MTV essays

MTV essays Everyone remembers Michael Jackson's red leather jacket covered with zippers and the sexy style of Madonna. MTV, or music television, nationally publicizes these images and entertainers, and others like them. The station also promotes an idealized teen lifestyle, reflecting the images of these famous artists, that contrasts with the realities of the Generation X lifestyle. While some view the station as "illustrated radio" or an entertainment network for viewers' pleasure, others more accurately assess it as an advertising enterprise that endorses products and promotes attitudes. The advertisements that are both hidden in videos and placed in regular slots, influence viewers. Whether or not MTV critics agree with these "messages" that the network sends out, it has become a huge franchise generating large profits and great popularity. During the 1980's, MTV grew from being strictly a music video station to an original, three-station network that became the choice of several generation s of viewers and the advertisers who court them. MTV's entertainment, commercialism, and messages satisfy and influence many types of viewers, giving them a healthy sense of group identity. In 1981, MTV became one of the first stations to be able to appeal to such a populous audience as the twelve to twenty-four year old age group. The chief operating officer of Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment Company (WASEC) felt that there was "a body of young people being ignored," hence the company designed MTV (Denisoff 37). Although at first success was unpredictable, the MTV network fought off competition by such competitors as the powerful Turner Broadcasting System (Daspin 20). "There isn't room for two or three services doing the same thing," commented MTV's Bob Pittman (Hedegaard 38). Later, the MTV network came out with VH1, or Video Hits One, a music station for older viewers, and Nickelodeon, a children's service station (Daspin 19). These two stations a...

Traits of a great admin assistant gatekeeper

Traits of a great admin assistant gatekeeper So you’re an admin or executive assistant and you want to be a great one. However, if you’re not a ninja-level gatekeeper, you’ll never hit your goal. Great gatekeepers are experts at managing flow. They are more about filtering out the noise than blocking people, and they do it all to ensure their bosses receive all necessary information and communication while still having plenty of time to accomplish their workloads.To be the best gatekeeper you can be, make sure you’re doing the following key things.You look and act the part.To be a real rockstar gatekeeper, you have to first be a rockstar assistant. You must do all parts of your job competently, calmly, and efficiently. You must be an A+ communicator both verbally and over email. Be pleasant but firm. Dress the part. Command authority without going on a power trip. You have to be able to seamlessly manage your and your boss’s time by dealing with distractions. Being the best involves knowing yo ur job, your boss’ job, and your industry inside and out.You demand respect.It’s probably a given that your boss is expected to receive a certain degree of respect, but you have some coming to you as well. If anyone isn’t properly respectful of both your boss’ time and your time, then it’s appropriate for you to deny him or her access until you both start receiving the consideration you both deserve. If people are rude and dismissive of you and your position, any good boss would be fine with you denying them access- especially if they want a favor.You read minds.Reading minds may seem like a magic trick, but it’s actually an achievable skill when it comes to gatekeeping. It basically involves figuring out what anyone trying to schedule a phone call or meeting with your boss is after. What is their motive? What do they need to discuss? Is it something that really requires a meeting or your boss’s time? If not, and you can get them what they want or need through other channels, it will limit the strain on your boss’s brain and schedule. The more time you put into your job, the better you will get at sniffing out what people really want when they ask for a few minutes of your bosss time. One you recognize patterns, you can ask directly: Is what you really want time sensitive? Tell me why, but if not, then I will have to schedule you when my boss is not in a crunch time.You use discretion.According to a survey performed by Staples, administrative assistants are the most trusted members of any office. Always remain among the trustworthy by keeping your head high while wading through office politics without getting bogged down by gossip or distractions. Be comfortable and clear when handling confidential information. Be reliable. Be a vault. Cultivate and exercise unimpeachable good judgment.You establish a system with your boss.You and your boss need to function like a dynamic duo to make both of your work liv es run smoother. Perhaps you two can develop a secret signal she can give you when someone is monopolizing her time. Or maybe you can color-code your online calendar: red meetings are crucial and yellow meetings arent time-sensitive and can be rescheduled as needed. Work together so you can become her ideal gatekeeper: keeping out the unnecessary and letting in the crucial.

How reading and writing has affected my life Essay

How reading and writing has affected my life - Essay Example rstands the inner details of the society, its values and beliefs and indeed the whole of the related hierarchy related with learning, studies and intellect. This has been the case with my personality as well since the time I have started to learn through proper use of reading and writing. What this means is the fact that I have understood the different aspects of my college life that includes within it and I have started to analyze things from a number of different angles. Reading has provided me an in depth look into the way the people think of different things in human life and activities which are there in a number of important stages of life. It has made me a strong individual, in the sense that I can now differentiate between the right and the wrong. This is a continuous process and will keep on increasing my vocabulary in coming times. In fact it will help me more and more since I am a female and I will be looking after my kids, when I get married and then have a family life of my own. I would know how to teach them the important things in life which I have gained myself. Speaking generally, it is a need to sort out whether a child under study is ready and willing to learn the different and finer points that are present within a learning environment in the form of reading and writing. If he/she is ready then it is all good otherwise there has to be a question answer session with this student to find out what is forcing him/her from giving his/her best shot at achieving high grade reading and writing levels. After this has been found out, these areas can be looked into a much more detailed manner. Then ways could be found out as to how this can be fixed in the most effective manner possible. My strategy aims to build the reading and writing levels at par with the other students who are present alongside me so that I shall be given confidence and shown the positive side of things. I need to be told of what is there in store for me after I achieve a certain

