Effectiveness of Celebrity Endorsements for Non-Profit Organization Essay Example

Effectiveness of Celebrity Endorsements for Non-Profit Organization Essay ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET Every piece of written work you submit for assessment must have this cover sheet attached. Please type in your details then copy and paste to the front of your assignment and save the file ready to upload. COURSE DETAILS Course Code: RBUS2900 Course Co-ordinator: Dr. Ravi Pappu Course Name: Business Research Methods Assignment No: 2B Assignment Due Date: 28/05/2012 STUDENT CONTACT DETAILS Student Number: James Jun Qiang Low Ng Han Siong Derrick Bram Wijaya Peng Yang Cheng Student Name: 42683346 42485184 42734480 42602600 Email Address: Low. [emailprotected] com Derrick. [emailprotected] com [emailprotected] com [emailprotected] com Work submitted may be subjected to a plagiarism detection process. If this process is used, then copies of this work would be retained and used as source material for conducting future plagiarism checks. Due Date: 28/05/2012 Submitted date: 27/05/2012 RBUS2900 Business Research Methods Assignment 2B Tutorial report Cover sheet Studen t ID 42683346 42485184 42734480 42602600 Low Ng Wijaya Cheng James Jun Qiang Han Siong Bram Peng Yang WEDNESDAY, 12pm – 1pm T27 Assignment 2B TOM MAGOR Surname Given name Tutorial date time Tutorial group (e. g. T24: G1) Assignment Number Tutor’s name Time Tutor T6 Wed 12-1 Teegan T10 Wed 10-11 Teegan T14 Wed 1-2 Kim Tutorial T15 T16 Wed Wed 8-9 9-10 Tom Teegan Tutorial T24 T25 Thu Thu 11-12 3-4 Max Max T18 Wed 4-5 Kim T19 Wed 5-6 Kim T20 Tue 2-3 Kim Time Tutor T21 Tue 8-9 Rahil T22 Tue 9-10 Rahil T23 Tue 2-3 Rahil T26 Tue 12-1 Tom T27 Wed 12-1 Tom T28 Mon 10-11 Max RBUS2900 Business Research Method Assignment 2 Part B RBUS2900: BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS Effectiveness of Celebrity Endorsements We will write a custom essay sample on Effectiveness of Celebrity Endorsements for Non-Profit Organization specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Effectiveness of Celebrity Endorsements for Non-Profit Organization specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Effectiveness of Celebrity Endorsements for Non-Profit Organization specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer For Non-Profit Organization James Jun Qiang Low Ng Han Siong Derrick Bram Wijaya Peng Yang Cheng 5/28/2012 This is a research plan on how different celebrity related factors influence donor/volunteer perceptions of the non-profit organization endorsed. RBUS2900 Business Research Method Assignment 2 Part B EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This proposal is written to address the concerns of PeTA in investigating the effect that celebrity endorsers have on the organisation that they endorse. In particular, three aspects of the celebrity will be analysed. Firstly, due to the high number of advertisement used by PeTA that feature near nude celebrities, this paper will analyse how does the physical attractiveness of a celebrity influence a consumer’s perception of the organisation. Secondly, as many of these celebrities are seen to endorse multiple brands, it would be beneficial for PeTA to study how does over endorsement influence the perception consumers have of PeTA. Lastly, it is proposed that should consumers perceive that celebrities are being paid for their work endorsing PeTA, it would lead to a negative effect on the perception of the organisation. It is also proposed that age, gender and education level will each have a moderating effect on the relationship that exist between each variable and the perception of PeTA. Based on the research objective, it is proposed that the most suitable research method is a pretest-posttest control group experiment whereby negative information about a celebrity’s over endorsement and income from the endorsement will be controlled and provided and the effects of this information will be analysed. This method was chosen as it allows for an isolation of the subjects into specifically just experiencing the experimental conditions. A control group allows for a more accurate detection of changes. Respondents will be selected via simple random sampling from a telephone book used as a sampling frame. The results of the experiment will then be tested using SPSS. Specifically, descriptive statistics, factor analysis, paired samples t-test and multiple regression analysis will be utilised to produce the results. Due to the need to establish cause-and-effect in the experiment, it is proposed that multiple regression analysis would be most suitable. This technique, coupled with theory, will be able to provide PeTA with a good picture of whether perception of a celebrity endorser will have an impact on the perception of the organisation. RBUS2900 Business Research Method Assignment 2 Part B Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION .. 1 1. 1 1. 2 2. 1 2. 2 2. 3 2. 4 2. 5 3. 1 3. 2 3. 3 3. 4 Problem statement and Research Objectives Importance . 2 Perception of the organisation (Dependent variable).. 3 Attractiveness (Independent variable 1) 3 Over-endorsement by celebrity (Independent variable 2) . 4 Perceived celebrity income from endorsement (Independent variable 3) Moderating variables .. 6 Research design. 7 Research method . 7 Sampling design Data collection 9 Ethics 9 Data collection method .. 10 Figure 1 – Relationship Model Diagram 2. HYPOTHESES DEVELOPMENT .. 3 3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 7 3. 4. 1 3. 4. 2 Figure 2 – Pretest-Posttest Group Experiment Method . 10 Figure 3 – Survey: Total error diagram .. 2 Table 1 – Survey errors encountered 13 3. 5 Measurement (Please refer to appendix 2 for survey questions) . 13 Perception of organisation (Dependent variable). 13 Attractiveness (Independent variable) . 14 Over-endorsement of celebrity (Independent variable) 4 Perception of income from endorsement (Independent variable) . 14 3. 5. 1 3. 5. 2 3. 5. 3 3. 5. 4 4. 1 4. DATA ANALYSIS.. 15 Procedure.. 15 Descriptive statistics. 5 Factor analysis. 15 Paired sample T-test . 16 Multiple regression analysis . 16 Factor analysis. 7 Paired samples t-test .. 17 4. 1. 1 4. 1. 2 4. 1. 3 4. 1. 4 4. 2 4. 2. 1 4. 2. 2 Expected results . 17 RBUS2900 Business Research Method Assignment 2 Part B Figure 4 – Sample paired t-test results 18 4. 3. 3 4. 3. Multiple regression analysis . 18 Discussion of outcomes . 18 References . 20 APPENDIX .. 3 Appendix 1 .. 23 Table 1a Table 1b Table 1c Table 1d Appendix 2 Appendix 3 Conceptual definitions . 23 Hypotheses .. 4 List of measures .. 25 Data analysis techniques 26 Measurement instrument (Survey) 27 Schedule .. 1 RBUS2900 Business Research Method Assignment 2 Part B 1. INTRODUCTION 1. 1 Problem statement and Research Objectives People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PeTA) is the largest animals rights organisation in the world with more than three million members and supporters. It uses a variety of avenues to bring forward its campaign and one of them is through the use of celebrity endorsements. (PeTA, 2012) As a result, there is a need to analyse the effectiveness of celebrity endorsement in furthering the agenda of PeTA. In particular, due to the vast differences in types of celebrities as well as industries that the celebrities are based in, consumers may have a different perception of these celebrities as well as the organisation that is being endorsed. As such, a negative perception of a celebrity and his/her industry may result in transference of negative perception to the organisation being endorsed. (White, Goddard Wilbur, 2009) This is especially applicable to PeTA who endorses celebrities that come from many different industries and each celebrity varies in terms of social standing as well as reputation. As such, an investigation into the effects of celebrity perception resulting in negative information transference to the endorsed organisation will be most suitable to be undertaken for research by PeTA. Based on the problem stated above, there is a need to investigate the various aspects of a celebrity and its effect on PeTA as the endorsed organisation. Three independent factors have been established that form the perception of a celebrity and the dependent variable of the endorsed organisation. (Please refer to figure 1) RBUS2900 Business Research Method Assignment 2 Part B 1 Figure 1 – Relationship Model Diagram 1. Importance The importance of this research study is to ensure a suitable fit between the celebrity and PeTA. This fit is determined by the perception of the celebrity and its effect on the perception of the organisation. By ensuring a good fit, PeTA will be able to focus more specifically on a target market that might have been otherwise unreachable due to the u nsuitable fit between celebrity and PeTA. This is with the pretext that there is a positive correlation between perception of celebrity endorser and perception of organisation. RBUS2900 Business Research Method Assignment 2 Part B 2 . HYPOTHESES DEVELOPMENT 2. 1 Perception of the organisation (Dependent variable) Perception of the organisation is the dependent variable in the case of this study as it seeks to elaborate whether the below-mentioned independent variables will have an impact on the consumer’s perception of the organisation after they have been subjected to the exposure of the independent variables. A similar test conducted by Trimble and Rifon (2006), stated that the attitudes of the audiences toward a non-profit organisation increased when it was endorsed by a celebrity with a positive image. The variables mentioned below are similar in context with what Trimble and Rifon have done but analyses different variables and will provide a different conclusion. 2. 2 Attractiveness (Independent variable 1) Attractiveness of a celebrity has always been a factor of consideration when selecting an endorser for a product. This is particularly the case when evaluating the celebrity endorsers that have been chosen by PeTA whereby physically attractive celebrities are chosen as endorsers. It is seen that physical attractiveness is able to facilitate attitude change (Baker Churchill 1977; Caballero Pride 1984; Chaiken 1986; Horai et al. 974; Joseph 1982; Kulka Kessler 1978; Mills Aronson 1965; Mills Harvey 1972) However, not all research has demonstrated that it increases attitude change in that it causes the consumer to develop a positive perception of the product/organisation being endorsed. The Source Attractiveness Model, derived by McGuire (1985) in a study, suggests that simil arity, familiarity and likeability of a celebrity endorser will determine their effectiveness in endorsing a product. This suggest contrary to the list of articles stated that the RBUS2900 Business Research Method Assignment 2 Part B 3 ttractiveness in the sense of likeability of a celebrity endorser can indeed increase the positive perception of the product/organisation that is endorsed. Hence, by studying the physical attractiveness of a celebrity endorser, especially in the light of how PeTA strongly uses physical attractiveness as an important consideration in selecting endorsers, it would be most suitable to study how the supposed perception of physical attractiveness of a celebrity will indeed affect the perception of PeTA. The hypothesis derived from this variable is as such: H1: The perceived physical attractiveness of an endorser will result in an increased positive perception of the endorsed organisation 2. 3 Over-endorsement by celebrity (Independent variable 2) Mowen and Brown (1981) in their analysis of the effectiveness of celebrity endorsers have suggested that a natural occurrence from the vast number of products endorsed by celebrities is that some celebrities tend to endorse a number of products. While ideally, it is stated that endorsers should not be tarnished by their associations with other products (Foote, Cone Belding 1978), having a â€Å"virgin† endorser would generally be highly expensive and such would not be practical. Hence, the issue of multiple endorsements by a celebrity is especially pertinent in this case because PeTA is seen to have endorsed many celebrities that might endorsed products that are contradictory to the nature of PeTA, which is to protect animals. This may cause a disparity in the perception consumers will now have over the endorsement of such celebrity of PeTA. Kaikati (1987) and Mowen and Brown (1981) have further substantiated that a celebrity endorser may be perceived to be less credible should the celebrity choose to endorse more brands and products. RBUS2900 Business Research Method Assignment 2 Part B 4 Hence, it is brought forth in the next hypothesis: H2: In situations whereby celebrities are seen to endorse multiple products that might be contradictory to the nature of the organisation, there will be a decrease in positive perception of the endorsed organisation. 2. 