A Vision of Collaboration and Scholarly Community Research Paper

A Vision of Collaboration and Scholarly Community - Research Paper Example All stakeholders, including representatives of the parents, teachers, administration, the board members, and the educational leaders should develop a mutual consensus to develop a shared vision statement. For example, a survey should be conducted to know the demands and vision of the parents. In the survey, the parents should reveal what they want from the educational institute, as well as their viewpoints about the learning environment. Similarly, teachers’ representatives should also be interviewed to know their viewpoints about the creation of an interactive teaching and learning environment, as well as to get their viewpoints about the ultimate goal of the institute. Moreover, the board members should also reveal what they want to achieve and the ways to achieve those goals. For example, if they want to move the institute to the top ranks and through providing quality education to the students, then their vision statement should read like ‘To be the premier provider of education through the highest quality of learning and teaching standards’. After knowing the viewpoints of all stakeholders, a focused group discussion should be arranged in which the educational leader should put forward the viewpoints of all stakeholders on the table for discussion, analysis, and creation of a shared vision on which all stakeholders should agree. This is the way through which an educational leader can be successful in creating a shared vision among the stakeholders of the institute.

Diminishing American Pride Essay Example for Free

Diminishing American Pride Essay The book Zeitoun basically talks about a Syrian American family’s experience in the time of Hurricane Katrina. It was mainly divided into two story lines, one of Abdulrahman Zeitoun, the main character, a Syrian American contractor; and one of Kathy, his wife, a white woman converted Muslim. Zeitoun had an extraordinary life, also an extraordinary experience in the time of Hurricane Katrina. He was a successful well-known businessman in local area. When everyone else was fleeing their hometown before Katrina came, Zeitoun chose to stay to protect his house and business. Later then when the city was flooded, he travelled around with his small canoe, delivering help and resources. However, he was wrong arrested as a looting suspect then and was sent into jail. He was treated as a terrorist and taken away the right of fair trial, forced to confine in a maximum security prison for a crime he didn’t commit. At the end, Zeitoun was released and able to unite with his family again, but he was not compensated in any ways for his misfortune. As this book describes, everything in the time of Hurricane Katrina had gone crazy, including the American criminal justice system. The main objection of this book is to criticize racism phenomenon in America and the rotten criminal justice system. Racism is a main subject in this book. It was first mentioned in this book in Kathy’s story line about her past life experience. â€Å"Years earlier, Kathy and her mother had gone to the DMV together to have Kathy’s license renewed. Kathy was wearing her hijab, and had already received a healthy number of suspicious looks from DMV customers and staff by the time she sat down to have her picture taken. The employee behind the camera did not disguise her contempt. ‘Take that thing off,’ the woman said. † (Zeitoun page 58) From the mentioning of these kinds of past experience seemed irrelevant to Hurricane Katrina, we can see the author’s desire to insert the topic of racism into this book. Kathy’s case shrinks small comparing to Zeitoun’s case in his arrest. â€Å"‘You guys are al Qaeda,’ the soldier said. Todd laughed derisively, but Zeitoun was startled. He could not have heard right. Zeitoun had long feared this day would come. Each of the few times he had been pulled over for a traffic violation, he knew the possibility existed that he would be harassed, misunderstood, suspected of shadowy dealing that might bloom in the imagination of any given police officer. After 9/11, he and Kathy knew that many imaginations had run amok, that the introduction of the idea of ‘sleeper cells’- groups of would-be terrorists living in the U. S. and waiting, for years or decades, to strike- meant that everyone at their mosque, or the entire mosque itself, might be waiting for instructions from their presumed leaders in the hills of Afghanistan or Pakistan. (Zeitoun page 212) It didn’t surprise me at all that Zeitoun have those thoughts that might seem over-worried in some people’s eyes.. Indeed, another author Maysan Haydar had mentioned similar thoughts in her essay â€Å"Veiled Intentions: Don’t Judge a Muslim Girl by Her Covering. † â€Å"Now some people hold their breath a bit longer, assuming I’m a fundamentalist or wondering if I’m there to cause them harm. I sense people studying me on the trains, reading the cover of the book in my hand and trying to gauge if I am one of ‘us’ or one of ‘them’. I grapple with the frustration that I can’t reassure everyone individually that my goals have everything to do with social justice and nothing to do with holy war. But I have seen suspicious fade in the eyes of the pregnant woman to whom I’ve given my subway seat or the Hasidic man whose elbow I’ve taken to help him up the stairs. † (Haydar pg 406) I feel very sorry for Haydar and Zeitoun’s experiences. Muslim people are always feared to be presumed as terrorist. American frightened by the traumatic event of 9-11 developed a stereotype against people from Middle East. The fear of being attack also again drove American crazy on national security. However, for whatever reason, racism has put upon so much harm on people we discriminate against. Muslim people like Zeitoun, hard working and honest people, are forced to live under the fear of being prosecuted for his race someday, taken away from his family, locked up in