Motivation & behaviour Essay

Motivation is seen as an internal state of an organism that drives it to behave in a certain way. The behaviour is seen to be goal directed. The clearest examples of this can be derived from the studies made by Cannon. Cannon (1932) developed a primary or physiological drive theory. This theory is associated with the concept of homeostasis, a term used to describe the stable equilibrium of body systems. Claude Bernard (1956) was the first to emphasis the importance of a constant internal environment to survival. The internal environment of the body consists of such systems as the oxygen content of the blood, the concentration of nutrients such as glucose, the water balance and temperature. All of these systems can only fluctuate within narrow limits if health or even survival is to be maintained. As a system fluctuates from its stable state for reasons such as if we go out in the cold or use up a lot of energy, the body tries to restore homeostatic equilibrium through physiological and behavioural mechanisms. For instance if we have not eaten for a while, we develop a body tissue need for food. This leads to a drive to eat, and eating reduces the drive and restores homeostasis. This sequence is a simple example of behaviour motivated by a primary physiological drive aroused by a tissue need, and the whole class of motivated behaviours is represented by these homeostatic primary drives. Cannon’s drive theory has been developed to explain more complicated behaviours. In these models the behaviour is driven by an internal state of need. For example we go to work to earn money, which in turn buys us food, which satisfies our tissue need. The simple picture of a tissue deficiency leading to a specific need, which in turn arouses appropriate behaviour, is very appealing and many experiments have been carried out to see if this is the case. However, most of these studies have been carried out on non-human animals. Therefore this area of study could be criticised for being unrepresentative and ridged. Some behaviours such as why rats eat saccharin cannot be explained by this model, as saccharin is a not a nutritious, but sweet tasting substance, which does not satisfy a primary tissue need. Humans lead full and complex lives; some researches believe that our motivated behaviour cannot be compared to that of a non-human animal. In the past motivation has been divided up into extrinsic and intrinsic motives. With extrinsic motives you can identify a clear reward or incentive or reinforcement for the behaviour. Behaviourists have shown that almost any behaviour can be learnt on the basis of a reward. Other behaviours seem to have no obvious external reward and these are referred to as intrinsic motives. Humans have many behaviours without a strong link to physiology such as curiosity and manipulation. However these drives are simply descriptions of the behaviour so in theory anyone could make up there own set of motives. Murray (1938) used his Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) to provide a more reliable set of motives. TAT consists of 20 pictures of people in various situations. The participant is asked to use their imagination to write a story about each picture. The stories are then analysed in terms of the types of motivation represented. From these analyses, Murray produces a set of 20 social motives, or psychogenic needs. These include achievement, affiliation, aggression, deference, nurturance, play, and understanding. Murray’s list sounds convincing and is based on the TAT. However this itself is a projective test and relies on Murray’s own analysis. McClelland (1961) supported Murray’s motives. By using a rating scale, he measured achievement imagery in the stories that children write. McClelland’s work has given achievement more validity as one of the central human motives. However, McClelland’s work is not representative of the whole as it only takes into account children. Other motives in Murray’s list have not been studied in great detail and so lack a degree of validity.

