Self-Representation of Native Americans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Self-Representation of Native Americans - Essay Example Current conceptions and representations of Native American culture sometimes suppose they are lazy, casino owning alcoholics who ignorantly refuse to assimilate into modern society. One artist of the 19th century attempted to re-categorize the representations of Native Americans, George Caitlin. In his works, one sees an obvious and intentional desire to portray Native Americans as noble and civilized, some works going as far as to suggest that it is European civilization that is the problem as it is a corrupting and destructive influence on the indigenous populations of the Americas. Self-representation of oppressed and minority populations has proven an effective way to create a voice in the public discourse and to question the validity of particular suppositions which underlie the dominant paradigms of understanding. Unfortunately, there has been limited access to Native American self-representations in the public space until very recently. An exhibition of a rare sketchbook, A Kiowa's Odyssey, is traveling around the country showing the drawings of an autodidact, Etahdleuh Doanmoe, whose sketches depict the capture and relocation of 72 Comanche, Kiowa, Cheyenne and members of other tribes from Fort Sill, Oklahoma to St. Augustine, Florida. Though these Doanmoe sketches lack the formal compositional techniques of Caitlin's oeuvre the contrast between representation and self-representation of Native American populations is well manifested in the juxtaposition of these two bodies of work. This paper will focus on the context and intention as embodied by and thro ugh the sketches and paintings. The drawings that appear in the Sketchbook of Doanmoe were originally collected by Lieutenant Richard Henry Pratt, a strong advocate of Indian assimilation and the founder of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania.1 Pratt believed that the Indians needed to reject their primitive ways and become educated in Western language, manners, and religion. To this end after capturing Doanmoe and some 70 other Native Americans he marched them 1,000 miles from Fort Sill in Oklahoma to Fort Marion where they received "training" for three years. The sketchbook catalogued the events that took place there, and their titles once assembled were type-written on the top by Pratt himself.2 One feature of the sketches that is immediately noticeable is the unusual perspective that Doanmoe utilizes, namely a rather panoramic perspective as illustrated in his Prisoners Entering Fort Sill.3 This perspective intimates a fundamental disconnect with the subject matter. This fundament disconnection lies in stark contrast to many of the paintings of George Caitlin. Caitlin painted over 35 portraits of tribal chiefs and most of them such as Shonkakihega, Horse Chief, Grand Pawnee Head Chief 4have a very close and intensely intimate impression, with the subject dominating a rather contrived background that only serves to highlight and foreground the features of the subject as the colors in the background seem only chosen to compliment the various colors used for the subject. Caitlin was determined to attach a sense of nobility and austerity to the indigenous subjects of his works. This distinction in perspective reveals something about the relative positions of the two artists

Literature Review On Leadership Effectiveness Management Essay

Literature Review On Leadership Effectiveness Management Essay In the previous chapter it was discussed the purpose and reason for this investigative study on leadership effectiveness and its possible mediating affects on subordinate job satisfaction. The chapter will critically review the literature characterised the ideas and topics surrounding: This chapter will seek to critically review the literature surrounding: General concepts and models that have been developed discussed on leadership, competences and job satisfaction Influence of competences on the style of leadership Influence of leadership style on subordinate job satisfaction By reviewing existing literature will aid in highlighting, indentifying and discussing factors of a critical nature thus allowing sound understanding when taking the influences of competences on leadership style and its ripples on subordinate job satisfaction, if any. The contents of this literature review will dispense: A definition and explanation of leadership through the use of academic principles, conceptualization and models where suited. Complimented with competences profiling and subordinate job satisfaction when introduced. The critical evaluation will look at key authors and their insights in the areas of leadership styles and competences. To observe areas which have been the focal points of interest based on the topics being acknowledged, research will be made on leadership style and impact on subordinate job satisfaction. Based on what has been revealed whilst reviewing literature will allowed what has been learnt and to pin any hypostasis by what has been viewed. (Please note that some of these paths may and may not follow suit to allow for consistency) Leadership The concept of leadership has had multi attempts to define and evolve what leadership is more often or not proving to be an enigma for theorists and practitioners. These attempts have grown from fields such as management, psychology, ideology, anthropology and sociology. With so much attention Burns (1978) described the matter by stating that leadership is one of the most observed and least understood phenomena on earth (p. 2). Having been numerous attempts in defining the meaning for the term leadership, this has resulted in taking many interpretations. Stogdill (1974, citied in Northouse, 2007, Pg 2) pointed out in a review of leadership research, there are almost as many different definitions of leadership as there are people who have tried to define it. In Stogdills Handbook of Leadership that was revised and expanded by Bass in (1981) highlighted different definitions and conceptions of leadership had previously been reviewed briefly by Morris and Seeman (1950), Shartle (1951a,b , 1956), L.F. Carter (1953), C. A. Gibb (1954, 1969a), and B. M Bass (1960). This is only a small numerical amount compared to Crainer (1995 cited in Mullins 2007, pg363) that it is claimed there are over 400 definitions of leadership and it is a veritable minefield of misunderstanding and difference though which theorists and practitioners must tread warily. At best of times theoretical perspectives define the concepts being views as a trait, behavioural style, the manipulation of individuals and groups derived through interaction, influence to gain followers and the situation in which its attended. The constant upheaval of leadership suggests that many investigators see leadership as a key structural beam for organisational effectiveness and its influences on the performance; OEs arent just segmented to monetary turnover but a measure of a dependant variable that is employee job satisfaction (Robbins, 2003). Traits Theory of Leadership From the 1930s the trait theory of leadership have been under Jerry et al (1984) , Wexley et al (1984), Smelser et al (2002) Moran et al (2007) Behavioral Theories of Leadership Michigan Ohio Situational Theories of Leadership The theory of situation leadership primary principle distinguishing leadership effectiveness in an particular situation and also what leadership style is most suited to be active in that situation. Most, if not all situational theory hinges on that the style of leadership obtained by a manager should acknowledge sets of circumstances: Management elements such as competencies, personalities and drive Employee elements such as needs derived from personalities, drive and skills Group effectiveness such as task, structure and development Organisational procedures such as standards, rules, power and timing The idea of situational leadership have recognisable and influential models that circulate around this phenomenon, these are indentified as: Fiedlers Model Contingency Houses Model of Path-Goal Fiedlers Contingency Model Fieldler (1967) based his theory on explaining that two variables that have a direct impact the performance of a group. These two variables are widely known as style of leadership and situational favourability. Fiedler (1967) asserted that the most profound leadership trait and situational favourability is distinguished by their similarity that causes the effectiveness of a leader. When leadership trait is said; it is the personality that causes relationship-oriented or task-oriented leader. Fielders contingency theory has come under criticism like most theorists do. The criticism came from the likes of Ashour (1973) Vecchio, (1977) (1983) which suggest the method of measuring the variables and the empirical research conducted were insufficient in allowing for the theory to have any validly. Such an observation is farcical simply because Fiedler has spent years tuning and perfecting his well established and used theory. Houses Path-Goal Model House (1971) based his theory from Vrooms expectancy theory. House (1971) suggests in order for a leader to motivate its subordinates by a way of two means firstly to recognise between individual subordinate needs and an organisations goal(s) by understanding the relationship between the two factors and secondly the leader must state and ease the chosen course not only for the organisational goal(s) but as well as fulfilling their own individual needs. Houses path-goal theory is very much influenced on situational characteristics. Thus allowing its ability to predict the effects it has on behavioural structuring. House also suggests the expectancies and motivations in subordinates are created through the behaviour of the leader this in turn would create job satisfaction by subordinates recognising their capabilities and the weight they perceive their job would get results. Drenth et al (1998) raised a number of criticisms regarding the path-goal theory they asserted that Houses theory doesnt cultivate the collective members as a whole based on behaviour and performance. Secondly they highlight the relationship between leadership behaviours and the group may be heavily influenced by environmental interactions. Lastly it is suggested that when empirical studies are conducted using the path-goal theory most enthusiasts use standardised leadership styles to measure the variable of effectiveness. Morden Management LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS JOB SATISFACTION Fulfilment Theory Discrepancy Theory Equity Theory Herzbergs Two-Factor Theory Focal Theoretical Research Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership. New York: Harper Row. Robbins, S.P, (2003). Organisational Behaviour. 10th Ed. Pearson Education, New Jersey Jerry, L., Gray, A., Starke, F. (1984). Organizational behaviour: Concepts and applications. New York: A Bell and Howell Co. Inc. Wexley, K, N., Yukl, G. A., (1984). Organizational behaviour and personnel psychology. US: Richard D Irwin Smelser, N, J., Baltes, P, B., (2002) International encyclopedia of the social behavioral sciences. Oxford: Elsevier Inc Moran, R. T., Harris, P,R.,, Moran, S. V., (2007) Managing cultural differences: global leadership strategies for the 21st century 7th ed. Oxford: Elsevier Mullins, Laurie J. (2007) Management and organisational behaviour / Laurie J. Mullins . 8th ed. . Harlow : Financial Times Prentice Hall Northouse, P, G., (2007) Leadership Theory and Practice 4th ed. United Kingdom: Sage Publications. Bass, B, M., (1981) Stogdills Handbook of Leadership Revised and expanded Edition. New York: The Free Press Gordon, J. R. (1987). A diagnostic approach to organizational behavior. New York: Allyn and Boston Fiedler, F. E. (1967) A Theory of Leadership Effectiveness, New York: McGraw-Hill. Vecchio, R. P. (1977) An Empirical Examination of the Validity of Fiedlers Model of Leadership Effectiveness, Organizational Behavior and Human Performance 19: 180-206. Vecchio, Robert P (1983) Assessing the Validity of Fiedlers Contingency Model of Leadership Effectiveness: A Closer look at Strube and Garcia, Psychological Bulletin 93: 404-8 Ashour, A. S. (1973) The Contingency Model of Leadership Effectiveness: An Evaluation, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 9(3): 339-55. Lawler, E. E., III (1973). Motivation in work organizations. Brooks/Cole Publishing Company: Monterrey, CA. Locke, E. A. (1969). What is job satisfaction? Organizational behavior and human performance. In E. E. Lawler (1973). Motivation in work organizations. Brooks/Cole Publishing Company: Monterrey, CA. House, R, J., A Path-Goal Theory of Leadership Effectiveness, Administrative Science Quarterly, vol. XVI(1971), 321-38 Drenth, D J P., Thierry, H., De Wolff, J, C., 1998 A Handbook Of Work And: Organizational Psychology united kingdom Psychology Press Ltd