Examine the relationship between the designer and the art director Essay

Examine the relationship between the designer and the art director - Essay Example That design shall be used throughout the editorial and advertising pages. Each of the magazine issues "had headlines, text columns and the same kind of illustration" (Hollis, yr of book publication, p. 97). The increasing importance of images, then, as an art element in journalism and advertising also raised the degree of participation of an art director because their reproduction and the layout as a whole became his/her responsibility (Hollis, yr of publication). Raizman (year of publication, p.98) characterized the work of an artist/designer as something that had to embody the magazine's content, while the work of an art director, which is the "artifice behind the elegance of the image, the attention to every detail so that it contributed to the total effect" has to be concealed. An art director during those times himself even added that directors plan, co-ordinates and rehearses but does not perform in public. Public performances are left to designers to create cover illustrations in traditional methods. This was exemplified in the works of designer Norman Rockwell for the Saturday Evening Post from the time of the First World War to the 1960's (Hollis, yr of publication). As an antidote to the hardships of the World War years and the impersonal modernity of factory and city, Rockwell created colored illustrations that presented a variety of familiar themes drawn from common middle-class experience, frequently related to seasonal activities and holidays. His idea is to create a sense of community and comfort provided by the family and neighborhood by using common experiences and techniques of naturalistic illustrations to communicate those values (Raizman, year of publication). One of the best examples is the Post's cover in November of 1933 where a young mother is seen spanking a child in his belly on a chair. The story is clearly and simply told. The child broke a piece of decorative chinaware which led the mother to resort to a traditional form of punishment but only while holding a psychology book that has guided her actions. In his attempt to experiment with more expressionistic approach to painting, he created illustrations of a festive family m eal, which is one of four from a series entitled "The Four Freedoms" (Raizman, year of publication, p.226). The illustrations make the reader more comfortable with some of the discomforting information that threatens our confidence in dealing with everyday existence. The Great Economic Crash in 1929 led businesses to formulate designs in order to sell their products. Many advertising executives believed that the purpose of advertisements is to gun for sales and "that the reference to individual artists or works of art focused attention upon the ad as an 'object' rather than the vehicle of promoting a product" (Raizman, year of publication, p.225). Art directors and consultants Art directors and consultants from the advertising industry recognized the importance of images in selling the products, but limited the images to be illustrated to familiar and recognizable images that could be easily grasped by the public rather than abstract ones. Art directors let illustrators and designers accomplish this task with the idea of creating images with which the buyers can easily identify and directly connect to the products. However, because of this imposition by the art directors,

Bad School System Essay Example for Free

Bad School System Essay What are schools doing for us? If nothing then what can we do to improve them? I think they aren’t doing anything. I have never really thought about this idea until I started research. I think that I am fairly smart, but it is more of after school rather than school itself. I was watching a TED TALK from Ken Robinson and he was talking about how schools kill creativity. He talks about how schools are good at making people who do their jobs successfully. He also says that those same people are doing that job because they don’t have any other choice. By showing this he is trying to show that school kills creativity. Salman Khan the founder of Khan Academy talks about how students don’t get to work on their own pace. Dave Eggers the founder of 826 Valencia talks about how students need 1-1 attention to learn their talents. Ken Robinson has many different videos on school all talking about how school has problems that need to be solved. The one that I watched was â€Å"Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity†. He talks about how school trains you in a way that creates a fear of making mistakes. He says, â€Å"If you’re not prepared to be wrong, then you will never be original†. We are being educated out of creativity. Teachers are not ready to have things be wrong. When grading test or any kind of work there is no such thing as maybe, it is just right or wrong. There are always those kids who are over the top smart and there are those kids that are very creative but not as smart. In this scenario you know that the kid who has the brains is going to get the popularity. Nobody is going to go to the creative kid for help even though he/she might have something worth saying. Then those creative kids will also have to adapt to the school system and eventually lose their creativity. Salman Khan has one very important video on TED and it talks about how students do really get to learn on their own pace in school. The TED TALK is called â€Å"Let’s use video to reinvent education†. In this video he talks about his website www.Khanacademy.com. In this website he has different topics for which he has videos for. He also has sort of an online learning system on the same website. In that learning system they want you to master different concepts that you are having trouble with. So they show you videos on how to do the problem then set you on your own. If you still don’t have perfection then they allow you to repeat. They want you to master the concept by letting you do the whole process as many times as you like. By this you are allowed to learn at your own pace. In school you learn a chapter take a test then move on. Even if you didn’t understand you move on, also the students who get like 90 to 99.9% they still might have some problems that they didn’t understand. I also experienced Khan Academy, I have an account and I am always using it when I need help on something. Dave Eggers has one video on TED and it talks about why students are happier to go to tutoring rather than school itself. In his TED TALK â€Å"Once Upon a School† he shows the audience of a place that he created called 826 Valencia. This is a shop that he founded in which he connected a newspaper editor center, a pirate shop, and a after school tutoring center. He says that students come there running after school to do homework. That’s not really something that you think of. The students get help on any HW especially their English homework. He has his Newspaper crew and volunteers help students 1-1 on HW. He has students write books and then publishes the books. He says that students need 1-1 time with whomever they are working with. In school students don’t really get 1-1 time during school to talk about things that they are having trouble with and stuff like that. In a year he has over 1,400 volunteers helping run 826 Valencia. He thinks that if students are able to have 1-1 time with teachers on their work then they would be more creative. They students would never know if they were doing well or if they needed to improve in certain areas. If you haven’t watched this TED TALK them I recommend every one the watch it. All three of these guys show great ways to improve the School system. These guys are already doing it outside of school, which shows that our School System isn’t really great. There are many problems with our School System we just never think about them as students. You would never think that School would kill your creativity, but when you think about it†¦

The Death Penalty, Inaccurately Supported :: Argumentative Persuasive Papers

The Death Penalty, Inaccurately Supported Tommy, sixteen, poor, and mentally retarded constantly found himself being teased and hit by the town bully. He never knew what to do, he would always just look down at the ground and allow himself to get beat up. One day his friend told him that if the bully teased him again he should defend himself and hit him back. The following day, as usual, the bully started to make fun of him and to throw punches at him, afraid and not knowing what to do, Tommy began to hit the bully back. Once he noticed that the bully was afraid and that he had stopped hitting him Tommy, unable to control his actions, continued to beat the nineteen-year-old bully until he fell on the floor and lay motionless. In trial, Tommy’s jobless mom was unable to pay for an attorney so the state provided him with one who could care less about what happened in the case. Tommy received a sentence to death row. Now confused as ever he awaits the day when someone will put him to death by lethal injection. E ven though Tommy’s mental handicap doesn’t allow him to understand what he’s done, he will be executed for his actions. Not only do many states allow the execution of the mentally retarded, but they are also likely to send the poor and mentally ill to death row quicker than the rich <http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/>. Aside from being biased, the death penalty is an expensive, cruel, and ineffective deterrent to crime. Many of today’s executions are based on society’s prejudices. "It is.†¦ believed that we have a system where race and wealth are often more of a determinant of punishment than the brutality or evil motive of the criminal, a system driven by revenge and politics much more than by justice or fairness." <ohio.net> Although only 12 percent of America’s population is composed of African- Americans, they make up 50 percent of prison population and 40 percent of death row’s population. <www.lclark.edu/> Because of generalizations made by society, "a black man is ten to twelve times more likely to receive the death penalty than a white man even if the same crimes were committed." <www.people.virginia> Aside from being racially biased, capital punishment is also prejudice against the poor. Those who are on trial and cannot afford to pay for an attorney are provided with one by the court.

