Is Heterosexuality Socially Constructed?

Is Heterosexuality Socially Constructed? ‘Heterosexuality is socially constructed. Discuss Not only heterosexuality, but the very word, has changed in the way it is understood. I begin this essay with a clarification of terms, discussing what is understood by sexuality and gender and the implications of constructivist views. From this it is natural to move on to a discussion of labelling theory, of the effects of heteronormativity and of homovisibility, noting Foucaults recognition of positive implications in terms of difference. Finally, I consider how arguments against heteronormativity might be answered, in part, by Foucault. Constructionists hold human behaviour is socially constructed, by the environment in which people live. They do not consider human behaviour to be innate or immutable, as they believe human behaviour is shaped by their social context throughout their lives. They hold that sexuality is also socially constructed and sexual behaviour to be a product of socio-cultural conditioning. Sexual meanings are not universal absolutes, but are subject to historical and cultural variation. (DeLamater, Hyde, 1998, p.16) Constructionists regard the meaning of a sexual act as dependent solely on the cultural, historically specific context in which it occurs; they believe that sexuality is expressed in many different forms across a variety of different cultures in many countries. A sexual act in one country might not be construed as sexual in another. (Weeks, 1991. p. 20) This is evident in the anthropological study of a tribe in New Guinea. It is part of this tribes cultural belief that masculinity can be transmitted by insemination of semen to a young boy, either anally or orally, by an older male. (Herdt, 1984 p.165) In western society this could be perceived as a homosexual act, or, for essentialists, used as evidence of universality. But for constructionists this behaviour cannot be generalised to the larger population; constructionists suggest that labelling these acts as homosexual is incorrect as the tribe do not apply the same meaning to these acts as in western culture: to impose the same understanding as in the west would be ethnocentric. (Gergen, K. 1999. p. 26) Social constructionists want to chart ways that the meanings of sexual desires shift throughout history. Social constructionists regard sexual desire as contingent, not biologically determined as viewed by essentialists. (Warner, 1993 p.45) Michel Foucault (1981) works analyzed the history of sexuality from ancient Greece to the modern era. Foucault articulated how profoundly understandings of sexuality can vary across time and space. This is demonstrated by how the prevalence of what we now term heterosexuality has varied over the centuries and also from culture to culture. This is discussed by Foucault, who also notes that, although sexual behaviours in ancient societies resemble what we today see as homosexual/ heterosexual behaviour, the terms are not congruent with ancient societies. For example the ancient Greeks did not have terms or concepts that correspond to the contemporary dichotomy of ‘heterosexual and ‘homosexual therefore to this different historical context the modern terminology cannot be accurately applied. (Foucault, 1981, p.89) Constructionists aim to gain a deeper understanding of sexual phenomena and are not primarily interested in the first cause of sexual orientation: they look at understanding the ways in which differences in sexual behaviour are ‘produced by social processes in a particular social context. Constructionists aim to understand how we express and organise sexuality and why labels of difference in specific areas have been invented in some cultures and not others; why a particular culture accepts one form of sexual expression and not another; and how heteronormativity has come to dominate modern western society. (DeLamater, Hyde, 1998, p.10) These important questions I will investigate in my essay. Constructionists can identify many historical contexts where individuals have engaged in same-sex relations, but it was not until the middle of the nineteenth century that terminology labelled categories of sexual acts as specifically either heterosexual or homosexual. They suggest, therefore, that these terms contributed to the construction of sexuality in the western modern era. (Katz, 1995, p.45) Ned Katz is an important figure in the sexuality studies and he supports the constructionists argument. In The Invention of Heterosexuality (1995) he looks at how the meaning of the term heterosexuality changes throughout time. Katz notes that the term heterosexuality (Heterosexualità ¤t) was first used in 1868 by German-Hungarian journalist, Karl Maria Kertbeny, not long after the term homosexuality was coined by Karl Heinrich Ulrichs. Heterosexuality made its first published appearance in English in a medical publication in 1869. (Katz, 1995, p.40) At first, the term heterosexuality was not used as homosexuals binary opposite but was used to describe abnormal manifestations of the sexual appetite, either same sex or opposite sex, which did not conform to social norms that held that sex was for procreation. At one time the term ‘sodomite had a similar meaning, this term was applied to people engaged in specific non-procreative sex acts, and related to the activity rather than their holistic sexual identity. (Katz, 1995, p.45) This distinction between the activity performed by someone who, among many other things, does that (a baker bakes, and a sodomite sodomises) and a person defined in a particular way regardless of activity (a woman, a Jew) is now largely lost in contemporary use of gender labels, which now seem inescapable. Furthermore Katz suggests that in the 1920s the term was revisited in the second edition of the publication: ‘heterosexuality was then used to describe a manifestation of sexual passion for one of the opposite sex; normal sexuality. (Katz, 1995, p.42) This term became well established and was used by Freud to describe normal sexuality. However this adaptation, used by scientists and physicians, signifies the start of heteronormativity as it suggests that sexual passion for the opposite sex was normal, healthy and superior influencing the rise of what Rich terms compulsory heterosexuality. (1994, p.45) Creating this distinction between normal and abnormal sexual preferences encouraged scientists and physicians to seek cures for those considered abnormal, thus compromising the liberty of the segregated and aggrandising the professional who diagnosed deviance. (Rivkin and Ryan: 1998, p.670) This was supported by Foucault, who writes that â€Å"it was this categorisation of homose xuality that first exposed the hitherto unfettered and unmonitored human sexual desire to scientific scrutiny and classification† (Rivkin and Ryan, 1998, p.677). Katz suggests that If homosexuals were to win society-wide equality with heterosexuals, thered be no reason to distinguish them. (Katz, 1995, p.52) Furthermore, he holds that if homosexuals and hetrosexual do win society- wide equality [†¦] the homosexual/heterosexual distinction would be retired from use, just as it was once invented. (Katz, 1995, p.52) The term heteronormativity was coined by Michael Warner, to contest the elemental form of human association (Warner, 1993, p.21). This term describes how society has been dominated by heteronormative behaviour through the prevalence of ‘compulsory heterosexuality. Warner suggests that heterosexuality has become an institutionalised form of normative social practice. (p.22) Heteronormativity describes the dominating societal norms that shape individuals behaviour, pressuring the individual to conform to accepted cultural forms. This suggests some discomfort and constraint, finely distinguished from Foucaults suggestion that â€Å"the individual is not repressed by social order; the individual is in fact formed by it (Foucault: 1981, p.217). Heteronormativity has consequences for that minority who do not comply with normative society, for example homosexual, bisexual, transsexual, and intersexual people; individuals who deviate from atypical accepted heteronormativity are liable to heterosexism as they face prejudice and discrimination by some in the conforming proportion majority. (Warner, 1993, p.23) Heteronormativity has been reinforced by religious beliefs, partly through the prevalence of Christianity in western culture. The major western faiths reject homosexuality and elevated heterosexuality as the only accepted sexual preference. Although there have been disagreements on interpretation of the bible, the influence of institutional faith has largely underpinned heteronormativity. (Warner, 1993, p.27) Heteronormativity is demonstrated at the moment of birth: individuals are quickly assigned to a sex category dependent on their sexual organs and therefore expected to conform to social gender roles. The power and dominance of heteronormativity is apparent when intersexual babies, with both male and female sex organs, are born. Intersexuals do not conform to normal categories and this deviance generates such anxiety that some intersex babies have surgery shortly after birth to assign their sexual organs and their gender to either a male or female sex category obviously without their consent. (Dreger, 1998, p.45) This demonstrates the extent in which heteronormativity has come to dominate modern western society. This type of operation has been reported to cause problems with sexual pleasure in later life. This begs the question, is conforming to heteronormativity necessary if it conflicts with personal preference or if it has negative implications for the