Research critique (Criteria for the Evaluation of Educational Essay

Research critique (Criteria for the Evaluation of Educational Research) - Essay Example The term refers to the punishment of young children in this case and hence the title could have been a bit wordier without sounding verbose. In this section, I analyse the problem statement and definition of the issue that the article deals with. The problem statement can be expressed as follows: Though there have been studies’ detailing the effects of â€Å"time-out† as a punitive measure, there has been little focus on the perceptions of the children themselves on the measure as a tool to punish bad behaviour and inculcate good behaviour. The purpose of the article is to conduct a survey among the target population of children older than two or three years and study the children’s attitudes towards this form of punishment and whether it acts as a deterrent or do the children perceive it as just another punishment. As discussed in the section on literature review, the problem statement is consistent with the literature review. To take one instance, the article quotes studies by Betz (1994) about how the â€Å"time-out† does not teach desirable behaviour and the popularity of the technique as evidenced in the study by Webber and Scheuermann (1991). The other sources that the authors use to justify their focus on this specific problem statement are the ones by Dobson (1978) and Twiford (1984) who extol the virtues of â€Å"time-out†. The problem statement is not reformulated and the concluding remarks by the authors are about how further research needs to take place to validate their preliminary findings. Further, there is no discussion on limitations that the study has and though the scope is defined, it is more of a methodological approach to the problem statement by using surveys as a method of arriving at the results rather than a clear definition of what is in scope and what is out of scope. The point here is

Compare and Contrast Goodbye My Brother and Sonnys Blues Essay Example for Free

Compare and Contrast Goodbye My Brother and Sonnys Blues Essay No story can be as touching as family relationships and reconciliation and when it comes to family, two of the most famous stories about brothers are Sonnys Blues and Goodbye My Brother. Goodbye My Brother is said to be one of John Cheevers greatest literary success while Sonnys Blues garnered widespread critical claim for James Baldwin. It is interesting to note that by comparing and contrasting the two, there are a lot of striking lessons about what to do and what not to do when it comes to dealing with family relationships can be learned from these stories. John Cheevers Goodbye My Brother is a story that centers around the Pommeroy family. The family is composed of the widow mother, Mrs. Pommeroy, and her four children named Diana, Chaddy, Lawrence and the one narrating the story. All of the children are grown up and are all living their separate lives and this reunion in particular was a special one because they have not seen Lawrence in four years. Diana is divorced and is living in France, Chaddy is a successful businessman who lives in New York, Lawrence the youngest is a lawyer and the narrator teaches the secondary school. The Pommeroys can be considered as an upper class family who got together in Lauds Head in New England for a family reunion at their old beach house. The narrator openly talked about the siblings general dislike for Lawrence and despite the efforts of their mother, he refused to reach out and be a part of their family. This apparent tension between Lawrence and their mother has a history. Lawrence was only sixteen years old when he said said that Mother was overly strong, mischievous and destructive. He was in boarding school back then and he did not come home for Christmas, after which, he seldom comes home. Everything seems to be going as expected until the unnamed narrator brother beats his brother Lawrence who seemed distance since the beginning of the story. (Cheever, p. 1-10). This melodramatic tale was one of the earliest stories written by Cheever who has been compared with Dante because he perceives God as a mystical being. As a writer he gives emphasis to the incandescence of the earth and it can be aptly observed that many paragraphs from his works hardly pass without him invoking the luminosity of the world. This mystical notion is the reason why many people think that Cheever does not pay attention on God. Goodbye My Brother has a very unexpectedly strange ending. The story ends with Helen and Diane walking like naked goddesses out of the sea and as such, it is safe to say that the title is inconsistent with the ending (Wood, p. 1163). However, other commentators who read this story appreciated the powerful language used by Cheever in the ending. According to them, the ending illustrated the familiarity of the author with King James and Shakespeare (Boyle, p. 1). In general, the mastery of the author in incorporating symbolism through his work can be best appreciated in this ending. It can be noticed that Cheever uses water as a main symbolic element that clearly demonstrates how the ebb and flow of the ocean waters can be related to mens existence. The narrator described the family get together as warm and tender which is in clear contrast with the exasperation that Lawrence is feeling with his family. This story gives the readers an exercise of their point of view as they observe the striking contrast between the optimism and the pessimism of human nature in the personality of the two brothers, the sunny and prejudicial unnamed narrator and his saturnine youngest brother Lawrence. On the other hand, Sonnys Blues by James Baldwin is another masterpiece that the readers love to read about two brothers and since the story of Goodbye My Brother is also about brotherly relationships, most readers can find that a mixture of the two relationships can give them a glimpse of what it would be like if they were to cooperate with each other or let pride and hatred get in the way of family. Sonnys Blues is a story of how two African American brothers react to the â€Å"blues† of each other and how they handle their inner conflicts. The feelings experienced by the main characters is called â€Å"blues†, which is a mental and emotional state that arose from the recognition of the limitation imposed mostly in the case of African Americans by the racial barriers