Domestic Violence Essays (1703 words) - Domestic Violence, Abuse

Domestic Violence Essays (1703 words) - Domestic Violence, Abuse Domestic Violence Domestic Violence in America Introduction: Today in American society we have many social ills. Perhaps one of the most upsetting, at least to me personally, is domestic violence. Domestic violence can come in many shapes and forms and affects many different people. Reasons vary for spousal/child abuse, but none are justified. Police/community programs have recently had a more pro-active role in domestic violence, but that is not a solution to our problem at large. On the micro level, the ultimate responsibility of elimination of violence rests on the victim. On the macro level, we must look at our society critically and analyze why we have such an immense problem and how we can help correct it. In the following sections I will discuss domestic violence issues and attempt to offer some solutions. I will frequently use anecdotal evidence, as well as statistical figures. I assign genders to the abuser and victim using he and she or husband and wife frequentlythis is for simplification. Although most victimization is male against female, I am generalizing for simplicity. Discussion: Domestic violence is a prevalent issue in the United States. There is much controversy as too how much violence actually exists in America (much of it takes place behind closed doors and is difficult to identify), but assuredly we have a problem with the issue as it is reported that almost 4% of American families experienced severe physical violence of a degree that had the probability of inflicting injury or death upon the victim (stabbed, gun used, beat up, punched) (www.silcom.com/paladin/madv/faq-dv.html). This 4% may seem like a small figure, but it equates to four million victims (and that only includes the major injury-inflicting violence). Another source states that 1 in 3 women will be assaulted by a domestic partner in her lifetime (www.npcts.edu/uo/handson/domviol/statfact.html). Another source indicates that 63% of parents have engaged in violent acts towards their children (Assaults Against Women and Children, p. 219). Truly this issue is unacceptable in a civil society such as ours. Domestic violence, when most people hear that term, think of husbands assaulting wives. This is an unfair generalization. Violence is more likely against women than men but nevertheless women are sometimes the perpetrators. Another fact left in the corner when discussing domestic violence is how much occurs between high school boyfriends/girlfriends. Figures indicate that 1 in 10 high school students has experienced physical violence in dating. The figure rises to 22% for college students (www.npcts.edu/uo/handson/domviol/statfact.html). Perhaps most importantly and tragically, children can be affected by domestic violence in both direct and indirect ways. A clear estimate of abuse is difficult to determine due to data collection methods and a precise definition of violence against children, but statistics indicate that up to 3 million children are abused/neglected each year Of this number, a mere 150,000 cases are reported. (Dont Call it Child Abuse, Its Really Poverty, p. 260). This number is astronomical and totally unacceptable. Even if children are not directly abused, many witness their parents abuse each other. As a child I witnessed domestic violence (fortunately mostly verbal) nightly when I was young. I didnt understand why they fought so much and so often. I couldnt imagine the way I would have felt had my parents truly injured each other. Most of the time they broke stuff and yelled and screamed. I remember the only way I could interpret the situation (like many other kids) was to blame myself. The emotional stress violence places on kids (even if not directed at them) is a very serious issue. There are many reasons that spouses choose to beat their wives/children. One explanation that is popular is that of frustration. The (often) male authoritarian figure in the household in todays society is often threatened by a burden of responsibilities. Even if the wife does work, often the male feels responsible to be the breadwinner. If he is unable to fulfill his role, or if he feels that the role is threatened, (job problems or wife earning more), he is likely to become disgruntled. This stressful situation leaves the person feeling powerless and without control. The one place where he (again, most of the time it is a male) can have total power and control is

How to Teach Your Students to Write Biography Poems

How to Teach Your Students to Write Biography Poems Biography poems, or Bio poems, are a quick and easy way for young students to learn poetry. They allow students to express their personality and introduce themselves to others, making them a perfect activity for the first day of school. Bio poems can also be used to describe someone else, making them perfect for history lessons or other subjects where students might be studying key historical figures. You will see in the examples below that students can research someone like Rosa Parks, then create a Bio poem on her. Example Bio Poems Here are three examples of Bio Poems. One is about a teacher, one is about a student, and one is about a famous person that students researched. Sample Bio Poem of a Teacher Beth Kind, funny, hard-working, loving Sister of Amy Lover of Computers, Friends, and Harry Potter books Who feels excited on the first day of school, sad when she watches the news, and happy to open a new book Who needs people, books, and computers Who gives help to students, smiles to her husband, and letters to family and friends Who fears war, hunger, and bad days Who would like to visit the pyramids in Egypt, teach the world’s greatest third graders, and read on the beach in Hawaii Resident of California Lewis Sample Bio Poem of a Student Braeden Athletic, strong, determined, fast Son of Janelle and Nathan and brother to Reesa Loves the Diary of a Whimpy Kid books, sports, and Baked Beans Who feels happy when playing with friends, and happy when playing sports and being with his family Who needs books, family, and Legos to by happy in life Who makes people laugh when someone is sad, who likes to gives smiles, and loves hugging Fears the dark, spiders, clowns Would like to visit Paris, France Resident of Buffalo Cox Sample Bio Poem of a Person Researched Rosa Determined, Brave, Strong, Caring Wife of Raymond Parks, and mother of her children Who loved freedom, education, and equality Who loved to stand up for her beliefs, loved to help others, disliked discrimination Who feared racism would never end, who feared she wouldnt be able to make a difference, who feared she wouldnt have enough courage to fight Who changed history by standing up to others and making a difference in equality Who wanted to see an end to discrimination, a world that was equal, and respect was given to all Born in Alabama, and resident in Detroit Parks

