American political terrain (J. F. Kennedy). Kennedy attended the prestigious Harvard University, America, and graduated with a degree in science. He later published a work which he titled â€Å"why England Slept†, a book he published in 1940. The theme of the book was about foreign policy. He later joined the American Navy in 1941, and rose to the rank of an intelligence officer. He suffered from series of set backs and sicknesses among which was the acute pains he suffered on his back. This led to the operation of the back, and he was elevated in the military to the rank of a lieutenant general. He la ter resigned from the army and joined the civilian life. As a civilian, he practiced various professions. He was once a journalist, and within the confine of this noble profession, he covered the British election of 1945 as well as the United Nations conference held in San Francisco. His journalistic profession really shaped him for his political career. He later made up his mind and decided to shape history rather than reporting those who shape history (Dallek). His journey to politics: John Kennedy’s political career was shaped by his father who prepared his children for the political office. His father was preparing Joseph Kennedy Jnr to take over the political dynasty of the Kennedys. His unfortunate death as a result of the Second World War bomb... John Kennedy was morally inept, and as a result, he delved into many sexual activities with his numerous mistresses. From all the analysis gathered through the research, certain deductions could be made about the life of John Kennedy, both before his ascendency to the presidential throne as well as his life as the president of America; that his entire life cannot be fully separated from the entire family. This could be seen as a result of the strong family cult which the father, Joseph Patrick Kennedy built; a cult that saw to the political rise of the Kennedys. Even though the scope of this assignment is limited to John Kennedy and how his family influenced his life both as an individual person as well as the president of the United States of America, it could be recalled that such an influence was not felt by him alone. Rather, his entire siblings experienced such a powerful influence, which saw to the emergence of three senators from the family, namely; John Kennedy, Robert Kenned y, and Edward Kennedy. Both were senators, both only John Kennedy, the eldest surviving son of his parents made it to the presidency. This paper makes a conclusion that the role which their father played cannot be forgotten in a hurry. Hence, it is very important to point out that the success of John Kennedy cannot come to the limelight without the political and financial strength of his father, who used every connection within his power to secure a seat for his son in the American presidency.

The Treatment of Heroes in Ancient Poetry and Modern Film Essay

The Treatment of Heroes in Ancient Poetry and Modern Film - Essay Example However, these solutions often leave a wake of destruction behind them. At the base of each man's soul is a deep-seated sense of respect for the tenets of honor and courage. One of these men is Odysseus, king of Ithaca. Agamemnon and Menelaus drag him away from his peaceful home, where he leaves his wife and infant son for a war that will take ten years, and a journey home that will take twice that, stories chronicled in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. The other is Detective Martin Riggs of the Los Angeles Police Department. The Lethal Weapon movie series shows how he tries to find and maintain a sense of personal peace while being pulled into chaos by criminal after criminal. Both of these men fit the description of the hero that has transcended time to become an idea that audiences all over the world have enjoyed since performance art began. The most dominant force in the hero is "competitiveness".1 The ancient Greeks loved athletic competitions, and it is no surprise that Homer's twin epics feature them: Odysseus must watch the games at Phaeacia before he is allowed to journey home, and Odysseus sets up a deadly contest in his own castle in Ithaca, ostensibly to give away Penelope to one of the suitors, but actually to trap all the suitors in his home. These are not just set-pieces used for plot purposes, however; the suitors in Odysseus' home while away the years by having contests of strength and agility virtually every day. In the example of Martin Riggs, the competition is somewhat different. While there are no athletic events in his story, he and his partner, Det. Murtaugh, go back and forth about the relative effects of aging on both of them, and they badger each other in a semi-humorous fashion about which one of them has better aim with a gun, can run faster to catch a criminal, and so on. Each of the movies in the series finds it climax in a hand-to-hand combat scene, using the competitiveness to build suspense within the audience. This idea of competition also appears in the 1959 classic Ben-Hur, where Judah and Messala engage in a friendly spear-tossing contest, aiming at a point where two wooden beams meet in the ceiling.2 Honor, and its attendant condition, fame, are also important to heroes across time. In Greek culture, the winner of a competition would receive "public acknowledgment of his superioritymarked by material tributes and gifts."3 This could take the form of gifts of land, sitting in honored seats, being given the best cuts of meat at feasts, among other honors. The central conflict between Achilles and Agamemnon at the beginning of Iliad is related to the king's prerogative to select the booty from a particular battle. At first, Agamemnon does not want to give back the Chryseis, the priest's daughter that he brought back from their previous war. Once Apollo's command becomes clear, however, Agamemnon gives her back, but only after taking Achilles' new prize, Briseis, from his tent. Achilles' anger over this lack of respect keeps him from fighting with the rest of the Greeks against Troy until Patroklos dons Achilles' armor and is slain in battle, and so the importance of honor and respe ct to the

