Measurement of Time Spent Communicating Essay

The amount of time we spend communicating is outstanding. There have been multiple studies to find the actual amount of our waking lives spent communicating, and the percentage of time we spend in each division of communication. The article, â€Å"Measurement of Time Spent Communicating,† is the result of a communication study of employees of a research and development laboratory. The study was based on two techniques: direct observation, and questionnaires. How much time do people spend communicating at work? How much time do people spend using machines at work? This useful information can help to improve the amount of work done in a certain amount of time. If people spend more time communicating to get a job done, then our communication skills possibly need improvement. The talking people do is related with their work output. The same goes for machinery; if we spend more time in person-machine interaction, improving machinery would be the main advance to improving jobs. People were observed at one instance in time in offices of one person to five people, some at supervisory levels, laboratories, hallways, and conference rooms. The observation data was divided into to groups’ time spent communicating, and time spent working with equipment. These categories were subdivided in different types of communication activities, including face-to-face communication, telephone communication, reading, and writing, and different types of equipment uses, including lab equipment, office machinery, and an other category. Pre-tests showed the three trained clerks could classify the behavior of the employees reliably. Sampling moments were random and unbiased, only avoiding break times and everyone’s lunch, and are correspondent to the entire working day. The questionnaires were placed at the desks of all the people in the sampling areas, offices, and laboratories. The questionnaires were pre-tested to make sure the wording was understood, and the ordering of questions didn’t change the results. The employees were to answer seven questions all percentages that should add up to 100% of the working week. The questionnaires that were returned and did not add up to between 90% and 110% were disregarded. 4,000 questionnaires were distributed, and 2626, or 66%, were returned and usable. Overall, the common results of the observations and questionnaires were recognizable. The observation method is more accurate, and unbiased, so the main differences in the two sets of data are explained by people underestimating the time they spend communicating face-to-face, and overestimating the time they spend reading and writing. The questionnaire and observed data representing how much time is spent speaking on the telephone, working with lab equipment and office machinery, and other were relatively the same. Another observation is that the amount of time spent communicating depends on how many people are in the office. The fewer people, the more communication went on. This could be due to the fact that many one or two person offices were supervisory level, and therefore had to communicate to employees more often. All offices engaged in face-to-face communication more than in laboratories. Although, time spent working with equipment is only 13%, even though the research study population is a research and development laboratory. This leads us to the conclusion that communication with people, not equipment, is the center of activity for most professionals, administrators, clerks, secretaries and technicians.

Healthcare Industry Grid

Healthcare Industry Overview Grid University of Phoenix Susie Hughes HCS 235 August 1, 2011 Ms. Frutchey Healthcare Industry Overview Grid Complete the Health Care Industry Overview Grid that is located below. There are many areas within the health care that are options for career placement or advancement. Research different fields within the industry, such as pharmaceutical/drug, health information systems, and long-term care/gerontology, and fill in each box to contain information regarding the health care industry. There is an example that is already started to help with the process, but ensure you include adequate information to support your findings. Use a minimum of three references to support your information. This assignment is due in Week Three. Industry| Career Explanation| Industry Examples| Role of Health Care Personnel| Manufacturing (Equipment/Supplies)| Offers a wide selection of medical equipment and supplies, from home-health products to examination room products to fit the every individual’s health care needs. Professionals, organizations, and associations may find quality and affordable medical equipment and supplies for clinics, hospitals, nursing facilities and home health environments. | Surgical/medical instrumentsOrthopedic, prostheticsAppliance/suppliesDental equipmentx-ray apparatusrelated irradiation equipmenthospital beds stethoscopesBlood pressure cuffsWound care supplies| Biomedical Equipment Technician- Maintains adjusts, calibrate and repair a wide variety of electronic electromechanical and hydraulic equipment used in hospitals and other medical environments. Medical Supply Representative- Engages in selling and marketing of healthcare products, supplies and equipment. Medical Equipment Delivery Driver- A individual that picks up and delivers medical supplies and equipment. (www. bls. gov)| Pharmaceutical/Drug | Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing industry develops and produces a variety of medicinal and other health-related products that save the lives of millions of people from various diseases and permits many people from suffering from illness to recover to lead productive lives (www. ls. gov). | Develops/produce, and markets medicine approved by the FDAAre allowed to deal with generic/brand named drugs and medical devicesAntibioticsTranquilizersOver-the-counter drugsVitaminsVaccinesSerumsMedicinal Chemicals| Chemist- Searches for new knowledge about chemicals and use it to improve the quality of life. Molecular Biologist- Work in government, hospitals, collegiate institutions and pharmaceutical companies, performing molecular t est to understand disease. Director of Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Operations- Responsible for the FDA compliant manufacturing of clinical supplies and commercial product. Operations also include packing, shipping and receiving materials. (www. bls. gov)| Health Information Systems| Deals with resources, devices, and required methods to store, retrieve,s assemble patients' health information including medical history, symptoms, examination results, diagnostic tests, treatment methods, and all other healthcare provider services. Technicians organize and manage health information data by ensuring its quality, accuracy, accessibility, and security. (www. bls. gov)| EMR-electronic medical recordEHR- electronic health recordsMaster Patient IndexPatient SchedulingBilling/Claim Process(Chin, 2010)| Health Information Management System Technician- Handles databases, planning for information system, identifies existing/future information requirements and expands health policy. Medical Coder- Assigns codes to special medical procedures and services for billing private/public insurance companies. Registered Health Information Administrator-Responsible for the upkeep of patient’s records in a hospital or other health care facility. (Hill, 2010)| Long-Term Care/Gerontology| * Long-Term Care/Gerontology is an area of health care that deals with, and examines the aging population. | * Home Health care facilitiesNursing HomesAssisted Living CommunitiesRetirement HomesRehabilitationHospiceMental/Substance Abuse Facilities| Bio gerontologist- Studies the physical and biological affects of aging. Long-Term Care Nurse- Tend to the physical and emotional needs of the aging or chronically ill. | References Bureau of Labor Statstics. Occupational Handbook 2010-11 Edition. (2011). Retrieved from http://www. bls. gov Chin, D. (2010). Types of Health Information Sytem. Retrieved from http://www. ehow. comlist_6860442_types_health_information_systems. html Hill, J. (2010). Career in Health Information Systems. Retrieved from http://www. ehow. com/list_7221980_careers_health_information_systems. html

English vs. Spanish Colonization Essay

From 1500 to 1700, the English colonization of the Chesapeake region and the Spanish colonization of the Central/South American region varied greatly in their primary motivations for settlement and the lasting effects imprinted into both societies. The English motives in settling the Chesapeake region were more economically-based, seeking greater economic opportunity and employment, while the Spanish effort took on a more religious approach that ended up having long-term effects on the way their culture and society developed. The effects both colonies felt differed in many ways, primarily due to the varying motivational influences felt by the English and the Spanish. However, similarities in colonial motivations and cultural impacts were present between both societies. English colonization of the Chesapeake region revolved around economic gain and opportunity that colonizers believed could be found in the New World. Overcrowding in England led to a desire for expansion and better emp loyment options for English settlers. Rumors of gold discovery in the New World also spurred an intense frenzy that English colonizers sought to pursue, resulting in the development of societies poorly suited for colonial life when gold was never found. On the other hand, Spanish colonization of Central and South America began with the Spanish conquistadors, who used the saying â€Å"God, Gold, and Glory† to describe their motivations for colonization. The dominant motivational force for the Spanish was the religious aspect, where conquistadors sought to spread Christianity throughout Central and South America. The â€Å"Glory† prospect was heightened by the yearning for Spain’s dominance over the Western Hemisphere, which was thought to be obtained through unifying native peoples through Bailey Kargo! IB HOTA 3rd period the Christian religion. Similar to one aspect of English motivations, the Spanish also sought to find gold and riches that they thought the New World had to offer. When Christopher Colombus returned from his expedition to the New World, he reported to the Spanish crown his confidence in the quest for wealth in this new land. He described his encounters with the natives where they traded him gold for various items, and even claimed he saw gold in the rivers. This fueled the Spanish obsession in their ultimate quest for wealth and riches. The effects of settling the Chesapeake region reflected the English economic motivations for colonization there. When the Jamestown Colony was founded in 1607, settlers found themselves ill-prepared for establishing a structured colony, especially when they were solely prepared for discovering gold. The Jamestown Colony struggled immensely at first due to lack of supplies and skills needed to create the foundations of a colonial society. However, John Rolfe’s introduction of tobacco to the region completely transformed the economy and played a key role in saving the Jamestown colony. Tobacco became a booming industry and plantation owners needed more workers for cheap labor. As a result, African slaves were introduced into the population to meet these needs, stimulating a new industry: the slave trade. The successful tobacco economy was also capable of financing the importation of indentured servants, which also played a major role in the labor force and became an integral part of the Chesapeake’s economy. Wealthy landowners were now able to have more help on their plantations and have access to more land, while servants now had the ability to own land and create a name for themselves among the colonies. Unlike English colonization, Spanish colonization in the Americas completely decimated native populations. The introduction of European diseases, particularly smallpox, along with Bailey Kargo! IB HOTA 3rd period updated European weaponry decimated Indian culture and transformed their way of life due to lack of immunity to such diseases and more primitive weapons. Native populations were seen as much weaker compared to the conquistadors and their armies, making them extremely easy to conquer. A cultural angle unique to the Spanish settlements was the creation of the Mestizo culture. Unlike the English, the Spanish conquerors and Native Americans intermarried, allowing for a completely new race to develop and contribute to society. Although they were regarded as lesser than other races and looked down upon, the creation of the Mestizo culture proved to become a unique impact of Spanish colonization that later English settlers chose not to conform to. The introduction of the encomienda system was also a significant effect that became an integral part of Spanish society. When the Spanish conquered natives, these natives were required to perform work for Spanish landowners. In return, the natives would receive protection from other tribes and the conversion to the Christian faith. This system was extremely beneficial to the colonists who received land and gained Christian converts, but many native tribes were reduced to involuntary servitude that further devastated Indian populations in addition to disease and war. The differing motivations behind English colonization of the Chesapeake region and the Spanish of Latin America proved to directly affect the way each colonies were formed from 1500 to 1700. English colonization revolved around a more economic basis, while the Spanish focused more on religious aspects that managed to integrate their way into its economy as well. Despite these differences, both societies found a common motivation in the search for gold and riches, and both incorporated different forms of slavery, indentured servitude and African slaves in the Chesapeake and the encomienda system in Latin America, into their economies that stimulated Bailey Kargo! IB HOTA 3rd period each colony’s development. The growth and expansion of both colonization efforts eventually would fuel the newfound desire of other European nations to join the race to the Americas in an attempt to assert their dominance and further diversify societies of the New World.

