Pursuit of Happiness Movie Review

The Pursuit Of Happyness In today’s society, people spend their whole life searching for happiness. Millions of people today in America still have belief in the â€Å"American Dream† myth. The â€Å"American Dream† gives a person the right of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. Happiness can only be found once a person achieves the American Dream through hard work, determination, and persistence. The movie ‘The Pursuit Of Happyness’ asserts the American Dream myth through the life of Chris Gardener that every man can achieve what one wants in life if he or she is ready to struggle for it.Chris Gardener is a salesman who is unable to meet his ends, but still dreams of being financially free and happy one day. The first scene in the movie creates the characteristics that are required for a man to be able to conquer the American Dream. One of the characteristics being: Hard work. The first sequence in the movie takes place in San Francisco where lar ge numbers of people are walking to their jobs with happy faces with happy background music. Chris is shown as a person who looks up to them and relinquishes the happiness in their faces.Chris sells Bone Density scanners to make a living, a medical instrument that does not sell easily. He is portrayed as a hardworking, unfortunate, browbeaten human who dreams of being able achieve the American Dream. He also has problems with the police and IRS for parking tickets and tax respectively. To be able to meet ends, he works hard and goes to multiple hospitals to sell the scanners and earn money. As we all know, everyone needs these qualities to be able to achieve something in life.Thus this portrays the idea that if you are like Chris you also will be able to achieve the American Dream. This is an example of logos since it uses the idea that no result will come without hard work to depict an image that ones who do not struggle with not get anywhere in life and ones who will. The only way people are able to achieve anything in today’s world is by hard word, this is mainly due to enormous competition. May it be a student or an executive, everyone these days are expected to work to their fullest to be able attain their dreams in life.Another characteristic that is portrayed in the movie is that of attitude, various attitudes towards dealing with things in life will always give you a different result at the end. An example of this is witnessed in the next scene of the movie that consists of a conversation between Chris and his wife Linda about how they are going to manage their financial problems. This scene portrays the attitude by which one must approach a goal with. Chris tells her that he is planning of joining an internship program as a stockbroker at Dean Witter, such that he would be able to take care of the family.Linda on the other hand scorns him and makes a sarcastic comment such as, â€Å"Stockbroker why not an astronaut†. Chris has a positive attitude to how he is going to manage their ends, whereas Linda on the other hand has a very negative approach to matters in life and has given up all hopes they will be able to fix their problems. The background has no music to provide an element of anticipation for the viewers. The use of pathos is noticed since it displays contrasting attitudes of a Dreamer and a Failure in life.The result for being positive is witnessed at the end when Chris is able to get the job and lead a happy life whereas, Linda on the other hand leaves to New York and never seen again. Since Chris is portrayed as the Dreamer it shows the audience that one must always look at things with a positive attitude to achieve the American Dream. People always agree that once you lose your willingness to reach something in life you will never be able to get it. Being able to face problems with a positive attitude is required to able to think clearly and correctly.Thinking clearly provides the Dreamer with clear tho ughts and motivation that he is needed to be able to achieve his or her goal. Persistence has become a key element in people’s lives these days due to the large competition for each job opening. Even if one fails the first time, they must try again and again till one is successful in life. This can be seen later in the movie; Chris turns in his application personally to the head of recourses Mr. Jay Twistle. Once he had submitted his application he was persistent in trying to impress Mr. Jay such that he would be guaranteed a spot for the internship.To make sure he impresses Mr. Jay he shares a ride with him and tries to solve the Rubik’s cube which is thought to be impossible to solve. Due to his success in solving the cube Mr. Jay is impressed with his talents and is called in for an interview. Throughout this sequence Chris is once again displayed a person who will never give up. Just the night before his interview he was arrested but still does not give up. He does everything he can such that he can make the interview on time. This scene shows that every positive action towards a goal is stepping stone towards the achieving the American Dream.Since this is the start of his change in life the background music creates a joyful but surprise theme hinting that this man is going to succeed in life if he keeps up with these qualities. This provides an element of ethos since it explains the qualities needed for successfully achieving the American Dream through the life of Chris. In today’s world if one gives up pursuing what they want in their life it will never come, dreams are things that never come and fall in your hands; it constantly needs thoughtful advances made by the Dreamer.As seen in the movie Chris never gives up till he gets the job therefore portraying the amount of pursuing one must do to achieve something in life. It provides evidence that if one person is able to achieve the American Dream through persistence, then everyone w ho tries to achieve the American Dream will also be able to fulfill their dreams. Determination is one of the key elements behind any successful American Dream dreamer. Even though by this time he has lost wife and house he does not give up. To be able to survive during his internship he would work twice as hard as he used to.He would try to finish an 8 hour job in 6 hours, and sell the remaining scanners he had during that time for money. When he thought that he could start living peacefully since he was able to sell enough scanners to make a living, the IRS takes all his money for not paying taxes. He lives in community homes with his son but never gives up hope in his dream. At the end of the internship, he is called in by Mr. Frakesh to congratulate on his new job. This shows the amount of determination one must be willing to put forward. To be able to achieve such a huge dream one cannot relax until their dream is fulfilled.As seen from the movie every second is precious when o ne is dreaming, a perfect example is shown when Chris does a 8 hour job in 6 hours, this shows that one can never waste time when they are determined to accomplish something in life. With today’s growing competition for every job opening, people have to work harder and harder. Even a small hint of withdrawal from a hundred percent effort will lead one’s dream to vanish in no time. As seen in Chris’s life even though he had lost everything in his life he did not give up his efforts he put into his internship. This in turn allowed him to be successfully hired as a full time stockbroker.As the saying goes â€Å"There is always hard work and sweat in every success†. In conclusion, hard-work, persistence, and determination are the key elements that will help and guide a man who would like to live the American Dream. Even in today’s world people still believe in that efforts would pay off someday or another as they wish. These people are the great dreams whom still feel that the American Dream still exists and has not vanished just like Chris dreamt. So if anyone one of you have a dream then you should never give up, all you need to do is keep trying.

A Reading of My Papa’s Waltz Essay

Theodore Roethke’s â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† speaks of how a daughter is able to see past the defects of her father with such adoring calm and respect. The poem is playful and innocent, the choice of words child-like, and the rhyme measured at a pace of a child’s anxious breathing. Yet a sense of caution rings true throughout, right from the very first lines down to the end of the poem. There is the unmistakable obedient but anxious anticipation in the part of the child upon seeing his father coming home drunk again. Also, perhaps because of the regularity of her â€Å"waltz† with her father the speaker has committed the details to memory. Waltz as a metaphor for action in the poetry tallies with the words romp—a boisterous frolic; dizzy, slid, step, scraped, beat, time and cling to the shirt among others (Roethke). Literally, waltz is dancing to fast music. The steps are not measured, oftentimes wild but still remains rhythmic and moves to a tune. It is danced with both partners holding to each other for dear life—so to speak, lest one should be thrown off from the repetitive twirls. As it were, at first reading, the poem may admit of several interpretations, yet by giving color to every word that sense which will result from all of the parts taken together, along with death, battered, hard, dirt, whiskey and so on, there is enough that can be gathered to support the conclusion that the â€Å"waltz† as used in the poem, means the abuse of a daughter by a drunk father (Roethke). However, although the work may be largely read as a re-telling of an incident where a father beats his daughter, the way that Roethke plays with the words and imagery makes the work open to several readings: Ones that may not necessarily lean towards violence and abuse. It is easy to read the work with a different view altogether. Nevertheless, the freedom of interpretation is granted solely to the reader due to the multiple meanings that the words and imagery, used in the poetry, convey. At any rate, the use of waltz to describe the beating was a clever touch in that it subtly shows the young girl’s abject fear to a point where harsh and hostile words, from an otherwise meek and mild tone, would only lessen the claim that the beating is regular and harsh. The message is clear that because of the frequency and extent of violence, the young girl is rendered unable to speak ill of the father in this poem but instead is beaten to absolute dread and horror to which only forced obedience is her only weapon. Thus, it would seem that they have danced the â€Å"waltz† before and nothing that eventually happens in the poem is something new or is happening for the first time. The speaker’s recollection of the details is remarkable underscoring the fact that what happened is still fresh in her memory or so etched in her mind so deeply that missing out a fact is impossible. There is the possibility of repetition felt at the end since the speaker makes it a point to show that this shall not be the last time—whilst she clung (desperately) to her dad’s shirt. She knows that it she will have to â€Å"waltz† with her papa soon enough that she prostrates herself at the end of that violent episode, hoping against all hope that there shall no longer be any in the future (Roethske). In the same vein, the poem is addressed to the father, waxing poetry with a meek letter of demand for the beating to stop. The over-all tone and style is apologetic and wishful in manner and in part. It is a technique used to show the attempt of the girl to appeal to the father’s emotions without so much as being violent in the treatment if only not to anger her father in the process. Moreover, the use of the word â€Å"waltz† as an ironic imagery reveals the mental age of the speaker. Consequently, these are hints of the young girl’s age since her tenderness and impressionability as a child coincides with the average year that a girl normally dreams of becoming a princess who waltzes with her prince. Instead, in this instance, it is the young girl and her father—who reeks with alcohol; with the crammed kitchen space as their dance floor, the cluttering of falling pans as the resounding applause; and a helpless mother, whose â€Å"countenance could not unfrown itself† (Roethke), looking on.