4 Perceived celebrity income from endorsement (Independent variable 3) When endorsing a product, celebrities are often paid for their services. This is very much accepted as a service rendered, is expected to be paid for. However, the issue in studying this is especially pertinent as by being paid, it is questionable whether that celebrity is truly endorsing the product out of genuine belief in the product or solely for the monetary benefit involved. In the case of PeTA and its endorsed celebrities, it would be especially appropriate as protection of animals is more often a lifestyle and not just the usage of a particular product. The celebrity endorsing the product is expected to believe in the protection of animals and not just for the monetary benefit involved. However, does this perception of being paid for the endorsement result in a related decrease of positive perception for the organisation endorsed? Correspondence Bias (Gilbert Jones, 1986) refers to the observer’s exaggerated use of dispositional attributions, assumptions that the actor does what he does due to his internal dispositions. Kardes (1993) has related this to endorsement advertisements whereby consumers disregard the situational constraints such as the money being paid to the celebrity, due to correspondence bias and thus contributes to the effectiveness of endorsement advertisements. Cronley et al. (1999) found support for the above-mentioned theory in that participants of an experiment actually assumed that the endorser actually liked the product regardless of whether the endorser was paid or not. This was correlated to the participants’ attitudes toward the advertisement, the product and the endorser. RBUS2900 Business Research Method Assignment 2 Part B 5 However, a study conduct by Sorum, Grape and Silvera (2003), had opposite results to Cronley’s 1999 experiment. There was no correspondence bias found in the study. As such, it would be most appropriate the study the supposed effects of correspondence bias on the consumers who see the PeTA advertisements and whether there is a disregard of situational constraints much like in the experiment conducted by Cronley et al. 1999) The hypothesis put forth is thus: H3: The more a celebrity is perceived to be paid for the endorsement, the more negative the perception of the organisation. 2. 5 Moderating variables This study will utilise three moderating variables in the study of the effects of perception of the celebrity endorser in relation to the perception of the endorsed organisation. It is proposed that as age dec reases, the effects of each independent variable on the dependent variable will decrease as well due to the decreased perception of the consumer of the variability of the independent variables. The Selectivity Hypothesis (Putrevu, 2001) has suggested that gender differences in information processing emerge because men are more likely to be driven by overall message themes and women are more likely to engage in detailed elaboration of messages. Hence as a moderating variable, it can be seen that gender is expected to have a moderating effect on the independent variables. Lastly, a study by Daneshvary and Schwer (2000) has concluded that education level is seen to have an impact on perception of endorsement. Lower levels of education are more impressionable to association endorsements than individuals with a college education. Education provides individuals with analytical skills to decipher information and make an RBUS2900 Business Research Method Assignment 2 Part B 6 informed purchase rather than just relying on one source of information. As such, it can be said that education will have a moderating effect on the independent variables. 3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3. 1 Research design The research design chosen for this study will be causal in nature as it seeks to understand the cause-and-effect relationships that exist. In particular, it will seek to explain the variance in the perception of the organisation, by analysing the independent variables involved and looking to infer theories and data analysis results to draw a conclusive cause of the variance in the perception of the organisation. As elaborated by Zikmund et al, â€Å"before causal studies are undertaken, researchers typically have a good understanding of the phenomena being studied. † (2010) Hence a causal design is selected due to the vast knowledge already in existence in terms of the literature on perception of an organisation as well as the perception of a celebrity endorser. However, little has been done to show any appropriate causation between the two variables especially one that is particular to the nature of a non-profit organisation. 3. 2 Research method Due to the nature of the research design, an experimental design of a pretest-posttest control group design will be used to explain the cause-and-effect relationship that is proposed between the independent and dependent variable. The subjects in the experimental group are tested before and after being exposed to the treatment. The control group will also be tested at both times but would not be subjected to the treatment. In using this design, Dimitrov and Rumrill Jr. have suggested three considerations in terms of validity of the design. The first two are pertinent to internal validation, which is the degree to RBUS2900 Business Research Method Assignment 2 Part B 7 which the experimental treatment makes a difference in the specific experimental settings and the third one is in consideration of external validity which is the degree to which the treatment effect can be generalised across populations, settings, treatment variables and measurement instruments. (2003, p. 59) Maturation, an internal validity issue, occurs when biological and psychological characteristics of research participants change during the experiment, thus affecting their posttest scores. History, also an internal validity issue, occurs when participants experience an event that will affect their post-test scores. Whereas the interaction of pretesting and treatment, an external validity issue, happens when the pretest sensitises pa rticipants so that they respond differently to the treatment as they might have without the pretest. (Dimitrov Rumrill Jr. , p. 60) Maturation and History will not be an issue for the conduct of our experiment as the time lapse between the pretest and posttest phase is negligible and thus should not allow for any changes in Maturation and History. To prevent the participants from becoming sensitised and perform the experiment differently from what they would have without the pretest, we are utilising a fictional situation in order to control the knowledge of the participants on the subject. Please refer to the Data Collection portion to gain a better understanding. 3. 3 Sampling design Based on the purpose of this research, the decisions resulting from this experiment will have many strategic managerial implications. As such, the target population would be defined as the entire population in the world of people who are of suitable age to donate to a non-profit organisation. As seen from the PeTA website (n. d. ), one of the means of donating would be through credit card deductions. As such, a suitable age group would be the minimum age RBUS2900 Business Research Method Assignment 2 Part B 8 group for owning a credit card, which is 18 years old. Hence the population would range from individuals of 18 years and above. Hence, the population in Australia will be subjected to a simple random sampling method to form the sample population. Chosen participants are expected to be of a variety with differing age groups, gender and income level. As such, a sampling frame of the national telephone numbers in Australia will be used. Factors to consider when determining sample size are the confidence interval needed to predict the result and the amount of standard error permissible to estimate the population parameter. Hence, based on the formula provided by Zikmund et al. (2010, p. 435), with a confidence interval of 95 percent, range of error of 0. 5 and an estimated population standard deviation of 4. 0, we will have a minimum sample size of 246. 3. 4 Data collection 3. 4. 1 Ethics Before proceeding on with data collection, the group will have to keep in mind the ethical issues involved. As researchers, the group will have to be responsible to the people who are involved in this research. Our group will adhere to these select principles such as: a. Objectivity Strive to avoid bias in experimental design, data analysis, data interpretation, peer review, personnel decisions, grant writing, expert testimony, and other aspects of research where objectivity is expected or required. Avoid or minimize bias or self-deception. Disclose personal or financial interests that may affect research. b. Honesty RBUS2900 Business Research Method Assignment 2 Part B 9 Strive for honesty in all scientific communications. Honestly report data, results, methods and procedures, and publication status. Do not fabricate, falsify, or misrepresent data. Do not deceive colleagues, granting agencies, or the public. c. Legality Know and obey relevant laws and institutional and governmental policies. d. Privacy Protect confidential communications, such as papers or grants submitted for publication, personnel records, trade or military secrets, and patient records. e. Nonmaleficence (principle of doing no harm) When conducting research on human subjects, minimize harms and risks and maximize benefits; respect human dignity, privacy, and autonomy; take special precautions with vulnerable populations; and strive to distribute the benefits and burdens of research fairly. These are some of the principles that researchers should adhere to (Peter Steane, 2004; Shamoo A Resnik D, 2009) 3. 4. 2 Data collection method Jack R. Fraenkel, Figure 2 – Pretest-Posttest Group Experiment Method 1993 In this design, the dependant variable will be measured before and after the treatment level is presented. This allows the researcher to compute the means for pretest and posttest and measure the difference (Millsap, 2009). A scenario-based study was chosen because this RBUS2900 Business Research Method Assignment 2 Part B 10 ethod allows for easier operationalising of the manipulations, providing more control over the variables (Dong, Evans Zou 2008). We have identified that we will be using communication as the mean of obtaining primary data, specifically conducting a survey. We have chosen to conduct a survey due to the following criteria (Zikmund et al. , 2010): ? ? ? Questions asked for the tested variables are internal to the respondents. Survey provides the best versatility as the research contains different type of data. As this is a low budget research project, survey is the most efficient and economical data collection method. a. Pretest Written scenarios will be created for this experiment. In the first phase of the pretest, background information of a non-profit organization (PeTA) is provided. Twenty-six questions are then tested to analyse the perceived image of the organization. In the second phase of the pre-test, a celebrity endorser (Brad Pitt) will be introduced. Positive background information about the celebrity is then given. Twelve questions are then used to test the three independent variables. . Posttest In the third phase of the experiment, negative information about the celebrity endorser is given. Information supplied is related to the three independent variables of the following settings: ? ? Attractiveness: Images of a sex scandal and a rugged image of the celebrity Multiple Endorsements: Information of celebrity endorsing for multiple brands however, contradicting to the values of the non-profit organization ? Perceive Income: Information of celebrity getting paid to endorse for a non-profit organization RBUS2900 Business Research Method Assignment 2 Part B 11 Subsequently, the respondents are to fill in the twenty-six questions and twelve questions again in order to analyse the effects of the negative information. c. Procedure The survey will be conducted in an enclosed room and the participants will be seated at individual tables during the conduct of the survey. They will then be randomly selected to be either in the experiment or control group. They will also be informed that their careful consideration into each question would help the researchers evaluate celebrity endorsements on non-profit organizations. This is reminded again by the title provided at the cover page. It will also be emphasised that their participation in voluntary and confidentiality is kept at the strictest levels. This is reminded again as a disclaimer on the last page of the survey. d. Errors Figure 3 – Survey: Total error diagram The figure shows the various types of errors that might be present in survey. Particularly in our survey, we have identified the following possible errors that we might face and the control measures: RBUS2900 Business Research Method Assignment 2 Part B 12 Type of Error Random Sampling Error Response error Interviewer bias Response error Extremity bias Administrative error Interviewer error Control measures Increase the sample size from People of very extreme initial 100 to 200. backgrounds existing in randomize (Bartlett, Kotrlik, Higgins, group 2001) Interviewer introduced as As we are asking about Brad Pitt neutral parties helping to attractiveness, the respondent may facilitate the session and has answer differently due to the nothing to do with the research presence of the interviewer group (Herbert F. Weisberg, 2005) Before the start of the questionnaire, address to the As most of the questions provided respondents the importance of are a seven point semantic correct data needed to be differentiated scale, respondents collected from them, thus may just choose 1 or 7 for emphasizing our appreciation convinence to them to provide their best effort. (Ian Gregory, 2003) As there are two different sets of Make sure the experiment survey, the interviewer might issue ground is properly organize out the wrong amount

