Modern Myths

Modern myths still pervade North American societies. Many of these modern myths were the products of Indian folklore or pre-modern American society. Although many claimed that such myths were a form of religious fanaticism or fervor, it can be argued that they were the result of historical speculation of early North American societies of their immediate environment. These modern myths are nonetheless powerful and to some extent influenced the behavior of many noted American personalities. Here is an example of a modern North American myth.Urban Legend: Bloody Mary (Schlosser, 2006)There was a young woman who sleeps deep in the forest. Her livelihood was selling herbal medicines in a nearby village. The townspeople though regarded her as a witch; hence no one dared to approach her, even the hardest criminal in the area. Many believed that whoever talk or approach her would be cursed or sold to the devil. She was feared indeed. Then, little girls in the town began to disappear. No trac es of the girls were found. Families of the disappeared girls began to search; in the farms, barnyards, and even the forest. Some of the men went to the house of Bloody Mary, but altogether she denied all allegations.The men noted that Bloody Mary looked younger and more attractive. They became suspicious of Bloody Mary, although no proof cold be found. Then one night, the daughter of the miller rose from her sleep and began to walk outside as if following an incantation. The wife of the miller saw the incident and reported it immediately to her husband. The two restrained the girl indiscriminately in order to prevent her from breaking away. Many people were awakened by the cries of the couple. Then, a farmer shouted that the cause of the incident is coming from the woods.Then, some people saw Bloody Mary holding a magic wand pointed to the house of the miller. When Bloody Mary saw the angry townspeople, she fled to the woods. A keen shooter farmer loaded his gun with silver bullets and shot the witch in the hip. Bloody Mary was carried by the townspeople to the field, where a large bonfire was awaiting her death. As Bloody Mary burned, she screamed a curse. If anyone mentioned her name before a darkened mirror, she would send her spirit to revenge upon them for her death. Unmarked graves of the little girls were found by the townspeople. They learned that Bloody Mary used to drink the blood of her victims to make her young again. It was passed on from generations to generations that whoever chants Bloody Mary three times on a darkened mirror, this would summon the vengeful spirit and rips the body and soul of the person.Social Significance of the Myth (Bloody Mary)The social significance of the myth discussed above can be seen in the various movies and accreditation the myth received from the movie industry. The myth is a powerful tool of revenue creation as with this specific industry. In the past 30 years, there were about 500 versions of this myth, all foc using on the â€Å"horror† part of the film, that is, the darkened mirror and the chanting of the words â€Å"Bloody Mary.† It is of no doubt that because Bloody Mary films became successful ventures, it is right to assume that its basis, the original myth, still exerts considerable influence on the part of the audience.According to the Encyclopedia of Folklore and Literature, urban legends and myths are usually defined as â€Å"apocryphal contemporary stories, told as true and usually attributed to as friend of a friend.† In most instances, the myth of Bloody Mary is perceived to be true by virtue of the fact that the story is assumed to be true by the storyteller. Although the story is non-existential or in short not real, the audience may find it true because of the way the â€Å"channel.† Because the channel presents the story as â€Å"true†, the receiver nonetheless assumes it to be also true.The channel here maybe defined as â€Å"the means of acquiring the information about the particular myth or urban legend (as in this case).† Movies and bonfire storytelling are the most efficient and effective means of transmitting the myth from one person to the other, without losing the track of credibility. It is no wonder that most Bloody Mary films are inconclusive, that is, they left the audience wondering whether the myth was true or not (to make a room for affirmation of the myth). Now it is safe to assume that even in North American societies, particularly in the United States, the myth of Bloody Mary pervades in some aspects of life.Children, particularly girls, are told of the story of Bloody Mary by their parents as a means for exacting obedience (negative reinforcement). For those in their teenage years, the story of Bloody Mary serves as a background check for their behavior.   They prevent themselves from going to forests without the guide of adult individuals. They also stay away from dark places with mirror s for fear that the myth may prove to be true. Although for them, the story of Bloody Mary is factual since there were individuals who reported that they saw Bloody Mary ripping the body of their friends.Going back to the definition of a myth or urban legend, the storyteller assumes that his/her story is true in order for the audience to feel its negative effect (affirmation of the story). There were reported cases when robbers were scared to their â€Å"pants† when they entered a house (without electricity) with a darkened mirror in the entertainment room. There were also reported cases when a man brushing her teeth in a nightclub and jokingly uttered Bloody Mary three times.A face appeared before him. He ran outside the club shouting that Bloody Mary did exist. He promised that he would never visit the nightclub. The woman who appeared to him was a prostitute, not Bloody Mary. This proves that even though the myth is not real, people usually perceives it as real. The primar y cause of such behavior is the channel that make the story real or â€Å"seem real.† The myth is as powerful as before. Although it can be assumed that its effects on the values of an individual may be accidental and in many cases derived from the characters of Bloody Mary films.ReferencesSchlosser, S.E. 2006. Bloody Mary. URL http://americanfolklore.net/folklore/2009/10/bloody_mary.html. Retrieved September 19, 2007.1800 Myths, Legends, and Folklore Links. URL http://www.mysteries-megasite.com/. Retrieved September 19, 2007.