somewhere nobody would know he’s died or not. Those fears have made them coward under a lowly skin, live like second-class citizens. â€Å"In the weeks after the attacks on the Twin Towers, Kathy saw very few Muslim women in public. She was certain they were hiding, leaving home only when necessary. In Late September, she was in Walgreens when she finally saw a woman in a hijab. She ran to her. ‘Salaam alaikum! ’ she said, taking the woman’s hands. The woman, a doctor studying at Tulane, had been feeling the same way, like an exile in her own country, and they laughed at how delirious they were to see each other. † (Zeitoun page 46) Indeed, as part of international society, American allowed people to be exiled from their own country. In Edward Said’s essay, â€Å"States†, he escribed how they, Palestinian people was exiled from their own country and forced to scatter around the world, be denied of personal identity everywhere. †Some Israeli settlers on the West Bank say: ‘The Palestinians can stay here, with no rights, as resident aliens. ’ Other Israelis are less kind. † (Said pg 546) â€Å"The fact is that today I can neither return to the places of my youth, nor voyage freely in the countries and places that mean the most to me, nor feel safe from arrest or violence even in the countries I used to frequent but whose governments and policies have changed radically in recent times. (Said pg 547) In a documentary I have watched, in some cases, if a Palestinian wants to travel from points to points, they have to go through checkpoints set up by local military. They would be asked to show their prove of identity and relevant documents which sources were mostly denied. Nobody tell them what to do then, no laws protect them, some of them can’t even go to hospitals and schools like every other human being in the course that they don’t have a legal identity. We as adults, teach our kids not to bully in school, that it’s wrong to do so. In contrast, as a human, we allow our country, ourselves to bully on people with a different skin tone. Isn’t this hilarious? Another main subject posted in this book is the criminal justice system in America. Zeitoun was initially arrested in his house, then taken to the bus station, naked searched and put in jail. Throughout the whole process, he had never been told of his charges, no phone calls granted, no one had ever given him a chance to defend himself or to find a lawyer. He was treated as terrorist. In the course of his Middle-Eastern accent, everything about him seemed suspicious to the guards. He was kept in inhumane confinement, was given pork for food despite his religion. He had a deep wound in his feet but was never treated nor given any medical attention. There were basically no laws in effect, Zeitoun was treated as if he wasn’t an American citizen anymore, constitutions and laws don’t protect him. â€Å"Watching the evidence on the table mount, Zeitoun’s shoulders slackened. Most municipal systems were not functioning. There were no lawyers in the station, no judges. They would not talk their way out of this. The police and soldiers in the room were too worked up, and the evidence was too intriguing. (Zeitoun 215) But the most disappointing fact about this is what t I found out later in the book, that all of this happened to Zeitoun was not special cases happened once or twice, it was somehow permitted. â€Å"But knowing that Zeitoun’s ordeal was caused instead by systemic ignorance and malfunction- and perhaps long-festering paranoia on the part of the National Guard and whatever other agencies were involved-was unsettling. It said, quite clearly, that this wasn’t a case of a bad apple or two in the barrel. The barrel itself was rotten. (Zeitoun 307) This is totally different from what I learnt from my administration of justice class. The whole process is wrong. How could an innocent person be justified this way? Not even a phone call allowed. It is nothing better than abduction. Who gave government the right to treat people like this? I guess under the name of National Security, there’s nothing government can’t do, all laws and constitutions could be undermined. James Bamford, author of essay â€Å"Wired† pointed out the same point, says in his essay, â€Å"’They violated the Constitution setting it up. He says bluntly. â€Å"But they d idn’t care. They were going to do it anyway, and they were going to crucify anyone who stood in the way. ’† â€Å"Basically all rules were thrown out the window, and they would use any excuse to justify a waiver to spy on Americans. † (Wired pg 0843,, 084) National Security, initially served the principle of protecting Americans has become a tool to against Americans. â€Å"The NSA has turned its surveillance apparatus on the US and its citizens. It has established listening posts throughout the nation to collect and sift through billions of email messages and phone calls, whether they originate within the country or overseas. It has created a supercomputer of almost unimaginable speed to look for patterns and unscramble codes. Finally, the agency has begun building a place to store all the trillions of words and thoughts and whispers captured in its electronic net. † (Wired pg 81) Isn’t it scary to know our government has already gone this far for â€Å"National Security†? Anyone is a target of NSA. But who is more prone to be checked on? I believe this could be linked again to the topic of racism. Look back to Zeitoun and his fellows’ arrest; I believe they would never have been presumed as terrorists, despite the same context and evidence, if all four of them are white. The book Zeitoun serves more than a journalism. Dave Egger cleverly brought out these two important topics to us through the book. Could we still call our country States of freedom and equality after learning all these previously unknown facts? It’s time for people to stand up to protect the prides of America, fix our criminal justice system, drive racism into history and look forward to a better, true States of freedom and equality.