Let’s Be Lefties For a Day

The discussion of the importance of understanding cultural, ethnic, and gender differences by managers and professionals in a business setting begins with defining the key terms. Diversity is defined as â€Å"real or perceived differences among people that affect their interactions and relationships â€Å"(Bell, 2007). According to Week 1 lecture (SOCS 350, 2013), cultural diversity is defined as: â€Å"the existence of a wide variety of cultures and subcultures represented within a community†. This is evident in most work settings across the world. So how do I understand the importance and differences brought to the table by all of the different individuals? In our textbook Diversity in Organizations, it talks about Taylor Cox and Stacy Blake’s research studies on understanding diversity in the workplace. Their studies and explanations have been used in many textbooks and news regarding diversity. They explain how effective management of diversity can benefit organizations in the area of cost, resource acquisition, marketing, creativity, problem solving, and system flexibility. I agree that diversity can bring so much to a workplace. A personal experience of mine occurred at the community hospital near my hometown. The hospital had a predominantly low-income, African American population that used the emergency room. I was a young Caucasian woman who quickly became charge nurse for the night shift. During busy times, which occurs quite often in emergency rooms, I would be yelled at and even called racist if a white person was called back to a room first. I was lucky enough to have the benefit of the mayor of the predominantly African American community work as a LPN in the emergency room with me. He was an older African American, well known throughout the community, and very well respected. I could send him out to talk to unhappy patients because they took better to him, probably due to having the same ethnic/cultural background. He then explained things again and for some reason it was most often taken better, and proved I was not being racist and these are the policies that I followed. In the workplace though, especially a hospital setting, it is extremely beneficial to have all cultural backgrounds employed. Every patient that comes in is not going to be of the same ethnic or cultural background as you and sometimes like in my example it is easier to relate to someone with the same ethnicity. It is a beneficial skill for employees to understand different cultures to communicate effectively. Cox and Blake also proposed that â€Å"an organization’s reputation for valuing all types of workers will also affect its ability to market to different types of consumers. Consumers who appreciate fair treatment for everyone will be more likely to patronize an organization known to value diversity and to treat all workers fairly†. I truly believe that is accurate, and is shown to be proven accurate at my hospital. In our example in class using the ball and sock experiment, I learned how diverse America is. People do things a little bit different, and that is what makes us a culturally diverse country. Just because you do something right-handed and I do it left-handed does not mean I am doing it wrong. I am left-handed, and yes I have become ambidextrous also because of the predominantly right-handed population. This just shows me that people are able to adapt to change, and not one certain way, color, gender, race, age is better than another. There are numerous benefits to valuing diversity, especially in a business setting. With each unique combination of gender, ethnic background, culture, and life experiences, each person brings different sets of strengths, skills, and approaches to problems. I believe all businesses can benefit from a diverse body of talent bringing fresh ideas, perspectives, and views to the workplace.

