Identity of African American Men Essay Example for Free

Identity of African American Men Essay â€Å"No metaphor can capture completely the complexity of ethnic dynamics in the U. S. ‘Melting pot’ ignores the persistence and reconfiguration of the ethnicity over the generations. ‘Mosaic,’ much more apt for pluralistic societies such as Kenya or India, is too static a metaphor; it fails to take in to account the easy penetration of many ethnic boundaries. Nor is ‘salad bowl’ appropriate; the ingredients of a salad bowl are mixed but do not change. ‘Rainbow’ is a tantalizing metaphor, but rainbows disappear. ‘Symphony,’ like ‘rainbow,’ implies near perfect harmony; both fail to take into account the variety and range of ethnic conflict in the United States. The most accurately descriptive metaphor, the one that best explains the dynamics of ethnicity, is ‘kaleidoscope. ’ American ethnicity is kaleidoscopic, i. e. ‘complex and varied, changing form, pattern, color†¦ continually shifting from one set of relations to another; rapidly changing. ’ When a kaleidoscope is in motion, the parts give the appearance of relationships. The viewer sees and endless variety of variegated patterns, just as takes place on the American ethnic landscape. †- Lawrence Fuchs (Literature for Composition 1032) â€Å"Identity in America† was the theme chosen by my English 201 study group. This theme was taken from chapter twenty two of the Literature for composition: Reading and Writing Argument text book. However, I focused the broad theme of â€Å"Identity in America† to the more narrowed theme of â€Å"The Display of African American men in the media. † I chose this theme or topic because I felt that I can relate to it and as a matter of fact, it was also interesting to me. But in order to conduct my research on the particular topic, I came up with the following question, â€Å"How has the identity of African American men been displayed by the media: negatively or positively? † This question was chosen in order to provoke an argument for discussion. I conducted several interviews in order to acquire information about my selected topic. The media’s display of the identity of African American men can be discussed or looked at from two angles: negatively or positively. First, from my experience I can say that the media displays African American men in both lights, negatively and positively. But after conducting interviews with several individuals, my opinion has somewhat changed. I was always aware of the negative images of African/black men in the media. But I was not aware that this display had evolved overtime. My first interview was conducted with April T. Glasgow, a communications major at the University of the Virgin Islands on Wednesday 20th February 2008, at approximately ten o’clock in the morning. We conducted the interview at her dorm’s lobby. I had explained the topic prior to meeting with her, so she already had an idea about what issue the discussion would be addressing. Generally, her opinion was that black men were being exploited and portrayed negatively by the media. She also stated strongly that black men were too often portrayed or given the roles of thugs, gangsters, and pimps in films and magazines. In addition, a suggestion she made on how we could resolve this stereotype was that black people must unite and stand up against these negative portrayals especially those in rap music videos. The second interview was carried out that same day with Professor Alex Randall. His general statements were that the media has changed over the years. â€Å"The negative portrayals of the 1960’s and 1970’s have changed,† Randall stated. Randall felt that in modern times, people of color were treated more fairly and given a more positive portrayal in the media. Randall stated that there were many positive images in the media of African Americans, such as Denzel Washington, Barack Obama, Michael Jordan, and Bill Cosby. In addition, Randall said that in previous years no such image could have been seen in the media. â€Å"We are rational human beings and it’s our choice to choose what part of the spectrum of negative and positive images we would want to emulate,† said Randall. This statement impacted me and slightly changed my opinion on the topic. At that point in conducting my primary research for the paper, my position on the topic has somewhat been altered. After conducting the interviews with April T. Glasgow and Professor Alexander Randall I have become more open minded to the issue. I would admit that I was initially a bit biased and reserved on the topic prior to evaluating the topic from both sides; negatively and positively. In order to decide which position I was going to take I would have to do more secondary research on the topic. Since I started this research paper my observation and assessment of the media have taken a different turn. I now compare and contrast men of other races in the media to African American men. My secondary research was, for the most part, completed using internet sources. The articles that I discovered on the web were very useful and contributed greatly to my research. Three internet articles were analyzed to achieve the secondary data for my paper. The first article I examined was â€Å"The Media’s Bias against black men in America. † The article was basically a discussion of a piece written in the New York Times about the plight of American black men. The author, Armstrong Williams, stated that the New York Times article was another example of major media outlets using negative statistics to consistently cast black men as the scourge of this country. Williams made several strong and interesting statements throughout the article that I thought was beneficial to this research paper. For example, according to Williams, â€Å"The continual coverage of the black mans plight instead of his progress only hinders his growth, holds back our country from true equality, and hides the truth about the opportunities and challenges that we all face†(Williams  ¶4). Williams also suggested that the American public should challenge the