Outline the positive and negative features of the command economy Research Paper Example

Outline the positive and negative features of the command economy Research Paper Example Outline the positive and negative features of the command economy Paper Outline the positive and negative features of the command economy Paper The essential economic problem is limited resources, such as land, labour, capital and enterprise, in relation to unlimited wants. Because of this, people need to answer the three basic economic questions: what to produce, how to produce and for whom to produce. Therefore there is a need for effective resource allocation with effective answers or rather methods of organizing the production, distribution, exchange, sharing goods and services. Allocation of scarce resources is organized through several different economic systems. The idea of the command economy is to answer the three basic economic questions completely by the government (not by the market forces) and that means also that all factors of production are owned by the government. It is based upon the Karl Marxs (1818-1883) theory that all people are equally. This way of answering the questions is not perfect and hence contain both advantages and disadvantages. Positive features The Government is very powerful (so overall there is the possibility to grow economically very quickly from a poor background) and plans everything for the society. These social goals are also individual goals, thus the state cares for every person equally: It distributes and redistributes the wealth equally, so that everyone has the same income. Current spending, such as in social welfare, government employees, defense, health, pensions, debt repayments, is made by the government and therefore the society receive all these goods and services for free. Capital spending, such as in the infrastructure, e. g. : airports, housing, roads and rails, education, telecommunication, is made by the government and therefore the society receive all these for free as well. Moreover there is enough provision of essential services, law and order, cultural affairs, international relations and social issues. Factors of production are not just mobile because of governments help or plans, they are also used effectively, that means that unemployment and inflation do not exist. This is because the prices are constant, they are controlled by the government, not by constantly changing/insecure market forces: The government shifts the demand by prices and advertising from goods with negative and positive externalities- constant high prices on harmful goods like cars and alcohol to reduce their consumption nd constant low prices on basic commodities like food, housing, health care, public transport (to ensure that consumers are able to afford adequate supplies)2. Likewise the value of the currency is constant and there is no lack of essential goods. As a result of all these features the command economy there is no abuse of any power and it is equally advantageous for all people. But these positive features exist just measured with inside parameters, that means just in the theory, because the reality is also measured with outside parameters, negative features do exist: Negative features In a command economy there is no private property, no self interest in profit, no competition, no freedom of choice and all of the governments targets are quantitative not qualitative. Because they are just quantitative, growth occurs, but without development. A good real world example are the consequences of the cold war (1945-1991): there was an increase in the output of military goods, but no equal increase in the output of civilian goods, therefore no development: The consumer could only choose to spend income on those things the government decided to produce. Consumer wishes were often a poor third in the plan after investment needs and defence needs were met. 5 Production costs are not reflected in prices. For example, it may cost more to produce a good or service, than the purchased price is. Since prices act not as signals, the government just suppressed the inflation, because it is not possible to convert prices because of the difference of inside parameters to outside parameters. One of the results is that the economy is when not able respond quickly to new conditions. And so there is only little economic efficiency, first, because in reality there is unemployment, (it is likely to be hidden or disguised), but many people produced very little, their marginal product is very low, inefficiency is high and secondly, the principles of profit and loss do not exist, as well as the concept of competition, there is just one firm per product and what is why inefficient firms do not close and goods and services are not produced at the lowest possible cost, so resources are wasted and this leads to more or real loss and bad quality all in all it is not a very effective way resource allocation. The consequence of this is that the government needs to use also alternative methods like queuing or rationing. Furthermore black markets and corruption are likely to arise. Conclusion If all people are equal, that means all people are equally rich or poor, there is absolutely no motivation in development, because the government says that it should be like is. But governments plans are imperfect because they are made by imperfect human beings who naturally cannot detect demand precisely6 (they have no signals). Above all governments think that the demand is fixed so the supply needs to be fixed the reality shows the contrary: Planning has been and is the most effective way in simple economies or wartime. On certain levels this economic program met with considerable success. In the 1940s the Soviet state withstood the German onslaught and emerged from the Second World War as a global power. Also, in the ensuing years the Soviet Union was able to maintain a military industrial complex that allowed it to contend with the United States on a global basis. But as economies grow more richer, they grow more complex and then the command idea fails7 in achieving the optimal resource allocation (see also above: diagram1): Today all economies are mixed. But those who were or are more centrally planned had or have more problems with poverty, unemployment, development, etc. The comparison with a country without command economy shows that the other country is nearer to the PPF and the command with command economy is not close enough to the PPF, that means there is ineffective use of factors of production. The aim to maximize profits is more important to the human nature than to serve the public interest. Yet it is not completely useless the positive features, to produce more public/merit goods, use all combinations of factors of productions and produce for all people, are integrated so that the economy is nearer to the PPF, by using the command concepts of the circular flow of income, transfer payments, commodity agreements, taxes and price controls.

The 3 Best Sites to Learn a New Word Every Day

The 3 Best Sites to Learn a New Word Every Day In terms of vocabulary development, we were all little geniuses in childhood, learning hundreds of new words every year. By the time we entered first grade, most of us had active vocabularies of several thousand words. Unfortunately, we werent geniuses for very long. By age 11 or 12, equipped with a sizable survival vocabulary, most of us lost some of our early enthusiasm for language, and the rate at which we picked up new words began to decline significantly. As adults, if we dont make deliberate efforts to increase our vocabularies, were lucky to pick up even 50 or 60 new words a year. The English language has so much to offer (at least half a million words by most reckonings) that it would be a shame to let our vocabulary-building talents go to waste. So heres one way that we can regain some of our youthful brilliance: learn a new word each day. Whether youre a student preparing for the SAT, ACT, or GRE, or simply an unabashed logophile (or lover of words), starting each day with a fresh word can be intellectually nourishing- and more enjoyable than a bowl of All-Bran. Here are three of our favorite daily word sites: all are free and available through e-mail subscriptions. A.Word.A.Day (AWAD) Founded in 1994, A.Word.A.Day at Wordsmith.org is the creation of Anu Garg, an India-born computer engineer who clearly enjoys sharing his pleasure in words. Simply designed, this popular site (over a million subscribers from more than 170 countries) offers concise definitions and examples of words that relate to a different theme every week. The New York Times has called this the most welcomed, most enduring piece of daily mass e-mail in cyberspace. Recommended for all word lovers. Oxford English Dictionary Word of the Day For many of us, the Oxford English Dictionary is the ultimate reference work, and the OED Word of the Day provides a complete entry (including a wealth of illustrative sentences) from the 20-volume dictionary. You can sign up to have the OEDs Word of the Day delivered by e-mail or RSS web feed. Recommended for scholars, English majors, and logophiles. Merriam-Websters Word of the Day Less expansive than the OED site, the daily word page hosted by this U.S. dictionary-maker offers an audio pronunciation guide along with basic definitions and etymologies. The Merriam-Webster Word of the Day is also available as a podcast, which you can listen to on your computer or MP3 player. Recommended for high school and college students as well as advanced ESL students. Other Daily Word Sites These sites should also be useful to high school and college students. Dictionary.com Word of the DayThe Learning Network (The New York Times)The Quotations Page Word of the Day Of course, you dont have to go online to learn new words. You can simply begin making a list of new words that you encounter in your reading and conversations. Then look up each word in a dictionary and write down the definition along with a sentence that illustrates how the word is used. But if you need a little encouragement to work on building your vocabulary every day, sign up for one of our favorite word-a-day sites.

