An Analysis of Marks and Spencer Essay -- BTEC Business Marketing GCSE

An Analysis of Marks and SpencerINTRODUCTION TO THE FIRM AND ITS INDUSTRYMarks and Spencer is matchless of the largest retailers in the United Kingdom, and is also known as a major retailer selling diverse product fields under their own exclusive shop in more than thirty countries. Customer confidence in the Marks and Spencer brand remains second to none. According to recent research undertaken by the Company, it shows that, in clothing, Mark and Spencer has a clear lead everyplace all its major competitors in the key areas of fit, quality, trust, breadth of range and customer service.In November of 2000, Marks and Spencer get out launch a trial of three new intimate apparel-only outlets in Paris, Hamburg and Dusseldorf. According to industry statistics, Marks & Spencer remains the clear leader in the UK lingerie market, with over thirty percent of the market share. These pilot stores, distinctly branded msl, are designed to showcase the product range, taking the very best of Marks & Spencer lingerie to the Continent. Moreover, twenty-five percent of the msl range hasbeen designed exclusively for the continental market (Marks & Spencer PG).According to David Norgrove, Marks & Spencer Executive Director, the new stores developed by Marks and Spencer clear show how we can give customers what they want in the way they want it. Today we have both depth of product and a variety of retail formats, so that we can encompass factory outlet stores and designer clothing under the Marks & Spencer brand. Our new concept stores carry a wide range of products and services tailor-made for its local customers but, at the same time, we are also launching the European pilot of a specialist retail format which builds on our core strength in lingerie. All of these products and formats are being in response to customer research, to meet a proven need (Marks & Spencer PG).THE COMPETITIVE social system OF THE INDUSTRYThe British retailer Marks & Spence decided to close its one Edmonton store, along with fourteen others across Canada, with the eight remaining stores being closed bonny one month later. This marked the ending of Marks and Spencers 26-year run in Canada.The chain announced its Canadian pullout, which will affect only sixteen staff, was a surprise for Canadian shoppers. Heritage Mall manager Kirby Nishikawa said the shutdown hurts the shopping cen... ...rnational expansion plans and probably sell U.S. clothing chain Brooks Brothers. flip ones wig E-COMMERCESell online through partnerships with Microsoft Network, the BBCs beeb.com, and digital-television providers such as Telewest (Capel 35).A Marks & Spencer spokesman confirmed that its non-executive directors changed their minds over who should lead the company last autumn because of the huge changes within the business. oer the next five years the company is expanding its selling space by nearly a fifth in Britain and by forty percent in overseas markets (Rankine PG). By the year 2005, Marks & Spencer should once again be on the top of their category.Works CitedAuthor not Available. Outlook M&S investors don their hairshirts. Independent, (1999), 21.Capell, Kerry. Britain lighting a fire under Marks & Spencer.Business Week International, (2000) 35.Le Riche, Timothy. Closure date set of M&S leaves voide atHeritage Mall. Edmonton Sun, (1999) July, 44.Marks and Spencer. Marks & Spencers Launches Two New Formats.(2000), October PG.Rankine, Kate. M&S asks outsiders to review strategy. TheDaily Telegraph, (1998), PG.