individual? Hetronormativity can be challenged by increaseing homovisability, Societal visability of gay couples, gay teachers, or even open conversation about homosexuality can reduce the dominance of hetronormativity (Dreger, 1998, p.44) Judith Butler (1991) challenges heteronormative views in her publication Imitation and Gender through challenging binary sexual (and gender) categories, thus demoting heterosexualitys dominance, reducing its normative power by increasing homovisibility and awareness of alternative sexual orientation, which in turn makes alternative sexual preferences more socially acceptable. She holds that sexual identities and desires are constantly changing: sexual expression is intertwined with societal power relations. (p.727) For example, in ancient Greece, in determining sexual preference the gender of a partner was less significant than whether or not someone took the active or passive role in sexual relations. This demostrates how power relations are intertwined into sexuality. Similar influences are also at work in contemporary stereotypes as womon are frequently portrayed as the passive sexual partner and men the active partner, however this perception is changing. (Dover, 1989. p.89). Butler suggests that hetronormativity is reinforced through socio-cultural conditioning and also via the transmitting of visual culture which promotes hetero-visability and homo-invisability. This notion is supported by Richard Dyer (1993), who holds that contemporary cinema plays a vital role in maintaining heteronormativity (p.726) Butler also investigates gender categories, and the implications categories of difference have on gender identity and gender roles. Butler argues that men and woman are essentially the same apart from different organization of sexual organs and, as a feminist; she defends individuals rights to equality. Foucault would support this as he would argue that our habit of categorising the world in a ‘gendered way is itself a social construction. He states that when you view the world through the lens of gender differences, gender differences will be found. (McNay, 1992, p.121) Butler (1991) believes that gender like sexuality is socially constructed. She suggests that gender is not something we are, but something we do. She holds that individuals play out a role that is socially enforced upon them through social conditioning. Gender roles assigned at birth are based on individuals biological sex; this gender role is played throughout individuals lives. (p.720) Furthermore, Butler like Katz, holds that heteronormativity could not exist without the categorisation made by terms of difference and therefore questions the whole purpose of their invention. (p.723) While the theories already discussed recognise the power of categorisation and a norm Foucault is more explicit about the political effects of consciousness. Foucault, in History of Sexuality (1981), challenged essentialist assumptions, and his ideas have been important in the constructionist approach to sexuality. Foucault suggests that the way that individuals are categorised by difference is part of a larger social discourse that is representative of the power relationships within society. Foucault holds that these power relations are constantly changing depending on historical and cultural context and that there are also positive implications to the generation of terms of difference. These terms can provide recognition and power to people otherwise invisible, and provide leverage for visibility, a source of pride and political power in order to fight for their right to equality. He suggests that segregating homosexuals in this way heightens homo-visibility, and homosexuals feel p art of a collective who can create their own subcultures, fighting the dominance of heteronormativity. (p.67) Increased homovisability can be demonstrated by the gay liberation movement in the Stonewall protests, and the extent of popular support for the London Lighthouse. All constructivists hold that heterosexuality is socially constructed: indeed, all behaviour is product of socio-cultural conditioning. Similarly, all hold that heterosexually is a social construct that is culturally and historical dependent on the social context in which the term is used. Ned Katz, in particular, looks at the evolution of the term heterosexual and demonstrates the way the meaning of the term has changed throughout time, supporting the constructivists claim that sexuality is historically and culturally contingent. (Katz, 1995, p.52) With such consensus, what evidence is there to the contrary? Firstly, essentialists suggest that homosexual and heterosexual acts are historically consistent. This argument seems to be supported by Darwins evolutionary theory that holds heterosexuality is essential for reproduction and the continuation of the species, and that there is regularity and consistency in some patterns of sexual behaviour, displayed across space and time. This might seem a strong criticism of the constructionist position as it suggests that sexuality is rooted in our biological nature rather than a product of social conditioning. Secondly, another question that must be asked of constructionists is that, if those who are considered deviant face heterosexism and discrimination, why would they choose to come out and face the negative implications of a homophobic society? Also, the constructionist suggestion that all behaviour is a product of social conditioning can also be questioned, as it fails to explain why transexuals seek gender reasignment. Finally, the construct ionist argument cannot account for those who generally believe that they are born with the biological sex organs that do not correspond with their psychological sex. Paradoxically, perhaps Foucault provides an answer to the final two questions as, although he agrees the terms heterosexual and homosexual are of modern construction and therefore cannot be used to describe same sex or opposite sexual relations that have existed before the modern era, he also suggests that labels of difference have positive implications for the segregated: a shared label is a collective identity, providing them with the public visibility need to fight for equality. People might suffer prejudice, but the reality of their experience is recognised and endorsed by the labels of difference. Bibliography Berger, P, Luckmann, T (1966) The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge. Garden City, NY: Doubleday. Butler, J. (1990). Gender Trouble: Feminism and theSubversion of Identity. New York: Routledge. Butler, Judith (1991) ‘Imitation and Gender Insubordination, Literary Theory: An Anthology, Julie Rivkin and Michael Ryan (Eds) London, Blackwell Publishing, 1998 Clausen, J (1996) Beyond Gay or Straight: Understanding Sexual Orientation, Chelsea: House Publishers. DeLamater, JD, Hyde, JS (1998), Essentialism vs. social constructionism in the study of human sexuality, Journal of Sex Research, Vol. 35 p.16 Dover, KJ (1978, 1989) Greek Homosexuality. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Dreger, AD (1998) Hermaphrodites and the Medical Invention of Sex, Cambridge, (MA): Harvard University Press Dyer, Richard (1993) The Matter of Images, London: Routledge Foucault, M (1981) The History of Sexuality, Volume 1: An Introduction, London, Pelican. Gergen, Kenneth J (1999). An invitation to social construction. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Halwani, R (1998) Essentialism, Social Constructionism, and the History of Homosexuality, Journal of Homosexuality, Vol. 35. p.89 Herdt, G (1984). Rituals of manhood: Male initiation in New Guinea. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. Herdt, G (1993) Mistaken sex: Culture, Biology and the Third Sex in New Guinea. In: Gilbert Herdt (ed.), Third Sex, Third Gender: Beyond Sexual Dimorphism in Culture and in History, New York: Zone Books Katz, Jonathan Ned (1995) The Invention of Heterosexuality. New York, NY: Dutton (Penguin Books). Laqueur, T (1990) Making Sex: Body and Gender from the Greeks to Freud. Cambridge, (MA): Harvard University Press McNay, L (1992) Foucault and Feminism: Power, Gender and the Self, Cambridge, Polity Press. Plummer, Ken (1995) Telling Sexual Stories: Power, Change and Social Worlds: London Rich, Adrienne (1994) Compulsory heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence Blood, Bread, and Poetry. Norton Paperback: New York 1994 Richardson, Diane (1996) Theorising Heterosexuality: Telling it Straight, Buckingham: Open University Press Rivkin, Julie and Ryan, Michael (1998) (Eds) Literary Theory: An Anthology, Julie Rivkin and Michael Ryan (Eds) London, Blackwell Publishing, 1998 Warner, Michael (1993), Fear of a Queer Planet: Queer Politics and Social Theory, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press Weeks, Jeffrey (1991), Against Nature, London: Rivers Oram Press Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS): Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS): Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Introduction Fetal alcohol syndrome is a set of birth defects caused by maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy. The occurrence of FAS varies from 0.5 to 3.0 per 1,000 live births. However, it can be much higher depending on the community; low socioeconomic status and race seem to be a contributing factor in those who are most at risk. (play therapy) The prevalence of FAS is thought to be underestimated for several reasons. This includes the physical features are often understated and difficult to recognize, a lack of clinical expertise, and the stigma that comes with maternal alcohol use. So not only do these mothers report their