Social Penetration Theory Psychology

Social Penetration Theory Psychology Abstract The Social Penetration Theory is a communication and psychology theory first written by Irwin Altman and Dalmas Taylor. The theory outlines concepts of social interaction that takes place when two people are getting to know each other. Altman and Taylor proposed that closeness occurs between two people through a gradual process of self-disclosure. The theory relies heavily on the ‘Onion analogy that suggests that people are like multi-layered onions and have different layers of their personality that they may or may not reveal over time depending on the interaction that takes place. The theory also outlines other aspects of social interaction such as the ‘cost and reward concept. This concept suggests that people base their relationships around the cost and reward outcomes and how they can benefit from that relationship. This report explains in detail the key concepts and ideas of the Social Penetration theory as well as other theories that are related with social penetration such as the Social Exchange Theory. To further investigate the effects of Social Penetration experimental research was found to support the effects of self-disclosure in regards to the Social Penetration Theory. After comprehensive study and research on this topic it was found that closeness between two people develops over a period time and through a process of self-disclosure. If self-disclosure is not apparent then the relationship is likely to fail. According to the theory people base their friendships on a process of cost and reward benefits but will usually do this sub-concisely without knowing that they have used this method to determine their relationships. Key ideas such as ‘comparison levels suggest that an individual determines whether the relationship is working by the process of profits = Rewards – Costs. Introduction Purpose The purpose of this report is to understand the social interaction that takes place between people and to study the fundamentals of human behaviour during the gradual process of social penetration. This report is aimed at giving the reader a better understanding of key concepts of the Social Penetration theory and how it is used in everyday situations. Scope To fully understand and explain this theory research was conducted over several areas that directly relate to the Social Penetration Theory. These areas of research came from 6 main literature sources ranging from journal articles to large-scale social experiments that put the theory into practice. Internet research was also conducted. Limitations The limitations of this report include: Availability of information Due to the detail needed to fully understand the concepts of this theory commonly used sources such as libraries proved to be of little help when finding information to write this report. Detailed Internet sites were also hard to come by when researching this theory. Time restrictions: At first time was not considered to be a major issue but due to the availability of information in both library sources and databases time restrictions did become a concern nearing the deadline of this report. Research methods When conducting research regarding the Social Penetration Theory commonly used sources such as libraries were not as useful as they normally would be. Although two of the 6 sources were gathered from libraries other information that was found in books was concentrated into sections of no more than 5 pages. Because this report needed to be detailed and informative these sources were of no use. When detailed books were finally found they were still not as useful as the longer articles found using Internet sites and databases. When searching for information using Internet databases such as Proquest I was able to find much more in-depth and detailed information into the study of Social Penetration. Searching for information using Internet articles and journals proved to be the best way to find accurate sources. Structure of report This report is organised into the following structure: Title page, including submission details and abstract. Table of contents. Introduction, includes details on purpose, scope and research methods used to produce this report. Literature review, Provides detailed information on each individual source including background information on the author/s. Findings, includes descriptions on the theorists, outlines the key concepts of the theory, application of the theory and an evaluation of the theory. Conclusion, summarises the key points and concepts of the theory and critique of the theory. References and glossary of terms, references alternative web-sites and books that were also used when researching as well as a glossary of terms that explains key words used in this report. Literature review West, R., Turner, LH. (2007). Introducing Communication theory Analysis and Application (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. Summary The information from this source highlights the key components of the Social Penetration theory such as the Onion analogy and assumptions of social penetration. It also has an in-depth section on the Social Exchange theory in regards to relational costs and rewards as well as guidelines for self disclosure relating to social penetration. The source also produces a lot of useful case studies and examples that put the theories into practice. It has examples that use a script to depict a conversation between two people in order to highlight the use of social penetration, social exchange and self disclosure. There is also an expanded references section that references the sources of information used for this book. Accuracy And Validity The information contained in this book offers a high level of accuracy in regards to the Social Penetration theory, Social Exchange theory and self disclosure. Both authors have done extensive research on communication theory and wrote numerous books and articles on the subject. Co-author Richard West is an accomplished Professor and has a Ph.D from Ohio University. His research spans a number of different areas, including family communication, instructional practices, and classroom communication. He is the recipient of various teaching and research awards at USM, including the College of Arts and Sciences, Outstanding Teacher-Scholar and the Faculty Senate Award in Communication Research. Co-author Lynn H. Turner teaches in the College of Communication at Marquette University. She received her Ph.D. from North-western University in 1989. She is the author of several journal articles, books, and book chapters focused on communication studies. She is the recipient of the Marquette Uni versity College of Communication Research Award and numerous other awards for communication analysis and theory. DeVito, J. (2004). The Interpersonal Communication Book (10th ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc Summary This book covers the main concepts of The Social Penetration theory and the Social exchange theory. The section on the Social Exchange theory also features information on comparison levels in relationships as well as profits, rewards and costs and briefly describes aspects of the equity theory in regards to social exchange. It also goes into detail on intimacy and risks of relationships and deterioration of personal relationships. There is also detailed information on the depenetration of relationships and the stages that it involves such as withdrawal, decline in self disclosure, deception and positive and negative messages. Accuracy And Validity The author of this book is Joseph A. DeVito a famous U. S. Communication scholar from Hunter College, New York. He is a member of the National Communication Association, the Eastern Communication Association, the International Communication Association, The International Society for General Semantics and the Society for the Study of Personal Relationships. He is has written over 15 textbooks on communication which are used by thousands of students worldwide. His articles have appeared in the Quarterly Journal of Speech, Communication Monographs, Communication Quarterly, Southern Speech Communication Journal and Central States Communication Journal. His extensive knowledge in communication and publication experience gives this textbook a high level of accuracy. Kito, M. (2002). Self-Disclosure in Romantic Relationships and Friendships Among America and Japanese College