Monday, July 22, 2019

Obesity Amongst Mexican Children Essay Example for Free

Obesity Amongst Mexican Children Essay Abstract: The prevalence of overweight children in the United States of Mexican descent is higher for second generation than their first generation counterparts. First generation immigrants tend to keep a healthier lifestyle by consuming more fresh fruits and vegetables, walking longer distances and smoking less than the more acculturated Mexican-Americans. Acculturation is a major contributing factor for the alarming rates of obesity within Mexican children. When children of Mexican immigrants are exposed to American society, they develop unhealthy habits such as eating pizza and hot dogs during school lunch hours, access to vending machines, and media exposure where they are constantly bombarded with food related commercials of unhealthy nature. A lower socio-economic status, such as the recently immigrated parents, is also a contributing factor for obesity within Mexican children. High calorie and high fat content foods tend to be less expensive than fresh fruits and fresh vegetables, leading to poorer, unhealthier choices. Fast food chains are prohibitory expensive in Mexico, whereas in the US they are not. As young Mexican children develop their sense of identity while they separate from their parents or caregivers and seek acceptance from their American peers, they integrate themselves into the fast food culture leading to obesity amongst Mexican-American children of second generation in the US. The incidence of obesity in Mexican adults has increased markedly over the years. Data from the 1993 National Survey of Chronic Diseases (Encuesta Nacional de Enfermedades Cronicas) showed an obesity prevalence of 21. 5%. The 2000 National Health Survey (Encuesta Nacional de Salud) indicated that 24% of adults suffered obesity. Data from the 2006 National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT 2006) revealed that 30% of adults of both sexes were obese. (Rojas,R, Aguilar-Salinas, C. , Jimenez, A. , Gomez, F. , Barquera, S. , 2012, p. 8) In the last two decades, the prevalence of childhood obesity, defined as at or above the 95th percentile of body mass index (BMI) for age and gender (Center for Disease Control, 2009), has more than doubled among children aged 6–11 years and tripled among adolescents aged 12–19 years, and here is no evidence that this trend is coming to an end (Ogden, 2002). This is a serious public health concern because obese children and adolescents are at an increased risk for various physical, mental, and emotional health problems, including impaired glucose tolerance , insulin resistance, atherosclerosis , coronary heart disease in adulthood , development of eating disorders, and low self-esteem (Seo, D. Sa, J. , 2009). The obesity epidemic disproportionately affects racial/ethnic minority children, who are defined as American Indian, Alaska Native, Asian American, Black, African American, Hispanic, Latino, Native Hawaiian, or OBESITY AMONGST MEXICAN CHILDREN: ARE FIRST GENERATION MEXICAN CHILDREN 3 MORE PRONE TO OBESITY THAN THEIR SECOND GENERATION COUNTERPARTS? other Pacific Islander (CDC, 2009). According to estimates based on the 2001–2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), among children aged 6–19 years, 22. 2% of Mexican American children and 20. 5% of non-Hispanic Blacks were obese as compared with only 13. 6% of non-Hispanic whites. Other studies performed by Ogden and colleagues (2002) also affirm a larger prevalence of obesity among Mexican American and Black children compared with white children. These rates of obesity are far from the 2010 national health objective of Healthy People 2010. The higher incidence of obesity among minority children is alarming because these racial/ethnic groups have a lower insulin sensitivity than white children (Seo, D, Sa, J. 2009). Obesity is an epidemic facing millions of people across the globe, resulting in more than 300,000 deaths in the United States alone (Dishman, 2004). Historically, the majority of people affected by obesity were adults. However, in the last decade this epidemic has spread to our youth. Excess weight in U. S. children has increased in prevalence and has become a serious public health concern. Currently, about 33% of children ages 2–5 in the U. S. are overweight (BMI in the 85th percentile or above), and 12% are considered obese (BMI in the 95th percentile or above) (CDC, 2009). Overweight children have a 70–80% chance of becoming overweight or obese adults, which may lead to an increase in obesity related disease among adults (United States Department of Human Health and Services, 2007). Obesity is one of the leading risk factors for disease and fatal health conditions, such as hypertension, type II diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and respiratory problems, and some cancers (CDC, 2009). Not only is obesity linked to clinical conditions, but it may also lead to mental health problems such as self-blame and low self-esteem ( Haboush, A., Phebus, T. , Tanata Ashby, D. , Zaikina-Montgomery, H. , Kindig, K. , 2011). This paper will focus on the contributing factors for the alarming obesity rates amongst Mexican children. Are second generation Mexican children more prone to obesity than their first generation counterparts? Mexican immigrant parents usually don’t view obesity as a threatening health issue. In fact, some research reports that Mexican mothers see childhood obesity as a sign of good heath (Rosas et al. ) and thinness as a sigh of illness (Sosa, 2012). Acculturation, or the process of adjusting to a new culture, describes social, psychological, and behavioral changes that an individual undergoes as result of immigration (Buttenheim, A. , Pebley, A. , Hsih, K. , Chung, C. , Goldman, N. , 2012). The drastic changes in lifestyle and social interactions that immigrants encounter upon arriving to the United States often put them at risk for negative health consequences (Ogden et al. , 2009). Of the negative health outcomes associated with OBESITY AMONGST MEXICAN CHILDREN: ARE FIRST GENERATION MEXICAN CHILDREN 4 MORE PRONE TO OBESITY THAN THEIR SECOND GENERATION COUNTERPARTS?acculturation in Mexican children, obesity is significant because it has implications for development of chronic diseases such as heart disease and Type II Diabetes (CDC, 2009). Mexican children are at increased risk for obesity upon immigration to the United States and are predisposed to development of chronic diseases,(Buscemi, J. , Beech, B. , Relyea, G. , 2011). Mexican American mothers’ views on obesity, 40% of mothers with overweight children did not identify overweight as a health issue (Ariza et al. , 2004). When weight was used as an indicator of health, parents were more concerned with the health of skinny children than overweight children. Mexican American mothers were concerned with having thin children because a thin child could become sick and die (Small, L. , Melnyk, B. , Anderson-Gifford, D. , Hampl, J. 2009). A second and less studied mechanism linking nativity of US immigrants to obesity risk is the interconnectedness of the food environment and migration dynamics in the sending country (Buttenheim et al. , 2012). This is particularly relevant in the case of obesity risk for Mexican-origin children in the US, given the large, circular migration flows between the two countries and the well-documented nutrition transition underway in Mexico (Popkin Udry, 1998). This transition is characterized by a shift from unprocessed and low energy density diets to highly processed, energy dense foods. The transition is due in part to new food marketing strategies and a simultaneous decrease in physical activity that has accompanied urbanization and economic development in Mexico (Popkin Udry, 1998). Mexico’s nutrition transition has been notably rapid: Mexico now has the second highest