alcohol use less, clinicians may also be reluctant to ask women about their alcohol use (Jones). Fetal alcohol syndrome is the leading nonhereditary cause of mental retardation and specific facial abnormalities and altered growth. (Prenatal exposure to alcohol, 2000). Not all children who are exposed to alcohol get FAS. This suggests that there must be a critical does of alcohol and a sensitive period in the development of the fetus. Description The effects of exposure to alcohol are referred to as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. This includes full-blown fetal alcohol syndrome, partial fetal alcohol syndrome, alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder, and alcohol-related birth defects (Landgraf et al. 2013). â€Å"The amount of maternal alcohol consumption, the timing of consumption, and the duration all affect which level of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder a child is placed under† (Batshaw et al. 2013). Alcohol consumption in the first two months leads to more adverse affects on the fetus. Alcohol also negatively affects the fetus in certain ways in each trimester. In the first trimester brain cells are affected. In the second trimester the facial features are affected. Finally, in the third the hippocampus in the brain is affected. (play therapy)This is due to how much development still needs to occur and can be affected by the alcohol. A mother’s age may also have a play in whether FAS occurs. According t o O’Leary â€Å" the risk of impairment in offspring of women drinking five or more drinks per occasion at least weekly, is increased by 2-5 times when the mother is 30 years of age or older.† Alcohol crosses the placenta during pregnancy so it is known that they main reason for FAS is maternal alcohol consumption. However, paternal alcohol consumption may also pass on effects to the fetus from the sperm. History Fetal Alcohol syndrome was first reported in the United States in 1973. Eleven unrelated children, whose mothers continued to drink heavily during pregnancy, had similar patterns of growth deficiency and morphogenesis. After these reports, it was found that this connection was not a new observation. A committee to study drunkenness was formed in the 18th century of individuals in the British House of Commons. Their results were that infants born to alcoholic women had a â€Å"starved, shriveled, and imperfect look.† (Jones et al. 2010). Then in 1899, a doctor studied infants of alcoholic females. He recognized an increased frequency of early fetal and infant death in the infants. However, despite troublesome indications the medical community continued to disregard the issue. In the case in 1973, Dr. David Smith was asked by Dr. Shirley Anderson to come down to look at eight children who had been born to alcoholic mothers. These children came to the Pediatric Outpatient Clinic at the King County Hospital due to Dr. Christie Ulleland’s interest in the area. One night, she was informed that an alcoholic woman was about to give birth so she went to find out everything she could about the effects of alcohol on fetal development and found that there was no information available (Jones et al. 2010). So she decided to learn everything she could about the topic. Over the next year she found eleven infants who had been born to alcoholic women. She then turned the children to the care of Dr. Anderson when another opportunity presented itself. Dr. Anderson then invited eight of those children to the outpatient clinic for the evaluation with Dr. Smith. As each child was examined a â€Å"specific pattern of malformations that included: microcephaly, short, pal pebral fissures, and a smooth philtrum† was noticed in half of the children (Jones et al. 2010). Soon after Dr. Smith’s â€Å"unknown files† were searched for, for the same three features. These files consisted of â€Å"hundreds of children with birth defects whom he had evaluated but had been unable to diagnose† (Jones et al. 2010). Two children were found to have the same features so their mother’s charts were studied and it was revealed that both children had been born to alcoholic women. As time went on more children were identified with the same features all to mother’s who were alcoholics. Since the initial findings it has been found that exposure to alcohol in the womb may produce a broad spectrum of defects which is now known as the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. (Jones et al. 2010). Diagnosis There are many key features of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome; these can be grouped by growth retardation, characteristic facial features, and central nervous system abnormalities and dysfunction, structural or functional (O’Leary et al. 2004). These categories are used for in the diagnosis of a patient with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. The patient must have at least one growth abnormality, all three characteristic facial features, and one functional or structural abnormality or the Central Nervous System (Landgraf et al. 2013). Liles states that â€Å"prenatal and postnatal deficiencies in height, weight, head circumference, brain growth, and brain size would all be included under growth retardation. A deficiency in height and weight is considered at or below the 10th percentile and head circumference is considered when below the third percentile.† According to Landgraf et al. (2013), the diagnosis of growth disturbances excludes â€Å"familial microsomia, constitutional developme ntal retardation, prenatal deficiency states, skeletal dysplasia, hormonal disorders, genetic syndromes, chronic diseases, malabsorption, malnutrition, and neglect.† The characteristic facial abnormalities that are used in diagnosis of FAS include a smooth philtrum (the groove between the upper lip and nose), short palpebral fissure length (shortened openings between the eyelids), and thin vermillion (the upper lip) (PLAY THERAPY). Functional impairments in the Central Nervous System are considered intellectual deficits when below the third or the 16th percentile in three of six areas: â€Å"cognitive or developmental abnormalities, insufficient executive functioning skills, motor functioning delays, inattention or hyperactivity, deficient social skills, or sensory, pragmatic language, or memory problems.† (Play therapy) Symptoms Along with the criteria for diagnosis, children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome have many other symptoms. Spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, preterm birth, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome have all been found to relate to alcohol exposure in infants. Spontaneous abortion is defined as fetal loss prior to 20 weeks of gestation. The reason for the death is usually unknown but certain risk factors are found in some cases. Evidence found, as early as 1980, suggested that drinking during pregnancy was associated with an increased rate of spontaneous abortion. Studies have been done that suggest that the risk is not increased unless at least three drinks per week are consumed. Stillbirth is when fetal loss occurs after 20 weeks of gestation. (PRENATAL EXPOSURE) Originally, studies suggested that an intake of 14 or more drinks per week was associated with stillbirth. Later a study found that more than five drinks per week could lead to a three times increased risk of stillbirth. Another study fo und a 40 percent increase in the possibility of stillbirth for women who consumed any amount of alcohol compared with those who did not. Exposure to alcohol also shown to be associated â€Å"placental dysfunction decreased placental size, impaired blood flow and nutrient transport, and endocrine changes.† (PRENATAL EXPOSURE) All which could result in stillbirth. Preterm birth is delivery occurring before 37 weeks of gestation. Researchers found it difficult to study the trend between preterm birth and maternal alcohol due to small sample sizes, insufficient assessment of alcohol exposure, and unreliable gestational date among other factors. However, some studies have been completed and one found that 10 or more drink per week may lead to three times increased risk for preterm delivery. There is no known reason why Sudden Infant Death Syndrome occurs. However, there are many theorized reasons including prenatal alcohol exposure. Although studies have been done, they are not reliable due to small sample sizes. (STILLBORN) According to Batshaw (2013) imaging studies found a decrease in brain volume and abnormalities of the corpus callosum, basal ganglia, and other brain structures. The death of certain cells may be responsible for a small size of the cerebellum. The corpus callosum sometimes fails to even develop in something children with FAS. Autopsies of brains also included malformations of the gray and white matter regions of brain tissue and failure of cells to migrate during brain development to the correct position. An infant’s cry is another characteristic which can be affected by exposure to alcohol. Research has found that the intensity, time between a stimulus and infant’s cry, and the pitch of the cry are significantly different in children who were exposed to alcohol than those who were not (PRENATAL EXPSOURE TO ALC). The infants may also have a weak sucking response. Children with FAS may have delayed intellectual development, neurological abnormalities, vision, hearing, and balance problems. These children also may have â€Å"heart and limb problems, sleep disturbances, jitteriness, trembling, heart disease, spina bifida, renal, orthopedic, dermatologic, connective tissue, and respiratory problems, as well as bedwetting, voluntary or involuntary passing of stools, tremors, seizures, echolalia, and schizophrenia.