Oxford Insurance

Without proper management, it is easy for employees to slack off and they may lose their sight of the company goal. If we look at Herbage's two factor theory, you can see that Oxford Insurance Services is lacking some factors that are Important In Job satisfaction and motivation In employees. Challenging work, responsibility and rewards are part of the Intrinsic motivators that attribute to an Individual's sense of satisfaction with their work. It doesn't seem as though there are specific numbers that are set for each person, rather, just numbers that the company as a whole need to make.They could have dad specific attainable goals for each broker so they all have something specific to work towards. Stuart could have also came up with competitions within the group with rewards, such as a bonus. The only reward that they had was casual Friday. Although this is a step, there is not much incentive for the brokers to work hard. Many of the emails started with bad news and letting everyon e know that they are not reaching their goal, this is news and information that they are probably already away of.This sets the mood for the rest of the email. Some of the e-mails were also very short and seemed Impersonal, such as the ones to Mary. It states that Mary Is the type of person who appreciates going straight to business but the emails from Stuart is highly motivating. You don't get the sense that Stuart really cares about her. When she was doing well, Stuart emailed her telling her that she had a good month and that she would not hear from him about that for another 90 days. This does not give her any incentive to continue to work hard.If we fast forward to September when the numbers were falling short, Mary receives an email from Michael telling her that the holiday weekend is over and that she needs to start paying attention to the numbers. We thought this e-mail seemed very rude and disrespectful. Respect Is very important in motivation and If Mary does not feel that she is receiving the respect she deserves then that will show In her work. It also doesn't help the situation that Michael Is half the age of Mary. In Broom's expectancy theory, It states that people will behave a certain way because they think it will lead them to a desired outcome.Stuart and Michael is not giving the Question 2. The case suggests that Mary feels De-energize. Why might that be? Mary was lacking motivation because she was not getting the desired support from ere team. She felt that the staff was not very customer focused whereas she wanted to build good and trustworthy relationships with her customers by providing them better services. Also, there were personality and age differences between Mary and her clerical staff that had a negative impact on their teamwork. Another reason why Mary felt De-energize was because of differences in motivational value.It can be inferred from the case that Mary had a high focus on extrinsic value of motivation. She Joined Oxfords b ecause of high raise and a promise to achieve self-actualization. However, through all the motivational memos, it is evident that rewards were mostly non-monetary benefits. Employees were either praised verbally or would have a chance to wear casual clothes on Friday. There were hardly any incentives like performance-based bonuses etc. Moreover, Mary felt that Stuart was very aggressive with achieving the targeted numbers and was not giving her enough free hands to accomplish her goal of having repeat customers by building trust. . How else might Stuart and Michael foster motivation among the 0. 1. S. Brokers? Identifying and determining ways to motivate employees is vital to every business. A motivated employee in a workplace defines a highly productive staff that will help achieve common goals and objectives of the business. While not every employee will be able to get motivated by similar things, hence, Stuart and Michael should first develop a motivational strategy that includes understanding the difference of what motivates their employees.It is key essential to determine what really drives the majority of their employees so that the company can reach the highest performance. This motivational employee strategy must also include the process of developing orgasm that will eventually motivate employees greatly while also retain the best employee of the business. Therefore, Stuart and Michael can apply the relationship between Measles Need Hierarchy and Herrings Two-Factor Theory.Moscow postulated that every single individual has five basic needs that constitutes the most basic need to the highest needs that will enable managers to understand the value of their employee satisfaction level of motivation. Although it seems that 0. 1. S brokers express self-actualization and esteem regularly, it would be more effective for Stuart and Michael to constantly provide training sessions that will rate more rooms for on-going development for self-actualization. In add ition, it is always better for Stuart and Michael to not Just boost their employees self-esteem by email, buttoner of a direct approach of face-to-face.A direct approach like lunch or dinner invitation may result in a very effective way as a sense of distinct recognition. Not only that it will establish stronger relationship by interaction and affiliating with colleagues, but this may also offer a sense of â€Å"belongingness† within the company. It is very interesting to notice that Mary had been the only one who receive the most or at least direct encouragement. However, it would be helpful if Stuart and Michael discouragement from other employees in accordance to the given task.In terms of giving instructions and motivational messages, this may appear confusing and repetitive on the e-mail, thus, supervision division between Stuart and Michael can be differentiated so that all employees understand and fully aware on instructions. Therefore, it is very important to define a better structure of communication in assigning tasks for their employees with detailed measurement of key performance indicator. This will be very effective for every employees to keep up with their course f action achieve the target and allowing themselves to measure their own accountability or work progress.This key performance indicator (KIP) may also leads to reward systems or individual incentives as described in Herrings Two-Factory Theory under Hygiene Factor on salary. This incentives and reward system should also be diversified all across department without any differences. All age groups should receive equal value from this incentives and rewards. Also, this will indirectly educate employee to understand the expectancy theory where extra effort that shows great performance will lead to valuable outcomes.

Management - Analyze your options with K-T analysis [sap22] Essay

Management - Analyze your options with K-T analysis [sap22] - Essay Example For more than 65 years, primary findings of research bring out: 3. Creative innovations employing probable scientific solutions external to the field in which they were developed. Greater application of K-T constitutes learning these repetitive patterns of problems-solutions, technical evolution patterns, scientific effects methods, and application of general K-patterns specific to the circumstances that force the developer. The attention of the management is significant in ensuring that workplace safety and health of employees stabilizes. However, Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) believe that troubles of many grocery stores gives a basis for providing solutions for protection of workers. The study objective is to establish the relationship between workplace activities and the development of back injuries and sprains. The problem viewed from the dimension of the employees takes care of their safety and health. The alternatives available to companies are to provide opportunities for workers to work in a protected environment. The K-T technique enables the grocery stores to value the quality of work from employees by investing on their health insurance and welfare (Ratner, 2010). The company can invest in ergonomics and product liability where inadequacies of products can be traced and repaired or reworked. Finally, employee safety can be harnessed and sustained by buyers who insist on minimum requirements and employee safety (Genrich, 2006). Through these alternatives, injury reduction will be reinforced by improvements in information and technology. There will be a greater enhancement of the relationship between workplace activities, back injuries and sprains. Inherent contradictions also referred as physical contradictions, are circumstances in which people or system suffers contradictory, opposite needs (Ratner, 2010). Daily examples include: The machines used in the grocery store should

Plato's Republic and Hobbes Leviathan and Elizabeth Anderson Essay

Plato's Republic and Hobbes Leviathan and Elizabeth Anderson - Essay Example The four features of responsive education produce leaders who more able to fulfill their obligations, since they acquire qualifications that enable them to be receptive and effective when it comes to the interests of all people from every sector of the society. The leaders do not only acquire academic knowledge, but technical knowledge which makes them salient, emotionally betrothed, and consistently entrenched in order to block biases and unconscious stereotypes. The leaders possess awareness, receptiveness, and practical acquaintance, together with competence for courteous intergroup interaction. Such leaders are able to create rapport across group-divisions, and to connect in first and second person viewpoint, by drawing upon individual knowledge regarding life, but in a disadvantageous position. Furthermore, a responsive education creates leaders who imaginatively project their self into other people shoes, through effective communicative proficiency and rapport, even as they hol d themselves answerable to how others act in response to and makes claims about their own conduct. (Anderson, 618). Through social integration, the leaders are able to draw their authority and normative strength from the moral eminence of their subjects, instead of impersonal value of business as usual. Responsive education offers a motivational path to personal identification and charity, and this makes it more likely for the leaders to identify with the disadvantaged group and be

CCEI1220P4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CCEI1220P4 - Essay Example This was a cognitive test, which Jacob failed. He never made any effort to think and search where the rattle was hidden, but instead he chose to cry. It was also an emotional test for Jacob to look for toys beyond his tracking area, which he also failed. As a baby, we would expect things to come easy for him, but he should have also endeavoured to find the toys at least. Based on the findings I made in activity 1, some of the actions that I will take when planning activities for Jacob are enhancing the classroom to ease movements, improve the kinds of toys that Jacob plays with and also establish games that could improve the cognitive development of Jacob. When enhancing the classroom, I will install things such as maps or directions on the floor to indicate where I have hidden the objects to make it easier for Jacob to find them. I will also introduce Jacob to toys such as building blocks. Cognitive games such as stacking blocks or emptying and filling objects can enhance motor learning, spatial awareness and effect, as well as cause. Through such games, infants, such a Jacob, can learn to be deliberate with their movement actions. Finally, I will incorporate games such as hide-and-seek, which can help Jacob learn analytic skills. I will ask Jacob to hide something in the trashcan or in another site away from where they are and ask other students t o find it. Also, this can teach language, as well as direction-following skills. Writing summaries of narratives is perhaps the most flexible ways or techniques of presenting a story. Summaries of narratives do not essentially tie the teacher down to chronological order, the way dramatisation and dialog do, nor do they need a focus on one specific feature of the tale, as descriptions normally do. This makes summaries of narratives one of the most prominent tools in an author’s toolbox, as well as one of the trickiest. Narrative summaries aid in coming up action plans in that they

A Culture of Collaboration among the Community Members Case Study - 11

A Culture of Collaboration among the Community Members - Case Study Example There are five disciplines of learning in an organization. The first is the personal mastery this is individual learning; no organization can learn until the members start to learn. One must define what he or she is trying to achieve (Easterby 2001). In the case example, when Charlotte was 27 years old she had an idea for a weekly magazine. Being a journalist, she had the right knowledge on how to run the business. She defined what she was trying to achieve and provided the first discipline of learning to the organization she was going to form. By approaching the businesspersons, she had seen how close she was to her goal, which was to start a weekly magazine (Teri 2000). Anyone who came to work in the organization was young, and mostly just out of college. Under the leadership of Ifeoma and Charlotte, they became a hard-working group with everyone unleashing the creative energy in them. The group became a committed and hard working group that was determined to change what was called the â€Å"staid face† of journalism in their country (Teri 2000). The second discipline is the mental model. This is one’s way of examining the universe and must be accurate in the espoused theory and the theory that is in use. What one says should correspond with what the individual does (Easterby 2001). The controversial and thought-provoking stories that were run by the magazine; were run with the writers playing the devil’s advocate. These stories corresponded with the magazine's goals and objectives, which were to shape the social trends among the youth. Judging from the feedback, they got from these stories they had succeeded. The organization had aligned what they were working to achieve with what they did on a daily basis, and this created the foundation for tier success (Teri 2000).   For any team to be successful then it, the team must have several characteristics. The team must have a clear and elevating goal; the goal of the team in the case study was to shape the social trends among the youth (Easterby 2001). The team must have a result driven structure, in the case study the magazine depended on the responses that they got from running their stories in the form of the number of magazines that they sold.  