The Idea of Youth Development in the Country Essay

The Idea of Youth Development in the Country - Essay Example According to the paper the main barriers that are playing a notable hand in terms of making any measures which are taken in order to prevent AIDS ineffective include lack of public awareness, low literacy rate, no system for sex education, and unsupportive behavior of the government and ethical disintegration of the society. The barriers are originating from one source that is lack of awareness which is fueled by low literacy rate. The people are unaware because they never received any information about the disease and therefore consider it as a myth until and unless it shows up with all of its symptoms and signs. In addition, the sex education is also not common in the country and because of this reason, the people engage in the sexual relations without succumbing to protective measures. The sexual needs are highly volatile in the uneducated people and they usually got carried away with the emotions and they often come to realize that they made a grave mistake but it is usually too late to say the least. The government’s inaction in this regard is a question mark as well. The holistic approach is required to get the demon under control. The steps needed to be taken to control the disease are difficult and time consuming. The skills needed to implement the plan include strong communication capabilities and access to mass communication infrastructure. From this paper it is clear that the disease of HIV and AIDS is spreading throughout the country of Nigeria. The key reasons of the trend include unsafe sex, bad blood transfusion and unclean surgical units and equipment. The sources of disease are present in the society because of lacking public awareness. The significant amount of reported cases is caused by careless sexual relations.

International expansion proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International expansion proposal - Essay Example The company is wholly owned by publicly traded Limited Brands Company; operating 1,017 company-owned stores and 18 independently owned stores, with annual sales of $6 billion and an operating cost of $1 billion as of 2012. The company has hierarchic system of governance with Sharen, Jester Turney as the CEO and President of Victoria’s Secret Megabrand and Intimate Apparel while Lori Greely as the CEO of Victoria’s Secret stores. (Website:www.victoriassecret.com/victorias-secret-sport). Victoria’s Secret intends to diversify its market by opening new branches in China; the world’s most populous country with population of over 1.35 billion people, second largest country in the world by land area after Russia and a socialist country espousing communism (Meng, 2011). Economically, it is the second-largest economy in terms of nominal Growth Domestic Product [GDP] totalling approximately $8.227 trillion by 2013 as per International Monetary Fund [IMF]. Reasons f or expansion to China To tap into the growing market of the China’s women population 48.73%, and demographic distribution of 13.3% and 42.8% on 0-14 years and 15-59 years respectively. Tap into the industrialization advantage in China to reduce cost of production Maximize profitability with the competitive exchange rate To maintain the competitive standards of Victoria’s Secret and brand image as a global outfit To tap into China’s skilled and multi-talented fashion designers, workforce, view point and knowledge to ensure growth as a company To tap into China’s economic wellbeing and favourable trading environment Tap into China’s favourable climatic environment and Sporting culture of basketball, tennis, swimming and martial arts Internal Analysis Value Victoria’s Secrets has with time strengthened value on its products starting with lingerie to diversify to sporting attires, swimming costumes, bras, panties, sleeping gowns, clothing and sh oes. The launch of â€Å"PINK†, a new lingerie line targeting 15-22 years old with products such as underwear, sleepwear, loungewear, beauty products and accessories; will create value in the new Chinese market more so through their product lines such as Angels, Very Sexy and Body by Victoria, intended to transition buyers into more adult product lines. The competitive exchange rate of the dollar and the Chinese Yuan, gives the company a competitive advantage of price and cost leadership giving the company capability to mitigate threats in the market (Barney & Hersterly, 2010). Rarity The uniqueness of design and the PINK product line creates the competitive advantage in the Chinese market coupled with the new accessories and fragrance lines which will match with the economies age distribution. The company’s customer service experience coupled with loyalty cards promotions and effective marketing strategies such as their catalogue, sporadic arts in fashion publications and referrals/word of mouth will help conquer the new market. In addition the company has employed social media marketing with incorporation of sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest account; expanding its website to feature behind-the-scene contents of its catalogue, in the Victoria’s Secret Direct, which are the strategies we can apply in the new market to lure the youthful and techno-savvy population. Imitability Most of the products by the