to the opportunities that they often encounter. The narrator, who makes his living as a school teacher and his brother who is a jazz pianist make their way into the world struggling to understand the other party (Flibbert, p. 32). The narrators first instinct was to believe the story in the newspaper. It said that his brother was arrested for dealing with heroin and for him, it was not very hard to believe. He started feeling scared for Sonny and it is here that the narrator has started to relate the fear that he has lived with his whole life. Little did he know that this event will serve as a catalyst for their closeness. While still in shock, the narrator was forced to confront their past. When a friend of the narrator went to his school to bring his the news about Sonny, he said that he abruptly hated him. (Baldwin, p. 2). However, as the narrator continues to express his sentiments, he realizes that he feels a little bit guilty for not listening to him before. The friend goes on to talk about the effects of heroine in the body and as the conversation goes on, a hidden care for his brother can be sensed from the narrator. He even sent a letter to Sonny and this correspondence continues until Sonny returned to New York. This story has several flashbacks that contribute to the readers comprehension of the history of the distance of the two brothers and how they both overcome that distance little by little. In the last scene of the story, the narrator found himself in a jazz club where his brother works and so he understood that this was indeed what Sonnys world looks like. This is where the two brothers were finally reunited by music as the narrator listens to his Sonny and his friends. The usual experience of suffering is one of the things that makes men relate to each other and by denying these feelings, the narrator has denied himself a place among his community and friends. This last scene illustrates how the narrator took one more step into discovering his brother and how through his own suffering and Sonnys example, he found himself in the brotherhood and company of men (Murray p. 197). The common theme of Goodbye My Brother and Sonnys Blues is family relationships. What makes these story appealing and real is the amazing insight that John Cheever and James Baldwin have on familial relationships. These two authors were able to successfully explore the notion of identity and social context in the stories and the readers feel a more personal connection with the character because they were told from a first persons point of view. James Baldwins Sonnys Blues opens when the narrator found out through a newspaper that his brother was arrested for heroin dealing. Interestingly, the two stories involve two brothers but in contrast, Sonny Blues talks about how the two brothers were able to understand each other and Goodbye My Brother talks about the misunderstanding and refusal to reach out between two brothers. The striking contrast can be seen at the ending of the two stories. Goodbye My Brother ends with the bathing of Helen and Dianne at sea. After the fight of the unnamed narrator and Lawrence, nothing was said about them making amends and things were left the way they were. On the other hand, Sonnys Blues ends very well. At first, the two brothers here were distant like the brothers in Goodbye My Brother but over time, they have come to understand each other. Starting from the moment of Sonnys arrest, the two brothers are getting closer and closer and in the end of the story, Sonny declared the narrator as his brother for the very first time (Baldwin, p. 23). Unlike here in Sonnys Blues, the brother in Goodbye My Brother both lack the willingness to reach out and make an effort to fix their relationship and understand each other. Some critics mentioned that the ending of Goodbye My Brother displayed the authors familiarity with the King James version and that of Shakespeares works (Boyle, p. 1). In the same way, Sonnys Blues also depicts Baldwins biblical sense. These two stories both use symbolism which makes the story profoundly interesting to the readers. The narrator Baldwins story can be likened to the character of Cain. In Genesis, after Cain kills his brother Abel, God asks Cain about his brother and he answered by saying that he is not his brothers keeper. The final conversation between the narrator and his mother sends a message to the readers that their mother wants him, to be his brothers keeper but the narrator failed in doing his duty and this failure was made clear in the opening lune of the story. The narrators act of relying on the newspaper to know the whereabouts of his brother is not a sign of keeping his promise to his mother that he will take care of Sonny. As a matter of fact, Sonny did not even phone him after the arrest was made and this only shows the distance between them in the start of the story (Tackach, p. 4). Lastly, both stories carry a social message that many people today will find applicable. In Goodbye My Brother, the refusal of the brothers to fix their broken relationship was the primary factor that led to the violent ending of their relationship and as the title implies, the brothers are ready to cut their bond to each other while in contrast, it is the willingness of Sonny and his brother that led to the harmonious reconciliation of their relationship. Happy ending or not, many people learned what life is like for those who harden their hearts and for those who open them for it is in the shared intensity of suffering that darkness is pierced and a new ray of hope is born. Works Cited Baldwin, James. Sonnys Blues in Vintage Baldwin. New York: Vintage. 2004. Print. Boyle, T. â€Å"On Learning to Appreciate John Cheevers Stories†. NPR. org. NPR. 2006. Web. 2010. http://www. npr. org/templates/story/story. php? storyId=5652619. Cheever, John. The Stories of John Cheever. New York: Random House, Inc. 1978. Print. Flibbert, Joseph. Sonnys Blues: Overview in Reference Guide to Short Fiction. US: St. James Press. 1994. Print. Murray, Donald. James Baldwins Sonnys Blues:Complicated and Simple. NY: Newberry College. 1977. Print. Tackach, James. â€Å"Biblical Foundation of James Baldwins â€Å"Sonnys Blues†. BNET. 2007. Web. 20 May 2010. http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_qa3777/is_200701/ai_n19197653/pg_4/ Wood, Ralph. The Modest and Charitable Humanism of John Cheever. Christian Century. USA: Christian Century Foundation. 1982. Print.