Human Resource Management (HRM) Level 4 Assignment 1 Coursework

Human Resource Management (HRM) Level 4 Assignment 1 Coursework Human Resource Management (HRM) Level 4 Assignment 1 – Coursework Example Criticism of HRM Causes of Misunderstandings of the Roles of that HRM Performs There has been a lot of is misunderstanding of the roles performed by the HRM. Such misunderstandings, usually result due to various reasons, some of which are job related. In most cases, the roles performed by HRM are usually confused with the roles of other personnel in the HR department or in the organization as a whole. This ends in confusion and misunderstanding of the roles performed by the HRM. In as much as roles such as leading are usually left to the HRM, other human resource personnel also find themselves performing such roles, hence ending n misunderstanding of who really is to perform such duties (Trost, 2010). Secondly, as the HRM tries to execute his duties, it could easily be misunderstood that employees should confront them with confidentiality. However, when seeking the help of HRM, it should not be kept confidential. Instead, the HRM should protect the confidence of those who seek their help and only share the information with those who really need to know. The fact that HRM is an employee of an organization, it is usually believed that their role is to have the interest of the company at hand. However, HRM also ensures compliance o the human resource regulations in the company. This also causes misunderstanding of the roles that the HRM performs in an organization.Criticism of HRM and how to reduce themFirst, HRM is considered to be more rhetoric than a reality. Many supporters have created a lot of hype around this concept (Aswathappa, 2007). The term HRM in itself also lacks precision that anybody can use it to mean what they want. Secondly, there is money cost in the HRM functions, however, no attempt has been made to carry out a cost-benefit analysis. To reduce such criticisms, there’s a need for a precise definition of HRM including its functions, extensiveness as well as coverage. Every HRM function should also be subjected to cost-benefit analysis to enable the management to identify the functions with their costs and benefits together. ReferencesAswathappa, K. (2007). Human Resource and Personnel Management (4th ed.). New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill.Trost, A. (2010, November 23). Is HR Too Important tobe left to HR? Harvard Business Review, 1-2. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2010/11/is-hr-too-important-to-be-left