Virgin Airways Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Virgin Airways - Assignment Example Currently, the airline is using Embraer jets, Boeing and Airbus for its flight services and has a presence in 29 cities across Australia. The airline is also a member of the Sytax alliance and is given a 4-star rating. Virgin Airways has managed to be one of the leading airlines in Australia and around the globe. This paper aims at analyzing the nature of the business including the internal and external business environment. The paper will also focus on a discussion of the planning and strategy formulation, organizational change, and how the company implements corporate social responsibility and ethical behavior. However, the paper will mainly concentrate on the strategy formulation of the company in order to understand the competitive advantage of the company. Planning and Strategy Formulation According to Virgin Airways, its major strategies are defined as being creative in addressing the challenges facing the company. The company heavily relies on the Virgin brand name in terms of providing quality services at affordable prices (Hooley 60). The company puts great emphasis on improving its human resources by having a strong focus on values, culture and pioneer leadership. Business analysts contend that the virgin culture is phenomenon in the sense that the brand has a very strong culture that is recognized for quality and value for money. The virgin brand is also recognized for its fun work environment. Research studies indicate that the virgin brand was 94 percent recognized before the airline was finally established. The brand was being tanked among the best ten brands in the Asia-Pacific region and also among the top trusted brands in Australia (Hooley 66). Virgin Airways has managed to establish a very unique culture through Richard Branson. Branson is among the high profile entrepreneurs that exist in the modern world and has managed to transform the world of business through his emphasis on a unique working culture. Most of the airline employees have pr eviously worked for the Virgin Group. This is to ensure that there is the spread of the Virgin culture across the airline company. The company’s senior management has a good working relationship attributed to the fact that most of the members have worked together as a team in their previous job positions at Virgin Group. They have respect for each other’s talent and ability. This is a strong working culture that has been established at the top and one that filters down the company. The main corporate synergy for the company is the ability to operate like a venture capital firm based on the Virgin brand name (Hooley 70). This involves non-related diversification at the individual level of business. This is achieved through the creation of hierarchical relationships and the interactions between the corporate head office and the airline business unit. The airline company has managed to leverage on the virgin brand which has approximately 96 percent prominence in the minds of consumers. This ensured that the airline entered the industry with a bang. Virgin Australia was established in 2011 but has managed to shake up existing orders in the market and given competitors a run for their money. Virgin Australia is a business unit under the Virgin Group but the company is focused and develops as an autonomous business under the Virgin brand name. This creates a decentralized organizational structure and independent decision making

Gender Issue in Asia Performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Gender Issue in Asia Performance - Essay Example The Balinese traditional theatre is a highly ritualistic performance form with all kinds of beliefs, myths, traditions and spiritual experiences associated with it. This is why Artaud (1995) had observed that â€Å"our (Westerners’) purely verbal theatre [†¦] could learn a lesson in spirituality from Balinese theatre† (p.301). On the other hand, the Western theatre had largely been evolved out of the rural and folk traditions as early as from the beginning of twentieth century (Turner, 2011, p.68). Turner (2011) has discussed this phenomenon by saying, â€Å"developments from the twentieth century onwards in Western theatre practice have often demonstrated an eclecticism that has led to a pick and mix theatrical culture† (p.68). This is manifested in terms of intercultural influences on the Western dance and theatre traditions. Another aspect of Western performances has been the comparative gender-neutrality of it as a whole, when it comes to characterizatio n and casting, which can be attributed to a social structure that has accepted gender equality as its proclaimed ideal. A strong feminist theatre has also been present in the West as early as from 1960s onwards.But in an Asian country like Bali, it is the rituals and traditions that rule almost all the classical dance and theatre forms. And it has been as an extension of the patriarchal social tradition that women were not allowed to perform the traditional dance drama, Topeng, which is mostly about the â€Å"exploits of male heroes".... hen it comes to characterization and casting, which can be attributed to a social structure that has accepted gender equality as its proclaimed ideal. A strong feminist theatre has also been present in the West as early as from 1960s onwards (Code, 2003, p.471). But in an Asian country like Bali, it is the rituals and traditions that rule almost all the classical dance and theatre forms. And it has been as an extension of the patriarchal social tradition that women were not allowed to perform the traditional dance drama, Topeng, which is mostly about the â€Å"exploits of male heroes who are usually involved in a struggle for power† (Slattum, Schraub and Geertz, 2003, p.20). Gender-bending in Balinese theatre has been a topic of interest for many researchers and social observers (Palermo, 2009; Ballinger, 2005). Challenging the predominance of female impersonators in Balinese performing arts, women began to enter the traditional theatre realm in the beginning of the twentieth century but the number of women performers were very limited (Diamond, 2008, p.231). But by the end of twentieth century, the situation has changed to such an extent that: There were all-male arja (classical Balinese operetta) troupes and two women’s mask troupes. Today, there are all-women gamelan groups in every regency and a wave of women performers staging ‘unconventional’ theatre and dance (Ballinger, 2005). Even before the large scale entry of Balinese women performers into Balinese traditional theatre, there were many Western women who learned these dance forms like, Tiffany Strawson, Carmencita Palermo and Jane Turner (Theatre firefly, 2010/11; Palermo, 2009, Turner, 2011). Palermo (2009) has narrated her experience of becoming a Topeng performer and has said, â€Å"when I first began my

A school as a young child might see it Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A school as a young child might see it - Essay Example Probably this will be the first time they are going to be out of the family. Initially children may feel depressed to come out of the family but most of them get used to it and gradually starts to enjoy school. There are several things that parents and teachers can do to help their children enjoy the school life (NAEYC, 2005). Children in kindergarten express good feeling toward the school. They enjoy going to school as they get to make friends, play and have food together. The majority of the children feel very happy in this environment. School is the place where the first steps to socialize is learned. Some of the children express their feelings about the school as "I make a lot of new friends," "I have many friends now to play with." Some of them like the uniforms they wear particularly when they are new. They are excited to wear these new uniforms and look smart. Many children are fascinated about the physical features of the school, such as facilities like canteen, library, etc. These are the places where they learn to have there own choices. For example, what food they want to eat, what are the different books other than the syllabus they would like to read etc. However, there are some of the children who do not enjoy schools. For instance, they feel that is a noisy place, if the teachers are strict they feel that they do not have any freedom to do what they wish to do. Some of them have an introvert character, and they do not enjoy mingling with other children or make new friends. They restrict themselves to only a few selected friends. As the children move from kindergarten to primary, secondary school and further, they have more things to learn and less time for play. Some children are concerned about teachers speaking "noisily" to them and scolding / beating them. Some of the children who are keen on

Banking System in the United Kingdom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Banking System in the United Kingdom - Essay Example Investments will be conducted outside the fence and will be allowed to fail without the government stepping in. This report is predicted to be one of the biggest shake-ups in banking within the United Kingdom in a generation. This commission was formed by the United Kingdom in June 2010 by Sr. John Vickers and is comprised of two main proposals. One proposes a retail ring-fence for UK banking operations and measures to upgrade the loss absorption of UK banks. The second proposes improving issues affecting UK banking markets and focuses mainly on attention to financial stability. The following information will attempt to show how over reliance on the banking industry in the United Kingdom has affected the economy in an economic downturn or recession. It also will show what effects deregulation has had on the United Kingdom economy and the banks. It will also delve into the economic downturn, the history, its effects, and what is going on now. And finally how can the United Kingdom avo id a double dip recession. ... also says that it is necessary for the state or international entities to take part because business forces and normal banking activities are not able to provide the required funding. This thought can be justified if there is evidence present that shows market failure or any deliberate government policy that contributes to this sector. This gives the impression that dangers are present regarding how banks compete. Banks compete unfairly on terms of deposit, misdirected resources in any economy, and build losses that eventually have to be supported by the public through government budgets (Latter 1997). Latter points out that as a matter of principle, it is better to give support to regions of the economy in as clear means as possible and with as little damage as possible to the forces driving the market. He further adds that this could mean subsidies might come directly from the fiscal budget or interest rate subsidies rather than less visibly through the bank itself. All banks shoul d be able to compete for business and control their own subsidies (Latter 1997). Causes of the banking crises are continually being debated. Several have been attributed to the structure of the banking system, while others have been attributed to macro/micro forces or regulatory factors. Others include harmful strategies of specific banks, operational failings, and fraud. When dealing with macro forces, triggers can includes the collapse of asset prices in real estate, a sharp upheaval in interest rates, or a sharp fall in the exchange rate. Another trigger could be a sudden slowdown in general inflation or the beginning of a recession. Banks have typically prospered in a high inflation environment. Another problem that is noted is sharp shifts in related pricing, or dropping of subsidies