† (play therapy) Long Term Implications Many long term implications have been identified that affect children born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Many have oversensitivity to stimuli such as bright lights or sounds, certain smells, and even certain textures. Exposure to ethanol can also lead to ADHD and executive functioning deficits (Batshaw et al. 2013). A study has shown that 85 percent of children diagnosed with FAS also are diagnosed with ADHD (Liles). Organizing, sequencing, planning, and certain forms of abstract thinking are all tasks that are included in executive functioning. Those with problems in executive functioning are unable to be independent because they are unable to do daily tasks like getting dressed. Other long term implications include motor control. Most parents start seeing a delay in fine and gross motor skills by 12-13 months of age. Motor control is influence by the Central Nervous System. There are many functions that are involved in the CNS. The sensory organs including ears, eyes, and skin provi de feedback to the CNS, motor reactions and balance may be affected due to problems located in the inner ear (Prenatal exposure to alc). Communication delays including receptive and expressive language and hearing disorders are often common in children with FAS. Hearing disorders in children with FAS include auditory maturation, sensorineural hearing loss, and intermittent conductive hearing loss (o’leary). Children with FAS also have a wide range of behavior and developmental abnormalities. These children may be antisocial and one third of children exposed to alcohol prenatally show significant aggressive behavior. (O’Leary) Since these children experience social issues, it may result in an increased likelihood of depression, suicidal ideology, anxiety and panic attacks, and other various psychiatric disorders (Liles). With problems in communication, executive functioning, and social issues, among others, these children often experience lower cognitive ability. Many studies done show a high possibility for children with FAS have IQs that would place them in the category of mental retardation, an IQ lower than 70. They also have problems in â€Å"spelling, mathematics, and completion of carious classroom tasks.† (Liles) These individuals are more likely to drop out of school and have higher rates of drug and alcohol abuse, delinquency, and abnormal sexual behaviors (Landgraf et al. 2013). This shows the importance in the support and treatments child with FAS need. As children with FAS get older, the long term implications not only follow them to their adult life but also cause other problems. They may have mental health problems, become victims of crime, get into trouble with the law, or may not be able to live on their own. They may not be able to work which also means even if they have the ability to work, they do not have the resources to. The problems with social ability also may affect their potential to have intimate relationships. Treatments Treatments can be very important in helping those with FAS, so they are able to cope with daily living. According to the National Organization of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (2014) home intervention and early school intervention are important to help overcome issues an individual may be having. There are many services for individuals with FAS these include prenatal, birth to age 3, children 3-6 and school age, adolescents, and adults. Prenatal services are targeted at the mother; physicians should provide women with information about the effects of drinking during pregnancy. Since early intervention is so important for children with FAS a physician can recommend part C in IDEA. This allows for children birth to age 3 at risk of later developmental delay to receive services before meeting criteria eligibility. A stable and nurturing environment is critical for these children and so the family needs to be educated about the importance of caregiver attachment. (NOFAS) Once a child reaches the age of three, early intervention services stop and families are refereed to preschool handicapped programs or special needs preschool through Part B of IDEA. Unlike Part C, a child must be eligible for this program to receive services. This becomes a problem for some children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome because few meet the criteria. Categories they may qualify for include other health impairments, behavior disorder, or learning disorder. This allows for services such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, or social skills training (NOFAS). Adolescents with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome may have more prominent behavioral and mental health issues, so parents should not dismiss concerns they have. Adolescents with FAS miss out on skills like observational learning or basic maturity so vocational and transitional services are important. Giving them explicit instruction along with lifestyle support is important while in school to increase the possibility of a better outcome as an adult. Open communication and close supervision is incredibly important since adolescents with FAS often do not know appropriate boundaries or how to read subtle social cues. As an adult it may be difficult for those with FAS to receive services unless they have met the eligibility criteria before the age of 22. Adults living with FAS may qualify for Social Security Disability Benefits, Medicaid, and Section 8 Housing subsidies. (NOFAS) It is important at any age in the lifespan to have a routine for those living with FAS. The National Organization of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (2014) gives strategies for handling symptoms at each stage of life for those living with FAS. For infants, seeing specialists in areas is suggested to help with delays or a nutritionist for poor weight gain. Toddlers who are distracted easily may need a routine established or specific structure. School age children who have problems making and keeping friends may need to be paired with a child who is a year or two younger and need activities to be short and exciting. Parents of adolescence who are being victimized need to monitor the activities the children are engaging in. Adults living with FAS may also have difficulty obtaining or keeping jobs so looking into trade schools job training programs may be beneficial for them. (NOFAS) Although no studies have been done to see how play therapy can help children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, research has been done with children who have similar characteristics and behaviors; this includes but not limited to low self-esteem, aggression, and hyperactivity. This allows practitioners to help children with FAS (Liles et al. 2009). â€Å"Develop a more positive self-concept, assume greater self-responsibility, become more self-directing, become more self-accepting, become more self-reliant, engage in self-determined decision making, experience a feeling of control, become sensitive to the process of coping, develop an internal source of evaluation, and become more trusting of himself/herself† are recommendations during play therapy given by Liles for children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Conclusion Although, some say an occasional glass of wine won’t affect your baby, the best way to avoid FAS is to refrain from drinking while pregnant. Educating women and men on the risks of prenatal alcohol exposure is important. Medical practitioners should also be educated on new information that is found regarding Fetal Alcohol Syndrome so they can pass the information along to clients. For women who are trying to get pregnant refraining from drinking is crucial because the early stages of development are the most impacted by alcohol exposure. Individuals affected with FAS will have to deal with it their whole lives. Although treatments are available, the disorder is not curable. Early diagnosis is important so that support measures can be taken in the individuals’ environment which may help to avoid problems later in life. As information becomes available and technology increases more can be studied about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

Disastrous Date Essay