Digital media has changed the ways ideas, information, and arguments Essay

Digital media has changed the ways ideas, information, and arguments in society are communicated both locally and globally - Essay Example This revolution has changed the people’s lifestyles and actions are manipulated by the information that they can access. The availability of information due to digital technology has brought along positive and negative impacts on the new society referred to as the network society. This paper features out the various ways in which digital media has impacted on the society’s way of thinking and reasoning, and how this has changed their course of actions. In the Dark Age, an age where information was a scarce resource, the behavior of the people was so much influenced by their community traditions and social-cultural norms. Information was common only on the elite people and the society highly depended on such while working out their decisions. The elite community would misuse this privilege of having information to manipulate the reasoning of the people to make decisions that would favor their individual goals. This was common in the political arena where politicians woul d influence the voting process to suit their political ambitions during the campaign period. Deprived of the power of information the people were likely to arrive at immature conclusion and consequently uninformed decisions (Silverstone, 2005). The evolution of information technology has phased out this era and information can no longer be hoarded among the few elite in the society. Today, dense media networks are available and accessible to all humanity in the entire world, and its power cannot be ignored (Risi, 2013). The evolution of telecommunication devices and numerous service providers have brought about a whole new experience for the community with information from the global view available to the majority of the people. With television people can access live information, and with digital mobile phone communication takes place in real time across the boundaries. According to Silverstone (2005), the evolution of the digital technology has brought a new different morphology of the society, and the digital trends will have more influence on the society that it had ever been imagined. The proliferation of the internet has completely changed the world into a global village by closing in the distance that existed between different national boundaries. The emergence of video conferencing technology today people can communicate and hold conferences from their remote locations without any problem (Risi, 2013). The internet resource has become an answer for multinational corporations and international business can now be conducted at ease. The numerous social networks in the internet have formed new platforms where people can communicate, share and pass information, exchange ideas and influence the peoples thinking process, and hence their decision making practice (Silverstone, 2005). One of the areas where digital media have been used to influence the decision making process of individuals is in the political field. Today, political agendas can be propagated ac ross the world at a click of a mouse and it only takes few minutes before the entire world responds to an issue. This has had a great impact on the political campaigns since the factors of time, cost and distance have been put behind by the evolution of technology. On the other hand the people have vast information which they can use as a ground to make more informed and wise decisions. For instance, Cambodian politics general

Personal Development Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Personal Development Plan - Assignment Example This personality type compels individuals to be responsible and punctual. They tend to go great lengths to do things they believe in. This includes helping in any way to benefit their loved ones: family or friends. ISFJs’ hate confrontation but will stand up against anyone who hurts those they love. Following tradition is vital, including respecting authority. Practical, these people act according to the stored information shaping their mindset. This differs only when they deal with people who cause them to replace sensibility with feeling: concern and values.If you feel that this result does not portray your personality adequately – suggest what you think your personality is. State which parts of the result you agree with most and those you don’t. For the answer below only right about the traits you agree with.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I agree with most of the traits of my personality. It is true that I would do anything in my power to protect the ones I love and keep th em happy. My family considers me a good caretaker, especially when someone falls ill. However, it’s also true that I am sensitive to the smallest of things. This overtly sensitized me ends up hurt because it’s impossible for me to confront people. A stout traditionalist, I am very aggravated when an authority is challenged. I am also very paranoid under stress and can think the most horrific outcomes of my decisions. Also, a strong belief system makes people with ISJF to respect authority while maintaining their practicality. Weaknesses associated with this personality type are: ISJF compels some individuals in developing certain data, which they refuse to question when rushed into decisions. This rigidness often causes them to make wrong judgments. ISJFs’ need appreciation for what they do; if their contributions are unacknowledged they become bitter and aggrieved. It can also lead to severity while supporting authority which can create problems if the hierarchy makes a wrong decision. These individuals are very aware of the outcomes of situations and do not function well under stress by imagining overly negative outcomes, without realizing the ramifications for those around them. 2. Learning preferences. (Honey and Mumford) Activist 3 Reflector 12 Theorist 18 Pragmatist 10 What are your relative strengths (in terms of learning preference?) I am better at being a theorist. I believe in following facts and figures that have been long established. There are rigid facts that have to be followed and if their complexities can be solved it ensures that my decisions are perfect. What are your relative weaknesses (in terms of learning preference?) My weakness would be in being an activist. I am incapable of allowing experiences to shape and dominate me. Also, I believe in following a strict regime while learning and am not open to a lot of brainstorming. Suggest three things that you could do to develop your weaknesses 1. I could try to enjoy what I am doing instead of constantly concentrating on the outcome. 2. Instead of working alone I could choose a group which would open me up to new ideas 3. I should stop trying to perfect everything I learn because life is

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - Research Paper Example Experts reveal that the urge to repeat certain things result from the need to alleviate the stressful thoughts. The prevalence of the disorder is on the rise according to recent reports. The recent report conducted by the National Institute for Mental Health revealed that approximately 3% of Americans have OCD disorder (Rachman and de Silva, 2009). The report also indicated that the disorder affect people from all races, ethnic groups, and sexes in almost equal measure. The researchers also discovered that the disorder affects male at an early age than female. According to the National Institute for Mental Health report, the OCD disorder affects boys between the age of 6 and 15 years, while girls, the disorder tends to manifest mostly between the age of 20 and 30 years. Individuals with OCD tend to show certain behaviors that a rational person considers abnormal. The most common symptom of the disorder, according to National Alliance of Mental Illness (2012), is that, individuals suffering from OCD tend to double-check things excessively and repeatedly. For instance, an individual with OCD may end up double checking switches, locks and other electrical appliances 20 times before feeling satisfied that everything is in order. They do this due in an attempt to alleviate the compulsive stressful thoughts. Secondly, individuals with OCD tend to feel over obsessed with certain things. Because of over obsession, people suffering from OCD normally appear fearful and concerned about everything that happens around them. For example, such people may demonstrate fear and concern of thieves breaking into their houses as noted by Rachman and de Silva (2009). This makes them appear restless and pre-occupied by unreasonable thoughts. Individuals with OCD tend to be extra cautious in whatever they do for fear of harming themselves or others around them. Hyman and Pedrick (2011) also noted that such people focus much on morals and

Cousre review first line manangement ilm Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cousre review first line manangement ilm - Essay Example In fact, the initial responses once a change has been announced by a manager are very negative because people are not always willing to change. Most people will fear change because of the fear of the unknown .Most employees imagine that they know nothing about what is about to be introduced and therefore at the back of their minds they imagine that the worst is about to happen. Employees therefore make what they don’t know to being their rationale of reasoning hence resistance comes in (Stark, 2009). While many people acknowledge that change is important, they fear that that new changes will have negative consequences on them and therefore they will create obstacles to prevent change. Another reason why people resist change is that, they have deep rooted fear in their minds and therefore any attempt towards organizational change is met with great resistance. Some people hold on to their past because they feel more secure and it is usually predictable. Other people will resist because they have succeeded in the past and therefore, if change is undertaken, then it is viewed as being unfavorable to them. It is therefore imperative that any manager should understand that any attempts towards an organizational change will be met with resistance and with this understanding a manager may be able to influence their attitudes in a more positive way (Langdon, 2007). A force field analysis refers to a management technique that is used to analyze variables that are involved in making and implementing changes within an organization and eventually it helps in team building and overcoming resistance. It helps to analyze any driving and restraining factors that usually bring about change. Therefore, while implementing a change, one should look at the driving factors such as improving the productivity of the team, competition and the incentives to be given to the team so as to boost their morale. The restraining

Health Care Spending Essay Example for Free

Health Care Spending Essay In the past seven decades health care spending has been increasing tremendously. The industrial era brought in a new system to help population duel with the cost of medical care. New technology has become a much needed investing in the 21st century which has yield to a great margin between small and big facilities. When looking at all of these factors there is no wonder the nation is spend way too much money on health care, although at times might seem that there is not enough. It seems that the right investment is needed to help aid those that need help the most the elderly and unemployed, with the economy in a fragile state and unemployment rates increasing with the quarters there is no question that decisions about how we are spending on health care needs to change. Even though so many factors are involved in the spending this paper would focus on our current level of expenditures, how and where is the money spent, forecasting what would be coming next. Current level of national healthcare expenditures According to Physicians for a National Health Program (2012), â€Å"National Health Expenditures was $2.8 trillion, and the spending as a percent of GDP was 18% for 2012† (National Health Expenditure Projections: Modest Annual Growth until Coverage Expands and Economic Growth Accelerates). When looking at these facts many would even argue we are spending quite enough when it comes to healthcare or perhaps too much, however is the complete opposite not enough spending is in the right place. These figures does not represent the spent on one area of health care the graph below will provide an idea as to what, when, and where was spent on 2009. Total = $2.3 Trillion Source: Martin A.B. et al., â€Å"Growth In US Health Spending Remained Slow in 2010; Health Share of Gross Domestic Product Was Unchanged from 2009,† Health Affairs, 2012. As shown on the graph 51% of the spending is towards hospital care and physician/clinical services which are great to be invested in, however the rest of the spending in my opinion is not proportionally distribute, yes those areas are extremely important but it would be beneficial if more can be distributed along medication, and other professionals services to include the testing and diagnose of serious illnesses such as cancer. The investment is require to subsidize the needs on these areas, 45 percent of people under age 65 who dont have insurance coverage for prescriptions said they had not filled a prescription in the last year because of the cost. Additionally, 84 percent of working-age people in the U.S. without insurance coverage for prescriptions said they had taken some action such as spending less on groceries or postponing paying other bills in order to pay for their medications, an increase from 71 percent last year (Rowan, 2012). Regarding testing for patients with cancer there should be more funding for the new technology available for test that many patients are not aware, because they cannot afford it or simply because it is not available in their area. Spending: Too much or not enough? In 2010, $2.6 trillion was spent on health care services and products, 61 percent of which purchased hospital care, physician and clinical services, and retail prescription drugs. Private health insurance paid for 33 percent, out-of-pocket sources for 12 percent, and other third party payers and programs for 7 percent. The two largest government health care programs, Medicare and Medicaid, purchased $925.1 billion worth of health care goods and services in 2010, accounting for 36 percent of total health care spending (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 2012). The increase of cost would continue to rise according to economists, health care managers, and advisors forcing for a new reform to change the system. Thus many are not too please with this idea is a phenomenal that cannot be avoid, there is a need to change in policies and methods in which we spent or invest in health care. Suggesting that the investment is too little would be a denial statement, everyday more and more patients are relying on programs such as Medicare and Medicaid to get the attention required at the moment. As the economic recession set in deeper less would be available to afford just the basic needs, medication or any treatment; unemployment rates are on the rise and it does not seem it would stop anytime soon. Although the new reform would try to establish some type of stability, until the insurance companies and policy makers come to an agreement to provide a universal premium for service which can be affordable for all, the same problems would continue to emerge. Many factors also have effect on spending considering for example the demand for new technology in the 21st century; this trend has become to some degree a factor in the rise on health care spending. Much of this new technology is beneficial if it provides a new way to used already establish technology, however many studies have revealed that most of them are only here to replace such technology and at some circumstances increase the cost of service. As a country a deeper consideration of such technology is needed not only to save money, but to invest wisely as to what would help the system cut in spending. Future economic needs of health care For years to come the enduring effects of the economic recession and slow recovery, due mostly because of partial growth in incomes, are expected to continue to limit health spending growth. In 2014 the coverage expansions laid out in the Affordable Care Act for Medicaid and for private health insurance are expected to increase the growth rate for health spending, with notable increases expected in spending on physician services and prescription drugs for newly insured patients. By the end of the year, higher income growth and the continuing shift of baby boomers into Medicare are expected to cause health spending to grow roughly two percentage points faster than overall economic growth, which is about the same differential experienced over the past thirty years. Therefore a necessary reform of a national health care perhaps would provide the change needed, the only issue with this suggestion is the funding. Thus a national health care would help every citizen reach the so needed medical attention required at an affordable price there is no surprise that the funding through Federal programs are thinning, and the cost of private insurance keeps on raising. Therefore a more evaluated reform should be put in place where the cost of care should be regulated, and more affordable options are given to the population; an increase on reimbursement of healthcare for basic health needs is necessary to subsidize the cost for complex health needs in order to keep the cost regulated. According to Centers For Medicare And Medicaid Services (2011), â€Å"In 2014, national health spending is projected to rise to 7.4 percent, or 2.1 percentage-points faster than in the absence of reform, as the major coverage expansions from the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are expected to result in 22 million fewer uninsured people† (National Health Expenditure Projections 2011-2021). Increases in Medicaid spending growth, and private health insurance growth will contribute to the overall acceleration in national health spending in 2014. There is no question that technology would also continue to raise to help the system provide the best and fast way possible services to those in need. Investing more in health care can only benefit the nation; however the right decisions needs to be made in order to keep the spending growth under control. Reference Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-and-Reports/NationalHealthExpendData/downloads/dsm-10.pdf Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-and -Reports/NationalHealthExpendData/Downloads/Proj2011PDF.pdf Martin A.B. et al., â€Å"Growth In US Health Spending Remained Slow in 2010; Health Share of Gross Domestic Product Was Unchanged from 2009,† Health Affairs, 2012. Physicians for a National Health Program. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.pnhp.org/news/2012/june/2012-health-care-spending-including-administration Rowan, K. (2012). Fox news.com. Retrieved from http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/09/13/why-americans-prescriptions-are-going-unfilled/