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Teacher-Student Interaction In Classrooms The education system in Pakistan depicts an undesirable situation, especially the classroom environment. Teaching learning process in the country at secondary and tertiary level is too weak and our classroom environment is totally based on rote memorization. There is no provision for the development of intellectual and thinking skills among students who are given very less time for active participation and interaction. The teacher seems to be in a very dominant role in the class. Unfortunately, poorly structured classroom quickly deteriorate into a vacuous waste of time. Recent research on teaching effectiveness based on large-scale meta-analysis conducted by Walberg (1986) indicates that the seven factors are key elements of effective teaching: engaged academic learning time, use of positive reinforcement, cooperative learning activities, positive class atmosphere, higher-order questioning, cues and feedback and use of advance organizers. The system of interaction developed by Flander shows how these elements fit together in actual classroom interaction. Role of the teacher in making classroom climate conducive for learning is highly crucial. The classroom climate is built up by the pattern of interaction between teacher and students verbal exchanges, asking questions, responding and reacting. The most important factor in a classroom situation are the interactions and exchanges initiated by the teacher and students. Jackson (1968) reports that teachers are typically involved in more than 1,000 verbal exchanges with their students every day. There is a lot of talking; enough to give even the strongest vocal cords a severe case of laryngitis. Count the number of verbal exchanges teachers have with their students and the count during a classroom scene will give an idea of how much teachers talk. The present study will be designed to investigate the patterns of classroom interaction at Elementary level in the light of Flanders interaction analysis system in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. The study will be further delimited to cities of Kohat and Peshawar. Statement of the Problem The problem taken up for investigation can be stated in precise term as à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"A Study of Teacher Student Interaction in Classrooms at Elementary Level in Khyber Pakhtunkhwaà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ . Objectives The objectives of the study will be To explore the patterns of classroom interaction at elementary level in the light of Flanders interaction analysis. Hypothesis About two-third of classroom time is devoted to talking at s elementary level. About two-third of the talking time, the person talking is the teacher at elementary level. About two-third of the teachers talk is direct (that is, lecturing, directing and controlling) at elementary level. Review of Related Literature Interaction between teacher and students is essential in the teaching learning process. Teacher and student both are the key elements of this process. Different educationist like Good lad, (1984) Bellack (1965) and Jackson (1968) conducted researches studies. Among these researchers, Flander (1963) conducted research on classroom interaction and developed an instrument called Flanders interaction analysis with which he was able to categorize student and teacher verbal behavior. The system tells a great deal about the nature and quality of classroom verbal interaction. As a result of applying his interaction analysis system in Classroom settings involving teachers, Flanders came up with the rule of two third. lie found that someone is talking during two third of the Classroom time. Approximately two-third of that time, the person doing the talking is the teacher. Two-third of the teachers talk is what Flanders calls direct talk. Flander suggests that this two third pattern has unfortunate consequences in that students are forced into a passive role that eventually results in negatives attitudes, lower achievement, and a general dependency on the teacher. To use the Flanders Interaction Analysis, one codes the verbal interaction in 1 in 10 categories, plots the coded data onto a matrix, and analyses the matrix. Categories for Interaction Analysis: Indirect Teachers Talk Accepts feelings. Acknowledges student-expressed emotions (feelings) in a non threatening manner. Praises or encourages and provides positive reinforcement of student contribution. Accepts or uses ideas of students and clarifies, develops, or refers to student contribution of ten non evaluative. Asks questions, solicits information or opinion (not rhetorically) Lectures, presents information, opinion of orientation; perhaps includes Gives directions supplies direction or suggestion with which a student is expected to comply. Criticizes or justifies authority and offers negative evaluation of student contributions or places emphasis on teachers authoritative position. Student talk-response, gives a response to the teachers question, usually a predictable answer. Student talk-initiation initiates a response that is unpredictable or creative in content. Silence or confusion leaves periods of silence or inaudible verbalization Pedagogical Game Bellack (1965) has analyzed verbal exchanges between teacher and student and likened them to a pedagogical game. The game is so cyclical and occurs so frequently that many teachers and students do not even know that they are playing. There are four moves: The teacher provides information, directions and introduces the topics. The teacher asks a question. The students answers the question, or tries to The teacher reacts to the students answer and provides feedback. These four steps make up a pedagogical cycle. Teachers initiate about 85 percent of the cycles, which are used over and over again in classroom interaction. Although these cycles can be found in a majority of classrooms, the quality and effectiveness of these four steps vary widely. When teachers learn to enhance and rune each of the moves of the pedagogical cycle, student achievement is increased. Doland (1985) asks Have you ever been to a class where the teacher is bombarded with the question? `I dont get what you mean. When such complaints are constant in a class, it is a sure sign that the teacher is not making effective use of an essential teaching skill: clarity and academics structure. A growing body of research makes it clear that these skills are related to student achievement. Students, therefore, need a clear understanding of what they are expected to learn and they need to be motivated to learn it. Effective structuring sets the stage for learning and typically occurs at the beginning of the lesson. Although the length of structure will vary depending on the age, ability and background of the students and difficulty of the subject matter, the following components are usually build in an effective academic structure. a. Objectives. Let the students know the objectives of each lesson. They, like the teacher, need a road map of where they are going and why. Review. Help students review prior learning before presenting new information. If there is confusion, correct each. Motivation. Create an anticipatory set that motivates students to listen to the presentation. This can be done through an intriguing question, an anecdote, a joke or interesting teaching materials. Transition. Relate new information to previously attained knowledge and experience. Provide ties and connections that will help students integrate old and new information. Clarification Break down a large body of information. Do not inundate students with too many facts. Ibis is particularly true for young children and slower learners, although it also applies to older and faster learners. Examples. Give several examples and illustration to explain main points and ideas. Directions. Give directions distinctly and slowly. If students are confused about what they are supposed to do, repeat or break information into small segments. Enthusiasm. Demonstrate personal enthusiasm for the academic content. Make it clear why the information is interesting and important. Closure. Close the lesson with brief review or summary. The majority in academic structuring takes place at the beginning of the lesson, but there may be several points throughout the lesson where sub-structuring or brief presentation of information are also necessary. Substructures initiate new pedagogical cycles and allow the discussion to continue. A clear summary or review is also important at the close of the lesson. Good questioning is at the very core of good teaching. As John Dewey (1933) said. To question well is to teach well. In the skilful use of the questions more than anything else lies the fine art of teaching. Since questioning is a key element iii guiding learning, all students should have equal access to classroom questions and academic interaction. If you want all students, and not just the quickest and most assertive, to answer questions, establish a protocol for participation and interaction. For example, make a rule that students must raise their hands and be called on before they may talk. (Donald, 1985). Although it is important to keep classroom discussion moving at a brisk pace, sometimes teachers push forward too rapidly. Slowing down at two key places during classroom discussion can usually improve the effectiveness and quality of classroom responses. In the research on classroom interaction, this slowing down is called wait time. Mary (1986) research shows that after asking a question, teachers typically wait only one second or less for a student response (wait time 1). If the response is not forthcoming in that time, teachers rephrase the question, asks another student to answer it, or answer it themselves. If teachers can learn to increase their wait time from one second to 3-5 seconds, significant improvements in the quantity and quality of student response usually will take place. There is another point in classroom discussion when wait time can be increased. After students complete an answer, teachers often begin their reaction or their next question before a second has passed (wait time 2). Once again, it is important for teachers to increase their wait time from one second to 3-5 seconds. Based on her research, Mary (1986) has determined that increasing the pause after student gives an answer is equally as important as increasing wait time. Resultantly, classroom interaction is changed in several posit ive ways. Recently, attention has been directed not only at how teachers ask questions, but also at how they respond to student answers. A study analyzing classroom interaction in more than 100 classrooms in five states found that teachers generally use four types of reactions. Praise. Positive comments about student work, such as Excellent, good job. Acceptance. Comments such as Uh-huh and Okay which acknowledge that student answers are acceptable. Remediation. Comments that encourage a more accurate student response or encourage student to think more clearly, creatively, logically. Sample remediation comments include Try again, Sharpen your answer, Check your addition, Criticism. A clear statement that an answer is inaccurate or a behavior paper) as well as comments that simply indicate an answer is not correct (Your answer to the third question is wrong) Good lad (1984) said that a snapshot of classrooms taken at random would in all likelihood show teachers talking and questioning and students listening and responding. Further, observations in 1000 classrooms showed that teachers interact less and less with students as they go through the grades. The elementary classroom is more interactive than the high school one; the high school classroom is more interactive than college. Most students play a more passive role in classroom interaction at the end