Use of the Classical Tragic Mold in Shakespeares Macbeth :: Macbeth essays

Macbeth The Use of the unmingled Tragic Mold in Character Development          In Shakespeares tragedy, Macbeth, in that location are many characters. Onlyone character stands out, and his name is in the title of the play.Macbeths character was made in the mold of the ancient Greek tragical wedge heel.Besides being endowed by Shakespeare with an abundance and variety ofpotential traits and characteristics, Macbeth also follows the ClassicalTragic Mold, which is presented with a hefty supply of hubris, and in thiscase, ambition. Because Macbeth follows the Classical Tragic Mold, he is aClassical Tragic Hero.         The first step of the Classical Tragic Mold is recognizing theproblem. The problem in Macbeth is not a uncoiled problem that presents itselfoutwardly. The problem for the character of Macbeth is deciding if heshould listen to his ambition and kill Duncan. At first, he ponders reasonswhy not to kill h is king. He at first thinks that he cannot kill himbecause of four reasons Macbeth is Duncans subject, Duncan is a good king,they are blood-related, and Macbeth is his host. These reasons dissuadeMacbeth at first, but later Lady Macbeth convinces him, by questioning hismanhood, to charge up the dastardly crime. When he finally murders Duncan, theproblem comes to closure. But, even long before then, the next step in themold had begun the descent into the abyss.         The decent into the abyss is the wink step in the ClassicalTragic Mold. It is started with Macbeths second soliloquy. This is afterMacbeth hears from Duncan that Malcolm was to be named the Prince ofCumberland. The Prince of Cumberland That is a step on which I must falldown, or else oerleap, for in my way it lies ... Let not light see myblack and deep desires. (Shakespeare, 281). This quote from the soliloquyindicates that Macbeth has, indeed, told himself that he will commit themurde r of Duncan, although he doesnt very admit it until his wifepressures him to do so. With this decision, the reader (or audience) reads(or sees) that Macbeth is straying from the righteous path, and descendinginto the abyss, even though he is keeping his feelings to himself. Hisdecision to murder Duncan tarnishes his war hero image and casts it in anominous shadow.         The third step in the mold has two parts and is known asTransformation and Transcendence. The character of Macbeth goes intoTransformation during his quaternary soliloquy. ...I have lived long enough.My way of life is falln into the sear... (Shakespeare, 343).

Virtual Communities: A Sociological Perspective From Pastoral Village t

The technical, functional, and symbolic characteristics of the Internet may have changed the ways that communities are formed and experience through a decentralized global communication network that transcends physical time and space. While this notion of virtual community is closely associated with the emergence of info communication technologies (ICTs), the idea that communities can be seen as series of affable ties that vary in density, size and nature is not a novel concept. The aerodynamic lift of cities and urban centers as a result of industrialization have long concerned sociologists, many of whom (e.g., Wirth, 1938 Woodsworth, 1911) feared that traditional social relations that permeated folk communities may be transformed and even threatened by the growth of contemporary metropolis. The development of traditional mass media (e.g., print, radio, and television) had contributed to the process of urbanization by serving as a means of communication for both social and comme rcial activities. To understand what the Internet may mean for human communities in todays social and technological context, it is necessary to first explore the changing conception of community before the arrival of computers.While the existence of a community is typically defined by the types of social ties formed by its members (e.g., family or work) and by the physical boundaries that it occupies (e.g., neighborhoods or towns), the idea of community can be traced to ancient social and political thought, ranging from the basketball team fundamental relationships in Confucianism to Platos ideal republic. During the Enlightenment period, philosophers such as Locke (1988/1689) and Rousseau (1998/1762) wrote extensively about the ways in which singulars enter t... ...ace of community in the suppurate of digital communication technologies. As a result, it is the person, rather than issues associated with the change in physical environment (e.g., urbanization, migration), becomes the new focus of the community research in the randomness age from a sociological standpoint. For example, what motivates individuals to join virtual communities? In what frequency and capacity do individuals interact with multiple social groups? And to maintain what kind of social relations? These are some of the emerging questions that community scholars will soon have to answer. It is for this reason that the study of community must move beyond the neighborhood of sociology and incorporate perspectives from psychology in order to obtain a more compete picture of what has, and what has not, changed as a result of the networked environment at the individual level.