lack of coverage of American black progress in this country (Williams  ¶5). â€Å"In the last century black men have literally gone from being slaves to business owners, government leaders, lawyers, doctors, firemen, generals, entertainers, and educators. No other oppressed class of people anywhere else in the world has advanced its standing in a society this quickly† (Williams  ¶6). I was really impressed by the way Armstrong used this statement to present his argument. In addition, Williams stated that the incidence of drug use, crime, scandal, divorce, and other social ills have increased dramatically for white men, but these statistics are not reported as problems about ‘white men in America (Williams  ¶6). â€Å"Approximately 9 out of 10 serial killers are white males between the ages of twenty and thirty five. Yet we never hear these statistics repeated over and over again in the mainstream press, making these crimes synonymous with one particular race as in this case with blacks† (Williams  ¶9). Later in the article Williams explained the image the media is creating internationally. The overseas media continuously places black men in negative positions such as school dropouts, irresponsible fathers, and victims of perpetual racism. The manner in which these stories are constructed and then, displayed to listeners and readers eliminates the possibility of believing that black men do not have positive roles (Williams  ¶10). Therefore, I agree with Williams that the repetitive negative articles can create a vicious cycle of harmful images and low expectations of black men. â€Å"The Black Image in the White Mind† is the title of the second internet article that I examined. The article was useful in constructing my opinion on the topic of how African American men are displayed in the media whether negatively or positively. The article presented some useful statistical data that was quite interesting and yet shocking to me. In this article by Robert M. Entman, he stated that a mug shot of a Black defendant is four times more likely to appear in a local television news report than of a White defendant (Entman  ¶2). He went on to say that the accused is two times more likely to be shown physically restrained in a local television news report than when the accused is a white man (Entman  ¶2). According to Entman, â€Å"The name of the accused is two times more likely to be shown on screen in a local TV news report if the defendant is black, rather than white† (Entman  ¶2). In addition, he stated that while black actors are now more visible in media, it is an open question as to how well they are being represented (Entman  ¶2). The Third article that I examined was â€Å"Black youth and mass media: current research and emerging questions† and I found it to be the most interesting of the three. This article was written by Craig Watkins, an Associate Professor of Sociology and Radio-Television- Film at the University of Texas at Austin. The article was basically an outline of some of the important research findings and emergent issues that examine the changing relationship between black American youth and the mass media industry (Watkins  ¶5). Watkins stated that for most of its history the mass media industry has produced images that distort and misrepresent the complexities of the African American experience (Watkins  ¶9). He stated that contemporary media representations of African Americans can be best described as paradoxical because blacks are simultaneously underrepresented and overrepresented in American media culture (Watkins  ¶9). According to Watkins, â€Å"blacks are underrepresented in many areas of mass media they are over represented in television sports broadcasts and crime and violence related portrayals† (Watkins  ¶13). Watkins said that images of blacks in magazines have increased but they are predominantly portrayed in athletic roles. According to Watkins, African American men are more likely to appear as athletes or musicians (Watkins  ¶14). The strongest statement throughout the article was when Watkins stated that the ‘athleticization’ of the black men in the media reproduces and popularizes long-standing myths about biological and intellectual differences between blacks and whites (Watkins  ¶15). Further analysis of Watkins’ article indicated that when African Americans are portrayed in television news it is generally in aggressive, violent, or criminal roles. Also, a recent analysis of the film industry asserts that blacks tend to be restricted to low budget features that focus disproportionately on crime, violence, and youth delinquency. The repetitious display of blacks in athletic roles creates a limited range of adult and professional role models for young black males being that they are faced with only few media images of successful African American men. The internet articles that I examined clearly showed that there is strong evidence to prove that African American men are negatively and unfairly displayed in the media. After examining these internet articles, I felt that even though they were some positive images of African American men in the media the majority of images are in some way biased or negative. After evaluating and examining my internet sources, I turned back my attention to my English 201 text book, Literature for Composition: Reading and Writing Arguments to get some more insight on the matter. While reading through chapter twenty-three, I came up on a quote from Lawrence Fuchs that I found to be tied in well with my overall all theme of identity in America. I decided to place this quote at the beginning of the research paper a sort of introduction to the overall theme. I chose this quote because it describes the complexity and internal conflicts of identity in America. Speaking of conflicts between identities, Hotel Rwanda is a film that displays such conflict to the extreme. This film was shown in class by my English professor because she said that it was in some way related to our theme and that it could also be used as a part of our secondary research. I did not really understand the