“Amotivational Syndrome”

Jesse Love â€Å"Amotivational Syndrome† and Marijuana use: An Ongoing Debate November 30, 2008 The positive or negative effects of marijuana usage are a common point of discussion among psychologists. One of the more common debates surrounds â€Å"Amotivational Syndrome† (i. e. the purported lack of motivation that results from marijuana use). The existence or non-existence of this â€Å"syndrome† has been discussed for over a century among both users and non-users alike (Duncan, 1987, p. 114).The two articles chosen for this essay attempt to determine whether amotivational syndrome is a by-product of marijuana use by applying two separate methods of analysis. By analyzing these articles it will be clear that there is no conclusive evidence that suggests a direct correlation between amotivational syndrome and marijuana use. In 1987, David F. Duncan sought to critique previous studies of marijuana use that claimed amotivational syndrome was a prevalent phenomenon among acute marijuana users.He aimed to challenge previous studies that assumed, in their conclusions, that users of marijuana possessed characteristics of â€Å"introversion, passivity, and lack of achievement-orientation† (Duncan, 1987, p. 114). In his introduction, Duncan introduced cross-cultural examples where marijuana use is actually used as a stimulant; for instance in Jamaica, where he compares marijuana use to North American coffee consumption (Duncan, 1987, p. 115). Duncan concludes that only by conducting a comparative study, i. . by taking a sample of subjects who are both users and non-users, could real evidence for â€Å"marijuana-related antimotivational syndrome† be determined (Duncan, 1987, p. 115). Duncan pointed to the flaws a study conducted by Halikas et al. In 1982. Halikas wanted to determine the â€Å"lifetime prevalence† of amotivational syndrome in lifetime users of marijuana. To do so, he posed a single question meant to encompass th e criterion of amotivational syndrome.The question encompassed elements such as: â€Å"Have you ever had a period when you weren’t depressed or unhappy, but you just seemed to lose your motivation although you weren’t particularly upset by that feeling? † (Duncan, 1987, p. 116). Duncan argued that Halikas et al. ’s study, in particular, was a failure because it failed to offer a comparison between users and non-users. Therefore, Duncan used the same questionnaire and applied it to a series of high-achieving subjects to determine the frequency of amotivational syndrome within a larger population of both users and non-users.Duncan selected two hundred thirty-eight athletic students (some former Olympians) from a European university. All subjects were required to speak English and came from various parts of the world. He began by requesting all subjects to fill out a questionnaire regarding past marijuana consumption. The subjects were subsequently divided i nto three groups: 1) those who had never used marijuana, 2) those who used marijuana daily for a thirty day period in their life and, 3) those who used marijuana but could not fill the requirements for group 2 (Duncan, 1987, p. 17). The results of this initial questionnaire indicated that 47. 7% had never used marijuana, 23. 8% were occasional/experimental users and 24. 1% had been daily users. These three groups also responded to the questionnaire borrowed from Halikas et al. It was determined that there was no significant variation in the frequency of amotivational syndrome among marijuana users (Duncan, 1987, p. 117). These results only serve to debunk the initial findings of Halikas et al. and other psychologists who had followed similar methods of analysis.Indeed, Duncan made this explicit in the conclusion of his report. It is clear from Duncan’s work that a new methodology is required to determine whether amotivational syndrome is more prevalent among marijuana users. The limitations of this research are therefore quite clear. Future studies will require both long and short-term analysis of both users and non-users. Also, a controlled definition of motivation will be required to determine what a lack thereof implies. To make improvements one would therefore need to have access, as Duncan had, to a large body of subjects. It would then e necessary to track these subjects, both users and non-users alike, over a sustained period of time to determine whether or not the likelihood of amotivational syndrome is more common among users or non-users, if there is in fact a difference at all. Duncan ultimately argued that he was still prepared â€Å"†¦to relegate the antimotivational syndrome to the growing scrap heap of discarded marijuana myths† (Duncan, 1987, p. 118). In 2002, Cherek et al. conducted a much more dynamic study of amotivational syndrome, following a number of the suggestions offered years earlier by Duncan.They offered a vague definition of amotivational syndrome as a â€Å"set of characteristics† including â€Å"general apathy†¦loss of productivity†¦lethargy (and) depression† among others (Cherek, Lane and Dougherty, 2002, p. 26). Despite these agreed upon attributes of amotivational syndrome, Cherek et al. also found it difficult to pinpoint the amotivational â€Å"phenomenon†. They recalled some of the studies referred to by Duncan that found a positive correlation between marijuana usage and amotivational syndrome.By recognizing that amotivational syndrome occurred among users and non-users alike, the researchers concluded that amotivational syndrome was ultimately a question of frequency. Cherek et al. also sought to arrive at a conclusive definition of motivation, both theoretically and methodologically. To cross this hurdle, Cherek et al. opted to follow a behavioral approach in conjunction with a progressive ratio schedule (PR) and a fixed-time schedule (FT). In this way, they could â€Å"†¦define and measure motivation by measuring changes in PR responding across changes in reinforcer magnitude† (Cherek et al. , 2002, p. 27).Monetary reward would be used as an operational reinforcement and data would be based on subject response rates. The first experiment involved five males who were occasional marijuana users. It was used to confirm the initial â€Å"proposed operational definition of motivational behavior† which meant that there was a direct ratio between the response time and the motivation (Cherek et al. , 2002, pp. 27-28). The results proved that their initial suppositions were correct and that the changes in response rate and ratios were â€Å"consistent with the operational method† established from the outset of the experiment (Cherek et al. 2002, p. 30). The following two experiments used a different subject base but retained the same reinforcer values. The researchers controlled the THC supply, dividing it i nto three strains of potency. They argued that a decrease in PR response following â€Å"acute marijuana administration† while the keeping the reinforcer at a constant level would indicate decreased levels of motivation (Cherek et al. , 2002, p. 30). The results of Experiment 2 Phase 1 indicated that acute marijuana consumption did alter behavior. However, the results were not dose dependent.Experiment 2 Phase 2 showed that the â€Å"marijuana-induced decreases in responding can be overcome by increasing the reinforcer† (Cherek et. al, 2002, p. 35). This meant that although it was clear that there were overt behavioral differences between marijuana induced subjects and the placebo subjects, these differences could be overcome by offering a motivational stimulus. The researchers concluded that acute marijuana users do exhibit some forms of amotivational behavior. This behavior could be usurped if there was an increase in the reinforcement.They pointed out that other stu dies had achieved results that disconfirmed this conclusion. However, those studies did not offer â€Å"the availability of at least one alternative response† for the subjects. [1] Cherek et al. suggested that one could â€Å"construe† their study as an indication that marijuana does induce amotivational behavior. Still, this is not entirely conclusive because the study solely examined the effects of short-term acute marijuana use. Most of the controversy surrounding marijuana use generally questions whether long-term use, rather than short-term use, effects amotivational behavior. 2] The fact that only short-term marijuana use was studied here is its greatest limitation. It was also limited because of the small number of subjects and the environment in which they were tested (a small room). These articles are particularly interesting for me because I am an occasional marijuana user and have always been concerned about how I will be affected in the long-term. I tend to agree with various elements from both studies. I am convinced, like Duncan that many myths concerning marijuana consumption have circulated for political reasons rather than because of empirical data.I also believe that amotivational syndrome is common among both users and non-users alike. Whether or not users are more disposed to this phenomenon is still up for debate. Cherek et al. ’s study was also intriguing because it demonstrated that amotivational syndrome (whether induced by marijuana or not) could be overcome by increasing the reinforcement. This makes a lot of sense in my world-view, as quite often the individuals I have known will become motivated only if they believe they will reap reasonable rewards. If the rewards are not worth the effort, â€Å"amotivational syndrome† may set it.These studies have demonstrated that there is still much more research to be conducted on the effects of marijuana consumption both in the short- term and the long-term. It appe ars as if there is more speculation regarding marijuana than there is empirical evidence. The topic of amotivational syndrome is particularly troublesome because of the tricky nature of defining motivation. This problem is compounded when conducting a controlled study because there is very little motivation, nor may it be possible, for the participants to behave in a controlled environment as they would in the real world.References Cherek, Don R. , Lane, Scott D. and Dougherty, Donald M (2002). Possible Antimotivational Effects Following Marijuana Smoking Under Laboratory Conditions. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 10(1), 26-38. Duncan, David F. (1987). Lifetime Prevalence of â€Å"Antimotivational Syndrome† Among Users and Non-Users of Hashish. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 1(2), 114-119. ———————– [1] Cherek et al. , 35. [2] Cherek et al. , 36.