Psychology in Films: Shawshank Redemption Personality Theory

Psychology in Films: Shawshank Redemption Personality Theory Eleanor Rutherford Engler (2013) describes â€Å"personality as an organised and dynamic set of characteristics, that an individual possesses, which influences their cognition,emotions, behaviour, motivations andenvironment. Krauskopf (1999) provides a wider definition in that â€Å"personality† refers to the patterns of thoughts, feelings, behaviours and social adjustments, which are consistently exhibited over time that intensely influences the expectations, self-perceptions, values, and attitudes of the individual. It can also predict an individual’s reactions to problems, stress and other people. There are many theories which aim to understand and explain personality; these include trait, perspective, psychodynamic, humanistic, biological, behaviourist, evolutionary and social learning (Maltby, Day Macaskill, 2010). This essay will examine, using the Five Factor model trait theory (Costa McCrae,1995) and Carl Rogers (1957) humanistic theory, the character of Andy Dufresne in the film† The Shawshank Redemption† (Marvin Darabont, 1994) and evaluate which provides the best account of his behaviour. The Big Five personality traits are the five wide-ranging domains that are used to describe personality. Previously other trait theorist had suggested various numbers of possible traits, these included Allports4,000 personality traits, Cattells 16 personality factors and Eysencks three-factor. However, many viewed Cattells theory as too complex and Eysencks in contrast was too limited. As a result of this, the five-factor theory emerged which describes the basic traits employed as the building blocks of personality. These factors are extraversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism. Each consists of more specific primary factors; for example, extraversion includes warmth, activity, excitement-seeking, positive emotions, gregariousness and assertiveness. The Big Five model accounts for different personality traits without overlapping. Research demonstrates that the Big Five are consistent in observations, interviews and self-descriptions. Additionally, the fiv e-factor structure appears throughout a widespread range of participants of different cultures and age groups (Maltby et al., 2010). Rogers’ theory suggests that people have an actualising propensity, or desire to achieve their full potential, referred to as self-actualisation. Rogers stated that a fully-functioning person is someone who is perpetually striving toward becoming self-actualized. This person has been the recipient of unconditional positive regard from others, places no conditions on their own worth, capably expressing feelings, and is open to the many experiences offered by life. Upon self-actualisation they would become a fully functioning person living what he referred to as the good life. Which means the person would maintain a healthy psychological outlook, trust their feelings and there would be congruence in their lives between experience and self. Rogers believed that people are aware of what is causing the psychological imbalance in their lives and that deep down inside they know which actions are required to fully functioning people. Rogers maintained that humans are born with a desir e to be the best they can. Self-actualisation is the motivating force to achieving their full potential. As infants the main goal towards self-actualisation is to have basic needs met such as being arm and fed (Maltby et al., 2010). The â€Å"Shawshank Redemption† depicts the experiences of Andy Dufresne, who is wrongfully convicted of killing his wife and her illicit lover. He is handed down two life sentences and subsequently incarcerated in the notorious Shawshank Prison. Andy is initially portrayed as extremely quiet with other prisoners describing him as a â€Å"cold fish†. One of the major personality traits identified in the Big Five is Introversion. People who are introverted, that is to say low scoring on the Extraversion continuum, tend to beinward turning, or focused more on internal thoughts. This is demonstrated clearly on Andy’s first day of incarceration where he makes little eye contact, keeps his head down and does not respond to the taunting other prisoners. Viewed from a Rogerian perspective it could be said that Andy’s drive will be focused on the most basic of needs such as water, food sleep and safety (Maltby et al., 2010). A significant change from Andy’s initial introverted state is seen when during work on a rooftop, Andy boldly manages to persuade the toughest guard there to allow him to assist with his taxes. Viewed from the Big Five perspective this would seem to be large swing from one end of the Extraversion scale to the other. Going from barely making eye contact and being compliant to risking being thrown from the prison roof are worlds apart. Given that that traits are assumed to be relatively stable this gives rise to the question of whether Andy truly in introverted or whether the sock of incarceration affected his normally more extrovert self. However, from a Rogerian perspective this would appear to be the beginning of Andy attempting to meet his innate need to self-actualise. As his basic needs are being met in the form of shelter, food etc. the desire to develop his potential appears to grow. Using his numerical skills will allow him to flourish (Maltby et al., 2010). The rooftop incident leads to Andy becoming a trustee in the prison library and returning, outwardly at least, to his more introverted traits. He demonstrates from this point a further Big Five trait of Agreeableness. His compliance in assisting the prison officers with their taxes and personal finances demonstrate this. He also gets involved in building a new library for the benefit of his fellow inmates, a clear act of altruism, another sub category of Agreeableness. This continues until donations of books and records arrive at the prison and Andy discovers a copy of Mozarts The Marriage of Figaro record. In another swing of personality, or perhaps a revalation of his true nature before incarceration, he locks the guard assigned to the wardens office in the toilets and plays the record over the prisons PA system for his own, and his fellow inmates pleasure. Again this seems in opposition to his mainly introverted outward behaviour as it an assertive act of defiance against both the warden and guards. Simultaneously it could be seen as both Agreeable and Extraverted behaviour. Agreeable in that it is an altruistic act of providing pleasure for all of the inmates knowing they will face no punishment and Extraverted in that is both assertive and clearly excitement seeking behaviour. Rogerian theory may account for this episode as an attempt to bring Andy’s real self closer to his conceptual self. Andy clearly finds a great deal of pleasure and fulfilment in listening to music but prison life blocks that from happening. Andy knew there would be a price to pay, in this case solitary confinement, but was driven to do it anyway (Maltby et al., 2010). The true nature of Andy’s character unfolds as detail of his daring escape from prison come to light. The length of time that he had been working on his escape plan and the masterful way in which it was planned and executed demonstrated a high level of the trait Conscientiousness. Andy’s self-discipline was incredible, he not only was able to escape but he managed to acquire the finances required to do so and end the corruption within Shawshank whilst doing so . When viewed longitudinally Andy’s story seems to be a clear path to self-actualisation as theorised by Rogers. Rogers highlights the uniqueness of the individual and that they themselves are capable of working out their own solutions, in this case an escape plan and end to corruption. Additionally, he stated that people have a natural tendency toward self-actualisation and growth, an innate drive to realise their potential (Maltby et al., 2010). Although some of Andy’s basic needs were met within the confines of Shawshank such as water, food and sleep the psychological needs were not. Andy appeared to be reaching to meet these needs by rock carving and building the library but it was clear that he needed more. His entire escape plan seemed to be driven not just by the injustice of being wrongfully imprisoned but by the drive develop his potential and qualities that would make him a worthwhile person. Roger’s theory does appear to provide a good account of people’s behaviour in this case when compared to The Big Five. However although Rogers approach allows for variation it fails to identify enough constant variables in order to be researched accurately. Additionally the assertion the individuals intuitively seek positive goals, does not explain the presence of deviancy or evil within normal, functioning personalities such as Andy’s fellow inmates or the corrupt prison staff Maltby et al., 2010). References: Costa Jr, P. T., McCrae, R. R. (1995). Domains and facets: Hierarchical personality assessment using the Revised NEO Personality Inventory.Journal of personality assessment,64(1), 21-50. Engler, B. (2013).  Personality theories. Cengage Learning. Krauskopf, C. J. (1999). The personality assessment system: A radical hypothesis.Applied and Preventive Psychology,7(4), 235-245. Maltby, J., Day, L., Macaskill, A. (2010).  Personality, individual differences and intelligence. Pearson Education. Marvin, N. (Producer), Darabont, F. (Director). (1994). The Shawshank Redemption [Motion picture]. United States: Castle Rock Entertainment. Rogers, C. R. (1957). The necessary and sufficient conditions of therapeutic personality change.Journal of consulting psychology,21(2), 95. Changes in the Business Environment: Why change management is important Changes in the Business Environment: Why change management is important Introduction Change is an inevitable part of life. Change is also an important part of a business life; it allows a business to adapt to its environment and to improve its market position. Change signifies the willingness of the affected parties to embrace and function in a newly established order and their commitment to effect and implement the changes (Armstrong, 2004). The generic definition of change as defined by Hughes (2006) is any alteration in the status quo. Changes within an organisation may take place for many reasons. It is sometimes done in order to introduce a new more efficient way of working or producing a product. It is sometimes done to re-organise the organizations work force. Organisations will evolve and change within the course of their lives. Change management is referred to as the process of which change is executed and developed within the organization. Change is something that affects all business and therefore all business managers must prepare their personnel and proc esses for change. Theories of Change Management Changes in the business environment are happening all the time and organisations must change the way they operate to compete effectively in their market. In order to change organisations must adopt change theories and approaches however with so many different approaches available an organisation must choose an approach that best suits its needs. Different managers will have different theories as to how change should be implemented and executed. Kurt Lewin is considered the forefather of planned approaches to change. Kurt Lewins Freeze Phases [Source: Higgs Rowland, 2005] Lewins model shows that change involves a move from one static state via a state of activity to another static state. Beers Model Change is more complex than the Lewin model and requires a more in-depth look at the process of change. Beers model focuses on a six-step process to achieve effective change, these steps concentrate on task alignment whereby employees roles, responsibilities, and relationships are seen as the main component to bringing about effective change. The stages are: Mobilise commitment to change through joint diagnosis. Develop a shared vision of how to organise. Foster consensus, competence and commitment to shared vision. Spread the word about the change. Institutionalise the change through formal policies Kotter Model Kotter developed what he believed to be the eight critical steps to the successful implementation of change these steps are: Establish a sense of urgency Examining market and competitive realities and identifying and discussing crises, potential crises and opportunities. Form a powerful, guiding coalition Assembling enough people with the enough power to lead the change. Create a vision Create a vision to help direct the change and develop strategies for achieving the vision Communicate the vision Use every medium possible to communicate the vision and strategies to be implemented Empower others to act on the vision Get rid of obstacles to change and encourage risk taking and non-traditional ideas. Plan and create short term wins Plan for visible performance results and recognise and reward employees who are involved in the improvements Consolidate improvements and produce still more change Hiring, promoting and developing employees who can implement the vision. Institutionalising New Approaches Develop the means to ensure leadership development and succession. Impact and Barriers If change is not implemented in the correct manner, the impact upon the business can be devastating. Some of the workforce may decide to leave as they do not agree with what is be implemented and that leaves managers trying to fulfil orders or provide services with half a workforce which puts pressure on the rest of the workforce. Communication is key to help reduce barriers, for any change strategy to achieve its goal every member of staff within the organisation must be constantly communicating with executive managers. If staff members ask, Why do we need to do this? a manager must be able to give them a valid answer. Change normally affects both a businesss internal and external environments. Internally staff may feel that they have been left out of the loop and are just being told that they must accept the change or the reverse may happen the staff may be contributing heavily to the change and helping to direct the new vision. Externally an organisation may make an impact on thei r market by promoting a new service or product. There are a number of barriers to successful change both in terms of actually implementing the change and sustaining it. Employees must be able to flourish within an every changing environment to allow them to contribute to an organisations success. Lisette Howlett, (2009) states the 10 main barriers to successful change these are listed below: Not enough understanding about the change itself Lack of leadership Lack of focus and strong project management of the change No engagement and/or buy-in of key stakeholders No clear process for managing endings and beginnings, and co-ordinating the change process Successes are not recognised, communicated Progress is not measured and the learning is not reviewed Change is very tiring and is often something that requires extra effort people need to see that this effort is paying off and their contribution is valued All of these barriers can be overcome if the correct procedures are put in place and communication is constant throughout the process. Employees need to feel that they are major contributors to a companys success and will sometimes feel undervalued if they are not involved in the process of change this can lead to hostility amongst the workers and feelings of anger towards the management this in turn leads to barriers being erected due to the fear of change. Conclusion Change must be managed, implemented, and executed in such a way that there is always communication between staff and managers. This allows for equilibrium and encourages growth and innovation within a company. Each change management theory has its strengths and weaknesses and each can be adapted to an organisations needs but I believe that managers must invite all staff to offer ideas on a creating a new vision for the company and thus driving the company forward as a whole. References Hughes, M. (2006). Change Management: A Critical Perspective. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. ISBN: 1-84398-070-3. Armstrong, M (2004). Managing Organizational Change in Nigeria Manufacturing Enterprises: Lessons from the Unilever Nigeria Plc. AC Associated Content. Retrieved from http://www.medwelljournals.com/fulltext/?doi=ibm.2009.15.21 Syque. (2007). Lewins Freeze Phases. Changing Minds. Retrieved from Higgs, Malcolm, and John Wren. The Leadership of Change: a Study of Change Leadership within the UK Royal Air Force. Henley-on-Thames: Henley Management College, 2005. Print Howlett, Lisette. 10 Common Barriers to Successful Change. MLH Consulting. 15 Sept. 2009. Web. .