connection with our theme until I saw the film. Hotel Rwanda is a historical drama about the hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina played by Don Cheadle during the Rwandan genocide and was directed by Terry George in 2004. The movie is actually based on the Rwandan genocide that occurred in 1994 where almost one million of both Tutsi and Hutu individuals were killed. In the movie which is a reflection of what actually took place, the media was used to instigate conflicts between the Tutsi and Hutu. Throughout the actual conflict the media was used as a tool to falsely display Tutsi’s as the scourge of Rwanda. For example, the radio station, RTLM was used to spread negative and hate messages about the Tutsis such as â€Å"Why do we hate the Tutsis? They are cockroaches†¦Rwanda is Hutu land. †(United Arts. Dir. Terry George. United States, 2004) All in all, it is quite evident from the primary and secondary research that there are both negative and positive displays of African American men in the media. Since the interviews I am more aware that the display of African Americans has changed over time for the better. However, from the Internet articles I have discovered that there are still a lot of negative images of African American men in the media. In addition, I learned that there are still many biases when presenting African American men in media whether on radio, television, or magazines. Overall, the research was very interesting and informative. April T. Glasgow and Professor Alexander Randall were very helpful in making my research paper a success. From carrying out this research paper I was able to conduct some interesting interviews, especially with Professor Randall. I was truly able to critically interpret and analyze the investigation in addition to improving my overall research skills. The research process was a learning experience that I will never forget. Works Cited Barnet, Sylvan, Burto William and Cain E. William. Literature for Composition. New York: Longman, 2007. Entman, Robert and Rojecki, Andrew. â€Å"Media and its Portrayal of Black Americans. † racerelations. about. com. New York. 2008. . Glasgow, April T. Personal Interview. 20 Feb. 2008. Hotel Rwanda. Dir. Terry George. Lions Gate Films and United Artists, 2004. Randall, Alexander. Personal Interview. 20 Feb. 2008. Watkins, S. Craig, â€Å"Black Youth and Mass Media: Current Research and Emerging Questions. † http://www. rcgd. isr. umich. edu/prba/perspectives/winter2000/cwatkins. pdf. Williams, Armstrong. â€Å"The Media’s Bias Against Black Men in America. † 31 March 2006. .

Outcome of Vascular Complications After Arterial Punctures

Outcome of Vascular Complications After Arterial Punctures Introduction :- Arterial catheterizations are used routinely for continuous haemodynamic monitoring in the operating room and also in critically ill patients (1). It provides easy and appropriate access for several blood samplings and blood gas analysis (2) and has frequently been found to be a safe procedure, with a few severe complications (3,4). Percutaneous arterial cannulation is used widely in the clinical management of critically ill adults second in frequency to intravenous cannulation(5). Common sites of percutaneous needle puncture include the radial, femoral, brachial, dorsalispedis, or axillary artery. There is no evidence that any site is superior to the others. However, the radial artery is used most frequently due to its easy palpability, low complication rates, location and patients comfortability than the other sites. Patients undergoing radial or dorsalispedis artery puncture should have the collateral flow to those vessels evaluated prior to puncture, to avoid the risk of ischemic complications (6, 7). Each arterial catheterization site is associated with a unique set of potential complications. Radial artery insertion is associated with peripheral neuropathy, femoral artery insertion with retroperitoneal hematoma, axillary artery insertion with brachial plexopathy, and brachial artery insertion with injury to the median nerve(8). Although many sites share the same possible complications (eg, bleeding), the frequency of these complications varies among the different insertion sites. The most common complications associated with radial artery catheterization are occlusion (2 to 35 percent) and hematoma (up to 15 percent) (9). Permanent injury usually results from either complication. Frequent temporary occlusion of artery has been identified as one of the main complications of radial arterial cannulation(10, 11).Arterial complications have serious ischemic damage to the hand after radial artery cannulation which lead to necrosis and amputation of fingers or t he whole hand. (12). Femoral artery is the another commonest site of arterial cannulation in intensive care units (13). The femoral artery is usually preferred than the radial artery because the it is usually palpable even in hypotensive shock patients and is the only available route for haemodynamic monitoring(14). The incidence of related complications in the femoral artery is much lower than that in the radial artery and can be recognized easily because of the larger vessel diameter (15). Chances of sepsis is more in femoral artery cannulation because of the proximality of perianal region(16). The most common complication associated with femoral artery catheterization is hematoma (6%), which can be larger and difficult to detect if extends to the retroperitoneum(17). The third most dangerous site of arterial cannulation is axillary artery and it is preferred to be uncannulated because of its close proximity to carotid artery and may compromise cerebral circulation (18). Axillary artery cannulation is technically difficult, although pulsation and pressure are maintained even with peripheral vascular collapse where as femoral artery cannulation is less difficult, can be cannulated, even during profound hypotension (24). Arterial catheter infectionsof 10 -20% are complicated by local (eg, insertion site) infection, and 5 % by bacteremia or sepsis (11). It is generally