rates of adult obesity among OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries (after the US) (Rosas, 2011). A potential explanation for the increased obesity rates within the Mexican immigrants in the US is acculturative stress (Van Hook et al. , 2011). Mexican-origin immigrants, are often faced with discrimination based on race/ethnicity and immigrant status. This discrimination, in turn, leads to chronic stress and psycho-physiological stress responses, which are known to affect health over the long run . Thus, the process of integration into a society that views Mexican-origin immigrants as being of lower status than other social and racial/ethnic groups may itself result in chronic health problems, even if health behaviors remain constant over time and across immigrant generation. Why would duration of time in the US and immigrant generation affect obesity? The acculturation literature has emphasized the importance of dietary changes by duration in the US and across generation: increased acculturation is hypothesized to lead to decreased consumption of healthy foods and increased consumption of processed high OBESITY AMONGST MEXICAN CHILDREN: ARE FIRST GENERATION MEXICAN CHILDREN 5 MORE PRONE TO OBESITY THAN THEIR SECOND GENERATION COUNTERPARTS? fat/sugar foods. Gordon-Larsen et al. (2003) reported that first generation Mexican immigrant adolescents eat more rice, beans, fruit, and vegetables and less cheese and fast food than second generation Mexican-origin immigrants. Kaiser and colleagues (2007) say that acculturation seems to be a contributing factor for obesity amongst Mexican children. Acculturation can be defined as the process by which immigrants adopt the attitudes, values, customs, beliefs, and behaviors of a new culture. Two studies reported their findings on acculturation and potential implications on the nutritional status of Mexican American children. Kaiser and colleagues (2007) concluded that less acculturated mothers were more likely to provide alternate food choices when a child would not eat and use child-feeding strategies that may contribute to childhood overweight, such as bribes, threats, and punishment. Ariza, Chen, Binns, and Christoffel (2004) conducted a study to test their hypothesis that overweight was more prevalent in highly acculturated Mexican American children aged 5 to 6 years; however, the results did not substantiate an association between overweight and acculturation in this population. Duerksen and colleagues (2007) reported that increased levels of acculturation may lead to higher rates of overweight among Mexican American families if they were eating more meals at fast-food and buffet-style restaurants rather than selecting traditional, authentic Mexican restaurants. Studies indicated that less acculturated Mexican Americans consumed less fat, and more fiber, protein, vitamins A, C, E and B6, folate, calcium, potassium, and magnesium than their more acculturated counterparts (Rosas et al. 2011). Most research conducted across age groups and outcomes indicates that newly-arrived and less acculturated immigrants are healthier and live longer than natives. Unfortunately, this health advantage dissipates with duration of U. S. residence and does not extend to the next generation. In addition to the influence of parents’ acculturation on children’s behaviors, children can accelerate the acculturation process for their families as well because children are more likely to have a consistent exposure to typical American foods at school and likely to affect purchasing decisions of their parents. One of the biggest changes in children’s diets after moving to the United States has been suggested to be with the foods children consume at school. It has been reported that although Mexican American children liked the traditional ethnic foods they received at home, they preferred the American foods they were served at school (e.g. , pizza, hamburgers) (Rosas et al. 2011). Furthermore, there seemed to be a lack of awareness among children about the healthfulness of traditional Mexican foods (such as fruits, vegetables, and beans) or potential health risks of the typical American diet, which was perceived as pizza, hotdogs, hamburgers, and French fries. As children develop their own self and ethnic identities, they may seek separation from their parents and acceptance from their peers, and they may identify fast food and other less healthful food options with the United States culture. This can eventually lead to less healthful dietary patterns both for children and their families because children are likely to affect food-purchasing OBESITY AMONGST MEXICAN CHILDREN: ARE FIRST GENERATION MEXICAN CHILDREN 6 MORE PRONE TO OBESITY THAN THEIR SECOND GENERATION COUNTERPARTS? decisions in their households (Rosas et al. 2011). When looking into the influence of acculturation on food intake behaviors among children and youths, another important element of the social environment must be addressed: media exposure. Media exposure can have detrimental influences at both ends of the spectrum in terms of eating behaviors: children may adopt an unrealistically thin body image through exposure to popular culture, and unhealthy dieting practices or eating disorders may follow. Alternatively, they may increase their consumption of nutrient-poor, energy-dense foods that they are exposed to through advertisements, and this type of behavior may eventually lead to overweight status. There have been some initiatives to limit food marketing aiming at children, but nutritionally poor and energy dense foods (e.g. , high sugar cereals, candy, soft drinks, chips) still constitute the majority of the foods advertised on television (Kunkel et al. 2009). Several reports indicate that children choose advertised foods at significantly higher rates and attempt to influence their parents to purchase these foods. Unfortunately, advertisement of the nutritionally inferior food choices is not limited to television only; it is widespread through a variety of channels such as schools (vending machines, corporate sponsorship of school events and materials, etc. ), and online applications(e.g. , interactive games, sweepstakes, computer screensavers). Media exposure among children has been increasing over the past 10 years, and according to the 2009 estimates (Kunkel et al. 2009). American children spend about 7. 4 hours per day using or watching media such as television, computers, video games or movies. These estimates seem to be even higher among minorities) and individuals with lower socio economical status( SES) (Sussner et al. 2009). Hispanic youths were reported to spend about 5. 5 hours per day watching television while this estimate was 3. 