Peter Taylors The Old Forest Essay example -- Peter Taylor Old Forest

Peter Taylors The Old ForestCritics have continuously characterized Peter Taylors work, as a social critique of the sulphur and how it shows the effects of cultural inheritance on its people (Bryant 66). In his story, The Old Forest, Taylor examines the regional history and social structures that shaped his accept past and how breaking the computer architecture that has existed for generations is non easily accomplished. Although it takes place in 1937, with progressive girls and college students filling the city of Memphis with intellectualism and open sexuality, the social constructions of the past, most specifically the descendents of plantation owners and rich socialites, are not easily forgotten. Lines have been drawn between those residing in the progressive city and Nat Ramseys community of debutantes and patriarchal dominance. Nats fianc, Caroline Braxley is unwillingly thrown into the contrast as Nat finds himself in a questionable situation with a city girl, Lee Ann. As Caroline struggles to secure her marriage to Nat, she is faced with obstacles of gender, social class, and her own emotions. Taylor exposes the essential truth behind Caroline of how she uses her knowledge of her expected roles to survive in a changing societal context. Caroline embodies a middle fashion through the conflicting generations and social movements that allows her to follow her desires and gain the future she wants without excluding herself from the values she has learned to accept. Caroline Braxley does not have a significant role in the beginning of Nats narrative. Instead, she is background noise in his quest for individual knowledge and self-awareness in the changing Memphis community. Nat only refers to her as the society girl I... ...in face 9 (Fall 1987) 65-72.Heldrich, Philip. Collision and Revision in Peter Taylors The Old Forest. conspiracyern Quarterly A Journal of the Arts in the South 38.2 (Winter 2000) 48-53.Robinson, David M. Engaging the Past P eter Taylors The Old Forest. Southern Literary Journal 22.2 (Spring 1990) 63-77.Robison, James Curry. Peter Taylor A Study of the Short Fiction. capital of Massachusetts Twayne Publishers, 1988. 78, 89-95.Shear, Walter. Peter Taylors Fiction The Encounter with the Other. Southern Literary Journal 21.2 (Spring 1989) 41-46.- -. Women and History in Peter Taylors Short Stories. Southern Quarterly A Journal of the Arts in the South 33.1 (Fall 1994) 41-46.Taylor, Peter. The Old Forest. Growing Up in the South An Anthology of Modern Southern Literature. Ed. Jones, Suzanne W. New York Penguin Group Inc., 2003. 247-314.

The Maturation of Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre :: Jane Eyre Essays Bronte

The overriding theme of Jane Eyre, is Janes continual quest for love. Jane searches for love and acceptance through the five settings in which she lives Gateshead, Lowood, Thornfield, Moor House, and Ferndean. Through these viewpoints, the maturation and self-recognition of Jane becomes evident, as well as traceable. It is not until Jane flees from Rochester and Thornfield, and spends time at Moor House, that her maturation to womanhood is complete. At this point, Jane is able to finally return to Rochester as an independent woman, fully aware of her desire to love, as well as to be loved. From the onset of the novel, we see the world through the look of Jane a strong character who wishes to overcome her birth rite as an orphan in Victorian times. From this viewpoint, we are able to trace how Jane progresses in her attempt for individuality, as well as for love. At Gateshead, it becomes apparent that Jane is terrifically self-willed and possessive of a fiery temper. An example of this is when Jane stands up to her aunt saying, You recover I have no feelings, and that I can do without one bit of love or kindness, but I cannot live so and you have no pity (Bronte, 68). Here, Jane makes her first declaration of independence, contending that she will no longer be a secondary member in the Reed household. At Lowood, Jane is repulsed by Mr. Blocklehurst and his duplicitous character and coarseness. However, while at Lowood, Jane finds her first true friend in the form of Helen Burns, another student at the school. Helen teaches Jane of love in the form of religion. By means of instruction as well as by example, Helen is able to convey this message. When Jane is punished in front of the whole school, she tries to accept it as though it has some higher purpose. However, Jane still desires human affection and is deeply hurt when she is scorned. Jane goes as far as to say, If others dont love me, I would rather die than live. Helens response, You think too much of the love of human beings, is a testament to her devout faith (Bronte, 101). When Helen is dying of Typhus later on in the story, she reminds Jane, I gestate I have faith I am going to God (Bronte, 113). Jane is able to draw strength from Helens faith, ultimately making her (Jane) stronger.

The Maturation of Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre :: Jane Eyre Essays Bronte

The overriding theme of Jane Eyre, is Janes continual quest for love. Jane searches for love and acceptance through the five settings in which she lives Gateshead, Lowood, Thornfield, truss House, and Ferndean. Through these viewpoints, the maturation and self-recognition of Jane becomes evident, as well as traceable. It is not until Jane flees from Rochester and Thornfield, and spends time at Moor House, that her maturation to womanhood is complete. At this point, Jane is able to finally slide by to Rochester as an independent woman, fully aware of her desire to love, as well as to be loved. From the onset of the novel, we see the world through the eyes of Jane a strong function who wishes to overcome her birth rite as an orphan in Victorian times. From this viewpoint, we are able to trace how Jane progresses in her struggle for individuality, as well as for love. At Gateshead, it becomes apparent that Jane is terrifically self-willed and possessive of a fiery temper. An example of this is when Jane stands up to her aunt saying, You think I suck up no feelings, and that I can do without one bit of love or kindness, but I cannot live so and you have no commiseration (Bronte, 68). Here, Jane makes her first declaration of independence, contending that she will no longer be a secondary member in the Reed household. At Lowood, Jane is repulsed by Mr. Blocklehurst and his two-faced character and coarseness. However, while at Lowood, Jane finds her first true friend in the form of Helen Burns, another student at the school. Helen teaches Jane of love in the form of religion. By marrow of instruction as well as by example, Helen is able to convey this message. When Jane is punished in front of the whole school, she tries to accept it as though it has about higher purpose. However, Jane still desires human affection and is deeply hurt when she is scorned. Jane goes as far as to say, If others dont love me, I would rather die than live. Helens response, You th ink alike much of the love of human beings, is a testament to her devout faith (Bronte, 101). When Helen is dying of Typhus later on in the story, she reminds Jane, I believe I have faith I am going to God (Bronte, 113). Jane is able to draw strength from Helens faith, ultimately making her (Jane) stronger.

