Influence of Reference Groups Essay

When you think about reference groups, there are a number of perspectives that one has to consider. According to Hawkins (2010), a reference group is a group whose presumed perspectives or values are being used by an individual as the basis for his or her current behavior. Thus, a reference group is simply a group that an individual uses as a guide for behavior in a specific situation (p. 227). Groups may be classified according to a number of variables. Four criteria are particularly useful: membership, strength of social tie, type of contact, and attraction. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is a private, non-profit organization whose purpose is to provide assistance and support through established programs in local communities throughout the world. A sisterhood of more than 200,000 predominately Black college educated women, the Sorority currently has over 900 chapters located in the United States, England, Japan (Tokyo and Okinawa), Germany, the Virgin Islands, Bermuda, the Bahamas and the Republic of Korea. The Sorority was founded in 1913 by 22 students at Howard University. These young women wanted to use their collective strength to promote academic excellence; to provide scholarships; to provide support to the underserved; educate and stimulate participation in the establishment of positive public policy; and to highlight issues and provide solutions for problems in their communities (Delta Sigma Theta, 2010). Delta Sigma Theta’s website is about heritage. This site speaks volumes about how these women wanted to be a part of an organization that consists of excellence. These women have a lifetime membership within the sorority. The influence that this organization has, as well as the site, is remarkable. The information on this site will allow younger women that have the desire to go to college and be a part of an organization that helps one excel, not only in school, but also in the workforce as well. This site has all the criteria of a basic reference group. The social ties that this organization has within the world are by far the best for young women that are willing to be a part of change. People that have â€Å"made it† when it comes to financial stability may feel that they are affluent in the society. There are people that have made millions and they do stand alone when it comes to affording â€Å"the better things† in life. Bentley’s website is attractive because the vehicle shows class. The influence that this vehicle has on a person’s financial status is undoubtedly the car of all cars. A Bentley is unmistakable – all it takes is a glance at the twin headlights, matrix grille or the high waistline to know one. The paradox of the car is that although it is instantly recognizable, it takes time and effort to hand-build each one. That’s the assured Bentley hallmark. A hand-built car using the finest quality natural materials takes time. Yet, while others may do things ‘meticulously’ or ‘painstakingly’, Bentley has always been about passion. In fact, our entire reputation rests on the experienced skills and passion of our people, handed down through generations. Many of our people say that they work on each Bentley as if it were going to be their car. They want to get it right. It’s no wonder that every machinist who creates a set of upholstery signs the back of it with his or her initials (Bentley, 2010). Once again Bentley’s website is about class and luxury. This site tells a story about smoothness when it comes to highway. There is nothing like being comfortable while traveling on highway or down the street to the mailbox. People that are attractive to the glitz and glamour will definitely enjoy riding either in the backseat of a spacious vehicle or driving behind the wheel. The six-time success at Le Mans has made Bentley more than a car – it has come to stand for a way of doing things: with spirit, flair, courage, instinctive intelligence and teamwork. Endurance racing has always been a way for us to test, strengthen and improve the cars.

Business Law: Man U Break Clause Rooney Essay

‘Manchester united Footballer Wayne Rooney signs new contract worth  £30 million’. Discuss the essentials of such a contract with particular reference to the function and efficacy of the ‘break clause’ and ‘confidentiality agreement’ it contains. 1,500 words. Guidance: You do not have to discuss Wayne’s actual contract; you do have to discuss the essentials of a contract. You must discuss express terms. What is a ‘break clause’? What is a ‘confidentially agreement’? What is the purpose of such clauses? Do they protect the parties to the contract? Do not forget to cite case law. The issue that will be discussed in this essay is the break clause/exemption and confidentiality agreement with regards to Wayne Rooney’s contract with Manchester United. An exemption clause, like any other term, will be incorporated into a contract if it is contained in a signed document; this was shown in the case of L’Estrange v Graucob (1934) where the purchaser of a vending machine was bound by a very wide exemption clause contained in the small print on the order form which she had signed. A break clause is a term in a tenancy agreement that allows a tenant to leave before the tenancy period comes to an end, without incurring any financial penalty. It is not unusual for a contract clause regarding proprietary information to also be included in many types of agreements. Break clauses are inserted as standard in contracts in Spanish football, and are generally related to the total wages the player will earn throughout his contract. The insertion of a break clause gives the player (Rooney) the freedom to move if his valuation is met, but it also protects the club against players who try to force cut-price deals’. In terms of Wayne Rooney and Manchester United FC, ‘Wayne Rooney is thought to have negotiated a break clause in his new five-year contract with Manchester United’ says an article in the Times. The striker can leave for as little as  £30 million if certain targets are not met on a year-by-year basis. Article 17 of the FIFA Transfer Regulations states that players can unilaterally cancel their contract with their club after a certain protected period has expired if an amount of compensation is paid to their original club. For players over the age of 28 the protected period for their contract is two years, meaning they will be able to unilaterally terminate their contract when they are two years into it. This rule applies to footballers under the age of 28. Rooney is 24 and therefore his protected period for contract is three years, meaning he will be able to unilaterally terminate his contract once he is three years into it however Rooney is not bound by this because he has his own break clause within his own contract that allows him to leave at any time if he is offered a minimum of  £30 million. Some contracts have what is known as a confidentiality agreement, this is a written legal contract between an employer and employee. The confidentiality agreement lays out binding terms and conditions of which prohibit Wayne Rooney from disclosing company confidentials on Manchester United. The purpose of a confidentiality contract is that it; creates certainty, establishes a contractual obligation, ensures enforcement and supports a claim under general law because it creates the relationship of confidence that is the basis of many claims and it sets out in detail the conduct which the disclosing party expects from the recipient). A confidentiality agreement is in effect for the duration of an employee’s employment and for a period of time following employment termination of which is the period of 5 years in this case. In the following case by Seager Limited v Copydex Limited [1967] 2 All ER 415, Lord Denning MR established the principle that even if you do not have a confidentiality agreement in place, under equity law a person who has received information in confidence cannot take unfair advantage of it. That person must not make use of it to the prejudice of the person who gave it without obtaining his or her consent. A contract is an agreement between two or more parties. A contract is defined as, an agreement made between two or more persons or entities with specific terms made between two or more persons or companies promising to do something in return for money or money’s worth. A contract begins with an offer. The offer is an expression of willingness to contract on certain terms. It allows the other party to accept the offer and provides the basis of the agreement. To be effective, an offer must be communicated, this is to say that there cannot be acceptance of an offer without knowledge of it. A valid contract requires: an agreement; an intention to create legal relations as shown in the case of Balfour v. Balfour [1919] 2 K.B. 571, here the courts found that both parties must intend that an agreement be legally binding in order to be an enforceable contract; and consideration (unless the Contract is made by deed). Whilst each of these three requirements receives separate treatment, they must in reality be looked at together. The rights and duties of both employers and employees are to be found in the contract of employment, they are referred to as terms of a contract. Some of these terms are express terms; that is they are expressly or specifically stated, either orally, say at the initial interview, or in writing. Express terms include things like pay, hours and holidays. The law states that certain express terms must be put in writing and handed to the employee in the form of a written statement of particulars within 8 weeks of starting work. There are other contractual terms called implied terms. These are not expressly or explicitly stated because, in the main, they are fairly obvious to both parties to the contract of employment. Occasionally the courts will imply a term in a contract of employment where an important term has been left out. Implied terms include statutory rights, such as the right to equal pay and duties such as a duty of care. Each contract clause contained within an agreement is aimed at defining the rights, privileges, and commitments that each party has determined represent the terms govern their working relationship. This is the purpose of such clauses. For example, in this football employment contract, Manchester United agrees to provide Wayne Rooney with a specific set of benefits, such as salary, health insurance, a retirement plan, a football team transfer and any other benefit that both parties have agreed is necessary. At the same time, the contract will contain clauses that determine the range of services that Rooney will provide in exchange for these benefits. The idea is to include as much detail as possible, so that there is very little room for misinterpretation of what is expected of each party.

Effective Public Administrative System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Effective Public Administrative System - Essay Example Organizations must ensure that their employees follow the required procedures while handling their daily duties so that negative impacts are experienced and the organization achieves its desired outcomes. The technological advancement pressures the need for expertise in every field of production, improved living conditions, and an informed decision-making. An organization for example oil-producing company must have and implement strict policies governing its operations, occupational health, and compliance to the state laws governing processing and manufacturing industries (United Nations, 2005). The state requires that such companies must conduct environmental impact assessment so that they do not cause more harm to the environment and the people living within the vicinity of the industry. The state has in place the regulations and standards a company must meet before carrying out its operations, which the management of the organization must ensure that it complies and meets them, fa ilure to which permit is denied (United Nations, 2005). Oil producing companies require employees with technical expertise in the field of engineering to undertake most of its operations. The recruiting team of the company must ensure that they follow proper ways of employing, so that they do not end up messing with their operations, which consequences are faced by the society. The required knowledge and experience as per the law must be met; employing a software engineer to undertake, direct and supervise oil mining is not practical. The United Nations (2005) indicated that administrative staff of a company must ensure that their employees undergo appropriate induction training relevant to their area of specialization before they start working independently. Laxity in development and implementation of such policies might cause mishandling materials and machines resulting into an explosion causing injuries and deaths. Health facilities are very sensitive area that requires its emplo yees, nurses and doctors, to be qualified and certified by the board. A pharmacist cannot even at one point undertake surgery. It will be going against human right and is unethical as per the work norms and regulations of the country. Deaths will be caused; therefore, the government must ensure that people who are not trained and certified should by the authorizing body do not operate a medical facility, as that is breach of law which the individual must be punished for. Nurses who serve patients impolitely do not deserve to do the jobm because the patients might get traumatized due to stress. The impact caused could have been prevented if there were strict policies and regulations (United Nations, 2005). According to United Nations (2005), corruption is a barrier towards attainment of strong and effective administration of public policies. When politics is allowed to influence the functioning of an organization, for instance, when somebody presents his or her candidate for a certai n position, the independence of the organization no longer exists. The judicial system must be independent and reforms have to be made after a period, so that weaker laws are strengthened. Relying with the old system poses more problems than good to the society. Adoption of new technology improves the performance and operations of an organization. Acquisition of equipment that detects danger and alerts the employees reduces the number of risks