Relationship Between Mosquito Breeding And Environment

Relationship Between Mosquito Breeding And Environment Mosquitoes are widely known throughout the world and mosquito using several water bodies for breeding (WHO, 1982). Larval species can be found in almost every type of non-flowing aquatic habitat from the marshy edges of large lakes, provided that fish or tadpoles are not present through swamps and marshes of all types and sizes along sections of rivers, streams, or ditches where the water is not flowing to small collections of water in rock crevices, tree or stump holes, leaves of pitcher-plants and artificial containers (Wood, Dang and Ellis, 1979). The climatic and environmental factors are influenced directly and indirectly to the distribution of mosquitoes (Mafiana et al., 1998). Mosquitoes prefer an environment with certain resources which are food, shelter, favourable temperature, rainfall, breeding site and suitable humidity in sufficient amount and at the appropriate time for survival and development for the eggs of female mosquito to hatch (Romoser Stoffolano, 1998). The breeding of various mosquito species is recently increase contributed of the recent increase in ecological and environmental modification due to agricultural activities and urbanization (Amusan et al., 2005). Temperature and the availability of appropriate aquatic breeding habitats are the two environmental variables that most impact the abundance of mosquitoes. Temperature impacts both the survivorship and developmental rate of mosquitoes; surface wetness, as mentioned above, limits the population size of sub-adult mosquitoes. These two parameters, temperature and surface wetness, will be used to force the model mosquito population (Kettle, 1995). Constant studies on biology and larval ecology of mosquitoes have been observed as important tools in mosquito control. Such studies will help to determine the existing and disappearing mosquito species and the extent of their distribution (Mafiana et al., 1998 Anyanwu et al., 1999). Mosquito can cause more human suffering than any other organisms. Mosquito bite cause severe skin irritation through an allergic reaction to the mosquitos saliva which can cause human skin red bump and itching. Mosquito also carry disease that afflict human such a s malaria, yellow fever, encephalitis and dengue virus which a mosquito bites infected the host, the virus will be transferred into it, and the transmission chain starts again (WHO, 1997). The life cycle of the mosquito is begins with the female mosquito will lay eggs at any surface water, which hatches as a larvae in the right conditions. The larvae then develop into several instar stages before entering pupation. After the pupation, the mosquito emerges as an adult which is also called as amigo. Adults generally mate within the first few hours of emergence, and then the adults will rests on the surface water for a short time to allow itself to dry and all its body parts to harden. Blood feeding does not occur for a couple of days after the adults emerge including the mating. Once fully developed, the female mosquito will proceed to find a protein source for their eggs which is blood. After biting, the female rests while take care of their eggs and repeat thegonotrophic cycle again. 1.3 Significances of study Environment plays an important role on life cycle of mosquito. So, in this study and research, it can show us the interactions between environment and life cycle of mosquito. In this research study, I would like to know the effects of environmental factors such as pH, rainfall and temperature of the site on mosquito abundance by using the larvae one. Mosquito abundance is actually relate with the amount of rainfall and contribute to increase the number of larval breeding sites, the spatial relationship between larval habitat availability and adult mosquito abundance is not clear. In these study also, I would know the disease that mosquito can bring which effect the human health. We can know that mosquitoes are a vector agent that carries disease causing viruses and parasites from person to person without catching the disease themselves. Furthermore, I will know the methods used for mosquito control that can reduce the disease that mosquito can bring to human. Depending on the situation, source reduction, biocontrol, insecticides to kill larvae and to be specific, the adults may be used to manage mosquito populations. In these research study also, we would like to know when the suitable breeding time for mosquito is actually. It is said that many species disappear almost completely during the dry season and it will be most productive towards the end or just after the wet season, when most species will have built up to a peak and the limits of the breeding sites have temporarily stabilized. 1.4 Problem Statement Mosquito had been known for a century which is they carry diseases which can cause human to death. These can be described as the mosquito can cause more human suffering than any other organism. Furthermore, mosquito bite can cause severe skin irritation through an allergic reaction to the mosquitos saliva which can cause humans skin itching and red bump. Mosquito carry several diseases which are malaria, filarial diseases (dog heart worm), viruse dengue, encephalitis and yellow fever. These diseases can suffer human being and can cause human being to death. Nowadays, mosquito distribution is increasing in Malaysia because of certain conditions that contribute to mosquito breeding. More than that, population in Malaysia also increases by year to year. So, this also will increase the number of cases that inflict the human by mosquito. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Environment In general, environment is actually referred to the surrounding of something or an object. The natural environment is contrast with the built environment which includes the areas and components that are strongly influenced by the human. An ecosystem is a kind of natural which include all of plants, animals and microorganisms in an area functioning together with all of the non-living physical factors of the environment. There have been several studies that have focused on how environmental factors affect the mosquitoes breed (Yee 2008). The environmental factors and climatic are influenced the distribution of mosquitoes which in directly or not (Mafiana et al., 1998). Mosquitoes prefer an environment with certain condition that help their breeding which in appropriate amout and time for survival and development (Romoser Stoffolano, 1998). 2.2 Biodiversity 2.3 Mosquito Mosquitoes are insects belonging to the order Diptera, the True Flies. Like all True Flies, they have two wings, but unlike other flies, mosquito wings have scales. Female mosquitoes mouthparts form a long piercing-sucking proboscis. Males differ from females by having feathery antennae and mouthparts not suitable for piercing skin. A mosquitos principal food is nectar or similar sugar source. There are over 2500 different species of mosquitoes throughout the world; about 200 species occur in the United States with 77 species occurring in Florida (Darsie et al., 2002). 2.3.1 Life Cycle of Mosquito The mosquito is actually been through four separate and distinct stages of its life cycle which are egg, larva, pupa and adult. Eggs are laid one at a time or attached together to form rafts. They float on the surface of the water. Most eggs hatch into larvae within 48 hours, others might withstand subzero winters before hatching. Water is a necessary part of their habitat. The larva lives in the water and comes to the surface to breathe. Larvae shed their skins four times, growing larger after each shed. The larvae feed on microorganisms and organic matter in the water. During the fourth molt the larva changes into a pupa. The pupa stage is a resting time which is non-feeding stage of development but pupa are mobile, responding to the light changes and moving with a flip of their tails towards the bottom or protective areas. This is the time the mosquito changes into an adult. When development is complete, the pupa skin splits and the adult mosquito (imago) emerges. The newly emerged adult rests on the surface of the water for a short time to allow itself to dry and all its body parts to harden. The wings have to spread out and dry properly before it can fly. Blood feeding and mating does not occur for a couple of days after the adults emerge. 