Development and use of explosives over the past century

The history of explosives and propellants, also known generally as ‘energetic materials’ began with the material known as gunpowder or black powder, whether the intended use was for civil applications such as rock blasting, military uses in demolition, shell filling (bursting charges) and construction projects, or military and civilian propellant charges for short guns, pistols, rifles or artillery. The individual inventor of black powder will undoubtedly forever remain unknown, but numerous writers such as Drinker (1878), Munroe (1888), Marshall (1915), and Davis (1941, 1943), described what is known about its development and evolution.Until the discovery of nitrated explosive compounds such as nitrocellulose by schonbein and Bottger (independently of one another) and nitroglycerin by Sobrero (all occurring in 1846), the only explosive available for any purpose was black powder. 1) Solid (particulate) propellants; 2) Military explosives; 3) Commercial explosives. Propel lants Propellants may be granular, solid, or liquid. The primary focus was on granular (particulate) material since they are the most commonly encountered by the forensic chemist.Solid propellants are deflagrating materials designed to accelerate a projectile from its position of rest at the breech of a weapon to its full velocity as it exits the tube or barrel. In the ideal (and designed for case), the complete consumption of the propellant and the exit of projectile occurs at the same instant. Propellant gains are thus chemically formulated and physically designed to achieve this end. The gains burn particle to particle at speeds below the speed of sound in the material: this defined the word ‘deflagrating’. Historically such materials have been termed progressive powders.In addition to burning particle- to- particle burns from its free surface inward or, in the case of perforated grains, also from the free surface outward. This characteristic enables the propellant d esigner to size and configure the grains or particles to be totally consumed at the optimum instant. Propellant gains may be found in multitude of shapes and sizes, as might be expected given the varieties of weapons and desired pressures and projectile velocities. Black powder Black powder is the mixture of three components, generally (and originally) charcoal, sulfur, and potassium nitrate.These are typically in the ratio of 15:10:75. Many variations to that ratio have been used: Cundill (1889) lists over 20 varieties, many with sub –varieties. Most of the differences, however, are insignificant. The one major development in the past 100 years is the use of sodium nitrate in some black powder grades. Black powder has an inherent drawback as a military propellant due to the fact that it produces a solid reaction product. Because of this, a dense black cloud is produced upon firing weapon is readily apparent, and after a number of rounds are fired the volume of battlefield sm oke leads to confusion and general chaos.For this reason the development of the ‘smokeless’ propellant charge was an objective of every governments weapons laboratory. Upon the discovery of the nitration reaction this research intensified. Smokeless powder The early history of the nitrated carbohydrates, which includes the 1833 discovery of nitro-starch (called xyloidine by its discoverer, Braconnot) and guncotton, called pyroxyline or pyroxyle be the chemist Pelouze, is thoroughly covered by Devis (1941).Guncotton, nitrocellulose of high nitrogen content (13. 35% to 13. 45%), was the first nitrated material to be tried as a replacement for black powder, but it was too prone to accidents. However its military use continued after it was found that the newly –invented mercury fulminate blasting cap would cause compressed guncotton to detonate, leading to its application as a demolition charge and shell filling. Its use was rather short lived, however due to the int roduction of picric acid.Research was continued on nitrocellulose of lower nitrogen content as a propellant material, and the first good smokeless riffle powder was produced by Vielle in 1886, for the French Government. This was nitrocellulose with either alcohol, kneaded in bread making type machine, rolled out into thin sheets, and then cut into small squares and dried (Military Explosives, 1924). This was a ‘single base’ smokeless powder (nitrocellulose only). In 1888 Nobel invented a powder called Ballistite, which was a low nitrated nitrocotton gelatinized with nitroglycerin: which came to be known as; double base’ powder.In the same year Cordite (given that name because it was extruded in the form of cord or ribbon), a mixture of high nitrated guncotton, nitroglycerine, and Vaseline, gelatinized by means if acetone was developed by an English Committee. (Marshall, 1915) Later ‘triple base’ smokeless powder were developed, containing nitro guani dine in addition to the nitrocotton and nitroglycerin of typical double base powders. Triple base powders were cooler-burning than the single or double base materials and use was mainly restricted to large caliber weapons.Developments in smokeless powder since those early days had been primarily to improve stability, decrease the erosion of the barrel of the weapon, control pressures, decrease smoke output (‘smokeless’ powders are smokeless in comparison to black powder, but still produce visible smoke), and to decrease the muzzle flash from a firing weapon. The geometry of powders may include flakes, tubes, cylinders, sticks, flattened balls, or spheres. Military Explosives As black powder was the first propellant, so it was the first military explosive too.It was used for shell filling, demolition, and military construction projects from the earliest times up until the invention of nitroglycerin. Military explosives as discussed here are those used as the shell filing or ‘bursting charge’ in artillery round and those explosives used for demolition charges. Military construction projects typically use commercial-type explosives, except in field-expedient situations. The brief use of guncotton as a military explosive was noted above. Trinitrotoluene (TNT)During and after World War I the explosive trinitrotoluene (TNT, C7H5N3O6) became the dominant shell filling and demolition charge material. TNT has the advantage of being very easy to cast, since it has a wide spread between its melting and decomposition temperatures. One disadvantage is its extreme insensitivity. In the order to conserve TNT for small caliber shells in World War I, a mixture of TNT and ammonium nitrate (‘amatol’) was developed. It was specified for use only in shell of $. 7-inch to 9. 2-inch diameter (Crowell, 1919) but in actual practice it was used in all sizes.For the same reason of conserving TNT, nitro starch explosives were used very successfully in that war for hand grenades and trench mortar shells (Williams, 1920). Tetryl Tetryl (2, 4, 6-trinitrophenyllmethylnitramine, N-2, 4, 6-tetra-nitro-N-methyl aniline, or picrylmethyl nitramine) was used in military boosters, but has generally been replaced by materials such as RDX and HMX. The ‘tetrytols’ are mixtures of tetryl and TNT, which were utilized in boosters, demolition charges, shells, and shaped charges. The TNT generally ranged from 20 to 35 percent of the mixture.An advantage of tetrytol is that it allows the casting of the explosive into munitions rather than requiring pressing. It is also more powerful than TNT, but not as sensitive as tetryl alone. RDX and HMX Between the world Wars a number of explosives were developed, and after the start of the second war a vast amount of explosives research took place. One of the most important and useful military explosive is RDX (an acronym for ‘Research Department Explosive’), which was discovered i n 1899, but not used until World War II.It is also called cyclonite, hexagen, and cyclo-trimethylenetrinitramine. HMX was another explosive used for military applications during and after World War II. The initials are said to stand for â€Å"High Melting Explosive’, although other sources for the acronym are sometimes cited. It is also called cyclo-tetramethylenetetranitramine or octogen. (Beveridge 1-4) Blasting and Use of Explosives Only authorized persons can handle and use explosives. No person using explosives is allowed to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.Nothing which could be an ignition source, such as matches, open flames, or smokers, is to be around explosives. Accountability is required to assure that explosives are under the care of a qualified person. All blasting aboveground is done between sunup and sundown and, when blasting is done, blasters are to take special precaution near public utilities, around transportation conveyances, and near public a reas to assure safety and mitigate any damage. Care must be taken to assure that accidental premature ignition does not occur from stray electrical sources or radio transmitters.The blaster is to be considered a competent person in the use and care of explosives, and have experience with the type of blasting methods being used. The transportation of explosive and blasting materials must conform to the department of Transportation regulatory provisions. Drivers of trucks containing explosives and blasting equipment must be licensed and should be in good physical and mental condition. No blasting materials are to be transported with other cargo and blasting caps are not to be transported in the same vehicle as other explosives.These vehicles should be marked with a placard signifying â€Å"Explosives† and have a fully charged fire extinguisher. (Reese, Edison 648) Different uses of an Explosive Blasting is extremely important both to mining and the world economy. The saying is often used, â€Å"If it can’t be grown it has to be mined,† however if the ground is too hard to be mechanically mined economically, it has to be blasted. Certainly many materials, such as iron, copper and concrete to name but a few would be significantly more expensive if it weren’t for explosives and our ability to easily drill holes to use these explosives efficiently.Shock wave compression technology is not only a means of extremely high-pressure generation, but also a means of extremely high-temperature production in solids. When dynamite shock load is applied to solids by means of explosive and high-speed impact, the shock pressure and the shock temperature generated depend on the shock load and the density of the solid. Between 1985 and early 1991, there were 182 incendiary or explosive devices planted in Great Britain by animal-rights activists.This number accounted for approximately 50 percent of all explosive devices planted in all of Great Britain, ma king it numerically a larger problem in Great Britain than incidents attributed to the provisional Irish Republican Army. However, the majority of these devices were far less sophisticated and far less dangerous than the PIRA devices. In 1980 in Great Britain, the first use of high explosives by animal-rights terrorists took place. These acts appear to have been perpetrates by a small group, which had obtained a high explosive used both in military operations and in commercial applications, such as quarries.First it was used against the staff restaurant at Bristol University, where a 5-puound bomb was set off about midnight, wrecking about two floors of the building. More recently in 1990, the same explosive was used presumably by the same group in two car bobs. In one case, a passing infant was severely wounded. Conclusion During the past centuries, it has been proved that there is a beginning international acknowledgement of the future need for demolition of plants and buildings. There is also evidence of an increasing interest in demolition techniques and the re-use of building materials.There are literally hundreds of different types of explosives, varying from black powder used in pipe bombs (still a favorite of domestic bombers), to dynamite sticks, and from blocks of TNT to plastic explosives that can be molded into diverse forms, including thin sheets. A dozen or so of the most notable explosives are used by the terrorists. Of particular note are the explosives RDX and PETN which, together with plastic and other fillers, compose many plastic explosives such as Detasheet and SEMTEX.Explosives are mostly harmful (destructive) but on the other hand in many cases they are useful (constructive) too. Doctors, Engineers use explosives in a constructive way while at the same time criminals and terrorists use explosive in the destructive way. There are many uses of explosives such as Mining, Pyrotechnics, Building Demolition and even Construction. Explosives ar e also used in Carve Mount Rushmore, Avalanches and are used in backcountry for Trail Maintenance. Explosive are used in Medicines to break-up kidney-stones. Works cited Beveridge, Alexander. Forensic Investigation of Explosions. New York: CRC Press, 1998. 1,2,3,4 Kasai, Yoshio. Kenkyuio, Kenchiku, Kensetsusho. (Japan), Nihon Daigaku. Demolition and Reuse of Concrete and Masonry: Proceedings of the Second†¦.New York: Taylor & Francis, 1998. 49 Technology against terrorism: the federal effort, US: DIANE Publishing, (1992) Reese, D. Charles. Eidson, V. James. Handbook of OSHA Construction Safety and Health New York: CRC Press, 2006. 648