Thinkers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Thinkers - Essay Example This shift from mythic to rational mentality can be characterized as a movement from Who and Why questions about the cosmos to What and How questions. This shift occurred in part as a side-effect of frustration with the irreconcilable conflict of answers to Who and Why questions that were encountered on a regular basis in the trading city of Milesia, where cosmogonic myths would have been swapped along with goods. The Greeks were interested in the nature of the universe. What was it made out of How did it get there How does it stay in place How did it begin They asked these questions and they tried to answer them.The Pre-Socratics were the first theoretical philosophers in human history. They emerged in the 6th century b.c.e. in the Greek cities of Ionia. They were interested about the essential composition of nature and dissatisfied with earlier creation legends. The Ionians sought natural (physical) rather than religio-mythic (metaphysical) explanations for natural occurrences. They maintained that arbitrary and willful gods did not manipulate nature, and it wasn't governed by blind chance. Even though nature seemed chaotic, it was governed by principles of order - general laws that can be ascertained by the human mind. This marked the beginning of scientific thought.The Pre-Socratics wanted to find out what the universe was made of. They were looking for the primal or first substance of th e universe. They did this by means of observation with the naked eye. They used induction rather than deduction. From observing particular occurrences they postulated general theories. They believed the universe to be simple and subject to nature's laws. They speculated on the building blocks of the universe. Group of thinkers "Presocratics" is a group of thinkers who expressed themselves in various dialect of Greek during the 500's and 400's BC, that is, before the time of Socrates and his disciple Plato. Most lived in the edge of the Greek world, in what's today the western coast of Turkey (Ionia) and the southern parts of Italy. One reason we can be misled into viewing the Presocratics as children is that their ideas are often presented in a inexperienced and confusing way. two important thinkers whom tradition opposed to each other: Heraclitus of Ephesus (in Ionia) (ca. 540-480 BC), and Parmenides of Elea (a town in southern Italy) (born ca. 539 BC). Both struggled with being, not-being, and that combination of both with which we are familiar: becoming. To get an idea of how they struggled, you should click on either name. Here we can only say: Heraclitus took change and becoming to be cyclical: for him Real, Eternal Being is precisely the chain of eternally recurrent cycles. Parmenides denied outright the possibility of thinking the concept not-being Pythagoras was the source of a lesser stream of thought during this early period. Deeply religious, he and his followers formed mysterious mystery cults devoted to the rescue and cleansing of the soul. This was achieved by the attainment of wisdom, and in its pursuit they cultivated music, science and mathematics-especially mathematics in its cosmological applications. The cosmos for them was well-ordered, and it was well- ordered because it was a material expression of numbers and numerical

Iraq War Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Iraq War - Annotated Bibliography Example In addition, it analyzes the question of the beneficiary in broader terms by looking at possible ways, long and short-term impacts. It also considers economic and interest of China and US concerning the aftermath of the war. This article notes that China has emerged as the biggest economic beneficiary of the war by snagging five lucrative deals, hence helping the nation to overcome its security risks. It also notes that China displaced US as Iraq’s trading partner making them loose on many opportunities and trade ties. The article notes that Iraq-US war led to the death of over 4500 soldiers and over 30,000 injured and more than $1 trillion operational cost in the US. Similarly, US failed to establish capitalist democracy, making them loose. On the other hand, Iraq lost over 100,000 civilians and the displacement of over 2 million people. This was a loss to the two nations involved in the war. The book talks about grafts in the Administration of George Bush and the ways it went down as a lasting damage to the country. The book also outlines the decisions that Bush took to invade Iraq without any positive impact on the Americans. According to the book, the US was a loser in the war against Iraq, and it will take the nation decades to recover from the effects. The book notes that neither US nor Iraq won the battle since they all loss because there was material waste among other factors. US failed to achieve its control, but instead laid a framework for other nations such as China to take control of Iraq. It concludes by stating that political mileage was never reached as America had anticipated, and this led to their loss. The author of this book argues that the US-Iraq war was a blessing to the enemies since Iraq benefited because Shiite got power after eighty years of oppression and exclusion under the leadership of Saddam Hussein. There was power balance in Iraq as minority communities

Organ donation ( think of something intresting for the title) Essay

Organ donation ( think of something intresting for the title) - Essay Example In contrast, the proposed presumed-consent system presumes that an individual is willing to donate unless they opt-out by withdrawing their sanction (Brezina, pg 48). To deal with rising organ shortage, champions of presumed consent argue that it will lead to a substantial rise in number of would-be donors since it will be a suggestion of automatic donation to those who have not conveyed requests to the contrary. They also point out that the burden of determining whether to donate bestowed on relatives in traumatic period will be lifted. Its proponents have also pointed out that presumed consent preserves the spirit of selflessness among Americans. Besides implying that some European countries like Sweden and Spain are a success story in using this model, they point out that presumed consent augments the right of an indivigual to choose what occurs to them after death (Brezina, pg 52). Proponents of this model have faced an equal measure of criticism. While this model hypothetically preserves individual’s independence, it is still coercive. It therefore follows that it is an individual’s responsibility to ensure that the government does not obtain their organs upon death. As this model may increase the number deceased donors since many people will avoid deciding on a matter that can be traumatic and challenging to contemplate, it may be regarded by some people as an affront to individual’s civil liberties. This can lead to a hostile response against organ donation (Brezina, pg 50). This model can also be perceived as being religiously or culturally indifferent. Under presumed consent, the deceased are presumed to be organ donors lest they specify otherwise. Therefore such donations will be deemed ethically appropriate if established that an individual were conscious of the presumption and that the mechanisms for honoring and documenting refusals are effective and certainly available. Critics of presumed consent further point

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 109

Case Study Example Ritz Cal-ton maintained its status in luxury services by introducing the loyalty program that induced customers. The redemption of point obtained from such program attracted more customers than available services and the experience. Ritz-Cal-ton further introduced the frequent guest stay program to stay ahead of competitors. This they did to satisfy the need of their customer and even attract more. The program also fitted the business and it could offer excellent programs through their branches in various continents. They went further by offering airline flights, and a broad selection of unique flight experiences. Competitors did not offer these services at that time that made Ritz Cal-ton to stay above them. In addition, the partnership of Ritz-Cal-ton reward program and Marriott’s reward points being accepted in Ritz-Cal-ton properties and equally accepted in Marriot hotels. Looking at the past and comparing to present, most of previous luxuries have become necessities in luxury brands. Luxury brands should find a way of providing their customers with what they consider as most unattainable now to stay above competitors. Luxury brands like Ritz-Carl-ton should work on improving experience of their customers every time (Jonas and Coste-Manière, 6). Coussement, Martha A., Tanyatanaboon, Maneenuch., Li, Zhouyang., Shportko, Anastasia, and Miao, Li "A Strategy of Duality: New choreography for the Marriott/Ritz-Carlton dance." Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Cases 3.2 (n.d.): Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 6 Case Study Example The other risk faced by contractors in the construction sector is the challenge of identified an efficient subcontractor to help in the completion of the project and who can deliver on time. Most construction projects have a time line and the services of subcontractors important in completing the project on time. However, poor planning can result in a delay to complete the project and this also result in additional costs for the contractor in case the contract signed a fixed price contract. In a fixed price contract, the risk remains with the contractor and as a result, the project manager and the team working in the construction project need to conduct an extensive risk assessment to ensure that risks during the progress of the project are minimal. This is because in such a contract, unforeseen risks related to a project often remain on the side of the contractor (Adams, 2008). This paper examines the failures in the construction of Wembley stadium and how and an effective risk mana gement process can be used to avoid such failures. Wembley stadium is in England and mostly used for football matches and was first constructed in 1923. However, as a result of its dilapidated nature, the government decided to rebuild the stadium to replace the original one. As a result of poor planning, the project took longer to complete than previously expected. In addition, the cost for completing the project also increased compared to the initial estimates. The design of the stadium proposed by the winning bidder involved using steel arch, which added an aesthetic value to the stadium in addition to being a load bearer. This means that the structure did not need many internal support considered to obstruct the stadium’s view. The arch was also believed to improve the seating quality within the stadium. However, this design had