Bio-Psychosocial Model of Health and Illness

BIO-PSYCHOSOCIAL MODEL OF HEALTH AND ILLNESS INTRODUCTION The medical model has been the predominant approach used by physicians in diagnosing and management of diseases and illness in most Western countries. The biomedical model of illness and healing focuses on purely biological factors, and excludes psychological, environmental, and social influences. According to this model, good health is the freedom from pain, disease, or defect. It focuses on physical processes that affect health, such as the biochemistry, physiology, and pathology of a condition.It does not account for social or psychological factors that could have a role in the illness. In this model, each illness has one underlying cause, and once that cause is removed, the patient will be healthy again, (Alloy, Jaconson,& Acocella,(1999). The bio-psychosocial model of understanding disease process arose from the context of changing conceptualisations of mind and body and the emergence of new fields of enquiry, including h ealth psychology, medical sociology, behavioural medicine and psychoneuroimmunology, Barlow,D.H. & Durand V. M. (1999). According to Engel (1977, 1980), human beings are complex systems and illness can be caused by a multitude of factors, not just a single factor such as a virus or bacteria. This is an attempts to move away from a simple linear model of health, to assess the effects of the combination of factors involved in illness, that is; biological (for example, virus & genes), psychological (for example, stress, behaviours, & beliefs) and social/environmental (for example, employment & neighbourhood).Engel (1977) argued that the best and most effective way of dealing with disease and illness is by the application of the three approaches that are related to human health. According to him the three interact in a very complex way and all play a significant role in human functioning in the context of disease and illness. Health is therefore better understood and managed when the th ree approaches are combined rather than handling it from a purely biomedical perspective.The biopsychosocial model of understanding diseases and illnesses is also similar to the World Health Organization’s definition of health ‘a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’ (WHO, 1946). BIOMEDICAL MODEL The biological model was the leading approach of understanding diseases and illnesses since the 19th century. It gained strength from researches in physiology and medicine that led in identification of infectious agents that cause diseases,(Maher & Maher,1985). It evolved from a Greek physician Galen’s germ theory concept of pathogens in 200 AD.He declared pathogens as the sole disease causing agents. The medical model therefore aimed at doing researches to identify all pathogens that caused diseases for the purpose of providing the right diagnoses for different diseases. For the proponents of this model, every illness is a symptom of a particular disease which has also been caused by a particular pathogen. The model also later focused on normalizing genetic related abnormalities and injuries. The model therefore focused on the physical processes such as the pathology, the biochemistry and physiology of disease and illnesses (Hoeksema, 2001).The biomedical model uses the traditional reductionist biomedical model of medicine that presumes that every disease process can be explained in terms of an underlying deviation from the normal function such as a pathogen, genetic or developmental abnormality or injury,(Sarno:1998). This argument presumes that illness is always due to abnormalities in the body's working systems. It is the basis of modern Western medical practice. It works on the theory that every bodily malfunction has an identifiable and diagnosable physiological cause that can also be managed or treated using the conventional medicine.The biomedical model tends to t ake a curative approach to illness (Price,1978). According to Sarason & Sarason, (2005). Biomedical approach focuses its attention on physical symptoms and therefore the normal physical state is a state of being whole and without any physical, mental disease and free from any pain, so that all the parts of the body can carry on their proper functions fully. According to Alloy, Jaconson, and Acocella (1999), the biomedical model compares abnormal behavior to any other disease and therefore has specific causes and specific set of symptoms.Therefore the medical model also implies that the abnormal behaviour is biogenic, that is, it results from a malfunction within the body especially the brain. This suggests that psychological symptoms are due to structural abnormalities in the brain’s neurotransmitter systems, or faulty genes. Biogenic theories of abnormal behavior have been in existence since ancient times. In the middle ages and the renaissance, they coexisted with supernatu ral theory which believed that abnormal behavior was caused by God or more often by the devil (Hoeksema, 2001).In the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, religious explanations were gradually replaced by biological explanations. The newly dominant medical approach was soon strengthened by a series of important breakthroughs which was done through biomedical researches and therefore several previously unexplained behavior patterns were found to result from brain pathologies((Hoeksema, 2001). Such discoveries strengthened greatly the biogenic theory of abnormal behavior. Medicine was therefore increasingly assumed would ultimately discover the cure for ‘madness’ as it was commonly called.On this assumption, any case of mental abnormality was referred to a medical professional, (Alloy, Jaconson, Acocella,(1999). According to the proponent of this model, the abnormal behavior should best be handled by physicians in hospitals and by means of drugs and that the whole p roblem of deviant behavior should be conceptualized in medical terms such as symptoms, syndromes, pathology, mental illness, patient, diagnosis, treatment and cure,(Price,1978). EVALUATION OF THE MEDICAL MODEL STRENGTHS:The medical model introduced objectivity in the understanding and management of diseases and illnesses by applying scientific methods of research, diagnosis and treatment. The model has also given insight into the causes of some conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease, an organic condition causing confusion in the elderly, (Alloy, Jaconson, Acocella, (1999). According to Sarason, & Sarason (2005), by use of the biological model, treatment is quick and, relative to alternatives, and sometimes cheap and easy to administer.It has proved to be effective in controlling serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia allowing patients who would otherwise have to remain in hospital rather than to live at home. Finally the sickness label has reduced the fear of those with mental disorders. This is because historically, they were thought to be possessed by evil spirits or the devil, majority of them especially women, who were burned as witches, (Maher, & Maher: 1985). CRITICISMS OF BIOMEDICAL MODEL One of the critics of biomedical model of mental illness was Thomas Szasz.In his book â€Å"The Myth of the Mental Illness’ (Szasz, 1961), he postulated the so called most of what was commonly referred to as mental illnesses were merely ‘problems in living’. According to him the whole concept of mental illness was a myth as it could not withstand the laid down biomedical diagnostic procedures. For Szasz, psychiatrists over-relied on social criteria rather than medical standardized procedures to diagnose mental disorders. He argued that mental assessment relied on the patient’s coping skills for example, with families, friends and social responsibilities to determine a disorder ((Szasz, 1961).Szasz argued that psychiatric diagnosis, was unlike physical diagnosis all about social judgment. According to Szasz, the ‘sick’ label also deprives people of the responsibility for their behavior and relegates them to a passive role that makes it hard for them to return to the normal behavior. After many years in the biomedical research, evidence shows there still remained many patterns of abnormal behavior for which no medical causality was identified, yet the biomedical researchers were confident that such causes were eventually to be found,(Price,1978).Biomedical model does not take into account the role of social factors or individual subjectivity in diagnosis and treatment of diseases and illnesses. The model overlooks the fact that the diagnosis (that will affect treatment of the patient) is a result of negotiation between the doctor and the patient, (Annandale,1998). Using reductionism method of both research and diagnosis in the biomedical model, the model attempts to reduce the explanations of health an d illness to the smallest possible factors.Nevertheless human beings and ill-health are not this simple. There may be a lot of different causes from social to psychological to genetic. The biomedical model is a single-factor and therefore looks for the cause, rather than a range of contributory factors, (Alloy, Jaconson, Acocella, 1999). Using biomedical model, there lacks the mind-body distinction. The mind and body are considered separately and they do not affect one another, which research has proved is not the case. Health is traditionally equated to the absence of disease.A lack of a fundamental pathology was thought to define one's health as good, whereas biologically driven pathogens and conditions would render an individual with poor health and the label â€Å"diseased†. However, such a narrow scope on health limited our understanding of wellbeing, thwarted our treatments efforts, and perhaps more importantly, suppressed preventive measures, (Sarno, 1998). PSYCHOLOGIC AL MODELS OF UNDERSTANDING TO DISEASE PROCESSES