Students. Proquest physiology journals, 145(2), 127-140. Summary The information in this journal was produced by doing an experiment regarding self-disclosure and the Social Penetration process. It also explains in detail the key concepts of social interaction and self-disclosure. The author examined whether the level of self disclosure would differ across four types of relationships: passionate love relationships, companion love relationships, same-sex friendships and cross-sex friendships. The experiment was done by American and Japanese participants to examine any cultural differences in self-disclosure. The results produced three main hypotheses, Japanese students scored lower than American students in self disclosure regardless of relationship type, Self disclosure was higher in same sex friendships than in cross sex friendships in both American and Japanese students and self disclosure was higher in romantic relationships than in friendships among both American and Japanese students (Kito, M. 2002). The article also has information regarding each relationship type and previous authors that have studied similar topics and experiments. Accuracy And Validity This article and experiment was written by Mie Kito from the Department of psychology, California state university. She is a student at the university and won an award for research and creativity for this paper. She was also awarded the honour of presenting the theory at a psychology seminar in Vancouver, Canada. Allensworth, N. (1996). Social penetration: A description, research and evaluation Communication theory. PP. 1-25 Summary This document covers the main concepts of the Social Penetration Theory. It has a detailed description of the history including the history and progress of Altman and Taylor and the way the theory came into existence. It also incorporates the Onion diagram and describes the layers of social penetration in great detail. The article also has studies that were done in regards to self-disclosure and social penetration. They include various experiments that were carried out and the findings of the study. There is also a section on intercultural research to do with social penetration and self disclosure. Accuracy And Validity This paper was presented by Nicole J Allensworth at the Annual Meeting of the Southern States Communication Association (Memphis, Tennessee, March 27-31, 1996). The document was presented to researchers involved in communication research studies to affectively demonstrate the effects of communication within personal relationships. No other information was found on this author. Baack, D., Fogliasso, C. Harris, J. (2000). The personal Impact of Ethical decisions: A Social Penetration Theory. Journal of business ethics, 24, 1, 39- 49. Summary This Journal article discusses peoples ethical reasoning and beliefs in regard to social penetration. It talks about the structure and make up of each individual as well as personal characteristics and describes personal benefits in the form of cost and reward outcomes relating to social exchange and social penetration. The article also talks about Altman and Taylor and their understandings of social penetration theory. The article features the Onion diagram to establish the basic concepts of the Onion analogy and also has examples of these processes to put the theory into a real life situation. Accuracy And Validity This article was written by Donald Baack, Christine Fogliasso and James Harris. Donald Baack is a University Professor of Management at PSU. He has an undergraduate degree from Dana College, an MBA from Southwest Missouri State University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska. Baack teaches undergraduate level Organizational Theory and Behavior, Advanced Organizational Behavior, and graduate level Behavioral Management. Professor Baack is the author and co-author of eight books. Three are college textbooks, in the areas of Management, Organizational Behavior, and Integrated Marketing Communications. Christine Fogliasso is a University Professor in the Department of Management and Marketing at Pittsburg State University. Her Bachelors degree was earned at Pittsburg State University, and her Ph.D. at the University Of Kansas School Of Law. Her teaching and research areas are business law, ethics and communication. No information was found on author James Harris. Social Penetration: The Development of Interpersonal Relationships. (2001) . NewYork: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Retrieved from http://www.uky.edu/~drlane/capstone/interpersonal/socpen.html Summary This internet article has a brief summary that identifies the main concepts of the social penetration theory. The article also has a section on scientific assumptions which tries to explain that social penetration can be referred to as a scientific theory. It argues this point by saying that if self disclosure is high then the relationship will develop; this statement can be seen as an equation and therefore can be viewed as a scientific. Critique is another scientific concept that is explained in this article. This refers to predictions that are made on the relationship development based on the levels of self-disclosure within the relationship. The article also explains in detail how Altman and Taylors Onion analogy operates and how the theory compares people to multilayered onions. The ideas behind breadth and depth are also explained in this article. Accuracy And Validity This article was written by a company called Holt, Rinehart and Winston. They are an educational company that specialises in publishing textbooks and articles for secondary school students around the world. The company is based in Austin, Texas and has been providing educational tools since the early 1900s. Holt, Rinehart and Winston supply textbooks, learning CDs, eLearning sites and many other kinds of support material for teachers and students. Because Holt, Rinehart and Winston is a internationally known for producing high quality learning tools and equipment its accuracy and validity is of a high level. Findings:  Background of theorists Irwin Altman Irwin Altman was born on July 16th 1930 in New York. Altman mainly specialises in social psychology and social interaction and is experienced in most areas of communication. His tertiary achievements include a Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University in 1951, a Master of Arts degree from the University of Maryland in 1954 and a Ph.D. also achieved from the University Of Maryland in 1957. Altman also studies environmental psychology and believes there is a strong link between environmental psychology and social psychology, Altman has based many books and articles that relate to this subject. While developing the Social Penetration theory Altmans work was heavily based on human behaviour within different environments. Altman is heavily involved in associations including The American Association for the Advancement of Science, the International Association of Applied Psychology and the American Psychology Association. Irwin Altman is currently a professor at the University of Ut ah in Salt Lake City teaching psychology and social communication. Dalmas Taylor Dalmas Taylor was born in 1934 in Detroit, Michigan. After showing an interest in psychology in his teenage years he later went on to study for his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. His research and interest in psychology eventually lead him to further his studies when he received his Masters degree in psychology from Howard University in Washington D.C and his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Delaware. Taylor also gained a certificate from Harvard University Business School. Early in his career Taylor worked with the SPSSI (Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues). During the late 1960s Taylor was the chairman of the Dissertation Award Committee and served for the SPSSI council for several years. During the 1970s Taylor began to teach psychology at various universities throughout North America and eventually became a Professor at the University of Maryland where he taught for 16 years. Taylor also worked with the APA (American Psychological Association) and eventually became a member of groups such as the Board of Ethic Minority Affairs, the Committee on Employment and Human Resources, the Policy and Planning Board and the Committee on Ethics Code Revision. His work with the