I remember my first date. Not only because it was my first romantic experience with who I considered during that time â€Å"the boy of my dreams†, but also because it was one of the most embarrasing experiences of my life. I was 17 years old back then, but I remember it like if it was yesterday. We took a long road trip from Carolina to the Old San Juan. Along the way we were sharing experiences and funny anecdotes, we were telling each other the kind of stories you tell in highschool, about pranks, teachers, odd classmates and issues that only a highschool student can understand. We arrived to the restaurant and everything in it looked fancy. The sights were all bright because of the illumination of the place; everything was sorrounded with colorful lamps with different shapes, there were autographed pictures of what appeared to be various local celebrities who had visited the restaurant, such as Josà © Feliciano and Ednita Nazario, the tables were decorated with red and yellow roses, Dean Martin’s lovable music was comming out of the restaurant’s speakers and the smell of garlic frying in olive oil in the air gave me that sensation that only good Italian restaurants can give to a woman with a great taste like myself. As we walked in the host politely saluted us and asked my date if he had a reservation, to which he replied â€Å"yes†, after checking my date’s name and last name in a thick, old, black binder with Italy’s flag and the restaurant’s logo on its cover the host walked us to our table. The service was great, I can tell because only a few minutes after taking our seats the waiter was with our menus and offering us drinks. My date comfortably asked for the wine of the house, because apparently he already knew the place and he was eighteen years old, the legal drinking age in Puerto Rico, when the waiter turned to me and I got nervous, because at that time I never had a drink of alcohol in my life, not even a drop, so I pointed out the brownish looking drink of the lady in the next table and mumbled â€Å"iced tea for me please†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . I was nervous because I had this idea back then that alcohol plays an  important role in a teenager’s social live. When I was in highschool, all my friends under eighteen were drinking in parties, concerts or other social events, they even brought to school alcohol hidden in gatorade bottles and such, and, as every person who have experienced the highschool drama knows, all the â€Å"cool kids† were doing it. I felt inmature because my date was about to have some kind of fancy wine while I asked for iced tea like some fifth grader girl. I will not ever forget the face he made when he heard me ask for iced tea, he had this mixture of doubt and mock in his expression, like frowning and smiling simultaneously. â€Å"Come on†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he said sarcastically while winking his eye â€Å"†¦ I won’t tell your parents you had a glass of wine or two†, I stood strong to my principles by answering â€Å"no thank you, ice tea is fine†, I don’t know if I did it because I was being brave against the peer pressure or afraid that at some point of the night someone from the restaurant’s personnel would approach me asking for an ID. The waiter came back to take our order with a tray on his hands which contained a garlic bread basket, my date’s glass, a bottle of wine and a huge glass of what appeared to be my iced tea. I remember we asked that night for a pizza with eggplants, green peppers, tomato slices, onions and extra cheese with basil sauce on top, the pizza dough was dipped in olive oil and served in a hot pan. As we waited for the food to arrive I took a sip from my drink, I noticed it tasted weird, it was sour, a little bit bitter and it was also effervescent like soda, it didn’t tasted like any iced tea I had before, but since we were in a fancy place and I didn’t wanted to look unrefined, I assumed that’s how elegant people drink their iced tea, I thought to myself that if I drank fast the taste wouldn’t bother me. With the passage my drinking speed increased, a sip turned into a swig, a swig into a gulp and a gulp into three glasses. Little did I know the contents o f my drink. As the glasses were draining one by one I started feeling woozy, like if I just came out from a long rollercoaster ride. My face felt warm, my respiration got colder, my tongue got tangled when I spoke, I found almost impossible to control the volume of my voice, my eyelids were struggling to remain open, and my arms and legs became droopy. Suddenly, I found myself in  a good mood, laughing at each joke he told, even when they were not funny, and also I became very sincere, telling him almost every really deep and personal anecdotes and cofessing every single reason why I found him attractive in every way, I even told him, like I mentioned before, why he was the â€Å"boy of my dreams†, without knowing it, I was drunk for the first time in my life. He was not a fool whatsoever, he knew I was drunk, but he couldn’t explain himself why, since the only thing I had that night were three huge glasses of â€Å"iced tea†, he asked the waiter in an angry tone of voice how come I was drunk with three glasse of iced tea, the waiter replied that was because there were five differet types of liqueur in a Long Island Iced Tea, vodka, tequila, rum, gin and triple sec. Apparently our waiter got confused, because when he took our order the drink I pointed out from the lady on the table next to us was actually a Long Island Iced Tea. Needless to say we left the restaurant that momment with shame in our faces, to top it all off, on our way to the car we came across with my english school teacher, the one who talked like Edward James Olmos in that movie where he was a math teacher, he recognized me and greeted me and I greeted him back, until this day I think because of the distance I was from him he didn’t noticed how drunk I was but, who knows. I cannot say that our date was a total waste of time. Even tough I was drunk he behaved like a gentleman the whole time. He never took advantage of my state and I respect and admire that in a man. He carried me in his shoulders like a wounded soldier, he also made several stops in different business locations without complaining when I needed to go to the bathroom, he held my hair for it to avoid getting dirty when I puked, he even didn’t got mad because I did it in his new shoes. After sitting for a while in the park, having two water bottles and an energy drink I regained some sobriety, he gave me some mint bubblegum for the nausea and drove me back home, I puked once on the way but he was nice enough to pull over and open the door. I finally arrived home around 2:00 AM, I puked once more before going to bed and fall sleep, it is still a mistery for me how could I puke so much in one night. I woke up the next day with the sound of my cellphone ringing, I was dizzy, had a headache and it felt like the phone was ringing inside my skull, I answered and I heard the sound of his voice asking me if I was ok  and also if I remembered something about the night before, I answered him by apologizing several times, describing how I felt that morning and that I partially rememberd what happened during our date, he explained to me almost laughing that weird pehnomena I was experiencing was called a â€Å"hangover†. He called me again when I fully recovered, surprisingly enough to ask me out again, I told him that I would go out with him if we avoid going to the Old San Juan for a long while, because after what happened in our first date I could never show my face again around that area.

Compensation Benefits - 1892 Words

Compensation Benefits BUS455 Final Exam This is an open book and open notes exam. You may use whatever materials you feel necessary. I strongly recommend that you refer to the text and Lecture Notes that you read. There are a total of sixty (60) points available on this exam. Multiple Choice 1) Which of the following is least likely to be used as a skill-based certification method? a. tests b. college degree c. peer review d. on-the-job demonstration 2) An inappropriate way to assess the acceptability of a job evaluation plan and its resulting job structure is __________________. a. examine the number of formal appeals b. examine the number of requests for reanalysis c. conduct employee attitude surveys d. examine the†¦show more content†¦rater stores this information in memory, but some of it may be forgotten; d. All of the above 4 26) The first issue in setting up a benefits package is _______________. a. who should be protected or benefited b. how much choice should employees have among benefits c. how should benefits be financed d. are benefits legally defensible 27) All but which of the following is a condition supporting use of individual incentives? a. task accomplishment is independent of others b. the worker has a strong commitment to their profession c. production methods and labor mix are stable d. presence of a union 28) Which of the following acts has caused HR and information technology staff considerable difficulty regarding compliance and privacy? a. COBRA b. HIPPA c. FMLA d. ERISA 29) Jennifer is hurt at work while driving a forklift. Her employer claims that she was driving too fast and therefore she is responsible for her own injury and should not receive workers compensation. What will be the outcome of the employers challenge to her workers compensation claim? a. she will likely receive workers compensation benefits b. she will get nothing c. Jennifer and her employer will share the blame and split the costs d. it is up to the employer 30) Employers seek to avoid unionization by offering workers____________. a. a more flexible work schedule b. a voice in the management decision making process c. better profit sharingShow MoreRelatedCompensation and Benefits1695 Words   |  7 Pages | |Compensation and Benefits | |Human Resource Management Coures | | Employee compensation and benefits are critical factors in the new hire acceptance process andRead MoreCompensation and Benefits2496 Words   |  10 PagesCompensation and Benefits: Methods, Strategies and Performances LaTonya Hopes This paper is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Human Resource Administration BUS 5273-50 Texas Woman s University School of Management Dr. Derek Crews February 8, 2013 Table of Contents Abstract †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦....................................................................................................................... 