In contrast to the medical model, thoughts, feelings and behaviours affect our health and well-being.Recognition of the importance of these influences on health and disease is consistent with evolving conceptions of the interactions between the mind and the body and represents a significant change in medicine and the life sciences,( Baum & Posluszny, 1999). There are psychological theories that argues that the mind prays a pivotal role in matters related to diseases and illnesses. According such theories, disturbed or abnormal behavior for example may be explained physiologically and also psychologically.Conditions like Schiszophrenia and depression have both physiological and psychological explanations of causality and management. Some of the psychological perspectives of that deal with health and well-being of human beings are; The Psychodynamic Perspective: Psychodynamic approach to abnormal behaviour assumes that abnormal behavior arises or originates from unconscious unresolved psychological conflicts. According to Sigmund Freud(1925) behaviour is motivated by internal or psychological forces. Abnormality according to him is caused by an imbalance in the internal forces that motivate behaviour.He believed that mental illness arises from unresolved conscious conflicts, which usually occur in early childhood According to Freud, the unconscious forms about 90% of the human mind, and the remaining 10% is conscious. People are not able to access the contents of their own unconscious mind. Traumatic memories, inappropriate desires, and unresolved conflicts are buried in the unconscious mind by ego defense mechanisms such as repression. The contents of the unconscious mind for example, a childhood trauma, may still influence behaviour and this can lead to abnormality (Santrock,2007).According to psychodynamic proponents, another source of abnormality arises from extremes either from id or from the superego; Weak eg o: According to psychodynamics, the well adjusted people have a strong ego, that is, they able to cope with the demands of both the id and the superego by allowing each to express itself at appropriate times. If, however, the ego is weakened, then either the id or the superego, whichever is stronger, may dominate the personality leading to deviant behavior and neurotism.Unchecked id impulses: Freud argued that, if id impulses are unchecked they may be expressed in self-destructive and immoral behaviour. This may lead to disorders such as conduct disorders in childhood and psychopathic behaviour in adulthood. Too powerful superego: According to Freund, a superego that is too powerful, and therefore too harsh and inflexible in its moral values, will restrict the id to such an extent that the person will be deprived of even socially acceptable pleasures. According to him this would create neurosis, which could be expressed in the symptoms of anxiety disorders, such as phobias and obses sions.The Behaviourist Perspective This approach believes that behavior is learned based on reinforcement. Therefore it is sustained its consequences. Therefore the maladaptive behavior is learned through reward while it can also be relearned, (Slavin, 2003). The proponents of this model argues that deviant behavior can be managed through; Shaping: This involves guiding behavior toward goals by reinforcing the many steps that lead to success. Extinction: This approach involves removing reinforcers from previously learned behavior until the behavior disappears.Extinction burst: This process involves the increase in levels of behavior in the early stages of extinction. Positive reinforcement: This a technique of sustaining a desired behavior for example, applying praise after doing something desirable. Negative reinforcement: this is a technique of escaping from an unpleasant or a way of preventing unpleasant behavior from occurring. Punishment – consequences that weaken behavi or; punishment like reinforcement is in the eye of the receiver and the impact on behavior, (Slavin, 2003). Cognitive Theoretical Model:The cognitive perspective maintains that peoples’ way of interpreting situations determine their emotional and behavioral symptoms,(Hoeksema, 2001). Abnormal behavior is a product of negative or erroneous thinking and perception about oneself and of the environment. The proponents of this theory argue that the human being is not a passive organism, but is capable of processing information and comprehend the relationship between cause and effect. According to Beck (1921), maladaptive behavior may result from faulty or distorted interpretation of the reality.Therefore false or negative view of the world can easily lead to illness or abnormal behavior. For example, a negative view of oneself can lead to negative interpretation and negative expectations of the future. These negative belief systems and erroneous view of the world can lead to depre ssion, (Halligan,& Aylward,(Eds. ) 2006). Accord to Albert Ellis (1959), the goal of cognitive therapy is to help people change their irrational beliefs into rational beliefs. This is done by the therapist creating insights in a person’s mind through the process of disputing the client's irrational beliefs, (Santrock,2007).Humanist Model of Abnormal Behaviour According to the humanistic approach and existentialists theories, symptoms of abnormal behavior arise when people are not allowed to pursue their full potential and instead they are made or try to conform to others wishes,(Hoeksema,(2001). According to Carl Rogers, â€Å"The organism has one basic tendency and striving: to actualize, maintain, and enhance the experiencing organism† (Rogers, 1951). According to him, abnormal behavior can be managed through working to remove incongruences, defense mechanisms, and developing positive personal self-regard.SOCIOCULTURAL APPROACHES Interpersonal theorists focus on the role of interpersonal relationships in shaping normal and abnormal behavior. Family system theorists suggests that abnormality among individual family members is the result of dysfunctional patterns of interaction within families that encourage and maintain psychopathology,(Hoeksema,2001). Social structural theorists on the other hand focus on the influence of structural factors in the environment and cultures on individuals’ behavior, (Barlow & Durand,1999). The Role of Psychological State in health mattersCurrent psychological researches especially in the field of Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), indicate that psychological state can influence the body immunity through the nervous system. The studies suggest that, not only can psychological state influence health, but beliefs may also influence health directly. In particular, research has focused on the capacity of psychological factors (such as mood, thought suppression and stress) to modify immune functioning,(Ogden, 2004). A ccording to various studies, positive mood is associated with better immune functioning, whereas negative mood is associated with poorer immune functioning (Stone et al. 1987). Humour appears to be particularly beneficial (Dillon, Minchoff & Baker, 1985). Certain coping styles (such as suppression and denial) may relate to illness onset and progression (e. g. Kune et al. , 1991), while thought expression through writing or disclosure groups may improve immune functioning,(Pennebaker et al. , 1988; Petrie, Booth & Pennebaker, 1998). Kiecolt-Glaser and Glaser (1986) argued that stress causes a decrease in the hormones produced to fight carcinogens (factors that cause cancer) and repair DNA.In particular, cortisol decreases the number of active T cells, which can increase the rate of tumour development. This suggests that experiencing stress while being ill could exacerbate the illness through physiological changes. So if the illness itself is appraised as being stressful, this itself may be damaging to the chances of recovery. According to Ogden (2000), chronic illnesses, such as asthma, AIDS, cancer, coronary heart disease and multiple sclerosis, are another important areas of health that research indicates that psychological factors play important role.Coronary heart disease (CHD) for example, is caused by hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), which are narrowed by fatty deposits. This can result in angina (pain) or a heart attack (myocardial infarction). CHD is responsible for 33 per cent of deaths in men under 65 and 28 per cent of all deaths. It is the leading cause of death in the UK, killing 4300 men and 2721 women per million in 1992. It has been estimated that CHD cost the National Health Service in the UK about ? 