Peak Oil and Energy Security Essay

Energy security means having access to the requisite volumes of energy at affordable prices in association with national security and the availability of natural resources for energy consumption. From the perspective of a government concerned and the management of strategic interests, energy security implies energy policies and standby measures that can be implemented in the event of a supply disruption—and at a cost that its citizens consider reasonable. Such measures include energy supply diversification and a certain volume of energy stock. Definitions of Energy Security: The International Energy Agency (IEA) definitions of energy security have focused on the â€Å"adequate supply of energy at a reasonable cost†, and have referred to energy security to be just â€Å"another way of avoiding market distortions† (IEA, 1995). The underlying belief of these definitions is that â€Å"smoothly functioning international energy markets† will deliver â€Å"a secure – adequate, affordable and reliable – supply of energy† (IEA, 2002). IEA has claimed that energy security always consists of both a physical unavailability component and a price component, although their relative importance depends on the market structure (IEA, 2007). The European Commission’s Green Paper (EC 2000) states that energy security also entails respecting environmental concerns and working towards sustainable development. They clarify that the security of supply does not seek to maximize energy self-sufficiency or to minimize dependence, but aims to reduce the risks linked to such dependence. Energy plays an important role in the national security of any given country as a fuel to power the economic engine. Access to cheap energy has become essential to the functioning of modern economies. The modern world relies on a vast energy supply to fuel everything from transportation to communication, to security and health delivery systems. Some sectors rely on energy more heavily than others; for example, the Department of Defense relies on petroleum for approximately 77% of its energy needs. The growing uncertainties about stability and security that exist in the global energy market have fuelled the need for nations to have a comprehensive energy security strategy. Energy security is also essential for the economic growth and development of  countries as energy in-security can hamper the productive activities in the economy as well as undermine consumer welfare. Rapid urbanization and rising middle-class incomes around the world have led to explosive growth in electricity demand. Thus, to the growing urban communities, energy security simply means keeping the lights on. Chester (2010) lists five fundamental aspects that characterize ‘energy security’. Firstly, energy security is about the management of risk – the risk of uninterrupted, unavailable energy supplies; the risk of insufficient capacity to meet demand; the risk of unaffordable energy prices; the risk of reliance on unsustainable sources of energy. These risks may be caused due to energy market instabilities, technical failures or physical security threats. Secondly, the definition of energy security may be framed to reflect a country’s energy mix, the abundance of local resources and import dependence. Thirdly, the term energy security reflects a concept of strategic intent, implying that energy security is not a policy in itself, but that specific policies have to be adopted by governments to achieve the objectives of energy security. Fourthly, energy security has temporal dimensions – the risks and threats to physical supply differ across short, medium and long-term horizons. Short-term risks include terrorism attacks and technical failures. Long-term risks, on the other hand, concern the adequacy of supply to meet demand and adequacy of infrastructure to deliver supply to markets. Fifthly, the term energy security has to be applied keeping in mind the significant differences between the oil, gas, nuclear and other energy markets and infrastructure. As energy is essential for the economic growth and development of a country, it has come to be recognized as a ‘strategic commodity’. This is because any uncertainty in its supply can threaten the effective functioning of an economy (Sahir and Qureshi, 2007). It therefore becomes an imperative for a country to ensure secure energy supplies at affordable rates. This crudely defines the idea of ‘energy security’. Threats to energy security include 1. The political instability (tensions in Northern Iraq, Southern Sudan, the Niger Delta and the East Mediterranean as examples of how competition for energy resources can cause instability) of several energy producing countries. â€Å"Energy should be a motor for development and cooperation, not a source of conflict,† said Mr. Terje Roed-Larsen. 2. The manipulation of energy supplies, 3. The competition over energy sources, 4. Attacks on supply infrastructure and, 5. Dominant countries reliance to the foreign oil supply. 6. Increased world competition for energy resources due to the increased pace of industrialization. Renewable energy Renewable energy resources and significant opportunities for energy efficiency exist over wide geographical areas, in contrast to other energy sources, which are concentrated in a limited number of countries. Rapid deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency, and technological diversification of energy sources, would result in significant energy security and economic benefits. The deployment of renewable technologies usually increases the diversity of electricity sources and, through local generation, contributes to the flexibility of the system and its resistance to central shocks. For those countries where growing dependence on imported gas is a significant energy security issue, renewable technologies can provide alternative sources of electric power as well as displacing electricity demand through direct heat production. Renewable bio-fuels for transport represent a key source of diversification from petroleum products. Long term measures to increase energy security center on reducing dependence on any one source of imported energy, increasing the number of suppliers, exploiting native fossil fuel or renewable energy resources, and reducing overall demand through energy conservation measures. Facts and Figures: 1. Oil expert Mike Ruppert has claimed that for every calorie of food produced in the industrial world, ten calories of oil and gas energy are invested in the forms of fertilizer, pesticide, packaging, transportation, and running farm equipment. 2. The impact of the 1973 oil crisis and the emergence of the OPEC cartel was a particular milestone that prompted some countries to increase their energy security. 3. Japan, almost totally dependent on imported oil, steadily introduced the use of natural gas, nuclear power, high-speed mass transit systems, and implemented energy  conservation measures. It has become one of the world leaders in the use of renewable energy. 4. India is carrying out a major hunt for domestic oil to decrease its dependency on OPEC, while Iceland is well advanced in its plans to become energy-independent by 2050 through deploying 100% renewable energy. 5. Amount of sun that hits the world in an hour is enough to power the world for one year. With the addition o f solar panels all around the world a little less pressure is taken off the need to produce more oil. 6. Geothermal can potentially lead to other sources of fuel, if heat would be taken from the inner core of the earth to heat up water sources, we could essentially use the steam creating from the heated water to power machines, this option is one of the cleanest and efficient options. 7. Hydro-electric which has been incorporated into many of the dams around the world produces a lot of energy, as the dams control the water that is allowed through seams which power turbines located inside of the dam. 8. Bio-fuels have been researched using many different sources including ethanol and algae, these options are substantially cleaner than the consumption of petroleum. â€Å"Most LCA results for perennial and ligno-cellulosic crops conclude that bio-fuels can supplement anthropogenic energy demands and mitigate Green House Gas emissions to the atmosphere. 9. Juliet Alohan writes on the crucial need for its prioritization in Nigeria. It is estimated that by the year 2022, about two million unemployed Nigerians would be gainfully employed if renewable energy is introduced to complement regular electricity supply. 10. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE special envoy for energy and climate change, and CEO of Masdar, said: â€Å"With energy demand predicted to grow nearly 50% over the next 20 years, competition for resources will increase. Energy is therefore becoming a key piece of the global security puzzle. Any significant move to solve the energy crisis is also a step toward creating peace and stability among the nations of the world.† 11. The Renewable Energy Global Status report showed that by the end of 2011, total renewable power capacity worldwide exceeded 1,360 Giga Watt (GW), up to 8 per cent over what it was in 2010. The report added that renewable energy supply constituted more than 25 per cent of total global power-generating capacity, which is estimated at 5,360GW in 2011. Case Study: Energy Security Context in India Sudarshan and Noronha (2009) lay out five important factors that have contributed to increasing energy demand in India. First, the real income of India has grown at a rate of 6-7% per annum over the past two decades, and the Planning Commission of India has a future targeted growth rate of 8-10% per annum for the next decade. TERI (2006) estimates that India will require 2023 MTOE (Million Tonnes of Oil Equivalent) of energy by the year 2031 to feed such economic growth rates. Second, a structural shift has been taking place in India, which has accelerated since the 1991 economic reforms. This shift is from agriculture towards the services sector, which is relatively energy intensive. Next, an annual population increase of about 1.9% p.a. has been observed over the past two decades. Importantly, the urban population in India was 25.5% in 1990 and is expected to rise to 40% by 2030. Given per capita energy demand in rural areas is low, this will further feed into India’s gross energy demand. Fourth, there is a growing transport sector. Fifth, an energy transformation is taking place, with a shift from biomass to electricity in rural India. Further, as of 2005, only 55% of rural Indian households had electricity access. Electricity demand is expected to rise, even as the government has significant plans to meet the demand (Planning Commission, 2008). Increasing import dependence of India on fossil fuel-rich countries has hence forced the government to rethink the way India engages with these countries. Given the factors influencing the demand and consumption of energy in India, the Planning Commission of India defined energy security by modifying the definition of energy security given by The World Energy Assessment (UNDP 1999) to suit the Indian context better. This definition is accepted by the Indian government, and it is as follows: â€Å"We are energy secure when we can supply lifeline energy to all our citizens irrespective of their ability to pay for it as well as meet their effective demand for safe and convenient energy to satisfy their various needs at competitive prices at all times and with a prescribed confidence level considering shocks and disruptions that can be reasonably expectedà ¢â‚¬  (Planning Commission, 2006) This definition includes the key aspects of energy security, including those related to poverty and economic growth. The idea that the provision of energy ought to be â€Å"irrespective of their ability to pay† is a slight departure from the definitions of energy security  accepted by several nations, which tend to be market oriented. By factoring in poverty and the inability of India’s citizens to pay for energy, it only stops short of according energy the status of a ‘right’. The income distribution angle is hence incorporated in the definition. Additionally, this definition accounts for India’s import dependency of energy and the possibility of disruptions in the supply. There is also a veiled reference to what would be considered an appropriate level of risk, although this has not been quantified due to the uncertainties involved. In the context of India’s energy security needs, Verma (2007) lays out a two principles to maintain energy security. He states that firstly, India must diversify the supply of energy, both by location and source. Secondly, he states that the resilience of energy systems must be maintained, which is a reference to â€Å"security margins† that act as buffers against shocks and provide facilities for recovery after disruptions. Resilience can come through spare capacity, strategic reserves, backup supplies of equipment, adequate storage capacity along supply change and the stocking of critical components of electricity generation. Any policy measures taken by the government need to thus needs to incorporate these conceptual frameworks. Understanding these concepts is necessary in order to pursue rational policy making in the energy domain. Of course, policy implementation would ultimately revolve around day-to-day governance issues, and fiscal, administrative and political bottlenecks.