Pot, Its Whats for Dinner :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cannabis, chronic, bud, weed, pot, grass, the list is endless. Harboring several names, marijuana use, is illegal in most of United States. In California, marijuana can be prescribed to cancer patients, aids patients and people who suffer from glaucoma. But the recreational use is strictly prohibited in most of the 50 United States. Considering the liable revenue, the social and health related factors of marijuana as opposed to legal substances like alcohol and cigarettes; the recreational use of marijuana should be legal for social and economic reasons. Marijuana has been proven to induce less side effects, or negative factors than either alcohol or cigarettes. Smoking cigarettes causes cancer, in several different forms, is physically addicting, and has enough other chemicals in it to kill small animals. Along with the extremely addicting nicotine, and tar-filled tobacco, cigarettes contain other chemical s such as rodenticide, formaldehyde, and sometimes even ammonia. Still, it is legal to buy, and smoke. Alcohol, another prevalent â€Å"evil† in society, too can cause severe internal problems (liver disease), is psychologically addicting, and in large quantities can in fact be fatal (alcohol poisoning). Both these legal substances have proven more dangerous than marijuana. Marijuana is not physically addicting. In most cases, especially if cultivated and smoked appropriately, it contains no other chemicals. One cannot â€Å"overdose† on marijuana or get â€Å"pot poisoning†. However, the government manages to ignore such proven facts, and maintains the legal sale and use of alcohol and tobacco products. Approximately $5.00 a day, $35.00 a week, $140.00 a month, and $7280.00 a year; smoking a pack of cigarettes a day is costly habit. But theoretically, it is not that expensive to grow. So, where do the disparities in prices come from? The federal government has an extensive list of taxes, and tariffs put on tobacco. The taxes on a pack of cigarettes make up for more than 50% of the price. The tobacco industry is viewed as this inherent â€Å"evil†, and the government does all it can to thwart the industry, including the taxation of all tobacco products. If the government were to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes, the same taxes, and tariffs could be applied to the sales of marijuana cigarettes. The revenue collected from this would be astounding. With this revenue, more regulation could be enforced and it would soon be harder for kids and teenagers to acquire. And just like alcohol and cigarettes, a state license could be issued for the distribution, and a legal â⠂¬Å"pot smoking† age could be enforced.

My Pet Elephant Essay

Hello there. This is the story about the first time I got a pet. my name is Hugo Lambrechts and here is where it all began. Last night at around 12:00 pm I was about to go to bed when I saw a present on my bed from my Mom .When I opened my gift I saw a toy elephant inside. I saw it and I stared for quite some time, took a big breath and smiled. When I was about to go to bed I was dreaming of having a pet elephant and how it would be to have an elephant for a pet. The next morning, it was my birthday! I jumped for joy. Mom greeted me a happy birthday. Then I saw my dad , he was the one i had to beat, I mean if I want a pet elephant, then I have to go through him. I said â€Å"Good morning Dad.† Then dad said â€Å"Happy Birthday! What would you like for your birthday?† I asked him â€Å"Dad can I have a pet elephant?† My Dad looked shocked then he laughed a little then he became serious. He said with a loud voice, â€Å"No! You can’ t have a pet elephant! I mean do you even know how to take care of an elephant?† I didn’t know what to say, I was stuttering like I was in the North Pole for days. Then the school bus went by with a big â€Å"HONK!† I can’t believe I was saved by the school bus. I was rushing to get out as soon as possible. â€Å"Bye Dad, Bye Mom see ya later.† I said in a rush. Then I raced out the door in the school bus and off to school. After school, I got home then I overheard my Dad talking on the phone then he was talking about work and stuff then it hit me I heard him talking about a present! Then that made me think. So I just went up to my room and thought about it for a long time. The next day, while I was eating breakfast I saw my dad focused on the computer looking for something on a site about wildlife and stuff. So it made me wonder more and more. So when I got back from school I saw my Dad and Mom in front of the TV watching those documentaries about animals and so when I got bored I went upstairs in my room and thought about it again. When I got home I saw boxes everywhere and so I asked, â€Å"What are these boxes for?† Then Mom answered â€Å"We are moving to a new house.† Then I asked† But why?† â€Å"You’ll see.† Said my Mom with excitement. Page 3 Then I went upstairs to pack my things. While we were driving to North Island I was thinking about what will the surprise be? So when I got there I went running down the car and up the stairs and into the room. Then I saw a basket on the floor and it said To Hugo Dear darling Hugo Happy Birthday! I hope you love your gift. From your parents Then when I opened the basket it was a baby elephant inside! .And that is the story of how I got my pet elephant.

Compare and contrast paper about two short stories Essay

In the writings â€Å"A Description of New England† by John Smith and â€Å"Of Plymouth Plantation† by William Bradford, the tone of these two selections vary noticeably. Both authors use certain tones to attract and persuade certain audiences. John Smith wrote of what a wonderful place the New World was, while on the other hand Bradford wrote about the difficulties and realities of the New World. Author John Smith, a pilgrim who arrived in the Americas, writes a description of the new land. In â€Å"A Description of New England† he shows what a wonderful world of vast food and pleasure await. William Bradford, another pilgrim who arrived in Plymouth on the coast of Massachusetts, gives his take on the early settling of the new land. In â€Å"Of Plymouth Plantation† he writes a description of what really happened their, how the pilgrims actually lived. In â€Å"A Description of New England,† Smith starts by describing the pleasure and content that risking your life for getting your own piece of land brings to men. He also implies that building your own house, planting your own crops, and having a â€Å"God’s blessing industry† would be easy to have without having any prejudice. He talks about the joy of erecting towns and then populating them. John Smith rarely mentions the Native Americans, but when he does he says that they are good people and that they helped them when the arrived. Smith also makes references to ways of profiting from daily activities such as hunting and farming. This is his way of persuading others to make a voyage to the New World. For example, John Smith states â€Å"For hunting †¦ afford not only chase sufficient for any delight that in that kind of toil or pleasure but such beasts to hunt that besides the delicacy of their bodies for food, and their skins are so rich as may well recompense thy daily labor with a captains pay. By persuading others to come to the New World, it can also be seen that Smith expects to profit from these new settlers. John Smith appears to be directing his writing towards certain financial individuals wanting to invest in the new colonies. In â€Å"Of Plymouth Plantation,† Bradford begins by reminding us how harsh and difficult the trip to the New World was for the pilgrims. He writes about the condition of the men who arrived to the shore. He also mentions that in the New World there was no one to welcome them, more over there was nothing  to stay in, no houses and no inns. When William Bradford mentions the Native Americans, he says that they greeted them with arrows. Bradford also attempts to persuade others to visit the New World, with a religious approach. This attempt is made even though he does describe the difficulties in the New World. In Bradford’s eyes, had not the Puritan Pilgrims been graced by God then their long and demanding exploration, all would have been in vain. Year after year Bradford keeps sight of the signs from God meant to help the Pilgrims of Plymouth, Massachusetts. After years in the New World, Bradford talks of Squanto, the Indian, becoming â€Å"an instrument sent form God for their good. Then he goes onto compare the Pilgrim’s journey to the New World with the Israelites exodus from Egypt. It is clear to see that these religious references are used to persuade his audience to see the purity of the Pilgrim’s journey to Plymouth. William Bradford appears to be writing towards certain religious individuals who want to make a pilgrimage toe the new colonies. Even though the tones of these two writings, â€Å"A Description of New England† by John Smith and â€Å"Of Plymouth Plantation† by William Bradford, vary distinctly, both authors attempt to persuade certain audiences. Smith attempts to persuade the financial advisors who wish to invest in the New World, while Bradford attempts to persuade the religious individuals to make a pilgrimage to the New World. Bradford wrote about the difficulties and realities of the New World, while Smith wrote about how wonderful the New World was. Pilgrim John Smith wrote a description of the new land in which he describes what an astonishing world of vast food and pleasure awaited others. Another Pilgrim, William Bradford, gave a different description of the new land. He gave a description of what really happened, of how the pilgrims really lived.