390 million in 1985/86, (Ogden, 2000).Many risk factors for chronic heart disease which are modifiable have been identified, for example, smoking, alcohol, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, perceived work stress and high blood pressure. Acc ording to Friedman and Rosenman (1959,’78) type A behaviour is characterized by excessive competitiveness, vigour, energy, alertness, confidence, loud speaking, rapid speaking, tense clipped speech, impatience, hostility, interrupting, frequent use of the word ‘never’ and frequent use of the word ‘absolutely’, In the 1980s Karasek developed a job demand/job control model of stress.He proposed the ‘job demand control hypothesis’, whose aim was to reduce job strain. According to Karasek and Theorell, (1990), there are two aspects of job strain; job demands and job autonomy (which reflects the person’s control over the speed or the nature of decisions made within the job). Karasek’s hypothesis suggests that high job demands and low job autonomy predict CHD. He later in his included the concept of social support, which he defined in terms of emotional support (trust and social cohesion between co-workers) and instrumental socia l support (the provision of extra resources and assistance).All the above conditions involve in their therapy psychological related techniques that includes; exercises, behavior modifications and cognitive therapies. A Multi Perspective Approach to Disease and Illnesses The model recognizes four systems centered on the person; organs, the whole person, behaviour, and social role function. It also considers the four contextual factors that influence these systems, that is; personal factors, physical environment, social environment, and time.This model also draws attention to two important components of any holistic model of health, choice (free-will) and quality of life, (McKeown,1979), This approach advocates the importance of looking at health and human behavior from scientific, psychological and social cultural approach. According to this model abnormal behavior is therefore effectively dealt with from these three points of view. Psychologically the unobservable events of the mind , such as attitudes, memories, and desires are unquestionably involved in most of psychopathology(Alloy, Jacobson &acocella,1999).According to Ndetei(2006), Culture and religion also play an important role in the development and management of psychopathology. Over the last century, health behaviours have played an increasingly important role in health and illness. This relationship has been highlighted by McKeown’s book, The Role of Medicine (1979), which discusses the decline of infectious diseases in the nineteenth century, which forms the focus for medical sociology. It also highlights the increasing role of behavior in illness in the twentieth century.The commonly held view is that the decline in illnesses such as TB, measles, smallpox and whooping cough was related to the development of medical interventions such as chemotherapy and vaccinations. But McKeown showed that the decline in infectious diseases had already begun, before the development of medical interventions. He claimed that, looking back over the past three centuries, this decline is best understood in terms of social and environmental factors. McKeown also examined health and illness throughout the twentieth century.He argued that contemporary illness is caused by an individual’s own behaviours, such as whether they smoke, what they eat and how much exercise they take, and he suggested that good health was dependent on tackling these habits. It has been suggested that 50 per cent of mortality from the ten leading causes of death is due to behaviour. If this is correct, then behaviour and lifestyle have a potentially major effect on longevity. For example, Doll and Peto (1981) estimated that tobacco consumption accounts for 30 per cent of all cancer deaths, alcohol 3 per cent, diet 35 per cent, and reproductive and sexual behaviour 7 per cent.Approximately 75 per cent of all deaths due to cancer are related to behaviour. More specifically, lung cancer (the most common form) acco unts for 36 per cent of all cancer deaths in men and 15 per cent in women in the UK. It has been calculated that 90 per cent of all lung cancer mortality is attributable to cigarette smoking, which is also linked to other illnesses such as cancers of the bladder, pancreas, mouth, larynx and oesophagus, and to coronary heart disease.And bowel cancer, which accounts for 11 per cent of all cancer deaths in men and 14 per cent in women, appears to be linked to diets high in total fat, high in meat and low in fibre, Doll and Peto (1981). In summary The proponents of the biopsychosocial model argue that the biomedical model alone does not take into account all of the factors that have an impact on a patient's health. Biological issues, as well as psychological factors such as a patient's mood, occupation, intelligence, memory, level of education and perceptions are all considered when making a diagnosis.The biomedical approach may not, for example, take into account the role sociological factors like family, social class, or a patient's environment may have on causing a health condition, and thus offer little insight into how illness may be prevented. A patient who complains of symptoms that have no obvious objective cause might also be dismissed as not being ill, despite the very real effect those symptoms may have on the patient's daily life.The biopsychosocial model of understanding disease process accomplished a milestone that brought about a dramatic shift in focus from disease to health, recognizing that psychosocial factors (for example; beliefs, relationships, and stress) greatly impact recovery, the progression of and recuperation from illness and disease. While the traditional biomedical models of clinical medicine focused on pathophysiology and other biological approaches to disease, the biopsychosocial approach emphasize the importance of understanding human health and illness in their fullest contexts. CONCLUTION:This model recognizes human beings as co mplex systems and illness can be caused by a multitude of factors, not just a single factor such as a virus or bacteria. Biopsychosocial model therefore attempts to move away from a simple linear model of health and looks at the combination of factors involved in illness; biological (for example, a virus), psychological (for example, behaviours, beliefs) and social (for example, employment). Since in biopsychosocial model , illness is regarded as the result of a combination of factors, the individual is no longer simply seen as a passive victim of some external force, such as a virus.Acknowledging the role of behaviours such as smoking, diet, exercises and alcohol, for example, means that the individual may be held responsible for their health and illness. From this perspective, health and illness exist on a continuum. Rather than being either healthy or ill, individuals progress along a continuum from healthiness to illness and back again. The biopsychosocial model of understanding disease process maintains that the mind and body interact, and therefore it considers psychological factors as not only possible consequences of illness but as contributing to all the stages of health, from being healthy to being illness.Current Application of Biopsychosocial Model: The biopsychosocial model of illness seems to be a significant advance upon the biomedical model of illness. It has been used as the basis of a system for classification of various aspects of illnesses as found in various diagnostic tools for example, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DSM), and the International Statistical Classification of Diseases. The apply the biopsychosocial model of diagnosing diseases and illnesses and have therefore become the international criteria for mental illness.REFERENCES 1. Alloy, L. B. , Jaconson,N. S. , Acocella,J. (1999). Abnormal Psychology: Current Perspectives (8th. ed). Boston: Mcgraw-Hill . 2. Barlow,D. H. & Durand V. M. ,(1999). Abnormal Psy chology: An Integrative Aproach. Boston:Core Publishing House. 3. Baum, A. & Posluszny, M. D. ,(1999). Health psychology: Mapping biobehavioral contributions to health and illness. Annual Review of Psychology, 50, 137–163. 4. Bruns D, Disorbio J. M. , (2006). Chronic Pain and Biopsychosocial Disorders. Practical Pain Management, March, volume 6, issue 2. 5. DiMatteo, M.R. , Haskard, K. B. , & Williams, S. L. , (2007). Health beliefs, disease severity, and patient adherence: A meta-analysis. Medical Care, 45, 521-528. 6. Doll R, Peto R. Mortality in relation to smoking: 20 years' observations on male British doctors. Br Med J. 1976 Dec 25;2(6051):1525–36. 7. Engel, G. L. (1977). The need for a new medical model: a challenge for biomedicine. Science;196:129-136. 8. Frankel, R. M. , Quill, T. E. , McDaniel, S. H. (Eds. )(2003): The Biopsychosocial Approach: Past, Present, Future. Rochester :University of Rochester Press. . Gatchel, R. J. & Oordt, M. S. , (2003). Clinical health psychology and primary care: Practical advice and clinical guidance for successful collaboration. American Psychological Association: Washington, D. C. 10. Halligan, P. W. , & Aylward, M. (Eds. ), (2006). The Power of Belief: Psychosocial influence on illness, disability and medicine. Oxford University Press, UK. 11. Hoeksema, S. N. , (2001). Abnormal Psychology (2nd ed). Boston: McGraw Hill. 12. Maher, B. A. , & Maher, W. B (1985). Psychopathology: From the Eighteenth Century to Modern Times.In G. A. Kimbe & K. Schlesinger(Eds), Topics in the history of psychology(295-329). 13. McKeown’s book, The Role of Medicine (1979), The Lancet, Volume 371, Issue 9613, Pages 644 – 645, 23 February 2008. 14. McLeod, S. A. , (2008). Medical Model – Treating Mental Disorders. http://www. simplypsychology. org/medical-model. html 15. Ndetei D. MSzabo,C. P. ,Okasha,T. ,J. M. ,(2006). The AfricanTextbook of Clinical Psychiatry and mental Health. Nairobi: The African medic al and Research Foundation (AMREF). 16. Ogden, J. (2012).Health Psychology: A Textbook (5th ed. ). Maidenhead, UK: Open University Press 17. Price, R. H. , (1978). Abnormal Behaviour: Perspectives In Conflict(2nd. ed. ). New York: Holt, Renehart and Winstorn. 18. Slavin R. E. , (2011). Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice (10th Edition). ISBN-10: 0137034350. 19. Santrock, J. W. ,(2007). A Topical Approach to Human Life-span Development (3rd ed. ). St. Louis, MO: McGraw-Hill. 20. Sarason, I. G. & Sarason B. R. ,(2005). Abnormal Psychology: The Problem of maladaptive Behaviour(11th. d. ). New Delhi: Prentice-Hall of India. 21. Sarno, J. E. (1998). The Mind-body Prescription: Healing the Body, Healing the Pain. Warner Books. ISBN 0-446-52076-4. 22. Stone, A. A. ,Bovbjerg,D. H. ,Neale, J. M. , et (1992). † Development of Common cold Symptoms following experimental rhino virus†Behavioral Medicine. Fall,115-120. 23. Szasz, T. S. , (1961), The Myth of Mental Illness, New York: Holber-Harper, 24. World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19-22 June, 1946.