5 hours per day for non-Hispanic whites in 2009. Moreover, screen time seems to increase with greater acculturation (Gordon-Larsen et al. 2003). The data from the 2003–04 National Survey of Children’s Health indicated that, in comparison to U. S. -born non-Hispanic white children with U. S. -born parents, foreign-born Hispanic children with immigrant parents were 31 percent more likely and U. S. -born Hispanic children with U. S. -born parents were 51 percent more likely to watch television. Although foreign-born Hispanics seem to be less likely to consume less healthful foods (Osypuk et al.2009), a reverse trend can be seen if these foods are more expensive in the country of origin but cheaper in the United States. For example, qualitative studies indicated that lower cost and increased availability were among the reasons for Mexican Americans to consume snacks, sweets, and fast food more in the United States . An earlier report pointed out that some foods, such as mayonnaise, margarine, and salad dressing were considered high-status items by many low-income families in Latin America (Romero-Gwynn et al. 1993). Similarly, Mexican adults living in Florida reported that in addition to fast food not being as readily available in their native country, it was more expensive than in the United States and therefore, they tended to eat fast food only for special occasions in their native OBESITY AMONGST MEXICAN CHILDREN: ARE FIRST GENERATION MEXICAN CHILDREN 7 MORE PRONE TO OBESITY THAN THEIR SECOND GENERATION COUNTERPARTS? country. Once these types of foods become more readily available and affordable for the immigrants in the United States, an increase in the consumption levels would be expected. Lower costs, widespread availability, and the convenience of fast food in the United States appear to be an enticing solution especially for time-strapped immigrant families with children (Lindsay et al. 2009). Qualitative studies among immigrants suggest a more relaxed lifestyle in Mexico versus a very busy lifestyle in the United States that leaves less time to cook or prepare foods. This type of lifestyle makes convenience foods very appealing, and it is likely to result in an increase in fast food consumption (Gray et al. 2005). In addition to the economic conditions related to the food environment, limited socioeconomic abilities of individuals also put immigrants at greater risk for unhealthy food intake patterns and entailing health issues. Higher rates of food insecurity and low SES among minorities and immigrants are likely to force individuals to purchase relatively cheaper and filling, but often nutrient-poor, energy-dense foods (Drewnowski and Darmon 2005). A binational study that was conducted in the United States and Mexico provided support for these eating patterns, and it also pointed out the country- or culture-specific variations in these associations. In the United States sample of this study, children with food insecurity were more likely to consume fat, saturated fat, sweets, and fried snacks compared to their food secure counterparts. In Mexico, however, food insecure (versus food secure) children displayed a different food intake pattern that was characterized by higher intakes of carbohydrates, dairy, and vitamin B6 (Rosas et al. 2009). One of the least studied aspects of the relationship between socioeconomic factors and food intake is the residential context and demographic makeup of the neighborhoods. One of the few studies that examined this context in a mostly Hispanic (but mixed ethnic) sample suggested that greater density of immigrants in residential areas was positively related to fruit and vegetable intake after controlling for individual factors such as age, race/ethnicity, language, country of birth, and education (Dubowitz et al. 2008). Another study also reported that high-fat/processed food intake (fats, oils, processed meats, fried potatoes, salty snacks, desserts) was lower in immigrant-dense neighborhoods even after controlling for SES, demographic factors, and acculturation (Rosas et al.2011). These results indicate beneficial dietary intake patterns for all residents (immigrant or not) residing in that area. Some of the potential factors underlying these results could be resulting from socioeconomic advantages through greater social capital, availability of stores with healthier ethnic food options, and higher consumption of healthier food intake habits, social norms, and values in the ethnically dense neighborhoods (Dubowitz et al. 2008). OBESITY AMONGST MEXICAN CHILDREN: ARE FIRST GENERATION MEXICAN CHILDREN 8 MORE PRONE TO OBESITY THAN THEIR SECOND GENERATION COUNTERPARTS? Highly acculturated Hispanic adults were more likely to have higher BMIs than their less acculturated counterparts. Similarly, second or third generation Hispanic youths were reported to be more likely overweight than their first generation counterparts (Popkin and Udry 1998). For adults, the difference in the overweight status by acculturation seems to be seen usually in a range of 10 to 21 years of residence in the United States, but interestingly, BMI differences were detectable by age two among less acculturated mothers’ children in a mostly Hispanic sample (Sussner et al. 2009). Some of the mechanisms underlying these findings could be the existence of cultural beliefs that associate overweight status among children with perception of good health (Sussner et al. 2009), failing to recognize overweight status, or acceptance of a larger body size as a desirable body image among Hispanics. Taken together, these cultural preferences can lead to obesity over time with the additional contribution of the typical environment in the United States that stimulates consumption of energy-dense foods and discourages physical activities. Certain food intake patterns (e. g., energy-dense foods) can lead to overweight or obese status as people acculturate. Although a factor analysis of nationally representative data from the NHANES 2001–02 did not indicate a specific dietary intake pattern in relationship to BMI or waist circumference (as measures of overall or central adiposity) among Mexican Americans (Carrera et al. 2007), it is possible that dietary intake might be related to obesity indirectly, or collectively with other lifestyle factors (e. g. , physical activity). It is also possible that the effects might be most pronounced at specific time periods during acculturation. Supporting this potential mechanism is the results from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health indicating that increased probability of overweight, which was related to changes in lifestyle factors (i. e. , screen time, diet), was detectable among first generation Mexican adolescents but not among second (or more) generation participants (Gordon-Larsen et al. 2003). Although social economic status (SES) is also linked to obesity, this association seems to vary depending on the SES measures used and also by race or ethnicity. For example, in a nationally representative sample of children, both education and income were negatively related to BMI among non-Hispanic whites, but only income was positively related to BMI among Hispanics (Balistreri and Van Hook 2009). As suggested by the authors, increasing education level may be a reflection of changes in knowledge, learning abilities, social class, and personal skills while higher income among immigrants might be an indicator of greater purchasing capacity, which can result in less healthful eating patterns in the absence of adequate nutrition knowledge, skills, and a healthful food environment. SES also seems to have gender-specific and long-term consequences. Data from a nationally representative longitudinal survey among adolescents indicated that there was a strong positive association between long-term (persistent) low SES and obesity among females. Among males, however, obesity rates were highest among those who had a socioeconomically disadvantaged beginning but gained autonomy, for example, home ownership later on. Most importantly, the report pointed out that the effect of SES on OBESITY AMONGST MEXICAN CHILDREN: ARE FIRST GENERATION MEXICAN CHILDREN 9 MORE PRONE TO OBESITY THAN THEIR SECOND GENERATION COUNTERPARTS?obesity was probably initiated before adolescence (Scharoun-Lee et al. 2009). Conclusion: The research has shown that second generation Mexican children are in fact more prone to obesity than their first generation counterparts. Causative factors such as media exposure, school lunch programs, socio-economic factors, and the influence of parents’ own acculturation into American society are all factors that can be addressed through various means with legislative, policy changes, and education. Then we can begin to affect positively the rising trend of obesity in second generation Mexican children in the United States. OBESITY AMONGST MEXICAN CHILDREN: ARE FIRST GENERATION MEXICAN CHILDREN 10 MORE PRONE TO OBESITY THAN THEIR SECOND GENERATION COUNTERPARTS? References: Abraido-Lanza, A. , White, K. , Vasques, E. (2004)Immigrant populations and health. In: Anderson N, editor. Encyclopedia of health and behavior. Newbury Park, CA: Sage; 2004. p. 533–537. Ariza, A. J. , Chen, E. H. , Binns, H. J. , Christoffel, K. K. (2004). Risk factors for overweight in 5 to 6-year old Hispanic American children: A pilot study. Journal of Urban Heath, 81 (1), 150-161. Balistreri, K. , Van Hook, J. (2007). Maternal employment and overweight among Hispanic children of immigrants and children of natives. Journal Of Immigrant Minority Health, 11(3), 158-167. doi:10. 