Establishing a Technical College Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Establishing a Technical College - Dissertation Example The paper tells that the fundamental objective in any country in the world is to enhance different aspects of development namely political, social, and economic development. One of the keys to achieving this objective is to improve the quality of education in a given country as well as an access to these learning opportunities. Growth of national income in a country often relates to education. Quality education entails the availability of the teaching and learning resources, their equitable distribution, meeting the educational standards, meeting the needs of the students, and meeting the societal needs through providing required expertise. Various socio-economic factors can bar some potential members of the society from realizing their full potential to serve the country. This is a drawback not only to the individual but also to the entire nations and explains why the issue should be a national and global concern. The benefits of education to the society can be realized if there is an evident public investment in education. The established institutions of learning should provide adequate knowledge and skills to the learners that can easily be integrated into the different applications in the field. All these can be realized through an effective system of education in a given country. There is need to have an education system that ensures continued student progression to higher education institutions to equip them with the skills required in the society. This is thwarted, though, by the limited positions in these institutions of higher learning especially in the underdeveloped countries like Ivory Coast. Besides, not every individual in the primary schools qualify to proceed to secondary schools and neither can every student here qualify for university entrance. There is a need to establish alternative institutions that can absorb these students who have not been absorbed at higher levels. In this literature review, the writer focuses on the scholarly articles that discuss the theories on factors affecting education in a given country. Evidence is also short from other reports. The strategies that are appropriate in managing the arising social issues are also examined. The review is concerned with an identification of the central issues that affect the quality of education in a given country and an integration and generalization of these concepts. It will consider how these factors apply to the local context in Ivory Coast. The literature review involves qualitative methods of research and the researcher will not be neutral but will be bias towards his understanding of the factors affecting education. It may not be possible to exhaust all the scholarly articles addressing this issue even if it is narrowed down to the local context in Ivory Coast. As such, the researcher has opted to use representative sample of articles in academic databases that cover this topic in order to generalize the concept. The articles are analyzed according to t he key issues they focus on. Problem Definition Cote D’Ivoire (or Ivory Coast) is one of the developing nations in the West African region that was a former French colony. The country enjoyed positive economic growth and political stability after independence under the leadership of her first autocratic president Felix Houphouet-Boigny (The Economist, 2010). However, the political stability ended with the death of the founder. The country currently has a poor underdeveloped economy owing to the political unrest and violence that has hit the country in the past. In 2010, the country’s population was 19.7 million; a population growth rate of 2%, a GDP of $22.8 billion, GDP per capita of $1,154, and a GDP growth rate of 3.0% (World Bank, 2011). The country has