PEACE Domestic Violence Agency Essay

The PEACE Domestic Violence agency’s mission is to â€Å"reduce victim trauma, empower survivors, and promote recovery through direct services† (University of Phoenix, 2012, para. 9). Also, according to University of Phoenix Appendix B (2012),PEACE also strives to reducing the occurrence of sexual assault and domestic violence by educating the abused and the community and proposing ways to fight against social norms and beliefs. It will reside in the city of Portland, a large metropolitan city, that has been experiencing a rise in reports of not only domestic, spousal, and child abuse, but also youth violence, assault, and road rage over the last five years. PEACE is looking for funding from the National Foundation’s funding program and by doing so strives promote the well-being of people whose lives have been affected by domestic violence, improve the quality of life of families with a member in prison, provide people who are (or have been) involved with the criminal justice system with a rehabilitation program where they can obtain the skills and support networks needed to lead fulfilled lives. â€Å"The Small Grants Program offers one-time grants of up to $5,000 to registered charities with an annual budget under $500,000 and the Investor Program is an innovative funding program designed to support six organizations under each of the objectives of the Supporting Families program, with up to $150,000 a year for up to 3 years† (University of Phoenix, 2012, para. 11). The program needs not only proper funding but the ability to allocate that funding in ways that will benefit the community in the fastest and most effective way possible. Because of this, PEACE will be looking into alternative funding. The Community Innovation Challenge is one of the most important ways PEACE will try and obtain nontraditional funding. The Community Innovation Challenge is a grant program that gives approved organizations money so they can enact faster and more efficient ways of serving and bettering the community. This kind of funding would benefit PEACE because a domestic violence agency like PEACE is helpful to the community on so many levels – children to adults to those looking to be rehabilitated. PEACE would be a prime candidate for this grant because of this reason and the money would be used to assist workers in their education on the matters at hand as well as paying for more workers if the organization gets too large for the current staff amount. PEACE will also be looking into outsourcing and setting up charity booths at frequently visited locations like outside a grocery store or at a shopping center. Sending emails and/or letters to local businesses, companies, and even other organizations looking for financial assistance, ideas, and information is definitely helpful and it also allows smaller businesses to get their name on the map and helping out the organization if they were to become something like a sponsor. Setting up charity booths also allows people from many different walks of life to see my program’s cause and contribute something, anything, if they can. Funding from these two sources can normally be used in many ways but it is also not always a large amount. Access to smaller amounts of funding gives PEACE ways to buy low cost items when they are affordable. Things like more seating, chair cushions, water tanks, even coffee and muffins†¦ All these things can help people feel more welcome and safe which is important with organizations like PEACE. Signing up for a few free subscription/database-type sites will give access to funds as well. These websites allow a program to look for nontraditional sources of funding as well as give them updates for when new opportunities come up that apply to the program. This is especially helpful for busy programs that may not have the man power to go out and hunt for funding sources while also working with the program as much as The mission of the PEACE Domestic Violence Agency is to reduce victim trauma, empower survivors, and promote recovery through direct services. Their curriculum is based largely around the need of the community and they set out to provide the best, most varied care they can. Starting with professionally trained staff who are looked over by a small administration PEACE locates those in need of assistance and brings them to a place where those needs can be met on an individual basis as well as on a group basis. The stakeholders for PEACE start with the administration and staff of the agency who put themselves on the line taking care of their clients and looking for sources of funding to make sure things are taken care of. Staff and administration need to have their physical and mental needs taken care of and provided for so they can then provide for the community. This may mean more staff need to be trained and employed to keep everyone at the top of their game or the spaces available for clients needs to be cut so staff do not find themselves over-taxed. Domestic abuse is a very serious thing and it cannot be taken lightly by anyone. One false step – be it a forgotten case notebook, a less-than-attentive staff member, or what have you – can severely endanger the clients. It is imperative that the clients are put into the hands of fully educated, completely able staff. A majority of funding sources are open only to non-profit, 501(c)3 organizations. These organizations must also be in good standing to receive funds and therefore PEACE is eligible to apply for this type of funding. A private foundation is deemed to be any non-profit that supports the work of public charities through the award of grants (2009). In order to receive funds a foundation is required to file a Form 1023 with the IRS. Form 1023 is a 28 page form gives the IRS the information they need to conduct audits of the foundation’s activities. The duty of staff and the administration is to make sure the program meets the requirements of the funders constantly because they would lose funding if they have anything that presents itself as a conflict of interest of it there is anything going on that the funders do not like (2009). Non-profit organizations and their boards are bound to very strict rules and therefore discrimination against an individual or treating a group better than another individual or group can result in the foundation being shut down. Records of a program must be maintained in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), including the filing of an annual Form 990 with the IRS. All members of the staff and management are responsible to the rules for non-profits. Documentation has to be well understood and applied consistently and correctly. The administrators of PEACE have to find evaluators that can ensure the evaluations show an honest picture of the group effort, effectiveness, and c ontribution to the community so granters can rely on the information provided. The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act is an example of such a funding foundation that can create such a picture. Their mission is to decrease the occurrence of domestic abuse as well as to increase well-being and progress in society as a whole. This foundation is federally funded often pulling in quite a few million dollars that are then allocated to them by the government as well as allocated to sister organizations and other funding opportunities. Being federally funded there is a close eye on the limited resources of the foundation so the funders can be sure the money is spent in the most effective manner to benefit the greatest number of people. The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act serves organizations and people all over the United. The foundation has control over where their money is used and they try to concentrate their focus on organizations that will benefit the community around them the most. They, more specifically, tend to fund essential services that sit at the core of ending domestic violence. Emergency shelters, hotlines, and advocacy as well as primary and secondary prevention are all looked at highly. Another stakeholder in the PEACE Domestic Violence Agency is the community itself. Community evaluation will be an active part of the results that affect ongoing funding by attending the program, first of all, and also by giving feedback on the effectiveness of this program and the staff of said program in their community. The input of the community needs to be taken into consideration when looking at progress evaluations and data that has been collected before making decisions to change, mend, or modify the program. Community member have the biggest input on when, where, and how group sessions are bei ng held and, more importantly, when, where, and how private sessions are being held. Children cannot be expected to want to sit through late meetings, parents may not have time during the day because of work†¦ There are so many factors that need to be looked at in order to please the wants and needs of the community. This will be important also keep constant monitoring of to allow individuals and families to have time for different kinds of activities and help, as well as to allow the help they’ve currently received (or have been receiving) to process and sink in. However, the community cannot affect or change the goals of funding institutions. Therefore, they have to work with the funder’s restrictions and requirements so that no single group is held in a higher spot on the list of things that need funding or the list of people that need assistance. Every one of the stakeholders at PEACE Domestic Violence Agency has an effect on the design and implementation of the program. The community, the clients, the staff and finally the administration all s hare a common goal and they all hold the progress and fate of the program in their hands. They all want to see an improvement in the society, they all want to see higher quality of life, and they all want someone (even themselves) to feel safe when they go to sleep at night. This means strong staff, an introduction of life skills, increased community involvement, increased collaboration with funders and the state, a reduction in high risk behaviors, and a decrease in the amount of reported domestic abuse cases. By taking these things into account PEACE Domestic Violence Agency will be a long lasting, effective program. Program planning and evaluation process can provide opportunities for program improvement because they will catch instances of the program not meeting the expectations of the funders, workers, and the community. It is vital for PEACE to carefully create a program plan because, with an organization that is helping a myriad of kinds of victims of domestic abuse, it is easy to give the wrong message to workers and the community. PEACE also provides assistance to people who are looking to be rehabilitated so it would be bad for them if their organization came off as only being there to help the hurt or, in my opinion, even worse: As being there to make sure the people know they did wrong but not actually help them. The evaluation process can keep track of the kinds of clients they get and also what places might need improvement. As the manager of a program anything that improves efficiency and the method for delivery of the service is helpful and those can be found through the evaluation process. As a funder, you would have every right to speak up if you thought your money was not being well spent. This comes into play first in the program planning because if you are looking for a specific kind of program you can gladly put forth an effort to make that happen whether it be with time, money, or both. It also comes into play with the evaluation process. As a funder it would be part of your responsibility to check where funds are going and when and to check if there are more efficient and helpful ways of delivering the funds and how they are spent. Outcome Measure: Reduce the amount of domestic violence report, to assist people and families in dealing with life after abuse, and to help with rehabilitation and reintroduction. * Baseline Data: Portland has experienced increasing reports of domestic and youth violence, spousal and child abuse, assault, and incidents of road rage over the last 5 years. * Evaluation Design: Trained observers, staff * Source of Information/Instrument(s): Police reports, reports from other domestic abuse locations * Who Will Collect the Data: Collection of data will be done by a small team of staff specifically brought together to gather and process data. * Timing of Data Collection: Overall data collection every three months (to look for progress) with an update to data made every forty-five days. * Population or Sample: Population (Applicable men, women and children of Portland) * How Will the Data be Described/Analyzed: Total new/repeat counts of domestic abuse in the form of percentages (increase or decrease) Process Measure: Number of staff trained to handle the abused * Source of Information/Instrument(s): Training sign-in sheets * Who Will Collect the Data: Administration assistant will help participants sign-in * Timing of Data Collection: Before the training session * Population or Sample: Population (all participants) * How Will the Data be Described/Analyzed: Total number of staff properly trained. Process Measure: Number of sessions delivered per group * Source of Information/Instrument(s): Staff session logs * Who Will Collect the Data: Staff * Timing of Data Collection: During and after each session * Population or Sample: Population (all staff will fill out session logs) * How Will the Data be Described/Analyzed: Frequency of sessions per group per staff, as well as an average frequency of sessions across the board. Process Measure: Measures of program fidelity * Source of Information/Instrument(s): Trained observers, staff checklists, client surveys * Who Will Collect the Data: Trained observers, staff, and clients * Timing of Data Collection: Trained observers will attend one session per group each month and staff and clients will fill out biweekly checklists and surveys * Population or Sample: Population (All staff and willing clients as well as observers) * How Will the Data be Described/Analyzed: Qualitative data from observations and data collected from checklists and surveys will be compiled, summarized, and given to administration to show who is being passionate and faithful to the cause as well as what improvements need to be made and where. This evaluation plan will include process evaluation, outcome evaluations, formative evaluations, and summative evaluations. Process evaluations will evaluate all procedures and tasks involved with implementing these programs. Process evaluations will also monitor the program and ensure feedback throughout the length of the program. This is exceptionally beneficial when running a program that is solely need-based and those needs only discovered through dealing with the clients the program is trying to help. Without feedback process cannot be made and goals, no matter how small, cannot be achieved. By performing process evaluations on the effectiveness of the groups as well as the staff themselves and comparing that to data collected by clients the best possible steps can be made towards the goal reducing the effect of domestic violence on Portland. Outcome evaluations will collect quantitative and qualitative data from ongoing programs to document any short-term results that have been achieved as well as open doors to any new short-term goals and changes that have to be made to current ones. Task-focused results such as the number of staff who put their name on the sign-up sheet to be trained, how many clients return, and how many young adults seek help with rehabilitation on their own describe the output of the activity and short-term results, like the percentage of clients that are willing to fill out an end-of-session survey, describe the immediate effects of the program on the community. Information such as an increase in knowledge, changed in attitude, and behavioral shifts are part of a long list of data that can be discovered after an outcome evaluation. Outcome evaluations will come in handy the most when trying to figure out if the community is being reached properly and clients are being treated as best as they can be. It will also be helpful determining what activities are out-of-date or just plain not helpful anymore and what activities can take their place. Formative evaluations, which include pre-testing and competency exams, allow an organization to assess the strengths and weaknesses in their approach to their goals, staff, target audience for their services, and even their advertising campaign! Formative evaluations also help an organization discover if any changes need to be made, if they can be made, or if the program is not going to succeed. By testing messages, products, and services on small groups also helps an organization work out kinks before implementing it on a larger scale. By taking the data gained from a finished formative evaluation an organization can get a better idea of their company, its workers, and its clients and will help them decide if it is better to sink, or hopefully more often, swim. Summative evaluations include any combination of measurements and judgments that allow conclusions about the impact, outcome, and benefits of a program or method. Allowing an organization to stick to such an out of the box, abstract, non-linear form of evaluating it can pick and chose what will get them the most information the fastest. This can be, by far, the most efficient way to help an organization make progress. With an organization that has a lot of different sections, like this one, it can produce the best progress reports because there is not a single mainline format that has to be followed; Just whatever works. I believe I would find pre-post surveys with questions that have people rate things one through five, attendance sheets, and tally sheets to keep record of happenings the most useful. In an organization that has sections that help polar opposite cases (e.g. young adults straight from walking the line of a criminal who wish to find assistance in becoming rehabilitated and young mothers who have been abused and who have children who were abused that are looking for help with learning how to get through their fears and move on with life) there cannot be one set way to document things. Surveys will always be near the top of the data collecting tools list because people can put whatever they want however they want and can truly express themselves if they so chose. An organization cannot necessarily ask two groups, like the two mentioned above, â€Å"How did you feel when the counselor asked you to talk about your personal experiences with being abused,† because the young adult who is looking to be rehabilitated may not have been abused. Attendance sheets are a very important part of an organization as well because it will allow the organization to know how many people they are reaching and if they need to step their game up or not. References Commonwealth of Massachusetts. (2013). http://www.mass.gov/anf/budget-taxes-and- procurement/working-for-you/community-innovation-challenge-grant/. Retrieved from http://www.mass.gov/anf/budget-taxes-and-procurement/working-for-you/community-innovation- challenge-grant/ National Network to End Domestic Violence. (2012). Family Violence Prevention & Services Act. Retrieved from http://www.nnedv.org/policy/issues/fvpsa.html United States Interagency Council on Homelessnes. (2011). Family Violence Prevention and Services Act. Retrieved from http://www.usich.gov/funding_programs/programs/family_violence_prevention_and_services_act/ University of Phoenix. (2012). Appendix B. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, HSM270 – Program Planning and Grant Proposal Writing in Human Services website. Weill Cornell Medical College. (2013). http://weill.cornell.edu/research/grants_and_contracts/research_development/se