2.3.2 Transmission Virus transmission of mosquito will affect the human after being bitten and human is the reservoir of the virus. In mosquito, the virus will take for about 8 to 10 days to develop. A female mosquito may transmit the virus to its progeny through transovarian transmission, but it is not frequent. These virus or disease from mosquito will transmit into human circulation during the blood meal time. The virus will develop in the human circulation which the human incubation period takes about 3 to 14 days. If a mosquito bites, the virus will then transmit into the host and the transmission chain starts again (WHO, 1997). Vertical transmission of dengue virus is very rare. Nonetheless, 2 cases were reported in Malaysia in 1996 (Chye et al., 1997). 2.3.3 Factor Contribute to the Disease Outbreak The occurrence of mosquito disease is depends of several factors, including the density of mosquito vectors. For example the dengue virus which is carried by the Aedes aegypti that is needed to sustain dengue virus transmission epidemically or endemically has yet to be determined. Virus transmission increased by denser human population. Urbanization in tropical countries has resulted in both a proliferation of Aedes aegypti and an increase in the number of susceptible human hosts (WHO, 1997). According to McMichael and Woodruff (2008), mosquito borne infections tend to increase with warming and certain changes in rainfall pattern. Higher rainfall will heighten the disease transmission. Therefore, climate change will affect the potential, seasonal transmission and geographic range of various vector borne diseases. These diseases would include all water borne diseases, such as malaria, dengue fever and yellow fever (Haines et al., 2006). Climate change will affect the biodiversity and the ecosystem goods and services that we rely to human health. Changes in temperature and rainfall effect the distribution of the diseases vectors, such as Aedes mosquitoes (Haines et al., 2006). Recent reviews suggest that dengues range and incidence may be changing as a result of climate change (Gubler, 2002). Most of the transmissions of mosquito borne diseases are sensitive to weather conditions for several reasons here, mosquito need standing water to breed, and a warmer temperature is critical to adult feeding behavior, the rate of larval development and speed of replicate of virus (Hales and Panhius, 2001). Haines et al., (2006) stated that changes in climate that can affect the transmission of vector borne infectious disease include temperature, rainfall changes, humidity, soil moisture and sea level rise and it will cause the variation of the overall incidence of the disease, where less, the geographical distribution of disease also change. 2.3.4 Breeding and Larval Habitat According to Queensland Government (2005), the mosquito is frequents backyards in search of containers holding water inside or outside the home. For example cans, buckets, jars, pot plants dishes, vases, birdbaths, boats, discarded with no rims tyres, roof gutters blocked by leaves, containers, tarpaulins and black plastic. It also can breed in natural containers like fallen palm fronds. Besides that, even in a drier condition it also breeds in water in subterranean sites such as wells, telecommunication pits, sump pits and gully traps. Furthermore, according to Queensland Government (2005) also stated that climate of tropical and subtropical regions are very suitable for mosquito breeding. This is because of high temperature and high appearance of quiescent water body. With this, it makes the climate in Malaysia is tropical and the temperature are within 20Â °C to 30Â °C throughout the year and with high average rainfall which is almost 2500mm in the Peninsular Malaysia and it is become the most suitable breeding conditions and habitat for mosquito. 2.2.5 Ecology of the Mosquito Breeding Site

Free Essay on Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter - The Message :: Scarlet Letter essays

The Message of The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne, a critically acclaimed American writer of the 19th century, was born in Salem, Massachusetts in 1804. The novelist's book, The Scarlet Letter, is supposedly his best work, and universally considered a literary classic. Concerned with sin and consequences of dealing with it, Hawthorne's work relates to his own personal sense of shame about his ancestor's persecuting roles in the 17th century Salem Witch Trials. By indirectly dealing with his sense of guilt through fictional circumstances, he shows his viewpoint as being highly critical of the Puritans while teaching a strong moral lesson in the process. Graduating in the middle of his class from Bowdain College in 1825, he went on to write a variety of long stories, short stories, and articles. Generally his writings contained powerful symbolic and psychological aspects of "the effects of pride, guilt, sin, and secrecy" (Encarta, 1997). Although many moral lessons are dealt with in the book, the most significant thesis Hawthorne proved was salvation can only be earned by being open about and true to what you are. Using excellent characterization, description and expression he develops his thesis by showing the consequences of hiding sin, like Arthur Dimmesdale, and of publicly acknowleding it, like Hester Prynne. Through Hester's daily struggle with her public punishment to wear a scarlet letter A on her clothing to remind her and everyone in the Puritan community of her adultery, she learns how to cope with and triumph over her sin against humanity. On the other hand, Reverand Arthur Dimmesdale, Hester's equally guilty partner in the crime, refuses within himself to publicly confess his sin until the end of the novel, whereas shortly after he dies. Thus, Hawthorne summarizes the delayed importance of being truthful about oneself in his quote, "Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred, (236)!" The authors overall presentation is very clear because to the emphasis of his main point of truth setting people free. It drags the reader into the action and enables them to live with the characters, at the same time as teaching a valuable lesson in dealing with life's obstacles. The style of his writing is very symbolic, descriptive, and detailed. He creates very vivid images of the story through elaborate adjectives.

Whats behind the trend? :: essays research papers

WHAT'S BEHIND THE ESCALATING TREND? AS we head into the new millennium, marrying mitt dating across cultural lines seem to be increasing at record rates. Almost anywhere you go these days, you will encounter mixed-race couples: at the grocery store, the mall, the theater, at a company function, at: a concert, even at church. And while for years the Black man-White woman couple was more prevalent, today many social observers say that the pairing of Black women and White men is just as common. That certainly seems to be the case in cities such as St. Paul-Minneapolis, where interracial couples long have thrived. But the social trend also is quite evident in other large cities such as Chicago and New York, Atlanta and Detroit, where there is a noticeable and striking increase in the number of mixed-race couples, especially Black women with White mates. In movies, on television and even on Broadway, the theme of interracial love has become en vogue. Wesley Snipes has starred in a number of movies in which his love interest was not Black: jungle Fever, One Night Stand and U.S. Marshal. The popular sitcom Ally McBeal has the lead character bemoaning a lost love, a Black doctor. Last year, Whitney Houston's production of Cinderella starred Brandy in the title role but the prince was not Black. And a new Broadway musical, Marie Christine, revolves around a relationship in the 1800s between a Black woman (Audra McDonald) and a White sea captain. "Interracial couples are more noticeable and prominent than ever," says a Midwest-based author who has observed the changes in social trends for some 40 years. "But the recent numbers of Black women being escorted by White men is, well, startling, to say the least." According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 1997 there were 311,000 interracial (Black-White) married couples, more than six times as many as in 1960. Of those, 201,000 were comprised of a Black husband and White wife, while there were 110,000 couples in which the husband was White and the wife Black. Some estimate that today 10 percent of married Black men have mates of another race. Some social observers say that the increase in cross-cultural relationships is tied directly to the breakdown of school and residential segregation and the 1967 overthrow of the last laws. That year the U.S. Supreme Court unconstitutional laws barring racial intermarriage in states. A mixed couple in Virginia had challenged the state's 1924 antimiscegenation statute in response to their being forced by local law officials to live apart, to jail or leave the state.