Free Essays on Esmeralda Santiago

as her medium, Santiago paints a beautiful picture of her life. I smelled the spices and herbs emanating from the special Puerto Rican dishes her mami prepared. Mesmerized, I watched as her abuela delicately stitched her needlework. We laughed together and cried together, and I allowed my spirit to run free with hers. Santiago writes with such clarity and fierceness that it is impossible for any person not to see, feel and understand what she went through in her remarkable journey. Santiago's unique style is easy to follow. When I read the book, I was immediately hooked and could not stop until I read the last word. The stories are interesting and full of insight. She addresses fears and trials of all people. I especially related to her conflicts with her cultural identity. Anyone who has lived in-between two cultures can relate to her story. Santiago wrote: "When I returned to Puerto Rico after living in New York for seven years, I was told I was no longer Puerto Rican ... In writing the book I wanted to get back to that feeling of Puertoricanness I had before I came here. Its title reflects who I was then, and asks, who am I today?" Santiago's book provides a sense of hope. She is transformed from a co... Free Essays on Esmeralda Santiago Free Essays on Esmeralda Santiago This is a delightfully woven story of immense passion and unconquerable spirit. In this extraordinary autobiography, Santiago, an immigrant to New York from rural Puerto Rico, tells the story of her trials and triumphs, defeats and heart-aches in a unique concoction of vivid sensory detail. Santiago grew up in what her mami calls "savage" conditions, dutifully obeying her parents as they constantly move. Her greatest relocation occurred when a "metal bird" flew her, her mother and two of her siblings to the rough city of New York. This book is the account of the maturing of an extraordinary woman who overcame barriers formed by hate, prejudice, cultural differences, puberty and heartaches to rise triumphantly. Using words as her medium, Santiago paints a beautiful picture of her life. I smelled the spices and herbs emanating from the special Puerto Rican dishes her mami prepared. Mesmerized, I watched as her abuela delicately stitched her needlework. We laughed together and cried together, and I allowed my spirit to run free with hers. Santiago writes with such clarity and fierceness that it is impossible for any person not to see, feel and understand what she went through in her remarkable journey. Santiago's unique style is easy to follow. When I read the book, I was immediately hooked and could not stop until I read the last word. The stories are interesting and full of insight. She addresses fears and trials of all people. I especially related to her conflicts with her cultural identity. Anyone who has lived in-between two cultures can relate to her story. Santiago wrote: "When I returned to Puerto Rico after living in New York for seven years, I was told I was no longer Puerto Rican ... In writing the book I wanted to get back to that feeling of Puertoricanness I had before I came here. Its title reflects who I was then, and asks, who am I today?" Santiago's book provides a sense of hope. She is transformed from a co...

Free Essays on Operation Hostile

Operation: Hostile I had just been accepted in the Special Forces. He had been in ROTC training in Bell More, Virginia, when he heard the screeching voice of our sergeant, â€Å"were being called to Panama.† The next morning at 5:00 I heard the clacking of the wooden stick hitting the trashcan the serge used every morning to wake the troops up. He screamed â€Å"Pack your bags where leaving†, we all knew where we were going. At 6:30 that morning we got on the plane and headed for the Perlas Islands. We had been briefed on the current situation going on there; guerilla terrorists had taken over a college full of Americans on which included the Presidents daughter. I was Platoon Leader so it was my job to keep everyone focused on the situation. My unit was unit seven we went in first, while scouting the area we where seen and three of my men were caught along with me. We were taken to the leader of the terrorist organization. He wanted to know our name, rank, and reason we were there. None of us would do as they said. Then they tried to force our name and rank out of us by shock therapy. That is where they hook a battery up to two long cords that hold to wet shirts on them and shock you with them. Finally one of my men gave and told them who was in charge and his name and rank. They took me in the back alone and interrogated me and then tried to force information out of me by putting bamboo shoot threw my finger nails. Every time they did it I would gauck at them and tel l them nothing, until finally passed out. I finally tried to escape when I awoke in the jailhouse room they kept me in. When I made a run for it I took the other two men with me. When we were crawling around the fence line a terrorist found us and tried killing me by choking me. I couldn’t breath and started to grope for air. The terrorist kept on choking me until I felt the grasp of darkness coming on until Sergeant Morris saved me. Once I... Free Essays on Operation Hostile Free Essays on Operation Hostile Operation: Hostile I had just been accepted in the Special Forces. He had been in ROTC training in Bell More, Virginia, when he heard the screeching voice of our sergeant, â€Å"were being called to Panama.† The next morning at 5:00 I heard the clacking of the wooden stick hitting the trashcan the serge used every morning to wake the troops up. He screamed â€Å"Pack your bags where leaving†, we all knew where we were going. At 6:30 that morning we got on the plane and headed for the Perlas Islands. We had been briefed on the current situation going on there; guerilla terrorists had taken over a college full of Americans on which included the Presidents daughter. I was Platoon Leader so it was my job to keep everyone focused on the situation. My unit was unit seven we went in first, while scouting the area we where seen and three of my men were caught along with me. We were taken to the leader of the terrorist organization. He wanted to know our name, rank, and reason we were there. None of us would do as they said. Then they tried to force our name and rank out of us by shock therapy. That is where they hook a battery up to two long cords that hold to wet shirts on them and shock you with them. Finally one of my men gave and told them who was in charge and his name and rank. They took me in the back alone and interrogated me and then tried to force information out of me by putting bamboo shoot threw my finger nails. Every time they did it I would gauck at them and tel l them nothing, until finally passed out. I finally tried to escape when I awoke in the jailhouse room they kept me in. When I made a run for it I took the other two men with me. When we were crawling around the fence line a terrorist found us and tried killing me by choking me. I couldn’t breath and started to grope for air. The terrorist kept on choking me until I felt the grasp of darkness coming on until Sergeant Morris saved me. Once I...