Outline Some of the Key Issues in Education Today Essay

Outline Some of the Key Issues in Education Today - Essay Example Currently, measures of ensuring that all children acquire appropriate education relevant to the prevailing conditions has become of more importance than ever before. Consequently, numerous issues have emerged in the education sector. Some of the major issues include provision of universal education to all children through polices such as Every Child Matters and educating students on global citizenship in order to improve their ability to function in a globalised world. The modern education is faced with several challenges that undermine provision of the appropriate skills and knowledge to the learners. Boyer and Hamil (2008) indentified three main challenges affecting the education sector in developed and developing world. These problems include lack of well motivated teachers, which contribute to high attrition rate, lack of adequate parental involvement in learning of their children and poor reading habits among the students in education institutions (Boyer and Hamil, 2008). These shortcomings have elicited various reactions from educational policy makers, resulting to formulation of policies aimed at addressing the problem. Teaching as a profession is demanding and characterised by immense responsibilities which the society places upon the teachers. In spite of the heavy responsibilities, Altshuler, (2003) notes that teachers are not adequately motivated to perform under such demanding environment, leading to high rate of attrition and declining interest in the profession. Various research studies have been conducted to investigate the duration of service of teachers in the profession. A study conducted by Boling and Evans (2008) in United States established that forty six percent of teachers in the country quit the profession after less than five years. This trend is more pronounced in urban areas where about half of the entire professional workforce quit the profession for other careers (Boling, C., and Evans, 2008). Another study by Boyer and Hamil (2008) established that over ninety percent of newly recruited teachers are hired to replace those who quit the profession because of other reasons except retirement. High teacher attrition has various adverse effects on education. Some of the effects include straining the available resources allocated for the education sector. Boyer and Hamil (2008) noted that schools spend considerable amounts of financial resources while searching and recruiting new teachers, a situation that drains their budgetary allocations considerably. Uradan, Solek, and Schoenfelder (2007) estimated that schools in United States spend about $ 7 billion annually in the process of recruiting, hiring and retaining teachers in the country. These financial resources could be invested in other important academic ventures, such as investing in modern technology and purchasing of other necessary teaching resources. High teacher turnover rate undermines the quality of education provided to the children. Bransford, et al ( 2009)argue that the trend denies the profession considerable skills, when well trained and experienced teachers leave the profession for other pursuits. Consequently students receive poor quality education, which ultimately undermines their future progress. Ward and Eden (2009) attributed the high rate of teacher attrition to working in a demoralising but demanding environ

Managing Teams Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Managing Teams - Research Paper Example Apart from all this factors, the leader of the team is an important and powerful determinant of the success of the team. A leader who is openly cynical, ineffectual, apathetic and interpersonally hostile is less likely to maintain a positive, forward-looking team. A team leader belongs to a team and operates within it. He takes the responsibility of providing vision and mission to the team and sometimes also, represents the whole team to the organization. The main responsibility of the team leader is to ensure that the team is functioning well and also, acts as an involved member of the team (Hayes, 2002). This paper mainly focuses on the importance of teamwork in working environment, leadership and ways of building a leading and effective team. Teamwork in a work environment The use of the concepts like, workgroups and team, within the organization has increased rapidly in the Western Industrialized world. The rise of quality circles and dominance of self- managed teams has come to exemplify this movement throughout the work organizations. These concepts have gained importance due to the lack of customized form of work and flexibility, which have reduced the competitive ability. Teamwork has been introduced in the organizations for effective recruitment and better utilization of the employees in order to achieve organizational goals. Team work has also helped the employees in accomplishing their need by controlling the work environment (Doorewaard, van Hootegem & Huys, 2002). It is not unheard that a successful teamwork influences the success of a business. Kets De Vries (1999) has emphasized on the fact that research has proved that effective teamwork is one of the fundamental elements that facilitates a high performing business. The business that continues to perform successfully is largely dependent on teamwork as it is a significant basis for day to day operations. Increased employee morale, effective and efficient communication, flat management structure, client focus, quality enhancement and productivity are the main aspects of team-oriented business. Research scholars have indicated that many of the organizations described themselves as highly team-oriented but in reality, they need to create team-oriented culture within their organization to gain success. Creating an effective teamwork environment depends on flexibility of the organization, leadership styles and management structure. Scarnati (2001) has proposed that employees are less likely to work in a team unless the purpose, condition, arrangement and structure of the firm support their team effort. Once the team gets established, it is not only the responsibility of the management to nurture the effectiveness and efficiency of the working team, but is also the responsibility of the team members to perpetuate the success of the team. The managers are required to select and employ highly skilled individuals who can contribute to the teams’ environment and lead it to su ccess. Teams are a strategic practice of the management to conduct their business in order to provide flexibility to their employees, under a certain work structure. These individuals are expected to make informed decision within the team, take responsibility

Network Measurement Laboratory Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Network Measurement Laboratory - Lab Report Example This experiment is aimed to experimentally determine the Thevenin and Norton equivalent circuit of a Black box network which consists of resistive elements and voltage source. Furthermore, the value of the load resistance connected across the two terminals of the black box will be determined such that maximum power is transferred from the network load. Finally, the objective of the experiment is to determine certain network parameters. This experiment will aid the students to understand the behavior of given circuits and explain their outputs, understand Thevenin and Norton principles, the principle of maximum power transfer and their implications for practical systems. Thevenin Theorem states that: â€Å"any linear terminal circuit is equivalent to an ideal voltage source Vth in series with a resistance Rth where Vth is open circuit voltage the two terminals and Rth is the ratio of open-circuit voltage to the short-circuit current (Isc) at the terminals†. On the other hand, an alternative proposition to Thevenin’s theory, Norton’s theorem states that â€Å"Any linear resistive two terminal circuit is equivalent to a parallel combination of an ideal current source In and a resistance Rn, where In is the short-circuit current at the terminals and Rn is the ratio of the open-circuit voltage to the short-circuit current†. These theorems are illustrated in the circuit below Measurements for the values of 12 VDC and 18 VDC of the excitation voltages were then made. The Thà ©venin Circuit Component was then turned over and a schematic diagram representation drawn as shown below A 10Kï â€" variable resistor was connected across the output of the black box and the current and the voltage across the resistor measured. The resistance was varied the current and voltage recorded as a function of the resistance. The current and the voltmeter measurement