The Dream Act: Development, Relief

The Dream Act was first introduced to the US Congress in August 2001 under(a)(a) professorship George W. Bushs first term. This act which stands for Development, Relief, and Education of Alien Minors has become a major stepping st unrivalled for the long debated make intercourse of immigration clear. It wasnt until mid-2012 under President Barack Obamas first term that legislature similar to The Dream Act actually came to fruition.Legislation known as DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) grants those persons who were brought to this country extralegally while they were under the age of 6 and who were under age 31 when the policy similarlyk place, have no criminal record, and are willing to go to college or serve the US military the right stay in this country without the fear of facing deportation during the next two years. The issue of immigration in particular ill-gotten immigration has been a controversial topic our government has argued on a variety of perspecti ves.This issue has been long debated from the perspective of national security to Jobs, economy as well as human rights violations. The reality is that this country was built upon the hard work and edication of immigrants, and while it continues to remain welcoming to immigrants from around the world the issue of immoral immigration in particular after the terrorist attacks of September 1 lth 2001 have only made the debate on immigration re variance that much more than difficult.While advocates of The Dream Act and other legislation such as DACA argue that those who arrived to this country illegally while still a minor should not be penalized for their parents actions and/or decisions to bring them to the US, those who oppose the act claim that allowing those very similar minors the pportunity to study and serve the US military are taking those same opportunities away from current US citizens. Regardless of which side you pay back yourself standing on the issue of illegal immigr ation is a very real one, and one that must continue to be addressed.Throughout this report I will highlight some of the social service and human rights postulate presently facing this demographic conference within our communities. It is my plan of action as a social worker and cin one caserned community member to become an active advocate alongside earth representatives and law akers to ensure that comprehensive immigration reform is passed while addressing the social service and human rights needs highlighted. Without advocates getting involved in the assist true positive change can not be had especially when it comes to this complicated subject of immigration reform.According to the article The American Dream by Barbara Krasner currently at that place are approximately 11 million illegal or undocumented immigrants in the US. This figure continues to grow as US border guard agents miss approximately 1,000 people daily who cross the border illegally. While personally I agr ee that our country must secure our borders in the care of national security, I also believe that comprehensive immigration reform legislation should be passed to address the social complex needs facing those that are currently here.Legislation such as DACA only helps provide a temporary solution to a much great problem facing our society. Out of the approximate 11 million illegal immigrants currently in the US it is expected that only 2 million will qualify for the DACA policy leaving 8 million illegal immigrants unaddressed. Without the proper implementation of a plan to better secure our orders the issues regarding illegal immigration will continue to act as a revolving door for generations to come. Once a minority existence the US Hispanic/Latino population has grown to what is projected to become the US majority group by 2015.As can be seen during the past few presidential elections this demographic group highly persuaded campaigns and election results. When it comes to the issue of immigration reform the US Hispanic/Latino population has been a driving force behind legislation such as DACA and the current bipartisan committee working on the issue at hand. The reality is that the issue of illegal immigration has been an issue primarily focused on Hispanics and Latinos as the security of the border in question has been the US/Mexico border.Many of the undocumented or illegal immigrants that arrive to this country on a daily basis tend to be of Hispanic or Latino descent. just it must remain clear that other nationalities that arrive at Latin American countries can and do cross the border illegally as well. Since there is an aptitude to have multiple nationalities and persons with all different intentions cross he border illegally the issue of national security becomes a very sound issue. Securing the border is a must for any comprehensive immigration reform legislation that may be passed.As a social worker my concern goes outlying(prenominal) beyond the issue of national security. I am also highly concerned about the social handicaps and human rights issues the demographic groups of illegal immigrants face once they are in this country. Being of Hispanic descent myself it has become much easier for me to identify with some illegal immigrants from a variety of backgrounds as