known that arterial puncture related complications are common in ICU. The purpose of this prospective analysis was to evaluate the nature and outcome of vascular complications following arterial punctures in intensive care units of King Abdulaziz Medical City. Wendt M, Hachenberg Th, Lawin P, Vietor G. Electronic monitoring and data interpretation [in German]. In: Larwin P, Bruessel T, Prien T, editor.In Praxis der Intensivbehandlung. Stuttgart, New York: Thieme; 1993. pp. 155–186. Gauer PK, Downs JB. Complications of arterial catheterization. Respir Care. 1982;27:435–444. Hartung HJ. Monitoring [in German]. In: List WF, editor. In Komplikationen in der Anà ¤sthesie. Berlin: Springer; 1990. pp. 248–260. Gardner RM. Direct arterial pressure monitoring. Curr Anaesth Crit Care.1990;1:239–246. Durbin CG Jr. Radial arterial lines and sticks: what are the risks? Respir Care. 2001;46:229-230. Kohonen M, Teerenhovi O, Terho T, et al. Is the Allen test reliable enough? Eur J CardiothoracSurg 2007; 32:902. Jarvis MA, Jarvis CL, Jones PR, Spyt TJ. Reliability of Allens test in selection of patients for radial artery harvest. Ann ThoracSurg 2000; 70:1362. OMalley MK, Rhame FS, Cerra FB, McComb RC. Value of routine pressure monitoring system changes after 72 hours of continuous use. Crit Care Med 1994; 22:1424. Russell JA, Joel M, Hudson RJ, et al. Prospective evaluation of radial and femoral artery catheterization sites in critically ill adults. Crit Care Med 1983; 11:936. Wilkins RG: Radial artery cannulation and ischaemic damage: a review. Anaesthesia 1985, 40:896-899. Slogoff S, Keats AS, Arlund C: On the safety of radial artery cannulation. Anesthesiology 1983, 59:42-47. Bedford RF: Long-term radial artery cannulation: effects on subsequent vessel function. Crit Care Med 1978, 6:64-67. Frezza EE, Mezghebe H: Indications and complications of arterial catheter use in surgical or medical intensive care units: analysis of 4932 patients. Am Surg 1998, 64:127-131. Kaye W: Invasive monitoring techniques: arterial cannulation, bedside pulmonary artery catherization, and arterial puncture. Heart Lung 1983, 12:395-427. Riker AI, Gamelli RL: Vascular complications and femoral artery catheterization in burn patients. J Trauma 1996, 41:904-905. Thomas F, Burke JP, Parker J, Orme JF, Gardner RM, Clemmer TP, Hill GA, Macfarlane P:The risk of infection related to radial vs femoral sites for arterial catherization.Crit Care Med 1983, 11:807-812. Norwood SH, Cormier B, McMahon NG, et al. Prospective study of catheter-related infection during prolonged arterial catheterization. Crit Care Med 1988; 16:836. Czepizak CA, OCallaghan JM, Venus B, Gravenstein N: Vascular access. In In Clinical anesthesia practice.. Edited by Kirby RR, Gravenstein N. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company; 1994::542-550. Johnstone R, Greenhow D. Catheterization of the dorsalis pedis artery. Anesthesiology 1973; 39:654–655 Bedford RF. Long-term radial artery cannulation: effects on subsequent vessel formation. Crit Care Med. 1978;6:64-67. Groell R, Schaffler GJ, Rienmueller R. The peripheral intravenous cannula: a cause of venous air embolism. Am J Med Sci 1997; 314:300 Soderstrom CA, Wasserman DH, Dunham MC, Caplan ES, Cowley RA. Superiority of the femoral artery for monitoring: a prospective study. Am J Surg. 1982:144:309-312 Russell JA, Joel M, Hudson RJ, Mangano DT, Schlobohm RM. Prospective evaluation of radial and femoral artery catheterization sites in critically ill patients. Crit Care Med. 1983;11:936-939. Teresa R. Cousins, John M. O’Donnell, Arterial cannulation: A critical review 2004:267,271. Complications and risk factors of peripheral arterial catheters used for haemodynamic monitoring in anaesthesia and intensive care medicine Bernd Volker Scheer1, Azriel Perel2 and Ulrich J Pfeiffer3

Intervention to Increase Exercise Levels of Diabetes Patient

Intervention to Increase Exercise Levels of Diabetes Patient An intervention to increase the participation levels of Physical Activity in patients diagnosed with Type II diabetes Background Physical activity is an increasingly important health issue with physical inactivity being associated with many chronic diseases. Physical inactivity has been identified as the fourth biggest risk factor for mortality, accounting for 6% of deaths globally [1]. However, despite strong evidence in support of the health benefits of physical activity, few people actually meet the recommended guideline level [2]. In 2008, less than 20% of adults aged 65-74 met the recommended level of physical activity [3]. Diabetes is the fifth most common cause of death in the world [4] affecting around 250 million people worldwide, a figure expected to increase to over 336 million by 2030 [5]. Type II diabetes is widespread amongst 90% of diabetic patients, found to be more common in older adults [6]. Obesity accounts for 80-85% of Type II diabetics, making it the most potent risk factor [7]. Research has shown that regular physical activity has positive benefits for Type II diabetes in that it improves body’s sensitivity to insulin and helps manage blood glucose levels [8], as well as improving an individual’s physical and mental well-being. This Indicates that physical activity is vital in both preventing and treating Type II diabetes, as well as preventing further chronic health conditions. Literature Review Self-determination theory (SDT) [9] accounts for the processes that facilitate motivational development and how the social environment can enhance or diminish self-motivation. SDT is a popular social-cognitive theory, which maintains and has provided support for the proposition that all human beings have fundamental psychological needs: competence, autonomy, and relatedness. Satisfaction of these basic psychological needs (BPN) leads to intrinsic or extrinsic motivation which influences the level of self-determined motivation an individual possesses, whereas preventing these needs promotes controlled motivation or amotivation [10]. Motivational interviewing (MI) is a scientifically tested counselling method, viewed