Personal Statement French Studies Essay

Dear Sir, Dear Madam, I am writing in application for a place in your graduate program, namely the Ph. D. in French Studies with a concentration in Language and Identity, to start in the fall of 2006. I am currently completing my Master 1 at the Sorbonne University (Paris Ill), having also acquired my B. A. (Licence) in that institution. My Bachelors and my current Masters at the Sorbonne primarily consist of the study of French literature and dramaturgical texts from the 16th up until the present day. I have had the opportunity to study in depth classic authors uch as Moliere, Racine or Corneille. I have been especially marked by the latter author in his tragedy â€Å"Le Cid†. My education has also included the works of Rousseau, Beaumarchais, Montesquieu, Hugo, Zola Chateaubriand, Apollinaire, Aragon and other 18th to 20th Century writers. Many of the ideas advanced by these 18th Century writers went on to play a tremendous role in shaping France and Europe via their influence on the revolutionaries of 1789. Hugo and Zola also influenced their generation by exposing societal injustice in their works, most notably n â€Å"Germinal†and â€Å"Les Miserables†. Throughout my high school and university education I have studied foreign languages such as French and English. I have always had a particular passion for France (where I have lived for several years) and French culture and language. I was admitted to the Perm State University in order to learn French. In order to broaden my knowledge I enthusiastically took up the opportunity to move to France, where I have spent most of the last five years of my life, working and studying at the same time. When I arrived in France, I worked as an au pair (alongside my studies), as well as for a tour operator. I have also taught French to both teenagers and adults while in Russia, and Russian and French whilst in France. These experiences have greatly aided me in developing my teaching and communication capabilities. I also have a long-standing interest for history, art and politics, both within Europe, the US, the former Soviet Union and the wider world. I have found these interests to be extremely helpful when studying literature, ocieties and cultures during my education, as they enable one to understand the underlying meaning of texts which are at times hidden, or to place such texts in their broader context. During my education I have closely studied the evolution of the treatment of women in both France and Russia. It seems natural for me to advance as a thesis proposal comparative research into the influence of French and American 20th Century literature on the condition of women in France and the US, and to determine the impact that this had on other groups of society. This topic would allow me to examine issues ranging from personal and group identities to politics and philosophy. I will also be able to bring into such research my own background, as I have also studied extensively Russian authors like Chekhov who also focus on these issues in plays like â€Å"Three Sisters† or â€Å"Uncle Vanya†. I take a great interest in research work, may it be for my courses at university or during my internship in New Orleans, and find it both challenging and extremely rewarding. I have always wanted o graduate from such a prominent institution as Tulane University, which has a well- deserved reputation for excellence. More specifically, study in New Orleans, with Ph. D. in French Studies from Tulane University would constitute both a highly beneficial experience for me and an additional step towards becoming an expert in French literary culture and thought, possibly working in the academic field or within the broader intellectual community. ‘ am motivated and extremely hard working, and would relish the opportunity to study at your institution. I am grateful for your consideration.

Paper of analyzing gender performance in Frozen Essay

Paper of analyzing gender performance in Frozen - Essay Example l mold of society-generated female behavior expectations to create a persona of a self-assured and assertive individual which is more akin to a male personality while Olaf the Snowman is portrayed as a more sensitive and emotional character akin to the stereotypical female persona. To illustrate these gender defiances, when Anna’s sister turns up missing, Anna decides to take on the responsibility of finding her in a very difficult natural environment. This illustrates that she is confident and self-sufficient, willing to give the impression that she can surely take care of herself. When she leaves Hans, a male, to maintain watchfulness of the castle, it again illustrates her capability to face the dangers she might encounter without assistance from a male character. In fact, it is not the male characters that, proverbially, save the day. It is Anna who releases a powerful punch to the enemy to be the heroine of the story, something typically reserved for the masculine persona under traditional male stereotypes. Anna determines that she must rescue her sister and spare her from danger, reasserting (giving) that she can be authoritative, dominant and even brawny when circumstances call for this behavior. Furthermore, there is a scene where Kristoff suggests that he â€Å"might cry† because of all of the ice he is witnessing. This gives Anna an opportunity to give a dominant persona, when she informs Kristoff to â€Å"go ahead, I won’t judge†. In a male/female relationship, it is typically considered that males serve as a comforting force for the more emotional woman in periods of stress or conflict. In this scene, Anna does not appear to be emotionally-affected by the environment and unconsciously gives off a more masculine personality. It is likely that if Disney producers were intending to support gender stereotyping, Anna might also have illustrated an emotional response and been witnessed crying in the heat of the moment. This too tends to break the mold of

Consumer and decision making behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Consumer and decision making behaviour - Essay Example Hence, the concept of status consumption as a process of consuming goods and services by status conscious consumers has gained traction in recent years. Though status consumption was always a trend, the fact that the advent of the global village with its mass manufactured visions of happiness has meant that brands and products that they represent can have uses other than the basic need gratification for which they are made (O’Cass & McEwen, 2010). The paper looks at the concept of status consumption and how a marketer might be able to use status to market a product type or specific brand. To start with, there are many definitions of status consumption. For the purposes of this paper the following definition would be relevant: â€Å"Status consumption relates to the consumers’ behavior of seeking to purchase goods and services for the status they confer, regardless of that consumer’s objective income or social class† (Eastman et al., 1999; Bourdieu, 1989). It is worth noting that status consumption often involves expensive goods and services and that consumers use these goods and services on special occasions and events rather than on a regular basis. One reason for the proliferation of goods used as status symbols is because of the mass marketing techniques of marketers, many products have become commodities and hence consumers have an innate desire to consume goods and services that are perceived to be superior in value. This is the need that astute marketers tap into when marketing goods that they label as premium or exclusive. To take this poi nt a bit further, recent nomenclature in advertisements and marketing collateral for the so-called status products tends to highlight the â€Å"exclusivity† of a particular good or service and to connote that by consuming that good or service, the consumer is being conferred a special status in society (Turunen & Laaksonen, 2011). It has been noted by many researchers that status consumption

Juvenile gang in Birmingham, AL Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Juvenile gang in Birmingham, AL - Research Paper Example This paper will examine the nature of gang problem in Birmingham, Alabama. Gang presence in Birmingham, Alabama is a real problem just as it is in the various states that make up the US. A gang may be defined as a group of 2 or more people, who come together for the common purpose of acquiring financial and/or political benefits through illegal means (Delaney, 2005). To achieve this, gang members utilize violence, intimidation, harassment and other unconventional means to establish and maintain their influence and significance in areas, which they perceive as their territories. Gangs, therefore, are a major threat to security within their areas of operation and though the federal government and state governments have continued to arrest and prosecute gang members, not much has been achieved (Delaney, 2005). This paper is a critical evaluation of gangs and gang related crimes in Birmingham, Alabama. Gang violence in Birmingham, Alabama is not a new phenomenon especially due to the fact that it is one of the places in the US, which are rich destinations for immigrants (Howell, 2011). However, the authorities, in the past, have continued to downplay and under report gang existence probably in an effort to mask their inability to deal with the problem. On the other hand, some law enforcers and community leaders especially in the FBI gang taskforce have acknowledged the rising cases of gang behavior especially in the young population comprising mostly of school children. The taskforce observed that immigration of people of Hispanic origin to the region has been one of the major contributing factors to gang behavior in the area as they are known to have the culture of influencing and participating in organized criminal activities such as drug and gun trafficking. Reports indicate that gangs, such as SUR 13, which is highly associated with Mexican mafia, have

Curriculum Alignment for 3rd Grade Research Paper

Curriculum Alignment for 3rd Grade - Research Paper Example It is a recognized element that the standards in place demand that a learner gains knowledge so as to address the immediate need of passing tests and SAT’s. This should not be the case in the modern educational setting. Knowledge must be gained for the learner to have the capability of addressing any issues they come across in life. This application should be quick and even in the face of difficult challenges; learners might apply this knowledge to advance onto the next stages (Falk, 2012). This paper will examine one subject area, and some recommendations that may assist learners cope with the present situations. Subject and grade that need assistance It is crucial to nurture the minds of learners at a tender age. This is where the mind is eager to learn and receive new ideologies. In 3rd grade, it is highly vital for educators to instil a number of methods of educating learners. At this stage, it is particularly easy for the learners mind to be distracted. During learning se ssions, teachers may find it difficult to capture the learner’s attention throughout the whole session. It would be considered a waste of treasured period if the pupil got into class, and only benefitted from the first few minutes of the lesson. Teachers need to understand that having long periods is detrimental to the minds of young learners. It does not make sense to the learner to have long periods of which they do the same thing, and do not grasp any new concept (Elmore & Green, 2006). In mathematics, for example, some of the learners find it problematic to handle new concepts. Instead of teachers taking the time to teach these new concepts and later explain them, they are keener on finishing one concept while heading to another. This is one of the core reasons why learners end up hating mathematics as a subject. Effective mathematics should provide the learner with an instructional program that is balanced. In this approach, the learner acquires basic computational exper tise. They also grasp the basic concepts they are provided with, and become adept at solving mathematical problems (Kagan & Kauerz, 2012). Some improved/advocated for standards in mathematics are underway and are of significance to this stage in learning. How teachers and all stakeholders will provide for curriculum alignment Teachers and guardians in the school should participate fully in the learner’s intellectual growth. This provides a cushion for the child to fall onto whenever a problem arises during the course of their studies. To improve the relationship between the parent, teacher, and learner, it is crucial for the parties to sit down and advice each other. They can advise each other on all possible things that go on in each other’s lives. This is because they must help each other understand how to relate with one another. Learners at this stage tend to relate to their elders by acting out, or lashing out at them. This is one way for the created forums to rea ch out to them, and teach them ways of how to communicate (Kagan & Kauerz, 2012). The taught curriculum in this class should go hand in hand with the school calendar. This is to prevent the pushing of course content into the next academic year. Usually when this happens, the learner is at a disadvantage. They do not acquire the needed knowledge at the time they are supposed to, which makes them stagnate at the previous level (Mooney & Mausbach, 2008). They, therefore, lack the