growing up I oo was considered a minority. Many arrive in hopes of seeking better quality of life consisting of better employment opportunities, living conditions and educational resources for their children.Others are tending(p) false promises of a better life as they are trafficked into this country and enslaved into prostitution or a life of drug trafficking. Both groups end up becoming a part of our communities, schools and churches. We encounter how they are constantly living in fear of being deported back to their countries oftentimes times tearing families away all while facing abuse by mployers who exploit their labor, discrimination by other de mographic groups who may isolate them or become unpeaceful towards them Just for being here.We also face children who arrived here illegally who have no recollection of their native country and grow up as Americans without anything to study or say that they are. As you can see the issues regarding illegal immigration are very complex and encompass a variety of social needs that people such as me must advocate for. Those of us who see the faces and know the names behind the stories must become active articipants alongside our legislators and state representatives to help ensure that adequate laws and policies are put into place to help address the basic social and human rights needs we are all too familiar with.Besides the needs I already mentioned there are many more this group encounters on a daily basis. Illegal immigrants can be found among our homeless populations, at our soup kitchens, facing language barriers as well as financial barriers. Many are exploited for their labor often being paid very little for long hours of work. Depression is also an issue ha a c this demographic group as many miss their native country and tind themselves at a loss belonging to neither their home country nor the country they currently reside in.Others find themselves in an abusive relationship unable to seek help as they fear that law enforcement will deport them rather than help them address their current situation. As social workers these are only some of the needs we are confronted with and we must take proactive measures to help ensure they are addressed. Unfortunately I find that sometimes we are limited with the resources for which we are able to help the undocumented population. Many times we end up providing band aid solutions rather than a long term one to the problems we address.Although the federal government has not been successful over the past several decades in passing comprehensive immigration reform I do believe we are getting closer each day to seeing so mething come to pass. The growing minority populations along with pressure from states have caused the wheels of progress to maintain themselves in constant movement towards a solution. Many states such as Massachusetts and Maryland have already passed their own form of a Dream Act rimarily addressing the secondary educational opportunities available to undocumented immigrants.As Dr. Loh the president of the University of Maryland put it the U. S. Supreme Court upheld the values of education when it command in 1982 that undocumented children are entitled toa public school education. It is based on that premise that the argument was made in Maryland as in Massachusetts and other states that it would make no sense to pay for the public school education for undocumented children while denying them the right to further betroth their education as would any other child.The Dream Acts in those states now treat undocumented children who graduate high school as residents of the state allow ing them to turn over to colleges while paying the in-state tuition rates. Just as DACA legislations like those I Just mentioned do help provide some relief to the illegal immigrant population however it is not enough. As states comes to the realization that only addressing the educational needs of this demographic group isnt enough we find that more pressure is placed on the federal government to come up with a solution.On the other side of the spectrum there are states in particular those losest to the US/Mexico border who have try to pass legislation that only further burdens the undocumented immigrant population. States such as Arizona have attempted to pass legislation that would allow law enforcement the ability to stop any vehicle for practically any reason to demand proof of citizenship of those within the vehicle. Legislation such as this one only creates greater fear among the immigrant population and often times causes them to move to another state creating a social/ hum an rights burden on the other states communities and resources.Just s professors and advocates coupled and lobbied in states like Massachusetts and Maryland to ensure undocumented children were given the right to further their education other advocates united to oppose the civil rights violations created in states such as Arizona and others by legislation such as the one previously mentioned. Without the help of advocates law makers will address the problem of illegal immigration as a statistics problem rather than a human problem. It is important for them to hear the social and human rights ramifications the lack of comprehensive reform has on our communities across the country.