of the schooling process than at its beginning. Ironically, interviews with students show that they are happiest when they are actively involved in their learning. Communications and Interaction Education with its correlated activities of teaching and learning involves communication as well as reciprocal interaction between the teacher and pupils, as channels of realizing its objectives. Communication is a Latin word, meaning common. Hence communication implies having common experiences with other people. The word communication means a wide variety of things to different people. The following are some of the widely accepted definitions for communication. Communication means sharing of ideas and feelings in a mood of mutuality. Communication involves interaction which encourages give and take. This provides feedback to persons involved in exchanging ideas. Communication is a process of sharing of experiences till it becomes a common possession. Effective communication is a two-way process including feedback and interaction. It is rather difficult, if not increasingly impossible, to provide children with actual first-hand experiences as the world becomes increasingly complex. Obviously, some substitute experience must be evolved and used to enable children to understand and conceptualize their world. This is the essence of communication as an integral part of teaching. Teachers Behavior and Classroom Interaction Teaching behavior is an act of the teacher which occurs in the context of classroom interaction. Teachers behave in different ways and therefore there are different types of classroom interactions. Some teachers are very strict and some are very kind and lenient. Some are witty and humorous and some are dull. There are some who are very stern and serious all the time. Certainly, the teachers behavior pattern sets the pattern of pupil behavior in a classroom. The teachers behavior tends to create an atmosphere which is described as classroom climate. We may classify the teachers classroom behavior into two categories (1) Demonstrative and (2) integrative. When a teacher talks, commands, restricts pupils freedom to talk, he is dominative. When he allows pupils to talk, ask questions, accepts their ideas and stimulates their participation in class activities, he is integrative. It is, therefore, the teachers behavior which sets the pattern for learning atmosphere or climate in the classroom. If he is generally dominant, he promotes such a climate in the class. If he is generally integrative, he aids in integrative climate. Techniques of interaction analysis have been helpful in the analysis of teaching behavior. Although only a small proportion of verbal communication is recorded, it is possible to infer about classroom events. It is possible to estimate the initiation and response on the part of the teacher and pupils and a number of other interesting features of teacher- pupils relationship. (Amidon Hunter, 1967). Interaction Analysis Interaction analysis is a process of encoding and decoding the study pattern of teaching and learning. In the coding process, categories of classifying statements are established, a code symbol is assigned to each category and a trained observer records by jotting down code symbols. In the decoding step, a trained analyst interprets the display of coded data even though he may not have been present when the data were collected. Although there are many systems for coding spontaneous verbal communication in classroom, typical system for interaction analysis will usually include: a. A set of categories, each defined clearly. A procedure for observation and a set of ground rules which govern the coding process, Steps for tabulating data in order to arrange a display, and suggestion which can be followed in some of the more common application. Classroom interaction analysis can be used for in service and pre-service education in order to help teachers improve classroom instniction. This requires some kind of objective feedback to the person who is trying to change his behavior. Classroom Interaction Technique Study of classroom had always deserved the attention of research workers and, as a result, it was in the late 1930s that the analysis of teaching behavior was used by Anderson. He was interested in developing a reliable technique for the measurement of domination and of socially integrative behavior in teachers contact with children. Although classroom observation has been there in training programmes for a long time now, objective and reliable scales of observation is of recent origin. Traditional observation relied on subjective estimates and could not be quantified. The observational techniques have mechanical devices against subjective examination by the observer. Some of the popular observation schedules were developed over the past few years (Amidon and Hough, 1970). RESEARCH METHODOLOGY RESEARCH DESIGN The study will focus on patterns of classroom interaction at Elementary level in the light of Flanders Interaction Analysis. This study will be an observational type of the descriptive method. The following procedure will be adopted for studying patterns of classroom interaction. POPULATION As the purpose of the study will be to explore the patterns of classroom interaction at Elementary level in the light of Flanders Interaction analysis, so the target population comprised all the Elementary level classrooms in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. SAMPLE The sample of the study will be consisted of twenty-five classrooms at Elementary level. The number of observed teachers will be twenty five at Elementary level. The number of observed students will be fifteen hundred. All the twenty five classes of the above level will be selected randomly. RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS The research instrument will be Flanders Interaction Analysis for observing and measuring classroom interaction patterns. This instrument was developed by Flander (1970)and has been used extensively in various studies regarding classroom interaction. The items in the Flanders interaction analysis will be converted in an observation sheet called coding chart as illustrated by Gay (2000). The Flanders Interaction Analysis system and specimen of observational sheet is given below. FLANDERS INTERACTION ANALYSIS SYSTEM TEACHER TALK DIRECT INDI RECT Accepts Feelings: Accepts and clarifies the tone of feeling of the students in an unthreatening manner. Feelings may be positive or negative. Predicting or recalling feelings are included. Praises or Encourages: Praises or encourages students action or behavior. Jokes that release tension, not at the expenses of another individual; nodding head and saying um hm? or go on are included. Accepts or uses ideas of students: Clarifies, builds, or develops ideas suggested by a student. As teacher brings more of his or her own ideas into play, shift to # 5. Asks Questions: Asks questions about content or procedure with the intent that the student answers. Lecturing: Gives facts or opinions about content or procedure, expresses his or her ideas, asking rhetorical questions. Giving Directions: gives directions, commands, or orders that students are expected to comply with. Criticizing or Justifying Authority: gives statements that are intended to change student behavior from unacceptable to acceptable pattern; bawling someone out; stating why the teacher is doing in the context of what he or she is doing with extreme self-reference. Student talk-response: Talk by students in response to teacher. Teacher initiates the contact or solicits students statement Studentà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s talk-initiation: Talk initiated by students. If calling on student is only to indicate who may talk next, observer must decide whether student wanted to talk. Silence or confusion: Pauses, short periods of silence, and periods of confusion in which communication cannot be understood by the observer. Subject: The above observational sheet represents 90 seconds for 10 categories of FIA. Each block in observational sheet represents 3 seconds. PROCEDURE The design of the study will be observational, In order to secure data, Flanders Interaction Analysis procedure will be employed to observe classroom interaction patterns in Elementary level classrooms. The following observation procedure will be adopted: 1. In the each class of 45 minutes duration, 13.50 minutes (810 secs) will be used for observation. 13.50 minutes (810 secs) will be divided in to nine observation session. Each observation session will be for the duration of 1 .30 minutes (90 secs). One observation sheet will be used for each observation session of 90 seconds. Each observation session will constitute 30 observation periods. Each observation period will be of 3 seconds duration. The teachers behaviour in each observation period of 3 seconds will be observed, classified and recorded in the relevant block of the observation sheet till the termination of observation session of 90 seconds. Stopwatch will be used to note initiation and expiry of each observation period of 3 seconds. 9. Total time for observation in a single classroom will be 13.50 minutes DATA COLLECTION The observational session will be an interesting stage for the researcher. He will visit different classrooms, with different subject matter and with different teachers. Twenty five classes (as mentioned in sample) will be observed in a period of 3 months. DATA ANALYSIS Data collected through the above mentioned research instrument will be coded in the observation sheets. Each table will be analysed and interpreted by using percentages. In order to calculate, all the categories from category 1 to 10 will be added and the mean and standard deviation of 10 categories for 25 Elementary classes will be calculated. LITERATURE CITED Amidon E. and N. Flanders. 1967. Interaction Analysis as a Feedback System. Theory: Research, and Application. Addison-Wesley Reading, MA, USA Pp.121-140. Amidon, E. and J. Hough. 1970 Interaction Analysis: Theory, Research, and Application. Addison-wesley Reading, MA. USA Ppl 14-1 18. Amidon, E. and E. Hunter. 1967. Verbal Interaction in the Classroom: The verbal interaction category system. Addison-wesley. Reading, MA: USA P 52. Anderson, L. W. and R. B. Burns. 1989. Research in Classrooms: The study of teachers, Teaching and Instruction. Pergamon Press New York. P.101. Bellack, A. 1965. The language of the Classroom. Teacher college press, New York. Bruner, J. 1966 Towards a theory of Instruction. Cambridge, Mass, Belknap Press, Harvard University. Pp 87-99. Dewey, J. 1933. How we think. D.C.I:leath, Boston.P.266 Donald, E. 1985. Applying Research on Teacher Clarity: Journal of Teacher Education, New York.P.44-48 Flander, N. 1963. Intent, Action and Feed back, A preparation for teaching. Journal of Teacher of Education. New York. Pp25 1-260. Flander, N. 1967 Teacher Influence in the Classroom. Interaction analysis: theory, research, and application Addison-Wesley. Reading, MA:USA. Pp 103-116. Flander, N. 1970 Analyzing Teacher Behavior. Addison-Wesley. Reading, Mass: P.171 Flander, N, and G. Morine. 1973 The Assessment of Proper Control and Suitable learning environment. In N. L. Gage (Ed). Mandated evaluation of educators. Stanford California Center for Research and Development in Teaching. Pp 73-78 Gage, N. L. 1978. The Scientific Basis for the Art of Teaching. Teachers College Press. New York: P-287 Gay,L R. 2000. Competencies for Analysis and Application (5h ed). Educational Research. Florida International University. Pp.448-457. Goodlad, J. 1984. A Place Called Classroom. McGraw Hill Publishing Company, New York. P.387-91. Jackson, W. P. 1968. Life In Classroom. Hold, Rinehart, New YOrk.P.69. Medley and Mitzel. 1963. Observational schedule. Interaction Analysis, University Press, New Delhi P.86. Mark N. 1994. Problem Based Learning, McGraw Hill, New York. p 110.