Dorian Gray essays

Dorian Gray essays By interpreting Oscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian Gray on the allegorical rather than the literal level, the portrait never physically changes, but rather it simply represents the progressive degeneration of Dorians soul. Wilde creates several references and uses many symbols, so that the reader may be able to interpret it in this manner. In the preface, Wilde set the premise for the rest of the novel by stating All art is at once surface and symbol. Wilde wished to say that any art form may have two sides. The first side consists of the literal meaning. The second refers to the figurative level: the subjective perception that allows for interpretation into an underlying meaning. Consequently, this statement confirms at once that there is this surface and symbol present in the novel. Alluding this to the portrait of Dorian Gray, there is a definite connection. Aesthetically, it is nothing more but an excellent piece of art, portraying a young and handsome man. Upon a more scrutinizing eye however, one may be able to see a parallel between the portrait and the conscience or soul of Dorian himself. However, opposing arguments might state that the portrait actually changes; that it was a result of Dorians wish to be always young and the picture to grow old. Additionally Dorian would give [his] soul for it. This may also be interpreted in a different way. Every reference to a change in the painting can also be placed in the same context as the blemishing of Dorians own soul. If an individual can assume that something supernatural is physically changing the painting, would it not be more plausible to state that Dorian merely reflected on the state of his own soul and used the portrait as a conduit for doing so? Another argument literal interpreters might state, is the question of why Dorian conceals his picture if no transformation occurred. Als...

Saola Facts

Saola Facts The saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) was discovered as skeletal remains in May of 1992 by surveyors from the Ministry of Forestry of Vietnam and the World Wildlife Fund who were mapping the Vu Quang Nature Reserve of north-central Vietnam. At the time of its discovery, the saola was the first large mammal new to science since the 1940s. Fast Facts: Saola Scientific Name: Pseudoryx nghetinhensisCommon Name(s): Saola, Asian unicorn, Vu Quang bovid, Vu Quang ox, spindlehornBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 35 inches at the shoulder, about 4.9 feet in lengthWeight: 176–220 poundsLifespan: 10–15 yearsDiet:Â  HerbivoreHabitat: Forests in the Annamite mountain range between Vietnam and LaosPopulation: 100–750; under 100 are in a protected areaConservation Status: Critically Endangered Description The saola (pronounced sow-la and also known as the Asian unicorn or the Vu Quang bovid) has two long, straight, parallel horns that can reach 20 inches in length. Horns are found on both males and females. The saolas fur is sleek and dark brown in color with dappled white markings on the face. It resembles an antelope, but DNA has proven they are more closely related to cow species- which is why they were designated Pseudoryx, or false antelope. Saola have large maxillary glands on the muzzle, which are thought to be used to mark territory and attract mates. The saola stands about 35 inches at the shoulder and has been estimated at 4.9 feet long and 176 to 220 pounds in weight. The first living examples studied were two calves captured in 1994: The male died within a few days, but the female calf lived long enough to be taken to Hanoi for observation. She was small, about 4–5 months old and weighed about 40 pounds, with large eyes and a fluffy tail. All known captive saola have died, leading to the belief that this species cannot live in captivity. The team found a skull with unusual long, straight horns in a hunters home and knew it was something extraordinary, reported the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in 1993. The find proved to be the first large mammal new to science in more than 50 years and one of the most spectacular zoological discoveries of the 20th century. Habitat and Range The saola is only known from the slopes of the Annamite Mountains, a restricted mountainous jungle on the northwest-southeast border between Vietnam and the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic (Laos). The region is a subtropical/tropical moist environment which is characterized by evergreen or mixed evergreen and deciduous woodlands, and the species seems to prefer edge zones of the forests. Saola are presumed to reside in mountain forests during the wet seasons and move down to the lowlands in winter. The species is presumed to have been formerly distributed in wet forests at low elevations, but these areas are now densely populated, degraded, and fragmented. Low population numbers make distribution particularly patchy. The saola has rarely been seen alive since its discovery and is already considered critically endangered. Scientists have categorically documented saola in the wild on only four occasions to date. Diet and Behavior Local villagers have reported that the saola browses on leafy plants, fig leaves, and stems along rivers and animal trails; the calf captured in 1994 ate Homalomena aromatica, an herb with heart-shaped leaves. The bovine appears to be mainly solitary, although it has been seen in groups of two to three and rarely in groups of six or seven. It is possible that they are territorial, marking their territory from their pre-maxillary gland; alternatively, they may have a relatively large home range that allows them to move between areas in response to seasonal changes. Most of the saola killed by the locals have been found in the winter when they are in lowland habitats near to the villages. Reproduction and Offspring In Laos, births are said to occur at the beginning of the rains, between April and June. Gestation is estimated to last about eight months, the births may be single, and lifespan is estimated at 5–10 years. Little else is known about the offspring of this critically endangered species. Threats The saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Formal surveys have yet to be taken to determine accurate population numbers, but the IUCN estimates the total population to be between 70 and 750 and declining. About 100 animals reside in protected areas. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has prioritized the saolas survival, saying, Its rarity, distinctiveness, and vulnerability make it one of the greatest priorities for conservation in the Indochina region. Conservation Status IN 2006, the IUCN Species Survival Commissions Asian Wild Cattle Specialist Group created the Saola Working Group to protect the saola and their habitat. WWF has been involved with the protection of the saola since its discovery, focused on strengthening and establishing protected areas as well as research, community-based forest management, and strengthening law enforcement. Management of Vu Quang Nature Reserve where the saola was discovered has improved in recent years. Two new adjacent saola reserves have been established in Thua-Thien Hue and Quang Nam provinces. The WWF has been involved in the setting up and management of protected areas and continues to work on projects in the region. Only recently discovered, saola are already extremely threatened, says Dr. Barney Long, WWF Asian species expert. At a time when species extinction on the planet has accelerated, we can work together to snatch this one back from the edge of extinction. Saolas and Humans The main threats to the saola are hunting and fragmentation of its range through habitat loss. Local villagers report that saola are often caught accidentally in snares set in the forest for wild boar, sambar, or muntjac deer- the snares are set for subsistence use and crop protection. In general, increases in the numbers of lowland people hunting to supply the illegal trade in wildlife has led to a massive increase in hunting, driven by traditional medicine demand in China and restaurant and food markets in Vietnam and Laos; but as a newly discovered animal, it is not currently a specific target for either the medicinal or food market as of yet. However, according to WWF, As forests disappear under the chainsaw to make way for agriculture, plantations, and infrastructure, saola are being squeezed into smaller spaces. The added pressure from rapid and large-scale infrastructure in the region is also fragmenting saola habitat. Conservationists are concerned that this is allowing hunters easy access to the once untouched forest of the saola and may reduce genetic diversity in the future. Sources Callaway, Ewan. A Bloody Boon for Conservation: Leeches Provide Traces of DNA from Other Species. Nature 484.7395 (2012): 424–25. Print.Hassanin, Alexandre, and Emmanuel J. P. Douzery. Evolutionary Affinities of the Enigmatic Saola (Pseudoryx Nghetinhensis) in the Context of the Molecular Phylogeny of Bovidae. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences 266.1422 (1999): 893–900. Print.Phommachanh, Chanthasone, et al. Habitat Use of the Saola Pseudoryx Nghetinhensis (Mammalia; Bovidae) Based on Local Sightings in the Northern Annamite Mountains of Lao PDR. Tropical Conservation Science 10 (2017): 1940082917713014. Print.Tilker, Andrew, et al. Saving the Saola from Extinction. Science 357.6357 (2017): 1248–48. Print.Whitfield, John. A Saola Poses for the Camera. Nature 396.6710 (1998): 410. Print.