A good and simple example is given by Fromlet

One funda workforcetal notion in the pay and economic fields with regards to decision making has continuously been ground on the underlying assumption that individuals or decision making agents atomic number 18 rational and intention. However, in many cases, rationalistic explanations have failed to upshot major monetary occurrences in the past.A good and simple example is precondition by Fromlet (2001), In 2001 the Swedish currency the crown- was seriously undervalued in the foreign exchange grocery despite the fact that Swedish economy enjoyed a good economic growth record, had the lowest inflation rate among the 12 European Monetary jointure members, surplus government budget and a good, positive balance of payment position. Thus in this case all the rationalistic theories could not adequately exempt the weakening of the crown given the fact that all economic indicators showed that it should be stronger.According to many theorists, even though realism screwnot be at tained, a good hypothetic model should include mechanisms that help in relaxing as much assumptions as possible to attain a near realistic through empirical observation based theory. Most of the traditional and neoclassical pecuniary theory such as the capital asset pricing model (CAPM) and expected utility theory (EUT) are based on the unreal assumptions that can be explained as Representative agents and players in the financial market are rational therefore base their decisions with the objective of maximizing wealth therefore asset pricing reflect the real value of the asset at any particular time (Thaler, 1999). The market given time will settle on an equilibrium point and that the equilibrium price reflects the real value of the asset that can rationally be explained employ traditional theories (Ideal or rationally explained equilibrium) (Thaler, 1999).Behavioral pay is a relatively new field of study that has made tremendous progress in the attempt to answer these unrea listic assumptions and offer an alternative explanation of the financial market. Behavioral finance holds that the market is unrealistic due to the human element therefore, in evaluation of financial market decision making and market condition, financial theories should recognize the role of human behavior in financial assets price determination.The composition of financial investors is versatile from fathers and mothers, ho drug abusehold, spouses, students, businessmen, government leaders etc. are all decision runrs in the financial market thus the assumption of rationality as provided by these theories is unrealistic (Ritter, 2003). These paper is an in depth evaluation of the behavioural theory and its application in the financial market. The paper will look at the strength and weaknesses of behavioral finance in an attempt to show its applicability as a excessivelyl in the financial market.Definition and description of behavioral finance. Behavioral finance is an empirically based theory, Behavioral finance theorists argue that to understand the performance and decision making in market, it important to integrate psychological and behavioral variables and classical financial theories in decision making and market atmosphere. According to this theory, the market is well-nightimes information inefficient and participants do not often make decision rationally.Behavioral finance uses to main concepts namely cognitive psychology and limits to arbitrage. cognitive psychology as utilize in behavioral finance focuses on behavioral factors influencing investors decision making or how people think it postulates that investors make systematic errors in the manner they think and this contributes to irrationality in decision making. For instance, some investors might be overconfident and end up loosing due making investment decision based on this behavioral trait.This cognitive biases lead to irrational decision and can explain the weaknesses of classical financi al theories with regards to why the market fails to attain equilibrium or conceptual expectation of rational investor decision in the financial market. (Ritter, 2003). Cognitive biases. Cognitive psychologists hold that there several cognitive biases that affect investors decisions in the market, as mentioned this biases lead investors to make systematic errors hence explaining irrationality in the financial market.This paper will highlight the cognitive biases by combining some of the documented behavioral patterns in arguing the case and behavior finance model case in the financial market it should be noted that psychological patterns and behavior categories as presented are interlinked to the extent that an individual can make decisions due to several behavioral patterns (Fromlet, 2001) 1/n Heuristics or regulation of thumb. Heuristics or the rule of thumb is one common behavioral technique applied in decision making.According to the definition (as quoted in Fromlet, 2001), heu ristic means use of experience and practical efforts to answer questions or to improve performance. Heuristics mean fast, selective variant of information, determined to a high extent by intuitiontaking into account that the conclusions may not give the desired results because of the velocity and/or the rawness in the decision-making. This technique makes it easier for investors since information in the market usually spreads faster, changes often and has become more complicated to interpret. Therefore, given various options many investors use the 1/n rule by spreading their funds equally or proportionately on the available options since it is easier than choosing the rational option based on the information hence introducing irrationality in the market in terms of decision making.A good example is if in a given financial market six different economic indicators are published, economists and investors have to assimilate and use the information as fast as they can to take advantag e of the market, some result to heuristic approach. This sometimes leads to suboptimal results and explains the difference between the ideal classical financial market of a rational investor and the real world. (Fromlet, 2001 and Ritter, 2003).Thaler (1999), argue that from empirical testify collected in their research most individuals investing for retirement have little or no knowledge of the financial market hence uses the rule of thumb or 1/n heuristic approach to make decisions on where to put there retirement savings. Overconfidence and preference for certain information. some other pattern that manifests itself and lead to irrationality in decision making in the financial market is overconfidence.Ritter (2003), notes that entrepreneurs break away to be overconfident and hence invest too much in stocks or options that they are familiar with. This can be termed as an irrational tendency to the extent that it leads overconfident entrepreneurs tend to limit their options by no t diversifying their portfolio hence irrational since they tie up their assets (for example real estates) to the company they are familiar with partly due to the fact that they would feel in control of local familiar stocks compared to high returns stocks that are outside their control, this is referred to as control illusions.A good example world over is the fact that most workers tend to invest too much in the company they work for and this has led to loss of entire savings to many of the companies in the event of insolvency (see Ritter, 2003 pg. 434 for examples). Furthermore, it was noted that generally, men are more overconfident than women and this behavior extends to investment decisions. It was found out in a research by Bernard and Odeon (2001 as quoted in Ritter 2003) that the more men on average perform worse than women and this is partly attributed to the fact that they are overconfident than women.