Gender of Nature: Mother Earth :: Essays Papers

Gender of Nature: Mother Earth â€Å"Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the wind longs to play with your hair.† -The Prophet, by Kahlil Gibran There is no voice more comforting than Mama’s. In the womb we are suspended in safe warmth, hearing every noise that Mama makes. And we don’t just hear her voice. We feel its vibrations, its muffled hum, through our ears and our entire forming bodies. It’s no wonder that that is often the only voice that can comfort us in the distress of our new little lives. Yet, what of the mother who cannot speak? Can she still comfort her baby? Yes, because it is much more than vocal chords that connect a baby with its birth mother. After all, Baby eats all that Mama eats, breathes Mama’s air, knows Mama’s way of moving and laughing†¦Baby feels every surge of adrenaline that Mama feels. Bonds don’t get more intimate than that. Even after Baby is born, this bond is strengthened through long bouts of staring into each other’s eyes, through feeling the lulling rhythm of Mama’s breathing while sleeping against her chest, through time spent together saturated in touch and play. This phenomenon of intimacy is so powerful that it surpasses any blindness or handicap Mama could possibly have. Not only do we all have this precious connection with our Mama’s, we also have a strong, and similar, connection with Earth. Philosopher, Roger S. Gottlieb, tells plainly of our connection with Earth, saying, â€Å"We all live and breathe and drink the water and receive the food from the soil†¦Ã¢â‚¬  We are dependent on Earth, like infants depend on Mama, for life itself. It daily sustains us, in body, as well as in spirit. It is a tragedy that we have lost sight of our connection with Earth. In his book, Vocation: Discerning Our Callings in Life, Douglass Schuurman says, â€Å"Some dullards have no curiosity or sense of wonder at the harmony and beauty of creation; others have had it drummed out of them by suffering or deadening educational systems. But traces of the sense of wonder and the quest for meaning survive in most human beings. (65)† Perhaps it can be said that some dullardshave no curiosity or sense of wonder at the harmony and beauty of their Mama, the one in whom their life began.