Research Problem Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Problem - Research Paper Example Since these numbers must be absorbed into the system, public expenditures on education are continually rising to unsustainable levels. The challenge on financing is increasingly being felt, negatively impacting knowledge transfer. The second factor affecting transfer of knowledge is culture. Most Middle East countries have very conservative cultural norms. This is especially evident in the role of women. Women are generally perceived to be less capable in leadership positions, family priorities, etc. Although the trends are gradually changing, a father in Saudi Arabia has the impression that he is better placed to educate his son than his daughter. This implies that there are generally less girls than boys in schools; the reasons as to this why are purely cultural. Consequently, the society remains less educated inhibiting the flow of knowledge. The third factor is political instability. Saudi Arabia as a country has not experienced any form of political turmoil in recent years. However, Yemen, Iran and Syria are all countries that have experienced political unrest in one form or another. This affects neighbors of such countries; Saudi Arabia being one of them. This civil unrest in the aforementioned countries may spread to Saudi, considering the fact that it, like those countries, is headed by a monarchy – a contributive factor for the unrest sweeping across Arab countries in recent times. This unrest affects all sectors of the country’s landscape, part of which education and information are. Western countries have been major drivers of technology, a factor that continues to revolutionize the acquisition and dissemination of information. However, the Middle East has continued to display anti-Western tendencies. Iraq has been investing in nuclear power plants, an effort that does not sit well with the West and the world in general while Iran openly expresses ‘hate’ for the United States. This means that Middle

Marxs and Wollstonecraft on Societal Issues Essay

Marxs and Wollstonecraft on Societal Issues - Essay Example Carl Marx argued that capitalist system was a source of alienation of workers in earlier days. In his book, he summarized areas of oppression and alienation into four fundamental areas of concern. Firstly, he argued that laborers were alienated from product and services. He expressed concern in the society that it had been taken over by what he described as fetishism of money. In his writings, he expressed displeasure in the manner in which society was evaluating men based on their materialistic credibility. This is quite similar to Wollstonecraft view on alienation of women, in her book â€Å"A Vindication of the Rights of Women,† that criticizes acutely society that gave men preference over women. Although the two authors’ argument is based on different societal issues, gender equality, and economic equity, they have a nuanced agreement in the creation of fairness. Marx, for instance, argues that men should not be isolated based on their material possession, but from their abilities and skills addition to the economy . Similarly, Wollstonecraft argues that women should not be discriminated. In her book, she argues that women deserve education that is consummate to their needs in society. She premised her thoughts that better-educated women will result in better-educated society since women determine educational outcome of the children. Both are good proponents of a just society that is free of economic and gender discrimination. Secondly, Marx argues that laborers have been belittled and viewed as lesser human beings.

A Review of the Costs and Benefits of Globalisation Essay

A Review of the Costs and Benefits of Globalisation - Essay Example It will also include the continuing debate over globalisation as well as the possible compromises and solutions. Lastly, it will present a brief observation on the progresses and achievements of globalisation thus far. Analysis of the Economic and Political benefits of Globalisation   Globalisation increases the use and transfer of science management competencies and products of science and technology, generating advantageous situations for underdeveloped and developing nations to acquire and build sophisticated technology, advancing their own management and organisation proficiencies, and perform the processes of industrialisation and modernisation (Amoore 2005). Globalisation builds favourable conditions to accelerate the adjustment of occupational arrangement within a nation. Every nation can gain advantage from the alteration of economic system to capitalise on its vantage points in the market. Globalisation generates positive circumstances for underdeveloped nations to take ad vantage of foreign investment for the conduct of industrialisation and modernisation, by making use of foreign and local assets efficiently (Ritzer & Atalay 2010). Globalisation builds an excellent condition for the formation of the global economy. The inputs from global information system, infrastructure, and advanced technology have enhanced business success and production efficiency, improved productivity, surpass problems of oversupply, and reduced prices (Stonehouse et al. 2004). An enlarged market brings about advantageous conditions for economic competition and alliance, giving rise to mutual growth and development. Globalisation builds favourable situations for every nation to...This essay offers a fact-based analysis of the benefits and costs of globalisation to political economies all over the world. There is also the continuing debate over globalisation as well as the possible compromises and solutions in the paper. Globalisation increases the use and transfer of science management competencies and products of science and technology, generating advantageous situations for underdeveloped and developing nations to acquire and build sophisticated technology, advancing their own management and organisation proficiencies, and perform the processes of industrialisation and modernisation. Globalisation builds an excellent condition for the formation of the global economy. The inputs from global information system, infrastructure, and advanced technology have enhanced business success and production efficiency, improved productivity, surpass problems of oversupply. Support for globalisation remains pervasive, particularly when multilateralism is perceived an element for reinforcing social values and norms. Specifically, the compromise between global action and local independence remains authentic. Every nation has to adapt its political economies to global policies in order to incorporate into the global economy, take part in global markets, exploit capital, and enhance human resources and technology. The benefits of globalisation rely on global regulations and standards. It implies that every nation has to confront the demands of the local and global economy and negative aspects of the market economy.

M, a 72 year-old widow with neprohritic syndrome Assignment

M, a 72 year-old widow with neprohritic syndrome - Assignment Example Multiple substances such as, water, urea, creatinine, uremic toxins, and drugs move from the blood into the dialysate, thus facilitating removal from the blood. Solutes are transported across the membrane by either passive diffusion or ultrafiltration. M also received 7 sessions of Plasma Exchange. Plasma Exchange is a procedure in which blood is separated into different parts: red cells, white cell, platelets and plasma. The plasma is removed from the blood and a plasma substitute replaced. M had chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is the treatment which uses anti-cancer drugs to kill cancer (Myeloma) cells. Myeloma is the cancer that affects cells in the bone marrow called plasma cells leading to damage to the kidney. Haemodialysis and Plasma Exchange will correct M's blood chemistry and therefore relieve her present symptoms. M is hypertensive due to fluid overload or as a result of the failure of the kidneys. The Management of M's hypertension will have the highest priority. As Redmond and McClelland (2006) noted prompt recognition and treatment of hypertension are essential because cardiovascular disease including coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis, stroke and left ventricular hypertrophy are the most common cause of death in patients with kidney disease. Risk reduction measures to prevent cardiovascular disease may delay the progression of kidney disease (in ARF or is the effect here Reno protective). ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are the drug of choice (Thomas 2004); however deterioration in renal function may follow initiation of treatment with these medications (DOH 2005, BNF 2006). Since hypertension can have deleterious effects on both cardiovascular and kidney functions, the long-term protection provided by ACE inhibitors (or ARBs) out weighs the risk they pose (Th omas 2004) (this is for ERF is it the same for ARF - CHECK). Because acute renal failure is a catabolic state, the patient can become nutritionally deficient. Total caloric intake should be 30 to 45 kcal (126 to 189 kJ) per kg per day, most of which should come from a combination of carbohydrates and lipids. In patients who are not receiving dialysis, protein intake should be restricted to 0.6 g per kg per day. Patients who are receiving dialysis should have a protein intake of 1 to 1.5 g per kg per day (Agrawal 2000). Hyperphosphatemia The patient has hyperphosphatemia. Phosphate is normally excreted by the kidney and phosphate retention and hyperphosphatemia may occur in ARF. Phosphate - binding agents may be used to retain phosphate ion in the gut. The most common agent is calcicihew, although M is on this drug she needs education on when to take the tablets or maybe increase the dosage. Uremia Caloric intake shou

Divorce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Divorce - Essay Example But it is only a background: each divorce has own main and accompanying reasons and motives. Divorce doesnt happen unexpectedly. As a rule it is preceded by the period of the conflict relations in a family. The thoughts about the divorce reflect the degree of satisfaction with the relationships in a family (Simons, 1996). Till 1980s sociologists believed that women suffer from divorce more than men (material difficulties, looking for a job, taking care of children, limited opportunities to get a new family, etc.). Since 1980s psychologists came to the conclusion that the men need marriage even more, than women. â€Å"Nearly all people enter marriage with the hope and expectation that their marriage will be a lifelong, mutually rewarding relationship. So it’s not surprising that divorce is a painful experience for almost everyone† (What are the possible consequences of divorce for adults?) .Their dissatisfaction with loneliness is sharper and longer. Men have more opportunities to find a new partner, but many of divorced men stay alone. After divorce the budget of a man is reduced. Moral damage is connected with the restriction of opportunities to see the children. Divorced women strongly suffer from the feeling that they are not needed any more. They perceive emotional difficulties of divorce more intensively, but come to psychological balance rather quickly (Bianchi, Subaiya, & Kahn, 1999). The strength of suffering of the divorced spouses depends on the unexpectedness of divorce. The one who was offered to divorce suffers more. Aged people get a bigger trauma, than young, because for them it is more difficult to adapt to new life. Among newly divorced men and women the level of alcoholism, physical diseases and depressions is higher that often is a direct result of change of life after divorce. However, for some people divorce is a desired relief, which brings freedom from restrictions, duties and sincere