Psychological Assessment Essay

Organisations landwide atomic number 18 currently facing increasing competition, price pressures and slowergrowth rates and in disposition to be successful, for many organisations, this prompts the need to unceasingly transplant to survive. Having the right employee fit-for-purpose is imp periodtive to the success of an organisation faced with such challenges. The subprogram of mental judgment is a key enabler for the appropriate selection and information of employees in the workplace to meet the constant changes in the internal and external economic and social environment (Bartram, 2004 Paterson &Uys, 2005).However, the nature and value of current day mental opinion needs to be prizeed as it faces many challenges, particularly in a siemens Afri open fire context that is influenced by political injustices of the past. mental campaign put on in southwestward Africa currently faces many challenges including the adaptation of turn ups in a multi ethnic context, lang uage, age and gender parapets and another(prenominal) quantity challenges (Foxcroft, 2004 Foxcroft, 2006).These challenges introduce unfavorable judgment of the virtue and honorable pr beices of psycho logical opinion and highlight the needfor enhancing fairness in legal opinion and developing equitable and indifferent psychological exams (Foxcroft, 2011 Paterson & Uys, 2005). In order to respond to these challenges, it is of the essence(p) to gain an discernment of how psychological judicial decisions have developed over the years so that meaningful changes can be made ((Foxcroft, Roodt & Abrahams, 2005).It is of import to reflect on the history and study of psychological judgment as it helps explain how and why it is currently practiced, it allows for critical analysis of psychological sound judgement, tell aparting the strengths and weaknessesof tests used right away and provides lessons to be learned from the weaknesses and injustices of past assessment practic es so that psychologists can develop new assessment joyrides and techniques and ensure fair and ethical social practices of psychological assessment (Gregory, 2000 Moerdyk, 2009).The perceptions of psychological assessment being unfair and biased argon slowly changing as improvements are made in the development of tests and in southwestward Africa this is closely linked to the developments and changes in legislation and the professional bodies that govern the control and use ofpsychological assessments (Mauer, 2000 Paterson & Uys, 2005).The objective of this discussion is to evaluate the nature and value of psychological assessment practices in the South African work context by critically reflecting on the historical developments that have shaped and influenced current psychological assessment, instruction onhow test use have been transformed by legislation, government and society and the challenges that exist for fair and unbiased psychological assessment in South Africa. Finall y, the slipway in which fairness and bias in testing is currently being addressed and the steps in developing further ethical practices ofpsychological assessment will be discussed.This discussion will also include an overview of psychological assessment learner NO 44674481 4 and clarification of central concepts such as psychometrics, testing, measurement and military rank, fairness and bias. 1. WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGICAL sagaciousness? 1. 1. DEFINING PSYCHOLOGICAL mind Foxcroft & Roodt (2005, p. 4), define psychological assessment as a process-oriented activity spirited at conference a wide array of information by using assessment measures (tests) and information from many other sources.. in order to make inferences about benevolent behaviour.Shepard & Spalding (as cited in Setshedi, 2008) note that psychological assessments make use of standardised instruments, which, combined with other sources of information, are evaluated to inform some(a) intervention. 1. 2. THE DIFFERE NCE BETWEEN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT AND RELATED TERMS Psychological assessment refers to the overall multidimensional process that uses tools (tests) and techniques for measurement and evaluation of human behaviour (Foxcroft & Roodt, 2005). Psychological assessment can be distinguished from some related terms commonly used, such as, psychometrics, testing, psychometric testing,measurement and evaluation.1. 2. 1. Measurement and Assessment Measurement refers to the how much in an assessment. When doing an assessment, psychologists use measurement to ascribe values or numbers to a phenomenon against certain criteria or standardized norms, following predefined directs (Moerdyk, 2009). Measurement therefore helps in gathering information to add to the holistic assessment of a phenomenon. 