Eating Disorders in Children

When the topic of body image and eating disorders is brought to a person’s attention, more times than not the idea of a self-conscious, thin adolescent girl comes to mind. However, reports have shown that children are exhibiting signs of lowered impressions of their own body and the presence of eating disorders are increasing at a younger age (Kedesdy, 2007). Very little is known about the commonness of eating disorders in pre-pubertal girls and boys. However, eating disorder specialists and programs in the United States are reporting an increase in young children who need help with related eating problems.According to the text book â€Å"Exploring Life Development†, in their attempt to reach â€Å"perfect† slimness, anoerexics lose between 25 and 50 percent of their body weight. (Katzman, 2005). The problem with body dissatisfaction is causing an increase in disordered eating and weight loss in young children. â€Å"Recent studies have shown that 42 % of first- , second- and third-grade girls want to be thinner; that 40 % of almost 500 fourth-graders surveyed said they diet â€Å"very often† or â€Å"sometimes†; and that 46 percent of 9-year-olds and 81 percent of 10-year-olds admit to dieting, binge eating or fear of getting fat† (Equit, M. Palmke, M. , Becker, N. , Moritz, A. , Becker, S. , & Gontard, A. , 2013). This essay will explore the development of eating disorders in children. It will show that these disorders are closely connected to a combination of physiological changes, environmental, and social factors. There are two types of eating disorders which are noted as being used to control food intake and result in extreme weight loss, Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia. Anorexia is a condition in which a child refuses to eat adequate calories out of an intense and irrational fear of becoming fat.Bulimia is a condition in which a child binge eats and then purges the food by vomiting or using laxatives to prevent weigh t gain. Diagnosing a child with an eating disorder is difficult. It is hard for specialists and doctors to diagnosis school aged children for many reasons. The first reason is the frequent growth spurts in both height and weight that pre-pubertal children exhibit during this time in their life. Therefore, it is hard to measure an expected weight for a child at this age because all children are different. Children who do not gain weight around this age, but do grow in height are not always target for an eating disorder. This is the age which children are very active and participate in sports which may be the reason why they do not gain weight (Kedesy, 2007). In addition to the problems with the diagnosing children, specialists and physicians are not adequately trained to look for eating disorders in children. Problems with eating focus on picky eaters and issues of slow weight gain based on the stage of development for younger children. Physicians seldom consider that a child who is not eating may be linked to a problem with body dissatisfaction.It is more common to associate eating problems with the notion that the child is a picky eater rather than with them having an eating disorder. Children raised in a dysfunctional family are at higher risk for developing an eating disorder. A family life where there is physical or sexual abuse may result in a child turning to an eating disorder to gain a sense of control. Eating disorders are a child’s remedy. They help them deal with emotions and are especially prevalent in children who were raised in a home that did not allow feelings to be expressed.Research also shows that children are at a high risk for developing an eating disorder if their parents are preoccupied with appearance and weight. (Equit, M. , Palmke, M. , Becker, N. , Moritz, A. , Becker, S. , & Gontard, A. , 2013). If parents (or siblings) are constantly dieting and expressing dislike towards their own bodies, the child will receive the message that appearance is the most important thing to be concerned about. Society and the media also sends the message that being thin is the most important and necessary thing there is. Media is many things; media is education, knowledge, news, culture, corruption.This has been used as a form of pursing or influencing young children into believing that what they see is real. Commercials are used to tell children what to buy or what is â€Å"in†. There are several messages that that the media sends out to young children, some of them beneficial and some fraudulent. Women in particular have been portrayed to be flawless and tremendously thin, and if you are not then you must become flawless and thin. The textbook â€Å"Exploring Lifespan Development† mentions that this societal image of â€Å"thin is beautiful† contributes to the poor body image of many girls, specially early-maturing girls. (Tyrka, Graber, & Brooks-Gunn, 2000). Media messages have a great effect on you ng children that want to be liked and sadly enough they think that media is what matters. Some of these messages have resulted in young girls and boys going to the lengths of eating disorders to look like some of the messages they receive. Some children are more vulnerable to these messages than others. Children who are insecure about themselves or eager to please others are most likely to fall in to this horrible craze of being â€Å"thin and beautiful†.Children are bombarded with images and messages that reinforce the idea that thin is happy and successful. I believe it's important everyone, especially parents, are aware of these eating disorders. Most importantly, set an example for their children. Children learn by what they observe. If they are observing a healthy environment which is not focused on a negative body image with an emphasis on dieting, then they will be likely to follow the model set in place for them. An eating disorder is a very serious problem and needs to be treated as early as possible. It is important, as mentioned earlier to have treatment which includes the family.This is because the child’s eating disorder may be based on a problem which is deep seeded with in the family dynamics and also because of the child’s age. It is the initial approach to any problem with body image or eating disorder which is crucial for a person to recover and create a positive relationship with themselves and with food. Reports have also shown that 80% of girls in grades 3 – 6 have bad feelings about their bodies (Kedesdy, 2007). This issue of body dissatisfaction diverts the young child’s attention away from school work and from social interactions with peers.Preteen boys also worry about how their build compares with others. They are focused on sports and with the muscular men they see on television and have been conditioned to believe that muscles are more important than what is on the inside. The relevance of my findi ngs to modern society is that there are many extreme pressures existing in the world we live in, which directly affect a large number of the population to the point of extremity. In an age of high technology, rapid development, and intense social pressure, the pressure to be the best of the best prevails.Many people succumb to the pressure in a variety of ways, some beneficial, and some detrimental. Eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia in part result from an intense pressure to achieve the perfect ideal body weight and physical appearance. Emphasis on being perfect begins early in childhood and continues to grow with age, sometimes so much that a personality takes on a perfectionistic drive affecting every aspect of daily life. Perfectionism is a common individualized personality trait which in part stems from this ardent cultural pressure.

Free Essays on The Libertarian Party

The Libertarian Party is the best party for the United States of America. I chose this party because not only do they realize that long overdue changes need to be made to the government, they come prepared with logical solutions; logical solutions made after simple observations. For example, one big change the Libertarians feel is necessary is the ending of the prohibition of drugs. They came to this conclusion after a simple observation of when the US tried to make alcohol illegal in the 1920’s. The result was organized crime. Criminals had found an easy way to make money. But the money they made from liquor simply funded their need of guns and explosives to then rob banks and houses. The same problem exists today with marijuana, the most widespread drug. It simply pays for the cost of guns to commit more harmful crimes such as murder or grand larceny. Not only that, but the criminals can now afford to produce more dangerous drugs such as cocaine or heroine. Another good solution they have proposed is to end foreign aid. Recently there has been a lot of talk about leaving a huge deficit for the future generations. A large part of this deficit comes from the $14 billion the US spends on foreign aid every year, amounting in $400 billion since the end of World War II. Also it has been shown that foreign aid has historically slowed economic development and created dependence. The Libertarian Party has observed that â€Å"the U.S. Agency for International Development itself admits, ‘Only a handful of countries that started receiving U.S. assistance in the 1950s and 1960s have ever graduated from dependent status’†(www.lp.org). I did not choose the Republican or Democratic Party because they seemed to lack the ability to look at a part of government logically and decide that it needs to be completely changed or removed. They feel the only way to fix a problem is by pumping more money into it and taking away more of our liberties. I... Free Essays on The Libertarian Party Free Essays on The Libertarian Party The Libertarian Party is the best party for the United States of America. I chose this party because not only do they realize that long overdue changes need to be made to the government, they come prepared with logical solutions; logical solutions made after simple observations. For example, one big change the Libertarians feel is necessary is the ending of the prohibition of drugs. They came to this conclusion after a simple observation of when the US tried to make alcohol illegal in the 1920’s. The result was organized crime. Criminals had found an easy way to make money. But the money they made from liquor simply funded their need of guns and explosives to then rob banks and houses. The same problem exists today with marijuana, the most widespread drug. It simply pays for the cost of guns to commit more harmful crimes such as murder or grand larceny. Not only that, but the criminals can now afford to produce more dangerous drugs such as cocaine or heroine. Another good solution they have proposed is to end foreign aid. Recently there has been a lot of talk about leaving a huge deficit for the future generations. A large part of this deficit comes from the $14 billion the US spends on foreign aid every year, amounting in $400 billion since the end of World War II. Also it has been shown that foreign aid has historically slowed economic development and created dependence. The Libertarian Party has observed that â€Å"the U.S. Agency for International Development itself admits, ‘Only a handful of countries that started receiving U.S. assistance in the 1950s and 1960s have ever graduated from dependent status’†(www.lp.org). I did not choose the Republican or Democratic Party because they seemed to lack the ability to look at a part of government logically and decide that it needs to be completely changed or removed. They feel the only way to fix a problem is by pumping more money into it and taking away more of our liberties. I...