American Psychological Association made very well known among psychologists and he received numerous awards from the APA. Later in his courier Taylor received the Distinguished Contribution to Education and Training Award of the Association and in 1992 he received the Distinguished Service Award for Outstanding Contributions to Psychology in the Public Interest. In final stages of his career Taylor served as Vice President of Academic Affairs at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. Dalmas Taylor died in January 1998 at the age of 64 due to medical conditions. Outline Of Theory/key Issues Psychologists Irwin Altman and Dalmas Taylor first established the Social Penetration Theory in 1973. The theories main objective was to explain how relation closeness develops over time. Altman and Taylor suggested that closeness develops within a relationship through a gradual process of self-disclosure, they believed that this process could occur both consciously and sub-consciously when any kind of relationship is developing. This section of the report will describe the Social Penetration Theory by explaining its key concepts including: The onion analogy Self-disclosure Cost and reward outcomes/ Social Exchange Theory Depenetration and withdrawal The Onion Analogy The Onion analogy can be seen as the most notable aspect of the Social Penetration Theory. The model literally depicts an onion and is used as an analogy by Altman and Taylor to explain the foundations of social penetration. The analogy states that humans consist of layers much like an onion. Each layer reveals more about an individuals personality, the outer layers contain less personal information and the deeper layers consists of the most private details of a persons character. As a result the more layers penetrated the harder it becomes to ‘unlock the next layer. Often the type of relationship will have a heavy impact on the degree of penetration that occurs for example family relationships, personal relationships, same sex friendships and opposite sex friendships may all have different degrees of penetration that take place during a relationship. The penetration of the layers can be associated with two concepts. The first is ‘breadth which refers to the amount of issues and variety of topics being discussed and the second is ‘depth which refers to the degree of intimacy being applied on each topic. Each layer has a level of ‘breath and ‘depth depending on how personal the relationship has become for example friendships may have different levels of ‘breadth and ‘depth compared to a more personal relationship with a partner. Surface Layers The surface layers can be seen as superficial information about an individual such as what they look like, how they dress, their body language and how they talk. Information on the outer layers is given out a lot faster than the inner layers because it is not as personal. The surface layers can often be altered so that an individual can change the appearance they are producing when entering a social situation often for the first time. These changes will usually be things like the way they look and dress or material items such as cars or jewelry. The surface layers help to create a first impression to the outside world and is readily available to anyone who wishes to notice. After the initial surface layer is penetrated information such as their likes and dislikes, favorite movies, musical preferences etc. are revealed as the relationship progresses through the beginning stages. Central Layers The central or middle layers of the Onion Model can be seen as the characteristics of an individuals personality. This includes aspects such as religious beliefs, personal values and what they consider to be right from wrong. The central layers hold more understanding into a persons upbringing and culture. The central layers are usually only penetrable by people who know that individual well. In most cases it is unlikely that common friendship will go beyond the central layers. Inner Layers The inner layer of the Onion model holds a persons most intimate secrets and beliefs. It is the foundation of their personality and their self-concept. This layer can only be penetrated by the people who are closest to individual such as family members or their partner. Even then a persons most inner secrets might only be accessible by the individual them self. The inner layers of the Onion Analogy will heavily influence the central and surface layers because it is the basis of their personality. Self-Disclosure The term self-disclosure refers to the act of revealing details about oneself to others. This process can happen both consciously and sub-consciously depending on the degree of intimacy at any given point throughout the relationship. Personal and intimate details about our personality are usually revealed over time as the relationship becomes more meaningful and important to us. Altman and Taylor believed that the only way a relationship can develop is through a gradual process of self-disclosure. This process is necessary in both romantic relationships and friendships. The act of self-disclosure is one of the main principals in the study of social penetration as well as psychology. Altman and Taylor state that this is the key process that decides if a relationship will succeed or fail particularly if it is a romantic relationship. Altman and Taylors ideas on self-disclosure have sparked many studies on the effects of self-disclosure in both close relationships and common friendships. In 1986 Berg and McQuinn tested self-disclosure by asking couples that had recently started dating to complete a self-disclosure examination. Four months later the couples were then asked to take the same examination. It was found that couples that were still together four months later reported greater self-disclosure at the initial contact then those who had later broken up. T his experiment suggested that the level self-disclosure was not only based on the length of the relationship but also the satisfaction levels of the individuals when they were first getting to know each other (Berg McQuinn.1986). Altman and Taylor believed that the process of self-disclosure allowed for a relationship to develop to a more personal level. By allowing this process to occur penetration can take place through the various layers of the ‘onion (the onion analogy). Altman and Taylor believed that the process of penetrating the inner onion layers is especially important when long-term relationships are developing thus making the process of self-disclosure one of the key concepts of the Social Penetration Theory. Cost And Reward Outcomes/Social Exchange Theory The cost and reward outcomes of the Social Penetration Theory were initially based around the concepts developed from Social Exchange Theory. Psychologists John Thibaut and Harold Kelly were seen as the main developers of the Social Exchange Theory in 1959. The Theory is based on a model of cost and reward outcomes of relationships (both friendships and personal relationships) and states that people develop relationships based on whether or not they will profit in the long run. Thibault and Kelly claim that based on the equation: profits = Rewards – Costs, people will continue being in a relationship if the profit or outcome is in their favour. The idea of costs and rewards is analysed in the theory by using the concept of ‘Comparison levels. This concept suggests that people have a general idea of what they expect or what they deserve to get out of any particular relationship whether its a personal relationship or friendship, this is your known as your ‘comparison level. For example in a personal long-term relationship the individual might expect high levels of trust, love and commitment. If the relationship has just started however they may expect lower levels of privacy, sexual activity and deep communication. When the rewards and profits out way this comparison level the satisfactory level of the relationship will increase for that particular individual. ‘Comparison levels for alternatives ‘refers to the suggestion that people will compare the rewards they are getting out of their current relationship with rewards and profits they could get out of an alternative relationship. For example an individual may feel that they are getting the maximum profits out of their current relationship therefore they are likely to stay with their current partner. If however they feel