Grays Behavioral Activation System Psychology Essay

Grays Behavioral Activation System Psychology Essay Gray proposed that personality is rooted from two neuropsychological systems that control behavior and emotions. One of the two systems is the behavioral activation system (BAS), which functions on the concept of positive reinforcement. Previous research has indicated that the mesolimbic dopaminergic pathways are responsible for the activation of BAS and sensitivity to the construct produces heightened reward from positive reinforcement. As such, prior studies have demonstrated similar correlations between high BAS sensitivity and low P300 amplitude as a precursor for psychopathological disorders, due to reward dependency. The present study used the Carver White (1994) questionnaire to obtain the BIS/BAS scales of 9 healthy, introductory psychology students. The event-related potential was an oddball paradigm of high frequency, low frequency and novel tones and P300 averages were extracted from an EEG. The low and high BAS scores both produced similar amplitudes, however the low sco res produced a shorter latency. The results indicate inconsistency and emphasize the need for further scientific research to expand on theoretical constructs, such as personality. Introduction Historically, the construct of personality was developed based upon philosophical principles that sought to explain the human psyche. As the theories of personality have become a major part of mainstream psychology today, the biopsychological components of personality have evolved into an innovative area of scientific research. Gray (1987) argued that personality is influenced by the two brain systems that control behavior and emotions. A component of this theory, the behavioral activation system, is portrayed as a personality construct with a neurological foundation. A neuropsychological paradigm is crucial in the deconstruction of theoretical hypotheses to influence the expansion and application of knowledge regarding human behavior. The use of electroencephalograms with event-related potentials and personality questionnaires regarding the behavioral activation system emphasize the importance for exploring theoretical constructs with scientific research. Based on research from animal learning paradigms, Grays (1993) personality theory asserts the idea that individual differences in personality traits mirror the variability in sensitivity towards stimuli affiliated with negative and positive reinforcement (Franken et al., 2006). The behavioral activation system is a neurological reward mechanism that is initiated by positive reinforcement. It mediates responses to signals of conditioned reward, non-punishment, escape from punishment and the activation influences progression toward goals (Harmon-Jones Allen, 1997). The opposite emotional system is the behavioral inhibition system; which is activated by conditioned stimuli associated with punishment or the termination of reward (Franken et al., 2006). That being said, the behavioral activation and inhibition systems are extremes of a continuum in which ones behavior is likely to be reinforced positively or negatively, depending on which part of the continuum they score. The behavioral activation system (BAS) is connected to positive feelings and approach behaviors when experiencing a reward (Gable et al., 2000). For example, an individual with high BAS sensitivity would seek out everyday type situations where they experienced positive reinforcement, or search for similar situations where they have a chance of being positively reinforced. Positive reinforcement is how people thrive in the world. From an evolutionary perspective, to go out and hunt for food when experiencing hunger, find food and bring it home to eat and share with family members so they can survive is an example of everyday positive reinforcement. The key difference between a typical situation and a situation in regards to an individual with high BAS sensitivity would be that the positive reinforcement would be differentially reinforced more so in comparison to conventional reinforcement (Franken et al., 2006). Grays (1993) theory of personality suggests that those with high behavioral activation sensitivity are predisposed to psychopathological disorders due to their perceived response from positive, differential reinforcement (Franken et al., 2006). That being said, impulsivity is a key characteristic of high BAS sensitivity and is a major variable in the susceptibility of risky behavior. Other correlations to high sensitivity are high psychoticism, neuroticism and extraversion, which demonstrates that high BAS sensitivity, could act as a precursor for delinquency among the population (Jorm et al., 1999). Neuroscience is beginning to identify strong relationships between BAS sensitivity and approach behaviors such as; conduct disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse and psychopathy. According to Gray (1993), the biological basis of BAS is associated with mesolimbic dopaminergic pathways ascending from nucleus A10 of the ventral tegmentum of the brainstem (Matthews Gilliland, 1999). Recent studies involving substance use indicate the similarity between dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens and the emotional high observed in alcohol and drug users. Thus, implying that BAS sensitivity and is related to addictive behaviors and substance abusers have an increased responsiveness to stimuli associated with rewards (Franken et al., 2006). Sutton and Davidson (1997) claim that throughout various clinical and laboratory observations, the left