The ABCs of Alphabet Games A Complete Guide

The ABCs of Alphabet Games A Complete Guide SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips It’s hard to imagine a time when you didn’t know the alphabet, so the idea of teaching the letters to someone else can be daunting. But for toddlers and preschoolers (and anyone else learning English), the letters of the alphabet are the building blocks of the English language. Learning and recognizing them is the first crucial step to developing strong literacy and language skills. Enter: alphabet games. Alphabet games make mastering letters fun- which is exactly what learning should be! So whether you have a little one just starting out on their literacy journey, or know someone learning English as a second language, we’ve broken down everything you need to know about alphabet games. In this article, we’ll explain what alphabet games are, the best ones to use, and the mistakes to avoid when using them to guarantee learning success. Feature image:Retrokatz/CC What Are Alphabet Games? Alphabet games are any activities designed to help children learn the 26 letters of the English alphabet. They may also be referred to as â€Å"letter games,† â€Å"ABC learning games,† or â€Å"letter recognition games.† They can be as simple as using alphabet magnets to show letters, or as advanced as alphabet puzzles, and everything in between. Edward Miller/CC Why Do We Use Alphabet Games? Being able to read, write and listen are core to understanding and communicating in English (and any language). As such, we want to do everything we can to encourage success. By making that first big step (learning the alphabet) fun and engaging, children are more likely to remember letters and their sounds. The more they remember their letters, the more they’ll recognize them and identify them in and out of order. And the more prepared they’ll be to learn to read and write. Josh Applegate/Unsplash Early Childhood Cognition From the moment they’re born, children are like sponges absorbing everything in their world. They want to know how things work, why they work, and what things are. Learning the alphabet serves as a base for learning to read, communicate and understand the English language. It’s the first step to providing children with the tools to not only learn, but to seek answers on their own. To add to their knowledge base of how and why things work and what they are. Beyond the alphabet, letter games help children improve and strengthen their memory and cognition- all vital skills for anyone to have.. When it comes to mastering the alphabet, the vital concept a child must conquer is the ability to recognize letters and recall them. The easier they can recognize and recall, the easier it’ll be for them to learn letter sounds, which is a must for learning to read. Being able to â€Å"recognize and recall† letters means your learner can tell the difference between each of the 26 alphabet letters. They can also say the name of each letter. Identifying a letter by its name and sound (regardless of the order presented), requires memorization and practice. So, the more letter recognition games they play, the more fun they’ll have, but also the more letter repetition they’ll be exposed to and the more easily they’ll be able to remember and recognize letters and sounds. The following is a chart featuring a few of the reading-related milestones to look out for depending on your learner’s age, according to the U.S. Dept. of Education: Age: 0-3 years Age: 3-4 years Age: 5 years Age: 6 years Begin to associate words they hear frequently with what the words mean. Understand that print carries a message. Sound as if they are reading when they pretend to read. Read and retell familiar stories. Handle objects such as board books and alphabet blocks in their play. Make attempts to read and write. Recognize letters and letter-sound matches. Decide on their own to use reading and writing for different purposes. May write about topics that mean a lot to them. Understand how books should be handled; pretend to read books. Identify familiar signs and labels. Understand that print is read left-to-right and top-to-bottom. Identify new words by using letter-sound matches, parts of words and their understanding of the rest of a story or printed item. Look at pictures in books and realize they are symbols of real things. Identify some letters and make some letter-sound matches. Begin to match spoken words with written ones. Identify an increasing number of words by sight. Begin to pay attention to specific print such as the first letters of their names. Enjoy listening to and talking about storybooks. Begin to write letters of the alphabet and some words they use and hear often. Sound out and represent major sounds in a word when trying to spell. Produce some letter-like forms and scribbles that resemble, in some way, writing. Use known letters (or their best attempt to write the letters) to represent written language especially for meaningful words like their names or phrases such as "I love you." Begin to write stories with some readable parts. Try to use some punctuation marks and capitalization. What Are the Different Types of Alphabet Games? We tend to think of the alphabet song when we think of learning letters, but that’s only one of many letter games children should be playing. This is because we want learners to do more than just sing the alphabet in order. We want them to be able to recognize and distinguish between the letters. This will make them versatile and adept readers down the road. It can be hard to differentiate between letter recognition games when there are so many out there. Particularly given that not every child learns best in the same way. There are three main types of learners: auditory, visual and kinesthetic. Knowing which one your child is (or combination of) can help you find the best letter games for them. Each alphabet game you use should focus on one or more of these types of learning: What Are the Best Alphabet Games to Use? The first thing to know is that there is no absolute right way to teach the alphabet. However, the most effective method will use a combination of letter games targeting the different types of learning. The best games will address some or all of the following: memory, sight recognition, sound and speaking (or â€Å"phonics†), and touch. The following are a few of the most used and versatile ABC learning games we recommend: Alphabet Bingo Alphabet bingo (or â€Å"letter match†) is great for audio, visual and kinesthetic learners. Players get to see the letters on a card, hear the letter being said to them (and, if you’d like, you can have them say the letter back to you!), as well as identify and physically place (touch) a marker to the correct letter. You can easily make this game yourself using household items, download it for free online (here’s a link to 30 free printable alphabet bingo cards), or purchase it from a vendor, such as Amazon. Sidewalk Chalk Games Sidewalk chalk games are fantastic for visual and kinesthetic learners because children get to see letters in a different context and move around while still learning. And the best part? All you need is chalk and (you guessed it) a sidewalk. While there are numerous games you can play, we recommend â€Å"Alphabet Hopscotch† for its versatility. Alphabet Hopscotch can be played as the hopscotch game we all loved as kids (just with letters inside the squares), as the block version below, as a â€Å"hop and move† game (second photo), or any variety of ways you can imagine. Sidewalk letter games are great for children who learn best by doing and being physical./Buggy Buddy Use actions to make the letters more memorable./No Time For Flash Cards Playdoh Letters Playdoh Letters is another fantastic game you can â€Å"play† in so many different ways. Playdoh Letters are great for kinesthetic and visual learners because of their tactile nature. Use Playdoh to make letters for your child to touch (identify) or have them make Playdoh Letters based off of alphabet letters written on paper or shown on a screen. A child can also stamp letters into the Playdoh, or use magnetic letters or alphabet cookie cutters to make letters. Use Playdoh Letters for audio learners by saying the letters and having your learning choose the correct one, then have them pronounce the letter back to you. Alphabet Puzzles Another great activity for letter learning is the alphabet puzzle. Puzzles are fantastic for kinesthetic and visual learners because children get to touch and move letters around, as well as see them in 3D. Use them for audio learners by saying aloud and having your child say the letter once they’ve put it in its correct slot. There are many versions of this game in stores and online, but for those looking for a DIY version, This Reading Mama has printable puzzles on her website. Reading Ok, so we know it’s not exactly a game, but reading can really help a child on his or her journey to learning the alphabet. Reading exposes learners to seeing letters on a page, and hearing the letters being pronounced helps them understand letter sounds. Reading also helps children understand how letters can be used to form words and trains them to know English reading is done from left to right and top to bottom on a page. Nicole Honeywill/Unsplash Alphabet Learning Games for Students With Different Learning Needs There are also alphabet learning games available for students with different learning needs (i.e.: for the blind and deaf). Below are a few links we recommend checking out for games using American Sign Language and Braille. Sign Language Learning Games (for Learners Who Are Deaf) DeafLinx Very Well Health Kids Courses Braille Learning Games (for Learners Who Are Blind) Paths to Literacy Pinterest Sensory Sun Other Resources The internet is full of great resources for teaching and learning the alphabet. We recommend searching through Pinterest and YouTube for alphabet learning games. There are also a ton of free resources available on various websites and blogs (e.g., those by parents and teachers) that can be found using your favorite search engine. Here are a few we recommend: Growing Book By Book Healthy Children How Wee Learn Reading Rockets The Measured Mom The Most Common Mistakes Made When Using Alphabet Games (and How to Avoid Them) Unfortunately, finding fun alphabet games is only the first step. If you want to help a child learn their letters efficiently, make sure to avoid these common mistakes. #1: Teaching the Alphabet in Order Believe it or not, teaching the alphabet in order from A-Z is not the most effective or useful way to learn the alphabet. This is because we want to ensure children not only memorize their letters, but that they know them by sight and sound independent of the alphabet order. Instead, try teaching the letters in groups to both break up the alphabet into chewable nuggets and to give your child a chance to distinguish small words. For example, teaching a child the letters in their name can be a fun, easy way to get started. Not only will they hear and see those letters on a regular basis, they’ll also have a simple word to learn that ensures they know each letter in their name by sight and sound. Once a child can identify a letter by its name, it’s easier to move on to learning the letter sounds. Another trick is to teach groups of letters that can make small words. Say you focused on the following group of letters: B, P, N, D, E. Once a child has learned those letters, they can begin to identify small words such as: den, bed, pen, etc. #2: Not Making Alphabet Games Hands-On Enough Learning the alphabet and playing alphabet games should be a dynamic, engaging process. Children love to move, touch, see, and interact with the world around them, and alphabet games should tie into that enthusiasm easily. Relying too heavily on methods like worksheets can lose a child’s interest and decrease the likelihood that they’ve truly learned their letters and can distinguish them in and out of their alphabetic order. #3: Not Mixing It Up Avoid the temptation of using the same two or three games over and over. As with anything, variety is the spice of life. Keep minds interested and engaged by changing up the types of games used to master letters. #4: Not Being Consistent Practice truly makes perfect when it comes to letter recognition and ABC learning games. One simple way to keep children invested is to use everyday objects as a chance to learn. Try labeling objects around the house that a child will come in contact with throughout the day and every time you see them interact with that object, use a simple word to help them connect it back to the alphabet. For example: when your child sits on a couch, you can point to the label and ask them what object they just sat on. Then say the word â€Å"couch† and/or have them say the word and the letter it starts with (i.e.: â€Å"C† is for â€Å"couch†). #5: Not Celebrating Each Success Along the Way Learning the alphabet is an incredible accomplishment! But there are 26 letters to learn and each one mastered is a reason to celebrate. Give your learner a sense of accomplishment by encouraging them and cheering them on every time they learn a new letter. Remember... There is no single correct way to teach the alphabet. However, the more fun, dynamic and engaging you make it, the more your learner will remember his or her letters. The more they remember, the better prepared they’ll be to learn to read. Be sure to mix up the types of alphabet games you play by using letter recognition game ideas on Pinterest, YouTube and blogs (like ours!). Be consistent and don’t forget to celebrate every learned letter as its own accomplishment. What’s Next? Looking for more learning games? Be sure to read our complete guide. (Coming soon) Already reading? Check out the 9 Literary Elements You’ll Find in Every Story. If you need a break from letters, learn about the Most Common Shapes and How to Identify Them. These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Methodology Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Methodology - Dissertation Example Thus, financial reports recorded in this manner make it harder to compare financial reports. This issue has been said to be solved by implementing a standard reporting system or global accounting standards (Hawkins, 2000). Standardized financial reporting has been implemented based on the assumption that it can increase the comparability of financial statements, increase the quality of financial reports, and improve corporate transparency especially in terms of incentives. It has also been determined to be created as a result of the increase in the number of multinational companies or MNCs (Nobes and Parker, 2006). Moreover, Bolt-Lee and Smith (2009) included increase in reporting consistency, better global competition, and increase in the transparency of financial reporting as the benefits of international financial reporting. Moreover, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 1999 stated that the financial systems of developing crisis, especially those experiencing financial crisis , can be strengthened by enhancing the financial reporting regulations and practices. Jainkengit (2002) reported an improvement in the economy of Thailand as a result of enhanced financial reporting regulations and practices and transparency or greater disclosure on financial information. Similarly, a study by Daske, Hail, Leuz, and Verdi (2008) explored the effects and consequences of mandatory IFRS (International Financial Reporting Systems) reporting. ... The benefits include increase in stock market value, market liquidity, and lower capital costs. Lastly, the study determined that financial reporting standards are most effective under a strict and strong regulating environment. This is most evident in a study by Barrett (1996) where it was determined that financial reports among American and British companies are more comprehensive because of their disclosure requirements. However, there are factors that affect financial reporting among corporate companies. There is an immense role to be played by economic and political forces in what concerns the shaping of accounting. A study by Suttachai and Cooke (2009) enumerated several factors that affect international financial reporting. The important factors discussed are the environment and culture, wherein environment stands for the legal system, economic system, and other institutional factors. Cooke and Wallace (1990) agree by stating that the environment wherein the company is located can greatly affect financial reporting. Thus, despite the homogeneity in the standards for international financial reporting, it still varies depending on various factors, specifically and most especially in terms of its location and culture. It only imply that although they follow the same standards or format for reporting, the quality of data and the means on which they measure still varies (Suttachai and Cooke, 2009), which is ultimately the purpose of standardizing financial report systems: to decrease and eventually eliminate variation (Nobes and Parker,2006). On the other hand, Choi (2002) stated that harmonization or standardization of financial practices and reports increase the comparability and compatibility of financial reports by limiting the

Midterm exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Midterm exam - Essay Example a) Joseph Johnston argues that the failures in corporate governance and top level scandals indicates that the fiduciary principle does not really help to ensure that managers seek the best interest of their stakeholders (25). Johnston argues on the basis of the conflict of interest that is so rife in organizations. This is because most managers and directors seek to meet their profit motives and since they are often assessed on the basis of their ability to attain profitability, most directors are prone to find ways and means of cutting corners and cheating some stakeholders. A stakeholder is a person who affects and/or affected by an organizations activities (Freeman 29). This include a wide variety of people including employees, consumers, suppliers, financial institutions, government agencies amongst others. These people have various demands and expectations from the organization and its directors. And due to the reality that directors are expected in practice, to generate profits, directors are wont to do illegal things that will lead to higher profitability. They are also likely to ignore other peoples claims and legitimate needs in order to attain high profitability. From another angle, managers and directors want to remain in the good books of shareholders and guarantee shareholders expectations of higher dividends. They are therefore likely to present misleading reports that will allow them to remain in office as directors. Thus, the fiduciary duty of operating in good faith is often missed and directors use ways and means to attain results. b) To a large extent, I agree with this assertion. This is because in reality, a director works under so many constraints. And if that is the case, a director will be forced to do things that might not be in the best interest of everyone. From another perspective, it is practically impossible for a manager or director to meet all the expectations and demands of stakeholders. So a director will have to