Understanding Society - Classical Liberalism Essay Example for Free

Understanding Society Classical Liberalism Essay The individualism that Durkheim sees and defends as the ethic of our time is an ethic not just of the individual hut of the individual as man. This is an absolutely fundamental point, and not as obvious and straightforward as, at first sight, it might seem. It involves a dualism, in which an ideal of individuality is part of the ideal of humanity (Miller, 1996 96). The dualism’s Durkheimian explanation concerns the development of the division of labor, such that there are increasingly only two fundamental identities we can have, the identity of the distinct â€Å"individual† and the identity in common of â€Å"man† (Hamilton, 1995 136). However, it also concerns the development of modern society such that it demands a Universalist ethic of â€Å"the person†. This means, amongst other things, insistence on every individual’s same basic moral status and rights to respect and regard. Indeed, an ethic of the person is the only way to extend this status to every individual, and to oppose reactionary individualisms that withhold it. The modern individualist ideal is and has to be, for Durkheim, humanist and republican, its aspirations find expression in 1789’s â€Å"liberty, equality, fraternity† (Miller, 1996 97). â€Å"Liberalism is neither a vague Zeitgeist nor the outlook of modern man, but clearly identifiable set of principles and institutional choices endorsed by specific politicians, publicists, and popular movements. The early history of liberalism cannot be detached from the political history, in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, of England and Scotland, the Netherlands, the United States, and France† (Berkowitz, 1999 256). As for the main character of the discussion, liberalism for Durkheim remains part of the egoistic nature of man towards his environment. Discussion Durkheim published a response entitled, Individualism and the Intellectuals, wherein he discussed â€Å"the argument, always refuted and always renewed,† that â€Å"Intellectual and moral anarchy would be the inevitable result of liberalism. † Some varieties of liberalism, Durkheim conceded, are egoistic and threaten the common good of societies by encouraging the individual to become excessively preoccupied with self-interest. However, there is a strand of liberalism, Durkheim argued, that is moral and social. This form Durkheim called â€Å"moral Individualism† and he claimed that â€Å"not only is moral individualism not anarchical, but it henceforth is the only system of beliefs that can ensure the moral unity of the country. † In industrial, democratic nations such as France, moral virtue and unity are promoted by the liberal practices and ideals of moral individualism. France’s modern moral traditions are largely constituted by liberal institutions and values (Hamilton, 1995 124). Durkheim asserted chat â€Å"all communal life is impossible without the existence of interests superior to those of the individual. † From the outset of his career, Durkheim insisted that in modern Industrial society’s happiness and freedom are achieved in the context of moral beliefs and practice, embedded in vital traditions and institutions. Durkheim sees in the modern ideal â€Å"all the values to which he adheres most: equality, liberty, justice, fraternity†. Moreover, it is important to emphasize, he sees them as coming together in an inseparable package. It will not do to insist on a definition of freedom that in effect writes off other modern ideals, and that camouflages, behind a lot of philosophical talk, a recipe for a minimalist police state and an anemic and oppressive class-divided society (Berkowitz, 1999 257). It is a recipe for such things if only because the other ideals, which the libertarian state has to trample on, will not go away but are part of the modern world (Miller, 1996 97). Similarly, it will not do to insist on conceptions of equality and community that in effect write off freedom, in a recipe for a â€Å"despotic socialism†. Durkheim’s project is a commitment to a continuing, developing search to work and rework the human ideal’s different aspirations, which, whatever the tensions between them, must combine into a whole. It is bound to be a dispute-filled search, if only because of the nature of the human ideal, with its commitment to individualism and free thought, but also, in Durkheim’s account, because of the nature of modern individuality itself. However, his appeal to the division of labor as a basic source of our individuality can at the same time obscure the point about individuality itself as a source of differences and disputes (Miller, 1996 98). Critics of liberalism tend to be the more aggressive, eager to portray Hobbes as a paradigmatic liberal theorist whose geometric method, materialist metaphysics, mechanistic psychology, and atomistic vision of society exemplify the poverty of the liberal spirit (Tucker, 2001 68). Meanwhile, when confronted with the image of Hobbes as one of their own, liberals often react sharply; pointing to Hobbes’s theory of indivisible and inseparable sovereign power and insistence on state supervision of university curriculum and church teaching, they emphatically declare that Hobbes cannot be understood to be a liberal in any meaningful sense (Hamilton, 1995 138). As often happens when passions flare and partisans draw sharp lines in the sand, the truth in its complexity and fine-grained texture becomes the first casualty, in the debate over Hobbes’s relation to liberalism, each side errs not so much in what it points to as in what it fails to acknowledge in Hobbes’s political theory (Berkowitz, 1999 257). In their efforts to present Hobbes as liberalism’s torchbearer, liberalism’s critics abstract from the fact that Hobbes’s political science does little to insure the protection of traditional liberal freedoms and rejects the need, made thematic by the liberal tradition, to limit government power through careful institutional design (Pickering 2001 196). At the same time, liberals who wish to deny any relation whatsoever to Hobbes overlook the fact that Hobbes’s doctrine of absolute sovereignty is explicitly established for the limited purpose of securing and maintaining peace, while subjects’ obligation to obey the civil law is limited, according to Hobbes’s theory, by the natural and inalienable right to self-preservation (Hamilton, 1995 139). Hobbes argued that human beings are fundamentally equal and endowed with certain natural and in-alienable rights, defended the idea of a state based on the rule of law: maintained a basic distinction between the public and the private; envisaged a sovereign who respected personal freedom by permitting his subjects the liberty of commerce and contract, as well as the choice of profession, where to live, and how to raise their children: held that a primary task of a good government was to secure a rudimentary welfare for all citizens; affirmed that civil laws govern actions, not inner faith or conscience, insisted on the utility of toleration (Berkowitz, 1999 258). Adam Smith, on the other hand, introduced two forms of liberalism, specifically economic liberalism and social liberalism. Economic liberalism is primarily about efficiency, whereas social liberalism is primarily about freedom. In modern politics, they often appeal to quite different people (McLean, 2006 314). Economic liber als are often social conservatives, and vise versa. People who believe that the state should get out of the market often believe strongly that the state should police morals (Hamilton, 1995 141). The individualization of altruism thus connects with all the emphasis on how we each become an â€Å"autonomous source of action† and a centre of thought in which â€Å"the very materials of consciousness have a personal character† (McLean, 2006 315). It increasingly involves, around this â€Å"common faith†, ways of thinking and feeling that are â€Å"very general and indefinite† and that let in â€Å"a growing multitude of individual disagreements (McLean, 2006 323). Dissidences, even if including the differences of organic cohesion, must also refer to the conflicts involved in pluralism, factionalism and the freedom in which we each have our own â€Å"opinions, beliefs, aspirations† (Miller, 1996 99). Moral individualism, wrote Durkheim, is â€Å"the individualism of Kant, Rousseau, of the spiritualities — the one that the Declaration of the Rights of Man attempted, more or less happily, to formulate and that is currently taught in our schools and has become the basis of our moral character (Pickering 2001 194). This type of individualism is â€Å"profoundly different† from the egoistic type. Far from making personal interest the object of conduct, this one sees in all personal motives the very source of evil (Tucker, 2001 68). According to Kant, the individual is only certain of acting properly if the motives that influence the person relate, not to the particular circumstance in which the person is placed, but to the equality as a man in abstract (Holmes, 1995 89). On the other hand, Rousseau’s concept of the general will is an authentic expression of justice insofar as it is constituted not by personal interest, but by public goods and concerns (McLean, 2006 326). Durkheim concluded, thus, for both these men, the only moral ways of acting are those that can be applied to all men indiscriminately, which are implied in the notion of man in general duty consists in disregarding all that concerns us personally in order to seek out fellowmen (Pickering 2001 195). It is perhaps more accurate to say that Durkheim’s moral individualism invented this tradition as much as It belongs to it (Holmes, 1995 86). Durkheim attempted to piece together his own â€Å"communitarian† account of his favorite varieties of liberalism (Hamilton, 1995 142). A set of liberal, democratic traditions already existed; however, Durkheim was well aware of competing communitarian traditions, such as those of the Royalists and the conservative Roman Catholics, as well as of competing liberal traditions, such as those of the classical economists and utilitarians (McLean, 2006 320). Durkheim attempted to show that in the vocabulary of moral individualism there is no fundamental opposition between individual rights and the common good. He first advanced what he considered to be the necessary communal, social Interpretation of the Kantian autonomous Individual (Pickering 2001 193). Conclusion Egoism is equated with individualism wherein Durkheim defines it in terms of â€Å"sentiments and representations which are exclusively personal†, and indeed just talks of it as â€Å"individuality†. This does not sound as if it can just be a matter of organic diversity, of differences that are complementary and cohesive rather than conflicting nor is it. The crucial passage comes earlier on, when Durkheim discusses the nature of the modern conscience collective and of the human ideal at its core. From the perspectives of other liberal philosophers of Adam Smith, liberalism is in the aspects of economic and social strengths wherein the society and industry are in continuous interplays of identities; Hobbes emphasized the universal right to personally convene a decision as the basic form of individuality. Rousseau and Kant exemplified liberalism in the form of rights of man to achieve utmost happiness as the form of individuality. Bibliography Berkowitz, P. (1999). Virtue and the Making of Modern Liberalism. Princeton University Press. Hamilton, P. (1995). Emile Durkheim: Critical Assessments. Routledge. Holmes, S. H. (1995). Passions and Constraint: On the Theory of Liberal Democracy. University of Chicago Press. McLean, L. (2006). Adam Smith, Radical and Egalitarian: Radical and Egalitarian. Edinburgh University Press. MIller, W. W. (1996). Durkheim, Morals and Modernity. McGill-Queens Press. Pickering, W. F. (2001). Emile Durkheim: Critical Assessments of Leading Sociologists. Routledge. Tucker, K. H. (2001). Classical Social Theory: A Contemporary Approach. Blackwell Publishing.