prefrontal cortex is a biological substrate of approach behavior and positive affect; whereas the right prefrontal cortex exhibits the opposite behaviors, imposing the locality of the behavioral inhibition system. When damaged, the left prefrontal cortex influences depressive symptomatology due to the inhibition of approach behaviors (Sutton Davidson, 1997). More specifically, the reward signal begins with increased dopamine cellular activity in the ventral tegmental area, which labels environmental stimuli with appetitive value and appears to signal motivating events (Kalivas Nakamura, 1999). The glutamatergic input from the amygdala and afferents cue behavior if the stimulus is a conditioned reward. The nucleus accumbens and afferents to the nucleus accumbens serve distinct functions involving motivational circuitry, which would reinforce the behavior. The major neurotransmitters involved in the motivational circuitry are GABA, glutamate and dopamine, however; encephalin, serotonin and acetylcholine are also present. Finally, afferents from the prefrontal cortex integrate information from short-term memory into a behavioral response (Kalivas Nakamura, 1999). To explore theories of previous research regarding brain localization and processes of BAS, a method of measuring cortical activation could be initiated, such as an event-related potential with an electroencephalogram (EEG). Event-related potentials (ERPs) are a non-invasive method of measuring brain activity during cognitive processing (Johnson et al., 1987). ERPs are linked in time with a physical or mental event and are extracted from an EEG by means of signal averaging (Duncan et al., 2009). The transient electric potential shifts are time-locked to the stimulus onset; such as the presentation of a word, sound, or image. Each component reflects brain activation associated with one or more neurological operations. In contrast to behavioral measures, such as error rates and response times, ERPs are characterized by simultaneous multi-dimensional online measures of negative or positive polarity, amplitude, latency, scalp distribution and its relation to experimental variables (Dunca n et al., 2009). Thus, ERPs are beneficial and can be used to differentiate and aid in the identification of psychological and neural sub-processes involved in complex cognitive, motor or perceptual tasks (Nijs et al. 2007). An electroencephalogram (EEG) precisely measures these shifts in polarity with a distribution of electrodes placed on the participants scalp (Duncan et al., 2009). The most analyzed component of the event-related potentials is at the p300 wave. Peaking as early as 250ms or as late as 900ms, the p300 is emitted by the brain when the participant recognizes and processes and incoming stimulus (Coles Rugg, 1995). It is usually elicited using the oddball paradigm in which low-probability target items are mixed with high-probability non-target items. The latency between stimulus and response is the stimulus evaluation time and is controlled by the pace in which the subject can place the stimulus into the correct category and respond (Coles Rugg, 1995). The amplitude of the p300 depends on the probability of the target stimulus, and in an oddball paradigm, the rarer the event; the larger the amplitude will be of the p300 (Coles Rugg, 1995). The amount of information processed also influences the amplitude suggesting that the p300 reflects a process in which the incoming information modifies and updates the current model of the environment (Coles R ugg, 1995). The p300 is divided into two components: the P3a and the P3b. The P3a is elicited over the frontal regions of the scalp and is represented as a positive component. The P3a occurs when a third novel stimulus is incorporated into the simple oddball structure and has a shorter latency than the p300 (Johnson et al., 1987). The P3b is then defined as the classical p300, which is distributed over the centro-parietal area. The behavioral activation system has three subscale components: reward-responsiveness, fun seeking and drive. The reward system and brain structures hypothesized in previous studies provide a strong argument in regards to BAS. Increased levels of dopamine and high BAS scores should be significantly correlated, as the function of dopamine involves increasing the readiness to discover new experiences. As such, it should also be appreciated that norepinephrine was not included as a key player in the neurotransmitters involving the reward system. One would assume that dopamine and norepinephrine would go hand in hand in regards to reward, as norepinephrine is the major neurotransmitter involved in motivation (Franken et al., 2006). A study by Nijs et al. (2007) was conducted on 50 healthy, adult individuals using the Carver and White (1994) questionnaire and a visual oddball paradigm with averaging from an EEG. Previous studies incorporating BAS scores and extracting ERP averages from an EEG were unknown to Nijs et al. (2007), however they predicted a negative correlation between BAS scores and the p300 amplitude for their study. They did address the reoccurring theme in previous research of a low p300 amplitude and impulsivity, psychopathy and substance use disorders. The results of the study demonstrated significant positive correlations were found between BAS and p300 amplitude (Nijs et al., 2007). Therefore, the hypothesis for this study is that those with high BAS sensitivity scores will produce large p300 amplitude to the rare stimulus, because of the P3bs indication of low activity in those with psychiatric disorders. Methods Sample Participants