International Relations Between the United States of America and Assignment

International Relations Between the United States of America and Middle East Countries - Assignment Example The main issues that are dominating international relations and politics are the relationship between the United States of America and the Middle East. It is therefore important to identify the issues that have affected the fragile foreign relationship between some of the Middle East countries and the United States of America (Kivimà ¤ki, 64). Obama, in 2013, stated that ‘‘The united states of America will continue to foster peace among the Middle East countries†. There exists little debate around the question of what the United States international policies are towards some of the countries that are located in the Middle East as well as other countries in the globe. One of the policies of the United States towards the Middle East countries is centered at promoting peace as well as democracy in countries that have continued to be conflicts. Based on the terrorism attack that took place in the American soils by the extremist with camps in the Middle East, the US has targeted the Middle East with the intention of preventing the acts of terrorists around the world (Kivimà ¤ki, 65). Additionally, the prevention of biochemical weapons attack and nuclear proliferation in the Middle East is an of issue of significance in the anti-terror efforts with Iran being regarded as one of the countries that pose great danger to the world security as a result of its persistent initiative of creative nuclear weapon(Stephens, Elizabeth, and Steve, 14). The United States has therefore extended its efforts in the region with an intention of ensuring that such dangerous weapons are not developed. The US has also focused on Syria with many offenses such as development of chemical and biological weapon of mass destruction and support of international terrorism being leveled against their leaders.

MUSEUM VISIT & ESSAY ASSIGNMENT Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

MUSEUM VISIT & ASSIGNMENT - Essay Example The painting depict Buddha seated on his throne while stepping on a tiger that seems to drink water from the stream below. Buddha is holding a golden scepter in his right hand. The scepter has a shiny lamp at the top and a flowing red cloth. Above Buddha’s head, wavy lines are used to depict cloud movements in the blue sky. The sun is depicted on the left side of the painting while the moon and stars are on the right side. This symbolizes that Buddha controls both day and night. On the left side of the painting, there are green mountains and valleys with a flowing stream of water (Tulachan 1). Down the mountain, a half body of a horse and two men seems to be enjoying their bountiful harvest. The right side of the painting depicts flowing air and human figures. A stream of cool water flows beneath Buddha’s legs. The tiger seems to be drinking from the stream and blooming flowers and green plants manifest the importance of the water. The artist combined shades and tints of red, blue and yellow and complemented them with brown color. The sky and the waters below are blue, symbolizing calmness. The light blue clouds have red tails symbolizing their energetic and strong movement in the sky. Part of Buddha’s garment is blue, signifying loyalty, order and peace. Buddha’s garment parts, throne decoration, center of the sun, and lamp are red orange to symbolize his power and strength, and love and energy on humankind. The golden yellow color of Buddha’s face, hands, sun and the environs signify the promise of an affirmative, happiness and enlightenments. The green color symbolizes fertility while brown signifies protection, security and wealth. The painter made use of line to create shape and movement. Wavy lines are used to depict movement and create outlines. Curved lines are predominantly used in natural forms to depict grace, softness, joy and flexibility that come with

Women oppression in the united States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Women oppression in the united States - Essay Example The reality was dawning on American women that marriage and childbearing were not a guarantee for happiness. In the past, women were expected to take care of their families and perform domestic cores rather than looking for work. The society considered working women less feminine (Friedan 15).young women who left college prioritized getting married and siring children than anything else. However, housewives were increasingly becoming discontented with the kind of life they were leading, which was akin to prison life. They were becoming bored and desperate (Friedan 9). Many American women were privately seeking the services of psychiatrists as they suffered from fatigue because of numerous chores. Ancient American women mainly focused on domestic duties rather than pursue formal jobs, which were a preserve for men. The women were getting bored and desperate following their home routines. The women were obliging to the expert advice that their role was to find husbands and sire children then take care of their families. However, things have changed. The issue of gender equality has become more important than ever before. Women should be allowed to work and given equal job opportunities as their male counterparts. Women have high potential that could be exploited beyond the confines of their matrimonial

Malcolm X Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Malcolm X - Assignment Example The essay deals indepthly the acting, the film directing, and the historical accuracy of the film. The film Malcolm X is a film produced in the year 1992. It is essentially a biographical film that dwells around the African American activist Malcolm X. The film is co written and directed by Spike Lee, the actors and actresses who feature in the film are Denzel Washington who plays the role of Malcolm X, Angela Basset who plays the role of Dr. Betty Shabazz, Albert Hall who plays the role of a tough and strict muslim leader, Al Freeman Jr. who plays the role of Elijah Muhammad and Delroy Lindo who plays the role of West Indian Archie among others who play supporting roles. The Warner bros was the company involved with the production of the film. The essay deals indepthly the acting, the film directing, and the historical accuracy of the film. Denzel Washington who plays the main role of Malcolm X which is quite a huge role to play, but he brings out the effects quite effortlessly and still remains convincing enough to bring out the real character of Malcolm X. In all the scenes in the movie he seems natural and easy where he manages to fit perfectly in the nightlife of Harlem and later still effortlessly fits into the crowd of pilgrims in Mecca. Washington is an attractive and congenial actor and thus he is quite good in showing the unbending dogmatic side of Malcolm and his anger side. Al Freeman Jr. plays the role of Elijah Muhammad in an amazing way, in that, he behaved, looked and sounded like the real Muhammad fulfilling the screenplays delicate balance between the characters essence and the flaws of the character. Albert Hall is also an amazing and effective actor, taking the role of the tough and strict Muslim leader who takes time and lectures Malcolm on the aspect of self image and guides him into self awareness, but later on gets jealousy of Malcolm’s influence in the movement. This he brings out quite impressively in the film. Delroy Lindo brin gs out a two part powerful performance, as West Indian Archie, moving Malcolm by his weaknesses and impressing him with his power. Thus, it can be summarized that the actors did quite a good job in playing the roles of the characters they were assigned. The director of the film spike Lee has done a combination of several forms of narration. With skill he has conjoined them together to enhance the ideology of equality. As the movie unfolds, a structure that lacks linearity is utilized, thus, Malcolm Xs double life as an upcoming civil rights activist and a demoralized African American is shown through flashbacks to his rough childhood, and moving forward to Malcolm’s adult life and the other instances in between. In addition, voice over’s, using Malcolm X’s own audio voice, implies that he is narrating a story about some other person but in the real sense he is the subject. Also, Lee utilize the documentary footage about Malcolm x into his film skillfully so as t o make the art imitate life and the opposite too. With one crucial twist lee drives the plot by combining historical records and political ideologies. These different methods used in directing by Lee are quite effective in the narration of the story, as every viewer of the film can sympathize with Malcolm x and the African Americans with him and still comprehend the historical importance of the acts that he

Women oppression in the united States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Women oppression in the united States - Essay Example The reality was dawning on American women that marriage and childbearing were not a guarantee for happiness. In the past, women were expected to take care of their families and perform domestic cores rather than looking for work. The society considered working women less feminine (Friedan 15).young women who left college prioritized getting married and siring children than anything else. However, housewives were increasingly becoming discontented with the kind of life they were leading, which was akin to prison life. They were becoming bored and desperate (Friedan 9). Many American women were privately seeking the services of psychiatrists as they suffered from fatigue because of numerous chores. Ancient American women mainly focused on domestic duties rather than pursue formal jobs, which were a preserve for men. The women were getting bored and desperate following their home routines. The women were obliging to the expert advice that their role was to find husbands and sire children then take care of their families. However, things have changed. The issue of gender equality has become more important than ever before. Women should be allowed to work and given equal job opportunities as their male counterparts. Women have high potential that could be exploited beyond the confines of their matrimonial

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Plagiarism - Research Paper Example Many academic writers consider is acceptable, but in fact this constitutes plagiarism. Compilation is a practice of compiling various chunks of information from a variety of sources to meet the requirements of the paper that is being written. Even if very little information is taken in this way from other sources, it still constitutes plagiarism. Direct quotation – when exact or near-exact words of another author are used in an academic work; the practice is known as direct quotation. Although rarely used in engineering, a direct quotation is often enclosed in inverted commas while being italicized. Plagiarism may be intentional or unintentional. Unintentional plagiarism may be the result of a referencing error like attributing a work to an unrelated author, misquoting or failing to mention the work of an author in the document. Intentional plagiarism on the other hand may be ignorant or malicious. Learning and improving the writing skills while adopting good time management techniques may assist in avoiding plagiarism. Academic writing involves a higher level of dedication on part of the writer to produce a work that is academically acceptable. Having a sound knowledge of the referencing allows a writer to avoid plagiarism which is an unforgivable sin, in the world of academic works. For this reason, every student should have the basic understanding about referencing and plagiarism. This will enable the student to produce effective academic content that will ultimately improve his