Body Modification & Fashion Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7500 words

Body Modification & Fashion - Thesis Example The essay "Body Modification & Fashion" attempts to explain the meaning and practice of body modifications, history, reasons of different modifications, perceptions about modification from ancient to modern culture, and evolution of fashion that body modification brought from past to popular culture. The practice of body modification ranges from non-permanent modifications, such as makeup, clothing and semi-permanent modifications, such as, hair and skin coloring, hair cutting to permanent modifications, such as tattooing and piercing. Since its inception, people modified their bodies for various reasons which include personal, spiritual and social experiences. Whether we consider ancient practices or contemporary commitment, despite the apparent pain associated with body modification practices, the main accomplishment of the acquirer has always been claimed to be some form of bliss and satisfaction. Throughout history, body modification practice has been acquired by many movements a s symbolic meaning of their understanding and rebellion to popular culture and social set up. History reveals that some people love that practice, some hated, and some looked down upon it, and some remained afraid of people practicing it, yet, it leaves the mark on history forever and no doubt, it is going to stay in human life in one form or the other in future as well. The term â€Å"body modification† refers to the practices that alter the appearance and form of body either temporarily or permanently, such.

Social Science(What is patriarchy How might it operate within the Essay

Social Science(What is patriarchy How might it operate within the contemporary family - Essay Example Interestingly, power has as many different meanings as there are theoretical perspectives. Ferguson (2006) presented two main theorists in the power debate, namely Max Weber and Michel Foucault. Each of the two is in direct opposition to the other. Weber believed that ‘power is hierarchical, that there are individuals in control and others who take instructions from those in their ‘line of command’ (Fergusson and Hughes, 2006, pp.26). Obedience is not automatic, only where authority is perceived as legitimate authority would one be willing to comply with the commands. Weber termed his concept of power as bureaucratic power where there is a central source of authority which others would comply to providing that the one in authority functions without prejudice. Notably no special knowledge or skill is required all that is needed is the ‘institutional position’ (pp.31). Allen (2004) notes that the ‘legitimate basis of patriarchal authority is notably different to Weber’s bureaucratic authority. Weber, himself, presented two distinct differences in patriarchal domination and bureaucratic domination. Firstly, Weber notes that ‘where bureaucratic domination is based on an official’s commitment to a sense of impersonal duty, the former relies upon the personal authority of the male head of the household.’ The male head of the family possesses authority based on ‘natural and enduring’ personal relations (pp.31). Thus, the second difference is that ‘patriarchal authority is rooted in traditi on passed down from one generation to the next and bolstered by filial bonds. The obedience of the wife and children to the male head is said to derive from dutiful conduct rather than from a set of rules established on an abstract, rational basis’ (pp.31). Foucault, on the other hand, viewed power as ‘never in any one person’s hands.’ Power is seen not as ‘any obvious willed manner, but something within our psyche which

Jake in Transition Essay Example for Free

Jake in Transition Essay The following essay is in response to the Jake in Transition exhibit which displayed the many psychological and physical stages Jake went through to change his gender from a woman to a man. The artist of the exhibition demonstrated different stages of Jake’s transition from female to male. As the artists discussed in his interview, he felt â€Å"awkward† at first when photographing Jake. This awkwardness is to be expected, society has socialized us to feel certain ways about gender, creating stereotypical feelings. Since the time an individual is born, they are taught by society what is expected of them as either a male or female. However, in some cases such as Jake’s, some individuals are born one gender and feel as though their gender is a wrong fit. In Jakes case, he was born a female but was so uncomfortable in his own body that he felt he had to physically change it to a male body in order to be comfortable. I believe Jake felt the need to conform to society’s gender ‘norms†; his body was female but he felt he did not demonstrate typical female attributes as depicted by society. Jake went to extreme measures to conform. Jake discussed how he felt being a woman, his fear of being considered a â€Å"freak† because he was trapped inside a woman’s body with the mentality and tendencies of a man are a result of society’s ideology of gender roles. Jake went against this ideology when deciding to take surgical measures to become a man. Jake demonstrates his â€Å"natural† male instincts after his surgical procedure when he marries the woman he loves. Other activities he enjoys, such as, horse riding and playing the guitar are not typically attributed to either gender; as both men and women enjoy partaking in such activities but Jake however feels these are masculine activities. The exhibit displayed Jakes surgery photos, which caused me antagonistic feelings at first. I had not expected to be effected by this, breast surgeries are broadcasted on the television daily. Jake however, was removing her female identity, I am still unsure if this is a personal feeling or one that I have been trained by society to believe is wrong. I am leaning towards the latter, since I can not identify with Jake’s unhappiness with his born gender. I can not say I agree with changing ones gender through surgery. I do however understand Jake’s need to share his experience, in hopes to find acceptance in a society with such rigid gender norms. I question the underlying factor that caused Jake to go through such extremes as to remove all traces of femininity. I feel there must have been a deep resentment of his female body for him to go against nature and wipe out his female gender. If it were just a matter of sexuality, that Jake was attracted to females, I doubt it would have led to him getting surgery. I was deeply disturbed by the story of â€Å"x†. It disgusted me that anyone could have given birth to a baby for the sole purpose of using it for an experiment; and inevitably ruining its future. Baby X was raised without an identity. Gender roles, while drastically influenced by society, gives an individual a purpose. Jake was confused by his feelings which he did not associate with being female and thus changed his physical image to match his feelings of masculinity. X however, had no basis in which to judge its feelings. X was not socialized in a way that would help him understand his identity. Although we are not told what happens to X past elementary school, I foresee him having extreme emotional problems; more specifically, a lack of identity. Jake felt he did not fit in with females but X has no reference in which to judge if he fits in or not. Society influences how we see â€Å"normal† gender roles. Many, if not all, cultures have an essentialist view of what roles are contributed to males and females. While some individuals may feel that they do not conform to this ideology; Jake took drastic measures in which to conform. I think this says a lot for the extreme influence society has on gender roles. Jake wanted his body to look as masculine as he felt; so he would not feel like a contradiction to societies norms.