Wizard of Oz Analysis Essay

Wizard of Oz Analysis Essay When I was five years old, my family gathered around the T.V. on a snowy Sunday night and watched a special presentation of The Wizard of Oz. Shortly thereafter, I picked up L. Frank Baums The Wonderful Wizard of Oz  [1]  and was hooked. I read every Oz book that I could find at the public library. Nearly twenty years later, I picked up The Wonderful Wizard of Oz again and found a subtle depth which I did not expect, especially through the feminist lens. Both the book and the film are well-suited for a feminist critique because of Dorothy, the female heroine, and other important female characters. While Baums novel presents a relatively progressive view of women, the 1939 MGM adaptation of the book portrays women as weak and best suited for domestic life through the weakening of Dorothy as a character, the emphasis of Dorothys desire to get home, the dream motif, and the elimination of important female characters. The Wizard of Oz is one of the most important cultural texts of the twentieth century. MGMs movie was an instant hit: and, afterward, thanks to annual prime time television showings, more people have seen it than any other motion picture ever made (McClelland 13). The Library of Congress even included The Wizard of Oz with 24 other films that it declared to be national treasures (Rahn 109). Even with the immense popularity, the film was not met with universal critical acclaim when it was released. Raylyn Moore documents that many critics gave the film scathing reviews. She adds her own assessment: Throughout, the production seesaws alarmingly between the sentimental and the grotesque, the very pitfalls Baum so scrupulously avoided in his first Oz book (Moor 90). Like the film, Baums novel has received its fair share of criticism. Suzanne Rahn chronicles the history of the books reception throughout the century following its publishing. Most people wouldnt hesitate to call [The Wonderful Wizard of Oz] a classic of American childrens literature. Yet if a childrens classic can be defined as a book that is admired by critics and loved by children, then [The Wonderful Wizard of Oz] belongs in a peculiar category of its own. Enthusiastically received by the first reviewers, the Oz books fell into such disfavor with childrens librarians 30 years later that they were systematically purged from library collections. [. . .] Then, in the 1970s, the pendulum swung again. The last 20 years have seen a renewed acceptance and appreciation of the Oz books, accompanied by critical analyses from the full gamut of perspectives-political, economic, spiritual, feminist, and psychological. The MGM film version of The Wizard, too, has received careful study and increasing respect. Yet reservations are still expressed; while no one today would deny the cultural importance of The Wizard, its quality as literature remains somewhat in doubt. (12) As Rahn illustrates, even works that have dubious literary merit often merit scholarly analysis. Arguably, the diversity of critical perspectives applied to the study of the text and film in the scholarly community speak to the value of the works as art forms. Regardless of any particular readers or viewers personal response to the film or the text, both have shown sufficient cultural influence to deserve closer scrutiny. Both the novel and the film lend themselves extremely well to a feminist examination of the texts. While it may seem odd to apply feminist theory to childrens literature, gender issues are often blatantly represented. As Lizbeth Goodman writes, If we take a [. . .] look at some of the most popular childrens story books, we can quickly see that gender inequalities are represented there (16). Goodman also notes that our first experiences with language often come through the medium of childrens books and that these books can have a powerful impact on how we conceptualize the world around us (16). Additionally, the life of Frank Baum strongly suggests the appropriateness of a feminist reading. Baum was a vigorous political supporter of the womens suffrage movement (Dighe 6). His wife also came from a family of womens rights activists. Her mother even wrote a book about the history of the suffrage movement (Moore 50). It is apparent in Baums Oz books that he consciously deals with gender roles. Baums sequel to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a blatant satire of certain strands of the womens suffrage movement (Huebel 35). S.J. Sackett examines [Ozs] value system and detail and sees there respect for individual freedom and nonconformity, the absence of militarism, equality of the sexes, [etc.] (Rahn 20). But perhaps the most compelling reason to look at feminism in both the book and the film is the preeminence of female characters (Moore 119). While both the novel and the film have many of the same important female characters, the film systematically portrays a more oppressive and sexist vision of women than Baum does in the original text. This is evidenced, most obviously, through the portrayal of Dorothy. In the novel, Dorothy is portrayed as a very strong, brave, resourceful six-year-old. Moore gives the following description: To the Wizards thundering I am Oz the Great and Terrible . . , she firmly replies, I am Dorothy, the Small and Meek . . , but she is not really meek any more than the Wizard is really terrible. Faced with getting back home to Kansas, she sets about it with implacable determination. And when the Wizard makes it a condition of his helping her that she destroy the second witch, she sets out immediately to do it, even though she does not want to destroy anyone or anything. (154) Dorothy is also very independent. She meets adults like the Good Witch of the North and the Munchkins who cannot help her, but she continues on her journey. In the book, it is her idea to wear the shoes (silver, not ruby-red) as she travels because she figures that they do not run the risk of wearing out (Rahn 58-59). Additionally, Rahn illustrates how Dorothy serves as an Everyman for children to follow: [. . .] Dorothy is not merely an Everyman but a model for children to emulate. [. . .] She is sensible, friendly, helpful, brave without being foolhardy, deeply attached to her friends and family, and resolute in pursuing her goals. She does not change dramatically in the course of the journey, for this is not the course of someone who badly needs to change (like Bilbo in The Hobbit or Mary Lennox in The Secret Garden) but a story of self discovery, in which Dorothy comes to realize her own potential by the journeys end. In this interpretation, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion represent not only the friends we all need to help us on our way but also the qualities Baum felt were most essential for the traveler-qualities that Dorothy is to find within herself. (57) Dorothy is the true heroine in the novel. She is the one who holds the band of travelers together. She is a very strong female character throughout the text, notwithstanding periodic moments of weakness. In the MGM adaptation, however, Dorothy is portrayed as a weaker character with moments of strength. Arthur Freed, who worked on the film, had a lot to say in the conscientious decision to weaken Dorothys character. Michael Hearn writes in his introduction to the screenplay: But the chief weakness so far, according to Freed, was the lack of a solid and dramatic drive of Dorothys adventures and purposes that will keep the audience rooting for her throughout her trip to Oz. Freed [. . .] demanded that Dorothy have a deep-rooted psychological need back home that would justify her actions in Oz. [. . .] There she is motivated by her generosity to help everyone first before her little orphan heart cries out for what she wants most of all (the love of Aunt Em)-which represents to her the love of a mother she never knew. [. . .] Consequently Dorothy in the film became far more weepy than Baums practical, determined girl from Kansas. (12) Judy Garlands portrayal of Dorothy is considerably more helpless than Baums character. In the film, Dorothy is held a helpless prisoner by the Wicked Witch of the West. She can do nothing for herself until her male friends, the Scarecrow, Lion, and Tin Woodman come to save her as she sobs. When Dorothy defeats the witch, it is because she accidentally douses her with water while trying to splash Scarecrow. The book portrays a much stronger and proactive heroine. Baum has the Scarecrow helplessly scattered across the land, the Tin Woodman dashed to the bottom of a rocky ravine, and the Lion helplessly harnessed in her courtyard. Dorothy engineers her own escape by purposefully throwing water onto the witch. While Dorothy did not know this would kill the witch, her subsequent actions show her as a brave heroine. Moore helps to interpret Dorothys actions. In a struggle over Dorothys magic shoes, of which the wicked sorceress knows the worth while Dorothy does not, [. . .] that water is spilled over the girls enemy, who is at the time also her captress. The witch promptly melts away Like Brown sugar before her very eyes. But practical, self-reliant Dorothy is not one to waste time in pointless hysteria. . . . The Witch fell down in a brown, melted, shapeless mass and began to spread over the clean boards of the kitchen floor. Seeing that she had really melted away to nothing, Dorothy drew another bucket of water and threw it over the mess. She then swept it all out the door. After picking out the silver shoe, which was all that was left of the old woman, she cleaned and dried it with a cloth and put it on her foot again. (154) Dorothy then proceeds to free the Lion and orchestrate the rescue of the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman (109-111). Dorothy is unequivocally the hero in Baums novel. Additionally, Dorothy is further weakened as the dominant female character in the film by her exaggerated desire to return home. While the book contains this same motivation and even includes the phrase, Theres no place like home, this becomes a dominant motif in the movie. As Harmetz explains: Dorothys urgent desire to get home was a part of L. Frank Baums book. (Understandably, since in the book, unlike the movie, the cyclone that picked her up was not fulfilling any wish on her part.) But the movie, by design, inscribed that theme with a hatchet. Be it ever so humble, theres no place like home was a truism and a moral lesson on which L.B. Mayer, Mervyn LeRoy, and Arthur Freed wholeheartedly agreed. (298) Because the movie purposefully portrays Dorothy as trying to escape her Kansas farm, her insistence that she return home as soon as possible sends an even stronger message: women leaving the home is a mistake, and while it may lead to colorful adventures, women are happiest when they are at home. This message is hammered in at the end of the film when Glinda explains to Dorothy why she didnt tell her about the shoes at the beginning. Because she wouldnt have believed me. She had to learn it for herself. At this point, the Tin Man asks, What have you learned, Dorothy? Dorothys response is revealing. Well, I . . .think that it . . . that it wasnt enough just to want to see Uncle Henry and Auntie Em . . . and its that if I ever go looking for my hearts desire again, I wont look any further than my own backyard; because if it isnt there, I never really lost it to begin with! Is that right? Glinda replies, Thats all it is (Hearn 128). The reason that Glinda didnt help Dorothy in the first place is because Dorothy didnt yet understand that her place is in the home. The film sends the clear message that true happiness for women lies in the domestic realm. Baum in his books, however, creates a place for Dorothy both in Kansas and in repeated visits to the Land of Oz. Additionally, the good witch at the beginning of the book doesnt tell Dorothy about the charm of the shoes because she, herself, does not realize the charm; she does not intend to teach Dorothy a lesson. The biggest change made in the film adaptation from the book also serves to entrench this anti-feminist mindset. In the book, Dorothys trip to Oz is very real. The house is actually carried away. When Dorothy returns, Uncle Henry and Aunt Em are surprised to see her. They have already built the new farm house to replace the old one (154). This realness of Dorothys experience in a different world is what makes The Wonderful Wizard of Oz a fantasy. The film effectively eliminates the elements of fantasy from their text, changing the fantastical experience, instead, to a psychological dream. The writers reasoned that, you cannot put fantastic people in strange places in front of an audience unless they have seen them as human beings first (Harmetz cit. in Rahn 124). This decision invalidates Dorothys entire experience in Oz. Rahn describes the critical response, saying: Most critics-and nearly every child who sees the movie-agree that the worst mistake was to explain away Dorothys adventures and Oz itself as a dream. As art, says Harmetz, The movie is flawed by its sentimentality, by its cheerful insistence that east, west, home is best, and by the decision to void Dorothys experience by making it into a dream (229). [. . .] Whatever the film may have suggested about the power of dreams and aspirations, the journey through life, or the discovery of ones own potential is effectively invalidated by this ending. (124) In a sense, Dorothys journey and watered down accomplishments become a counterfeit. The viewer has no reason to believe that Dorothy could survive outside of Kansas in the real world. Additionally, the dream viewed as an expression of Dorothys psyche presents an even more damning view to the potential of women to be strong and solve their problems. Nathanson suggests that a psychoanalytic approach is appropriate in dealing with The Wizard of Oz. It seems clear that The Wizards dream sequence can be interpreted psychoanalytically in terms of growing up (78). When we look at the dream from this perspective, it is clear that the central conflict shifts from Oz in Baums novel to Kansas in the film. Dorothy is not really struggling against witches, flying monkeys, and an incompetent wizard. She is struggling against Mrs. Gulch who wants to take her dog and her desire to escape the dreariness of the Kansas farm. Hence, fight for her independence and the fight for Toto become the two main conflicts in the film. In regards to the first, her dream serves to convince her to stay at home in the domestic role prepared for her by Aunt Em who even tries to keep her from coming near the pig pen, let alone the outside world. In her struggle with Mrs. Gulch, Dorothys victory is fleeting. While the movie ends with Dorothy in possession of Toto, Mrs. Gulch still has the sheriffs order and legal recourse to have Toto put to sleep. In this sense, Dorothys subconscious desire to stay in the domestic confines of the farm is so great that she sacrifices her love for Toto. Where Dorothy is unquestionably victorious in the book and gains strength and wisdom, the films portrayal of her experience as a dream leaves her the ideal woman: a more submissive, ineffectual version of herself. Finally, the films elimination of important female characters from the book devalues the contributions of women in Oz. In the book, there are initially four witches: two good and two bad. The movie condenses the characters of the two good witches into one good witch Glinda. In the book, there is a queen of the mice who plays a critical role in helping the travelers achieve their goals. She is completely omitted from the film. Finally, there is a female stork who rescues Scarecrow from a river. Dighe contends that the stork is symbolic for Baums support of the womens suffrage movement (74). While the elimination of these important female characters arguably gives the film needed directionality, it severely limits the number of major female characters, shifting the balance of power towards the men in the film. The three remaining female main characters all paint an anti-feminist picture. Dorothy, as discussed, is a weakened heroine who sacrifices her dreams and battles for domestic lif e. The Wicked Witch of the West is the only female character who is powerful in the movie and in the real world of Kansas. Ironically, she is portrayed as the stereotypical strong woman: unnatural and evil. Glinda, the one good witch, is the only major character who does not represent an actual person from Kansas. The implication is that women who are powerful and good are imaginary; they do not exist in reality. While the popularity of The Wizard of Oz both in text and film amongst readers and viewers of all ages is almost uncontested, the quality of each of works of art remains debatable. It is clear, however, that gender issues permeate both the novel and the film. While L. Frank Baums book is not the model of feminist equality judged by modern standards, it portrays a world in which good and powerful women exist and where determined and resourceful little girls can accomplish extraordinary things. He illustrates that there is a place for women in both the world of the home and in the world outside the home, just as there are for men. Even though the film was released 39 years after the publication of the novel, its adaptation represents a regressive approach to gender equality through its portrayal of Dorothy, its glorification of domestic life for women, its representation of Oz as a dream, and its elimination of key women from the novel. Which raises the question: why, in our society, s o progressive concerning gender and gender roles, are we still so drawn to MGMs backward film?