3 Introduction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4 LiteratureRead MoreCompensation and Benefits Essay1427 Words   |  6 PagesCourse Project The Compensation and Benefits of the Dooly County School System [pic] Renee Bowens HRM430 Professor Eureka Hampton August 16, 2009 DeVry University Abstract This report will show what compensation and benefits are offered to the employees of Dooly County. It will also show how a sick leave bank would benefit the employees that have exhausted their sick and personal leave days in order to care for themselves or their families. I hope this paper will show readers thatRead MoreConsiderations for Compensation and Benefits1442 Words   |  6 PagesConsiderations for Compensation and Benefits Abstract Compensation is one of the most important considerations perspective employees will make prior to accepting a job offer. For this reason, another performance of Human Resource (HR) professionals is the compensation analysis. The focus of the analyst in this position is to use strategy in formulating compensation and benefits packages that are attractive and conducive to maintaining talented employees (Editorial Board, 2011). As another criticalRead MoreBenefits Of A Executive Compensation1390 Words   |  6 Pagescomplaining about the high executive compensation in the companies. They believe that such executives are draining the resources of such companies at the expense of the shareholders. Despite the non-binding votes from the shareholders against high levels of executive pay, many companies have given a deaf ear to them. Reduction of executive compensation has been a major challenge to many companies. There are various impediments in effecting a reduction in executive compensation. Hiring and retaining top-caliberRead MoreEssay on Compensation and Benefits Strategy1040 Words   |  5 PagesCompensation and Benefits Strategy Landslide Limousine (LL), a small business in Austin, Texas, hired Atwood and Allen Consulting (AAC) to conduct a market evaluation and provide recommendations for the following: a position in the market, a compensation structure, a total compensation and benefits strategy, and performance incentives and merit-based pay to recognize and engage employees. This will help to identify applicable laws related to pay and benefits. This paper includes citations fromRead MoreBenefits And Benefits Of Compensation Packages1182 Words   |  5 PagesWhat is a compensation packages? Compensation packages are a group of different benefits that employees gain for employers. Compensation is needed for every business no matter what it is to be successful; I do not know anyone who would work for free. (â€Å"Cost-benefit analysis assesses the profitability of a financial endeavor by considering the present value of each cost and benefit. Present values are used under the assumption that money avail able now is worth more than money in the future. That isRead MoreEmployee Compensation And Benefits Package Essay905 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction – Employee Compensation and Benefits This paper will outline an employee compensation and benefits package for a new hire for a secretary for the department. First, it will describe the organization I chose for designating a compensation package. Next, this paper will develop an employee compensation and benefits package for this new position. This paper will outline an employee compensation and benefits package for a new hire for a secretary for the department. First, it will describeRead MoreEmployee Compensation And Benefits Packages Essay1245 Words   |  5 PagesEmployee Compensation and Benefits Organizations create compensation and benefits packages in order to attract the best talent. In today’s global economy it is imperative that organizations offer compensation packages that are competitive in order to recruit the very best talent in the world. However, in order to be successful, compensation packages must align with business strategies. Authors â€Å"Mathis, Jackson, and Valentine (2014) explain that an effective total rewards approach balances theRead MoreEmployee Compensation And Benefits Packages Essay1537 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction In today’s competitive workforce, compensation and benefit packages plays a crucial role on recruitment and retention for both the organization and the employee. Bumpbie finds itself in a situation where it could positively affect its employee’s morale, turnover rate and longevity; by making a strategic decision to implement compensation and benefit packages that will encourage current workers to stay and entice new applicants. Money is not always the inherent reason businesses experience

The Effects Of Drug Abuse On America - 1350 Words

Drug abuse in America is evidently a huge problem, yet remains to be misunderstood by many people. Elizabeth Foy Larsen writes a strong, informative article about a young woman named Brittany who has fallen to drug abuse. Brittany was a drug free, well rounded student with great potential just like many other young adults in America. However, one occasion flipped her life completely upside down. She had gotten her wisdom teeth removed and received prescription medication to reduce her pain. She soon found the new pain medication to be to her satisfaction. After the pain faded away, Brittany made a decision that would commence her addiction. She used the now unneeded medication thinking it would be her last time. The sensation she felt influenced her to use it again. This occurrence began to repeat itself until Brittany found herself to be dependent on the drugs. â€Å"And when you re under 25, it s even easier for the drugs to take the wheel, since your brain is still developing--an d therefore more susceptible to addiction† (Larsen, â„™15). She then began to spend her time with a different group of friends, who introduced her to other illegal drugs. Larsen states in the article, â€Å"That means that when the prescription drugs become too difficult to find, many once-straightlaced teens turn to illegal drugs, like heroin. In fact, four out of five heroin users started abusing drugs by taking prescription opioids, according to the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids† (Larsen, â„™15). InShow MoreRelated Drug Abuse in the United States Essay1044 Words   |  5 PagesDrug Abuse in the United States of America In the United States of America, we, the people value several things, some of which are freedom, expanding and taking care of our families and our financial security. We, the people, take such things for granted. We also discourage some behavior, such as crime, laziness and use of illegal drugs. Drug abuse is one of the most discouraged behaviors in our country. Use of illegal drugs is harmful to the userand all those with whom the userRead MoreDrug Abuse1279 Words   |  6 PagesThe use of and abuse of illegal and prescription drugs are a health, social, and law enforcement problem that is affecting Americans across the country. Drug abuse is destroying the lives of many teens and adults and is also destroying families in the United States. The use of drugs is a major problem in the United States among all Americans, but drug addiction is the main cause for America s troubled teens today. Exactly what is a drug? A drug is any chemical that produces a therapeutic or non-therapeuticRead MoreEssay on The Effects of Drugs in the US926 Words   |  4 PagesThe Effects of Drugs in the US Drug abuse is one of the most discouraged behaviors in our country. In the United States of America, we, the people value several things, some of which are freedom, expanding and taking care of our families and our financial security. We, the people, take such things for granted. We also discourage some behavior, such as crime, laziness and use of illegal drugs. Use of illegal drugs is harmful to the user and all those with whom the user comes in contact. Read MoreUnited States War On Drugs Essay1575 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"War on Drugs† been successful in reducing illicit drug abuse in the country? The â€Å"War on Drugs† is a term generally referred in America to the campaign aiming to reduce drug abuse in the country. The term first appeared in July 18 1971, when former U.S. President Richard Nixon started the campaign. However, on April 9, 2015, President Obama publicly announced that the policy has been counterproductive, and needs to be overhauled. Based on my research, I have concluded that the â€Å"War on Drugs† policyRead More Drugs and Alcohol Essay1107 Words   |  5 Pages Drugs and Alcohol For nearly 85 years, the government has prohibited pscychoactive drugs. American leaders attempted to do the same to alcohol with Prohibition in the 1920?s. In any society, drug use plays a part in the people?s culture. Whether it be a native taking hallucinogens for a religious ceremony, a destitute alcoholic drinking on a city street, or a group of teenagers smoking marijuana, drugs and alcohol have the same effects in any culture. The question of ?why do people use drugs? hasRead MoreSubstance Abuse - Social Pandemic1653 Words   |  7 PagesAs the use of illegal drugs and alcohol continues, substance abuse across America has become a very serious social problem. It is mental illness that has an effect on different races, classes and genders. The affects of substance abuse has caused countless of people to feel heartache and develop feelings of hopelessness. With alcohol and drugs readily available through prescription or on the streets (Butler,2010), it is obvious why many ar e acquiring addictive patterns to these accessible substancesRead MoreSociety’s Needs for Criminal Justice Practitioners Essay1046 Words   |  5 Pagessociety faces are drug abuse, gang violence, child abuse, and terrorism. The criminal justice practitioners face these types of issues daily. These professionals must act on the morals and laws stated by society rather than their own opinions, sometimes facing hard decisions. The criminal justice field is always active and busy, dealing with countless amount of criminal activity throughout the country. Drug abuse affects America severely. It is one of the biggest threats to America, warranting illegalRead MoreDrugs And The Criminal Justice System1013 Words   |  5 Pagesbelief is that drugs cause crime; and in the criminal justice system there are terms used for crime that is related to or due to the use of drugs. First there are â€Å"drug defined offences†, in which is the possession, use, sale, or manufacturing of illegal drugs. Second, is â€Å"drug related offences†, which occur when drugs are either the motive or the incentive. This occurs when a person is either under the influence of a drug and commits a crime; commits a crime in order to get money for drugs; or commitsRead MoreTeenage Prescription Drug Abuse Essay1427 Words   |  6 PagesPrescription Drug Abuse Years ago, the common image of an adolescent drug abuser was a teen trying to escape from reality on illegal substances like cocaine, heroin, or marijuana. Today, there is a great discrepancy between that perception and the reality of who is likely to abuse drugs. A teenage drug abuser might not have to look any further than his or her parent’s medicine chest to ‘score.’ Prescription drug abuse by teens is on the rise. Also, teens are looking to prescription drugs to fulfillRead MoreSleep1333 Words   |  6 PagesNarcotics The term narcotic comes from its original use for medicine which were use to heal the body. Not all people know the full background of narcotics. Narcotics have a huge impact in America society such as, addictions, crime, and death. Narcotics are a billion dollar underground industry of drug trafficking. Drugs journeyed from being a medical cure for many ailments to a highly dangerous and often abused substance today. Narcotics play a major role in many aspects of this country. The word narcotic

Internal And External Sources Of Finance For Tesco P4

Internal and external sources of finance for Tesco Internal sources of finance (Tesco) Retained earnings: A source of finance used by Tesco is retained earnings. Tesco re-invest a certain percentage of their end of the year profits back into Tesco, so they can improve it. Each year Tesco decide how much money they re-invest, this depends on the profit they make. Fixed assets: Another type of an internal source of finance for Tesco is fixed assets. Fixed assets are an asset that is not consumer or sold during the normal course of business, these are land, buildings, equipment, machinery, vehicles etc. These assets are very hard to convert into cash as it takes time to sell, Tesco would use these assets to fund future operations. Current†¦show more content†¦Business angels usually invest in companies around their home so they can check up on their investments. Government Grants: Tesco are Britain’s biggest supermarket and due to this they employ thousands. The government can give Tesco grants and money to invest back into Tesco. The government will benefit because if Tesco invest the money wisely they will have a successful year therefore the government will receive more tax. An example of Tesco receiving a government grant was in 2009 when they received  £5 million to open a new store in Glasgow. HP: Hire purchase is when a company or person lends out goods to companies for a short period of time, with added interest. Tesco could benefit if they were the company as they would lend out equipment, machinery, property and vehicles, as they would gain interest and also regain some of their investment into the product. Suppliers credit: Supplier’s credit is when a supplier offers the buyer the product they want on credit. This is like getting a loan of sorts as Tesco can pay at a later date. This benefits Tesco as they can order as much stock as they need even if they haven’t got the finances at that time. Sale and lease back: This is when Tesco sells something to a buyer such as equipment,machinery etc and the buyer leases the product back to Tesco immediately. This benefits Tesco as they can use the product without being tied down to the product financially. To Tesco there is some tax benefits toShow MoreRelatedCorporate Strategy of Tesco4090 Words   |  17 PagesHistory P3 Business strategy P3 Corporate strategy P3 Company values P3 Value chain P4 Joint Ventures and Mergers and Acquisitions P4 PESTEL analysis P5 Competitors P7 Figure 1: Tesco’s main competitors P7 Figure 2: Ansoff matrix for Tesco’s marketing strategy P8 Figure 3: Tesco’s sub-bran poisition in the United Kingdom P9 Figure 4: Tesco’s competition in the UK P10 Figure 5: Tesco’s internal competition P10 Core competencies P11 Human Resource P12 Recommendations P13 ConclusionsRead MoreBusiness Resources1984 Words   |  8 PagesBTEC Nationals – Unit: 2 Business Resources Assessor: Sam Ramsay | Internally Verified By: Michele Carman | Criteria Achieved | | Comments Against Target Grade: | | Assignment 1 | P1, P2, M2 | | Assignment 2 | P3, M1 | | Assignment 3 | P4, P6, M4, D3, D1 | | Important ResubmissionWhen you resubmit your assignment, you MUST ensure that YOUR CHANGES are shown in red. Failure to do this is likely to result in your work being missed and your original grade standing. | Student Declaration:By

Black People and James Baldwin Free Essays

Deborah Lee Period 1 May 28,2012 Supplemental Reading Assignment A. The theme of Baldwin’s essay is equality. He establishes this theme in his essay with the juxtaposition of a poor white man and a black man. We will write a custom essay sample on Black People and James Baldwin or any similar topic only for you Order Now In this essay, Baldwin speaks of how â€Å"People are continually pointing out to me the wretchedness of white people in order to console me for the wretchedness of blacks. He says that people say that being black is not that bad because there are white people in the same situation and that there is still hope for the black because of people like Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis but it is still not something â€Å"to be regarded with complacency† because the situations of Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis are just rare. Equality in America at the time was possible with â€Å"determined will,† but still very rare. Another way James Baldwin established the theme of equality in this essay was when he mentioned the projects, more specifically, Riverton. Baldwin establishes this theme of equality through mentioning Riverton for Riverton was a physical representation of the inequality of blacks and whites in America back then. Baldwin said, â€Å"The people in Harlem know they are living there because white people do not think they are good enough to live anywhere else. † There was going to be no equality if people were told to live in certain places because of their color. Baldwin also makes this theme extremely clear when he says, â€Å"Negroes want to be treated like men. † B. The tone of the essay, Fifth Avenue, Uptown: A letter from Harlem by James Baldwin and the tone of the poem, Theme for English B by Langston Hughes are similar. They are similar for both authors show that there is hope for equality through the tone of each text. In the poem, Theme for English B, Hughes says â€Å"You are white — / yet a part of me, as I am a part of you. / That’s American. † Hughes expresses that although he may be the only black person in his class, he is still American like the rest of the class and should be considered equal. The tone of the essay and poem is different from the poem Incident by Countee Collen. This poem’s tone is complete opposite from the other poem and essay for Collen uses more of a doubtful tone. This poem is more about just being sad and bothered that blacks and whites are not equal instead of being hopeful for the equality of the two races that is soon to come like the other poem and essay. C. The perspectives on race in these texts are different than in To Kill a Mockingbird for in To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus believes that there is good and bad in everyone and that nobody should be hated or claimed as all bad. In the book, Scout asks Atticus if it is okay to hate Hitler but Atticus says that you shouldn’t hate anybody, no matter how bad they are because there is a good side to them. This shows that Atticus’ perspective on race is different from the authors of the poems and essay for the authors believe that the whites are bad people because blacks and whites are not equal. While Atticus is just like the authors for he wants equality between black and whites, his perspective is different for he believes that this equality will be brought once the good side comes out of the white people. How to cite Black People and James Baldwin, Essay examples

Experiments