Concepts of Family Health

Concepts of Family Health Dwayne Potenteau The purpose of this paper is to discuss a specific family member’s meaning of health, influences and holistic assessments using family health concepts. The understanding will be presented within the framework of the CAEN Decision making model, a discussion on the person’s health experience, and focusing on the concepts related to family health within the context of the client. CAEN Decision Making Model The framework used for this paper is the CAEN (Collaboration for Academic Education in Nursing) Decision making model. This model allowed me to focus and develop a process for understanding the client. The process I used was divided into 3 main points, client centered, coming to know the client, and salience/pattern recognition/health issues (CAEN, 2012). To understand my client, I incorporated a client centered approach. Focusing on client centered health, allows me to have a deeper grasp of the client’s lived experience and context. Making the family the expert not only gave them control, but improved my ability to understand their perspective (CAEN, 2012). Coming to know the client is a way to improve knowledge and understanding a family’s persona meaning of health (CAEN, 2012). I used client storytelling, conversation, and observation to obtain knowledge (CAEN, 2012). Focusing my attention and being aware of any observations allowed me to grasp and understand the clients lived experience. The information gathered led to knowledge in saliency, patterns recognition, and health issues. Saliency and pattern recognition knowledge are dependent on the Carper’s ways of knowing, plus the addition of sociopolitical knowing (CAEN, 2012). Doane and Varco note that the ways of knowing are used to inform our practice, others, and context (Doane Varcoe, p.94, 2005). Salience refers to the intentional way in which we choose or make decisions that are important, critical and relevant to the client. I achieved this through questions, dialogue, and reflective practice with the family. Pattern recognition deals with the ability to connect this information. To interpret patterns, I used the ways of knowing, analysis, deductive and inductive reasoning during the meeting with the family(CAEN, 2012). Health Issues are components that involve the client and nurse to identify and understand health related challenges (CAEN, 2012). During conversation, I was able to interpret and respond with questions to reveal the family’s resources, strengths, goals, and context. Individual’s Health Experience In understanding the lived experience, I used the aforementioned coming to know techniques to understand the client’s physical characteristics, context, social support and experience with the medical system. Physical Characteristics: The client for this paper is a middle aged Caucasian male, 63 years of age, has a wife who is 47 years old, and two sons, 16 and 18 respectively. In our conversations the father exposed information regarding his physical health. The father informed me that although he does not exercise regularly, he believes in the benefits of frequent exercise. In addition to the aforementioned exercise, the father expressed his concerns over consuming too much alcohol. He stated that he does consume alcohol daily, and during social events, he tends to over drink. Context: The father addressed economic concerns, and acknowledged that money is an indicator of health. This year in particular had been harder financially that previous years, and he commented on the stress he felt due to the financial constraints. One of his part time jobs was on the ski hill, and this year the delay in opening had reduced the household income. The family consists of a wife, and two teenage sons. Being an older father, he is aware of his energy levels, and having to raise two boys. Social Support: Another facet of health he commented on was the social aspect. The client has a large social group, and thus felt that friends were a big impact on health. He often works with friends at events to help out the community and enjoy the social aspects of volunteering. Experience with Medical system: Another component to his understanding of health was his experiences with the medical system. In particular, the client has a history connected with mental illness. His grandfather and father were both committed and passed away in institutions. The experience gave him an understanding of how the medical system treated patients with a mental illness. His experiences have changed his perception of people with a mental illness. He states that he is more compassionate and understanding due to his experience. The father also acknowledged the importance of nurses as they were the caregivers of his father and grandfather. Not only were the father’s experiences shaping his understanding of health, his growth and development also contributed to his overall meaning of health. Growth and Development Physical Development: The client is a middle aged adult, age 63. His weight was within normal range for his height. I measured his vitals, with a blood pressure, 110/75, pulse rate of 70 beats per minute and 16 respirations a minute. All of the values are within the normal range for the client. Performing the visual and hearing test resulted with normal values. The father was also aware of his sexuality, and was open to discussing his eating, elimination, and sleep patterns. The normal ranges observed in the vitals and general assessment gave him an understanding on the importance of maintaining a healthy body. Psychosocial Development: The client was accepting of his aging, and was comfortable with his physical and emotional capacities. The client did discuss some concerns about being a middle aged adult with two teenage boys. He was a little stressed on how their lives would turn out. According to Soroor and Faxlollah, the widening generation gap in social trends and technology has led to decreased effective communication between parents and their children (soroor Faxlollah, 2009). The father acknowledges this and expressed his concerns over his reduced role and lack of control over technology in the household. Family Health Concept To understand family health we can break the words into family and health. Family can be defined as two or more people bound together assuming responsibilities (Kozier et al, 2012). Health can be described by the state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity (WHO, definition). The concept of family health is that if you improve a family, you improve a community (Stamler Yui, 2012). Some of the barriers that face the client’s family are the romanticized and stigmatized perceptions of family(Doane Varcoe, 2005). The influence of media on what a family should be can lead to system behavioral changes. To have a clearer understanding of context and influences we look at the health of a family by using family assessment models. I have chosen the Friedman Family Assessment model to guide me in understanding the individual’s strengths and problems within the family. Friedman’s model uses a systematic process for future planning, intervention, and evaluation (Stamler Yu, 2012, p.271). I must also address that there are numerous frameworks to choose from and due to constraints on paper size, I have selected only to use one framework. While Friedman’s family assessment contains 6 categories, I will be focusing on family structure, and family function. For this paper we will address the impact of health indicators, and health perspectives within the context of the family. Health indicators that influence the family are health behaviors such as not smoking, regular physical activity, and moderate drinking, but I will be focusing on income and education levels. Since the client did not work a large portion of the winter part time job, the wife had to take on the role of working more hours. The impact of indicators such as income potential and living costs have led the family to limit spending, and recover from previous bankruptcy. Education is another indicator that affects the family. The father did not graduate and expressed his displeasure and guilt. He stated that he often feels inadequate when conversation about academics is brought up. He feels that although education is important, he feels helpless in trying to promote education and keep an emotional connection with his sons. Health Perspectives: The family structure is assessed by observing the communication patterns, power structure, role structure, and family values (Stamler Yiu, 2012). The communication pattern I observed was usually initiated by the father. He seemed to initiate the dialogue, and the other members of the family joined in when appropriate. The father stated he is assertive, and opinionated, but acknowledge s other contrasting views. I noticed that the mother often disagreed with the father. This sharing of contrasting opinions may come from the father’s way of growing up, as men were the dominant money makers in the family. The wife in this family would be considered the money maker, and thus may contribute to the power struggle within this family. The wife is away from the homestead often, due to the nature of her work. The separation between husband and wife has also led to further disagreement and potential insecurities felt by the father. According to De Mol, Buysee and Cook, interdependence l eads to influence either directly or indirectly (De Mol, buysee, Cook, 2010). The roles of nurturing figure, decision maker, problem solver and provider have created possible conflict. De Mol states that family members need to feel wanted or appreciated by other family members (De Mol et al, 2010). The family function is assessed by observation, family affectiveness, socialization, and healthcare. Stanhope and Lancaster stress the importance of family relationships and health care as the most important aspects of family function (Stanhome Lancaster, 2008). The largest observation was the family’s affection and caring for each other. I noticed support, and communication between all the members of the family. Soroor and Fazlollah note in their study that parents should have good communication (Soroor Fazlollah, 2009). The impact has been good communication between the father and the rest of the family. Being sensitive to each member’s needs has allowed an open forum for communication. This has led to the family better handle crisis situations, such as financial problems and seek the assistance of friends and extended family. Learning Experience This experience has increased my awareness of the importance in using the CAEN decision making model and frameworks to help guide my process of assessment. The frameworks assist in focusing my assessment observations and questions. In addition to the frameworks, the use of the relational lenses is an important tool, allowing me to hone in on aspects of an individual or family’s health. The process of coming to know also allows me to understand that my beliefs and perceptions should be acknowledged, but put away when relating to the individual/family. These tools not only assist in understanding, but focus the attention to the client. Haggerty notes the need to understanding the patient’s perspective in order to allow for greater accountability, primary care, and knowledge (Haggerty, Fortin, Beaulieu, Hudon, Loignon, Preville, Roberge, 2010). These tools allow me as a future nurse to identify strengths and weakness and capacity of the individual or family. This knowledg e informs me to develop health promotion interventions, and promote optimal health. References Collaboration for Academic Education (CAEN). (2012). Part Three: Learning and Teaching in the curriculum. Author. CAEN De Mol.J., Buysee. A., Cook, W. (2010) a family assessment based on Social Relations Model. Journal of Family Therapy(32). 259 279 Hartrick Doane, G., Varcoe, C. (2005). Family nursing as relational inquiry: Developing health-promoting practice. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams Wilkins. Haggerty, J., Fortin, M., Beaulieu, M., Hudon, C., Loignon, C., Preville, M., Roberge, D. (2010). At the interface of community and healthcare systems: a longitudinal cohort study on evolving health and the impact of primary healthcare from the patient’s perspective. BMC Health Services Research. (10). 1 10 Kozier, B.,Erg, G., Berman, A., Snyder, S., Buck, M., You, L. (2012). Fundamentals of Canadian Nursng Concepts, Process, and Practice (3rd Canadian ed.). Don Mills. On: Pearson . 15 Stanhope, M., Lancaster, J. (2008). Public health nursing: Population-centered health care in the community (7th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier Stamler, L, Yu, L. (2012). Community health nursing; A canadian perspective (3rd ed). Toronto. On: Pearson Soroor, P. Faxlollah, A. (2009). A qualitative study on adolescence, health and family. Mental health in Family Medicine(6). 163 – 172

Iraq War Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The war waged on Iraq by the United States has been the cause of heated debate all over the world. Many people have opposed the United States attack on Iraq for many viable reasons. Some of these reasons include that it is not in the best interests for the reputation of the United States with the other nations of the global community, it poses an increased threat to United States homeland security, and it will result in many unjust crimes committed by the United States.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Going to war with Iraq will negatively affect the reputation of the United States with other countries opposing the war. These countries include Germany, France, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, and Pakistan, to name a few. In order to be a superpower, it entails that the country maintain amicable ties with nations in strategic areas in order to facilitate goodwill and cooperation. By going to war with Iraq, the United States has put a tremendous strain on amicable ties it once had with influential countries like France, Germany, and Egypt which is not good for public relation purposes or for maintaining superpower status. Also, going to war with Iraq has put a tremendous strain on the ties between the United States and many Muslim countries. The vast majority of the Muslim world is vehemently opposed to the war, thereby fueling anger towards the United States, viewing it as unjust and overstepping its bounds. This creates a dark image of the United Sta...