for the study were recruited from introductory to psychology classes. They were given the option of writing a paper or volunteering for a study involving personality in the research lab and receiving credit compensation. Those who volunteered for the study were informed that if they were on medication or had medical conditions that conflicted with EEG results, then they would be discharged. This research study initially began with a total of twelve introductory to psychology students; however, adequate data was only retrieved from nine participants. Instruments An online version of the Carver and White (1994) Behavioral Inhibition System and Behavioral Activation System Questionnaire was completed by each participant prior to the study. This questionnaire is the latest BAS/BIS updated measurement questionnaire involving the three subscales of BAS (reward responsiveness, drive and fun seeking). Upon arrival, a medical form was filled out to give an indication of health status and a consent form was distributed and signed. A type of oddball paradigm was utilized and an electroencephalogram (EEG) recorded and averaged the corresponding event-related potentials. Procedure After receiving the completed questionnaires, the total scores were then calculated. Those students participating in the study were given an outline of the regulations and procedures of the experiment. Upon entering the research laboratory, the medical and consent forms were filled out before commencing the study. Participants were then connected to the EEG using the Jasper 10-20 placement, which particularly involves the electrodes Fz, Cz, Pz and reference electrodes behind the ears. Electrodes were also placed under the right eye and the ground electrode on the forehead to identify muscle activity that might be confused with brain activity. The student was then directed into an isolated room where they received headphones and were presented with the oddball paradigm. In random sequence a rare low frequency tone, high frequency tone and a novel tone were administered. The participants were made aware that when the target low frequency tone was presented they needed to respond by cli cking a button. Once all stimuli were executed, participants were disconnected from the EEG instruments and the data obtained was explained. Any questions the participants had were answered and credit compensation was then provided. Results Those who scored high in behavioral activation system on the Carver and White (1994) questionnaire showed small P300 amplitude. P300 amplitude also highlighted a positive correlation in regards to the rare stimulus: as BAS scores increased, P3b amplitude increased. The high BAS scores produced a longer latency on the P300, in comparison to the low BAS scores. Those who scored low in behavioral activation system had similar P300 amplitudes indicating a non-significant result among averages of the two groups. Those who scored low in BAS also exhibited a significantly shorter latency, meaning they were quicker to respond and categorize the incoming stimuli. Table 1. P3 amplitude and latency scores for high and low scores on BAS personality trait. Figure 1. Average of high and low BAS scores extracted from Pz component of EEG electrode using oddball paradigm ERP.kathleen curtis Graph averages P3 High and low.jpg Discussion The present study hypothesized that higher BAS scores would produce large P300 amplitude. The results showed inconsistency, as there is not a significant difference among those who scored high and low on the behavioral activation system scale in this study. The amplitudes at Fz, Cz and Pz were all relatively small and similar among low and high BAS scores. The significant data found in the results was the latency differences between high and low scores. Each electrode produced a significantly different result with the lower scores having shorter latencies. Those who scored higher on the Carver White (1994) BAS questionnaire respond slower to the evaluation of stimuli than those who scored lower. As both low and high scores generated similar amplitudes, generalizing previous studies of high BAS sensitivity and low P300 amplitude should be cautioned. The sample size of this study was small; therefore further research should increase this to obtain a more representative sample. The age of participants is also a factor that should be taken into consideration for this study, as alterations in behavioral activation and inhibition scores have been known to occur with time. The gender of the participants is a variable that should be recognized for future research as personality and gender could be interrelated. Also, the accuracy of the participants performance on the online questionnaires is a limitation for consideration and the stimuli may also not represent a true portrait of the construct. Both theoretical and neuropsychological explanations contribute the greatest understanding of constructs in psychology, such as personality. This is evident among the research conducted that involves the behavioral activation system. These advancements allow for the expansion and application of such knowledge to situations that have the potential to better society. For example, awareness of the behavioral activation and inhibition systems could aid the education systems to develop curriculum that is more suitable to the individual. Also, more intensive BIS/BAS measurements could potentially identify children/youth at risk and induce the early on set of proactive measures. It is obvious the possibilities are endless when the latest technology brings together science and theory.