1007/s10903-007-9096-0 Buscemi, J. , Beech, B. , Relyea, G. (2011). Predictors of obesity in Latino children: acculturation as a moderator of the relationship between food insecurity and body mass index percentile. Journal Of Immigrant Minority Health, 13(1), 149-154. Buttenheim, A. , Pebley, A. , Hsih, K. , Chung, C. , Goldman, N. (n. d. ) ( 2012) The shape of things to come? Obesity prevalence among foreign-born vs. US-born Mexican youth in California. Social Science Medicine, doi:10. 1016/j. socscimed. 2012. 10. 023 Carrera, P. , Gao, X. , Tucker, K. (2007). A study of dietary patterns in the mexican-american population and their association with obesity. Journal Of The American Dietetic Association, 107(10), 1735-1742. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Healthy Weight. About BMI for Children and Teens: What is a BMI percentile? Available at: http://www. cdc. gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/childrens_bmi/about_childrens_bmi. html. Accessed May 19, 2009. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009). Defining overweight and obesity. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www. cdc. gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/ childhood/defining. htm. Accessed April 1, 2009. Dishman, R. K. , Washburn, R. A. , Heath, G. (2004). Physical activity epidemiology (p. 30). United States: Human Kinetics Publishers. OBESITY AMONGST MEXICAN CHILDREN: ARE FIRST GENERATION MEXICAN CHILDREN 11 MORE PRONE TO OBESITY THAN THEIR SECOND GENERATION COUNTERPARTS? Duerksen, S. , Elder, J. , Arredondo, E. , Ayala, G. , Slymen, D. , Campbell, N. , B. , Baquero(n. d). Research: Family Restaurant Choices Are Associated with Child and Adult Overweight Status in Mexican-American Families. Journal Of The American Dietetic Association, 107849-853. doi:10. 1016/j. jada. 2007. 02. 012 Drewnowski, A. Darmon, N. (2005). Food Choices and Diet Costs: an Economic Analysis. The Journal of Nutrition. . April 1, 2005 vol. 135 (4) 900-904. Dubowitz, T. , Heron, M. , Bird, C. , Lurie, N. , Finch, B. , Basurto-Davila, R. , Escarce, J. (2008). Neighborhood socioeconomic status and fruit and vegetable intake among whites, blacks, and Mexican Americans in the United States. American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition, 87(6), 1883-1891. Encuesta Nacional de Enfermedades Cronicas. Mexico, DF:Secretaria de Salud, 1993. Encuesta Nacional de Salud 2000. La Salud de los Adultos. Mexico:Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica, 2003. Gordon-Larsen, P. , Harris, K. , Ward, D. , Popkin, B. (2003) Exploring increasing overweight and its determinants among Hispanic and Asian immigrants to the US: The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Social Science Medicine 57:2023-34. Gray, V. B. , Cossman, J. S. , Dodson, W. L. , Byrd, S. H. (2005). Dietary acculturation of Hispanic immigrants in Mississippi. Salud Publica De Mexico, 47(5), 351-360. Haboush, A. , Phebus, T. , Tanata Ashby, D. , Zaikina-Montgomery, H., Kindig, K. (2011). Still unhealthy 2009: building community research to identify risk factors and health outcomes in childhood obesity. Journal Of Community Health, 36(1), 111-120. doi:10. 1007/s10900-010-9288-8. Healthy People 2010: Understanding and Improving Health (2nd edition), US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC (2000) Available at http://www. healthypeople. gov/document/html/objectives/19-03. htm Accessed May 19, 2009 Kaiser, L. , Melgar-Quinonez, R. , Lamp, C. , Johns, M. , Harwood, J. (2001)Acculturation of Mexican-American Mothers Influences Child Feeding Strategies. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2001;101(5):542–47. OBESITY AMONGST MEXICAN CHILDREN: ARE FIRST GENERATION MEXICAN CHILDREN 12 MORE PRONE TO OBESITY THAN THEIR SECOND GENERATION COUNTERPARTS? Kunkel, D. , McKinley, C. , and Wright, P. (2009) The Impact of Industry Self-Regulation on the Nutritional Quality of Foods Advertised on Television to Children. Ogden C, Flegal K, Carroll M, and Johnson C. 2002. Prevalence and trends in overweight among US children and adolescents, 1999-2000. Journal of American Medical Association 288 (14):1728. Osypuk, Theresa L. , Ana V. Diez Roux, Craig Hadley, and Namratha R.Kandula. 2009. Are immigrant enclaves healthy places to live? The Multi-ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Social Science Medicine 69:110-120. Popkin, B. M. , Udry, J. (1998). Adolescent obesity increases significantly in second and third generation U. S. immigrants: The Journal Of Nutrition, 128(4), 701. Rojas-Martinez, R. , Aguilar-Salinas, C. , Jimenez-Corona, A. , Gomez-Perez, F. , Barquera, S. , Lazcano-Ponce, E. (2012). Prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome components in Mexican adults without type 2 diabetes or hypertension. Salud Publica De Mexico, 54(1), 7-12. Romero-Gwynn, E. , D. Gwynn, L.Grivetti, McDonald, G. Stanford, B. Turner, E. West, and E. Williamson (1993). Dietary acculturation among Latinos of Mexican descent. Nutrition Today July/August: 6-12. Rosas, L. , Guendelman, S. , Harley, K. , Fernald, L. , Neufeld, L. , Mejia, F. , Eskenazi, B. (2011). Factors associated with overweight and obesity among children of Mexican descent: results of a binational study. Journal Of Immigrant Minority Health, 13(1), 169-180. Small, L. , Melnyk, B. , Anderson-Gifford, D. , Hampl, J. 2009). Exploring the meaning of excess child weight and health: shared viewpoints of Mexican parents of preschool children. Pediatric Nursing, 35(6), 357-366. Thorpe, L. , List, G Childhood obesity in New York City elementary school students American Journal of Public Health, 94 (2004), pp. 1496–1500 US Department of Health and Human Services 19–3: Reduce the proportion of children who are overweight or obese United States Department of Health and Human Services (2007). OBESITY AMONGST MEXICAN CHILDREN: ARE FIRST GENERATION MEXICAN CHILDREN 13 MORE PRONE TO OBESITY THAN THEIR SECOND GENERATION COUNTERPARTS? The surgeon general’s call to action to prevent and decrease overweight and obesity. Web site. http://www.surgeongeneral. gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_adolescents. htm. Accessed January 15. Van Hook, J. , H. , Baker, E. , Altman, C. , Frisco, M. Canaries in a coalmine: Immigration and overweight among Mexican-origin children in the US and Mexico. Social Science Medicine, 74125-134. doi:10. 1016/j. socscimed. 2011. 10. 007. Scharoun-Lee, M. , Kaufman, J. , Popkin, B. , Gordon-Larsen, P. (2009). Obesity, race/ethnicity and life course socioeconomic status across the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Journal Of Epidemiology Community Health, 63(2), 133-139. doi:10.1136/jech. 2008. 075721 Seo, D. , Sa, J. (2010). A Meta-Analysis of Obesity Interventions Among U. S. Minority Children. doi:10. 1016/j. jadohealth. 2009. 11. 202 Sosa, E. T. (2012). Mexican American Mothers’ Perceptions of Childhood Obesity: A Theory-Guided Systematic Literature Review. Health Education Behavior, 39(4), 396. doi:10. 1177/1090198111398129 Sussner, K. , Lindsay, A. , Peterson, K. (2009) Research: The Influence of Maternal Acculturation on Child Body Mass Index at Age 24 Months. Journal Of The American Dietetic Association, 109218-225. doi:10. 1016/j. jada. 2009. 10. 056.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Language and Communication Barriers: International Students