as a useful intervention strategy in the treatment of lifestyle problems and disease. The concept of MI evolved from the experience of treating alcoholism, first described by Miller in 1983 [11]. Miller and Rollnick defined MI as ‘a directive, client-centred counselling style for eliciting behaviour change, by helping clients to explore and resolve ambivalence’ [12]. MI is a particular way of helping clients recognise and do something about their current or potential problems. It is viewed as being particularly useful for clients who are reluctant or hesitant about changing their behaviour. A systematic review and meta-analysis [13] of 72 randomised controlled trials shows that MI in a scientific setting outperforms traditional advice giving in the treatment of a range of behavioural problems and diseases. It also shows that MI had a significant effect in approximately three out of four studies, with an equal effect on physiological (72%) and psychological (75%) diseases [13]. Large-scale studies are now needed to prove that it can be implemented into daily clinical work in primary and secondary health care. Research [14] has shown MI to be an effective intervention for weight loss and improving glycaemic control. Patients with Type II diabetes were randomly allocated to an MI group, a Cognitive Behavioural Group Training (CBGT) or a control group and tested before and after each intervention. The findings of this study showed that in MI and CBGT, mean Body Mass Index (BMI) was significantly lower than the control group, indicating MI and CBGT is a useful intervention in helping adults with type II diabetes lose weight [14]. MI has been criticised for lacking a coherent theoretical framework for understanding its process and efficacy. It is believed that SDT can offer such a framework [15]. MI and SDT are based on the assumption that humans have an innate tendency for personal growth toward psychological integration, and that MI provides the social–environmental facilitating factors suggested by SDT to promote this tendency [15]. Aim To evaluate the effectiveness of using motivational interviewing to increase the level of physical activity of older adults diagnosed with type II diabetes, through satisfying their basic psychological needs. Design A randomised control trial design will be used, to establish a cause and effect relationship between the intervention – MI, and the outcome – increase in physical activity. A control group will be used to compare against the intervention group, allowing the researcher to see if MI has a specific effect on the intended behaviour change (increase in physical activity). It also allows any potential ‘other factors’, away from the attention of the intervention which may contribute to an increase in physical activity to be identified. The participants, to prevent selection bias, will be randomly allocated to a group using a computer. Sample Participants need to be classified as physically inactive (participate in less than 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, 3 times a week), diagnosed with Type II diabetes and aged 65+. Participants will be recruited through letters sent out via General Practitioners (GPs) to patients and through advertisements in health centres and doctors surgeries. Although currently classified as physically inactive the participant must be willing to engage in physical activity, and therefore must gain medical clearance, from their GP, to participate in the study. The recruitment of participants will be done throughout England in order to gain a large, reliable sample which can be generalised to the wider population. Intervention Miller and Rollnick [12] suggested that MI is based on the following principles: express empathy, develop discrepancy, avoid argumentation, roll with resistance, and support self-efficacy [12]. The strategies of MI are more persuasive than forced, more supportive than argumentative, and the overall goal is to increase the client’s intrinsic motivation so that change arises from within [15]. The practitioner should aim to produce a social environment satisfying participants BPN, which should promote their motivation to participate in physical activity. The structure provided by the practitioner, such as helping the client develop appropriate goals and providing positive feedback, targets the psychological need for competence. The provision of autonomy support by using client-centred strategies like rolling with resistance, exploring options, and letting the client make decisions, all support the need for autonomy. The involvement of the client by the practitioner in terms of ex pressing empathy, demonstrating an understanding and avoiding criticism support the need for relatedness [16]. To increase the likelihood of physical activity participants can chose whether their MI sessions are at their local leisure centre or hospital, or via telephone calls. The intervention program will last for 18months. In the first three months the participants will receive weekly sessions, then from month three to six they will have fortnightly sessions, and for the final 12months they will receive one session per month. A follow up study will also be completed 24months after the intervention started. It is important that practitioners provide the participants with knowledge, guidance and support to enable them to make decisions. The control group will have social phone calls and meetings like the intervention group but no MI in the sessions they will just be encouraged to maintain their current physical activity level. Assessment The outcome of the intervention will be measured at intervals: baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months and 18 months. A follow up study will also be completed 24months after the intervention started. The study will adopt three measures. The first is a general questionnaire measure to obtain demographic information, such as participants’ age, sex and current physical activity levels. The second measure is the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) [17]. PASE is a valid, brief