Hamlets Brilliant Outline :: essays papers

Hamlets Brilliant Outline What did Shakespeare know about the depths of a man and the battle inside to write a play that would captivate every generation to come from then on? As I analyze this play, I will carefully attend to details in which forms the structure of the play. Moreover I will attempt to show how in Act four of this play, Shakespeare proficiently brings together the main plot and sub-plots of the play, and moves rapidly towards the final resolution. Shakespeare decided to set corruption in Elsinor, a royal castle in medieval Denmark. Prior to the first act Hamlet’s mother, Queen Gertrude is widowed to King Hamlet. When this tragedy starts, we are introduced to Marcellus, Bernardo, and Francisco who guard the castle at night. While on watch an apparition of King Hamlet appeared to them and they then knew something was wrong, the question was what should they do. Once hamlet learns of his father’s return, he at once insists that he go on watch to witness his father’s appearance. The following night Hamlet’s father does appear and commands Hamlet to avenge his death. Hamlet’s father tells him of the corruption that has taken place behind the walls of Elsinor. He informs Hamlet of his uncle’s rage and what it has lead him to do. He tells Hamlet of the serpent who stung him, and how he goes by the name of Claudius. Hamlets composure wit, and strength would know be tested to their limits. What could Hamlet do, what would he do? A clever wit and common sense are his only hope to avenge his father’s death. Hamlet then lives in madness and by that madness hopes to force Claudius to confess his sin. Act One is considered to be a link in the revenge plot sequence, which is commonly known as the main plot. Act One distinguishes relationships between all of the characters in the play, and carefully develops an early rising climax, It allows the audience to be aware of the stirring plight, which would soon come to be unveiled. From Act Two to Act Four, it is solely the rising action of the play that we encounter, until we rapidly reach the climax in which murderous events take shape. (Act1-3) Hamlet displays actions of madness towards Ophilia; he uncovers the truth about his fathers’ murder, and learns it was truly his uncle who murdered him.

Good Girls Gone Bad :: essays research papers

Good Girls Gone Bad   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bars slammed against the cold metal; the sound of screaming and chaos filled the cell. I could hear a young girl crying in the cell next to mine and it made me sigh with sadness. As a former inmate of the State of Texas women’s prison facility, the echoes of the sounds I heard daily, still remain fresh in the back of my mind. Coming to terms with my sentence and trying to figure out what had landed me there sparked a curios interest. The increasing rate of women in prison and the factors leading them behind bars was clearly becoming more obvious as I spoke and lived with the ladies in white jumpsuits. To prevent and help these women and to also help those who have yet to make their same mistakes we need to better understand and evaluate some causes for their imprisonment. There are three main factors that I believe to be a major contributor to our daughters, mothers and children living behind bars: family status or situation, drug abuse and criminal activit ies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Family status and situations are important to our daily balance in life. We often depend on and care for those who we are closest to. A woman who had had an unstable or hostile living environment, whether it be rape, incest or molestation, will be more likely to end up living in prison for part or all of her life. Our family or caregiver(s) plays a vital role in determining our future success. If we are brought up with morals and Leslie McEntire Page 2 Respect towards others, we are less likely to want to be involved in criminal activity or drug use. As humans we also like to be hugged and kissed by those who call us their Own. If that affection and love is violated or destroyed all together, there is little chance for a normal recovery without expensive counseling.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Drug abuse was evident in almost every face I saw while at Plane State Jail. Although I was only 25 years old, I was aware of what drug use was doing to our beautiful women. It was written on their faces, scarred on their body and forever etched into their minds and souls. Although deadly and unrewarding consequences emerge from drug use, women continue to use and abuse hundreds of illegal substances. In many cases, women were using drugs because of pressures from their boyfriend. Good Girls Gone Bad :: essays research papers Good Girls Gone Bad   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bars slammed against the cold metal; the sound of screaming and chaos filled the cell. I could hear a young girl crying in the cell next to mine and it made me sigh with sadness. As a former inmate of the State of Texas women’s prison facility, the echoes of the sounds I heard daily, still remain fresh in the back of my mind. Coming to terms with my sentence and trying to figure out what had landed me there sparked a curios interest. The increasing rate of women in prison and the factors leading them behind bars was clearly becoming more obvious as I spoke and lived with the ladies in white jumpsuits. To prevent and help these women and to also help those who have yet to make their same mistakes we need to better understand and evaluate some causes for their imprisonment. There are three main factors that I believe to be a major contributor to our daughters, mothers and children living behind bars: family status or situation, drug abuse and criminal activit ies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Family status and situations are important to our daily balance in life. We often depend on and care for those who we are closest to. A woman who had had an unstable or hostile living environment, whether it be rape, incest or molestation, will be more likely to end up living in prison for part or all of her life. Our family or caregiver(s) plays a vital role in determining our future success. If we are brought up with morals and Leslie McEntire Page 2 Respect towards others, we are less likely to want to be involved in criminal activity or drug use. As humans we also like to be hugged and kissed by those who call us their Own. If that affection and love is violated or destroyed all together, there is little chance for a normal recovery without expensive counseling.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Drug abuse was evident in almost every face I saw while at Plane State Jail. Although I was only 25 years old, I was aware of what drug use was doing to our beautiful women. It was written on their faces, scarred on their body and forever etched into their minds and souls. Although deadly and unrewarding consequences emerge from drug use, women continue to use and abuse hundreds of illegal substances. In many cases, women were using drugs because of pressures from their boyfriend.