Principles and Contemporary of Mental Health Essay

Principles and Contemporary of Mental Health - Essay Example In this area, nurses receive specialized training in psychological therapies that builds on therapeutic alliance in dealing with challenging behavior which leads to administration of psychiatric medicine. In summary, mental health is a psychological state of well being in which one has an achievement of a satisfying amalgamation of one’s instinctual motivations tolerable to both oneself and one’s social locale; an apposite balance of leisure pursuits, love and work (Wilkin, 2003, p. 139). The Patient: Barker’s model In one of his theories, Barker wrote that a mental patient care should encompass a Meta theoretical approach. This is to say that several theories are necessary while dealing with mental patients. The application of this theory helped in taking care of the patients. First, there was demonstration of the nursing knowledge, the grand theory, where there was stating the empirical terms and hypotheses to demonstrate understanding of the theory of nursing. To demonstrate a clear understanding of the situation, I applied the Barker’s tidal model, which is philosophical in nature. With this model, I had to understand the fact that I knew little about the experiences of my patient. I took my patient as a mystery to be learnt and explored in developing a nurse-patient relationship and identify the needs. This characteristic of curiosity helps to understand more about the patient (Barker & Barker, 2005, p. 108). Secondly, the key to understanding my patient was taking them in with their resourcefulness in acknowledging the reality of my patient’s problems as the resources towards proper therapy. Other resources were within their social and interpersonal network, which I had to explore to help in proper therapy. Another important aspect that I had to consider was to understand the personal wishes of the patient. This laid emphasis on the importance of collaboration with the patient. This helped in identification of the needs of the patient. Respect to the needs also helped to ease therapy towards quick recovery. Mental health is more psychological and therapy has to be more collaborative through identification of what the patient deems important. However, this did not mean ignoring professional knowledge about the patient’s condition, but the wishes of the patient remained at the heart throughout the therapy session. Then there was viewing the patient’s condition as an opportunity, a natural signal indicating the need for services, my services. It was an opportunity for change and a chance for the patient to take a new opportunity in life. In mental health care, there are goals that professional nurses set to achieve. They are to be the end point of the nursing care process. I had to consider the fact that there are small steps which I needed to take in order to move away from the circumstances that brought my patient to the care setting. Finally, Barker’s model in practice helped m e to understand the fact that I had to identify the simplest possible action that helped to bring about the help necessary for the patient to get well from their condition. Basing On Evidence Because I had to administer psychotherapy basing on evidence, I had to employ several techniques that had to base on empirical relationship building, communication, dialogue and behavior change with a designation to improve mental

Martinez Company Essay Example for Free

Martinez Company Essay Introduction Martinez Company is introducing a new product that may be manufactured by using either one of two methods, capital intensive, or labor intensive method. For the capital intensive method, the manufacturing costs per unit are; direct material at $5.00, direct labor at $6.00, variable overhead costs at $3.00 and fixed manufacturing costs at $2,508,000 for the period. For the labor intensive method costs per unit are; direct materials at $5.50, direct labor at $8.00, variable overhead costs at $4.50 and fixed manufacturing costs at $1,538,000 for the period. The research department of Martinez Company recommended an introductory unit sales price of $30. The selling expenses are approximately $502, 000 annually in addition to $2 for each unit sold regardless of the manufacturing method used. The second part of the research is to determine how many units the company will have to sell annually for both methods to be equal. To determine this number the company will need to calculate the indifference point. The calculation is the total fixed cost of both methods is subtracted and then  divided by the contribution margin per unit for each method. Indifference point = (3,010,000-2,040,000)/(14-10) = 242,500. So the company would have to sell 242,500 units for both methods to be equally profitable. This is good information because based on the manufacturing cost of each production method the company will have to sell a specific number of units to maximize profitability. Based on this number the company will select each method in accordance with the projected number of units to be sold. Capital-Intensive Manufacturing vs. Labor-Intensive Manufacturing In the future, the Martinez Company will need to use either capital-intensive or labor intensive method for production. Capital intensive manufacturing method focuses on a high level of capital investment, while labor intensive focuses on a high level of labor investment. Capital intensive manufacturing method is mostly used on a large scale production with automated processes. Labor intensive method is mostly likely used on smaller scale production with personalized products. The capital manufacturing method is also based on whether the organization is producing a standardized product or an exclusive product. The labor intensive manufacturing method should be used when a substantial amount of customer interaction is needed. Capital intensive manufacturing method can be used when the work is too dangerous for employees. With labor intensive manufacturing method there are lower fixed costs and higher variable costs. With the capital intensive manufacturing method there are higher fixed costs and variable costs. In this case, the capital intensive method would be the preferred choice if the sales are expected to be higher than the indifference number of $242,500. Capital intensive manufacturing method limits competition by serving as a barrier to entry and as a capital intensive business, the Martinez Corporation can benefit from this. Barriers to entry are obstacles that prevent new companies to function in capital-intensive industries. Capital intensive manufacturing minimizes human error resulting in a more effective and efficient productivity. Another great advantage with capital intensive manufacturing method is the minimal labor impact.