1800’s message media Essay Example for Free

1800’s message media Essay Prior to photographys debut, only the wealthy and the powerful could afford the services of an artist to paint their portrait. Photography provided an affordable means for many to obtain likenesses. In an 1864 speech on pictures, Frederick Douglass discusses the impact that the early photographic formats made on society. First, Douglass views photography as the great equalizer of race and class in that a servant girl could now afford to have a likeness made of herself. Second, the observation illustrates the impact that images had on society more than 150 years ago. The access to such an affordable product encouraged many free blacks to have their portraits taken. Third, the speech is important because it represents an African American perspective on photography. The daguerreotype was the earliest commercial photographic format and was named for its inventor, Louis Jacques Mande Daguerre. It was popular from its invention in 1839 until around 1860. Daguerreotypes are unique and fragile and images of non-whites are somewhat rare. The daguerreotype of Frederick Douglass is one of the earliest known images of him and is unusual because of the profile pose said to symbolize nobility of character. The Douglass image represents the control that free blacks had over how they wished to be perceived by the public. In many of his early photographs, Douglass appears poised, cultured and sometimes defiant as in the engraving of Douglass taken from the frontispiece of his second autobiography My Bondage My Freedom. A comparison of the first two photographs of Douglass with a later drawing of him shows a startling difference, a difference which was noted by Douglass in a book review in the North Star. Douglass commented on this drawing of him by Wilson Armistead. Douglass comment is based on his on-going criticism of the portrayal of African Americans by white artists. Possibly, Douglass did not pose for the Armistead drawing but in the photographic portraits, he had much more control over how he wished to be portrayed. Douglass was one of the most photographed individuals of the 19th century. (Wells, 1996) Until the latter half of the nineteenth century, the portrayal of the Black image in American painting and in the larger context of art remained somewhat elusive and descriptively narrow. The problem of interpretation is seldom a simple one. Thus, with a subject as controversial as the depiction of race and how it should be rendered in the name of honest imagery, artists often were at the mercy of clients who were not objective in their description of race. The actual observations of subjects from within the Black race had little impact on the making of Black images in painting. Much of what emerged from white artists as a sympathetic statement about the Black race in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries came largely from the imagination of the artists. Often, they willfully stereotyped Black subjects by carrying out the wishes of clients who wanted a portrait of their favorite Black servant recorded along with themselves. The results of such a practice were Black images in the art of painting that covered a gamut of visual responses, from the more positive sophisticated imagery of John Singleton Copleys Watson and the Shark, in which a Black man is shown as an equal, awestruck spectator in the boat, to the tattered-torn destitute Black people in the paintings of William Aiken Walker in which field hands are seen picking cotton on southern plantations. By contrast, from 1700 to 1900, very few images of Blacks appeared in sculpture other than in folk items. Those which have survived were often made to show subjects with exaggerated features highlighting what most would describe as unfavorable stereotypic characterizations of the Black race. Some of these grotesque characterizations of Blacks have survived into the twentieth century. One could all but characterize the subjects which occur in the first four time periods listed by citing the recurring themes which white American artists chose to depict in which Blacks were the principal subjects. Blacks are depicted as servants and slaves, noble savages, or servant/war heroes; a few are seen as gentlemen of color. As early as 1838, Blacks were seen as entertainers of whites, serving as musicians and comic capers. Among the visual documentation found are slave sales and slave market scenes, field scenes depicting work experiences as well as those sharing the laziness of the race, and Blacks who serve to promote the sale of food. These are among the constant images that recur in the work of American artists from 1840 until the end of the Civil War. Artistry toward Articulating Personal Characteristics A cursory study of Blacks in American painting reveals that they were virtually ignored as primary figures. When depicted, they were presented more often as servants in the employ of wealthy householders or in scenic settings in which they provide music as entertainment and on occasion singing and dancing for self-entertainment ( Epstein 1). As time passed, such images have come to be looked upon as stereotypic and only partially accurate in showing the full range of the lifestyle and activities of Blacks in colonial and post-Revolutionary America. Dimension is not a term which can readily describe the treatment that Blacks received from the hands of artists of the majority culture prior to the latter half of the nineteenth century. In all ways of visual description, Blacks were depicted with contempt. What is seen today as an appreciable change among mainstream artists in their portrayal of the Black subject is a trend which began to change with the imagery of William Sidney Mount ( 1807-1868) and Winslow Homer ( 1836-1910), both of whom depicted Black subjects with reasonable likeness in their time in history. Of the two, Mount showed limited sensibilities to the plight of the race. Homer directed his artistry toward articulating personal characteristics of the race, painting distinct individuals who lived separate lives devoid of the stereotypic cast placed on previous Black sitters. Homer avoided placing Black figures into a cramped space devoid of compositional clarity. While one tends to look favorably on those images created by William Sidney Mount and on those still-unknown artists of the period that show Blacks as musicians, farmers, and members of their own households, in the main, those images were most often rendered in a manner that singled out Black Americans as being happy with their fate and destitute state in life. More often, they appeared untutored in the cultural ways of white society and visually represented a helpless people without civilized roots and a distinct ethnic history. (Smith, 1988).