the relationship has more costs than rewards they are likely to leave that relationship to find a more profitable relationship (DeVito, J. 2004). Altman and Taylors Social Penetration Theory relies on this same method of cost and reward outcomes to determine the path of a relationship. Depenetration And Withdrawal Although the Social Penetration Theory examines how a relationship develops it also acknowledges and describes the ways in which depenetration and withdrawal can occur. This occurs when the relationship begins to deteriorate either because of a falling out or simply because the individuals begin to grow apart. The first stage of deterioration is usually ‘intrapersonal dissatisfaction, this occurs when everyday life with the individual seems to be less and less eventful or for filling. If this dissatisfaction continues then the relationship will proceed to the next stage of deterioration. This stage is known as ‘Interpersonal deterioration, this stage involves growing further and further apart and spending less free time with that individual then they would have at previous points in the relationship. The process of withdrawal or depenetration occurs when one or more of the individuals begin to close of areas of their lives that had once been open in the earlier stages of the relationship. As a result the ‘breadth and ‘depth which once made the relationship more intimate and personal will now begin to reverse. This process can be seen as taking back what has already been used to build the foundations of the relationship, if the foundations are no longer apparent then the relationship becomes unstable. Altman and Taylor have compared this stage of depenetration to watching a movie in reverse (Griffin,EM 2006), in other words everything that has been put into the relationship will now begin to be withdrawn to some extent. A decline in self-disclosure will also be apparent because of the fact there is now less communication and social activities taking place. If there is a decline in self-disclosure levels then the relationship will no longer move forward. The absence of self-disclosure can often be due to a number of contributing factors including; one or more of the individuals no longer feeling comfortable to communicate with the other on a personal level, they are no longer trust worthy or they are simply not worth the effort. The depenetration and deterioration of a relationship rarely ends in a sudden burst of realisation but rather a gradual process of withdrawal due to lack of enjoyment and intimacy levels in the relationship. Application Of Theory The process of social penetration is solely based on communication and social interaction. As a result this theory is put into practice every day in a variety of situations from common greetings to a work mate to a personal conversation with a family member. Different social interactions will involve different levels of self-disclosure and communication. To illustrate how the theory affects people in everyday life an experiment was found to describe the effects of social penetration and self-disclosure in common relationships including friendships and romantic relationships. This experiment was done by Mie Kito from the California State University as part of her undergraduate honors program in 2003. The experiment gained her an award for research and creativity and was presented at the 83rd annual Western physiological Association Convention in Vancouver in May 2003. The purpose of the experiment was to examine different levels of self-disclosure among American and Japanese college students. She examined students that were involved in romantic relationships, companionate relationships and same sex and opposite sex friendships to find out if both cultural background and relationship types played a major role in the level of self-disclosure that was applied in everyday situations. To gain an accurate sample she found a selection of 145 college students, 64 of the students were American and 81 were Japanese. The purpose and aim of the survey was not disclosed to the participants and the information they provided was confidential and no names were obtained t o ensure the participants remained anonymous. The methods and procedures she used where as follows: Three standardized methods were used within the survey gain an accurate sample. These methods were the self-disclosure index (Miller. Berg. Archer.1983), the Passionate love scale (Hatfield Spencer. 1986) and the companionate love scale (Hatfield. 1986). The self-disclosure index is a target specific tool that can be used to measure self-disclosure among certain groups. The main differences between the companionate love scale and the passionate love scale is that passionate love refers to the feeling of unity with another individual who is not currently present where as companionate love refers to the bond between someone who is already heavily involved within an individuals life. When answering questions about passionate relationships the participants were asked to think of their current partner, if they did not currently have a partner then they were asked to think of the last partner that they shared deep feelings for. If the questions involved any friendships they were then ask ed to think of their closest friendship with either a same sex friend or opposite sex friend depending on the required relationship type for that question. The self-disclosure index included 10 questions of personal information including personal habits, things that the participant wouldnt do in public and their personal feelings on certain issues. Each relationship type was modified to relate to the available answers that could be chosen by the participant. For example one of the questions for the self-disclosure index for a Passionate love relationship was, â€Å"I am willing to talk about my deepest feelings on a personal issue with the person I am romantically involved with† and another question for self-disclosure in a same sex friendship was â€Å"Im willing to talk about my deepest feelings on a personal issue with a same sex friend†, She then provided the participants with scale of answers to choose from ran

Sons and Lovers :: Free Essay Writer

Sons and Lovers The Parallels Between Two Families â€Å"It is morning again, and she is still here...† These are the words D.H. Lawrence wrote to a friend describing his terminally ill mother in 1913. â€Å"I look at my mother and think ‘O Heaven-is this what life brings us to?’ You see mother has had a devilish married life, for nearly forty years- and this is the conclusion- no relief.† (Baron’s Educational Series, 1993). At the time this letter was written Lawrence was fictionalizing his relationship with his mother, as well as the rest of his family, in the novel Sons and Lovers . In the novel the Lawrences would be named the Morels, but though the names are different there are many parallels between Sons and Lovers and Lawrence’s own life. These parallels are what make the novel truly autobiographical. However, the strongest evidence of the autobiographical nature of this novel exists in the comparisons between Lawrence and his parents with their fictional counterparts in the book. David Herbert Lawrence was born in 1885, in Eastwood, England. Eastwood is an industrial town, the main industry being coal mining. In the novel, Eastwood becomes the town of Bestwood. As in the novel, Lawrence’s family was poor and working class. Lawrence was a sickly child (Croom, 1996). He had bronchitis a mere two weeks after he was born, and lung problems would plague him all his life, eventually developing into repeated bouts of pneumonia which permanently weakened his lungs (Meyers, p. 248). Eventually, it was tuberculosis, which attacked his weakened lungs, that killed him (Moynahan, p. xiii). At that time, one of the few ways for a poor person to better himself was through education. Lawrence’s mother Lydia recognized this, and encouraged it in young Lawrence. Lawrence started school at the early age of four, but it proved too much for the child. He was withdrawn from school and did not return until he was seven years old. The fact that he was older than the other children when he reentered school set him apart socially. He had few friends, and instead sought out the company of his younger sister, Ada. Despite Lawrence’s late start, he did well in school, and became the first pupil in his school to win a scholarship to Nottingham High School (Croom, p.