Game Mechanics In Racing Games

Game Mechanics In Racing Games The very first racing game built by KONAMI was Road Fighter (Konami, 1984). The goal of the game was to reach the finish line without running out of fuel. The interesting part was each time the player gets close to finish line without getting crashed; a superman flies by and the player gets extra 1000 points. If you havent noticed before, the superman has K marked on his dress, which probably stands for Konami. But, if you see from a developers point of view, the superman bonus is the result of reward and feedback game mechanics. This point bonus encourages players to play better. It makes the game more interesting and players concentrate more in order to get the bonus Superman points. Game mechanics is a huge subject. It has been used in many fields today, other than video games. Game mechanics have been used for growing the players interest and involvement in gameplay, but as the area of game mechanics became largely successful, it started being used in other fields for other purposes. With the research on game mechanics, I try to study and understand the vast game mechanics subject and its application in various fields. I have also tried to form up a definition and apply it to study gameplay in various games. At last, a thorough study of game mechanics in racing games is attempted, and I introduce a new mechanics for racing games. Research Context The example above explains the game mechanics at quite brief extent. Here, I present some definitions by various researchers as well as own thoughts, experience and some examples. Game Mechanics Definitions Different researchers provide different game mechanics definitions, most likely related to their research. Here are some of the definitions given by some authors. Miguel Sicart defines game mechanics as: Methods invoked by agents for interacting with the game world. (Sicart, 2008) Here, Sicart offered a formal definition for game mechanics as he exercises this definition with a comparative analysis of Shadow of Colossus (Team Ico, 2005), Rez (United Game Artist, 2002) and Every Extend Extra (Q Entertainment, 2006) to research game context and user experience. One of the game mechanics definitions that Sicart has mentioned in his research is by Lundgren and Bjà ¶rk (2003) as: any part of the rule system of a game that covers one, and only one, possible kind of interaction that takes place during the game, be it general or specific. The definition given by Lundgren and Bjà ¶rk covers traditional board games and puzzle games, rather than video games. However, they mention that most of the mechanics identified in their research can easily be brewed into video games played on PCs and consoles. It would have been easy to describe these game mechanics without starting from traditional games, but, starting from traditional games also opens up a way that allows easy comparison between computer-based games and non-computerized games. Mike stout (2010) explains how to come up with a better game mechanics when the gameplay is repetitive and boring. Stout describes game mechanics as A major chunk of gameplay. He gives an example of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (Nintendo, 1991) and the game mechanics used in the game like: sword combat, block pushing, boomerang throwing, swimming, button based puzzles, Hazard-avoidance, etc. (Stout, 2010) Amy Jo Kim explains game mechanics applied in functional softwares and social media as The system and features that makes games fun, compelling and addictive. Kim also explains how game mechanics is brewed into social media like eBay, Facebook, YouTube etc, (Kim, 2009). Game mechanics is a subject that is used in many fields other than video games like, social media, social games and entertainment, consumer products and services etc. Game Mechanics in Social Media Social media sites like facebook.com, eBay.com, youtube.com etc. Implements game mechanics at a very large scale. Amy Jo Kim (2009) explains how collection, points, exchange, feedback and customization mechanics is implemented in social media. For example, ebay.com gives rating and feedback score to the sellers based on the feedback received from customers or buyers. The feedback is accessible through sellers profile page where any user can check the ratings and score. This mechanics improves the seller services. Tesco PLC has implemented point mechanics to attract more customers. The customer gets certain points for purchases made at Tesco shops through Tesco Clubcard. Later, they can redeem points for other offers of items. Tesco makes various offers available through Clubcard points which drive customers to purchase more products. (Tesco, 2010) Jesse Schell (2010) presented multiple examples of game mechanics used in non-game media in his presentation Design outside the Box at DICE Summit 2010. Schell mentions new Ford Fusion hybrid car that comes with an EcoGuide facility, which is basically an implementation of feedback mechanics. Its a virtual plant in techno meter; the plant sprouts more leaves as your miles-per gallon go up, indicating how green your motoring is. (Goodwin, 2009) Here, feedback mechanics is used in such a way that might affect the way people drive their car and possibly encourage them to drive in an eco-friendly way. MouseHunt (HitGrab, 2008) and other facebook games are mainly based on points, feedback, collection, and customization mechanics and MouseHunt can be the best example of it. The player is required to build a mouse trap to catch mice and when a mouse is caught, the player is awarded with points and gold. The game keeps a track of points and gold on leaderboard. The mice caught by the player are added in his collection. Game Mechanics in Mainstream Games Quake (id Software, 1996) popularized rocket jumping mechanics. Rocket jumping is the technique of firing a rocket launcher or similar explosive pointing at the ground or at wall and jumping at the same time. The explosion propels and accelerates the players jump to large distance. Rocket jumping mechanics was introduced in Marathon (Bungie, 1994) and Rise of the Triad (Apogee, 1994), adapted in Team Fortress 2 (Valve, 2007) Unreal Tournament (Epic Games, 1999) and others. (Wikipedia, 2010) Another popular game mechanics is slow motion. The gameplay of Max Payne (Rockstar, 2001) involves bullet time-based action sequences. Bullet time slows the passage of time down to a certain level and enables the player to perform special moves. Time based mechanics is also one of the main features in later versions of Prince of Persia series (Ubisoft, 2003). This mechanics makes the prince able to slow down or rewind the time and perform special combat moves. Portal (Valve, 2007) is a single player Puzzle-Platformer game that consists primarily of a series of puzzles that must be solved by teleporting the players character and simple objects using the portal gun, a unit that can create inter-spatial portal between flat planes. The game received praise for its unique gameplay and darkly humorous story. Portal seems a perfect combination of Challenge and Skills, though its gameplay consist teleportation based puzzles only. The gameplay contains no combat sequence or rocket jumping or slow motion. Kill.switch (Namco, 2003) introduced cover and shoot mechanics which was adapted into Gears of War (Epic Games, 2006). As described by Miguel Sicart (2008) Gears of War introduced an effective combat tactic where the player takes cover behind a block or a pillar and patiently shoots enemies. This third-person combat design also influenced Grand Theft Auto IV (RockStar North, 2008) and became highly popular. But Grand Theft Auto series is more popular for its variety of gameplay which consist of action, adventure, driving, racing, and stealth elements. The GTA series is also a good example of open world type of video game level design concept where a player can roam the virtual world at any point in the game. It also contains sandbox style nonlinear gameplay where the player can complete challenges in any sequence. The Game sold 2.5 million units in the America on the first day. (Mazel, 2008) The roots of open-world game concept go back to space simulator Elite (Acornsoft, 1984). However, we get to see open-world gameplay implementations in Midtown Madness (Microsoft, 1999), Need for Speed Underground 2 (EA Games, 2005) and Burnout Paradise (EA, 2008) as well. Game Mechanics in Racing Games The main gameplay in racing game is driving the car. However, many racing games offer various gameplay that are unique to the game itself. Need for speed: Underground (EA Games, 2003) has a unique win condition. The player has to finish the race at first place only in order to win the race, even if there are more than two players playing. This finish-first only mechanics deliberately increased the challenge level in the game. Underground emphasis heavily on import racing scene and featured vehicles associated with it. Cars can be customized to increase performance and visuals. Underground also featured EA Trax (EA Games) which is a collection of soundtracks. Overall, Need for Speed Underground contains multiple game mechanics that appealed many racing game lovers. According to VGChartz.com, the game sold 6.49 million units of PS2 version of the game till date. (VGChartz, 2010) Trials HD (RedLynx, 2009) is a combination of puzzle and stunt bike driving. It doesnt have any competitive race, as in the player has to get through a number of obstacles with as few crashes as possible. The challenge in the game is to balance and control the speed so that the player can pass through obstacles successfully. The game uses 3D graphics but the player can only more forward and backwards. However, the player can lean front or back to perform special moves or stunts. With such limited movement, the controls are also made simple. Trials HD also has a leaderboard feature, and when connected to Xbox Live, the player can compare his progress with his friends. Split Second (Disney, 2010) introduced destructive environment, which, when triggered by player it creates obstacles for other players. As a player performs stunts like drafting, drifting or precision driving, the powerplay meter builds up which allows the player to trigger special events like creating obstacles, enabling shortcuts or altering the race track entirely. High speed racing, imported cars, customization, stunts, crashes and motion blur can be noted as features of a racing game required to make it best selling. Burnout (Acclaim Entertainment, 2002) is noted as the initial in a series of high-speed racing games which also includes high risk gameplay mechanics. Burnout paradise (EA, 2008), the recent release in burnout series, features an open world environment called Paradise City, with day-night cycle. Game Mechanics include stunts, car crashes, and motorcycles. A very player favourite and famous gameplay is Crash Mode in which players can cause car crashes. However, in burnout paradise, the Crash Mode is called Showtime and records are kept for players biggest crash. The game contains best time for every street in the game which encourages the player to keep on driving to get the best time. Recently released blur (Activision, 2010) incorporates real world cars with arcade style handling and vehicular combat. It introduces a completely new type of gameplay to the current racing genre. However, it is brewed with the power ups mechanics that has been used in many games. It also uses the ranking and perk system. The race starts without a count-down timer which is currently popular; we can see such game mechanics in Split second and need for speed series. Results and Contribution The Definition I would like to give a brief explanation rather than a definition. It is possible that this has been mentioned some or other way in many articles. Game mechanics is a set of rules that builds a specific gameplay which makes the game more challenging, interesting and player-involving. Game mechanics can also introduce new ideas or variety within a game, which ultimately makes a game fun. Game mechanics can be used to build up such a gameplay that motivates or manipulates human behaviour. The definition explained here has been used to study and understand the game mechanics and gameplay in a variety of games mentioned in the research. Game Mechanics In Racing Genre When it comes to racing games, speed is everything. The faster the gameplay is, the more the excitement, interest and challenge will be. In a racing game, the player is not given a high performance car at the beginning of the game, but as he levels up in the game, faster cars or performance upgrades that can boost up the speed are unlocked. This mechanism creates a need of high performance car, and as the player progresses further, the game feels more rewarding. Free roam mode or open world environment plays a crucial part in racing games. Player gets a chance to explore the environment and start the race whenever he wants to, which gives a realistic feeling to the game. Players usually get attracted towards imported cars. Car customization has become an important feature of racing games. Models of original cars are highly praised by players and. They have a tendency to customize their cars and show off as well. Leaderboards allow players to compare their best times, high score and achievements, which also keeps a player engaged in game. Challenge is not the only element a player is looking for in racing games. A number of games provides stunts and car crash based gameplay. Trials HD (RedLynx, 2009) and Burnout series (Criterion Games) are good examples of it. Player can drive through a signboard or perform a stunt in burnout paradise to gain extra boost, where Trials HD is all about passing through obstacles by performing stunt moves. Such game mechanics inserts the element of fun in games. A few arcade style racing games have been avoiding the use of start up countdown. The round starts with ongoing race and the player gains control of the car after a cut scene. This type of mechanics is seen in triple-A titles like Blur and Split second. However, Simulation style racing games, where the realism is more persistent, follows the traditional countdown start-up of a race. Need for speed underground featured finish-first only mechanics. In order to win the round, the player has to finish at first place and first place only. This increases the challenge at a high degree, but it also seemed to be improving the player skills. Other notable game mechanics or gameplay features includes motion blur, car pursuit, allowing player to create tracks etc. Music and soundtracks also play an important part in making the game more interesting. Who wouldnt listen to hip hop or rock music while driving ones favourite car at top speed? It is believed that EA Trax has played an important part in the success of Need for Speed series. Gameplay is designed by brewing multiple game mechanics together. There is no specific recipe to make a best-selling racing game, but a game with various gameplay is more likely get popular. Developing a new Game Mechanic for Racing Games Whether a player is performing stunts, chasing a car, trying to make a huge crash score, or just playing a normal race, the core element is speed. Wouldnt it be great if a car never lose speed unless it is commanded to? Here, I have attempted to come up with such a game mechanic. During a race, if a player hits an obstacle, the car will lose health points but not the speed; the car will continue running throughout the track without losing its speed. However, massive loss in health points will ultimately result the player lose the round. The game presented here demonstrates the game mechanics with some other features as well. The demo consists of a single straight track. Instead of solid obstacles, the player will face white ghosts on track. On colliding with a ghost, the car will go through it but will lose health points. The race does not start with a countdown; instead it begins with the player car running at minimum speed; which increases the challenge from the beginning. On the other hand, if the player runs out of health, or fails to finish the race at first place, he loses the round. But, if the player finishes at first place without losing any health points, he wins a perfect finish. The demo also features some power ups. If the player picks up a health pack, the car health is restored. Slow motion slows down the game, allowing player to easily move through ghosts. Once activated, the game runs in slow motion for 10 seconds. Another power up is a shield which protects player from getting hurt by ghosts or opponent cars. The shield, once activated, stays active for 5 seconds. Shield provides a great advantage. When activated, the car will run 2 points slower than the real speed. Opponents do not collide or influence the players game; however, if collided with opponent cars, the player car will lose health. Evaluation Game Mechanics The following racing mechanics have been implemented into the demo, speed mechanics, power ups, random obstacle mechanics, competition mechanics, countdown less start up and finish first only. The gameplay was changed regularly as the demo was forming up in order to get the optimum effect of the mechanics. Multiple values were changed to improve the difficulty and challenge. However, it was also ensured that the difficulty is not far above the ground. Besides game mechanics, the gameplay can be improved with better feedback, graphical and visual effects, music and sound, more rewards or other bells and whistles. The Gameplay A game demo or a beta version of a game is made for testing purposes. The developers would test the graphics, frame rate or overall performance. Here, the game demo was made for an identical aim. The game demo was given to a group of game enthusiasts. Afterwards the reaction of the players towards the game mechanics was observed. The demo has a look and feel of classic road fighter (Konami, 1984) and the players did miss the superman bonus point. Random obstacles increased the challenge; it made the demo interesting as well. The demo has proved to be an ideal combination of challenge and skill. The players had to concentrate more in order to achieve the perfect finish; several players attempted more tactical approach to win the race. When asked about each feature of the game separately, the replies were encouraging and prove the success of the demo. User Comments Here are some comments given by players who tried the game demo. The game is quiet good; the ghosts were terrible as they ate up all my health in the first round. I rate it 4 out of 5. Pratik Solanki The concept was different from other games, though the difficulty level was maintained throughout the demo. It seemed easy to win the game, but it was tough to achieve the perfect finish. 3.5 out of 5 Kushal Joshi The game gets addictive as soon as you start playing Dirk Fortmeier The Research Game development is not quite possible without understanding game mechanics. Gameplay is an important factor that attracts a player. The research on game mechanics helped to understand why a particular gameplay is more interesting and player involving. Conclusion