International Market Entry and Development Essay - 5

International Market Entry and Development - Essay Example These diverse markets differ with the local ones in terms of the needs of customers, their buying patterns, the cultures and traditions followed by the customers etc. The process for market research starts with defining the problem and planning out the objectives of the research. This is often the most difficult step of this process as this step gives a direction to the entire research process. Once the problems and objectives have been identified, the researchers must establish the extent of information needed and develop a plan for gathering the needed information along with the management plan for the research. The research objectives must be transformed into information needs which are clear and specific. The research plan can include the collection of either secondary or primary data. Secondary data is the data which has already been conducted before for some other purpose whereas primary data is one which is to be collected for the specific purpose of the international market r esearch. For international market research, the researchers need to carry out primary research due to the lack of secondary data. The next step is to actually implement the research plan and this involves collecting, processing as well as analyzing information. This step of the process is the most expensive step and needs to be carried out with a lot of attention. The researchers must analyze the collected data and tabulate results. The last step is to interpret the findings in order to find conclusions and report it to the management for further action. With the increase in globalization, companies have to sell products not only in their domestic countries but also in international countries and markets. The companies have realized that they need to change some aspects of their products in order to cater to the specific needs of the buyers in international markets. This is known as

The Modernization and Dependency Theories of Development Essay

The Modernization and Dependency Theories of Development - Essay Example the United States and the United Kingdom) and the less developed countries found in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.This paper aims to present a comparative analysis between the modernization theory and the dependency theory; as such our aim is to highlight the differences in assumption and arguments of both theories that renders them to be of two opposing poles. We shall also attempt to investigate the points in which these frameworks meet and the issues they can find agreement on. It is imperative to first give a brief overview of the contents of both theories in order for as to clearly see the borders in which they work.Modernization as used in social sciences and in this case is defined as the transformation from a traditional, bucolic, and agrarian society into an urbanized and industrialized one (Johnson, 2005a). The social changes that constitute and results from such shift affects the society in which it is occurring entirely, a forward looking development in the lives of its constituents, and also deemed to be irreversible by modernist theorists.Modernization theory placed this concept as an overriding notion for its framework, initially putting emphasis and being born out of the rapid advancement of technology and the mass media during the 1950's and 60's (Johnson, 2005a). It can be recognized as having adapted features from the classic evolutionary theory as well as the functionalist theory. In terms of its evolutionary aspects, modernization theory is a process, literally a social and economic evolution, whereby it claims that all states go through various phases of development in a unidirectional/linear way. The most adopted formulation of such a view, is that of Walter Rostow's Stages of modernization: a.) the traditional (non-modern society that is still agriculturally based, and whose social structure is values and kinship oriented); b.) the takeoff stage can be triggered by natural, rapid climb to modernity because of the set of ideas of indivi dualism, democracy and economic opportunity or pressure to adapt in the rise of other developing countries (this phase may be further characterized by a rise in investment and entrepreneurship, transportation and communications, economic shifts being technological shifts); c.) Drive to technological maturity (marked by the flourishing of national economy and dependence on foreign trade links is dictated by economic calculations and political priorities, not by technical and institutional necessities etc.); and the last stage would be the d.) mass-consumption marked by increase income thus rendering mas consumption possible, consumer goods and services centered production, and an investment in the welfare state (Julkunen, 2006). The modernization theory asserts that the well developed countries have reached the advance stages if not the epitome of development and are at a position that could provide aide and role-modelling for the less developed states. One of the controversial claims of modernization is its appeal to homogenize society, by proposing that third world countries mimic/emulate the example of those in the western world. Dependency in itself refers to the over reliance of one nation on another. Dependency theory arised as a response to the modernization theory; it's core principles and assumptions can be considered to be opposite to those upheld by the latter mentioned. The central claim of this theory is that there exist a highly unequal distribution of Power and resources in the world economic system, and places less developed countries (LCDs) in a dependent position in relation to the industrial powers (Johnson, 2005b). Being one of the many

Linguistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Linguistics - Essay Example The paper throws light on language as a device for communication, which gives people a means of comprehending each other. According to some English dictionaries the word â€Å"ain’t† is considered inappropriate. However, words are not described by short, clever explanations but are defined by the experiences of the listening. Language is known to change frequently. It is sometimes difficult to comprehend someone who uses terms, words or phrases that you have never heard before. The descriptive approach suggests that people should study language as it is rather than taking the models of language and enforcing them on people. As linguists affirm that the need of updating language manuals and dictionaries is becoming more vital. This materializes since new technologies, ideas, concepts, and new styles of communication and words shape themselves within the people and supplant older ones. Industries and sciences develop new concepts and technologies daily. Therefore, they ou ght to be and are being mirrored in our day-to-day language, acknowledged in our daily life. Particular words change their connotation; some become obsolete, others gain new meanings which are diverse from earlier ones. Alterations such as the creation of new words, concepts and ideas are not happening in some specific language, but in most of the languages in the world. Descripts suggest there is a need to study and understand words and languages or in other words describe them. (Rogers, p. 81). Supporters of descriptive approach claim that it is imperative to know them, notice, contemplate and become used to the vicissitudes. Not only does the industry influence the language, but the language is also influenced by it too. In his graft David Crystal explicated this portent as follows: "This would form a fragment of a much broader economic perspective, in which the traditional view, that the economy influences language, is supplemented by the notion that language exercises a strong influence on the economy. There are several domains in which languages play an important role, and thus contribute to their economic success" (Crystal, p. 172). As prescripts argue that there is a need for people to learn how to pronounce words and speak the languages since new and alternative words appear to name new things and processes, new idiomatic expressions, metaphors, similes and spellings appear to express older ones which are progressively getting out of use. Therefore, prescripts claim that these innovations sometimes stay undetected or not much responsiveness is paid to them. They become parts of our day-to-day communication and are used as though there is nothing new in them and hence there is more to be done than just describing them (Renouf & Kehoe, p. 31). Nonetheless, supporters of descriptive approach claim that if the change is recognized, it can face two likely reactions. The first one entails noting on them, trying to describe and categorize them, determining w hether to take them or not or merely accommodating them without any reservations. This is what is involved in descriptive approach. The approach intends to clearly and precisely define how some features of the language are made use of in communication (Kroch, p. 90). On the other hand, this may result to the comprehension that all the etymological units have same the features and may be categorized similarly. Contemporary linguists have a preference of applying descriptive approach to language since it does not necessitate them to decide what the language must look like or recommend what particular rules must be used. The descriptive approach obliges them only to define what language is, what fresh changes have surfaced, what their basic qualities are, and in what way are they used in communication