Economic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Economic - Essay Example These factors go on to achieve economic objectives, promote economic growth, and shape fiscal policies. The term ‘money’ includes paper money, coins and checking accounts. The demand and supply of such assets determine the interest rate in an economy. The equilibrium interest rate is determined by the point where real money supply equates the real money demand. The money supply is controlled by the central bank. Real money demand is influenced by the interest rate and is positively correlated with real GDP. Influencing and changing the interest rate from the equilibrium rate results in conversions from (to) interest bearing deposits to (from) money. This allows the government to influence money holdings by the public. Interest rates are also positively related to the price level in a country. Keeping all other factors constant, a rise (fall) in the real interest rates brings about a rise (fall) in the real GDP. Hence economic growth could be promoted through interest rat es and therefore economic objectives could be achieved. The money market shows the equilibrium interest rates while the foreign exchange market shows the exchange rate. Combining the two markets yields a money forex diagram.

Investigating the use of enatomology in criminal investigations Essay

Investigating the use of enatomology in criminal investigations - Essay Example an insect’s development can be affected by a number of factors such as heat, water, fire etc. Also the time necessary before eggs are deposited will vary according to the species and may also be affected by the fact that groups are genetically and geographically different e.g. results in an English winter will be very different from those in a Florida swamp even if the species concerned is the same. Certain species of fly prefer urban, rather than rural environments, so for instance a body found invaded by such fly larvae in a rural situation may well mean that the person was killed in the city and the body subsequently dumped. Jerry Butler, an American forensic entomologist, reports that he uses mainly evidence from five species of flies, in his investigations. Taxonomy originally referred to the identifying and naming of living organisms, and the system of doing this in a scientific way was originally devised by Linnaeus though the system has been much expanded since . Butler claims that if particular flies are found and identified correctly and the ambient temperature is known then the time of death can be determined fairly exactly if the body is found quickly enough. The successful investigation may depend upon the correct analysis of material evidence found and in a case where a body has been undiscovered for some time this will include entomological evidence e.g. have fly eggs been laid and had time to hatch? In case II ( see appendix)the forensic entomologist was able to work backwards from the time that adult flies emerged in order to discover when the first eggs were laid. In Case I ( see appendix ) the instars were at stage 3 i.e they had at least 1517 accumulated degree hours. In the case of the child behind the stove the creatures were fully developed Knowing the times that takes may lead to being able to pinpoint the time the body was

New Team Leadership Essay Example for Free

New Team Leadership Essay SUMMARY: Our organization is adding a new department for the company’s strategic plan to enter a new market segment. As the manager for the new department for Team A, one must evaluate each team member to include myself. This evaluation should consist of any current situations that may arise, culture, and any urgent matters. To approach this in a sensible manner, one should use any principles or methodology along with any best practices or guidelines that can assist with coming to any decisions that may need to be made. Prior to arriving at any conclusions, meetings will need to take place with current management and the team to assess the plans put forth. These meetings with management should include a brainstorming session, while at the same time provide management the opportunity to critique and analyze any results, and therefore provide any valuable feedback that may come from these meetings. This will help to identify any strengths and weaknesses of the plans that are currently in the developing stage, thus allowing Team A to make the necessary changes to help ease the transitioning of the new department. In today’s world, teams are now becoming an intricate part of many organizations as they begin to shift toward team environments. As organizations shift towards team environments, it provide opportunities for multiple personality types to come together thus increasing the chance for success throughout the company. TEAM LEADERSHIP AND EVALUATIONS In order to develop a great team, the team must understand the company’s  goals and expectations of what management is requiring within the new department. As the leader of the team, one has to know what the team needs are and provide any tools necessary to accomplish those goals expected from us. As the manager of this new department, I will evaluate each member of the team, to include myself and try to properly define or identify the personality type of each individual. After providing the Jungian 16-Type Personality assessment to each team member, the result for one individual was the ENFP personality type and the results of the remaining 3 members that includes myself were ENTP personality type (University of Phoenix, 2014). PERSONALITY TYPES Team Member Jerry Villanueva – Jerry’s assessment score is ENFP. ENFP personality types identify individuals like Jerry as outgoing because he is people oriented. It also mentions he has a creative side and is a highly optimistic person. Another thing about an ENFP personality type is that these individuals are inspiring, expressive, social and values-oriented. They do not like to miss out on anything that is going on around them and like to experience social events (Personality Max, 2007 – 2014). Jerry can be beneficial in that his personality type provides energy to the team and is enthusiastic in this new endeavor presented to Team A. He can be an advocate through his support for the team while displaying his vision for the big picture. Jerry can be exciting for the team because he is a passionate individual and is energetic when around people (Personality Max, 2007 – 2014). Team Member Jason Sanford, Janette Salgado, and Eddie Trevizo – The remaining team members, Jason, Janette, and Eddie’s assessment score is ENTP. ENFP personality types identify individuals such as Jason, Janette, and me as innovative people who are looking for new ideas or a new way of doing things. Though we can be individualistic in pursuing our thoughts or actions, an ENTP personality type is also versatile in that one is able to do many different things or have many different uses and can embrace a variety of skills. ENTP is also entrepreneurial. In other words, one is willing to take the risk of accepting a new challenge such as becoming the manager of Team A. ENTP personality types like to be the originator through logic, curiosity, and like to invent as possibilities can seem endless in an endeavor such as this. The willingness to contribute is also a positive and  can be intellectual (Personality Max, 2007 – 2014). EVALUATING THE SITUATION Determining what is a true sense of urgency. Urgency does not necessarily mean that the new department is in crisis mode. Goals must still be met and as a manager one should take a look at the big picture to determine what needs are not being met. Do not change one’s expectations on what should get done. As a manager, one must look around to determine how to establish a sense of urgency as a positive way to re-enforce company culture through positive change. Team members should develop a vision and strategy, communicate the change, and empower the employees. Team A members need to consider how to approach employees without creating panic to take the new department into the new market segment so that it becomes successful while incorporating a new management style and new positive environmental, organizational, behavioral, and work culture. LEADERSHIP APPROACHES As a manager, one should adjust the management style to the current situation. One also must provide a vision, be trustworthy, and encourage team members and employees to receive positive reaction. The manager shall provide a proactive and powerful message to create motivation. Assure that the right tools are available for employee’s and provide the necessary training to stimulate achieve trustworthiness. Training should be provided to managers to develop understanding of how to better evaluate situations to become effective. Review the situation and involve everyone when wanting to lead across cultural barriers and become an effective leader. Leadership should follow the five dimensions which involve integrity, consistency, openness, competence, and loyalty (Coulter Robbins, 2012). PRINCIPLE TO APPLY Principles one would choose to apply from various theories such as leadership behaviors like the democratic style that involves employees in its decision making process while using feedback to coach employees. One would also incorporate the seven leadership traits which are: desire to lead, drive, honesty and integrity, intelligence, self-confidence, extraversion, and job knowledge. Combining the leadership traits and democratic style behavior can help to achieve the necessary results for the  launch of the new department (Coulter Robbins, 2012). CONCLUSION To conclude this memorandum, it is the desire of Team A to accept the challenge of incorporating different personalities and expertise to manage this new department. As manager, I accept full responsibility to ensure the success of this venture. Team A looks forward to creating a positive environment where visions, innovation, creativity, passionate, energetic, and enthusiastic individuals demonstrate and provide the drive to meet the company’s goals and expectations are met. Team A looks forward to a new and successful venture entering this new market segment and to a successful launch of the new department. References Coulter, M., Robbins, S. P. (2012). Management (11th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Personality Max. (2007 2014). Mypersonality.info. Retrieved from http://www.mypersonality.info/personality-types University of Phoenix. (2014). Self-assessment library 3.4. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, MGT521 website.