Research Paper on Teen Pregnancy

Teenage Pregnancy: Who's To Blame? Over the past 10 years, teenage pregnancy has escalated about 10%. As the years pass, more blames for teen pregnancy come up. The first few years that teen pregnancy became a problem, the people blamed the girl that became pregnant. Then as it progressed worse and worse, the blame pointed to the father of the unborn child. When the movie â€Å"June' came out in around 2009 that became blame. Then came â€Å"16 and pregnant† and â€Å"Teen Mom†.Hollywood started clamoring teen pregnancy pretty much saying its okay to be a teen mom because you can become ammos. This made the girls of the U. S think â€Å"Maybe since these girls are becoming famous for being a teen mom maybe I can too†. Then there's the no sex education in the schools. Schools these days think that all teens know about sex so why teach it? Teenage pregnancies are 100% preventable. Teenagers should make the right decision and choose abstinence. If they choose to ha ve premarital sex then they should take the right precautions to prevent pregnancies.Media and society plays a huge role in teen pregnancy. â€Å"16 and pregnant† is a show that publicizes pregnant teenage girls. It shows their struggles in life as a pregnant teen, how they try to deal with the Judgment of their peers, trying to go through school, having the baby, and trying to be a teenager. Another blame for teen pregnancy is peer pressure. Friends getting pregnant and boyfriends are the main peer pressure girls get. When a friend gets pregnant some girls get Jealous of the attention their friend is getting so they go and get pregnant so they can have the attention too.Then there's the boyfriend factor; most teenage boys are sexually active and continue that way with all the girls he boy comes in contact with. Most guys think â€Å"Oh well since all these girls she hangs around with are doing it I'll push her into doing it with me†, or they'll pull the â€Å"if you love me† card. As a teenage girl there are many things going through your mind when a boy likes you and wants to have relations with you. You think about if he really loves you, if he'll leave you if you don't do it, etc. Cost teenage girls that become pregnant will tell you miss, I became pregnant to maintain a stable relationship with my boyfriend†. There are also many schools that don't offer sex education. Most schools already have a high number of teenage pregnancies so they don't think they need it because most of the kids there are already sexually active. The other half of schools that do offer sex education, don't have any kids that sign up for the class. In 2009-12 there are more teenagers out there that are sexually active then there ever has before.Sex education is the place where kids learn about sex and how to take the right precautions to maintain health. A living environment is also to blame. If a teenage girl lives in a not so good part of town and her m other was also a teen mom, that girl might become a teen mother. Yes, a girl may not become a teen mom in those living environments, but they also can come in contact other bad influences. Most girls that are pregnant, and or have had sex stated that they were either intoxicated or under the influence of illegal drugs.Parent's are also a blame for teenage pregnancies. When parent doesn't have tell the child about sex or having babies, it hurts the child in the long run because when contraceptives. Also, when a parent drills into their kids' heads â€Å"don't have sex or lull be tramp† â€Å"don't get pregnant or I'll kick you out and you'll be homeless†, and try to restrict the kid from dating, talking to, hanging out with, or any type of contact with the opposite sex will cause the child to rebel against their parent's thus having sex and getting pregnant.In 2009, 1 of 11 year olds have had sex, 2. 4% of 12 year olds, even though pregnancy at these ages is very rare, sexual activity is more likely to be in the teens. 5. 4% of 13 year olds, 11% of 14 year olds, 20% of 15 year olds, 33% of 16 year olds, more than half of the teens 17 to 19 said that they were sexually active UT 25% said they have not until the age of 20 (Gale, 2007). The average age of a teen having premarital sex is 16. 4 years in Caucasians and 15. 5 years in African Americans (Talk of the Nation, 2008).It is estimated that 19% of teenage girls who get pregnant opt for abortion, with about 52% of women younger than 25 years old getting abortions. Of the girls who give birth, most decide to keep their babies. Between 1982 and 1988, only 3% of Caucasian girls gave up tier babies for adoption, compared to the 19% between 1965 and 1972. That figure is even smaller for African American arils. These figures still hold generally the truth now days (World of health, 2007). Not only does premarital sex without contraceptives lead to pregnancy it also leads to Studs that can lead to perma nent sickness and even death.Teenage mothers are at more risk of health problems than adult mothers. They are more open to dieses such as tootsie, anemia, and upperclassman. The number one contraceptive used by teenagers is birth control. It is 100% effective if taken the right way. The pro side of teen pregnancy is that you get to have a baby and that's about it. The con side of teen regency is that you are a child your self and you are in your teens you are suppose to have fun and live life.Teen pregnancy is becoming an epidemic and it needs to stop because the abortion rate is sky rocketing, babies are being left out in the rain with no parental guidance. Yes, there are some teens out there that are great parent's but they are very slim. When it comes to having children, teenagers are not able to raise them because they are children themselves. If teenagers think they are mature enough to have premarital sex then they should make the mature decision to prevent pregnancies.