Predicting Individual differences in Mindfulness

Predicting Individual differences in Mindfulness Predicting Individual differences in Mindfulness: The role of Trait Anxiety, Openness and Parental Nurturance  ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­ Abstract Mindfulness is a way of paying attention, intentionally and without judgement to the present moment. Mindfulness training has shown impressive outcomes in a number of areas such as depression and pain reduction; however, the literature has failed to account for natural, individual differences in levels of mindfulness. This research provides an exploration of the variables: Trait Anxiety, Openness to Experience and Parental Nurturance and their ability to predict individual differences in Mindfulness. 123 participants each completed four questionnaires: The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used to assess Trait Anxiety, the NEO-FFI was used to measure Openness to Experience, the Parental Nurturance Inventory was used to measure Parental Nurturance, and Mindfulness was assessed using the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI). Partially consistent with the predictions, Trait Anxiety was shown to negatively predict Mindfulness, Openness to Experience and Parental Nurturance where n ot as strong predictors of Mindfulness. Key Terms: Mindfulness, Trait Anxiety, Openness, Parental Nurturance. Introduction Mindfulness is a way of paying attention, intentionally and without judgement to the present moment. The practice of Mindfulness originated in East India and is at the heart of Buddhist meditation. According to Kabat-Zinn (1994, 4) ‘This kind of attention nurtures greater awareness, clarity, and acceptance of present-moment reality’. A lack of or reduced awareness to the present-moment, however, has the opposite affect which results in fear driven ‘unconscious and automatic actions and behaviours’. Continuing in this pattern of diminished awareness results in erosion to ones confidence and hinders the possibility of a life of satisfaction, health and happiness (Kabat-Zinn, 1994). Traditionally, Mindfulness was viewed as a spiritual practice, heavily steeped in Buddhism; however, more recently this practice has been widely encouraged in the western society (Baer, 2003). According to Baer (2003) there are two main Mindfulness training programmes namely the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Programme and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. Other therapies such as Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Relapse Prevention incorporate principles of Mindfulness into the programme. Most Mindfulness training programmes run for a serious of 8-10 weeks, with a one day a week group meeting which is held for approximately 2 hours. Clients are also required to do homework session including 45 minutes per day, 6 days a week. Evidence suggests that Mindfulness-based training intervention is effective. Research indicates that Mindfulness-based training is effective in working with borderline personality disorder, mood disorders, pain, generalised anxiety disorder, stress, alcohol and substance abuse, and eating disorders (Baer, 2003; Roemer, 2002; Williams, Teasdale, Segal, Soulsby, 2000; Witkiewitz, Marlatt, Walker, 2005; Woodman, Noyes, Black, Schlosser, Yagia, 1999; Zettle Rains, 1989). Without any way of accurately, and objectively measuring levels of Mindfulness, positive findings were attributed to the training alone. Brown and Ryan (2003), however, proposed that individual differences may account for differences in levels of Mindfulness. The introduction of a measure for Mindfulness has made room for researchers to explore this proposal in greater depth. The present study attempts to explore a question: to what extent do individual differences influence levels of Mindfulness. The literature highlights three such individual differences that may be of interest: Trait Anxiety, Openness to Experience and Parental Nurturance. The experience of anxiety is one that is familiar to most people; and Kaplan and Sadock (1998) describe the related symptoms as including an uneasy feeling followed by automatic responses such as headaches, perspiring and tightness in the chest. Trait anxiety, as apposed to state anxiety, is a persistent and does not wane in less stressful times. These researchers identify anxiety as having two components, namely awareness to the physiological sensations and awareness to being afraid. These experiences often lead to feelings of embarrassment, and in order to feel justified for the anxiety, people tend to focus on certain, conforming aspects of the environment and overlooking others. As a result of this bias to attention, a person is unable to experience the presence as a whole. Trait Anxiety is therefore expected to have an inverse relationship with Mindfulness. Openness to Experience is one of the five main personality domains and is described by McCrae and John (1992) as encompassing such things as imagination, aesthetic sensitivity, awareness of inner feelings, an inclination towards variety, and intellectual curiosity. Individuals who score high on this scale tend to be motivated to discover their environment, ask questions and have a readiness to question authority. As such, it is hypothesized that a high level of Openness to Experience would be a positive predictor of Mindfulness, since these individuals approach their environment with awareness, which is not clouded by judgment. The manner in which a parent responds to their child in the first years of his or her life has a far reaching impact on their adult life, affecting their relationships, both intimate, social and professional, how they interpret information given to them from the environment and whether or not they view the world as a safe place, and whether or not people are trust worthy (Fonagy, Gergely, Jurist, Target, 2005). According to this theory of attachment, Parental Nurturance is also an important factor in determining an individual’s ability to contain his or her own emotions. From this, it is hypothesised that positive Parental Nurturance will be a good predictor of Mindfulness as individuals are able to be present in their environment in a trusting, non-judgmental way. The present study explores the predictive value of these variables for increased levels of Mindfulness. In light of the literature, it is thought that a low level of Trait Anxiety will have an inverse relationship with Mindfulness, and that Openness to Experience and Parental Nurturance will be positive predictors of Mindfulness. Method Design and Measures For the purpose of the present research study, a cross-sectional, correlational design was adopted. Information was thereby elicited from people in a number of different conditions, namely Trait Anxiety, Openness to Experience and Parental Nurturance (independent variables), and the dependent variable of Mindfulness. The following measures where used: Spielberger’s (1983) State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used to assess Trait component of Anxiety. The STAI is designed to measure and distinguish between anxiety as a trait or as a state. Trait anxiety is a relatively stable personality trait and is marked by feelings of apprehension and tension, which is heightened in times of perceived threat. State anxiety, however, fluctuates and is heightened at times of stress and low in less stressful periods. This is a self-report, four-point rating scale, including 20 statements that ask people to describe how they feel at a particular moment. A high score is indicative of a high level of Trait Anxiety. Costa and McCrae’s (1991) NEO-FFI was used to assess Openness to Experience. This is a 60-item version of the NEO PI-R, which measures only the five factors of adult personality, however for the purpose of this study, only the twelve-item scale assessing Openness was employed. This is measure makes use of a five-point rating scale, where participants demonstrated the degree of agreement with given statements. A high score on this scale is indicative of a high level of Openness. Buri’s (1989) Parental Nurturance scale was used to assess this component of the study. This is a self-report, five-point Likert scale, where participants are required to describe positive and negative aspects of the parental nurturance they received. This is repeated twice, once for information pertaining to the mother and the second time for information relating to the father’s nurturance. An average of these combined scores is used as a final result, with a high score indicative of elevated levels of Parental Nurturance. Mindfulness was measured using the FMI (Walach, Buchheld, Buttenmuller, Kleinknecht, Schmidt, 2006). This is a short scale, 14-item, self-report measure, requiring participants to indicate their degree of agreement with a given, mindfulness direct statement. A high score on this measure is indicative of elevated levels of Mindfulness. Procedures, Participants and Ethics Participants were purposively sampled and personally invited by written invitation to participate in this study. Of the initial 153 participants, 123 were included in the present study. A detailed outline of the nature and details of the study, including a description of what would be required of them was provided in the initial invitation. Participants were assigned to one of three separated testing groups. On receiving consent, participants were handed a package of four questionnaires (STAI, NEO-FFI, Parental-Nurturance Inventory, FMI). Each questionnaire was marked with separate instructions for completion. Each participant completed the pack of questionnaires in the same order. Results Reliability of Measures A reliability analysis of the questionnaires was conducted, yielding satisfactory results indicating that the participants responded in a consistent manner to the questionnaires. The reliability coefficients were as follows: Mindfulness (ÃŽ ± = .78); Trait Anxiety (ÃŽ ± = .88); Openness (ÃŽ ± = .73); Parental Nurturance – mother (ÃŽ ± = .96); Parental Nurturance – father (ÃŽ ± = .96). Descriptive Statistics A descriptive analysis of the data obtained across the variables of Mindfulness, Trait Anxiety, Openness and Parental Nurturance is given in Table 1. As shown, the mean score for openness was 3.62, with a standard deviation (SD) of .55. The total results on the measure of Trait Anxiety yielded a mean score of 2.19, with a SD of .59. The mean score for Parental Nurturance was 3.71, with a SD of .79, and the Mindfulness mean is indicated at 2.69, with a SD of .46. Table 1: Presentation of Mean Scores and Standard Deviations from the Measures Employed to assess Openness to Experience, Trait Anxiety, Parental Nurturance and Mindfulness. Inferential Statistics The correlational analysis undertaken to explore the relationship between the dependent variable, Mindfulness, and the independent variables, Openness, Trait Anxiety and Parental Nurturance. These results are presented in Table 2. A significant, positive correlation was found between Mindfulness and Openness (r = .02, df = 3, p Table 2. Correlational Analysis Presenting the Relationship between Mindfulness and the Variables: Openness, Trait Anxiety and Parental Nurturance. * Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (1-tailed). ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (1-tailed). An analysis of the degree of variance (ANOVA) yielded F=19.496, which is indicative of a statistically insignificant effect. Therefore, there is no relationship between the constant and the independent variables as a group. With this information in hand, a regression was undertaken to see what differences exist in each group. These results are given in Table 3. Table 3. Presentation of the Individual Differences between Variables. From this it is clear that Trait Anxiety has the strongest, inverse relationship with Mindfulness, which is a negative relationship. Therefore, lower levels of Trait Anxiety are a strong predictor for Mindfulness. Openness is shown to be an insignificant predictor of Mindfulness, and Parental Nurturance is approaching significance. 4. Discussion The results of this study partially meet the predictions made. Openness to Experience and Parental Nurturance were not demonstrated as positive predictors of Mindfulness, although Parental Nurturance bordered on significance. Trait Anxiety was found to be a negative predictor of Mindfulness, where the lower the level of Trait Anxiety, the higher the level of Mindfulness. These results can be explained in terms of awareness to the environment. Individuals having a high level of Trait Anxiety are unable to be present in the moment since they are subject to cognitive bias, which inhibits the information they are able to process. According to Harvey, Watkins, Mansell and Shafran (2004) individuals with high levels of anxiety have explicit memory bias for concern-relative information. These authors make further reference to the Cognitive Avoidance Theory of Worry, and describe how people who worry excessively have, as a result reduced their awareness of aversive imagery, as well as physio logical and emotional responses, which inhibits emotional processes. Since individuals with high levels of Trait Anxiety are working hard at suppressing unpleasant experiences in terms of physiological, emotional and psychological responses, they are reducing their ability to be Mindful. A key component of Mindfulness is the ability to absorb the environment as a whole, without judgement and being completely present in the moment. Individuals with low levels of Trait Anxiety are able to process their environment without bias, they are not fearful and ashamed, and are not required to be vigilant and suspicious of the environment and others. The qualities are similar to those describe in the description of Mindfulness, and should therefore yield similar outcomes of ‘greater awareness, clarity, and acceptance of present-moment reality’ Kabat-Zinn (1994, 4). From this study, it can be said that the variable of Trait Anxiety is a good predictor of the individual differences in Mindfulness. Further research into the predictive value of other personality variables may aid in the understanding of this phenomenon. Bibliography Baer, R.A. (2003). Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(2), 125-143. Brown, K.W. Ryan, R.M. (2003). The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(4), 822-848. Buri, J. R. (1989). Self-esteem and appraisals of parental behavior. Journal of Adolescent Research, 4, 33-49. ** Costa, P. McCrae, R. (1991). The NEO-Five Factor Inventory – Form S. Odessa, Florida: Psychological Assessment Resources. Fonagy, P., Gergely, G., Jurist, E.L. Targer, M. (2005). Affect Regulation, Mentalization, and the Development of the Self. London: Karnac. Harvey, A., Watkins, E., Mansell, W. Shafran, R. (2004). Cognitive Behavioural Processes Across Psychological Disorders: A transdiagnostic approach to research and treatment. Oxford University Press. Kabat-Zinn, J. (1994). Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness meditation for everyday life. NY: Piatkus. McCrae, R.R. John, O.P. (1992). An introduction to the five-factor model and its implications. Journal of Personality, 60, 175-215. Roemer, L. (2002). Expanding our conceptualization of and treatment for generalized anxiety disorder: Integrating mindfulness/acceptance-based approaches with existing cognitive-behavioral models. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 9(1), 54-68. ** Spielberger, C. (1983). State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for adults. Redwood City, California: Mind Garden Walach, H., Buchheld, N., Buttenmuller V., Kleinknecht, N. Schmidt, S. (2006). Measuring mindfulness – the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI). Personality and Individual Differences, 40, 1543-1555. Williams, J.M.G., Teasdale, J.D., Segal, Z.V. Soulsby, J. (2000). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy reduces over-general autobiographical memory in formerly depressed patients. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 109, 150-155. Witkiewitz, K., Marlatt, G.A. Walker, D. (2005). Mindfulness-Based relapse prevention for alcohol and substance use disorders. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy: An International Quarterly, 19(3), 211-228. Woodman, C.L., Noyes, R., Black, D.W., Schlosser, S. Yagia, S.J. (1999). A five year follow-up study of generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 187, 3-9. Zeattle, R.D. Rains, J.C. (1989). Group cognitive and contextual therapies in treatment for depression. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 45, 436-445. ** References borrowed from given notes.