Camping Technology :: Camps Camping Technological Papers

Camping Technology Could something designed to make life easier end up ruining everything we have worked to preserve? Technology can sometimes be quite controversial. In my major, I have found that it can be almost more of a frustration than a blessing. In most industries, technological advancements are viewed as a positive step towards efficiency and economic growth. This is not always the case, however. In the camping industry, for example, the constant â€Å"improvements† are often a source of frustration to many die-hard campers. When people go on vacation they generally have a common goal, which includes relaxation, adventure, and escape from the stress of their everyday life. They often want to spend quality time with their family without distractions. Camping is an exciting and affordable way to get all of those things. For a relatively low price you can pitch a tent at a State Park and â€Å"get back to nature†-- at least that’s how it used to be. Unfortunately times are rapidly changing, and camping, as it was intended, seems to be a thing of the past. To illustrate my point, I would like to paint a picture of the typical State Park camping experience. Pretend you are a vacationing middle class businessman from down state wanting to take his family on a camping excursion â€Å"up north† over his two week summer vacation. In order to spend a night in one of Michigan’s beautiful State Parks, there is a simple procedure that everyone must go through. First, you must dial a toll-free number, 1-800-44-PARKS, (or use the internet to make a reservation at http://www.midnrreservations.com ) up to 6 months in advance to your pre-planned date of arrival. Spontaneity is overrated anyway. After you dial the number you have to type in the first four letters of the park that you wish to visit. At this point you will be connected with an operator in Maryland who will help you pick out a site number that will suit your needs from a park she’s never seen before in a state she has never been in. This is called privatization, whi ch is an issue for a different essay, which I will avoid complaining about in this paper. So, this operator takes your credit card information and charges you $20.00 per night, plus a $2.00 reservation fee. She will then spend 10 minutes reading you a list of rules and regulations for camping in a State Park.

The Significance of Suicide in Hamlet

The Significance of Suicide in Hamlet The concept of suicide is one that is greatly contemplated and discussed by Hamlet and other characters in William Shakespeare's play. It can be seen through two of Hamlet's soliloquies and his overall demeanor throughout the play. Hamlet has many issues that he must deal with such as the death of his father and the marriage of his uncle and mother. These two incidents led Hamlet to consider the extreme act of suicide to escape the fate that he had been bestowed. Although Hamlet did not commit suicide, in the end the path that he took inevitably led to his suicidal intentions and his eventual downfall.The contemplation of suicide threatens Hamlet and various characters in the play leading to the demise of the characters and the kingdom of Denmark. The sudden and tragic death of King Hamlet left the kingdom of Denmark and more importantly his son, Prince Hamlet, in a state of distress; as a quick fix to this problem Claudius married Gertrude. In t he beginning of the play, after Hamlet's confrontation with Claudius, he states in his soliloquy that, â€Å"O, that this too too solid flesh would melt / Thaw and resolve itself into a dew! Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd / His canon ‘gainst self-slaughter! O God! God! †(Act I, Sc. 2) Hamlet clearly expresses his Christian beliefs and his fear of being punished for â€Å"self-slaughter. † He believes that it is better to live in his current state then be damned to hell in the afterlife. One may view this outburst as his method of venting or an over exaggerated teenage rant. For it seems that Hamlet is not capable of dealing with the death of his father or the marriage, however incestuous it may be, in a reasonable and non-destructive way.The appearance of his father's ghost sparked a fire inside of Hamlet; he took it upon himself to avenge his father's death; a deed that he would not be able to complete if he committed suicide. Hamlet's Christian beliefs m ay have held him back from an untimely death at first but his craving for revenge overpowered everything else, driving him to live on. Hamlet was not the only person that struggled with his life and developed a disturbed psyche, the most notable character being Ophelia.Many factors led to Ophelia's death, one of the reasons being Hamlet's so-called fake craziness which drove him to ruin his relationship with Ophelia, but it wasn't the only factor that led to her downfall. Ophelia's father and brother, warned her against Hamlet, and even though she heeded their warning it led to her ultimate demise. Some people speculate that Ophelia was pregnant and in the Elizabethan era that this play takes place; suicide was the preferred method of â€Å"abortion† or a solution to premarital sex.Preceding Ophelia's death, she was in a mental state of distress and disturbance; this may have been a reason that led to her death. She may have viewed suicide as the only escape from her cruel, h arsh life after Hamlet denied her and after the death of her father; taking into account that her death may have been an accident. She was given a very forced funeral, the priest even stating that, â€Å"As we have warrantise: her death was doubtful. †(Act V, Sc. 1) Had her death been truly recognized as a suicide she would not have received a burial and her body most likely would have been left in the river to rot.The death of Ophelia was devastating to Hamlet, for when he heard of her death and saw her pale body in the casket, he admitted to Laertes and the clown that he did in fact love Ophelia. This deepened his depression, but strengthened his need to avenge his father. The controversy behind her death and the mock funeral that was held for her only further led Hamlet to lose faith in humanity and his own life. One of the greatest obstacles Hamlet faced was how he was going to avenge a murder without committing a crime.Although he wanted to avenge his father’s dea th, he did not want to do so under circumstantial evidence, he wanted to be completely sure that Claudius was the culprit. He underwent his plan by persuading the troupe to perform a play reenacting the killing of King Hamlet. Claudius' sudden departure from the room proved to Hamlet that his suspicions were true. This incident pushed Hamlet closer to death. His thoughts and conscience were clouded by the need to kill his father's murderer. Hamlet believed that if he committed this act he would find his resolve.He believed that he could not leave the world without finishing this task, but once he had done this, there would be nothing more except his questionable Christian faith and fear of the unknown to keep him in the light and away from the darkness; which in the end might not have been enough. Hamlet's iconic quote, â€Å"To be, or not to be: that is the question,† (Act III, Sc. 1) is the greatest example of his suicidal debate. Hamlet questions why it is not a common act for people to commit suicide, for individuals to escape reality and their current problems.He cannot fathom why a person would endure the tragedies of life throughout the years and whether it is nobler to do so or nobler to end it all. Albeit his Christian beliefs, Hamlet believes that the real reason is fear of the unknown. Death is an intangible force that cannot and will not be explained. Humans fear concepts they do not understand, so they would not willfully venture into unknown territory. One cannot foresee what lies beyond death, heaven, hell or nothingness and Hamlet realizes this, posing the question, â€Å"For in that sleep of death what dreams may come. †(Act III, Sc. ) Individuals feel they must attain truth and sanctity from their lives and ultimately our consciences get the better of us. â€Å"†¦conscience does make cowards of us all†¦ thus the native hue of resolution / Is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought. †(Act III, Sc. 1) T he events that occurred around Hamlet may have pushed him towards the brink of death, but they also allowed him to realize that life was worth living. Avenging his father's death was Hamlet's prime purpose in the play. He believed that if he in fact did commit â€Å"self-slaughter† that his father would have died in vain.His duty in life from then on was to investigate Claudius and avenge his father. During his return to Denmark, after being forced to leave, Hamlet witnesses Fortinbras and his army on their way to defeat King Claudius and reclaim their pride and power. Despite Fortinbras being an enemy of his country, Hamlet sees how ambitious and driven the man is. This allows Hamlet to realize that life is precious and that if Fortinbras can have that amount of motivation, so can he. â€Å"Witness this army of such mass and charge / Led by a delicate and tender prince / Whose spirit with divine ambition puff'd. †(Act IV, Sc. ) He now possesses a new goal that he feel s he must complete; warn his country of the Norwegians attack. Death overtook the entire kingdom of Denmark and Hamlet's entire family. The final scene of the play when Hamlet fights Laertes shows the internal corruption of the family and the kingdom. In a sense every person that died in the play committed suicide. Laertes' scheme with Claudius backfired on him and his death was caused by being slashed with his own poisonous blade. Gertrude drank the poisonous drink and although she was not aware of the poison she drank the drink willfully, even after being told by Claudius not to.Claudius died from his own poisonous sword, albeit it was forcefully thrust into his chest by Hamlet, he was without a doubt murdered by his own plan. Hamlet delayed his quest for vengeance and almost ran away from his mission; this delay led to his battle with Laertes and ultimately his demise. The sight of Hamlet dying made Horatio consider following him, he wanted to drink the poison and follow his frie nd into the afterlife, even if he did commit â€Å"self-slaughter†, the death of his friend was too much to bear, but Hamlet convinced him otherwise, so he may tell his story for years to come. But let it be. Horatio, I am dead / Thou livest; report me and my cause aright / To the unsatisfied. †(Act V, Sc. 2) These deaths left a bad taste in the mouth of the kingdom of Denmark and displayed the true colors of the royal family. From the beginning Hamlet and his family were on the path that would eventually lead them to their end. With the death of King Hamlet and the incestuous marriage of Claudius and Gertrude, Hamlet's life and the fate of the kingdom spiraled into madness. The play ended in various deaths and tragedies representing the true significance of suicide in the play of Hamlet.