The Death With Dignity Act and Physician Assisted Suicide Essay

The Death With Dignity Act and Physician Assisted Suicide Introduction According to the American Medical Association (1996), physician-assisted suicide (PAS) occurs when a physician facilitates a patient’s death by providing either the means or the information necessary to aid in the patient performing the life-ending act. PAS has had a long and controversial history dating back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. They believed that there was no reason to prolong life if continued pain and suffering was the only prognosis. The term euthanasia, in fact, stems from the Greek meaning "a good death". It was not until Hippocrates and his Hippocratic Oath, cautioning against deadly medicine towards patients, that a different view was seen. Early Christians held the opinion that suicide or martyrdom was an honorable or noble end to one's life, a way to make the ultimate sacrifice for God. Countering that view, Augustine of Hippo condemned suicide as being a mortal sin, going against God's law of "Thou shall not kill". As medicine has evolved and progress ed exponentially since those ancient times, lives may very well benefit from an increase in length but may not always equate to an increase in the quality of life. PAS is one possible solution to this dilemma, albeit one with many ethical and legal debates concerning it. Literary review Presently, PAS is legal in the United States in three states - Oregon, which was the first in 1997, and then Washington and Montana both following in 2009. The Death with Dignity Act (DWDA) was proposed in 1994 in Oregon as a way for physicians to legally assist terminally ill individuals who wished to end their suffering and choose their own time of death. It was initially stalled in the Fed... ...doption of such measures as the DWDA are a real possibility. When that time comes, nurses will surely find themselves dealing with this issue more frequently. Even though it may be legal at that point, the nurse will be the one who has to decide as an individual their personal interpretation of the basic nursing concept of "to do no harm". Works Cited Code of ethics for nurses. (2001). Retrieved from www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/EthicsStandards/CodeofEthicsforNurses/Code-of-Ethics.pdf Lachman, V. (2010). Physician-assisted suicide: Compassionate liberation or murder?. MEDSURG Nursing, 19(2), 121-125. Rose, T. (2007). Physician-assisted suicide: Development, status, and nursing perspectives. Journal Of Nursing Law, 11(3), 141-151. Volker, D. (2007). The Oregon experience with assisted suicide. Journal Of Nursing Law, 11(3), 152-162. The Death With Dignity Act and Physician Assisted Suicide Essay The Death With Dignity Act and Physician Assisted Suicide Introduction According to the American Medical Association (1996), physician-assisted suicide (PAS) occurs when a physician facilitates a patient’s death by providing either the means or the information necessary to aid in the patient performing the life-ending act. PAS has had a long and controversial history dating back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. They believed that there was no reason to prolong life if continued pain and suffering was the only prognosis. The term euthanasia, in fact, stems from the Greek meaning "a good death". It was not until Hippocrates and his Hippocratic Oath, cautioning against deadly medicine towards patients, that a different view was seen. Early Christians held the opinion that suicide or martyrdom was an honorable or noble end to one's life, a way to make the ultimate sacrifice for God. Countering that view, Augustine of Hippo condemned suicide as being a mortal sin, going against God's law of "Thou shall not kill". As medicine has evolved and progress ed exponentially since those ancient times, lives may very well benefit from an increase in length but may not always equate to an increase in the quality of life. PAS is one possible solution to this dilemma, albeit one with many ethical and legal debates concerning it. Literary review Presently, PAS is legal in the United States in three states - Oregon, which was the first in 1997, and then Washington and Montana both following in 2009. The Death with Dignity Act (DWDA) was proposed in 1994 in Oregon as a way for physicians to legally assist terminally ill individuals who wished to end their suffering and choose their own time of death. It was initially stalled in the Fed... ...doption of such measures as the DWDA are a real possibility. When that time comes, nurses will surely find themselves dealing with this issue more frequently. Even though it may be legal at that point, the nurse will be the one who has to decide as an individual their personal interpretation of the basic nursing concept of "to do no harm". Works Cited Code of ethics for nurses. (2001). Retrieved from www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/EthicsStandards/CodeofEthicsforNurses/Code-of-Ethics.pdf Lachman, V. (2010). Physician-assisted suicide: Compassionate liberation or murder?. MEDSURG Nursing, 19(2), 121-125. Rose, T. (2007). Physician-assisted suicide: Development, status, and nursing perspectives. Journal Of Nursing Law, 11(3), 141-151. Volker, D. (2007). The Oregon experience with assisted suicide. Journal Of Nursing Law, 11(3), 152-162.

Internet Censorship Isnt Necessary Essays -- Argumentative Persuasive

Internet Censorship Isn't Necessary    "Fear of chaos cannot justify unwarranted censorship of free speech" (Quittner). This quotation came from a speech made by Vice President Al Gore, who was addressing the graduating class of 1996 from The Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This quotation expresses his viewpoint on this subject of censorship. Censorship has always been an issue in the world. What exactly is censorship? A censor is one who is authorized to examine books, films, or other materials and to remove or suppress what is considered morally, politically, or otherwise objectionable. Censorship is the act of removing this questionable material. Understandably, it is illegal to yell fire in a crowded room or use children for pornographic purposes, but the power of censors has exceeded logical boundaries. Works of art, such as Huckleberry Finn and Miss Saigon , have felt the full strength of censorship. The main problem regarding censorship is not knowing who has the right to determine what is valuable art and what is smut. Quite often members of religious groups take it upon themselves to determine the value of something. Those people who endorse censorship feel that they are protecting society from, among other things, violence, sex and the differences in sexual preference. At the same time, however, they are giving the power to restrict expression to a select few. Advocates of censorship feel that they have the right to ban works of art that express what they feel are erroneous ideas. What may seem erroneous to these advocates, may sculpt another's view on life and may reflect how they feel. Who has the right to determine who is right and who is wrong? The censors who feel that this right is theirs, also ... ...sh Language. Third Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1996. pp. 310. Chapman, Gary. "Regulations on Internet Pornography Will Be Ineffective." Censorship: Opposing Viewpoints. Bender, David. Greenhaven Press, Inc., 1997 Cranmer. "Child Safety on the Internet." [On-line]. Available: http://www.voicenet.com/~cranmer/censorship.html. November 10, 1997. Gutner, Toddi and Wildstrom, Steve. "Cybersmut: How To Lock Out The Kids." Business Week. February 12, 1996. pp.98-99. Levy, Steven. "An Indecent Proposal." Newsweek. May 27, 1996. pp. 80. Lindsay, John. "Policing the Internet." [On-line]. Available: http://www.mailbase.ac.uk/lists/pin/1997-08/0002.html. November 10, 1997. Meyer, Michael. "A Bad Dream Comes True in Cyberspace." Newsweek. January 8, 1996. pp. 65. Quittner, Joshua. "Free Speech For The Net." Time. June 24, 1996. pp. 56-57. Internet Censorship Isn't Necessary Essays -- Argumentative Persuasive Internet Censorship Isn't Necessary    "Fear of chaos cannot justify unwarranted censorship of free speech" (Quittner). This quotation came from a speech made by Vice President Al Gore, who was addressing the graduating class of 1996 from The Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This quotation expresses his viewpoint on this subject of censorship. Censorship has always been an issue in the world. What exactly is censorship? A censor is one who is authorized to examine books, films, or other materials and to remove or suppress what is considered morally, politically, or otherwise objectionable. Censorship is the act of removing this questionable material. Understandably, it is illegal to yell fire in a crowded room or use children for pornographic purposes, but the power of censors has exceeded logical boundaries. Works of art, such as Huckleberry Finn and Miss Saigon , have felt the full strength of censorship. The main problem regarding censorship is not knowing who has the right to determine what is valuable art and what is smut. Quite often members of religious groups take it upon themselves to determine the value of something. Those people who endorse censorship feel that they are protecting society from, among other things, violence, sex and the differences in sexual preference. At the same time, however, they are giving the power to restrict expression to a select few. Advocates of censorship feel that they have the right to ban works of art that express what they feel are erroneous ideas. What may seem erroneous to these advocates, may sculpt another's view on life and may reflect how they feel. Who has the right to determine who is right and who is wrong? The censors who feel that this right is theirs, also ... ...sh Language. Third Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1996. pp. 310. Chapman, Gary. "Regulations on Internet Pornography Will Be Ineffective." Censorship: Opposing Viewpoints. Bender, David. Greenhaven Press, Inc., 1997 Cranmer. "Child Safety on the Internet." [On-line]. Available: http://www.voicenet.com/~cranmer/censorship.html. November 10, 1997. Gutner, Toddi and Wildstrom, Steve. "Cybersmut: How To Lock Out The Kids." Business Week. February 12, 1996. pp.98-99. Levy, Steven. "An Indecent Proposal." Newsweek. May 27, 1996. pp. 80. Lindsay, John. "Policing the Internet." [On-line]. Available: http://www.mailbase.ac.uk/lists/pin/1997-08/0002.html. November 10, 1997. Meyer, Michael. "A Bad Dream Comes True in Cyberspace." Newsweek. January 8, 1996. pp. 65. Quittner, Joshua. "Free Speech For The Net." Time. June 24, 1996. pp. 56-57.