Durkheim: Types of suicide in society

Durkheim: Types of suicide in society Once he discovered that certain types of suicide could be accounted for by anomie, he could then use anomic suicide as an index for the otherwise unmeasurable degree of social integration. This was not circular reasoning, as could be argued, but a further application of his method of analysis. He reasoned as follows: There are no societies in which suicide does not occur, and many societies show roughly the same rates of suicide over long periods of time. This indicates that suicides may be considered a normal, that is, a regular, occurrence. However, sudden spurts in the suicide rates of certain groups or total societies are abnormal and point to some perturbations not previously present. Hence. abnormally high rates in specific groups or social categories, or in total societies, can be taken as an index of disintegrating forces at work in a social structure. Durkheim distinguished between types of suicide according to the relation of the actor to his society. When men become detached from society, when they are thrown upon their own devices and loosen the bonds that previously had tied them to their fellow, they are prone to egoistic, or individualistic, suicide. When the normative regulations surrounding individual conduct are relaxed and hence fail to curb and guide human propensities, men are susceptible to succumbing to anomic suicide. To put the matter differently, when the restraints of structural integration, as exemplified in the operation of organic solidarity, fail to operate, men become prone to egoistic suicide; when the collective conscience weakens, men fall victim to anomic suicide. In addition to egoistic and anomic types of suicide, Durkheim refers to altruistic and fatalistic suicide. The latter is touched upon only briefly in his work, but the former is of great importance for an understanding of Durkheims general approach. Altruistic suicide refers to cases in which suicide can be accounted for by overly strong regulation of individuals, as opposed to lack of regulation. Durkheim argues in effect that the relation of suicide rates to social regulation is curvilinearhigh rates being associated with both excessive individuation and excessive regulation. In the case of excessive regulation, the demands of society are so great that suicide varies directly rather than inversely with the degree of integration. For example, in the instance of the Hindu normative requirement that widows commit ritual suicide upon the funeral pyre of their husbands, or in the case of harikiri, the individual is so strongly attuned to the demands of his society that he is willing to take his own life when the norms so demand. Arguing from statistical data, Durkheim shows that in modern societies the high rates of suicide among the military cannot be explained by the deprivations of military life suffered by the lower ranks, since the suicide rate happens to be higher for officers than for enlisted men. Rather, the high rate for officers can be accounted for by a military code of honor that enjoins a passive habit of obedience leading officers to undervalue their own lives. In such cases, Durkheim is led to refer to too feeble degrees of individuation and to counterpose these to the excesses of individuation or de-regulation, which account, in his view, for the other major forms of suicide. Durkheims discussion of altruistic suicide allows privileged access to some of the intricacies of his approach. He has often been accused of having an overly anti-individualistic philosophy, one that is mainly concerned with the taming of individual impulse and the harnessing of the energies of individuals for the purposes of society. Although it cannot be denied that there are such tendencies in his work, Durkheims treatment of altruistic suicide indicates that he was trying to establish a balance between the claims of individuals and those of society, rather than to suppress individual strivings. Acutely aware of the dangers of the breakdown of social order, he also realized that total control of component social actors by society would be as detrimental as anomie and de-regulation. Throughout his life he attempted to establish a balance between societal and individual claims. From Coser, 1977:132-136. At the end of the 19th century a French sociologist, Emile Durkheim, recorded an apparent link between high suicide rates and a breakdown in social structure and organisation. He coined the term anomie for this state. This link has since been recorded many times in places outside France and appears to be real. However, its true significance has only recently begun to be understood with the development and exploration of the concept of social capital and its link, not just with suicide, but with health generally. (Stronger Communities One of 28) He wanted to demonstrate and establish sociologys scientific status by providing a sociological explanation of that seemingly most individual of acts-suicide. In order to do this he had to define suicide as a social fact that would require explanation in terms of other social facts (social structures and forces as conceptualized in his multi-layered model). The social fact to be explained was not the individual act of suicide, which might be better accounted for by a case study method where, in favourable instances, there might be enough evidence to make inferences about the victims mental state-motives and intentions. It was suicide rates, as disclosed by statistics, that constituted the social fact to be explained as an effect of an imbalance of social structural forces. Consequently, he proceeded to define suicide with the least possible reference to mental elements, excluding any reference to intentions but allowing for the need to distinguish between accidental death and suicide : the term suicide is applied to all cases of death resulting directly or indirectly from a positive or negative act of the victim himself, which he knows will produce this result. Comparative statistics for countries and categories of people within each country showed that suicide rates were relatively constant; therefore, it must be a social fact that a collective tendency towards suicide existed. These collective tendencies could be related to sets of causes to produce a classification of types of suicide. The sets of causes were theoretically postulated on the basis of Durkheims conception of possible imbalances between centrifugal forces (too much individualism) and centripetal forces (too much social pressure). Two pairs of imbalances of forces are defined; one pair refers to the degree of integration or interaction in a group (egoism and altruism), the other pair refers to the degree of moral regulation (anomie and fatalism). The two continua of integration and regulation, and the four types of suicide, can be illustrated in Fig. 3.2 and summary: The first type of suicide, at the low extreme of the integration continuum, was egoistic suicide. Here rates of interaction in egoistic groups were low, and so values, beliefs, traditions, and sentiments were not held in common by all members. The result was that they weakened each other whenever they came into conflict. The collective life was diminished and individual interests were asserted. The individual lost the beneficial effects of group membership, such as support and revitalization, and consequently found little meaning in group life. Thus suicide rates were higher for Protestants than Catholics, both in comparisons between predominantly Protestant countries and Catholic countries, and between Protestants and Catholics in the same society. It was not the case that one religions beliefs condemned suicide and the other did not, as suicide was severely condemned by both Protestantism and Catholicism. The difference was that Protestanism encouraged individual free inquiry and, unlike Catholicism, it did not offer priestly and sacramental supports. Where a Protestant church did offer more of those supports, as in the Church of England, which had kept some of the Catholic emphasis on priesthood and sacraments (and had more clergyman per head of population than Protestant countries) the suicide rate was mid-way between that of the Catholic and Protestant countries. A further example of egoistic suicide was the higher rate to be found among adults who were unmarried compared with married people of the same age. And the larger the family, the lower was the chance of suicide occurring. Finally egoistic suicide varied inversely with the degree of political integration, the rate fell in wars and political crises. Altruistic suicide was the result of too much integration. The individual absorbed and controlled by the group had an under-developed and so under-valued sense of individuality. Such a person could not resist the pressure to sacrifice the self for the groups interests, even if it me ant committing suicide. Durkheim pointed out the similarity of the modern army and primitive society in this respect; in both there was a lack of individuality and a strong pressure towards self-sacrifice. Examples of suicides in primitive societies included suicides of the old or very ill, suicides of women on their husbands death, and suicides of followers or servants on the death of their chiefs. The much higher rate of military suicides compared with civilians in modern suicide was explained by Durkheim in terms of military morality being a survival of primitive morality, predisposing the soldier to kill himself at the least disappointment, for the most futile reasons, for a refusal of leave, a reprim and, an unjust punishment, a delay in promotion, a question of honour, a flush of momentary jealousy, or even simply because other suicides have occurred before his eyes or to his knowledge [1] p. 239. The next type of suicide, at the low extreme of the regulation continuum, was anomic suicide. Anomie was the consequence of social change resulting in a diminution of social regulation. He discussed two forms of economic anomie-acute and chronic, and then chronic domestic anomie. They were all cases of an imbalance between means and needs-states of disequilibrium, where means were inadequate to fulfil needs. Durkheim did not believe that needs were given in mans biological, psychological, or individual nature. Indeed, that was one of his main criticisms of the economic, psychological, and utilitarian theories of his time, because they ignored the socially-derived and variable nature of human needs. Passions, desires, appetites, ends, and goals could all become needs, and if such wants were not restrained they would bring unhappiness. The individuals wants were boundless unless a limit was set on them by an external moral authority. Acute economic anomie occurred in booms and slumps. In both circumstances old rules relating means to ends were inapplicable, and individuals were freed from social restraint, creating disequilibrium, unhappiness, and leading to an increase in suicides. Chronic economic anomie was a product of a longer term diminution of social regulation of the relation between means and ends. For over a century there had been an erosion of the influence of agencies that had exercised moral restraint over economic relations, particularly religious and occupational groups, and instead of being regarded as a means, industry had become an end in itself. Not surprisingly, suicide rates were higher in manufacturing and commercial occupations than they were in agriculture, because the latter still had traditions and customs that exercised constraint. (Not that Durkheim wanted to revert to older forms of organization, although he believed new occupational associations should be formed that would have some of the same functions as the old guilds.) Constant economic striving after limitless goals could not bring happiness, as was shown by the fact that the higher socio-economic strata had higher rates of suicide than the poor. Acute domestic anomie was exemplified by widowhood, which represented a crisis for the surviving husband or wife, who would not be adapted to the new situation and so offered less resistance to suicide. Chronic domestic anomie was discussed by Durkheim in terms of the way in which marital regulation affects the means-needs balance in men and women. He defined marriage as: A regulation of sexual relations, including not merely the physical instincts which this intercourse involves but the feelings of every sort gradually engrafted by civilization on the foundation of physical desire [1] , p. 270. Civilization had produced a multiplicity of triggers of mans passions, and only marriage could channel those needs within attainable bounds; bachelors, however, experience limitless horizons, which lead to unrestrained passions that create a disjunction between means and ends, and a state of chronic anomie. Consequently, bachelors had a higher suicide rate than married men. Ease of divorce had a similar effect on married men, producing higher suicide rates. Women, who had long been more restricted within the domestic sphere, had not had their sexual aspirations raised to the same level, and so they required less regulation. Marriage served to over-regulate them, particularly if it was difficult to secure a divorce (they had a lower rate of suicide in societies where divorce was easier than in those where it was difficult). As distinct from family life with children, marriage itself offered no protection against suicidal pressures so far as women were concerned. The interests of the two sexes were in conflict: Speaking generally, we now have the cause of that antagonism of the sexes which prevents marriage favouring them equally: their interests are contrary; one needs restraint and the other libertyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Women can suffer more from marriage if it is unfavourable to her than she can benefit by it if it conforms to her interest. This is because she has less need of it [1] , p. 274-275. Fatalistic suicide was at the high extreme of the regulation continuum. He only discussed this condition of excessive regulation once, and that was restricted to an eight-sentence footnote. Examples were the situation of childless married women (presumably where divorce was difficult), young husbands, and slaves. He described it as the suicide of persons with futures pitilessly blockedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦or all suicides attributable to excessive physical or moral despotism. For some reason, not specified, he decided that it has so little contemporary importance, and examples are so hard to find aside from the cases just mentioned, that it seems useless to dwell upon it [1] , p. 276, footnote 25. Although Durkheim used the categories of egoism, altruism, and anomie (not so much fatalism) to distinguish suicidogenic currents, and collective tendencies, he admitted that in practice it was very difficult to separate the currents of egoism and anomie as they flowed from a single source-the loss of mechanical solidarity and the failure to develop a genuine organic solidarity. A moderate amount of egoism and anomie was necessary for progress. A certain amount of individualism was necessary for the growth of the division of labour; it was excessive egoistic tendencies that produced a pathological level of egoistic suicides. Similarly, with anomie, among peoples where progress is and should be rapid, rules restraining individuals must be sufficiently pliable and malleable; if they preserved all the rigidity they possess in primitive societies, evolution thus impeded could not take place promptly enough [1] , p.364. The language of forces and currents in states of disequilibrium was symptomatic of Durkheims effort to demonstrate that a sociological explanation of suicide could reveal hidden causes-in this case social forces that were as real as physical forces. Although his references to suicidogenic currents sound like an over-drawn analogy with electrical currents, in fact they refer to phenomena specified in his multi-layered model.