Collisions Lab

Collisions in Two Dimensions Abstract: This lab was conducted to investigate the theories of conservation of momentum and kinetic energy in different types of 2D collisions. In order to do this, both an elastic and inelastic collision was conducted on an air table with pucks. A video was taken and analyzed to determine velocity, allowing for future finding of momentum and kinetic energy values. By finding these, it was possible to determine which kind of collision took place. With low values of change in momentum and kinetic energy that occurred in elastic collisions, it is understood that both are conserved in this type of collision.However, in the inelastic collision, momentum is conserved while kinetic energy is not. Possible error in this lab may have resulted from the neglect of friction and rotational kinetic energy. Overall, however, the results matched up well with the expected values. The objective of the lab was therefore met. Objective: The objective of this lab is to supp ort that momentum will be conserved in all forms of collisions, and that kinetic energy will be conserved only in elastic collisions. Materials: Materials used in this lab were a video camera, an air table with pucks and Velcro bands, and Logger Pro software.Procedure: Videos of collisions of air hockey pucks will be recorded onto the computer’s hard drive. Two different types of collisions will be analyzed. The first will be nearly-elastic, with each puck going separate directions after the collision. The other type is completely inelastic with each buck bearing Velcro so as to stick together upon collision. The first collision requires first setting an origin on the video. Using the Set Scale tool, a distance scale will be set. Trajectory of the center puck is marked and an arbitrary time is picked at which data will begin being extracted.Points will then be added one frame at a time until enough measurements are taken before and after the collision. This is then repeated o n the incident puck. This is done for both the center and the white dot on each puck. This data is automatically entered into Logger Pro. The data sets are then graphed. Straight lines are fitted to the graphs to determine the velocities , wich will be used to determine angular speed of the puck’s rotation. A new video will be analyzed in part two. In this collision the position of the center of mass of both pucks will be tracked, along with the position of the center of one of the pucks.This will result in 8 sets of data points. Linear fits are used to determine the velocity components of each. Radius is then used to calculate angular velocity. Results: ELASTIC COLLISION| | Mass 1| Mass 2| V1ix| V1iy| V1fx| V1fy| V2fx| V2fy| | | 0. 05| 0. 05| 2. 557| 1. 511| 0. 077| 1. 056| 2. 488| 0. 3909| | Errors| | | 0. 003525| 0. 003886| 0. 002806| 0. 003190| 0. 00481| 0. 003588| | | P1ix| P1iy| P1i| P2ix| P2iy| P2i| Pi Tot| | | | 0. 1279| 0. 0756| 0. 04174| 0| 0| 0| 0. 04174| | | Error s| | | 0. 0001061| | | 0| 0. 0001061| | | | P1fx| P1fy| P1f| P2fx| P2fy| P2f| Pf Tot| ? P| ? P/Pi| | 0. 1654| 0. 03378| 0. 03761| 0. 01316| -0. 00198| 0. 01331| 0. 05092| 0. 00918| 0. 2199| Errors| | | 0. 001665| | | 0. 000224| 0. 00168| | | | KE1i| KE2i| KEi Tot| KE1f| KE2f| KEf Tot| ? KE| ? KE/KEi| | | 0. 01767| 0| 0. 01767| 0. 01435| 0. 001796| 0. 01615| -0. 00152| -0. 08602| | INELASTIC COLLISION| | Mass 1| Diameter 1| Mass 2| Diameter 2| V1ix| V1iy| V1fx| V1fy| V2Fx| V2Fy| | 0. 052| . 05| 0. 052| 0. 05| 1. 361| 1. 231| 0. 7372| 0. 9625| 0. 5867| 0. 9481| Errors| | | | | . 007372| . 005637| . 04805| . 02558| . 007288| . 02936| | P1ix| P1iy| P1i| P2ix| P2iy| P2i| Pi Tot| | | | | 0. 2832| 0. 02731| 0. 03934| 0| 0| 0| 0. 03934| | | | Errors| | | 0. 000164| | | 0| 0. 000164| | | | | P1fx| P1fy| P1f| P2fx| P2fy| P2f| Pf Tot| ? P| ? P/Pi| | | 0. 01479| 0. 01901| 0. 02409| 0. 02274| 0. 02443| 0. 03338| 0. 03338| -0. 00596| -0. 1515| | Errors| | | 0. 000242| | | 0. 000243| 0. 000343| | | | | ? | KE1i| KE2i| KE rot i| KEi Tot | KEf lin = KE1f = KE2f| KEf Rot| KEf Tot| ? KE| ? KE/KEi| | 3. 27| 0. 015| 0| 0| 0. 015| 0. 005387| 0. 003397| 0. 008784| -0. 00622| -0. 4144| Data Analysis: Angular Velocity =vr Conservation of Momentum: Elastic: x-component 1v1ix+m2v2ix=m1v1fx+m2v2fx 502. 557+500=50. 077+502. 488 127. 85=128. 25 Error:. 311% y-component m1v1iy+m2v2iy=m1v1fy+m2v2fy 501. 511+500=501. 056+50. 3909 75. 55=72. 345 Error:4. 24% Inelastic: x-component 50(1. 361)+50(0)=50(. 7372)+50(. 5867) 68. 05=66. 2 Error:2. 8% y-component 50(1. 231)+50(0)=50(. 9625)+50(. 9481) 109. 675=95. 53 Error:12. 9% Conservation of Kinetic Energy 12m1v1i2+12m2v2i2+12I11i2+12I12i2= 12m1v1f2+12m2v2f2+12I11f2+12I12f2 12506. 54+1250(0)+12(15625)(. 01)+12(15625)(. 003)= 12(50)(. 006)+12(50)(6. 19)+12(15625)(. 0018)+12(15625)(. 0002) 265. 0625=270 Masses measured in [kg]*Velocities measured in [m/s] *Momentums measured in [kgm/s]*Energies measured in [J] * ? measured in [rad/s] Discussion: The theories of conservation of momentum and conservation of energy in collisions in two dimensions were supported in this lab. While conservation of momentum was supported through both elastic and inelastic equations, conservation of energy was supported only through elastic collisions. Rotational kinetic energy also played a role in the results. The theories are highly supported due to the low amount of error present in this lab.In calculating the final results of kinetic energy and momentum, mass and velocity measurements were used. Momentum and kinetic energy are variables dependent on those of mass and velocity, the independent variables. Because the graphs were position vs. time graphs, the velocity could be derived by looking at the slope. Because the change in momentum in the elastic equation was a relatively small change, momentum in this collision was proven to be conserved. Kinetic energy was also conserved, as is characteristic of elastic collisions, with another very small change.As expected, momentum was also conserved for the inelastic collision. Although the change in kinetic energy was small, the fact that there was some change supports it being an inelastic collision. Energy was not conserved, as expected. Some error in the lab could be contributed to the nearly (but not quite) frictionless air tables. Even slight friction may have affected the data. Another contributing factor to overall error could be the rotational kinetic energy not accounted for in the elastic collision, seeing as energy would have been added to the system.This error could be reduced or eliminated by taking rotational kinetic energy and friction into account. Conclusion: The objective of this lab was to support the theories of conservation of momentum in both elastic and inelastic collisions, and to support the theory of kinetic energy conservation in elastic collisions. Because the changes in the values of kinetic energy and momentum were so small, they proved insignifican t and the theories were supported. Therefore, the objective of the lab was met.