Child Observation

Child Observation Background The child that I chose to observe was a nine year old boy that I will refer to as Dan. Dan is a highly gifted child who, unfortunately, suffers from cerebral palsy, as well as panic attacks. His parents are divorced and he lives with his mother, who has remarried. His father who also has remarried, does have contact with him, though the relationship is somewhat strained. He comes from an upper middle class background, and has no brothers or sisters. I observed Dan in the waiting room for about an hour (his mother was good enough to bring him in for his appointment a little early so that I could observe him).The room contained many toys and books for varying ages, as well as a number of magazines for both kids and adults. The walls were covered with different pictures and posters, and there were a number of chairs. Observation Dan’s mother, Molly, helped him into the office by supporting him under his arms. His upper body works normally but he has t rouble with his legs, particularly his lower legs, and is unable to walk on his own. His mother took him immediately to the corner of the room containing the toys and books, then lowered him to the floor.Dan picked out a science book that appeared to be geared towards children a few years older than he. Lying on the floor, he began to read aloud and frequently questioned his mother, who sat in a nearby chair, about pronunciation of words, as well as dates and background information on famous scientists mentioned in the text. His mother answered all of his questions, and when she did, he engaged her in further conversation about the subject until he was sure that he understood. His mother was then called into the office to speak with the doctor alone.Before leaving, she asked Dan if he needed to use the restroom (he needs her help to do so). He told her he was fine, and she went into the office. At this point, Dan and I were the only two people in the room. He continued to read aloud after his mother had left. With her gone, he engaged in private speech when he came to a word he did not know, or a subject he was unfamiliar with. His conversations with himself were very similar to those he had with his mother. About ten minutes after his mother had left, Dan began looking over at me occasionally, but only for a second before going back to his reading.When he was unsure of a word, he repeated it several times before moving on. His reading grew gradually quieter until I could not always make out the words. At one point, he came across a word that he did not know and began reasoning to himself as follows: â€Å"This must be an English word†¦although I speak English, so maybe it’s from a different country†¦ or maybe they only use it in England. † Dan looked at me several times as he attempted to reason through this, but did not ask me for help. After that, he closed the book and looked around the room.He pulled a rock the size of a large marb le from his pocket, and began brushing it lightly against first a nearby chair leg, then his own sneaker. He sat up, experimented with throwing the rock at his left hand, which he held open, palm facing his right hand. I should note that he did not appear to be trying to catch it, but I could not be sure. At any rate, he never did catch it in the several times that he threw it. He then rolled it down his arm a couple of times, before throwing it straight up in the air, leaving his hand out, but not moving it at all as the rock fell past it.At this point Dan looked at me for about five or ten seconds straight, the first time he had done more than glance at me. He then pushed the book away and crawled over to a large aluminum can with a lid on it that was filled with toys. He brushed the rock lightly against it, but did not open it. Next, he looked at me and smiled. He asked me if he was bothering me and I told him he was not. He told me he did not want to distract me if I was studyin g. I answered that I was just writing something for school and that he was not distracting me at all.He said that he did not want to be bothersome and that he had been trying to be as non-distracting as possible. I told him not to worry about it and to just do whatever he wanted. After that, he began to talk to me a great deal. He told me about a book that he had read in the waiting room before and asked if I had ever read it. I answered that I had not and he told me all about it. He said it allowed you to put different wigs and clothes on different people and that he really liked it a lot. He went on to say that it was â€Å"a lot of fun, but it’s not here anymore so someone must have took it.I don’t know who took it though. † He then pulled down another book with big wobbly eyes that were placed to be on a different picture every time you turned the page. He asked me if I ever saw this book and I told him that I had. He said that it was â€Å"a really cool bo ok. † He then started reading it aloud, looking over at me occasionally as he did so. A little later, as he continued to read, his mother came back in and asked again if he needed to use the restroom. He told her he did not, and she lifted him up and helped him into the office for his appointment.Interpreting the Observation The first thing that struck me about Dan’s behavior was that he ignored the toys and magazines, and went straight for the books. Not only that, the first book that he picked out was obviously geared towards kids several years older than he. I knew going into the observation that Dan was highly gifted, and combining that with his physical disability, it made sense that he would be an avid reader and , relative to the other kids his age, a very advanced one. This proved to be true.Gambrell (1994) says that a child who is motivated to learn will read for a number of reasons, including to gain knowledge. This certainly seemed to be the case with Dan as he was very intent on being sure that he understood exactly what he was reading. Many kids read because they have to, and they learn so that they will get an â€Å"A† in school; Dan was reading and learning for the sole purpose of gaining knowledge. This is not surprising given the fact that gifted children have been found to have significantly higher intrinsic motivation to learn all subject areas than do their peers (Gottfried & Gottfried 1996).This study went on to say that â€Å"From the early years through adolescence, children who are identified as gifted evidence superior persistence, attention, curiosity, enjoyment of learning and orientation toward mastery and challenge. This was mirrored in the enthusiasm with which Dan went about the task of reading and being sure that he understood what he had read. The fact that his mother allowed him to pick out a book himself could be relevant to Dan’s apparent motivation to read.Gambrell (1994) reports that over 80% of children name books that they picked out themselves when asked about those they most enjoyed. In contrast, only 10% talked about books that were chosen for them. A strong correlation was shown to exist between a child’s being allowed to choose his own book and his intrinsic motivation to read. Gambrell further reports that learning through books is enhanced by social interactions, which further increase his desire to read. Dan obviously demonstrated this through the conversation he had with his mother while reading.After his mother left, Dan made frequent use of Vygotsky’s private speech (overt verbalizations not intended for a listener), particularly in the form of questions to himself. I saw this as both modeling his earlier conversations with his mother, and actively trying to learn new words and information. Goodman (1981) found that, in problem solving tasks, questions to self occurred more frequently following failures. This too, was the case with Dan who would often ask himself questions after being unable to pronounce a word or figuer out its meaning.Goodman also found that a hight rate of verbaliztions during problem solving tast was associated with increased efficiency. This is consistent with the fact that Dan, who made frequent use of such verbalizations, was a very advanced reader for his age. His frequent glances at me during particularly troublesome spots could have been related to social referencing. He appeared to want to ask me for help, but never did. Instead he simply looked at me as he tried to pronounce the word, as if trying to guage my facial reaction to see if he was right.Conclusion Dan appeared to be, aside from his diagnosed problems of cerebral palsy and panic attacks, a fairly normal, though cognitively advanced, nine year old boy. His reading every thing aloud struck me as somewhat unusual, and I have no sure explanantion as to why; perhaps he feels that he learns better through auditory stimulation. He also seemed to use private speech more than the average nine year old would, but as I discussed earlier, some studies have linked this to better problem solving abilities and high cognitive performance.References Gambrell, L. B. , (1994). What motivates children to read? Scholastic Literacy Research Paper, 2 Gottfried, A. E. & Gottfried, A. W. , (1996). A longitudinal study of academic intrinsic motivation in intellectually gifted children; Childhood through early adolescence. Gifted Child Quarterly, 40 (4), 179-183 Goodman, S. H. , (1981). The intergration of verbal and motor behavior in preschool children. Child Development. 52 (1), 280-289 Child Observation PSY 122 Child Growth and Development *Key Assessment: OBSERVATION *OF A CHILD and GROUP OF CHILDREN (This key assessment will be in 2 parts; *a total of 4 separate observation papers*) NAEYC Standards and Supportive skills: Standard 1 Promoting Child Development and Learning a Knowing and understanding young children’s characteristics and needs 1b Knowing and understanding the multiple influences on development and learning Standard 3 Observing, Documenting, and Assessing to Support Young Children and Families 3b Knowing about and using observation, documentation, and other appropriate assessment tools and techniques 3c Understanding and practicing responsible assessment Supportive Skill 2 Mastering and Applying Foundational Concepts from General Education Supportive Skill 3 Written and Verbal communication Skills Supportive Skill 4 Skills in Making Connections between Prior Knowledge/Experience and New Learning Observation 2: Observe a different child in 2 new area/activities* Part 2: *Observation 3: Observe a group of children inte*racting in one of the following *area/*activities* Observation 4: Observe another group of children interacting in a different area/activities* *Areas/Activities include: PSY 122 Child Growth and Development Key Assessment: OBSERVATION *OF A CHILD and GROUP OF CHILDREN (This key assessment will be in 2 parts) Observation Paper Format Observation Paper # 4 REMEMBER: To use pseudonym (not real name) Describe what the child (ren) are doing and saying (use quotation marks) during the length of your observation. Be specific, objective, and descriptive. Avoid judgmental statements (i. e. â€Å"That little boy was bad. † ). Kids Towne day care is located in an industrial park in Branford, CT. It currently has 75 children enrolled. Inside, the daycare is broken up into class rooms by age. On this day, I chose to observe the preschool room. The classroom currently has 20 children enrolled but not all the children attend daily. On this day there were 14 children in the classroom. The ages range from 3 years old to 4. 5 years old. The ratio of boys to girls is 2:1. Around 8:00am, I began watching the entire group of children. The structure of their day begins at 8:00am with â€Å"circle time. † Miss Sam, the teacher of the preschool room, announces to the children â€Å"Circle time! † I watched as they all came running. â€Å"Sit on a letter. † Miss Sam instructs the children. In the middle of the room there is a huge carpet with all the letters of the alphabet on it. Each child sits on a letter of their choice. â€Å"I want J† says a little boy named Jonah. Once all the children are seated Miss Sam begins with the date and the weather. â€Å"Its chilly outside today† she tells the students. â€Å"Mommy made me wear my jacket but I didn’t want to. † Says a boy named Alex. Shortly after the date and weather, the room breaks out in song. â€Å"The wheels on the bus go round and round†¦Ã¢â‚¬  sing the children. I notice that one girl is not singing. She is sitting with her legs crossed with her elbows on her knees and her head down. When the song finishes, Miss Sam asks Meghan, â€Å"What’s wrong? † â€Å"I have a headache Miss Sam. † â€Å"Well, maybe you’ll feel better after we make our monster puppets? † Meghan didn’t answer. â€Å"Who wants to make monster puppets? † asks Miss Sam. â€Å"Meeeeeeee! † several children proclaimed. I watched as the kids ran to the art center where two long rectangular tableswere side by side. All the boys sat at one table, and all the girls sat at the other. Miss Sam gave each child a brown lunch bag and spread crayons, markers, feathers, pom poms and glue on the table. Miss Sam showed the children a monster puppet that she had made. Mine is going to be pink† said one of the little girls. â€Å"Mine too† said another. I watched as the children worked on their puppets. â€Å"Roarrrrrrrr† said one boy who was coloring his bag green. When the children finished their puppets they all held them up and shared them with pride. Section II. Inferences/Interpretations: Section III: Theorist: Choose a theory/theorist (i. e. Piaget, Vygotsky, Erikson, Skinner, Bronfenbrenner, etc. ) and include a discussion on how this theory would explain what you have observed about the child (ren)’s behavior and development. Child