Communication Essay -- Effective Communication, Barriers

This assignment discusses barriers to, and methods of, effective communication with people who are confused by reflecting on my experience in communicating with an elderly confused patient. Specifically, and within the scope of this assignment, I reflect on two methods of effective communication with elderly confused patients; one verbal (reality orientation) and one non-verbal (touch). During my first placement I was asked to assist in the care of Elsie (pseudonym), an 86 year old lady admitted to hospital with a fracture to her hip and a urinary tract infection (UTI). Elsie was suffering from frequent periodic episodes of confusion; however this was not due to a diagnosed cognitive disorder. Manos and Braun (2006) and Keenan (2011a) say that elderly patients with a bone fracture or a UTI often present with confusion; which is a disorder of brain function (Manos and Braun, 2006). The elderly are more prone to confusion when they are ill because, with increasing age, kidney size and renal blood flow decrease causing a reduction in renal threshold (Keenan, 2011b). When Elsie was in a confused state I found it difficult to interpret what Elsie was trying to communicate to me because her responses to my questions did not make sense. When communicating with Elsie I consciously used the active listening SOLER (Sit square-on, Open posture, Lean forward, Eye contact, Relax) model (Egan, 2010) that I had been taught at University. I used this to show Elsie I was listening and to help me try to understand what Elsie was communicating. I felt frustrated because although I used SOLER, slowed down my normal pace of communication and repeated what I was saying, Elsie’s responses still did not make sense. The National Health Service (NHS, 2... ...aching on a patient’s personal space. I should therefore use a calm reassuring voice with the use of touch. I find it comforting to know that Oliver and Redfern (1991) say that the use of touch is a skill that can be acquired and learnt. Reflecting on my experience communicating with Elsie I have learnt about two communication techniques (reality orientation and the use of touch) that will help me communicate more effectively with an elderly confused patient. I have realised I need to find out more about using expressive touch in communication and the use of other verbal and non-verbal techniques that can help in communicating with elderly confused patients, such as effective use of paralinguistic communication. This will give me greater confidence in communicating with elderly confused patients because I will have additional strategies to bring to the situation.

Love and Hate in Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet :: Free Romeo and Juliet Essays

'Romeo and Juliet' is a play written by William Shakespeare. A prologue is included at the start of the play, which portrays the tragedy between 'star-cross'd lovers'. Elizabethans believed that their fate is in the stars and the prologue increases the anticipation as it shows the way they are destined. Shakespeare has also included devices to dramatise the themes of love and hate throughout the play. In Elizabethan times the audience were involved in the ongoing play. Shakespeare involves the audience in scenes such as the ballroom scene (Act 1, Scene 5.) In Act 1, Scene 5 Romeo enters an enemy?s ball where he and Juliet fall in love for the first time, which angers Tybalt. At the end of Act 1, Scene 4 the mood is foreboding as Romeo believes that things could go wrong at the ball which he was to intrude on. He shows his fear by saying: ?I fear to early, for my mind misgive some consequences yet hanging in the stars? Romeo shows his fear by saying ?fear too early?. This suggests that he believes something there was something not right which made him highly anxious. There is a use of dramatic irony as the audience already know that there was to be problems because of the prologue, which makes keeps the interest from the audience. Elizabethans believed that their fate and destiny is written in the stars. The phrase ?hanging in the stars? which Romeo commented to himself, implies his destiny is in the stars, and it also suggests that because it is in the stars then the Elizabethan audience know definitely that here are going to be ?consequences?. In the beginning of Act, Scene 5 the mood changes from worrying to joyful, as the guests begin to enter the ball which is held by Capulet who is welcoming them. The mood is uplifting because the party is ready to start. The joyful mood is shown when Capulet says: ?Welcome, Gentlemen! Ladies that have toes Unplagu?d with corns will walk a bout with you.? The mood has changed quite drastically from the end of Act 1, Scene 4 to Act 1, Scene 5. This is show by when Capulet is welcoming people to the ball, ?Welcome, Gentlemen!? His excitement showed through the exclamation mark, which suggests that Capulet is full of energy which would lift the spirits of anyone who was to enter. The quotation creates the image of people bustling in, smiling and ready for the party.

A Refutation of the Descent of Man from Apes Essay

Perhaps even before the time of Darwin, man had already started asking himself where he had come from, and somehow the Theory of Divine Creation – that man was rather created as himself and has not descended from any other animal – proved to be rather insufficient as a means to explain his roots. Scientific studies later on proved that there are several homologies shared by man and apes and the question remains as to whether man has indeed descended from this group of primates called apes. However, despite the obvious similarities between the two species, the results of this investigation say otherwise. The Proofs against the Supposed Descent of Man from the Apes The Common Ancestor. It is claimed that â€Å"[humans] didn’t evolve from apes†¦[but that] humans share a common ancestor with modern African apes, like gorillas and chimpanzees† (â€Å"Where We Came From,† 2001). The reason therefore for the similarities and the homologous morphological and anatomical characteristics between humans and apes may not be exactly due to the fact that the first descended from the second but that they could just be of the same ancestor. In a similar way, when you see similarities between two people of different ages, you cannot immediately conclude that the older one has begotten the other but that they could be both siblings. In logic, one can say that just because A looks similar to B, it does not necessarily mean that A has descended or originated from B, although we cannot deny that indeed there is some connection. In short, the claim that humans descended from apes may just have been one speculation or assumption based on morphological evidence, which may prove to be weak. This common ancestor is believed to have â€Å"existed 5 to 8 million years ago [and] shortly thereafter, the species diverged into two separate lineages† (â€Å"Where We Came From,† 2001). There have been claims that â€Å"the [ape or] gorilla lineage branched off 1. 6 to 2. 2 million years earlier than did the human-chimpanzee divergence† (Chen & Li, 2001), making humans even closer to chimpanzees than apes. The term evolutionists have given to this so-called common ancestor of humans and apes is known as â€Å"‘Australopithecus,’ which means ‘South African ape’† (Hasnain, 2009). The theory of the common ancestor has been backed by several studies which stated that either â€Å"mitochondrial DNA† (Ferris, Wilson & Brown, 1983) or the â€Å"extremely close immunological resemblance between the serum albumins of apes and man. † (Sarich & Wilson, 1967) The problem, however, is that it could be that this theory is not that plausible after it was found that â€Å"the beings called Australopithecus in this imaginary scenario fabricated by evolutionists really are apes that became extinct† (Hasnain, 2009). If the Australopithecus had actually not existed, then it could be that man has really descended from apes owing to the homology in their physical structures. Convergent Evolution. The homology in the morphology of humans and apes is, however, not a strong guarantee that the first have descended from the second. It is said that â€Å"the resemblance in the skeleton structure of apes and humans has [always served as] strong evidence for common ancestry† (â€Å"Evolution of Man,† 2010). It is however a poor assumption that similarity means relatedness, which means that â€Å"two species can have homologous anatomy even though they are not related in any way† (â€Å"Evolution of Man,† 2010). This is known as â€Å"convergent evolution. † Convergent evolution teaches one that two species which are distinctly unrelated from each other could have just have developed separately and at times coincidentally produced similarities in morphology. In a similar way, based on pure simple logic, it does not necessarily mean that two people are related just simply because they look similar, even very similar. Menton (2002) states that these similarities may have just been due to â€Å"an incredible run of countless lucky mutational coincidences. † This simply means that it could have been that it is a mere coincidence that humans and apes look alike. Deductive Logic. Robinson (2005) argues that â€Å"If humans evolved from apes, then one would expect that there would be no apes left on earth; all would have evolved into humans. † This statement simply means that since evolution propels a species to change, and if it is true that apes have evolved into humans, then there simply seems no logical explanation as to why several apes nowadays have not evolved into humans. Nevertheless, this claim could be refuted by the theory that certain species of animals may not have evolved because of their ecological niche. This means that certain apes in the jungle may not have evolved into humans due to the fact that the former are arboreal. Conclusion Man has not descended from apes. This is proven by scientifically-based claims that have established the existence of a common ancestor. Another proof is that the evolution of both humans and apes was merely convergent. Lastly, deductive logic disproves it. At this point in time, scientific researches on the evolution of man and apes have not been able to completely shed light on the possibility or impossibility of man’s descent from their primate brothers. Further research is therefore highly recommended. References Chen, F. C. & Li, W. H. (Nov 1985). â€Å"Subliminal messages: Between the devil and the media. † The American Journal of Human Genetics, 6, 444-456. Retrieved May 19, 2010, from the Cell database: http://www. cell. com/AJHG/retrieve/pii/S0002929707640968 â€Å"Evolution of Man – What is it?. † Science. (2010). Retrieved May 18, 2010 from the AllAboutScience. org website: http://www. allaboutscience. org/evolution-of-man. htm Ferris, S. D. , Wilson, A. C. , & Brown, W. M. (Apr 1981). â€Å"Evolutionary Tree for Apes and Humans based on Cleavage Maps of Mitochondrial DNA. † Evolution, 78, 2432-2436. Retrieved May 19, 2010, from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America database: http://www. pnas. org/content/78/4/2432. full. pdf+html? sid=768efdca-ce15-463a-959d-dd9fbbf7e9d1 Hasnain. â€Å"Did Men and Apes Come from a Common Ancestor?. † Food for Thought: Thought Provoking Articles. (26 Jan 2009). Retrieved May 18, 2010 from the Hasnain’s Life website: http://hasnain. wordpress. com/2009/01/26/did-men-and-apes-come-from-a-common-ancestor/ Menton, D. N. , Ph. D. â€Å"If We Resemble Apes, Does That Mean We Evolved from Apes?. † Origin of Man. (2002). Retrieved May 18, 2010 from the Missouri Association for Creation website: http://www. gennet. org/facts/metro05. html