Banksy’s Artwork in Detroit Essay

Banksy arrived in Detroit [SLIDE] and created 4 pieces on various walls [SLIDE] , in various locations around the increasingly troubled city [SLIDE]. It is important to note from the beginning, that not one of the pieces Banksy [SLIDE] created during his time in Detroit survives today. While a small sliver of one of the pieces – this one in fact – is physically in tact, what remains is a fundamentally incomplete and undoubtedly impoverished version of the work itself. The surviving portion is incomplete and impoverished because it is only a sliver of the broader canvas into which it was placed. Once again, all of the pieces Banksy put up in Detroit have either been destroyed by the owners of the walls upon which they were created – not knowing the significance of the work – by individuals looking to profit from the sale of the work, or, in the case of this image, ‘preserved,’ significantly altered, or ‘destroyed’ – depending on one’s perspective – by individuals in the community seeking to save them from their inevitable destruction. It is equally important to recognize that they surely (and undoubtedly) would have been destroyed in one way or another. Street art is one of the only – if not the only – plastic arts that embrace’s its own eventual demise. It is, in other words, and its practitioners are eminently aware of this, inherently ephemeral. As this [SLIDE – GO SLOW HERE] sequence of images [SLIDE] by a Street Artist known as Mobstr indicates. [SLIDE] The inherent ephemerality [SLIDE] of these works of art is the result [SLIDE] of a relatively unique set of contextual circumstances [SLIDE] and social relationships of power within which most street artists ply their trade. [SLIDE] Just now, I referred to these pieces as works of art and I believe that that’s how they should be regarded. Not as vandalism, not as a crime, not as a nuisance, or blight – however all of these descriptors are accurate, once again, depending on one’s perspective. There is no other contemporary art movement that works at the same scope [SLIDE] and grandeur as street artists’ do. They consider walls that sometimes stretch horizontally [SLIDE] for entire city blocks as a canvas of massive proportion. They see the blank concrete of a high rise and think of it not as private property, or the structure of someone’s home or business, but as a concrete canvas. The sheer size, complexity, [SLIDE] and detail involved in some of street art’s most notable exemplars qualifies it as an artform par excellence. However, in the eyes of the law, the majority of property owners, or in the by laws of municipal city councils, this is, for the most part, not the case. Once again, and for the most part, in the eyes of the law [SLIDE], street art is vandalism and property damage that upsets the stability of city life and the sensibility of city dwellers, making them fear for their safety on the streets of their city. From this perspective, street art needs to be eradicated, erased, and/or ‘buffed out,’ as the terminology of the street calls it, as soon as possible. Removing graffiti and street art is akin to fixing the broken windows that, if left unrepaired, as the infamous story told by Wilson and Kelling goes, will lead to further crime, disregard for private property, the apparent safety of others, and an overall degeneration of the city as a space reserved almost exclusively, according to David Harvey, for commerce and private property rights. Succinctly, then, the life expectancy of a piece of street art [SLIDE] is very short. It is not only over-zealous municipal councils and their legions of constables that go around buffing out the work of street artists, however. There are at least four other factors that make the work of street artists inherently ephemeral. In addition to municipal officers buffing out pieces, the second factor limiting the life expectancy of street art, are property owners themselves [SLIDE]. When a piece of private property gets tagged without the permission of the property owner, the inclination of the property owner is to get to rid of what they consider to be vandalism as soon as possible. This is especially the case when the owner isn’t aware of the value of certain pieces. This one [SLIDE], done by Banksy in Melbourne, Australia, was apparently destroyed when, someone’s father was house sitting and he thought he would do his son-in-law a favour by getting rid of it. However, and generally speaking, the commercial value of street art by the vast majority of street artists, save a very select few, is close to nil. If you’re a street artist and you’re not Banksy, you breaking proverbial windows all the time. Property owners, then, seeking to maintain the aesthetic integrity of their property, are the second cause of street art’s limited life expectancy. The third cause is other street artists themselves. Ever since the appearance of graffiti on the subways and walls of New York City [SLIDE] and Philadelphia in the late 70s and early 80s, graffiti and street art have been caught up in a clandestine contest that revolves around territoriality, prestige, ego, and fame, based on the courage and capacity to get one’s tag up in the most dangerous and visible locations possible. Looked at from these five different perspectives, street art is one of the few ‘plastic arts’ that is planned, designed, and created in full knowledge that the end product will, in one way or another, disappear or be destroyed over time – and in some instances, very short periods of time. This inherent ephemerality is, of course, where the digital camera and the Internet become incredibly important implements in the street artist’s quiver. As much as these artists are reliant on the physical qualities of cinder block, concrete, wood, and steel, to exercise their creative vision, they are equally reliant on the immaterial, virtual, and distributed hardware and software characteristic of the Web 2. 0 era, to document that which in all likelihood, and in the very near future, will disappear for one of the five reasons listed above. Taking into account the ephemeral transience of street art from the perspective of the artists themselves, these same artists can, then, as much as they are regarded as street artists, also be regarded as digital artists, digital photographers, albeit digital artists and photographers that go to great lengths, and put themselves at great risk, in the preparation of their compositions. This point is important enough to recognize, but to stop here would be to cut short a more in depth examination of the practice of creating street art and the absolute importance of the concrete yet entirely transient and stochastic qualities of the urban canvas to the art form. As I hope to demonstrate, the vagaries of the urban fabric serve only to reinforce the point just made regarding the importance of the digital camera and the Internet. AWKWARD – The very particular qualities of the surfaces upon which this kind of art is produced – the individual qualities of very particular walls – and the either serendipitous or pre-planned incorporation of trash, foliage, or other elements of the natural (or manufactured world) into the pieces themselves – very much unlike the blank stretched canvas upon which other forms of art are produced – †¦ play an incredibly important role in the creation of street art. Reciprocally, and at the same time, they also underscore the importance of the digital camera, the digital photograph, and the Internet to the preservation and dissemination of the works themselves. I think this can best be explained by reference to the photographs themselves. If we look at this piece by Banksy for instance, [SLIDE] created in the run up to the London Olympics in 2012 and around the same time as his ‘Slave Labour’ piece, we see a pole-vaulter falling backwards, not quite making it over the barbed wire fence and onto the discarded mattress below. For the time being, I’m less interested in a semiotic reading of the piece than I am in paying attention to the actual physical things that play a part in the construction of this semiotic meaning. The mattress and the fence are absolutely integral elements of the piece. They are as important to the work as the pole and the pole-vaulter. If absent, for whatever reason, the piece itself wouldn’t be the same piece. Or, rather, it would be an entirely different piece, with an entirely different meaning. For instance, after this photograph was taken, there is a good chance that the mattress might have been discarded, the fence taken down in order to install the requisite Plexiglas. The point being, that the artist has obviously deemed these elements of the urban fabric to be elemental to the overall work itself. If removed or altered in any way, as they surely will be, the work is no longer that of the artist. Much like deleting scenes from Hamlet would fundamentally alter the play as Shakespeare intended it, removing the mattress alters the piece as Banksy intended it. If the mattress goes missing, is moved, or shifted, the artwork, as the artist envisioned and created it, is no longer. This example [SLIDE] too, indicates how important the actual elements of the urban fabric are to the piece. They are intricately woven into the artwork itself. This is becoming ever more important and prominent in Banksy’s work and†¦ if I can speculate for a moment, I think this has everything to do with his politics – I presume he’s a ‘he’ at least – it has everything to do with his politics, the market value of his work, and the propensity of property owners to remove it and auction if off, or of municipal councils to put it behind Plexiglas. So what would happen if this wall was cut out and moved to a gallery, into a private salon, or placed behind Plexiglas? Or what if we simply come back in Winter? Well, of course, the flowers that this boy is vomiting would die. They would either be uprooted and killed, squashed behind the Perspex and killed, or in time, and as a result of the elements, die of natural causes. This is, of course, in addition to, and on top of, the fact that the piece itself has a very limited shelf life for the five reasons described above. As mentioned previously, once the work of street art is finished, the artist responsible for its production turns his/her back on it, in effect abandoning the work, leaving it to live or die as the street sees fit. Before doing so, however, and for the most part†¦ The work, as the artist intended it (and as he/she created it), is documented with a photograph. This practice too has its historical lineage. [SLIDE] These are slides taken by Martha Cooper, a photographer, along with Harry Chalfant, responsible for archiving the early history of graffiti on the streets of this fair city we all find ourselves in today. Without the photographs of Cooper and Chalfant, not to mention the artists themselves, this important stage in the history of arguably one of the most important artistic movements of the past century would have never been preserved for us to see today. The photographic record of these inherently ephemeral works, then, preserves them and at least some of the context within which they existed at the time of their creation. In a manner of speaking, then, not only does the digital photograph enable the preservation and dissemination of the artwork in a state that the artist obviously approved of, but the physical act of taking the digital photograph is the final brush stroke that signifies the piece is finished and the artist is done with his/her work. The moment at which he/she can turn around and walk away. Much like an oil painter who, when the canvas is completed to his/her satisfaction puts his/her name to the piece [SLIDE], the digital photograph serves as the street artist’s signature of sorts. [SLIDE]It signifies that the work is as the artist intended it and that, in the state it was when the photograph was taken, is complete. So, again, similar to the signature in the top right corner of the Picasso, the signature is a sign that signifies the painting is complete. The digital photograph plays much the same role. Once again, it functions in much the same way as the artist’s signature in that it denotes that the artist is happy with the result and the scene looks as it should. One of the more provocative questions that this pushes to the fore of our investigation, is, then, what if the piece is altered or removed from the context in which it was created for any reason whatsoever? [SLIDE]. Extracted from the broader landscape that plays such a pivotal role in its interpretation and meaning. Does it continue to be a Banksy for instance? And I think there’s a very good argument that it does not. Doesn’t the digital photograph of the work – in the place where the artist created it and inclusive of the elements so pivotal to its meaning – more accurately represent the artwork than the ‘salvaged’ (or preserved) work [SLIDE] when it’s placed in the white cube of a gallery? And I think the answer is, yes, yes it does. If this is the case, then, the photograph serves not only as the signature of the artist, but because of the ephemeral nature of the work and the resolute importance of the surroundings to it’s meaning also as a work of art itself – albeit one that reciprocally depends on spray paint to be completed. As mentioned earlier, in these instances, the street artist can be equally considered a digital artist, albeit a digital artist that goes to great lengths and puts him/herself at great personal risk in the preparation of their compositions. This piece [SLIDE] was placed inside the perimeter of the dilapidated and abandoned confines of a Packard Assembly plant – a 3-and-a-half million square foot ruin [SLIDE] on the south east side of metro Detroit. To be honest, and in my opinion, the piece itself isn’t one of Banksy’s best [SLIDE]. It is, however, notable because it makes specific and pointed reference to the very particular and exact location in which it was created. It is, much like a lot of his more recent work, heavily context dependent. â€Å"I remember when all this was trees. † And it is this ‘this’ [SLIDE] that I think distinguishes this piece. At the end of the process of filling in the stencil, and writing the phrase, Banksy metaphorically signs the piece by taking a photograph of it. And he takes the photograph of the piece as he wanted it to look – knowing full well that it will probably disappear in the near term. The stencil itself is frame left, [SLIDE] with the ruins occupying frame right, inviting the viewer of the photograph to complete the story the boy is telling by following the implicit directions offered in the word bubble. This is how Banksy wanted us to see the piece. This is where he wanted the piece to be. This is the location and the perspective from which he wanted it interpreted. The location and the broader context in which it is placed is, in fact, as important (or more so) than the image of the boy himself. This photograph, then, is a more accurate representation of the artwork in the way the artist created it than the actual piece that is now housed in a Gallery in South West Detroit. The only thing that marks the place of the original – in January of 2012 at least [SLIDE] – this too has probably changed – is an odd tangle of colourful fabric whose origins and purpose are impossible to verify – other than the fact that they are placed at the exact location where the piece was once located. Completely extracted [SLIDE] from the context that constitutes an incredibly important part of the ‘canvas’ itself, the meaning of the piece as the artist intended it, no longer makes sense. Or perhaps, and rather, it still makes sense, but the sense that is now being made is not that intended by its creator, but, rather, by those persons who ‘saved’ it from its eventual destruction†¦ or by somewhat obsessed academics like myself. Therefore, by moving the piece and extracting it from the place that is part and parcel of itself – that plays such an important role in the work – those individuals that preserved it, or saved a relatively small portion of the piece, did so by means of destroying the larger piece which might include the 3. 5 million square feet that constitute the abandoned factory’s footprint. In the absence of these 3. 5 million square feet, we no longer have a piece of street art by Banksy, but a roughly 7’ x 7’ corner of a piece that forms part of a much larger work of art. The fact that the photograph is also a poor representation of these 3-and-a-half million square feet is something I’m still thinking through†¦ To conclude,s however, and completely omitting from consideration any conversation regarding the ephemeral nature of street art in relation to Benjamin’s notion of the ‘aura’ as it relates to works of art that no longer in exist, something I’m going to take up in my book†¦ as a result of the ephemeral nature of street art and the fact that the urban canvas is part and parcel of the artwork itself†¦ I would like to conclude by reiterating that as much as street artist’s can be thought of as artists that work within (and with! ) the very concrete confines and materials of the urban fabric, they can also, and perhaps better, be thought of as digital artists that go to great lengths in the preparation of their compositions. Thank you so much for your time and attention today. You’ve no idea how much I appreciate them both.