Gelatin: Colloid and Conductivity Essay

In recent years there has been a revival of interest in the micellar theory of structure proposed by N~tgeli in 1852 as a theory for the structure of protoplasm. This theory has been taken over by colloid chemists and applied to the structure of many colloids as a result of the work of Zsigmondy (1), Pauli (2), McBaln (3, 4) and their co- workers. Laing and McBain (4) have further extended the micellar theory to the sol-gel transformation by proposing that the micellar unit of the gel state is identical with that in the sol. According to these authors: â€Å"All that is necessary is to assume that the particles become stuck together or oriented into loose aggregates, which may be chance granules or, more probably threads. † This conception is based on a study of sodium oleate, for which they found that in spite of the enormous change in viscosity involved in the change from sol to gel, such properties as electrical conductivity, lowering of the vapor pressure, refractive index, and sodium ion concentration remained identical in both the sol and the gel state. In support of their theory, Laing and McBain point out that Arrhenius (5) found the conductivity in gelatin-water-salt systems to be the same in both sol and gel. This aspect of the micellar theory has been extended by Gelfan (6) to protoplasm because he found that the conductivity of protoplasm remained independent of changes in viscosity and by Gelfan and Quigley (7) to the blood coagulation process since their experiments showed that during the coagulation process there is no change in the conductivity of shed whole blood or plasma, in spite of the almost infinite increase in viscosity during coagulation. In view of the concentration of excess electrolytes in the gelatin experiments of Arrhenius, as well as in protoplasm and in blood, the question arises whether the generalization from the findings on sodium oleate to all gelling systems, particularly among the proteins, is valid. In other words, is the identity of conductivity in the sol and gel state due to an identical micellar structure of these protein sys- tems, or is it due to the conductivity of the excess electrolytes being so much greater than the conductivity of the ionized protein salts that the difference in conductivity produced by the structural changes involved in the sol-gel transformation was not detectable by the experimental procedure employed? That there is little or no change in the conductivity and diffusibility of lectrolytes in colloidal systems on changing from sol to gel has long been known and is not a vital point in connection with the micellar theory of Lalng and McBain, since all theories of gel structure postulate that the structure pro- duced is enormous in size compared with ionic dimensions and thus exerts almost no hindering effect on ionic movement. To obtain a fuller insight into the question, the following study has been carried out on the conductivity of gelatin sols and gels. Gelatin was selected because it is an example of a protein capable of undergoing a reversible sol-gel transformation. In carrying out the study we had in mind the work of Krishnamurti (8) who, from a study of the light-scattering in sols and gels of agar, has concluded that the micellar structures in the two states are not identical; and also that of Craig and Schmidt (9) who found differences between the refractive indices of gelatin sols and gels. Experimental Procedure In measuring the conductivity, the Kohlrausch principle was employed, with the difference that a one-stage vacuum tube amplifier was introduced between the bridge and the telephone, which made it readily possible to make measure- ments accurate to 0. per cent. The source of the bridge current was a General Radio Oscillator, and the capacity of the conducting cell was balanced in parallel by the setting of an adjustable condensor. The conductivity cell used through- out the experiments was of the bottle type, constructed of Pyrex glass. A ther- mometer, readable to 0. 1 A °, was fitted into the neck of the ceil in such a way that it could be immersed in the gelatin without interfering with the continuity of the liquid betweeen the electrodes. All measurements were made at 25A °C. â€Å"Difco† granular gelatin was used in the experiments. It was purified and made ash-free according to the procedure described by Loeb (10). The purified gelatin on analysis was found to be totally ash-free and in aqueous solutions to have a pH value of 4. 75 as measured by the hydrogen electrode. The analysis of the gelatin in the experimental solutions was carried out by evaporating l0 cc. portions to dryness in porcelain crucibles and then heating at 110A °C. to constant weight. The plan of the experiments was to warm the gelatin to a temperature of about 37* to obtain the sol, fill the conductivity cell with he liquid gelatin, and then immerse the filled ceil in an oil thermostat kept at 25*. The leads of the con- ductivity bridge were connected with the ceil and when the temperature of the gelatin fell to 25 A ° as shown by the thermometer immersed in the gelatin, the con- ductivity reading was first taken, and then further readings were made at various time intervals. To check the conductivity readings, the gelatin in the cell w as again warmed up to 37 A ° and the procedure repeated. To obtain the conductivity of the gel, the cell filled with gelatin was cooled down in an ice chest to about 10 A ° to obtain a firm gel. The conductivity cell was then returned to the 25 A ° bath and the conductivity reading taken when the gel reached the 25A °temperature. As with the sol, the readings for the gel were checked by repeating the cooling. The experiments carried out were first, a series at different concen- trations of the pure isoelectric gelatin itself to determine the effect of variation in the concentration of gelatin. The results of this series are given in Table I. In this series, it was found that all concentrations of gelatin above 1 per cent set to a firm gel at 25 A °, but that concen- trations of 1 per cent or less remained in a semiliquid state at this temperature. From the results on the pure gelatin, a concentration of gelatin was selected that would set to a firm gel at the temperature of the conductivity measurements, namely, about 3 per cent, and experiments were next carried out on the effects of electrolytes on the conductivity of the sol-gel transformation. The electrolytes used were hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, and sodium chloride at varying concentrations. The results of these experiments are re- corded in Table II where there are recorded the gelatin content, the concentration of electrolyte added, the conductivity of sol and gel respectively, and the percentage difference of conductivity between the two states. In the measurement of the conductivity of the gelatin sols and gels it was found, except for those samples where there was no difference in conductivity between sol and gel, that the conductivity did not attain a constant value as soon as the 25 A ° temperature was attained, but on the contrary, continued to drift slowly even though the temperature remained unchanged thereafter. This drift was in the direction of a decreasing conductivity for the sol and an increasing conductivity for the gel, which on being allowed sufficient time, starting from either The lack of correspondence to a small degree between the gelatin concentration and the conductivity in certain of the experiments listed is explained by the drift in the conductivity noted in the text which makes an exact reproducibility in gelatin solutions impossible. the sol or gel state, finally reached a constant value representative of the equilibrium state of the gelatin at that temperature. In the present experiments, this equilibrium state for all except the 0. 9 percent gelatin of Table I was a firm gel. In the experiments where no difference in conductivity was found between the sol and gel condition, this drift was absent and in these samples when the thermostat tem-perature was once attained, the conductivity became constant. This was the result found for the first experiment of Table I, with a con- centration of 0. 90 per cent gelatin for which a semiliquid state was the state at 25 A ° and for the experiments of Table II where the con- ductivity difference between sol and gel was zero although firm gels were stable at the 25 A ° temperature. The conductivity figures for the rest of the experiments in Tables I and II are the values measured just after the thermostat temperature was attained by the gelatin. The data with the pure gelatin and the electrolyte-containing gelatin solutions are not in accord with McBain’s theory. Rather they are in harmony with the viewpoint that there is a distinct difference in the micellar units of the sol and gel state when a definite firm gel is formed. The gel state shows the lower conductivity of the two forms, which would be expected if the micellar unit of the gel is composed of aggre- gates of the sol micelles, thus naturally resulting in a lower electrical mobility. That the difference in conductivity is due mainly to electrical changes accompanying the structural changes of the sol-gel transformation is indicated by the experiments of Table I. Since in these experiments, the gelatin was completely ash-free, the measured conductivity can only be a measure of the electrical charge of the gelatin in the solution and the accompanying hydrogen ions. From the pH value of 4. 75 given by these solutions, the hydrogen ion concentration is less than 2 A— 10 -5 tools per liter, which, using the value of 350 for the hydrogen ion mobility, leads to the value of 0. 7 A— 10 -5 for the specific conductivity. This value in comparison with the values found for the gelatin, points to the conductivity coming mainly from the charged gelatin and that the decrease in conductivity on gelation is due to aggregation of the gelatin units. The data of Table II substantiate this point of view. When the electrolyte concentration is low there is a distinct difference between the conductivity of the sol and gel state. This difference decreases with increase in the electrolyte concentration and is no longer detected when the conductivity of the electrolyte-containing solutions increases about 100-fold the value of the difference in the conductivity between the sol and gel of the original isoelectric gelatin. The conductivity difference between the gelatin sols and gels as shown in Table II becomes undetectable at an electrolyte concentration of approximately 0. 01 molal, yet blood and protoplasm contain more than tenfold this amount. On this account, the experiments on the electrolyte-containing gelatin solutions throw grave doubts on the conclusion drawn by Gelfan for protoplasm and by Gelfan and Quigley for the blood coagulation process. In view of the large excess of free electrolytes in the systems studied by the above authors, the fact that they found no change in conductivity with changes in viscosity or on gelation, is, under the circumstances, no proof of either an identity of micellar structure in the different physical states of the systems they studied or of a micellar structure at all. From the present studies, along with Craig and Schmidt’s refractometric results, and the work of Krishnamurti on agar, it must be con- cluded that the McBain theory of an identical unit structure for the sol-gel state has no general applicability.