Dell Goes Back to its PC Roots Essay Example for Free

Dell Goes Back to its PC Roots Essay Dell is a computer company that made its name by first selling personal computers directly to customers through their website, catalogs, and over the phone. As time passed, Dell expanded into related product lines while battling aggressive rivals such as Hewlett Packard and Apple, striving to be the number one consumer brand in the United States. Despite considerable research and marketing investment, Dell’s strategy to expand into other related product lines did not succeed, and the company was forced to regain its focus on PC sales. This case includes the steps taken by Dell to uphold its legendary PC roots. Key Marketing Issues †¢Brand – A name, term, design, symbol, or other feature that identifies one marketer’s product as distinct from those of other marketers. Dell is shining up its brand by improving customer service, which is especially important as PC sales grow more slowly throughout the industry and competitors dig in to defend market share. †¢Early Adopters – People who adopt new products early, choose new products carefully, and are viewed as â€Å"the people to check with† by later adopters. Dell is not looking to pioneer revolutionary new lines for early adopters, but has gone back to their PC roots, emphasizing related home office products. †¢Innovators – First adopters of new products. †¢Line Extensions – Development of a product that is closely related to existing products in the line but is designed specifically to meet different customer needs. Over the years, Dell has expanded into related product lines while battling rivals, hoping to obtain larger revenues. †¢Product Line – A group of closely related product items viewed as a unit because of marketing, technical, or end-use considerations. Over the years, Dell has expanded into related product lines while battling aggressive rivals, hoping to derive an ever-larger portion of revenues and profits from a wider mix of products for use beyond the home office. †¢Product Mix – The composite, or total, group of products that an organization makes available to customers. Dell has returned to its PC roots, emphasizing computers and laptops, inkjet and laser printers, networking equipment, and related products for home office use, after the failure of their consumer electronics strategy. †¢Product Life Cycle – The progression of a product through four stages: introduction, growth, maturity, and decline. Dell introduced the Dell Digital Jukebox and Dell Music Store to compete with Apple’s iPods and iTunes store. However, Apple had so much momentum that Dell was forced to discontinue its own brand of music players. Personal Case Analysis I learned that Dell first made is name selling personal computers directly to customers through its website, catalogs, and phone orders. With a long history of marketing technology-based products, Dell has become a well-known U.S. brand. Despite considerable research, Dell’s attempt to enter the lucrative $100 billion world of consumer electronics did not succeed. Although Dell faces intense competition from other consumer electronics companies, they never stop looking for new ways to shine up its brand by improving customer service, an especially important step as PC sales grow more slowly throughout the industry and competitors dig in to defend market share. Case Questions 1-Why would Dell not pioneer revolutionary new products for innovators and early adaptors the way its competitor Apple does? According to wsu.edu, an early adaptor is a person who quickly adopts something new-usually a technological innovation. Our text defines innovators as first adopters of new products. Today Dell has gone back to its PC roots, emphasizing computers and laptops, inkjet and laser printers, networking equipment, and related products for home and office use. Because of its’ failed attempts to launch new products, the company is not looking to pioneer revolutionary new lines for innovators or early adopters. Instead it adds new features to products with a proven market, finds ways to make production more cost effective, and seeks to distribute both Dell and non-Dell products as efficiently as possible. 2-In what stage of the product life cycle do personal computers appear to be? How does this explain Dell’s attempt to expand into consumer electronics? According to answers.ask.com, a product’s life cycle describes the stages products experience when introduced to the market. There are four general stages including: introductory stage, when marketers raise awareness of the product; growth stage, when increase in market share is sought; mature stage, when producers of the product have maximized market share and minimized costs and the decline stage, when competitors entering the market erode market share and profits begin to decline (anwers.ask.com). The stage that Dell’s personal computers appear to be in is the maturity stage. With a long history of marketing technology-based products, Dell has become a well-known U.S. brand. Their management saw the brand as a strength to exploit in marketing new flat-screen televisions, tiny digital music players, and other non-computer products. Dell launched its consumer electronics items just as major technological developments were roiling the industry and changing how consumers buy and use such products. Dell was caught in the crossfire of intense competition. At the start of the consumer electronics initiative, the company introduced the Dell Digital Jukebox and the Dell Music Store, putting it on a competitive collision course with Apple’s popular iPods and iTunes store. Dell discontinued its brand and has been reselling products made by Samsung and other manufacturers. This allows Dell to satisfy customer demand for certain for consumer electronics without incurring the high cost of research and development. 3-How far can Dell widen its product mix without hurting the company’s credibility? For example, what might be the impact of new products such as Dell motorcycles or Dell frozen pastries? According to enotes.com, the product mix of a company, which is generally defined as the total composite of products offered by a particular organization, consists of both product and individual products. A product line is a group of products within the product mix that are closely related, either because they function in a similar manner, are sold to the same customer groups are marketed through the same types of outlets, or fall within given price ranges. Over the years, Dell has become a popular U.S. brand, which was viewed as a strength to emerge into the market of new flat screen televisions, digital music players, and other products. Although Dell did a considerable amount of research and development to make these products a success, the strategy did not succeed. For this reason, Dell should not attempt to widen its product mix, because it has been proven that doing so will hurt the company’s creditability. Dell motorcycles or Dell frozen pastries would definitely hurt the company’s creditability, because they are known as a number one computer company. Dell should continue to develop and emphasize computers, printers, and other home office related products to maintain its creditability. Conclusions For Dell to continue to successfully market to its consumers and uphold its legendary PC roots and name brand, they must develop the optimal product line by understanding buyers’ goals. The product life cycle is also an important concept to make sure the introduction, alteration, and termination of a product are timed and executed properly, helping to better maintain profitable products and drop unprofitable ones. Although Dell does not pioneer revolutionary new products for innovators and early adopters the way its competitors does, they stand strong in the PC market. Line extensions, however, are used to successfully take market share from competitors.

Zen masters Essay Example for Free

Zen masters Essay Same as Buddhism, Zen became accommodated for those, who practice it. So, it obtained new characteristics in the West. This process of accommodation was repeated in each country where Zen appeared. Nowadays masters, who learn Zen in Vietnam, China, Korea or Japan, established their own schools in the Western countries. All these established schools have unchangeable elements, but at the same time they contain a lot of elements, which differ for each country. It is hard to image all challenges non-theistic, oriental teaching can meet while assimilating in the West. Zen becomes transformed by Western society but the society itself also gets transformed by Zen. There are several basic challenges Zen practitioners meet in the West. North Americans and Europeans have implemented new traditions to Zen Buddhism. Annual meeting of representatives of different Zen Buddhism schools if one of such innovations. Such practice is not accepted in Asian counties, where Zen masters did not communicate much with each other. In the annual meetings, organized in the west practitioners and masters from different Zen schools, come together to share their experience and discuss important issues. â€Å" As Bodhin Kholhede, an abbot of Rochester Zen Center, states, â€Å"Within individual Sanghas, too, we have seen a general horizontalization of authority since the first generation of (mostly Asian) Zen teachers founded their centers† (Kholhede, 340). There are major changes inside the monasteries and Zen centers, as well. They also get influenced by secular tendency and the balance between spiritual and secular is often moved to the side of secular. Zen originates from China, the country where Confucian traditions have influenced all social, religious and political processes. Propriety, filial piety and obedience to authority are the main principles of Confucianism, which had great influence on all religious movements and Zen is not an exception. Special relations between masters and disciples became one of the distinctive features of Zen Buddhism. Master had almost unlimited power on his students and there were even cases when masters killed their disciples. It is evident that these principles could not have been accepting by the Western society and North American one. Confucian principles could not be used for Western tradition of Zen. First Western Zen centers based on these principles could not attract many followers and had to adapt to Western ideology. Zen had to undergo serious transformation in the question concerning an attitude to women. In Asian countries women were not usually allowed to participate in Zen practices, especially they were not allowed to become masters. As Bodhin Kholhede notices, â€Å"The largely invisible role of women in Asian Buddhism is no secret. Official teacher lineages, or â€Å"patriarchal lines,† are by definition composed exclusively of men† (Kholhede). It is not that women were not seeking for awakening and did not want to commit their life to spiritual quest. Such a role of women in Zen and Buddhism was conditioned by the role of women in Asian society. Women were not considered to have same spiritual and religious abilities as men did. It is evident that such ideas could not have been accepted by Western Zen practitioners. Western women took active part in Zen practice and this finally caused the change in behavior, and attitude towards women. Introduction of women to Zen practice had another important meaning. Nowadays Western Zen centers try to replace hard and exhausting practices with more moderate ones in order to make them suitable for both, male and female practitioners. The change of female role also influences Zen vocabulary. Some phrases which could have been addressrd to male practitioners only now become gender neutral. For example, the very term â€Å"patriarchal line†, which means the line of masters who succeed each other, is some monasteries is now replace to â€Å"ancestral line† in order to underline that women also can be Zen masters. Western Individualism has become a serious obstacle for Zen in the West. All Western culture is distinguished by striving to individualism and self-autonomy. While these notions are not widely developed in Asian countries, they have become central in the West. Individualism is peculiar to all Western countries, â€Å"but it is qualitatively different from the traditional Asian conception of self, in which a person is defined within a nexus of social relations, and dependent on a contextual web consisting of other persons as well as place, time, and history. This definition resonates strongly with Buddhist doctrine, in which the self is so thoroughly interdependent that it has no essential reality† (Kholhede, 342).