Positive Psychology and Depression

Positive Psychology in the Treatment of Major Depression Positive psychology is a strengths-oriented, positively focused approach to human behaviors and thoughts that is relatively recent to the overall field of psychology. Previous schools of thought had always focused on the abnormalities, weaknesses, and pathologies of people. Positive psychology is an exceptionally new branch of psychology and aims at making life more fulfilling, enjoyable, and happy instead of just tolerable; they wish to promote mental health and well-being instead of only treating disorders.This research paper will address the roles that hope, gratitude, forgiveness, resilience, optimism, and self-efficacy play in one’s life, and how these characteristics can be utilized in a way to maximize one’s positive affect. One of the most common mood disorders is depression. Depression comes in many forms and there are also different depressive disorders such as major depression, bipolar disorder, and dys thymic disorder. (NIMH, 2009) For the sake of this paper, major depression will be examined. Related article: Approaches to Promoting WellbeingSymptoms of a major depressive episode include feelings of sadness or unhappiness, irritability or frustration, loss of interest or pleasure in normal activities, reduced sex drive, insomnia or excessive sleeping, changes in appetite, agitation or restlessness, angry outbursts, slowed thinking or speaking, fatigue, tiredness, loss of energy, trouble thinking or concentrating, frequent thoughts of death or dying including suicide, crying spells for no apparent reason, and unexplained physical problems such as pain (Mayo Clinic, 2012).One does not have to have every one of these symptoms, they must have at least five symptoms, they must persist for at least two weeks, symptoms cannot be caused due to drug or alcohol consumption, are not caused by bereavement or last longer than two months, and they must cause a significant amount of impairment in the person’s everyday life functioning (DSM-IV-TR, 2000). Major depressive disorder has a lifetime prevalence rate of 11. 2 percent in young adults with 3. 3 percent of those cases deemed severe, and a twelve month prevalence rate of 6. percent in adults with 30. 4 percent of those cases diagnosed as severe. People ages eighteen to twenty-nine are seventy percent more likely to have experienced depression compared to those over the age of sixty, people between thirty to forty-four years old were 120 percent more likely, and forty-five to fifty-nine year olds were 100 percent more likely. Women are seventy percent more likely than their male counterparts to experience depression during their lifetime and whites are forty percent more likely than blacks to experience depression.Compared to 2 percent or less for most other disorders, major depression is quite common. (NIMH, 2009) Positive psychology interventions in cases of major depression focus on increasing positive emotions, positive experiences, subjective well-being, and beneficial engagements. This differs fro m traditional interventions by not focusing on the depressive, negative symptoms and instead trying to focus on the good aspects of one’s life. Positive psychologists do not ignore the fact that mental illnesses are abnormal and the fact that things do go wrong in peoples’ lives.Instead, they want to take a closer look at the good things that happen in peoples’ lives and what makes and keeps people content or happy. In one study, conducted by Seligman et al, positive psychotherapy exercises delivered through the internet were shown to relieve the symptoms of depression for a minimum of six months whereas traditional treatments lasted less than one week. In subjects suffering from severe depression, reduction in mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms was observed.It was also observed that subjects who had been suffering from major depressive disorder and underwent positive psychotherapy had a higher reduction in symptoms than those who underwent traditional treatme nts and those who underwent traditional treatments combined with medications. The hypothesis of this study stated that â€Å"depression can be treated effectively not only by reducing its negative symptoms, but also by directly and primarily building positive emotions, character strengths, and meaning. It is possible that directly building these positive resources may also buffer against their future reoccurrence. (Seligman et, al. , 2006) Logically, major depression would be well treated when using a positive psychology oriented approach. People who suffer from depression experience anhedonia – an inability to experience pleasure in activities which it is usually produced. They lack positive affect, show a lack of engagement in meaningful activities, lack of feeling of purpose, and lack of feeling of meaning. These people no longer find any interest in things such as sex, food, bonding with friends, favorite past times, and work. (Brynie, 2009) A study by Barnaby D.Dunn, pu blished in July of 2012 also found that people suffering from depression also do not experience anticipation or recognize positive emotions the way those unaffected do. (Dunn, 2012) The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines anticipation as â€Å"1: b. the act of looking forward; especially: pleasurable expectation. 2: a mental attitude that influences a later response. †(Merriam-Webster, 2012) From this, it is understood that people suffering from depression, and therefore anhedonia, not only miss out on the pleasure normally experienced during enjoyable activities, they also do not even look forward to any of these pleasurable activities.It is as if they do not see the possibility of an experience producing positive outcomes. Positive psychology, on the other hand, is primarily focused on creating and building-upon positive emotions, helping people find meaning in their everyday lives, and promoting an overall increase in mental health. Positive psychology has its roots in self -efficacy, optimism, and hope. Self-efficacy is the belief that you have the skills and self-control necessary to achieve the goals you set for yourself.This is a learned way of thinking, predicted by previous successes, observing others with high levels of self-efficacy, the ability to imagine oneself achieving a successful outcome, verbal persuasion by other strong and trustworthy individuals, and ability to control negative emotions. Optimism is a person’s tendency to look at a situation from the best possible point of view, or too expect the best possible outcome in any given situation (Merriam-Webster, 2012). Optimism can be predicted by a childhood environment which provided safety, coherence, secure attachments, and there is also a genetic component to optimism.Television, however, is one of the main culprits in promoting pessimism – the opposite of optimism. The final main building block of positive psychology is hope. Hope is the combination of the belief that one can reach his or her goals and has the ability to find alternate routes to these goals should they be presented with adversity. (Snyder, 2011) Key steps and aspects of combating major depression with positive psychology were outlined by Seligman, Rashid, and Parks in their 2006 article.Since depression is associated with a lack of positive realizations in one’s life, clients were asked to take steps to help them recognize their signature strengths, ways to utilize these signature strengths, good things that happen to them every day, things and people in their lives that they are thankful for, and also to forgive others and themselves for past transgressions. To help clients recognize their signature strengths as well as help them to see the way they view themselves, clients were instructed to write stories describing what they believe to be their character strengths.The client and therapist discuss how apathy and the absence of positive emotions do nothing but maintain t he cycle of depressive episodes. Next, clients were instructed to take the VIA-IS strengths finding questionnaire and then use those results in an assignment stating how they could best utilize their strengths to improve their everyday lives. Afterwards, clients were to recall past situations in which they have successfully used their identified strengths to their advantage. Pleasure, engagement, and meaning as pathways to happiness are discussed during the client’s session and their role in overcoming depression is outlined.All of these steps help lead to the realization of the client that they have strengths that are unique to themselves, they have control over situations that happen to them, and they are not helpless. (Seligman, 2006) The next set of steps focuses mainly on engagement. Clients were asked to keep Blessings Journals in which they recorded at least three good things which happened to them each day. They are also encouraged to write about three bad things that have happened to them and to go into depth about their emotions surrounding these events and how the events influenced their depression.The therapist will inform the client of the ways in which retaining negative feelings such as anger and bitterness can compound the effects of depression and prevent recovery. Clients were encouraged to talk about negative experiences and vent about these experiences rather than ruminate on them. Clients were then to write at least one forgiveness letter. They describe an incident with a wrong-doing, the emotions experienced along with the event, and they also promise to forgive to transgressor; even if it was himself or herself. Seligman et al, 2006) Forgiveness is a freeing from a negative attachment to the source that has transgressed against a person. There is less desire to avoid the person or seek revenge, and an increase in positive feelings or actions towards the individual. There is a realistic assessment of the harm done, an acknowledgeme nt of the perpetrator’s responsibility, a cancelation of debt between the victim and perpetrator, and then a self-removal from the category of victim.Forgiveness is important in a person’s life because it helps to break the cycle of violence when one person is harmed and seeks revenge and then the initial transgressor seeks revenge as well which initiates and maintains said cycle of violence. When a person displays a willingness to forgive others, it is not only