Example Cognitive Evaluation †Psychology Research Paper

Example Cognitive Evaluation – Psychology Research Paper Free Online Research Papers Example Cognitive Evaluation Psychology Research Paper Miss Alias volunteered to be evaluated in order to assist the examiner in obtaining experience and basic understanding in administering and interpreting cognitive instruments. This was a requirement for Forensic Assessment I 6705. BACKGROUND HISTORY: Miss Alias is a single 33-year-old female. She was born in the City, California and raised in an intact, upper class family of British, German, and Norwegian descent. She has one sibling, who is two years, her elder. All members of her family are highly educated with â€Å"respectable† jobs. Her father is a mechanical engineer who has a Bachelor of and Science degree in engineering. Her mother is a teacher and has a degree in home economics. Her sister is an attorney who also has a master’s degree in Library Arts and Science. Miss Alias is a high level executive in advertising who has a BS degree in Finance and Business Administration. She owns a â€Å"moderately† large house located in prestigious part of the city in which she lives. She explained that in the future she would like to be married and have a child while maintaining her career. Miss Alias stated that she was very pleased with her job. Miss Alias reported that she had a â€Å"reasonably happy childhood.† Her extracurricular activities included: Pixies, Brownies, Girl Scouts, Tap dancing, Cheerleading, Swimming, National Charity league, and Tennis. She described herself as being outgoing at an early age, always playing with the neighborhood children, and having a â€Å"large† number of friends. As a group activity her family worked on remodeling their house. She remembered she and her sister having to clean the used bricks, which left their hands raw and bloody. Miss Alias stated that at times her sister and she would feel their parents loved their house more than their children. Although she never witnessed her parents fighting, she said they were non-demonstrative towards each other. She said her parents do not believe in God, which is difficult, because she aliass. She stated that her parents view individuals who have a religious affiliation as being weak; therefore she hides her belief in God from them. Miss Alias stated that â€Å"conflicts between herself and her sister started when she arrived home from the hospital at birth.† She explained that her sister always wanted to â€Å"kill† her. Her sister hid her favorite stuffed animal, hit her, and threw heavy objects at her. Miss Alias stated that her parents’ thoughts were that â€Å"her sister could do no wrong† and would say â€Å"poor Karen what are we going to do about Karen.† Her family considered Miss Alias to be the beauty of the family and because of this, they told her she was â€Å"blessed†. Her sister was not considered beautiful and because of this Miss Alias felt guilty. Her current relationship with her sister is â€Å"better†, although Miss. Alias said she is waiting for the â€Å"other shoe to drop.† She stated that she could never trust her sister. Educational History: Miss Alias stated that in kindergarten, she had a hard time reading and spelling. Because of this her parents made her read extra books as well as memorize all the state capitals which helped her overcome this difficulty. She stated that she was forced by her mother to become right handed. Her weakest area was spelling and her strongest area was mathematics. She reported her intellectual and academic abilities as being above average. She was enrolled in advanced placement classes, graduating high school with a 4.5 GPA. She graduated from college in less than three years with a 3.0 GPA. She stated that she was an exemplary student, never receiving detention, nor ever being reprimanded in school. Work History: Miss Alias performed various odd jobs before her college years. During college, she concentrated on her studies and was fortunate to have parents who would support her without her having to work while she attended school. Upon graduation from college she obtained employment at a bank as a new accounts customer service representative. While at the bank she became acquainted with people in the modeling industry, and although she occasionally modeled she mainly became interested in becoming a scout for new talent. She thereupon withdrew from the bank and worked for a modeling agency two years as a scout. Following this, she obtained a position in an advertising agency as an account executive. The reason for this career change, according to her, is that she was not using her finance and business training, which was â€Å"going to waste.† Miss Alias rapidly rose up in the ranks in the advertising agency, to the point that she is presently holding some major accounts essentially on her own. In her present position as an account executive, Miss Alias is required to use various cognitive and intellectual capabilities, including verbal communication (holding meetings with clients and colleagues, giving presentations, talking on the phone, working on reports and developing ad campaigns). In addition, she uses her creative abilities to a great extent, as she either individually or in cooperation with coworkers develops such verbal and visual structures as advertising copy, layouts, logos, slogans, music, art and photos as well as other aspects of ad campaigns. Health History: Miss Alias was the product of a 9 1/2 month pregnancy. Birth weight was 6 pounds 4 ounces. Her birth was complicated due to the umbilical cord being wrapped around her neck two times. Aside from this complication she was healthy. Her developmental milestones were reported to be normal. Miss Alias stated that her mother might have drunk wine while carrying her. Miss Alias reported that at the age of four her sister pushed her, resulting in her â€Å"cracking her head.† She stated she was injured and required stitches. In 1988, at the age of 15, Miss Alias states she was raped by a classmate while attending a debate competition. Miss Alias reported that in 1989, at the age of 16, while intoxicated at a party, six men â€Å"violently† raped her, after the rape, she blacked out. She did not know what caused her to black out. She sought no medical treatment following this event. At the age of 18 Miss Alias reports she contacted a rape crisis counseling center. In 1992, at the age of 20, while getting out of the shower, her sister, hit her with her fists and knocked her onto the floor, she said she slightly hitting her head. She denies being injured or unconscious. In 2000, at the age of 28, she had a concussion, due to a car accident. After the accident she could not make proper sentences for approximately three days and then she reported feeling normal. She reported that she was in the backseat of her friend’s car, when the car was hit by another car, sending the car spinning. The first thing she remembered before the collision was the other car turning towards her. The first thing she remembered seeing, after the accident, was the airbag dust and crackers that were spread throughout the car. She went home, believing she was fine. Two days after the accident she was dismissed from work for the day, in order for her to see a doctor. The doctor took x-rays and told her she had a concussion and would be fine. Drug and Alcohol History: Although Miss Alias experimented with â€Å"street drugs,† during her adolescent years, at the present time, she restricts herself to moderate social drinking. She aliass not smoke cigarettes or marijuana. Physical Appearance: Miss Alias is a 33 year-old Caucasian female. She presents herself with a well groomed and fashionable appearance. She is approximately 5’ 3† with blonde hair and blue eyes. She arrived for the evaluation in casual chic attire; wearing a grey v neck tee shirt with black slacks and black high heels and carrying a black cardigan sweater. She appears clean and well groomed. BEHAVIOR OBSERVATIONS