Relationship between energy consumption and economic development

Relationship between energy consumption and economic development In the recent years China has rapidly developed into one of the largest economies in the World. China has shifted from the 108th to the 72nd rank on the World Development Index. The economic growth, industrialization and the urbanization have resulted to an annual average real GDP growth rate of 8 to 9 percent. The real income per capita has increased in this period, with the factor 10. This impressive growth however also implies higher environmental pressures despite new technological improvements of resource utilization being applied. The enormous growth of China results in substantially higher energy consumption. This goes hand in hand with higher CO2 emissions. The primary energy consumption in China has grown at an annual average rate of 6% between 1965 and 2008, with the first measurement of 183 oil equivalent million tonnes in 1965, and the latest measurement of 2003 MTN in 2008 (BP Statistical Review of World Energy June 2009). The emission emitted by China in 2007 was 6.466 MTN and 6.897 MTN in 2008, indicating an increase of 6.4%. The global CO2 emission has increased from 31.007 MTN in 2007, to 31.578 MTN in 2008. This represents an increase of 1.6 %. The share of China in the global emission in 2008 according to this information is a stunning 21,8% (BP Statistical Review of World Energy June 2009). The projection of the IPCC (2007) is that the CO2 emission from energy consumption between 2000 and 2030 are estimated to increase with 40 to even 110%. The CO2 emissions in China has exceeded the maximum amount stated in the Kyoto Protocol, which is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change focusing on preventing global warming. China has not been able to meet 10 of the 13 critical points in the current five-year plan, with targets for air and water pollution control (The World Bank, State Environmental Protection Administration, P.R. China, 2007). The overall environmental pollution costs in China are estimated to be about 5.8% of the GDP in China. For example it is estimated that in 2003 the acid rain which is mainly caused by fossil fuel emissions, has caused over 44 million dollars (30 billion Yuan  [1]  ) damage to crops, and an estimated 10,3 million dollars (7 billion Yuan) in damage to building materials in China (The World Bank, State Environmental Protection Administration, P. R. China, 2007) It is clear that economic growth contributes to a higher CO2 emission and global warming. Is this economic growth sustainable in the long term due to the impacts on air pollution? Is it worth the growth of China given the limited amount of resources available and the need for environmental conservation? Countries will have to find a balance between their consumption and economic growth. Various studies have analyzed the relationship between economic growth and the emission of CO2. For instance B. Friedl and M. Getzner (2003) found a significant relationship during the period of 1960 and 1999, with a structural break in the seventies due to the oil price shock. J. B. Ang (2007) found a dynamic relationship between pollutant emissions, energy consumption and economic development. They point out that the more energy is used in the economy, the more CO2 emissions are released, which in its turn has a quadratic relationship with the output in the long run. This indicates that output growth is a reactor for CO2 emissions and energy consumption. This relationship between output and the pollution level has been widely documented as the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC). The EKC hypothesis indicates that the relationship between economic development and the environment is shown as an inverted U-curve, whereas environmental damage first increases with income and over time will stabilize, and eventually declines. China is one of the main driving forces of global warming, with the highest emission value and the highest economic growth rate. Since energy consumption has a direct impact on the level of environmental pollution, China is an interesting country to examine. Amidst the animated debate of global warming and sustainability, the energy consumption will be related as an input factor for economic activity along with the emission of CO2 in China. Other influences which are included are price indices, total gross fixed capital, population and the technological developments. I will make use of the measurements published by the following databases excluding the Chinese Statistical Yearbooks due to incoherent results with these databases; the BP Statistical Review of World Energy, the World Development Indicators database, The Conference Board Total Economy database and the World Intellectual Property Organization database. The outcome of the research could contribute to the debate of the mitigation of global warming and should imply that China has to speed up the technological developments to create or implement energy efficient technologies to reduce the CO2 emissions in line with the targets of the Kyoto Protocol. This implies that policies should be reformulated to stimulate the use of alternative resources and technological developments. The nexus of energy consumption economic development CO2 emission, with price indices, total gross fixed capital, technological development and population. Price indices and fluctuations Investment in Pollution Treatment and RD Technological development Air pollution: CO2 Emission Economic Development: GDP TGFC Consumption Total Energy Consumption: Oil / Gas Coal / Nuclear / Hydro-electricity Households Population Literature review/Background There are two strands of literature relevant in the nexus of energy consumption à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ economic development à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ CO2 emission. The first strand focuses upon the relation between energy consumption and economic development. More energy consumption leads to higher economic development through the enhancement of productivity. The second strand focuses upon the relation between economic growth and CO2 emission. The latter strand represents the interrelation between energy consumption and the increase of CO2, which is well known and obvious. Various studies indicate that more energy use results in more CO2 emission (J.Ang, 2007). Thus any movement of energy use will positively react to the emission level. 2.1 Strand 1 Energy consumption and economic development  [2]   This first strand divides the causality between energy consumption and economic growth in three possibilities. Firstly the causality that runs from energy consumption to economic growth. Secondly the causality that runs from economic growth to energy consumption. Thirdly bidirectional causality which implies there is an effect, or no effect in either direction between energy consumption and economic growth. 2.1.1 Unidirectional from energy consumption to economic growth The traditional neo-classical model based upon economic growth uses the energy inputs as an intermediate. The factor inputs land, labor and capital are used as basic factors, in order to neutralize the function of energy in production. Energy is an intermediate function; however it is the consumption of energy that causes economic growth. Energy remains an important aspect in the determination of income. National economies therefore depend upon the use of energy and will be affected by changes in energy consumption. Therefore the elasticity is expected to be high between energy consumption and economic growth, since it is an important aspect. Jia-Hai Yuan et al (2008) tests the causality between output growth and energy use in China at both aggregated total energy and disaggregated levels as coal, oil and electricity consumption and find that there exists Granger causality between the electricity and oil consumption to GDP. However they do not find Granger causality from coal and the total energy consumption of these three energy inputs to GDP. Soytas and Sari (2007) found the same Granger causality from electricity consumption to GDP in Turkey. Previous research by Soytas and Sari (2003) examining the G-7 countries, indicated an unidirectional relationship running from energy consumption to GDP in Turkey, France, Germany and Japan covering the period 1950-1992. Stern (1993) also found a Granger causality from total energy to GDP, employing a four-variable model with capital, labor, energy consumption and GDP. A.E. Akinlo (2006) results indicate that energy consumption is co-integrated with economic growth within seven out of eleven African countries, using an autoregressive distributed lag bound test (ARDL). The study also implies that there exists a significant long run effect on economic growth in four African countries. Fatai et al. (2004) showed that energy consumption has a significant positive effect on economic growth in Indonesia and India. C. Lee and C. Chang (2007) report a nonlinear relationship between energy consumption and an economic growth in Taiwan for the period 1955-2003, as inverse U-shape. They state from their previous research that in the long run energy unanimously acts as an engine of economic growth, and that energy conservation may harm economic growth. J. Ang (2007) found a unidirectional causality from the increase of energy and the output growth in the short run. The existence of unidirectional causality has some policy implications; it could suggest that a country is dependent upon the inputs of energy to establish economic growth. The restriction of energy may directly lead to lower economic growth or even a restrain and could result in a fall in employment or equivalently an increase in unemployment rate (N. M. Odhiambo 2009, A.E. Akinlo, 2008). It is difficult for governments to implement energy conservation policies as a part of a green future, and face the trade-off between energy consumption and growth. Environmental conservation will constantly be a part of every economic development process. Policies to conserve energy could be quotas, taxes, subsidies or the promotion of efficient use of technology (C. Lee, C. Chang, 2007) 2.1.2 Unidirectional from economic growth to energy consumption On the other hand I expect the increase in GDP will influence the energy consumption in various ways, firstly through an increased energy-intensity (energy consumption per unit of GDP) in households due to more spendable income. Also the private consumption of fuels in households and private car use seem to have a significant effect on the emission level (C.Lee and C. Chang, 2007). Population can thus be an indicator for the amount of energy consumption, whereas air pollution levels could be directly associated with population. The article of Lee and Chang (2007) discusses that the energy consumption in Taiwan has risen sharply due to rapid economic growth and higher living standards. Secondly increases in income will increase activities as investment, which is an important input factor for production processes. If the economy grows, this will result to an increased demand for energy will increase. Pioneering in this strand is the article of Kraft and Kraft dated in 1978. It is one of the first articles to examine the phenomenon. They found a unidirectional causality running from output to energy consumption for the United States during the period 1947à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1974. Jia-Hai Yuan et al (2008) is consistent with this result and found Granger causality in the short run from GDP to total energy consumption, coal and oil consumption. However there does exist causality from GDP to electricity consumption. Soytas and Sari (2003) found in their panel research a unidirectional relationship from economic growth to energy consumption for Italy (1950-1992) and Korea (1953-1991). Total gross fixed capital can be an indicator for the amount of energy consumption. This form of unidirectional causality from GDP to energy consumption can imply that a country is not solely dependent upon the energy consumption or energy input, leading to economic growth. Therefore policies can be implemented to conserve energy sources with no adverse or small effects on the economic growth (N. M., Odhiambo, 2009, A.E., Akinlo, 2008) 2.1.3 Bidirectional between energy consumption and economic growth The third view implies that there exists a bidirectional relationship within the nexus of energy consumption and economic growth. N. M. Odhiambo (2009) and A.E. Akinlo (2008) found this bidirectional causality. Soytas and Sari (2003) found this relationship for Argentina (1950-1990) within the G-7 countries. A.E. Akinlo (2008) analyzed three African countries in the short and long run show that this relationship holds for developed countries, while developing countries endure economic growth through more energy consumption only in the short run. C. Lee and C. Chang (2007) empirical findings suggest that energy consumption and economic growth are positively interrelated under a certain threshold. They stress the implications for future economic growth to the extent of resource scarcity. The finding of causality in both directions implies that energy conservation policies will have an impact on economic growth. The other bidirectional causality is known as the neutrality hypothesis, which implies that energy conservation policies do not affect economic growth. The insignificant impact in Taiwan beyond the mentioned threshold indicates that conservation policy is effective. The conservation policy could be implemented through energy taxes, new subsidies, quantity restriction and promoting efficient usage of energy such as innovation. However such environmental protection policies will lead to high costs and avoidance of rules. Eventually this will results in control expenditures. 2.2 Economic growth and CO2 emission The more energy consumed the more CO2 emission will follow up to a level of total clean technology. The direct relationship between energy consumption and the amount of CO2 emission is logical and empirically proven in several articles. The relationship between economic growth and CO2 emission is a more interesting one. Well known in the literature is the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis. Studies show that the EKC describes the relation between income and several local pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and water pollutants. This relationship is an inverted U-curve, whereas environmental damage will first increases with income and over time will stabilize to its maximum. The curve will eventually decline, creating the inverted U-shape. It appears that economic growth can solely lead to environmental degradation (Soytasa Saria 2007). This implies that at low-income levels we might see a positive relation between national income and pollution, and at high levels of income we can trace a negative relation between the two variables (Liu, X. 2005). This non-linear relationship between environmental pollution and income levels can be explained by three factors: scale, composition, and technique effects. The scale effect refers to the increase in pollution along with the size of the economy. The composition effect refers to the change in the production structure and reallocation of resources, from an agriculture based economy to an industry and service based economy. The technique effect refers to the used techniques of production which may reduce the amount of pollutant emissions. (J. Ang, 2007) B. Friedl and M. Getzner (2003) analyzed the CO2 emissions in a small open economy (Austria) and found a cubic relationship between GDP and CO2 emissions in their research for the period of 1960 and 1999, meaning that the relationship has two inflection points, and change direction twice. They concluded that the Austrian emission and GDP are cointegrated and run parallel. J. Ang 2007 shows that there is a quadratic relation between CO2 emissions and output in the long run (parabola), in France for the period of 1960 to 2000. The results suggest that output growth causes CO2 emissions and energy consumption in the long run. A. Jalil, S.F. Mahmud 2009 analyzed the EKC hypothesis for China in the period 1971à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬2005 with an ADRL framework. From their analysis there appears to be causality from economic growth to CO2 emissions, and a significant effect of energy consumption on the CO2 level. 2.3 Other factors affecting energy consumption and economic growth Another import factor is the research activity or investments in RD to reduce the amount of emissions. The common believe is that improvement in productivity and research activity will lead to a reduced amount of emission. An example is the Investment in technical upgrades and transformation in China in the electricity sector which increased sufficiently in 1990 and accelerated further since 1996. This should be one of the most important economic impulses driving energy efficiency improvements (L. Wu et al.2006). They also point out that the rising prices of energy since 1993 have provided strong economic incentives for the industry to decouple energy use from economic growth. This has driven the incentive to technically innovate. This refers to an economy that is able to sustain economic growth, without also experiencing a worsening of environmental conditions. However contra dictionary is the case of Taiwan, which has substantial changes in the structure of production in the economic sectors and enormous increases in development. This has led to a rapid increase in energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. Cole et al. (2008) show that productivity improvements and research activity will reduce the amount of emission. The article of J.Ang 2009 indicates that there exists a declining trend in CO2 emissions with the increase in research activity in China. From the data covering 1953 to 1999, it becomes clear that more innovation and RD activity will lead to beneficial influences in decreasing CO2 emissions. Policies created to decrease emission levels will lead to more research activity which will contribute directly through improved production techniques. This will decrease emissions and it will indirectly enable China to absorb green technology more efficiently from other countries. It is also likely that more efficient use of energy may require a higher level of economic development. That is, better economic performance may be a catalyst for energy efficiency, which makes energy consumption and economic development jointly determined (J. Ang 2007) This is based on the premises that different countries are in different stages of development. There are different effects on the developing process and impacts on the energy and growth relation. Two countries with similar levels of technology and factor endowments may have significantly different industrial structures as a result of past investment decisions. Their aggregate capital levels may be similar, but differences in the composition of capital may lead to differences in the opportunity cost of reducing emissions. A regression of only emissions on income may lead to a misspecification and bias, without controlling for the industrial structure. Therefore the total gross capital formation is important to include (Liu, X. 2005) Besides innovation and total gross capital formation, reforms of energy pricing systems in China since 1993 led to a dramatic rise in fuel prices and consequently to an economic decreased condition in the electricity generation sector, petroleum refinery sector and coal mining sector. B. Friedl and M. Getzner (2003) directly relate this structural break in energy consumption as a result, to a lower CO2 emission in Austria after the oil price shock. The recent price hikes stresses the importance of energy policies for conservation (R. Mahadeva, 2006). Theoretically if the fuel price increases, it will stimulate energy conservation behavior if the demand is relatively elastic. Practically the effect of rising prices can be seen by the oil price shock from 1973, which did not fail to leave its mark on CO2 emissions. Economic growth in this period slowed down, and due to changes in energy policies, such as rationalizing private consumption of fuels by restricting private car use, CO2 emissions dropped to about 57 million MTNE in 1975.