Question: Why Experiments are done? Explain. Answer: Experiments are done for investigating some scientific issues. While conducting an experiment, the scientists usually forms a hypothesis and through the experiment, this hypothesis is being analyzed, whether it is correct or not. In some other processes, scientist figures out some questions regarding the research topic and based on this the research questions the scientists attempt to design the research in such a way that at the end of the experiment, the scientist can achieve the answers of the research questions (Creswell, 2012). Usually, scientists perform an experiment more than one time for ensuring the accuracy of the data. The experimental design is an outline, strategy or plan for conducting the research by finding the answers of each research questions. The scientists choose the appropriate research design for the experiment based on the nature of the experiment. In this context, the researcher would analyze the baseline measures based on which the experimental design would be selected. The experimental design helps to provide a guideline to the scientist for carrying out the experiment in a correct flow and thereby ensuring the achievement of expected research outcomes (Jackson, 2015). The advantages of implementing an experimental design include: Provide an insight of the entire research process. In addition, it helps to figure out the right direction of conducting the research in a systematic measure In experimental design, the scientist can have control over the variables The appropriate research design helps to determine the best population for the experiment It gives more transferability in comparison to anecdotal research It helps to give the research a definite shape Research design helps to avoid bias and reduce experimental errors The disadvantages of implementing an experimental design include: As the research design is implemented by humans, the human errors can happen which might affect the success of the experimental design. Thus, selecting an appropriate experimental design is very important for research success There might be personal bias, as it is entirely dependent upon the scientist conducting the research The results achieved in the experiments might not be applied on different situations and it might be difficult to be replaced by other The results could be artificial as the participants can be influenced by the experimental environment which could enhance the rate of experimental errors and thereby enhancing the chance of getting error prone results from the experiment, that is why the experiments are done more than one time (Trochim, Donnelly Arora, 2015). The right balance of two validity claims is important for a successful research study. If a study has high internal validity when all the confounding variables are controlled, thereby ensuring that only independent variable would affect the dependent variable. On the other hand, external validity is high when the real life situation is considered. However, a study cannot have both external and internal validity high, thus it is better to keep both aspects in mid way, having moderate internal and external validity claims (Zikmund et al., 2012).Usually, experiments are conducted by implementing some changes to the experiment or test group of sample. However, to analyze the results of the experiments, the results needed to be compared with a group of sample upon which the experiment has not been done. This group is known as control of the experiment. The purpose of the control group is to compare the changes in the test group after implementation of the experiment upon the test group. T he test groups should be compared with the control group for analyzing the changes happened to the test population as well as to analyze it whether the results are satisfactory to the expected results (Ramsey Schafer, 2012). Single comparison or control group is required for small population and when only single intervention is implemented on the test group; then only a single control group is required. In contrast, for large population, multiple control groups may be required for enhancing the accuracy of the experiments. Multiple control groups can arise for several reasons, sometimes, treatments were not implemented and in other cases, the treatment were provided but declined. For different group of samples, multiple control groups are required for comparing the test samples before and after implementation of interventions (Andersen et al., 2012). Confounds are the extraneous variables in the statistical model which correlates with dependent as well as independent variables. These are the variables which are uncontrollable by the scientists conducting the research. It is also known as the third variable which can affect the relation between dependent and independent variables adversely, thereby affecting the accuracy of the results. For example, a test was done with 200 people including 100 men and 100 women, the results found that lack of exercise led to the weight gain of participants (Pickard, 2012). However, there were other confounding variables which could not be controlled. Here, one confounding factor is age of the participants which can contribute in weight gain. Another confounding variable was participants diet, participants were not monitored for their common diet before subjecting in the experiment. The third confounding variable in this experiment was gender, sometimes, women are more likely to gain weight after certain period of life than men, it was also uncontrollable. These variables could affect the relationship within lack of exercise and participants weight gain. One way to reduce the effect of confounding variables is introducing control variables for confounding variables, such as; the inclusion criteria can include participants of only 30-35 years old which can control gender confounding. Another strategy is, keeping the participants in same diet for 1 month before conducting the experiment. It can control the effect of diet upon the dependent and independent variables. Another strategy for reducing the effect of confounding variables is counterbalancing while having paired condition. In this context, half of the participants would be measured under one condition and others would be measured under other condition. After certain period the conditions would be interchanged for two groups. It would help to analyze the effect of those conditions upon the groups through a comparison (Lichtman, 2012). Cause is somewhat which has a specific result in effect. Causation is an event which makes changes over the previous situation upon which the event was happened and it will certainly have an effect. However, it is somewhat different than the event of correlation in research variables. According to the principle of causality, it is a universal concept, in the world, every phenomenon having some specific consequences must have risen as an effect of some cause. It is an important concept in research because it always has an effect which is important in research (Neuman Robson, 2012). The researcher would attempt to conduct a research based on certain issues. These issues must be raised from some certain causes which have some specific effect. Thus, cause is an important concept in research. While conducting a research, wide range of confusion arises within causation and correlation. However, these two phenomenons are different. According to Goertz and Mahoney (2012),the correlation is the first step for establishing a cause. When two or more events are happening at the similar time which are associated with each other, but might not have a cause-effect relationship, this is known as correlation. On the other hand, causation must have a cause-effect relationship within two variables. In both correlation and causation, there are relationship establishment within two variables, but in correlation, there must not be a cause-effect relationship unlike causation. The research question is, does smiling cause mood to rise? In this condition, the between-participants design would include the division of participants in two groups. These two groups include one test group and one control group. For the test group, the smiling intervention would be applied; in contrast, the control group would not receive smiling intervention. After certain time, the results would be compared within two groups to understand the effect of intervention upon the participants. Advantage of this process is that two different groups are being compared with two different conditions, thus the event is compared twice, enhancing the accuracy of result. In contrast, fluctuation of conditions can give biased result (Easterby-Smith, Thorpe Jackson, 2012). The within-participants design would include only one group of participant. In this design, the participants would be subjected to two different conditions. In one condition, the participants would be subjected to smiling intervention and after a period of interval, they would be treated as control group, no intervention would be implemented, the results would be compared at the end of the study. There is no chance of condition fluctuation which is an advantage, but the comparison is done only once, thus there is a chance of experimental error (Allwood, 2012). The matched pair design is a randomized block design with two treatment condition. However, here is only one treatment condition for the current research question. Thus, this design would not be applicable here. Research List Allwood, C. M. (2012). The distinction between qualitative and quantitative research methods is problematic.Quality Quantity,46(5), 1417-1429. Andersen, P. K., Borgan, O., Gill, R. D., Keiding, N. (2012).Statistical models based on counting processes. Springer Science Business Media. Creswell, J. W. (2012).Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Sage. Easterby-Smith, M., Thorpe, R., Jackson, P. R. (2012).Management research. Sage. Goertz, G., Mahoney, J. (2012).A tale of two cultures: Qualitative and quantitative research in the social sciences. Princeton University Press. Jackson, S. (2015).Research methods and statistics: A critical thinking approach. Cengage Learning. Lichtman, M. (2012).Qualitative Research in Education: A User's Guide: A User's Guide. Sage. Neuman, W. L., Robson, K. (2012). Basics of social research: Qualitative and quantitative approaches. Pickard, A. (2012).Research methods in information. Facet publishing. Ramsey, F., Schafer, D. (2012).The statistical sleuth: a course in methods of data analysis. Cengage Learning. Trochim, W., Donnelly, J., Arora, K. (2015).Research methods: The essential knowledge base. Nelson Education. Zikmund, W., Babin, B., Carr, J., Griffin, M. (2012).Business research methods. Cengage Learning.