A Centenarian is Probably Not a Centurion

A Centenarian is Probably Not a Centurion A Centenarian is Probably Not a Centurion A Centenarian is Probably Not a Centurion By Maeve Maddox A reader was startled when a television announcer misused the word centurion: Perhaps one of your columns could cover the meanings of â€Å"centurion† and â€Å"centenarian.† A news anchor on KTTC-TV, Rochester, Minn., just announced â€Å"There is a new centurion in Clear Lake, Iowa.† (This â€Å"new centurion† is a woman celebrating her 100th birthday. A centenarian centurion?) I was amused, but assumed that the anchor’s error was unique and that I wouldn’t be able to find enough material to write a post on this misuse. My assumption was that any English speaker who has read a book or watched a movie set in ancient Roman times, or who has a superficial acquaintance with the New Testament knows the historical meaning of centurion. I was wrong. The use of centurion in the place of centenarian is widespread in discussions of longevity on the Web. Here are just three examples: In this article we take lessons from the centurion communities of the world to gain priceless insight into how we too can live the longest. In Okinawa, where the life expectancy is the highest on earth, 803 of 920 centurions who were alive as of September 2011 were women. Daisy McFadden, a longtime resident of New York, will celebrate her 100th birthday this November. Still active, she believes her eating habits have greatly contributed to her longevity, as do most centurions. I found an article in a Canadian publication in which the writer acknowledges that centenarian is the word usually used to describe a person who has reached the age of one hundred, but seems to think that centurion is a better word to describe a centenarian who remains in good health: There are more than 4,600 Canadians now 100 or older. Estimates are that the United States might have a million people 100 or older by 2050. If those estimates are accurate, 43 years from now, many of those Boomers you see every day will be the new centurions, which strikes me as a better way to describe centenarians. Just as 60 is the new 50 today, 100 will be the new 90! Note: Joseph Wambaugh titled one of his novels The New Centurions. As it is about the lives of Los Angeles policemen, I don’t get the connection. Neither did Wambaugh’s British publishers, apparently. In the UK, the book was published as Precinct 45: Los Angeles Police. Centurion and centenarian are among several English words derived from the Latin word for one hundred: centum. In the ancient Roman army, a centurion was the officer in charge of a century, a unit originally comprised of 100 men. In the context of cricket, centurion refers to a player who has scored 100 runs (a century): Surrey teenager Dominic Sibley becomes youngest double centurion in County Championship history Dominic Sibley swapped school books for record books by becoming the youngest batsman in County Championship history to score a double century. This is a valid extension of meaning in a modern context. Using centurion to replace centenarian is unnecessary. Centenarian already exists with the meaning â€Å"a person who has reached the age of one hundred.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Possessive of Proper Names Ending in S34 Writing Tips That Will Make You a Better WriterOne Scissor?

POVERTY-NO MONEY-DEPRIVATION,LACK OF RESOURCES IN UK Essay

POVERTY-NO MONEY-DEPRIVATION,LACK OF RESOURCES IN UK - Essay Example An illness has wider social implications and refers to the personal experience while a disease is a malfunctioning diagnosed by a qualified health practitioner as suggested by Davey and Seale (2002). The negative approach is dominant over the positive approach and has implications on health measurement since it indicates health in a negative perspective by measuring how unhealthy the population is. Social surveys including the General Household survey (GHS) research on health matter giving unbiased analysis. Health matters vary in many ways according to sex, age, social classes, ethnic groups, location and the social structure. There are multiple factors affecting health and inequality including socio-economic, physical environment and psychological factors. Unequal access to proper transport has adverse implications on social mobility and this determines access to health services and education. According to reports lack of access to a vehicle is the main transport factor affecting exclusion of the low-income group. It is stated that transport provision and cost may act as a hindrance to access to health facilities which leads to poor health among the excluded people. A Social Exclusion Review Unit studied the problems associated with access to health care and the impact of traffic on marginalized communities. Levels of exclusion are associated with economic status of individuals, age and geographical location and affect both urban and rural inhabitants’ lack of money, physical immobility and timings and routing of public means of transport. There is a positive relationship between ownership of proper housing and the affordability of quality health services by an individual. This is affected by the income of an individual and affects other factors including education of the individual. Proper housing has evidence of positive health choices and development of attitudes and aspirations for the

The Impact of Information Technology on the Role of Human Resources Term Paper

The Impact of Information Technology on the Role of Human Resources - Term Paper Example The paper discusses the crucial interaction between HR and information technology in an organization. In its initial years of adoption, IT was performed more routine functions, such as those of the personnel department, as opposed to the more sophisticated roles of the HR However, the current information technology (which includes ERP, employee databases and management systems, SAP as well as the more holistic HR information systems (HRIS) the role of IT has transformed from performing tactical, routine tasks to those involving more strategic contributions towards the organization. The fact that both HR and IT have undergone strategic transformations over the years has increased the researcher’s interests in exploring the linkage between the two. On the contrary, however, the little empirical examination has been done in this area. A model proposed by Leavitt indicated a linkage between people, structure, tasks, and technology. According to him, technological change is driven by organizational change. The concept is elaborated by Dewett and Jones who claim that IT contributes towards information efficiency as well as information synergies by achieving the former through enhanced output and quality of information and ensuring the latter by enhanced coordination amongst various groups within the organization. One increasingly interesting aspect of organizational change has been that of the changing nature and role of the HR. HR experts have assumed the prominent roles of partners and change agents. The role of HR as a business partner allows the HR professionals to contribute to the accomplishment of organizational goals, develop strategic outcomes for the business, as well as help the business accomplish the ‘strategy should follow structure’ rule. The role as a change agent involves HR professionals facilitating the process of change in organizations, ensuring that the HR setup facilitates change rather than hampering it, and enhancing and r ewarding competitive behaviors within the organization. At the same time, however, the change has been slow which is mainly due to HR involvement in mundane tasks such as paperwork and manual processing of CVs. It is believed that IT has facilitated the HR transition from performing administration and tactical tasks to more strategic ones by shifting the burden of tactical work from HR to IT. It has been observed that by delegating the bulk of administrative tasks to IT, small businesses are in a better position to deal with strategic planning and success models. Furthermore, research has suggested that the relationship between organizational performance and IT is vague. In fact, as claimed by some, it is a dual-edged sword. The relationship presents what is known as a â€Å"productivity paradox†. This term accurately depicts the situation of organizations that have made significant investments in IT but have not yet reaped its benefits. At the other end, however, are the pot ential benefits of IT on HR due to outsourcing, collaboration, and computerization of service delivery platforms. Eastman Chemical is an organization that is on the verge towards outsourcing the administrative aspect of its HR.