Readers Find Simple Faith in Karons Books Essay -- Jan Karons Mitfor

Readers Find Simple Faith in Karon's Books Since 1994 Jan Karon's Mitford series of novels has sold more than three million copies, with the latest, A New Song, occupying the number one position on Amazon.com's list during the last week of April this year (Jones 71). The Mitford books focus on inspirational stories, spiritual themes, and small town humor. Readers identify with the realistic characters in the stories. Rogene Kellar, 83, in a Newsweek article said she has read each book four times. Kellar further remarked, "I think you feel better having read them, but it's not goody-goody." Kellar's daughter, Carol Montgomery 57, said, "It gives you peace." The Mitford books enjoy a following of devoted readers and have also become marketable in another way. Hallmark plans to release the Mitford collection of greeting cards and collectible knick-knacks soon. Penguin Books publishes a quarterly Mitford reading group discussion guide and the newsletter, More from Mitford. Additionally, respected women's magazines such as Victori a have retained Karon as Writer in Residence publishing pieces of short fiction about Mitford. However, despite all of the attention, some readers want more of Karon. Lauren Winner in a recent article, "Karon's Agenda," published in Christianity Today finds: The Mitford books are strikingly bereft of anything controversial--no women priests or church wardens, for example, are ever mentioned, nor is the issue that is currently threatening to divide the Episcopal church in America--homosexuality. . . .I believe Karon would only do her readers a service by tackling these admittedly explosive questions head-on. (Winner 65) Winner asserts Karon avoids such issues in the books "presumably because they... ..., but they remain the issues that most, common, citizens face in their communities. So perhaps a simple, "day-to-day" faith is sufficient after all. Works Cited Jones, Malcolm. "Touched by Angels." Newsweek May 3, 1999: 71-72. Karon, Jan. At Home in Mitford. New York: Penguin Books, 1994. Karon, Jan. A Light in the Window. New York: Penguin Books, 1995. Kaorn, Jan. These High, Green Hills. New York: Penguin Books, 1996. Karon, Jan. Out to Canaan. New York: Penguin Books, 1997. Karon, Jan. A New Song. New York: Viking Books, 1999. The Student Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Bible Publishers, 1986. Tompkins, Jane. Sensational Designs: The Cultural Work of American Fiction 1790- 1860. New York: Oxford University Press, 1985. Winner, Lauren. "Karon's Agenda." Christianity Today July 12, 1999: 64-65.

Rene Descartes & Faith and Reason Essay -- Essays Papers

Rene Descartes & Faith and Reason The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries witnessed a colossal transition in the scientific view of the universe. During this period a profound rethinking of scientific theory as well as moral and religious matters took place. Traditional ideas were reconsidered by religious thinkers. Philosophers began applying rational scientific thought to problems that they considered. The main concept of the Scientific Revolution was to "question everything". The Scientific Revolution was an elaborate movement. Many brilliant people with a wealth of new ideas contributed to this movement. The French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist Rene Descartes was one of these people. Rene Descartes was born March 31, 1596 in Touraine, France. He was born to a mother who, at the time, had tuberculosis and died of it a year later. As a result of his mother's condition, Rene was very frail and suffered from dry coughs all of his life. Rene’s father, Joachim Descartes, was an established lawyer as well as a councilor of the parliament in Rennes 1. Descartes was educated at the Jesuit school of La Flà ¨che in Anjou. He enrolled in the college at the tender age of eight years. During his eight years there, his passion for learning burned brightly. He over-achieved in all of his studies, especially in mathematics and physics. Descartes also received a proficient education in classical languages, literature, and traditional Aristotelian philosophy. Because of his fragile condition he was granted permission to remain in bed until 12 o'clock noon, rather than being awakened at dawn as the other students were. To be sure he didn't rouse too late, Descartes woke himself early and then spent the morning reading, taki... ...eived analytic geometry and established the Cartesian curves and Cartesian coordinates. To algebra he contributed the convention of exponent notation and the treatment of negative roots. Perhaps no other intellectual movement was more significant for the future of European and western civilization. Footnotes 1. Cottingham, John. Descartes. New York: Basil Blackwell, 1986. 2. Same as 1 3. Same as 1 4. Same as 1 5. Morgan, Vance G. Foundations of Cartesian Ethics. New Jersey: Humanities, 1994 6. Sorell, Tom. Descartes. Oxford: Oxford, 1987 7. Same as 6 Works Cited - Cottingham, John. Reason, Will, and Sensation: Studies in Descartes’s Metaphysics. Oxford: Clarendon, 1994. - Jolley, Nicholas. The Light of the Soul. Oxford: Clarndon, 1990 - Tierno, Joel Thomas. Descartes on God and Human Error. New Jersey: Humanities, 1997 Rene Descartes & Faith and Reason Essay -- Essays Papers Rene Descartes & Faith and Reason The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries witnessed a colossal transition in the scientific view of the universe. During this period a profound rethinking of scientific theory as well as moral and religious matters took place. Traditional ideas were reconsidered by religious thinkers. Philosophers began applying rational scientific thought to problems that they considered. The main concept of the Scientific Revolution was to "question everything". The Scientific Revolution was an elaborate movement. Many brilliant people with a wealth of new ideas contributed to this movement. The French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist Rene Descartes was one of these people. Rene Descartes was born March 31, 1596 in Touraine, France. He was born to a mother who, at the time, had tuberculosis and died of it a year later. As a result of his mother's condition, Rene was very frail and suffered from dry coughs all of his life. Rene’s father, Joachim Descartes, was an established lawyer as well as a councilor of the parliament in Rennes 1. Descartes was educated at the Jesuit school of La Flà ¨che in Anjou. He enrolled in the college at the tender age of eight years. During his eight years there, his passion for learning burned brightly. He over-achieved in all of his studies, especially in mathematics and physics. Descartes also received a proficient education in classical languages, literature, and traditional Aristotelian philosophy. Because of his fragile condition he was granted permission to remain in bed until 12 o'clock noon, rather than being awakened at dawn as the other students were. To be sure he didn't rouse too late, Descartes woke himself early and then spent the morning reading, taki... ...eived analytic geometry and established the Cartesian curves and Cartesian coordinates. To algebra he contributed the convention of exponent notation and the treatment of negative roots. Perhaps no other intellectual movement was more significant for the future of European and western civilization. Footnotes 1. Cottingham, John. Descartes. New York: Basil Blackwell, 1986. 2. Same as 1 3. Same as 1 4. Same as 1 5. Morgan, Vance G. Foundations of Cartesian Ethics. New Jersey: Humanities, 1994 6. Sorell, Tom. Descartes. Oxford: Oxford, 1987 7. Same as 6 Works Cited - Cottingham, John. Reason, Will, and Sensation: Studies in Descartes’s Metaphysics. Oxford: Clarendon, 1994. - Jolley, Nicholas. The Light of the Soul. Oxford: Clarndon, 1990 - Tierno, Joel Thomas. Descartes on God and Human Error. New Jersey: Humanities, 1997