The Lamentation over the Dead Christ

The Lamentation over the Dead Christ Classicism in â€Å"The Lamentation over the Dead Christ† The Renaissance Era was an epoch of artistic resurgence in the history of Europe. This period was marked by developments in Italian Renaissance paintings with the renewal of classical forms, motifs and subjects. In edict to discern the Classicism that prospered during this age, conceivably without need, from the Classical architecture of the ancient Romans. The exploration for cerebral legitimacy through art set apart the period. During this period, contemporary Classicism was described as the â€Å"proper technique†. Methodically, this set in motion a blitz against Baroque art, which, with its highlighting of embellishment and delusion, was considered to be distinctly fictitious. Andrea Mantegna (1431-1506), in particular, modeled his work entitled â€Å"The Lamentation over the Dead Christ† (c.1480) in rudiments of Classicism. Mantegna used mainly foreshortening, a perspective used for compressing objects from a definitive viewpoint and chiaroscuro, the contrast between light and shadows bring this painting to life with essentials of Classicism. In this period, Classicism took on more visibly structural insinuations of the use of perspective, chiefly by the use of Foreshortening. Foreshortening occurs when an object appears compressed when seen from a particular viewpoint, and the effect of perspective causes distortion. Foreshortening is a predominantly constructive creative mechanism, used to give the sense of three-dimensional capacity and generate emotion in a picture. To sensationalize the supine Christ in perception, Mantegna paints his light source higher up the horizon line, to create illusion that the viewer will appear to be looking at an angle. The more askew the vanishing point, the more slanted the icon will be, as seen in the painting. Because the body of Christ is supine and symmetrical, the vanishing point is diametrically in the core of the perspective line. Because the spectators plane is parallel to Christs head at this point, the base perspective line appears to be horizontal. This imaginary line gives the fundamental, foreshortening perspective. The farther away the image is from the viewer, the nearer the illusion is to being perpendicular to the portrait plane, as seen in the Dead Christ. The position of the mourners (The Virgin Mary and St. John) are on the horizon line, to th e left the desertion point (Christs Head), as another foremost model to carry this position of foreshortening. The expanse from this point to the center of the perspective line denotes the distance within the painting for the viewer. If the point is isolated from the vanishing point, the mourners will appear condensed, and distant. If it is too close, they will emerge lengthened, as if it is too close to the observer. Essentially distorting the ray of light traveling from its origin to the onlookers judgment and ruining the illusion within the painting. This element is key to understanding Mantegnas brilliance of perspective in this fresco. In the case of the holes in Christs hands and feet; the perspective of the light source that illuminates (at an angle) the area of the holes also represents the use of foreshortening on the picture plane. When the light source hits the area of the holes, it hits at the appropriate angle on the picture plane. In order for the resulting image to ap pear identical to the intended scene, the eyewitness of the perspective must scrutinize the image from the exact vantage point used in the geometric calculations comparative to Christ. This proper use of foreshortening abandons visual imperfections that what would appear to be alterations in the painting when analyzed from a discrete point. These conspicuous distortions in foreshortening are more evident when viewing Christs thorax; as the perspective estimated from the surroundings, to the spectator becomes more finely tuned and comparative to the portrait base. In application, unless the viewer desires a radical perspective, like viewing the body of Christ from the base, the perspective on the whole, is in all probability accurate. It has been recommended that a painting in standpoint still seems to be in perspective at other spots because the individual still distinguishes it as a painting, because of the quality in its profundity of field indications due to the use of foreshortening. For a emblematic perspective, conversely, the field of view in the Dead Christ is tapered to the point, that the distortions are negligible and the fresco can be viewed from a site other than the tangible designed vantage point without seeming distorted, which in turn, buttress Mantegnas conclusion to paint the feet of Christ less significant than the customary individuals. While speaking at a summit on Greek mathematics and philosophy, Plato (429-347 B.C.E.) was quoted in repute to artwork, as stating, Thus (through perspective) every sort of confusion is revealed within us; and this is that weakness of the human mind on which the art of conjuring and of deceiving by light and shadow and other ingenious devices imposes, having an effect upon us like magic And the arts of measuring and numbering and weighing come to the rescue of the human understanding (Plato qtd. in Kahn) The applied use of the expression â€Å"chiaroscuro†, is the outcome of light representation in painting, in which three- dimensional capacity is advocated by the measure of color and the systematic partition of light and shadow contours on a two dimensional plane in a model of artwork. The creation of these belongings in the West, Skiagraphia or shadow-painting to the primeval Greeks, was attributed to the celebrated Athenian painter of the 5th century BC, Apollodoros. In the print of the Dead Christ, the light is approaching in from one encoded course exceeding Christs body, then light and silhouette will match to a set of natural conventions. An underscore of luminosity on Christs shroud symbolizes the summit where the brilliance is being revealed most unswervingly. This is most often attributed as a lightened white area, as seen in the shroud in Figure 1. As the viewers eye moves away from this emphasis, radiance strikes the article less candidly and consequently broadcast s a darker assessment of hues on the shroud. This changeover continues until the onlooker reaches the point where the darkness of the piercingly drawn material meets the lighted portion of the shroud. Here, there is a more abrupt conversion to darker values since no light is salient between Christs feet. Some oblique light is offered on the underside of Christs feet as the muted side does not turn unyieldingly dark. This is the product of reflected and refracted daylight that logically become apparent within the painting. As the viewer looks at the intense frame of the body of Christ, it is noticeable that it is patently lighter than the shadowed area of the mourners. Light in the environment is illuminating the background. The throw shadows are at odds, with separate values as well. Then, as light becomes more available, the same cast shadow lightens in increments until it reaches the shadows circumference. Craigie Aitchison (1923-2009), a Scottish painter and one of the better kno wn critically esteemed Royal Academians (Members Royal Academy of Arts have a exclusive position in being recognized as reputed artists and architects whose sole objective is to endorse the creation, pleasure and awarnessof the visual arts through exhibitions, education and debate), recalls the Dead Christ as his favorite painting, stating, â€Å"I like it because it tells a Story Its a wonderful reddy colour and terrifically drawn If ever a painting was clear, its this one. Its fantastically clear about the story its telling theres no muddling about. It couldnt be any other way.† (Aitchison). Mantegna dominates and operates this modus operandi to generate a inventive sense of pathos in the mourners and character in the Dead Christ. The Mantegna painting, with light entering from above, illustrates a faint modeling of chiaroscuro to give quantity to the body of Christ, which in turn, confirms the strong stimulus of Greek inspired Classicism in this fresco. The contrasts betw een light and shadows bring this painting to life with essentials of Classicism. The Renaissance Era was an epoch of artistic resurgence in the history of Europe. This period was marked by developments in Italian Renaissance paintings with the renewal of classical forms, motifs and subjects. In edict to discern the Classicism that prospered during this age, conceivably without need, from the Classical architecture of the ancient Romans. The exploration for cerebral legitimacy through art set apart the period. During this period, contemporary Classicism was described as the â€Å"proper technique†. Methodically, this set in motion a blitz against Baroque art, which, with its highlighting of embellishment and delusion, was considered to be distinctly fictitious. Andrea Mantegna (1431-1506), in particular, modeled his work entitled â€Å"The Lamentation over the Dead Christ† (c.1480) in rudiments of Classicism. Mantegna used mainly foreshortening, a perspective used for compressing objects from a definitive viewpoint and chiaroscuro, the contrast between light and shadows bring this painting to life with essentials of Classicism. Mantegnas version of the Dead Christ, is regarded as an indispensable art piece exemplifying the use of Classicism. Thus, he deserves the acclaim for the merit of these essentials in his work of art.

Schindlers list Essay -- essays research papers

Oscar Schindler Oskar Schindler would never have been anyone’s ideal savior, especially for the Jewish community. He was an open member of the Nazi party, a womanizer, a gambler, an alcoholic, and was extremely money hungry, but was successfully able to rescue and save from death over twelve hundred Jewish men and women. Schindler was born on April 28th, 1908 in Zwittua, Czechoslavakia. He was born Catholic and into a wealthy family, but started early on a life of sin. In 1930 he moved to Poland in hopes of becoming a success in business. As the Holocaust was just in its’ beginnings, he was able to get his hands on an enamel wear factory on Lapowa Street in in Krakow. This was one of the factories that used to owned and ran by a Jewish individual, but was then stripped away from them like all other businesses that were stolen away from the Jewish people during the Holocaust. The location of the factory was only a few miles away from the ghettos. Schindler quickly moved in on the SS off icers and tried to make close ties with them in order to gain connections with high authority. He showered them with women, money, alcohol, and other desired objects. From his new acquaintances he obtained free employment from the Jewish â€Å"slaves† of the labor camps. In order to keep his factory and the money he was making, Schindler changed his factory to cater to wartime needs. The factory was modified from producing enamel wares to ammuntion, but the ammunition was faulty and did not work. S...