Language and Communication Barriers: International Students Abstract Dont let your dreams be dreams. In this research proposal, we will analyse the issues faced by the international student when they arrive to New Zealand. When people travels from their own home country to any new country there are many issues which they face in their everyday life. Some of them are culture shock, according to Chiang (2014) culture shock is an interim feeling of anxiety, awkwardness, and discomfort that individuals usually experience when they live in a foreign society. Followed by the fear of discrimination in the college, language barrier and many more. In this research proposal, we will mainly focus on the language barrier or communication difficulties which are faced by international students. Followed by the literature review, there will be a timeline has been proposed to review the completion of areas of the study and research. Therefore, for further study, with the help of questionnaire survey a researcher will analyse what kind of language barriers or communic ation difficulties international student experience in Whitireia Polytechnic Institute, Auckland. Introduction The limits of our language means the limits of our world. Language plays a very major role when an individual travel out of their home country as an international student. Language does not mean only talking, there are many broader perspectives of language such as reading, listening, hearing, communicating and many other. when international students travel to New Zealand, they feel that they fall under the category of language minority and the educational system is new and difficult. Therefore, they feel very frustrated, as they undergo various language issues. Although, their medium of study in their native country would be same but when they travel outside their country, it limits the indulgence in the foreign community (International Education Journal, 2004). In the entire study, researcher emphases on numerous studies which are executed on the following topic and expands the new research. The earlier studies will benefit the researcher to introduce the questionnaire and also deliver the theoretical outline for the further study. Followed by the methodology which is used in the future research. Further part of the proposal there will be timeline for the task done. The questionnaire survey will be conducted in Whitireia institute, Auckland. Followed by the analysing of the data obtained from the responses with supporting conclusion and recommendation. LITERATURE REVIEW According to Campbell and Li (2007) above 85% of the students in New Zealand are from Asia. It is said that the international students do not have any issues with educational system of New Zealand. In other words, the international students are satisfied with the educational values, programs offered and educational learning support. Therefore, the only challenge for them is narration and voice which is the part of the language barrier. Language barrier and cultural difference builds the communication difficulties for most of the international student and it is challenging and creates difficulties in making domestic friends, interaction in classroom with the tutors and subordinates and many other (Campbell and Li, 2007). Due to Globalisation, English language become the important part of every international studies across the world, whether it is listening, speaking or writing. As per the researcher it is said that numerous international students from Asian countries, European or any western country deals with the serious learning and speaking difficulties due to language understanding. Therefore, it builds the lack of confidence and decrease their involvement in the classroom (Sawir, Erlenawati, 2005) Methodology After this research proposal, with the help of the quantitative method the collection and analysation of data will be proceeded. According to Creswell (2013) quantitative method is a process of analysing the data and delivering the result of the specific study. With the help of this we will analyse the language difficulties faced by international students in Whitireia Polytechnic Institute. Firstly, to proceed with this study, researcher need to provide self-done questionnaire survey, and get it approved by the tutor for conducting it the institute. In the questionnaire survey, there will be set of questions to gather specific information from the respondents (Punch, 2013). After the approval from the tutor, circulation of the questionnaire will be done to the students of the Whitireia polytechnic institute. Further, researcher will evaluate the information gathered by minimum 30 responses from the international student. The questionnaire survey will include following types of questi ons: demographic, rate the language difficulties, administration and many other. at the end, researcher will analyse the data gathered and build the recommendations. Timeline: The timeline has been built in which contain tasks related with this research proposal and represent the structure of the further study. Taking time in consideration to sum up the study, an outline was prepared which gives the brief about how the management of precise step in the project was done. Below timeline will showcase the researchers task and achieved deadline. Weeks Task Week 1 Topic selection and start the research Week 2 Writing the research proposal Week 3 Submit research proposal build questionnaire Week 4 Circulate the of questionnaire Week 5 Data analysis Week 6 Submit the research proposal Week 7 Prepare the presentation Week 8 Presentation References Punch, K. F. (2013). Introduction to social research: Quantitative and qualitative approaches. London: Sage. Creswell, J. W. (2013). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage publication. Retrieved from https://books.google.co.nz/books?hl=enlr=id=EbogAQAAQBAJoi=fndpg=PR1dq=qualitative+method+defineots=cahOvWRCC3sig=_c1n4DPyJU9HhhDd67q-xBlBUGg#v=onepageqf=false International Education Journal. (2004). Shannon Research Press. Retrieved from file:///C:/Users/takka/Downloads/6800-14971-1-PB.pdf Sawir, E. (2005, December). Language Difficulties of International Students in Australia: The Effects of Prior Learning Experience. Retrieved from Eric: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ855010