AND RESPONSE TO EVALUATION: Miss Alias was courteous and cooperative during the evaluation, but appeared at times overly nervous about the correctness of her responses. During the assessment tasks that required more creative thinking, such as Picture Completion, she was anxious to find the correct answers and looked to the examiner as to whether her responses were correct. The examiner responded that it was not a part of the assessment process to give her the answers. At times during the assessment process, Miss Alias manifested anxious behavior, especially during the timed tests. At other times she appeared indifferent. She was mostly enthusiastic and eager to perform the tasks correctly and in a timely matter. However, during the later subtests, she almost seemed numb and emotionally insensitive, perhaps from fatigue. During the assessment process, Miss Alias maintained eye contact with the examiner and seemed especially attuned to the time limits allotted during the timed tasks. During these times she looked anxiously at the examiner for some clue when the allotted time would elapse. Before each task she asked if it were timed and occasionally stated that she liked the â€Å"challenge† of being timed. Miss Alias maintained an upright posture during the session, which was neither rigid nor slack. She did not apparently tire during the assessment process until the very end. At various times during the assessment process, Miss Alias asked the examiner for particulars as to why the tests were being administered and how the results would be interpreted or applied to her case. She was extremely curious and eager to learn all that she could before, during, and after the assessment. At the end of assessment, she appeared neither anxious to leave, nor desiring to stay. She appeared tired when she stood up and left. Miss Alias commented that although she felt â€Å"stupid† at times she found the experience to be â€Å"unique, perplexing and extremely interesting.† THE EVALUATION PROCEDURES: Interview Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Third Edition (WAIS – III) Wide Range Achievement Test, Version IV (WRAT – 4) Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test – Third Edition (PPVT – III) Observation RESULTS OF EVALUATION: Intellectual Factors. Miss Alias was administered the WAIS III, which is a measure of an individual’s intellectual ability and overall cognitive capabilities. This assessment instrument is made up of 14 separate subtests that are divided into two major areas: Verbal subtests and Performance subtests. The Verbal subtests consist of tasks that involve language and logical verbal sequencing, while the Performance subtests consist of tasks that involve visual and spatial reasoning. Miss Alias completed the WAIS III in 3 hours and 37 minutes. Objective results of the WAIS – III were as follows: Scale IQ 95% Confidence Interval Percentile Rank Verbal Scale 115 110-119 84th Performance Scale 87 81-95 19th Full Scale 103 91-99 58th Factor Index 95% Confidence Interval Percentile Rank Verbal Comprehension 120 114-124 91st Perceptual Organization 93 86-101 32nd Working Memory 109 102-115 73rd Processing Speed 81 74-92 10th Scaled Percentile Corresponding Scaled Percentile Corresponding Subtest Score Rank IQ Subtest Score Rank IQ Picture Vocabulary 12 75th 110 Completion 5 5th 75 Digit Symbol- Similarities 16 (S) 98th 130 Coding 6 9th 95 Block Arithmetic 14 (S) 91st 120 Design 12 (S) 75th 110 Matrix Digit Span 9 (W) 37th 95 Reasoning 10 50th 100 Picture Information 13 84th 115 Arrangement 8 25th 90 Symbol Comprehension 11 63rd 105 Search 7 16th 85 Letter-Number Object Sequencing 12 75th 110 Assembly 8 25th 90 *(S) indicates a significant relative strength, p < .05; (W) indicates a significant relative weakness, p < .05. Miss Alias’s Full-Scale IQ is 103, which is in the Average range of intellectual ability. This score is at the 58th percentile of the general American population. Individuals in this range can be expected to perform moderate mental tasks and often may be found in non-managerial, professional career tracks. Persons having a Full-Scale IQ in this range sometimes obtain a higher education. In addition to the Full-Scale IQ, the WAIS - III also measures separate Verbal and Performance abilities. It is interesting to note there is a significant discrepancy between Miss Alias’s Verbal IQ (115) and her Performance IQ (87). Her Verbal IQ is significantly higher than her Performance IQ, which indicates a disparity between her language-related capabilities and her visual spatial capabilities. While her Verbal IQ lies at the 84th percentile, her Performance IQ is at the 19th percentile. These scores indicate that Miss Alias scores within the top 16% of the general American population (in the High Average range) in her verbal ability, and within the Low Average range, 19th percentile, on her non-verbal ability. The WAIS - III also provides four Indexes that measure ability clusters. These include the Verbal Comprehension Index, Perceptual Organization Index, Working Memory Index and Processing Speed Index. The Verbal Comprehension Index is a good measure of language ability and language-related intellectual capacity. On this Index, Miss Alias’s score is 120, which indicates that she is in the top 9% of the general American population. This score is in the Superior range. Miss Alias’s second highest Index score is in the Working Memory Index 109, which is at the 73rd percentile. This score is in the Average range. This score indicates that Miss Alias has an Average short-term memory capacity for learning either verbal or numeric information. On the Perceptual Organizational Index, Miss Alias had a score of 93, which is considered in the Average range and lies at the 32nd percentile. This result indicates that Miss Alias’s perceptual abilities, in such areas such as sp atial reasoning, is substantially below her verbal abilities. Furthermore, Miss Alias scored 81 on the Processing Speed Index in the Low Average range (at the 10th percentile). This result indicates that Miss Alias’s cognitive abilities appeared to be slowed in a way that aliass not match her high verbal capacities. Miss Alias’s strengths and weaknesses can be most effectively evaluated by examining three sets of data: her IQ scores, her Index scores and her Subtests scores. First, in evaluating her IQ scores there is a discrepancy between her Verbal IQ and her Performance IQ of 28 points. Miss Alias’s verbal intellectual capacities are much higher than her performance intellectual capacities with a difference that is significant at the .05 alpha level. This difference might indicate certain weaknesses related to abilities measured by the Performance Scale or might indicate an organic or functional disorder. In terms of Miss Alias’s Indices, her Verbal Comprehension Index is far higher than the other Indices, which include Working Memory Index, Perceptual Organization Index and Processing Speed Index. The most striking difference is a Superior score on Verbal Comprehension Index as compared with Low Average performance on Processing Speed Index. This discrepancy indicates that Miss Alias’s verbal comprehension and expression are in the Superior range as well as her nonverbal reasoning ability involving visual stimuli and concrete materials. Conversely, on tasks that emphasize non-verbal reasoning ability as well as tests that require visceral motor processing speed Miss Alias falls within the average general population. These results are perplexing when taken into account that she has a college degree and works in a high level managerial position. To further clarify the discrepancies in her results the subtest scores will be examined. On such subscales as Vocabulary, Similarities, Information, Arithmetic and Letter Number Sequencing Miss Alias scored in the Very Superior, Superior or High Average range. These results indicate that Miss Alias’s concentration on computational skill sequencing, verbal information and