Essay --

Abortion is a major debate in society today and has been an impassioned topic for decades. At issue is whether or not abortion should be permissible. Generally I support the idea of abortion given specific circumstances. If a woman becomes pregnant due to rape, she has no moral obligation to carry the baby to full term. It is a gross expectation for society to think a woman should give birth to a baby conceived from rape and to take care of the child as her own. In this discussion I will argue that abortion is permissible if the mother was a victim of rape. Judith Thomson is a philosopher that supports abortion. Judith starts off with her debate stating that â€Å"a fetus is no more a human than an acorn is a tree†. When does an acorn become an oak (Thomson 37-56)? The answer is that no one truly knows, there is no direct moment when one thing becomes another, it is the same way as a fetus. When does a fetus become a baby? Thomson uses the â€Å"famous violinist† analogy. In this analogy you are kidnapped, when you wake up in the morning you learn that you are connected to a famous violist who needs your kidneys for nine months. It is stated the violinist is an innocent person with a right to life whereas separating yourself from the violinist would kill him/her (Thomson 37-56). I believe in this case it would be moral to unplug yourself from the violinist, even if it means his/hers death. You did not consent to supporting the violinist for nine months and therefore you do not have an obligation to do so. This scenario can be used to support the victim who has been raped. If you have been raped you did not consent to sex or make a conscience decision to accept the ramifications from forced actions of copulation. Furthermore y... ... unjust aggressor who has violated the woman's dignity. Rape is an act of force and violence, unlike the conjugal love in marriage whereby both spouses give freely of themselves in an act of love. The woman who was raped is not responsible for the action, and thereby has the right to prevent the pregnancy or even stop the pregnancy through abortion. However, I agree with any arguments that state killing is wrong. I do agree that killing is wrong from the time the fetus becomes a human being, up to any age of an adult. People should not be allowed to take the life of another person as this is a crime. I believe that abortion should stay legal for several reasons; because women should have the right to make decisions regarding their own body and especially if they are a rape victim, and because they have the autonomy to exercise that right regardless of state laws.

France And Germanys Relationships From 1815-1917 Essay -- essays resea

Throughout the time period of 1815 – 1917 there was a vast number of changes. There were good and bad ones. The main principle of this time period was that people were starting to realize that peace should be prevalent throughout Europe. This paper will discuss the relationships between France and Germany during the time period of 1815 – 1917.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The paper will primarily focus on the Franco Prussian War, The Revolutions of 1848, the Dreyfus affair, the Austro Prussian War, imperialism and the beginning of World War One and everything that is closely related to those topics. The paper will have various pictures and primary documents for you to refer to throughout the reading. The Outcome of the Congress of Vienna   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Congress of Vienna was formed to keep a balance of power, and preserve peace throughout Europe. There were many territorial decisions that were made during this congress. These decisions effected the outcome of the Congress of Vienna. France was deprived of any land that was conquered by Napoleon. Prussia received much of Saxony and important parts of Westphalia and the Rhine Province.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After Prussia received the Rhineland, it was not thought too much of a political gain. However in the long run it paid off. The Rhineland was full of coal and iron. This was very important during Prussian industrial revolution of the 1840s. Since there was this abundance of iron a plethora of railroad tracks could be produced. This led to a large free trade zone. Since King Fredrick William III eliminated all tariffs in the German states, a large free trade state was formed. This allowed the Prussian to have a large monopoly in the middle of the continent of Europe. However the Prussian success did not last forever. It ran into a small glitch. This glitch was the revolution of 1848.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  France did not have the same luck. They were given no land and kept under watch by the other countries. The clever Tallyrand represented France at the congress and just tried to make sure that France could stay in the thick of things in European politics. France would soon also have their own problems just as Prussia would. France would also have their own revolution in 1848, as did almost every other country in Europe. The Revolutions of 1848   Ã‚  Ã‚  &nb... ...;  Ã‚   Nationalism is the overall feeling of a group of people to feel part of a group. This feeling was becoming more and more prevalent throughout these times. It was many times a cause of revolt or war just as imperialism was. The underlying causes of World War I were the spirit of intense nationalism that superfluous in Europe throughout the 19th and into the 20th century. The political and economic rivalry among the nations, and the establishment and maintenance in Europe after 1871 of large armaments and of two hostile military alliances. Refer to document â€Å"C† on page 714.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The times from 1815 – 1917 were a time of massive change. Many things went on that changed our world forever. One thing is the Dreyfus affair was a situation that any society has never encountered until this time. Just at the beginning of the Twentieth century was the First World War. This left an ever-impressionable impact upon our world. All of this change was good and need. Otherwise our society would not have turned out the way it has.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Tyjrtjr