Saturday, July 20, 2019

How to Buy a Computer :: Essays Papers

How to Buy a Computer Even though computers are a great technological bargain, you can still get burned, and it's best to have a plan before acquiring one. Many computer shoppers make these mistakes they, buy a computer, then they buy some programs, then they learn how to use the programs, then they learn about the computer itself. This is exactly backwards. I would like to take you through these four steps, in the correct order; learn a bit about computers, learn a bit about programs, select the type of programs you want, and how to choose a computer. A computer is different from other machines because it needs a program to tell it what to do. Some companies make computers, while others write programs. This means if a certain kind of computer becomes popular, more programs will be written for it, and this will make the machine even more popular. Eventually one computer has become the standard. In the real world this computer is the IBM clone. In becoming the industry standard most programs are written for IBM’s and you have a greater selection and diversity to select from. Another popular computer model is Macintosh. So far, no company other than Apple makes this computer, generally because Apple prevents other companies from doing so. As you would expect, because only one company builds the Macintosh, it is more expensive than the IBM clone. On the other hand, many Macintosh owners find it easier to learn and use. I will focus my attention on IBM clone computers since they are the standard. A computer has to do many tasks. It has to accept your inputs, either from a keyboard or a mouse, it has to do some processing, both logic and arithmetic, under the direction of a program, it has to display its results, it has to keep some information temporarily in its memory, and it has to store information permanently on disk drives. When you shop for a computer, you will want to notice the size of the hard disk in gigabytes (10 or more recommended), the size and quality of the display screen (17 inch recommended), the kind of processor (Pentium III recommended), the amount of memory (128 megabytes recommended), the clock speed (100 MHz recommended), and the modem for getting on the Internet (56K recommended). The computer's clock keeps everything synchronized, and generally the faster the clock, the faster the computer can process information.

The Blind Heart in Carver’s Cathedral Essay -- Carver Cathedral Essays

The Blind Heart in Raymond Carver's Cathedral  Ã‚   A person’s ability to see is often taken for granted as it is in "Cathedral" by Raymond Carver. Although the title suggests that the story is about a cathedral, it is really about two men who are blind, one physically, the other psychologically. One of the men is Robert, the blind friend of the narrator’s wife; the other is the narrator-husband himself. The husband is the man who is psychologically blind. Carver deftly describes the way the husband looks at life: from a very narrow-minded point of view. Two instances in particular illustrate this. The first is that the husband seems to believe that the most important thing to women is being complimented on their looks; the second is that he is unable to imagine his wife’s friend Robert as a person, only as a blind man. Carver consistently characterizes the husband as the real blind man because he is ignorant of so many simple things in life. One of the first hints of the husband’s blindness is addressed early in the story when the husband thinks about the blind man’s wife and says, Imagine a woman who could never see herself as she was seen in the eyes of her loved one. A woman who could go on day after day and never receive the smallest compliment from her beloved. A woman whose husband could never read the expression on her face, be it misery or something better. (1055) The husband seems to be saying that women need to be seen, that this is the most important or only important thing in their lives. He forgets that Robert can hear his wife’s voice, smell her perfume, enjoy her personality, and touch her skin. According to Dorothy Wickenden "Cathedral" is a story about ignorance and vulnerability – the deep-seated... ...is blind. He constantly disregards his sight which he takes for granted. The husband is so narrow-minded and content within his own world, he neglects to "see" the rest of the world. Marc Chenetien said it best: "A spark of hope in ‘Cathedral’ tends to give a potentially new agenda to stories whose ultimate promise seems to remain that blindness unavoidably undercuts all awakenings" (30). Works Cited Allen, Bruce. "Carver." Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Roger Matuz. New York: Gale Research, 1989. 55:103. Burgeja, Michael J. "Carver." Short Story Criticism. Ed. Shelia Fitzgerald. Pasadena: Salem Press, 1990. 8:23. Carver, Raymond. "Cathedral" The Harper Anthology of Fiction: Ed. Sylvan Barnet. New York: HarperCollins, 1991. 1052-1063. Chenetien, Marc. "Carver." Short Story Criticism. Ed. Sheila Fitzgerald. Pasadena: Salem Press, 1990. 8:44.

Friday, July 19, 2019

Music Censorship :: essays research papers

Music Censorship: The Circumstances Causing the Controversy Imagine, if you will, a world where we are told what music to sing, what music to play, and even what we may listen to in the privacy of our own homes. That world already exists as a reality in more countries that you might imagine, and that very reality is knocking on our door: In the USA, lobbying groups have succeeded in keeping popular music off the concert stage, out of the media, and off of the shelves. Of course, if presented with this contingency, any one of us would declare how horrible this reality would be. Why then, do we hear about citizens and organizations fearfully protesting the apparently-so-inalienable right to express ourselves though music. As a society we want our young people to be literate, thoughtful, and caring human beings, however we also attempt to control what they read, listen to, and see–and ultimately what they think and care about. One can understand the instinct to need to â€Å"protect" children from dangerous or disturbing ideas and information, but this combination of the multiplicity of values and the concern for young people’s minds keeps censorship alive in school, public libraries, and other common places. â€Å"We favor music censorship? No, that’s not true,† says Wendy Wright of an organization, Concerned Women for America, on the enemy list of virtually all other anti-censorship supporters. â€Å"Censorship means that the government restrains speech. We are in favor of those in the music industry using common sense: In essence, that they don’t promote behavior or activities that they wouldn’t want committed against their wife or children.† CWFA sees music the music in question as having potential to cultivate certain ideas in the minds of the youth.â€Å"The argument that it does not affect kids, that it does not promote similar behavior, is ridiculous. If that were true, they would not advertise or rely on marketing – both fields depend on the fact that humans can be enticed into doing something that they wouldn’t have thought up on their own.† In our community, there are mixed views about this issue just as there are in the wider world setting where this conflict is now unfolding: â€Å"I think there should definitely be some censorship, like with the movies where there is a rating system. The music that’s out now is too graphic for younger kids to be listening too and its beginning to evidently corrupt our society.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Truth in Advertising