Observation Child Observation Background The child that I chose to observe was a nine year old boy that I will refer to as Dan. Dan is a highly gifted child who, unfortunately, suffers from cerebral palsy, as well as panic attacks. His parents are divorced and he lives with his mother, who has remarried. His father who also has remarried, does have contact with him, though the relationship is somewhat strained. He comes from an upper middle class background, and has no brothers or sisters. I observed Dan in the waiting room for about an hour (his mother was good enough to bring him in for his appointment a little early so that I could observe him).The room contained many toys and books for varying ages, as well as a number of magazines for both kids and adults. The walls were covered with different pictures and posters, and there were a number of chairs. Observation Dan’s mother, Molly, helped him into the office by supporting him under his arms. His upper body works normally but he has t rouble with his legs, particularly his lower legs, and is unable to walk on his own. His mother took him immediately to the corner of the room containing the toys and books, then lowered him to the floor.Dan picked out a science book that appeared to be geared towards children a few years older than he. Lying on the floor, he began to read aloud and frequently questioned his mother, who sat in a nearby chair, about pronunciation of words, as well as dates and background information on famous scientists mentioned in the text. His mother answered all of his questions, and when she did, he engaged her in further conversation about the subject until he was sure that he understood. His mother was then called into the office to speak with the doctor alone.Before leaving, she asked Dan if he needed to use the restroom (he needs her help to do so). He told her he was fine, and she went into the office. At this point, Dan and I were the only two people in the room. He continued to read aloud after his mother had left. With her gone, he engaged in private speech when he came to a word he did not know, or a subject he was unfamiliar with. His conversations with himself were very similar to those he had with his mother. About ten minutes after his mother had left, Dan began looking over at me occasionally, but only for a second before going back to his reading.When he was unsure of a word, he repeated it several times before moving on. His reading grew gradually quieter until I could not always make out the words. At one point, he came across a word that he did not know and began reasoning to himself as follows: â€Å"This must be an English word†¦although I speak English, so maybe it’s from a different country†¦ or maybe they only use it in England. † Dan looked at me several times as he attempted to reason through this, but did not ask me for help. After that, he closed the book and looked around the room.He pulled a rock the size of a large marb le from his pocket, and began brushing it lightly against first a nearby chair leg, then his own sneaker. He sat up, experimented with throwing the rock at his left hand, which he held open, palm facing his right hand. I should note that he did not appear to be trying to catch it, but I could not be sure. At any rate, he never did catch it in the several times that he threw it. He then rolled it down his arm a couple of times, before throwing it straight up in the air, leaving his hand out, but not moving it at all as the rock fell past it.At this point Dan looked at me for about five or ten seconds straight, the first time he had done more than glance at me. He then pushed the book away and crawled over to a large aluminum can with a lid on it that was filled with toys. He brushed the rock lightly against it, but did not open it. Next, he looked at me and smiled. He asked me if he was bothering me and I told him he was not. He told me he did not want to distract me if I was studyin g. I answered that I was just writing something for school and that he was not distracting me at all.He said that he did not want to be bothersome and that he had been trying to be as non-distracting as possible. I told him not to worry about it and to just do whatever he wanted. After that, he began to talk to me a great deal. He told me about a book that he had read in the waiting room before and asked if I had ever read it. I answered that I had not and he told me all about it. He said it allowed you to put different wigs and clothes on different people and that he really liked it a lot. He went on to say that it was â€Å"a lot of fun, but it’s not here anymore so someone must have took it.I don’t know who took it though. † He then pulled down another book with big wobbly eyes that were placed to be on a different picture every time you turned the page. He asked me if I ever saw this book and I told him that I had. He said that it was â€Å"a really cool bo ok. † He then started reading it aloud, looking over at me occasionally as he did so. A little later, as he continued to read, his mother came back in and asked again if he needed to use the restroom. He told her he did not, and she lifted him up and helped him into the office for his appointment.Interpreting the Observation The first thing that struck me about Dan’s behavior was that he ignored the toys and magazines, and went straight for the books. Not only that, the first book that he picked out was obviously geared towards kids several years older than he. I knew going into the observation that Dan was highly gifted, and combining that with his physical disability, it made sense that he would be an avid reader and , relative to the other kids his age, a very advanced one. This proved to be true.Gambrell (1994) says that a child who is motivated to learn will read for a number of reasons, including to gain knowledge. This certainly seemed to be the case with Dan as he was very intent on being sure that he understood exactly what he was reading. Many kids read because they have to, and they learn so that they will get an â€Å"A† in school; Dan was reading and learning for the sole purpose of gaining knowledge. This is not surprising given the fact that gifted children have been found to have significantly higher intrinsic motivation to learn all subject areas than do their peers (Gottfried & Gottfried 1996).This study went on to say that â€Å"From the early years through adolescence, children who are identified as gifted evidence superior persistence, attention, curiosity, enjoyment of learning and orientation toward mastery and challenge. This was mirrored in the enthusiasm with which Dan went about the task of reading and being sure that he understood what he had read. The fact that his mother allowed him to pick out a book himself could be relevant to Dan’s apparent motivation to read.Gambrell (1994) reports that over 80% of children name books that they picked out themselves when asked about those they most enjoyed. In contrast, only 10% talked about books that were chosen for them. A strong correlation was shown to exist between a child’s being allowed to choose his own book and his intrinsic motivation to read. Gambrell further reports that learning through books is enhanced by social interactions, which further increase his desire to read. Dan obviously demonstrated this through the conversation he had with his mother while reading.After his mother left, Dan made frequent use of Vygotsky’s private speech (overt verbalizations not intended for a listener), particularly in the form of questions to himself. I saw this as both modeling his earlier conversations with his mother, and actively trying to learn new words and information. Goodman (1981) found that, in problem solving tasks, questions to self occurred more frequently following failures. This too, was the case with Dan who would often ask himself questions after being unable to pronounce a word or figuer out its meaning.Goodman also found that a hight rate of verbaliztions during problem solving tast was associated with increased efficiency. This is consistent with the fact that Dan, who made frequent use of such verbalizations, was a very advanced reader for his age. His frequent glances at me during particularly troublesome spots could have been related to social referencing. He appeared to want to ask me for help, but never did. Instead he simply looked at me as he tried to pronounce the word, as if trying to guage my facial reaction to see if he was right.Conclusion Dan appeared to be, aside from his diagnosed problems of cerebral palsy and panic attacks, a fairly normal, though cognitively advanced, nine year old boy. His reading every thing aloud struck me as somewhat unusual, and I have no sure explanantion as to why; perhaps he feels that he learns better through auditory stimulation. He also seemed to use private speech more than the average nine year old would, but as I discussed earlier, some studies have linked this to better problem solving abilities and high cognitive performance.References Gambrell, L. B. , (1994). What motivates children to read? Scholastic Literacy Research Paper, 2 Gottfried, A. E. & Gottfried, A. W. , (1996). A longitudinal study of academic intrinsic motivation in intellectually gifted children; Childhood through early adolescence. Gifted Child Quarterly, 40 (4), 179-183 Goodman, S. H. , (1981). The intergration of verbal and motor behavior in preschool children. Child Development. 52 (1), 280-289 Child Observation PSY 122 Child Growth and Development *Key Assessment: OBSERVATION *OF A CHILD and GROUP OF CHILDREN (This key assessment will be in 2 parts; *a total of 4 separate observation papers*) NAEYC Standards and Supportive skills: Standard 1 Promoting Child Development and Learning a Knowing and understanding young children’s characteristics and needs 1b Knowing and understanding the multiple influences on development and learning Standard 3 Observing, Documenting, and Assessing to Support Young Children and Families 3b Knowing about and using observation, documentation, and other appropriate assessment tools and techniques 3c Understanding and practicing responsible assessment Supportive Skill 2 Mastering and Applying Foundational Concepts from General Education Supportive Skill 3 Written and Verbal communication Skills Supportive Skill 4 Skills in Making Connections between Prior Knowledge/Experience and New Learning Observation 2: Observe a different child in 2 new area/activities* Part 2: *Observation 3: Observe a group of children inte*racting in one of the following *area/*activities* Observation 4: Observe another group of children interacting in a different area/activities* *Areas/Activities include: PSY 122 Child Growth and Development Key Assessment: OBSERVATION *OF A CHILD and GROUP OF CHILDREN (This key assessment will be in 2 parts) Observation Paper Format Observation Paper # 4 REMEMBER: To use pseudonym (not real name) Describe what the child (ren) are doing and saying (use quotation marks) during the length of your observation. Be specific, objective, and descriptive. Avoid judgmental statements (i. e. â€Å"That little boy was bad. † ). Kids Towne day care is located in an industrial park in Branford, CT. It currently has 75 children enrolled. Inside, the daycare is broken up into class rooms by age. On this day, I chose to observe the preschool room. The classroom currently has 20 children enrolled but not all the children attend daily. On this day there were 14 children in the classroom. The ages range from 3 years old to 4. 5 years old. The ratio of boys to girls is 2:1. Around 8:00am, I began watching the entire group of children. The structure of their day begins at 8:00am with â€Å"circle time. † Miss Sam, the teacher of the preschool room, announces to the children â€Å"Circle time! † I watched as they all came running. â€Å"Sit on a letter. † Miss Sam instructs the children. In the middle of the room there is a huge carpet with all the letters of the alphabet on it. Each child sits on a letter of their choice. â€Å"I want J† says a little boy named Jonah. Once all the children are seated Miss Sam begins with the date and the weather. â€Å"Its chilly outside today† she tells the students. â€Å"Mommy made me wear my jacket but I didn’t want to. † Says a boy named Alex. Shortly after the date and weather, the room breaks out in song. â€Å"The wheels on the bus go round and round†¦Ã¢â‚¬  sing the children. I notice that one girl is not singing. She is sitting with her legs crossed with her elbows on her knees and her head down. When the song finishes, Miss Sam asks Meghan, â€Å"What’s wrong? † â€Å"I have a headache Miss Sam. † â€Å"Well, maybe you’ll feel better after we make our monster puppets? † Meghan didn’t answer. â€Å"Who wants to make monster puppets? † asks Miss Sam. â€Å"Meeeeeeee! † several children proclaimed. I watched as the kids ran to the art center where two long rectangular tableswere side by side. All the boys sat at one table, and all the girls sat at the other. Miss Sam gave each child a brown lunch bag and spread crayons, markers, feathers, pom poms and glue on the table. Miss Sam showed the children a monster puppet that she had made. Mine is going to be pink† said one of the little girls. â€Å"Mine too† said another. I watched as the children worked on their puppets. â€Å"Roarrrrrrrr† said one boy who was coloring his bag green. When the children finished their puppets they all held them up and shared them with pride. Section II. Inferences/Interpretations: Section III: Theorist: Choose a theory/theorist (i. e. Piaget, Vygotsky, Erikson, Skinner, Bronfenbrenner, etc. ) and include a discussion on how this theory would explain what you have observed about the child (ren)’s behavior and development.