Laboratory Class Eight: Brain and Behavior 2: Basic Unromantic and Function. Laboratory Class Nine: Revision Laboratory. References & Inspirational Readings. All research or teaching using people at the University of Auckland requires approval of the University of Auckland Human Participants Ethics Committee. We have chosen the exercises carefully in order to provide you with what we hope will be an informative learning experience. However, if you are uncomfortable with any exercises we strongly encourage you to contact your tutor and ask to be excused from participation.It is much better if you are able to do this before the lab is underway. It is therefore recommended you read the manual to find out what is coming up before each lab and decide if you think any of the exercises may be distressing to you. If an exercise becomes distressing or uncomfortable for you during the lab, you are still able to be excused. Please be aware that you will only be excused from the specific exercis e of concern, not the entire lab. Please also be aware that you will not be able to be excused from parts of a lab AFTER it has taken place on these grounds; you must see your tutor before or during the lab.For Ethical concerns contact: The Chair, The University of Auckland Human Participants Ethics Committee, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland. Tell: 373 7699 ext. 87830. Completing Laboratory Reports Introduction The laboratory reports for PSYCH 109 can count towards 20% of your final mark. Therefore, students are strongly advised to put significant effort into gaining good marks for their reports. When preparing reports, there are a number of things students should know. This section of the laboratory manual is written so that the appropriate information is available to all students.The various areas of psychology taught in PSYCH 109 have a long history of research. An essential component of scientific communication is the requirement of conciseness and parsim ony. This means that when communicating experimental outcomes and conclusions (such as from an international research project or an introductory level laboratory in psychology) it is very important to write in precise was observed, should be given. However, oversimplification is not an acceptable course of action. Explanations need to account for what was observed: no more, no less.General considerations for Laboratory Reports ; Never exceed the page limit that is prescribed for an assignment, You will be able o answer questions adequately within the space limit. ; Ensure that you use appropriate grammar correct and spelling. Try to write clearly. Never assume that the marker knows what you mean. Remember that a marker can only evaluate what you have actually written – not what you meant to say in your answer. Plan how you are going to write your answers. Do not simply write the first thing that comes into your head.Write a draft answer that you can edit and revise before wri ting your final answer. Try and use short sentences. Two short sentences are usually better than a long one. Ideas can be stated more concisely in shorter sentences. Often, long sentences end up being ambiguous. ; Remember to proof-read your work carefully before submitting your report. Sometimes it is a good idea to ask a friend who is not enrolled in 109 to proof-read your work and check for clarity. If this person does not understand your answer, it is likely that the marker will also struggle to follow it. If it is discovered that two or more Laboratory Reports are exactly the same, the concerned parties will be subject to disciplinary action. Plagiarism of any kind is not permitted. General requirements To help you write laboratory reports that will reward your effort with good marks, he following list of important points has been prepared. If you want to attain high marks you will need to incorporate the elements in this list into your written work for these papers. Constructi ng graphs experience of drawing graphs before and a few of you will have your own ideas of how a graph should be drawn.These ideas may come from what you were taught at school or from the way you were instructed to draw graphs in other departments. Different scientific disciplines have their own codes of practice and communication. This is because the most concise mode of communication for one rear of science may not (and usually is not) the most concise mode for another area. Psychology is a science that follows the codes of practice and communication set down by the American Psychological Association (PAP), and the PAP has produced a set of guidelines for the presentation of graphs from psychological research.According to PAP guidelines, there are strict rules for drawing graphs. In this Laboratory manual, however, when graphs are required, the emphasis will be more on how to interpret the graphs produced during the experiments. However, graphs must be legible and neat, and must f ollow the general guidelines below. General considerations for graph drawing Graphs should always be drawn within the space provided in the manual. It is a good idea to draw a preparatory graph on separate paper (graph paper will help you here) so that you can make a neat, correct copy in the space provided.Graphs should be made as large as possible without causing cramping or squashing. All graphs should be drawn in pen (never pencil) and only one color is permitted -? preferably blue. All straight lines from which a graph is constructed must be drawn using a ruler. All errors need to be corrected either by redrawing the graph or, for a very small error, by neatly whiting out the error. Statistical Analysis in the Social Sciences Significant Differences In psychology, we are often faced with the question of whether or not the difference we see in two groups of data is statistically significant.A significant difference observed in the data is one that is so large that it's unlikely to have occurred by chance alone. For example, we may be interested in knowing if students perform better in an examination under one condition than another – say, sitting an examination in a well-lit room as opposed too dimly-lit room. We could randomly mom, have them sit the examination in their allocated room, and then compare the two group's examination results. There will always be a difference between the groups' average results and there are two possible explanations for this difference: 1 .Non-significant Difference The observed difference could solely be due to which students happened to be allocated to which room, I. E. , could be Just due to chance alone and nothing else. OR 2. Significant Difference The observed difference is sufficiently large that we simply don't believe that it's likely to have occurred by chance alone but that the level of lighting in the room is also avian an effect on each group's results, I. E. , this difference is so large that it is unlik ely to occur when nothing else (apart from the ‘chance' effect) is ‘going on'.Significance Tests and the p-value Sometimes the difference between two groups of data is really so large that, maybe with the aid of a plot, we can easily conclude that it is a significant difference. On most occasions though, it is not so clear cut and in order to objectively decide whether a difference is significant or non-significant we must perform a significance test. When we conduct a significance test, the most important value produced in the output is the p-value. The p-value is a probability, a value between O and 1, and it answers a question about the data: e. G. , â€Å"How likely is it, I. E. , what are the chances, I. . , what is the probability, that a difference this big, or bigger, would have been observed in the data if there really were nothing going on? † Interpreting the p-value Small p-values 0 a significant test result Large p-values 0 a non-significant test resul t If the p-value is small (less than 0. 05) then it is saying that less than 5% (0. 05) of the time (hardly ever) would we observe a difference(s) as big as this (or bigger) when toting apart from chance is contributing to it – it would be highly unlikely to get a difference(s) this big by chance alone. We say the observed difference is significant at the 5% level'.There are a large number of significance (hypothesis) tests available to use depending on the situation under study but in this course we will look at only one test, the Independent samples t-test. (Non-assessed laboratory class). Learning Objectives After completing this laboratory students should: 1. Understand the assessment requirements, requirements for pleasure, attendance acquirement, and assignment requirements for Psych 109. 2. Understand the hand-in dates for the two laboratory reports for Psych 109. 3. Understand the penalties for handing in late work; and the cut-off dates for accepting late assignments for Psych 109. . Understand where to hand in late laboratory reports for Psych 109. 5. Know the date and time of the terms test for Psych 109. 6. Understand what plagiarism is, and understand the consequences of plagiarism or other forms of cheating. 7. Understand the correct procedure to follow for raising individual concerns or course criticisms regarding Psych 109. 8. Understand that a Psych 109 student must attend their scheduled laboratory stream in the weeks that laboratories are scheduled, and that they must ensure that their tutor correctly records their attendance at laboratories. 9.Understand the procedure to follow if the scheduled Psych 109 lab cannot be attended. 10. Understand GAP requirements for undergraduate Psychology courses. Thinking. (Assessed laboratory classes). Lecturers: Associate Professor Tony Lambert (author of lab class). Associate Professor Doug Life (author of Research Methods lectures). After completing this laboratory students should 1. Understand t he distinction between an independent groups research design and a repeated measures research design. 2. Be able to use a histogram in order to explore and evaluate the variability in set(s) of scores. . Be able to calculate the standard deviation of a set of scores using SPAS. 4. Be able to perform a t test in order to compare two experimental conditions. 5. Understand the statistical nature of inferences based on the outcome off t test. 6. Gain an appreciation of the complex issues that may be encountered in considering possible relationships between experimental evidence and theoretical conclusions. 7. Be able to think critically about the relationship between experimental evidence, psychological theory and everyday behavior.Do men and women think differently? If so, to what extent and in what ways does the thinking of women differ from that of men? Judging from the enormous popularity of publications such as Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus; it seems that almost everyone has at least some interest in this question. In addition to popular publications of the Venus and Mars ilk, a substantial amount of serious science has been directed at answering this question. It will come as no surprise to discover that his work is controversial.Controversy over research into sex differences in thinking is apparent at several levels. There has been disagreement concerning the reliability of the findings: Sex differences have been reported in a number of published studies, but not all these findings been replicated successfully by other researchers. Therefore, questions remain concerning the reliability of results in this area. In addition to the question of empirical reliability, there is the rather thornier question of what the experimental question. For example there is of course the perennial nature-nurture issue.So if e find, for example, that men and women differ in their verbal and spatial skills, is this due to environmental factors arising from different c hildhood experiences and child-rearing practices for boys and girls; or is it due to innate factors, related to biological and relatively immutable differences in brain structure and function for men and women? In addition to this rather baldly stated dichotomy between nature and nurture, a third state of affairs is possible – that both nature and nurture contribute, and that biological factors interact with learning and experience in complex ways during childhood.One might also wish to consider the size of an experimental effect – although men and women may differ as a group on a particular cognitive task, there will also be considerable overlap in the scores. Clearly, the degree of overlap between the cognitive performance of men and women will have a bearing on the conclusions that can be drawn. The research findings of Hilary et al. (2005) Hilary et al. (2005; Behavioral Neuroscience, 1 19, 104-117) asked 42 men and 42 women to perform a variety of verbal and spati al tasks.Blood samples were also taken, so that measures of circulating hormones, especially estrogen and storefront, could be measured. This was done because one aim of their study was to discover whether there is any relation between hormone levels and performance on cognitive tasks. There were three main findings: (1) Females performed better than males on a verbal fluency task; (2) Males performed better than females on a spatial task involving mental rotation; (3) There were no clear relationships between hormone levels and performance on any of the cognitive tasks.In the laboratory exercise we will attempt to replicate the first two findings of Hilary et al. (2005). Obviously, it is impractical to look at their hormonal findings in PSYCH 109 – and even if we could, attempting to replicate their ‘null result' may not tell us very much. ) Our study, and that of Hilary et al. (2005) make use of an independent groups research design (also known as a between subjects r esearch design). As you will remember from the recent Research Methods lectures, an independent groups (between subjects) design involves comparing different groups of individuals.In this case, our independent variable (V) is sex , because the experiment involves comparing men and women with respect to scores on verbal and spatial tasks. Other examples of independent groups designs might involve comparing extravert's with introverts (independent variable is personality), or five year olds with seven year olds (V) is age), or left hander's with right hander's (IV is handedness), or anxious with non- anxious individuals (IV is anxiety), and so on. An alternative, and equally popular approach is to use a repeated measures research design (also known as a within subjects research design).In a repeated measures (within subjects) experiment the same individuals are tested repeatedly in two or more experimental conditions. An example of this kind of design could involve comparing the drivi ng behavior (using a simulator! ) of individuals before and after consuming varying amounts of alcohol (IV is alcohol dosage). Another example could involve asking individuals to employ and then comparing their performance under these different instructional conditions (IV is memory strategy).Each kind of design (I. E. Repeated measures and independent groups) has advantages and disadvantages which render them useful for research in different kinds of situation. One advantage of the repeated measures sign is that it is often more sensitive than an independent groups design. This is because each person is being compared with themselves under different experimental conditions. A disadvantage of repeated measures designs is that the results can be contaminated by practice and/or fatigue effects.A common strategy for eliminating or minimizing this problem is to counterbalance the order of performing in the different experimental conditions. For example, in the driving and alcohol exampl e Just mentioned, half the participants might perform the driving task in the alcohol condition first followed (several days later! By the no alcohol condition; the other half would participate in the two experimental conditions in the reverse order. Independent groups is of course the appropriate design in any situation where the research question is related to individual differences, such as personality or handedness.Independent groups designs are also often used in the clinical trials of medical researchers, where the effectiveness of one treatment is compared with that of another. Hence, our experiment will employ an independent groups research design with sex (female vs.. Male) as the independent variable. The experiment will have two pendent variables: scores on a verbal fluency task and scores on a mental rotation task. As you will remember from Research Methods lectures dependent variable(s) are the quantities or factors that are being assessed to see whether they might be r elated to (I. . Dependent upon) changes in the independent variable. How to carry out the experiment As mentioned earlier, our aim is to try and replicate the findings of Origin Hilary and her colleagues published in the Journal Behavioral Neuroscience (Hilary et al. , 2005). To do this, each student participant will need to carry out a mental rotation task and verbal fluency task. All participants will perform the mental rotation task first followed by the verbal fluency task. Figure 1.In the mental rotation task (see text) participants must decide whether pairs of shapes, such as those shown in A, B and C are identical or different. Mental rotation task Look at the top pair of pictures (A) shown in Figure 1. Are the shapes shown in the pictures exactly the same, or are they different? How did you arrive at your answer? Most people report that they solve this problem by imagining rotating the left hand shape clock-wise (or the right hand shape anti-clockwise), you ay be able to â⠂¬Ëœsee' in your mind's eye, that the two shapes are exactly the same.Now, decide whether the pairs shown in (B) and (C) are also the same. By using the same strategy, you might be able to ‘see' that the shapes in B are also identical, but the shapes in C are different – and remain different, whichever way you rotate them in your imagination. The drawings shown in Figure 1 are similar to those used by Roger Sheppard and Jacqueline Metzger in a classic study published in the Journal Science in 1971. Sheppard and Metzger found that the time taken to make a decision in this mental taxation task increases systematically as the angular disparity between the two drawn objects increases.These findings attracted great interest at the time, and continue to attract interest nearly four decades later. One reason for this enduring fascination is that Sheppard and Mà ©tier's findings showed that a mental phenomenon such imagination, which appears at first glance to be irredeemably private, subjective, and unobservable (by anyone else, aside from the person doing the imagining) can nevertheless be studied scientifically.Furthermore, their findings showed that one aspect of imagination, the mental rotation process, appears to operate in a highly systematic and lawful way. In the version of the mental rotation task to be used for this laboratory exercise, you will be presented with pairs of line drawings representing AD shapes, and will be asked to decide whether the two shapes are the same or not. As in the examples shown in Figure 1, the shapes will be presented at varying orientations.On trials where the correct response is ‘different' the two shapes are usually mirror images of each other. These features of the task make it relatively difficult! Do not be concerned if you make errors when you carry out this task. The dependent variable or this part of our experiment is percent correct; clearly the experiment would fail if everyone was able to perform t he task with 100% accuracy!