Reflect on the importance of a child centred approach in the Early Years Essay

A – Reflect on the importance of a child centred approach in the Early Years A child centred approach in early years settings is important as it makes sure the children’s needs are met fully and it helps them reach their full potential. Children reflect their interests through their learning and different experiences. It is important for practitioners to encourage this so they can find out what the children are interested in and then later use the information when planning activities. Having a show and tell gives practitioners a chance to find out about what the children like and enjoy. They are also showing the children that they are interested in what they get up to when they are not at school. (Also relates to C) Another way of finding out more about the children is by getting them to take a toy home for a period of time then getting them write a diary of activities they did with the toy. Knowing what the children like can also help the practitioner improve their tea ching methods. For example, if they know some of the children like the police, they can turn the home corner into a police station. This would encourage the children to take part in more activities because they would enjoy what they are doing. (C) It is important to have different ability groups in an Early Years setting because it can help the children reach their full potential as they would be going at a pace that is suitable for them and not for someone else. This also gives the children the chance to help each other in the group because they would be at the same stages and most likely get caught out at the same sections. According to Vygotsky, â€Å"By letting students of similar but differing abilities work in groups, they can help each other: often a lot more effectively than a teacher would be able to.† (Urbano, 12/07/12, Scaffolding and Peer-learning: Thinking about Vygotsky’s â€Å"Zone of Proximal Development†) Performing observations can also help children reach the ir full potential because practitioners can see if the children are at the expected development stages for their age, and if they are not, they can support the children in the specific areas they need help with. It is important to work in partnership with parents because â€Å"parents have the most knowledge and understanding of their child† (Beaver et al, 2008, pg 27) so practitioners can learn from them about how best to help the children and encourage them to improve their abilities. The planning cycle is a useful guide for helping practitioners look at the different types of development in a child. Using the cycle can  help practitioners respond to the children’s needs because they can work out what needs to be observed, then after the observations they can analyse their findings and make plans that would benefit the child. When the plan has been put into motion another assessment can be done on the child to see if there have been any improvements. The cycle can be repeated to continue helping the child.

Different approaches to the Study of Psychology

This paper discusses different approaches to the study of psychology and shows their relevance to the understanding of offending behaviour. A generally acceptable definition of psychology is that it is the science of the behaviour of living organisms with an emphasis upon human beings. With roots in the Greek psyche (life or self) and logos (logic), psychology is the scientific study of observable behaviour that we can observe directly or measure with instruments (Baucum, 1999).Therefore, in general, psychology means the study of behaviour, and it follows that if we learn to understand the way people SHOULD behave by a methodical, logical study, by the same manner we should gain some insight and understanding into why some deviants behave the way that they do.Cognitive psychology is one of the major approaches within psychology and can be contrasted with the behavioral view (a focus on observable behavior), a psychoanalytic view (a focus on the unconscious), a humanistic view (a focu s on personal growth and interpersonal relationships) and a social cognitive view (a focus on the social environment as it impacts personal qualities such as thinking and feeling. ) An important distinction between the behavioral and cognitive or humanistic views is the importance of feedback.For behaviorists, the most important feedback comes in the form of the application of consequences from the environment. The cognitive, as well humanistic, would focus on the importance of internal feedback. The social cognitive view considers both types. (Huitt, 2006) Of course the term offending behaviour does not relate just to criminal activities but to any type of behaviour which can be seen as deviant. There is no doubt that the use of psychology can be very useful and effective in criminology, one of the most obvious examples of offending behaviour.If this work is not done correctly, however, the effect can be frustrating and can slow down the entire procedure. It is therefore very impor tant to do this kind of work systematically and effectively (Victoroff, 2005) According to David Lester in his book entitled â€Å"Theories of Personality† (1995), there are three major approaches to the explanation of human behaviour. He lists these as intrapsychic explanations, physiological theories and simple learning theories. He explains intrapsychic explanations in the following manner: They are explanations that use concepts based upon psychological processes and structures within the mind.These processes may focus on the contents of the mind such as particular desires, emotions or thoughts (Lester, 1995). Loosely, psychologists employing this method to understand, perhaps, why pedophiles act in the way that they do, or what would cause a man to want to rape. It may also lead to the understanding of self image, and what would cause, for example, a person with a low self image (in his mind the fault of his mother) to want to take revenge upon all women. It typically de fines and utilizes more complicated mechanisms such as defense mechanisms, complexes and system principles (Lester, 1995)The second method listed by Lester also focuses on the individual but as opposed to using mental processes to explain human behaviour, it relies upon the physiology of the brain. This is the Physiological theories approach – William Sheldon and Hans Eysneck have proposed classic physiological theories of personality – and recent advances in biological psychiatry look as if they may form the basis for modern, improved physiological theories of personality (Lester, 1995).One can see that this type of approach may be very useful in the study of a variety of neurological disorders, including perhaps schizophrenia – it may allow heightened understanding of why the patient has split personalities – or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or even disorders which fall into the depression category such as Bipolar Disorder. The third approac h given by Lister focuses upon the environment (or the situation) of the individual as the source of explanations for human behavior.Social Learning Theory takes into account the fact that humans are more complex than lower animals, and introduces a limited number of intrapsychic processes (mainly cognitive elements) in order to provide a more complete understanding of the behaviour of human beings. (Lister, 1995). There definitely seems to be truth in this. Take for example a woman who is ordinarily of a sunny disposition. Her friends may notice that for a few months she has been moody, lethargic, withdrawn, and generally not interested in anything.This is probably indicative of something being wrong, and further exploration may reveal to the friends that the reason for this offending behaviour is that she is under severe financial stress, for example. Lister also says that while all of the above pose a variety of answers to the understanding of human behaviour, the truest is proba bly a combination of all of the above (Lister, 1995). Take the example of a well known person who is known to have exhibited offending behaviour – Robert Thompson, who as a 10 yr old participated with Jon Venables in the killing of 3 yr old Jamie Bulger.All of the approaches described above can be used in the analysis of the following information. Born of an abusive father and an alcoholic mother, he had five older brothers who assaulted him. His father left the family after viciously assaulting his mother. Reminiscent of William Golding’s novel The Lord of the Flies, the older brothers bullied the younger into submission. Robert did try to be a good son and would help his mother in the kitchen and babysitting the younger ones, trying to provide support.Robert was not aggressive as much as sly. He skipped school, but when he did attend he was not considered a troublemaker. Teachers thought he was shy and quiet, yet manipulative of others, and didn’t expect much from him. Other kids avoided him. (Courtroom Television Network, 2005) Sometimes he talked tough, trying to act the role of a Thompson, but he was not considered violent or aggressive. He roamed the streets of Walton at 1 a. m. His mother Ann sometimes hid his shoes to keep him home.Unfortunately, Robert’s abuse at the hands of his older brothers began to repeat in his treatment of his younger brother. He intimidated his younger brother, but they shared a strange bond. At night, they would lie in bed together, sucking one another’s thumb. (During the course of Robert’s trial Ryan began exhibiting disturbing behavior. He wet his bed regularly, set fires in his room, and gained weight. He seemed jealous of the attention Robert received and his mother was fearful that he would do something equally horrible to get the same treatment.)Using the approaches listed above we can begin to understand the mind of Robert Bulger, and use this information to prevent further li ke crimes from occurring. This paper has discussed different approaches to the study of psychology and shown their relevance to the understanding of offending behaviour. We can see that using a combination of the different approaches to psychology is probably the best way to get at the truth.