language related abilities are on a level that is equivalent to her professional capacities. She especially aliass well on verbal tasks that require information. However, on verbal tasks that require short term memory such as Digit Span and Comprehension she falls within the Average range. The results from the verbal subscales seem to indicate that Miss Alias’s capacities are most pronounced when processing speed or short-term memory are not involved in the task. While looking at the Performance subtests, Miss Alias scores in the Low Average range and Borderline range on such subtests as Picture Completion and Symbol Search. The tasks involved in these subtests require short-term visual memory, concentration, attention and a person’s ability to pick out essential from nonessential details, as well as visio-spatial reasoning abilities. The subtests that are most markedly low involve processing speed assignments, on such tasks Miss Alias performs poorly. She scored in the Average range in Matrix Reasoning, Picture Arrangement, and Digit Symbol Coding. The only Performance scale subtest that Miss Alias performed in the High Average range was Block Design. Objective results of the PVVT – III were as follows: Chr. Age Raw Score Standard Score Percentile Rank N.C. Equiv. Stanine Age Equiv. 33-1 166 88 21st 33 3 17-01 Miss Alias was administered the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test - Third Edition which is a test that measures receptive verbal ability. Her scores on this measure are well below her age mates. Miss Alias scored at the 75th percentile on the WAIS – III Verbal Comprehension Index in contrast to her score in the 21st percentile on the PVVT – III. This suggests that Miss Alias’s expressive appears to be more advanced then her receptive vocabulary. Achievement Factors. Objective results of the WRAT IV were as follows: Subtest Standard Score Percentile Word Reading 103 58th Sentence Comprehension 107 68th Spelling 107 68th Math Computation 116 86th Reading Composite 103 58th The Wide Range Achievement Test IV is incorporated in the test battery administered to Miss Alias to provide a more diverse base of assessment, that is helpful in evaluating for possible educational and or vocational strengths and weaknesses that might impact personal, educational, and or vocational goals. The WRAT IV is a norm referenced test that measures academic skills. The assessment included subsets such as Word Reading, Sentence Comprehension, Spelling, and Math Computation for individuals between 5 and 94 years old. The Word Reading component is an estimate of letter and word decoding skills that are measured through letter identification and word recognition. The Sentence Comprehension subtest is an assessment of an individual's ability to comprehend meaning, ideas, and information contained in sentences using a cloze technique. The Spelling subtest is an estimate of an individual's ability to encode verbal information into written format. The Math Computation subtest is an overall assessment of mathematics ability regarding oral and written materials. The results of Miss Alias’s WRAT IV assessment indicate an average intellectual ability in verbal and a high average in number related skills. Her subtests scores on Word Reading, Sentence Comprehension, Spelling and Reading Composite are within the average range of ability that indicates the verbal intellectual abilities of the average college student. Her highest subtest score was in Math Computation which indicated a better ability to handle numerical information and calculations. The score comparisons between the subtests do not indicate a marked discrepancy between the various achievement abilities measured by the WRAT IV. Moreover, the results of the WRAT IV for Miss Alias do not indicate any significant cognitive weaknesses and or learning disorders, they fit the profile of an average college educated adult. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS: The overall results from this assessment indicate an inconsistent profile of an average learner who may suffer cognitive and or organic deficits that may impair the consistency of her performance. This inconsistent profile can be exemplified by Miss Alias’s Low Average performance on the Peabody compared with her Very Superior performance on the Similarities subtest of the WAIS -III. In addition a marked inconsistency can be seen by comparing the profiles obtained of the examinee on the WAIS - III and the WRAT - IV. On the WAIS - III Miss Alias performed in the High Average range on tasks that emphasized verbal reasoning, arithmetic and informational tasks. However, in tests that involved nonverbal visio spatial manipulations, creative thinking, working memory and processing speed, Miss Alias’s scores were below the majority of individuals in her age group. Her scores on the WRAT – IV, however, indicate a consistent profile of an average learner and a well-ba lanced ability to deal with information, both verbal and numerical. The keys to this inconsistency may be within both Miss Alias’s results on the PVVT–III and in her low scores on the WAIS - III for both Performance IQ and Processing Speed Index. Miss Alias’s Low Average performance on the PVVT–III (21st percentile), when compared with her results for the Verbal subtests on the WAIS - III and in her Verbal subtests scores for the WRAT IV might indicate either memory or processing problems. Miss Alias’s apparent deficits in slowness of processing speed and short-term memory performance may be due to possible brain damage, as her history indicates that she suffered a concussion six years ago and lost her ability to form sentences for a short time. There may have been a residual amount of damage that resulted from the accident, as well as other reported head â€Å"impacts.† Furthermore, these deficits may be caused by either attention deficits, anxiety or the psychological residue experienced in past years, an attention deficit disorder might account for the inconsistency between Miss Alias’s test scores on these assessments as it would explain the discrepancy between her ability and her performance. Perhaps during certain assessments administered by this examiner Miss Alias faltered because of distractions or lack of attention. In addition, the fact that Miss Alias experienced being raped by six men could lead to post-traumatic stress disorder that might manifest in an inability to focus on a given task. RECOMMENDATIONS: Considering the results of this evaluation, the following recommendations are suggested: 1. It is recommended that Miss Alias undergo a full neurological examination that can determine whether her deficits may be due to organic brain damage or some other neurological deficit. 2. Because the Picture Completion subtest from the WAIS – III is so substantially than all other abilities, it is recommended that Miss Alias undergoes a complete physical examination by a physician to determine if she suffers from any vision impairments, nutritional deficits, physical illness or disease. Low scores on this subtest may reflect vision difficulties, alertness to the environment, field dependence/independence and visual acuity. 3. It is also recommended that she is further assessed for attention deficit disorder and or post-traumatic stress disorder due to her lower score in the Symbol Search subtest from the WAIS – III. Low scores on this subtest may reflect attention span, concentration, distract ability, visual acuity, verbal elaboration, visual elaboration, planning, reflectivity/impulsivity or ability to perform under time pressure. 4. To address Miss Alias’s processing difficulties, it may be helpful for Miss Alias to use mnemonic aids and verbal mediation strategies. Research Papers on Example Cognitive Evaluation - Psychology Research PaperPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoThree Concepts of PsychodynamicStandardized TestingCapital Punishment19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraHip-Hop is Art