Natural Disaster and Economic Growth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Natural Disaster and Economic Growth - Essay Example This essay provides an comprehensive analysis of the economic impact of earthquakes on the performance of the country`s economy, both in the long and in the short run. Natural disasters are detrimental to the economic growth of the countries that face the disaster. The extent and severity of the effect of natural disasters vary across countries, but, the basic impact is not heterogeneous. The great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake hit Japan and it had brought tremendous damage to the country in terms of economic growth of the economy and the social structure. The city of Kobe was the worst sufferer in this disaster. Japan was already a developed nation when the disaster had stricken the country. Research by scholars acknowledges that the disaster had caused â€Å"devastating damage to the economic landscape of southern-central Japan† But, at the same time the results of investigation show that the earthquake made people realize the fact that capital formation is an important element of economic growth in the country. In the long run, level of well being of the survivors of the disaster depends on the rate at which capital is accumulated in the economy. Research results show that the impact of the disaster fades with time and the rate of development of the economy plays a major role in the standard of living of its people Although natural disasters are occurring with increasing frequency and are creating potentially devastating impact on the economies that face it, the economic cause of the disaster has not yet been accurately deciphered. ... Victims show the tendency to adapt with the new circumstances with the passage of time. A subsequent research shows the result of investigation into â€Å"the extent to which the earthquake enhanced the investment in social capital through participation in community activity† (Yamamura, 2013, p. 1). After facing the huge loss to life and property as a result of the earthquake, the people of Japan expressed greater consciousness regarding the importance of social capital. Comparing the data collected between the years 1991 and 1996, it has been found that people were more inclined to make investment in social capital in 1996 than they were in 1991 (Skidmore and Toya, 2002). This significantly increased the rate of investment in social capital by the residents of Kobe. However, rate of investment by the people living in the cities near Kobe did not show any noteworthy change. From this phenomenon the author has inferred that the impact of the disaster decreases with distance; th e effect of the disaster is lesser in the minds of the people that stay far away from the origin of disaster (Yamamura, 2010). Although natural disasters are occurring with increasing frequency and are creating potentially devastating impact on the economies that face it, the economic cause of the disaster has not yet been accurately deciphered. There have been several studies on the medium and long term impact of the disasters on the prospects of development of the countries. According to the works by Cavallo, Powell and Becerra (2010) long term effects of natural disasters from the economic point of view are not understood well. In general, literature existing in this sphere of research shows lack of theory and empirical evaluation of the mechanisms that

Find contemporary problem about ( Personality, Lifestyles and Self ) Literature review

Find contemporary problem about ( Personality, Lifestyles and Self ) - Literature review Example This implies that a consumers self concept is critical in developing a brand’s personality, where the brand personality is matched to the self. Research in consumer behaviour have shown that brand personality is a key tool in consumer expression and instrumental in enabling consumers express their ideal or actual self, or in expressing certain specific aspects of the self (Swaminathan, Stilley, & Ahluwalia, 2009:2). One of the key notable problems in marketing is whether the brand personality should be matched to the self that consumers aspire to be (ideal self) or to the self that they are (actual self) (Malà ¤r, Krohmer, Hoyer, & Nyffenegger, 2011:35). This paper evaluates this issue to understand which of the self aligns well with brand personality and what this implies to marketers. Brand personality is defined as â€Å"a set of human characteristics associated with a brand† (Mahle & Supphellen, 2011:96). It is a critical emotional part of a brand image and therefore is highly involving in determining how attached consumer’s become to such brands. (Sung and Kim, 2010:645). It also often appeals to consumers who wish to enhance, affirm or express their sense of self or their personalities using the brand personality of the products they use (Park & Roedder, 2010). On the other hand, self concept is defined as a â€Å"multidimensional construct† in how individuals view themselves (Swaminathan, Stilley, & Ahluwalia, 2009; Khare & Handa, 2009: 64). Self concept is based on both group identity where people purchase certain goods in order to identify with a given group and a unique individual level self identity and expression based on individual autonomy. However in independent individualistic cultures such as western cultures, self concept is mainly associated with personal identity strongly then with group identity (Swaminathan, Page and Gurhan-Canli, 2007:249). Indeed, Fuornier