Battling Nerves and Anxiety Over Presentations

Battling Nerves and Anxiety Over Presentations Nearly everyone experiences nervousness when they perform in some way, whether in giving a speech, taking a test, offering a presentation, or teaching a class. Its something everybody deals with. But some people hide their nervousness more than others. Some people simply understand that nervousness is self-perpetuating. Here is an alarming little equation: Signs of Nervousness Leads to Increased Nervousness In other words, one sign of nervousness can cause other symptoms to pop up. To clarify this cruel little formula, just think back to a time when you were speaking in front of a group. If you noticed that your hands were shaking or your voice was cracking, you probably became distracted and unnerved by these signs. They probably embarrassed you and made you even more nervous, which made your heart beat faster. True? Theres good news: This formula also works in reverse. If you can prepare ahead of time to prevent and disguise the normal causes for nervousness, you can avoid a chain reaction of symptoms. Types of Fears That Cause Anxiety The best thing you can do is to over-prepare when youre facing an intimidating situation that makes you nervous. The number one cause for nerves is feeling inadequate about the topic. Fear of Looking Stupid: Whatever your topic may be, from phases of the moon to Internet safety, you must research it thoroughly. If you try to skimp or slide by with a little knowledge, youll start to feel insecureand it will show. Prepare ahead and go way beyond the parameters of your specific topic. Find out all you can about the how and why of things, especially if you will be answering questions about your topic. Fear of Forgetting Information: When giving a speech, its normal to forget details if youre nervous, so you should take steps to avoid this. Make an outline of your topic or make several note cards to use as prompters. Practice with the note cards and re-make them if they confuse you in any way. Make sure you number any note cards so you can keep them in the right order. Fear of Freezing Up: You can avoid the appearance of freezing up during your presentation, discussion, or speech by having props on hand. These can include a drink of water, a notepad, or a visual aid. Anytime you feel like you might go blank, say Excuse me for a moment, and take a drink or pretend to jot something down. This will give you an extra moment to gather your thoughts. Its also a good idea to have one note card prepared that you can go to in a moment of panic. This card could contain a space filler like an anecdotal story that goes along with your topic. If you need to go to this panic card, you could simply say, You know, this reminds me of a story. After you complete your story you can say, Now where was I? and someone will tell you. Types of Symptoms That Increase Anxiety You can reduce some nervous symptoms by scoping out the room where youll be speaking or presenting. Find out if youll be standing still, sitting down, walking around, or using a microphone. Educate yourself as much as possible about your situation. It will give you a greater sense of control. Dry mouth: Prevent dry mouth by carrying a glass of water with you. Also avoid drinking carbonated drinks before you speak, since those tend to dry out your mouth.Shaky, nervous voice: The more you know your topic and the more confident you feel, the less trouble youll have with your voice. If you start to feel short of breath or shaky, just pause to consult your notes or take a sip of water. Breath slowly and give yourself a moment to re-group. It wont look odd to the audience.Rapid heartbeat: Its not a good idea to eat a big meal before an event. The combination of jittery nerves and a full stomach can create a strong heartbeat, which will make you feel short of breath. Instead, eat a small but healthy meal before you speak. More Tips for Battling Nerves Prepare transitional phrases ahead of time to help you flow from one idea to the next. If you dont have a good transition, you might get nervous as you struggle to change from one topic to another.Practice your speech, presentation, or argument out loud and in front of the mirror several times. This will help you fix any awkward segments.If you have a microphone, concentrate solely on it as you speak. This helps you block out the audience.Dont think about underwear. Some people suggest that you imagine your audience wearing underwear. You can do that if you really want to, but it might not prove very helpful. The real idea behind this trick is to think of your audience as ordinary people just like you. They are ordinary, and chances are, theyre all impressed at your courage and very supportive.Move around the room if you have the opportunity. This sometimes helps distract you from the eyes of your audience and it can make you look professional and in control.Start out your presentati on with a great quote or a funny line. For instance, a good line to use as an icebreaker is I just want you all to know that I am not picturing you in your underwear.