and easy scored survey designed specifically to assess physical activity in epidemiologic studies of persons age 65 years and older [17].The final measure used will be the Basic Need Satisfaction Scale [18]. This will assess the extent to which the participant felt their practitioner was satisfying their BPN. All these measures have been found to be valid and reliable. The same measures will be used at each interval to assess changes/improvements, as well as being used in the follow up to see if th eir behaviour change has been sustained. Limitations There are a few limitations to consider. Firstly, the study aims to recruit a large sample of participants for a long period of time; it will be hard for the researcher to keep all the participants for the duration, resulting in a high dropout rate, making the result unreliable and un-generalizable. Secondly, the intervention requires time, especially at the start when the participant is required to attend weekly meetings. If the participant(s) has a lack of time then they are not going to be able to attend weekly meetings as well as completing the physical activity. In term of the intervention used, MI is based on the idea that a client must be willing to work with a professional to change behaviours, a client in denial will be unaffected by MI questions and advice. Also, outside influences maybe stronger, meaning that in a clinical setting the participant is motivated to change but when they return home they may return back to original behaviour.

The Mind of a Computer :: Computers Technology Essays

The Mind of a Computer A new issue has come about since the building of computers. But the idea behind it is not such a new issue, for as long ago as Plato and Aristotle, the idea of a mind was pondered about. With the up-and-coming technology, the idea of artificial intelligence has exploded. It is one that many fiction writers have prospered on. But how far away are they from the truth? Take the story of The Bicentennial Man by Isaac Asimov, written in 1976, when most of the population didn’t know what a computer was capable of. The idea of the unknown scared us, a robot that appeared to be just like us, but it was also intriguing, as demonstrated by the story’s success. What was it that attracted the population to this story? The reasonable answer lies within the question this paper will attempt to answer. That is, Can a computer have a mind? The answer to this question is an obvious one, but we will examine it anyway, as it needs to be addressed because of all of the popular science-fict ion writings. A computer can have a mind, and as you read further into this, you will see that computers are made of the same things we are, they transfer information using the same techniques we do, they are complex enough, and they are aware. This is enough to give them the possibility to posses a mind. Starting with the first part of the definition of mind, one might conceive of a computer that can posses a mind. The Biologist might make an argument against me, stating that only living things can have mind, that it is only those things that are biological, consisting of organic compounds, that may have the potential to posses mind. But I say to the Biologist, what is it that makes up these organic compounds? What is it about these molecules that make them construct themselves into a biological being? The answer is a simple one to any Chemist, for he knows that organic molecules are made up of elements and these elements are indeed atoms. The Physicist will most definitely agree t hat these atoms are made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons. These protons, neutrons, and electrons are what make up every atom in the universe; the same three particles come together and form all the materials known to man. The Mind of a Computer :: Computers Technology Essays The Mind of a Computer A new issue has come about since the building of computers. But the idea behind it is not such a new issue, for as long ago as Plato and Aristotle, the idea of a mind was pondered about. With the up-and-coming technology, the idea of artificial intelligence has exploded. It is one that many fiction writers have prospered on. But how far away are they from the truth? Take the story of The Bicentennial Man by Isaac Asimov, written in 1976, when most of the population didn’t know what a computer was capable of. The idea of the unknown scared us, a robot that appeared to be just like us, but it was also intriguing, as demonstrated by the story’s success. What was it that attracted the population to this story? The reasonable answer lies within the question this paper will attempt to answer. That is, Can a computer have a mind? The answer to this question is an obvious one, but we will examine it anyway, as it needs to be addressed because of all of the popular science-fict ion writings. A computer can have a mind, and as you read further into this, you will see that computers are made of the same things we are, they transfer information using the same techniques we do, they are complex enough, and they are aware. This is enough to give them the possibility to posses a mind. Starting with the first part of the definition of mind, one might conceive of a computer that can posses a mind. The Biologist might make an argument against me, stating that only living things can have mind, that it is only those things that are biological, consisting of organic compounds, that may have the potential to posses mind. But I say to the Biologist, what is it that makes up these organic compounds? What is it about these molecules that make them construct themselves into a biological being? The answer is a simple one to any Chemist, for he knows that organic molecules are made up of elements and these elements are indeed atoms. The Physicist will most definitely agree t hat these atoms are made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons. These protons, neutrons, and electrons are what make up every atom in the universe; the same three particles come together and form all the materials known to man.

Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown †A Psychological Short Story Essay exa

â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† – a Psychological Story      Ã‚  Ã‚   Let us discuss the psychological aspect of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s writing as evidenced in his tale â€Å"Young Goodman Brown.†    Peter Conn in â€Å"Finding a Voice in an New Nation† explains Hawthorne’s mix of psychology and theology. His chosen terrain lay between the realms of theology and psychology, and allegory provided the means of his explorations. . . . Concerned with individuals as specimens or types, he endowed his characters with solemnly stylized features and then studied their anxiety, or doubt, or guilt. He placed them amid settings and objects that gave symbolic expression to their inward states (83-84).    Henry Seidel Canby in â€Å"A Skeptic Incompatible with His Time and His Past† talks about the value of Hawthorne’s â€Å"literary psychology†:    This irreverent generation [of the 1950’s] has mocked at Hawthorne’s struggling souls who torture themselves over peccadilloes like adultery and are morally wrecked by obsessions that (so it is assumed) any good psychoanalyst could remove. . . . an observer of both epochs might add that the value of his literary psychology lies not in the deeds analyzed but in the picture of a struggle between right and wrong where the state of mind of the characters in conflict is immensely significant without regard to the rightness of what they think right or the wrongness of what they think wrong (62).    There is probably unanimity among literary critics that Hawthorne is a â€Å"psychological† writer. Consider some of their statements chosen at random from various critiques of Hawthorne; Stanley T. Williams in â€Å"Hawthorne’s Puritan Mind† says:    What he wrote of New England was . . . .the subconscious mind... .... â€Å"Hawthorne as Poet.† In Hawthorne – A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by A.N. Kaul. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966.    Lewis, R. W. B. â€Å"The Return into Time: Hawthorne.† In Hawthorne – A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by A.N. Kaul. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966.    Martin, Terence. Nathaniel Hawthorne. New York: Twayne Publishers Inc., 1965.    Swisher, Clarice. â€Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne: a Biography.† In Readings on Nathaniel Hawthorne, edited by Clarice Swisher. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1996.    Wagenknecht, Edward. Nathaniel Hawthorne – The Man, His Tales and Romances. New York: Continuum Publishing Co., 1989.    Williams, Stanley T. â€Å"Hawthorne’s Puritan Mind.† In Readings on Nathaniel Hawthorne, edited by Clarice Swisher. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1996.         

Personal Selling & The Marketing Concept Essay

Personal Selling – A Definition and a Philosophy Personal Selling is a process of developing relationships; discovering needs; matching the appropriate products with these needs; and communicating benefits through informing, reminding, or persuading. The development of a personal selling philosophy for the information age involves three prescriptions: 1) Adopt marketing concept. 2) Value personal selling. 3) Assume the role of a problem solver or partner in helping customers make buying decisions. Personal Selling as an Extension of the Marketing Concept When a business firm moves from a product orientation to consumer orientation, we say that it has adopted the marketing concept. This concept springs from the belief that the firm should dedicate all of its policies, planning, and operation to the satisfaction of the customer. Promotion can be further subdivided into advertising, public relations, sales promotion, and personal selling. Personal selling is the major promotional method used in business. Evolution of Consultative Selling Consultative selling emphasizes need identification, which is achieved through effective communication between the salesperson and the customer. The salesperson establishes two-way communication by asking appropriate questions and listening carefully to the customer’s responses. The salesperson assumes the role of consultant and offers well-considered recommendations. Transactional selling is a sales process that most effectively matches the needs of the value conscious buyer who is primarily interested in price and  convenience. This approach to selling is usually used by marketers who do not see the need to spend very much time on customer need assessment, problem solving, relationship building, or sales follow-up. 4 Major Features of Consultative Selling are: 1) The customer is seen as a person to be served, not a prospect to be sold. 2) The consultative salesperson does not try to overpower the customer with a high-pressure sales presentation. Instead, the buyer’s needs are identified through two-way communication. 3) Consultative selling emphasizes information giving, problem solving, and negotiation instead of manipulation. 4) Consultative selling emphasizes service after the sale. Evolution of Strategic Selling A strategic market plan is an outline of the methods and resources required to achieve an organization’s goals within a specific target market. The strategic market plan should be a guide for a strategic selling plan. This plan includes strategies that you use to position yourself with the customer before the sales call even begins. The strategic/consultative selling model features 5 steps: Develop a relationship strategy. Success in selling depends heavily on the salesperson’s ability to develop, manage, and enhance interpersonal relations with the customer. A relationship strategy is a well-thought-out plan for establishing, building, and maintaining quality relationships. Develop a product strategy The product strategy is a plan that helps salespeople make correct decisions concerning the selection and positioning of products to meet identified customer needs. Develop a customer strategy Customer strategy is based on the fact that success in personal selling depends on the salesperson’s ability to learn as much as possible about the prospect. When developing a customer strategy, the salesperson should develop a broad understanding of buying behaviors, discover individual customer needs, and build a strong prospect base. Develop a presentation