Consumers need to be protected from false advertising other questionable marketing tactics. Advertisements are Information provided by a seller or manufacturer. These advertisements can be in the form of ads on the television, radio, internet, newspapers, and magazines. It can also come in the form of information from a sales person as they attempt to sell a consumer a product. Advertisements generally are truthful in nature. However they can be false and misleading. It is these false or misleading ads that cause ethical questions to be raised in regards to marketing.False advertisement is untrue or misleading information that is presented by a seller in order to entice the consumer to buy their product. Each state has its own set of consumer protection laws that protect consumers against unfair competition and deceptive advertising practices. These laws apply to print, radio, or television ads that are seen in that state. Some common state laws include protection against various typ es of false advertising. One area that is not highly regulated in regards to truth in advertising is the Internet.Because the Internet spans all boundaries the coal advertising laws are difficult to apply to ads that are posed or seen online. There are several types of false advertising practices that are commonly used. One of these is known as the bait and switch technique. The bait and switch occurs when a company advertises a product but has every intention of selling you a product that Is deferent than the one advertised. The bait tactic is an enticing ad that makes the product seem appealing and lures the consumer into the store.Once the consumer Is on site, the seller makes every attempt to upsets a different more expensive reduce by discrediting the quality or value of the original product. Another method of false advertisement involves the amount of product that Is kept In stock by a store. Stores are required to have enough of an advertised Item In stock to meet a reasonabl e customer demand unless the ad states that quantities are Limited. This keeps stores from using a small quantity of a good to lure customers Into the store. Store limits are another tactic that can be used by sellers to misrepresent advertisements.Store limits are only valid If the Limit Is clearly defined In the ad. It Is unethical and unlawful to Impose a non-advertised Limit once the consumer Is In the store. Pictures are a common addition to advertisements. Companies are often an advertisement must provide a reasonable representation of the product if a picture is used in the advertisement. Advertisements must be truthful in other areas as well. If a company is selling an item that is refurbished it cannot be sold as a new item. Companies cannot arbitrarily advertise an item as being on sale.Any item that is listed as being on sale must have been sold at a higher price at some time during the previous three months. Another area that can be tempting to advertising departments is related to environmentally friendly products. Because of the environmental movement that is underway many products are marked as environmentally friendly, green, or biodegradable. Ethically and in some areas legally, companies are required to provide environmental information on the product when it is requested for all products that are marketed as being green, environmentally friendly, or biodegradable.Stretching the truth in marketing is a common tactic and some marketers believe that it is within their rights to stretch the truth. These marketers sometimes cite the idea of utilitarianism in marketing. This idea states that they are making ethical choices that provide the greatest amount of good to the greatest number of people at the expense of other people (Chillier). Some marketers believe that stretching the truth is an ethically sound decision if the falsification helps consumers. Ethically, utilitarianism is a bad approach to advertising regardless of the results that are a chieved (Chillier).A company should instead focus on the strength of their product or services in order to generate sales. Negative marketing is another tactic that is seed to stretch the ethical boundaries in marketing. Negative marketing is used in all types of advertisements including political ads. In the midst off highly publicized election, many of the advertisements that have been issued by the political parties are negative in nature. Many of the people on the receiving end do not agree with the idea of negative marketing.People would rather see ads that are focused on the positive aspects of a product or a person rather than ads that attack or shed negative light on a product. However, negative ads are effective at changing the opinion off nonuser and because of this effectiveness; they will continue to be used despite the ethical objectives. There are rules that apply to marketing and ethics. These rules establish guidelines to help guide marketing decisions to be ethicall y sound. One of these rules is the idea of universal ethics. Universal ethics are actions and choices that are made based purely on a moral idea.These universal principles are generally believed to apply to all people at all times in all situations (Chillier). The challenge for marketing departments is that they need to find a way to ethically market their reduce in order to sell more products to consumers without compromising the integrity of the product or coercing customers to purchase a product that they do not need. There is a code of ethics that exists for marketing that has been created by the American Marketing Association. This code of ethics has been created to promote honesty, fairness, responsibility, respect, and openness in areas of marketing.There are several guidelines that can be followed to help ensure ethical decisions are made while marketing a product. One of those guidelines is to simply have a great product. A great product will go many things to sell itself. A product that can be sold based on the greatness of the product and the advertising does not have to embellish the product to make it look more appealing. Another guideline to ethical marketing is to use the Internet to market the product. Using the internet will allow the product to gain more recognition quickly because of mass reach.Gaining high visibility for a product will help keep the marketers honest and bound to follow the ethical code. Studying marketing results will also help to follow ethical guidelines. These results can help a marketer understand what types of ads are best representing and selling the product. This analysis can allow pinpoint marketing to take place and solid marketing decisions can be based on the past results. It is also important for the marketers to study the competition. Understanding how the competition products are marketed can help direct the focus of the marketing program.These guidelines can be used to help make good solid marketing decisions that are ethical and successful. Unethical decisions are made in marketing that are not related to truthfulness or product representation. There are also decisions that are made by companies relating to the different types of consumers that they are erecting their marketing towards. Marketing toward children is a tactic that is growing in popularity in marketing circles. McDonald's and other fast food companies have increased marketing campaigns that are directed towards children.Fifteen billion dollars is spent marketing towards children every year and twenty-five percent of that comes from fast food companies. McDonald's has even created a separate version of the Happy Meal called the Mighty Kids Meal that includes larger sized portions. The creation of this larger meal that is marketed towards children with larger appetites is unethical on two levels. The meal is targeted towards a rowing obese child population. It is also part of the campaign that is geared toward children as a tool to manipulate parents to spend more money. This marketing style is a marketing grey area.Marketing in a grey area can have undesired consequences. One of these consequences is a lack of trust in the product and the company. As companies operate repeatedly in this grey area, they run the risk of losing customers because of issues related to trust. Handy is an example of a company that is walking this line of pattern misrepresentation. Handy was discovered in 2001 of overstating the horsepower achieved by some of heir models. Korea discovered that Handy was misrepresenting the horsepower in several of their cars by as much as 9. 6 percent according to Grabbiest. Mom. Uncovering this false advertising claim led to a class action lawsuit against Handy because they were able to sell their cars for a higher price based on the false horsepower claims. Recently Handy has been caught misrepresenting the facts related to some of their cars once again. According to the Wall Street Journa l, The Environmental Protection Agency discovered that Handy has overstated the gas mileage on several models by as much five miles per gallon since 2010. This misrepresentation has caused many to begin to lose faith in Handy as a brand.Their unethical choices in marketing have started to affect the Handy brand and the trust that people have in the brand. Marketing and ethics are two topics that are closely intertwined. Because of the reward that can be gained by companies due to their marketing strategies, there is not ethically sound. Marketing departments wield power over consumer markets and should be bound by ethical principles in order to keep the best interests of the consumers in mind instead of the focusing on profits at the expense of the consumer.