beneficial to that person, but also to all of the people surrounding said incident. It produces positive feelings as well as an inclination to also be forgiving in future situations. This is a form of positive role modeling between peers. Snyder, 2011) Another important step is expressing gratitude. Clients are encouraged to express their gratitude to someone they never properly or fully thanked either in person, through a letter, or via telephone conversation. (Miller, 2008) One way gratitude is experienced is when another individual acts in a way that is costly to himself or herself, provides value to the recipient, and was done intentionally. Another way gratitude can be experienced is when someone survives a catastrophic event, a threat to his or her health, or a dangerous situation.Gratitude is a highly valued character trait in many cultures due to its beneficial nature and tendency to increase a person’s tendency to perform altruistic tasks. Those who are high in gratitude are generally less concerned with material goods, more spiritual, more satisfied with life, and more empathetic. (Snyder, 2011) Using the concept of primary prevention, psychologists can help their clients to prevent depressive symptoms from occurring in the first place, or lessen the severity of depressive symptoms during the next depressive episode.Some positive psychology interventions in Seligman, Rashid, and Parks’ 2006 study that dealt with primary prevention were being more physically active, socializing with more people or more often with people who were already friends, engaging in meaningful work such as volunteering and helping the less fortunate, bonding more with loved ones and forming deeper connections, lowering expectations of oneself and others, and making one’s own happiness a priority.In the same study, Seligman and his fellow researchers randomly assigned six hundred volunteers to one of six intervention activities online. Five of these activities were from a more positive psychology focused list of exercises, and one was a placebo. The placebo exercise required participants to write down their earliest memories every night for a week which had only temporary effects on that group. The volunteers assigned to groups 1, 2, and 4 showed pointedly lower depressive symptoms and much higher levels of happiness when compared to the lacebo and two other control-like groups. The volunteers in the successful group also had result which lasted at least six mont hs whereas the people in the other groups had either no results, or results that were only fleeting. (Seligman et al, 2006) Group 1 was required to take the VIA-IS strengths questionnaire and then considers ways in which they could utilize their results to help them in their everyday lives. Group 2 had to write down at least three good things that had happened to them that day and why they thought these things had happened to them.Group 4 had to conduct a gratitude visit, much like the one previously mentioned, in which they composed a letter of thanks to someone who had positively impacted their life in some way, shape, or form but they had never fully thanked and then read said letter either in person or over the phone. The two control-like groups’ assignments were to take a strengths test questionnaire alone, or to write an essay about themselves in a moment when they were at their best. Seligman et al, 2006) These last findings show that the positive psychology activities used in the Seligman et al study can also be used as a form of secondary prevention. Secondary prevention addresses a problem after it has already appeared; just as these online participants were already showing signs of extreme depression. After participating in the three blessings per day exercise their depression scores went down showing that this exercise not only could help prevent depressive episode as previously shown, it could also lessen a depressive episode that had already begun.As a spin-off from this study a website, www. reflectivehappiness. com was created. This was a social website community centered on positive psychology. New exercises and interventions were posted each month, a book club was formed, a newsletter was published and sent out, and a discussion board dedicated to positive psychology. During the first month of operations, it was found that fifty of the site’s subscribers who took pretests for the Center for Epidemiological Studies – Depre ssion Scale, scored in the range that would qualify as extremely depressed.After completing the exercise involving recording three blessings each day for two weeks, the average score for this group of people dropped from 33. 9, to 16. 9. This showed that ninety-four percent of these people were less depressed and fell from the extremely depressed range to the mildly to moderately depressed range. This website is no longer functioning the same way, it has moved to a mobile network which only works on iPhones and now runs under the URL www. happiness. com. Another important part of positive psychology and the ability of a person to remain positive, optimistic, and hopeful is resiliency.Resilience is the ability to bounce back from adversity and to successfully adapt to the demands of stressful situations (Tugade et al, 2004). People who are seen as resilient are more likely to be described as self-efficacious, confident, and determined and can also be expected to generate a more posit ive self-talk, boost their self-image, and promote self-agency (Mak et al, 2011). All of these characteristics are those of someone with a very positive outlook on life as well as a positive view of themselves.These people show a much lower susceptibility to mental disorders and behavioral problems such as depression, anxiety, violence, and substance abuse (Lillehoj et al, 2004). People who are more resilient also show more optimism and a higher level of hope when thinking about the future. The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions suggests that â€Å"positive emotions expand what an individual feels like doing at any given time. †(Snyder, 2011) This is referred to by Fredrickson as a broadening of one’s thought-action repertoire.Emotions such as joy, interest, contentment, pride, and love all have the ability to expand you potential action options. Joy can create more creative, playful behaviors while interest creates the desire to explore, expand, and experie nce new things. One of the most important in positive psychology is pride. Pride creates the desire to share good news and envision oneself doing even bigger and better things. The opposite happens in any life threatening situation; your thought-action choices narrow to provide a smaller list of options to try to conduct a speedy, potentially life-saving choice. Frederickson, 2001) This research proves that when a person is feeling depressed and are lacking the positive emotions described above, they do not have an expanded thought-action repertoire and therefore do not see all of the possible paths to their goals which, in turn, leads to feelings of hopelessness and a lack of self-efficacy. Other health benefits of promoting positive emotions are increased laughter, decreased heart disease, increased longevity, positive emotional disclosure, and overall increased psychological health.Laughter has been proven to be a cyclical cause and effect of positive emotions which in turn impro ves immune system functioning, and help maintain a stable positive emotional state. Elderly people who had been hospitalized for an incident involving heart disease and kept up a positive attitude had a much lower readmission rate than those who displayed a negative outlook. Also, people who tend to be more positive throughout their lives, participate in emotional disclosure, and upholding an optimistic and hopeful outlook have a propensity to live longer than those who did not.Positive emotions and an expanded thought-action repertoire not only help people emotionally avoid depression, they also help people to be more physically active and thus further avoid depressive symptoms. The reasons why exercise helps to alleviate depressive symptoms is not completely understood, but it is believed to happen on a few different levels. First of all, exercise is thought to release beneficial neurotransmitters and endorphins which are essentially ‘feel good’ chemicals for your bra in and body. These chemicals are thought to activate the opioid receptors in the brain creating feelings of happiness and optimism.Another way exercise is thought to help create positive emotions in those who exercise is by lowering certain chemicals released by the immune system which can also prolong depressive feelings. Finally, exercise increases body temperature which is thought to have a calming effect on individuals. The more direct, less scientific ways that exercise can help people avoid depression are by acting as a distraction from everyday life and taking a person’s mind off of things, increasing social interactions and therefore increasing positive interactions, and improving physical appearance and thus increasing confidence. Mayo Clinic, 2011) A study also found that speed walking for thirty five minutes per day for five days each week, or sixty minutes per day three times each week had a significant effect on decreasing depression. (Harvard Medical School, 200 9) All in all, having a positive outlook on life can be beneficial to one’s life in countless ways. The study of positive psychology helps people to take steps towards developing better skills to take advantage of their ability to think positively, act positively, and avoid or decrease their depression.Through a few very simple steps, such as gratitude letters, blessings journal keeping, and skills and strengths assessments, one can increase their sense of self efficacy, increase resilience, increase their sense of hope, and by doing this decrease major depressive symptoms. Works Cited: American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed. , text rev. ). Washington, DC: Author. Anticipation. 2012. In Merriam-Webster. com. Retrieved November 26, 2012, from http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/anticipationBrynie, F. (2009). Depression and Anhedonia. Brain Sense. December 2009. Dunn, B. D. (2012). Helping Depressed Client s Reconnect to Positive Emotion Experience: Current Insights and Future Directions. 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