strategy The presentation strategy is a well-developed plan that includes; i) Preparing the sales presentation objectives ii) Preparing the sales presentation plan that meet these objectives iii) Renewing one’s commitment to providing outstanding customer service. Interrelate the basic strategies The relationship, product, and customer strategies all influence development of the presentation strategy. For e.g., one relationship-building practice might be developed for use during the initial face-to-face meeting with the customer and another for possible use during the negotiation of buyer resistance.Another relationship-building method might be developed for use after the sale is closed. Evolution of Partnering Partnering is a strategically developed, long-term relationship that solves the customer’s problems. A successful long-term partnership is achieved when the salesperson is able to skillfully apply the four major strategies and thus add value in various ways. Successful sales professionals stay close to the customer and constantly search for new ways to add value. Many companies today are using some form of sales automation to enhance partnerships with customers. Sales automation is the term used to describe those technologies used to improve communications in a sales organization and to enhance customer responsiveness. Strategic Alliances – The Highest Form of Partnering The goal of a strategic alliance is to achieve a marketplace advantage by teaming up with another company whose products or services fit well with your own. 1) Building an alliance to learn as much as possible about the proposed partner. 2) To meet with the proposed partner and explore mutual benefits of the alliance. Building win-win partnerships requires the highest form of consultative selling.

Family life Essay

Family life is full of challenges, but when we make wise choices, it is also rewarding. Family Life includes dozens of practical units on human development (childhood, teen years, adulthood, and aging), and living in a family (couple relationships, parenting, strengths, connections). All of these materials are intended to help you make choices that will make your family life more effective and satisfying. Family Life. A family is a household of people related by blood or marriage. More specifically, we can define a family as husband and wife (or one parent), with or without never-married children, living together in the same dwelling. A household may contain more than two generations of people. The family is the foundational institution of society ordained by God. It is constituted by marriage and is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood or adoption. A safe haven in which family members esteem and honor one another. A place where words and actions communicate value and respect to everyone, young and old. A reliable sanctuary where each person receives grace – unconditional acceptance and extravagant generosity with no strings attached. A place where a person finds others available, attentive, and emotionally connected to them. A community of celebration, laughter, and play. A safe haven where family members can let their hair down, reveal themselves fully, and know one another intimately. Family roles are the recurrent patterns of behavior by which individuals fulfill family functions and needs. Individual members of families occupy certain roles such as child, sibling, grandchild. Along with roles come certain social and family expectations for how those roles should be fulfilled. For example, parents are expected to teach, discipline, and provide for their children. And children are expected to cooperate and respect their parents. As family members age, they take on additional roles, such as becoming a spouse, parent, or grandparent. A person’s role is always expanding or changing, depending upon his or her age and family stage. Individuals within a family have both instrumental and affective roles to fulfill. Each serves an important function in maintaining healthy family functioning. Instrumental roles are concerned with the provision of physical resources (e.g., food, clothing, and shelter), decision-making and family management. Affective roles exist to provide emotional support and encouragement to family members. Both sets of roles must be present for healthy family functioning. In addition, families must also consider issues of roles allocation and accountablility. Communication is the way you let other people know about your ideas and feelings. It is much more than the words you say. It is what you say, how you say it, why you say it, when you say it, and what you don’t say. It is your facial expression, your gestures, your posture, and your vocal tones. Good communication isn’t something that just happens between members of strong families; they make it happen. Good family communication involves being both an active listener and a thoughtful speaker. In this way children can see how to communicate well and how to have more control of their lives. A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. – Proverbs 13:22 The Bible speaks often about leaving an inheritance for our children – not necessarily as a command, just as prudent advice. Applying this principle to material things, it is easy to see how helpful it would be to have the parent generation jump-starting their children’s generation with sound financial teaching and the means for them to start their own families with tangible goods rather than debt. This second generation will then, in turn, be able to help the third generation so much more, and so on. I am not talking about amassing and hording money. Rather, I was thinking along the lines of how in the old days, families would pass part of their land on to each of their children, and help them build a house/farm on it, or how the family business would be passed down from father to son for generation after generation. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. – Psalm 16:6 Regardless of your financial standing, this same principle can be applied to the spiritual realm, which is also infinitely more important than the physical/material. The testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart. – Psalm 119:111 When we think about the importance of passing on to our children a heritage of godliness, living a life that strives to be in line with Bible principles becomes a much more urgent responsibility.