Free Essays - Jefferson’s Character in A Lesson Before Dying :: Lesson Before Dying Essays

Jefferson’s Character A Lesson Before Dying takes place in a small Louisiana Cajun community in the late 1940’s. In the novel, Jefferson, a young black man, is an unwitting party to a liquor store shoot out in which three men are killed; being the only survivor, he is convicted of a murder and sentenced to death. Jefferson’s personality and physical appearance in the novel provides not only a relationship to the courtroom and his cell, but also connected to the geographical setting of the book.   In the initial setting of the novel, Jefferson sits in a courtroom located in rural Louisiana, which is filled with anger , tension, isolation, and quietness from the people in the room. This setting of the book supports Jefferson’s personality in chapter 9 when Jefferson’s character is introduced. Jefferson’s cell could be considered the second setting or Jefferson’s setting in the book. Jefferson’s relationship to the courtroom (initial setting) supports Jefferson’s personality in the prison. He is isolated just like in the courtroom. â€Å" There was an empty cell between Jefferson and the rest of the prisoners† (Gaines 71). Jefferson’s cell was not only isolated like a courtroom in rural Louisiana, but quiet. â€Å"Jefferson’s been quiet . . . He didn’t answer† (71). Due to Jefferson’s isolation and quietness, he has built anger inside. An anger which had been building up since the courtroom conviction. â€Å"Nothing don’t matter,†he said, looking up at the ceiling.† (73) The first setting of the novel is similar to Jefferson’s cell setting. The three settings: the courtroom , location of the town, and prison all have similarities to Jefferson’s character traits. Theme: Jefferson’s character represents race the best. The opportunity for equal representation for the African Americans in the book is shown through Jefferson. There is a constant comparison and view of blacks vs. whites in the novel. â€Å" To show too much intelligence would have been an insult to them.† (47) The respect of race varied in the book, but at the end Jefferson’s character prevailed. The author summons the reader to confront the entire bitter history of black people in the South and America as a whole. The theme of race ties into the novel when the characters begin to declare the value of their lives in a time and place in which those lives seemingly count for nothing. Jefferson’s relationship to the theme in the novel only occurs

Essay --

Social Problems in Society Insert Name Course, Class, Semester Institution Instructor Date Social Problems in Societies Social problems can be defined as a social condition that is perceived to be harmful, either directly or indirectly, to more than just a few people or the society in general. They therefore have a very wide scope. Social problems may include poverty, drugs and alcoholism, racism, teenage pregnancy, abortion, environmental pollution/global warming, tax reform and social discrimination (e.g. against homosexuals), among many others (Ritzer, 2004). This paper will try to criticaly examine social problems in societies. Social problems can be said to have two key components. First, social problems are considered to be an objective condition; thus some aspects of the society that can be experienced and measured. Like abortion (a social problem), the objective condition includes whether abortion is legal, under what circumstances should it be performed and who obtains it. The second key component of a social problem is the subjective concern, the concern that a significant number of people (or a number of significant people) have about the objective condition. The subjective concern about abortion may include some people’s distress that any woman must give birth to an unwanted child. It also includes other people’s distress that any woman would terminate the life of her unborn child. This opinion differs around the world; with different countries having different opinions. According to Dolch, Deutschmann and Powell (2007) Social problems in societies tend to have certain characteristic, that include 1. Social problems are relative: What is considered a social problem for some, on the contrary, is consid... ...media. They include unemployment, poverty, dicscrimination and much more. This paper has tried to critically addresses social problems in society and examines its characteristisc for a better understanding of social problems from a psychological point of view. References: Bumiller, K. (1992). The Civil Rights Society: The social construction of victims. Baltimore [u.a.: Johns Hopkins University Press. Dolch, N. A., Deutschmann, L. B., & Powell, H. (2007). Social problems: A case study approach. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books. Hitchcock, S. T. (2007). Roe v. wade: Protecting a woman's right to choose. New York: Chelsea House. Mooney, L. A., Knox, D., & Schacht, C. (2013). Understanding social problems. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Ritzer, G. (2004). Handbook of social problems: A comparative international perspective. Thousand Oaks [u.a.: Sage Publ.