Four Traditions of Geography Essay

Four Tradition of Geography The Four Traditions of Geography has many different assumptions and aspects of geography; aspects ranging from basic mapping and geometry, to the impact on nature of humans and the processes of the earth itself. Geographers can study and explain their research by selecting a certain tradition that leads to many different fields of geography. â€Å"There are four traditions whose identification provides an alternative to the competing monistic definitions that have been a geographer’s lot† (Pattison 1964). The following discussion treats the traditions in this order: (1) a spatial tradition, (2) an area studies tradition, (3) a man-land tradition and (4) an earth science tradition† (Pattison 1964). Pattison is exploring all the categories of geography and he is explaining how these different traditions can uncover the meanings of different studies of geography. â€Å"Going further one can uncover the meanings of â€Å"systematic geogra phy,† â€Å"regional geography,† â€Å"urban geography,† â€Å"industrial geography,† etc. † (Pattison 1964). Spatial tradition is an area of concentration that relies on geometry and movement. It also is the study of mapping as seen in the ancient Greece recordings of such, and it also deals with the GIS system. GIS is any system that captures, stores, analyzes, manages, and presents data that are linked to a location. It explores the central place theory and how it is used in geography. Central place theory is the geography theory that seeks to explain the number, size and location of human settlements in an urban system. Area Studies, just like the spatial tradition it has roots from many, many years ago. The Greek philosopher, Strabo, wrote an encyclopedia about geographical knowledge. â€Å"He is Strabo, celebrated for his Geography which is a massive production addressed to the statesmen of Augustan Rome and intended to sum up and regularize knowledge not of the location of places and associated cartographic facts, as in the somewhat later case of Ptolemy, but of the nature of places, their character and their differentiation† (Pattison 1964). The area-studies tradition was tended to be excluded from early American professional geography. Today, it is beset by certain champions of the spatial tradition who would have one believe that somehow the area studies way of organizing knowledge is only a subdepartment of spatialism† (Pattison 1964). It concentrates on the descriptions of regions in order to differentiate them from other regions and areas. Being able to understand geography in these terms can reveal the deepest knowledge of the world’s environment. The Man-Land tradition describes the human impact in nature and also the impact of nature on humans, and it also defines the nature disasters our world takes on. Social Darwinism simply grabbed a theory from the biosciences and applied it to social happenings without the lengthy process of trial and error for social data which led to environmentalism. Environmentalism is a broad philosophy and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the environment. Man-Land gives us the basic perception on the environment and what is happening to it. The earth science tradition, embraces the study of the earth, the waters of the earth, and the atmosphere surrounding the earth and the association between the earth and the sun† (Pattison 1964). On two different hands of the topic, it is being used and then it is not being used. â€Å"On one hand, it is not always elected as the best tradition as it has been decreasing in use from past decades, while on the other one knows that college departments rely substantially, for justification of their role in general education, upon curricular content springing directly from this tradition† (Pattison 1964). It also acknowledges the human impact on the planet but mainly focuses on the planet itself and its physical processes. Geology, mineralogy, paleontology, glaciology, and meteorology all have rooted out of these studies. From reading â€Å"Four Traditions of Geography† and â€Å"In Search of Synthesis,† Area Studies tradition is my personal preference on this matter. Gober talks about the many different specialties that lie in between human and physical geography, and I grasped that I am more of a physical, on-hands doing person. With human geography you study societies as a whole and I am more interested in urbanization of the earth and how we can use the land we have in a fashion that is basically perfect. I am interested in the different regions because I am really fascinated in real estate and I figure I would learn a whole lot about the physical aspect of geography. I feel that I could really excel in real estate with this kind of learning. The Four Traditions of Geography has different definitions and aspects of geography. With the information given, people are given the opportunity to understand what geography is all about and be able to break geography down and select a certain practice from the very selective topic. â€Å"It is hoped that through a widened willingness to conceive of and discuss the field in terms of these traditions, geography will be better able to secure the inner unity and outer intelligibility† (Pattison 1964). William D. Pattison, The Four Traditions of Geography, (1964).