Promptly Acknowledge Affiliation to Provide Context

Promptly Acknowledge Affiliation to Provide Context Promptly Acknowledge Affiliation to Provide Context Promptly Acknowledge Affiliation to Provide Context By Mark Nichol I was slightly put off by a newspaper article that referred to the recent appearance before a US Senate subcommittee of philanthropist Paul David Hewson. Why? Because the article, after introducing Hewson by his better-known moniker, Bono, identified him simply as â€Å"the U2 frontman.† The article, however, had nothing to do with Bono’s membership in one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed rock bands of all time. Bono spoke to the subcommittee in his capacity as an activist who has cofounded several nongovernmental organizations that seek to improve living conditions, primarily in Africa. It had everything to do with finding ways to combat extremism and terrorism without violence, including providing financial assistance to refugees victimized by perpetrators of such movements. The article was in the entertainment section, not the news section, but it was a bit flippant about one of Bono’s admittedly offbeat arguments: that humor be deployed as one cultural weapon against repressive regimes. Most important, however, it took its time presenting Bono’s credentials, implying that he was just one more in a long line of airheaded artists spouting dippy suggestions about how to save the world. The writer did not err in mentioning Bono’s identity as the face of an iconic music act- that’s what attracts eyeballs- but to be responsible, he or she should have quickly introduced the musician in his additional capacity as a respected advocate for oppressed people all over the world. Readers unfamiliar with his activism and philanthropy would then be promptly informed of the validity of his appearance before a congressional subcommittee. Following a blithe lede (that’s journalistic slang for the lead sentence or paragraph of a newspaper article, kids), the article stated, â€Å"The U2 frontman spoke during a Senate subcommittee hearing on Tuesday . . . .† If I had been the editor of the article, I would have revised it to read something like this: â€Å"The U2 frontman, also recognized for his activism and philanthropy in support of oppressed people worldwide, spoke during a Senate subcommittee hearing on Tuesday . . . .† In addition, Bono’s primary plea was for more funding for political refugees; the comment about deploying comedians was an afterthought by comparison, though he did make a valid point about how dadaists and surrealists in early Nazi Germany, employing satire in their activities and publications, were a threat to Nazi hegemony. The article underemphasized his call for a program much like the Marshall Plan, an ambitious (and expensive) but effective economic initiative that was instrumental in helping Europe rebuild after World War II. In summary, if you find yourself in a position to report on a celebrity’s more substantial activities, such as philanthropic efforts, even if the content is intended to be as much entertaining as informative (or even more of the one than the other), do a better job than the writer in question about providing context. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Program vs. ProgrammeThe Difference Between "will" and "shall"10 Varieties of Syntax to Improve Your Writing

Communication, Conflict and Decision-Making Essay

Communication, Conflict and Decision-Making - Essay Example At this juncture, we will acknowledge that communication meets some barriers, which hinders effective delivery of information to the intended parties. Unsuccessful communication results in conflict of opinions or ideas among the involved parties. In communication, conflict results when there is a dissonance or incompatibility of ideologies and beliefs held by the parties involved. Although conflict may results in both negative and positive consequences, this social dissonance may enhance maturity of social skills among the involved individuals. Conflict management entails employment of mechanisms that facilitate development of positive consequences from a social disagreement. Effective conflict management exercises enhance learning among members of a society on how to handle incompatible opinions in future. Conflict management incorporates the aspect of decision making in solving an underlying problem. A conflict ends after one or both parties involved select the best course of actio n from the available alternative courses of action (James, 2009). From a theoretical perspective, conflicts form an inherent element in social relationship. Within any given social setting, people subscribe to different beliefs and values in life. Therefore, conflicts arise in any society comprising of members with varied philosophical patterns (Erich, 2011). Courtesy of cultural norms, individuals possess natural mechanisms meant to facilitate conflict resolution processes whenever a conflict arises. Effective communication forms the basis of conflict resolution mechanisms. It is through a health conveyance of information between two parties that a conflict reaches a positive end (Stacks & Michael, 2008). I applied some theoretical elements of conflict resolution in past social experiences unknowingly. As a student, I usually fall into conflict situations with friends and