What ideas do Blake and Wordsworth present and how effectively are :: English Literature

What ideas do Blake and Wordsworth present and how effectively are they presented? Both poets lived through both the eighteenth and nineteenth century. I believe these poems were written just around the turn of the century. During this time the Industrial Revolution was underway and Britainwas becoming a very advanced country. It was a time of big change for everyone and I think the poets both explain that in their poems. Not only was it the Revolution, it was about the same time as the Romantic Movement, when poets would write about beauty, love and purity. The whole population attended church every Sunday. They all believed God was ubiquitous (these people were called Pantheists). It was an extremely religious age and anyone who did not respect God would be treated with disrespect. Both poets had to remember this when they wrote their poems. Both poems are about the same place (London) but both poets have different views. In my opinion they are both harshly critical of the city and its population. William Wordsworth "Composed upon WestminsterBridge" is written in a fourteen line sonnet, the first eight describing the man made elements of Londonand the last six talking about the natural beauty. He has written it in prose using iambic pentameter to help emphasise the meaning of the rhyming words, each line has the same number of syllables. The poem itself is descriptive, with a strong rhyming scheme. It contains anachronism, in the third to last line he uses archaic English to describe the river. This shows he has a wider ranger of vocabulary than other poet at that time. He uses assonance throughout the poem along with adjectives and punctuation on every line. Wordsworth is very optimistic with his feeling towards London. His philosophy is to appreciate the Londonview and the beauty of nature everywhere. I get the impression he believes God gave us our senses and the ability to remember the beauty in everything around us. He personifies everything, the sun, river, and even the city itself. He gives them functions that are unique to humans. He says: "The City now doth like a garment wear The beauty of the morning:" This makes the reader think that the city is not just an inanimate collection of buildings but actually alive, bustling with life. I interpret this personification to mean that the city is disguising itself in the beauty of the morning sun, not revealing this true ugliness. Knowing the way Londonwas back then, during the Industrial Revolution, it is clear to say that Wordsworth is exaggerating its beauty. He uses effective imagery and praises all achievements in the world, both by man and in nature.

Considerations for Child Development †Middle Childhood Essay

Physical development is concerned with the biological changes of the body and the brain. It includes genetics, a foetus’s growth in the mother’s womb, the birth process, brain development and the acquisition of fine motor skills; it also encompasses behaviours that promote and impede health and environmental factors that influence physical growth. (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010, p. 5). I have chosen to evaluate the physical developmental stage of middle childhood, children the ages of six to ten years of age. This essay discusses the considerations for physical development and how it can be supported in the learning environment. It will look at motor development and its influences, the benefits of physical activity, and the consequences of inactivity. How a student’s physical development can facilitate or restrict development in other areas, and how we can support the physical needs and development of students. Read more:  Factors that influence child development essay Generally, children will develop their motor skills at them same time in life, however there are other factors that influence this development e. . a child’s environmental influences, (nurture) and also inherited characteristics and tendencies (nature). There are many things a teacher can do to facilitate a student’s basic cognitive process, they can help children pay attention to things that are important for them to remember; e. g. completing homework tasks, throwing litter in the bin, raising their hand and waiting before they speak in class. Introducing new information to the students existing knowledge will help them to continue to improve and learn. In middle childhood, children start to improve further on their fine motor skills, their handwriting becomes smaller, smoother and more consistent, and they will also start to participate in such fine motor activities as sewing, model building and arts and crafts projects. They will also intensify their speed, and coordination in running kicking, catching and dribbling. (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010, p. 161) In the case of infants and young children, teachers should try to provide a variety of sensory experiences, to facilitate a student’s motor development. It is very important to gain a balance of physical activity as well as class room work for a healthy all round child of this age group. Regular physical activity can benefit students by actually increasing their attention to more cognitively demanding tasks (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010, p. 172), in most cases if a child has a chance to be active and move around, they may be better able to prepare and settle into their theory work. Sport is another way that physical activity can benefit children. During Middle Childhood children begin to be more interested and start to excel in sport and athletics. Both organised and individual sports can be a good way to help maintain and enhance a child’s physical strength, endurance and agility. It can also promote social development by fostering communication, cooperation, and leadership skills (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010, p. 171). ‘The reality is that appearance is influential in social relationships, and it does affect how children feel about themselves’ (Chu, 2000; Dohnt & Tiggermann, 2006b; Harter, 1999. ). Regular physical activity can help improve a child’s fitness, and help to maintain their weight and physical appearance, therefore making them feel better about themselves. Prolonged inactivity can result in weight gain, therefore effecting a student’s social emotional development. Being overweight or obese is a serious health risk in childhood. It predicts health problems in adulthood (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010, p. 189). Prolonged inactivity can cause lack of motivation and a decline in a child’s self-confidence. This is particularly important as during Middle Childhood, children start to develop friendships and internalise many of society’s rules and prohibitions (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010, p. 29). If a child fails to be physically active on a regular basis, e. g. staying indoors and watching television or playing computer games all day, it can restrict them from being social and forming important relationships and friendships. Prolonged physical inactivity can also affect a child’s concentration and participation during learning tasks. Over a period of time this could result in poor academic results. During middle childhood, children place great emphasis on the development of their own physical ability (parenting and child health, â€Å"http:/www. cyh. com/HealthTopics†). It is important as a teacher to try to focus on a student’s individual needs, encourage them to compete against themselves rather than their peers; this will help promote good self-confidence and will have an all-round good effect on other areas of their development. The rate of development differs considerably with differences partly the result of genetic diversity (nature), and partly a result of personal choices and environment (nurture) (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010, p. 176). If a child is brought up in an environment that promotes healthy eating and exercise they will generally be in better physical state of health. Physical development can also promote social-emotional development by fostering communication; cooperation and leadership skills (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010, p. 171); this can affect the child by making them feel more confident, motivated and be better prepared to form social relationships. However, for a child who does not have regular access to a healthy diet and a safe place for physical activity, this can lead to weight gain and obesity therefore restricting their social-emotional development, lowering their self-esteem, motivation and restricting their ability to form social relationship and friendships. A child’s motor skills can also be restricted by a lack of environmental support, if they are not provided with ample opportunity to practice their motor skills, whether it be through organised sport activities, or regular practice with mum or dad, they can fall behind on mastering these skills and allowing more complex skills to emerge (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010, p. 176). It is important for a child to have a good balance both in school and at home and in their community, with both learning and physical activities. Physical activity is essential for children, you can help to facilitate this by being pro-active, trying to provide frequent opportunities for students to be physically active through the day, e. g. break up theory work with a few minutes of physical movement, this will help them to better concentrate on the next learning task. Aim to make exercise challenging, but enjoyable, change team members around frequently to ensure all students are equally participating and try to provide all children with a role. Providing a safe environment and ensuring children use appropriate equipment for their age will help to minimise the risk of injury (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010, p. 185). In the case of a teacher having a student with special needs, providing they have permission, they should educate the other students on their condition and explain the nature of the disability; this will help the other children to be more accepting. There are many things a teacher can do to accommodate and support the physical needs and development of students. It is important to encourage every child to participate in all activities to the fullest extent possible, in a practice called inclusion; children with special needs joined their non-disabled peers in everyday school activities (Logan, Alberto, Kana & Waylor-Bowen, 1994; Sailsbury, Evans, & Palombaro, 1997). Engaging with parents and guardians can help give a teacher insight and suggestions into any adjustments that would help the child participate more fully in activities (McDevitt &Ormrod, 2010, p. 185). In middle childhood, children are increasingly comparing and often critical of themselves and their peers, a teacher should try to focus on and meet a student’s individual needs and aim for them to be competitive with themselves, rather than their peers e. g. aiming to beat their personal best score or time. This will help boost their confidence and give them a drive to do better next time. Thoughtful attention to children’s physical needs can enhance children’s health, well-being, and ability to focus on their schoolwork. Such short-term effects pay dividends for future health, because good habits in childhood pave the way to health living later in life (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010, p. 186). It is always important for a teacher to pay such close attention to the children’s needs due to the fact that the impact of either class room learning or physical activity can both heavily shape their futures, or take from their quality of life in the future. In summary, for the Middle Childhood developmental stage that has been selected for the purpose of this assignment, there are many considerations for physical development and how the physical needs of students in the learning environment can be accommodated. A teacher can promote self –esteem and self-confidence making and engage with parents and guardians in order to successfully aid the child. Children can display a decline in self-confidence; this can be identified particularly in a child who does not have regular access to a healthy diet and a safe place for physical activity. It is therefore paramount to a child’s development that a teacher does actively encourage every child to participate in all activities to the fullest extent possible. It is in the best interest of the children for the teacher to incorporate a healthy balance of physical activity in with academic activity.