1. 2. 2. Evaluation and Assessment Evaluation refers to interpreting or attaching a judgemental value to an assessment (Moerdyk, 2009, p. 4).In otherwords, evaluation refers to reaching conclusions a bout the measurement outcomes (Moerdyk, 2009). Thus evaluation forms part of the process of the overall assessment. STUDENT NO 44674481 5 1. 2. 3. psychometrics and Assessment psychometrics is the subfield of psychology that refers to the use of scientific methods, theory and techniques used in psychological measurement (Foxcroft & Roodt, 2005). Psychologists base their assessments on these scientific ways of measurement in an attempt to learn more about or predict behaviour. Thus psychological assessment is informed by the study of Psychometrics (Foxcroft & Roodt, 2005).1. 2. 4. Testing and Assessment Testing refers to the use of a tool (for example, psychometric tests, scales, or instruments) to inform decision making (Foxcroft & Roodt, 2005 Moerdyk, 2009 Patterson & Uys, 2005). Tests are not used in isolation but as part of the big process of assessment in order to make fair and informed decisions. Patterson & Uys (2005) argue that assessment is the overall process which inclu des testing, but more than testing, it implies the holistic evaluation based on test results and other information from other assessment methods. 1. 2. 5. Psychometric Testing and Assessment.Psychometric testing refers to testing based on psychometric theory and practices and is mainly used in industries for recruitment, selection and counselling purposes (Gregory, 2000). According to van der Merwe (2002), psychometric testing can be a useful tool in making decisions about management of employees and if used appropriately with insight and sensitivity it can compose one of the most effective ways in predicting behavior that is not surfaced during screening interviews.In South Africa psychometric testing is regulated by the Employee Equity Act of 1998 which prohibits the useof psychometric tests or assessments unless it proves to be scientifically valid and reliable, is fair and free from bias (Foxcroft et al, 2005).1. 3. THE USE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT Psychologists use techniqu es and tools in assessment in attempts to gain a best understanding of human behaviour, to describe certain phenomenon, as wellspring as topredict future behaviour. Psychological assessments are also used to identify and plan interventions to change behaviour and in decision making (Foxcroft & Roodt, 2005 Moerdyk, 2009). Some of the main areas of assessment are cognitive, behavioural and personality assessment (Moerdyk, 2009).1. 4. THE VALUE OF PSYCHOLIGICAL ASSESSMENT IN sedulousness Organisations benefit from psychological assessments as it aids in making clear and informed decisions in managing STUDENT NO 44674481 6 human resources. Bartram (2004, p. 238) highlights the value of assessments in personnel selection enabling organisations to act two tactically and strategically to increase their effectiveness. Psychometric tests make it possible for organisations to measure attributes that cant easily be assessed at face value but that whitethorn be crucial in job behaveance, such as personality and leading assessments (Moerdyk, 2009).Assessments are also used to measure work performance to identify training needs (Moerdyk, 2009), management and leadership assessments to inform development plans (Bartram, 2004), as well as assessments to improve employee wellness (Moerdyk, 2009). Assessments can also inform career counselling needs, career and organisational development plans, and research (Moerdyk, 2009). 2. FAIRNESS AND BIAS IN federation AFRICAN CONTEXT From the above it is clear that there is a need for psychological assessments in the workplace for organisations and individuals to benefit from human resource management.However psychological assessment practices over the years have drawn attention to bias in testing and fairness and ethical issues in assessment. The developments of psychological testing and assessment practices in South Africa will be further discussed to show how historically assessments have been unfair and bias and how this has been addressed in current practices. First it is crucial to clarify what is meant by fairness and bias in testing and assessment.2. 1. THE CONCEPT OF FAIRNESS AND BIAS predetermine can be defined as the general error in measurement or research that affects one group (e. g. career, age, andgender) more than another (Moerdyk, p. 261). In the work context this cognitive content that the psychometric tests that are administered to people need to measure what its supposed to measure and it needs to be consistent and systematic in measurement a broom different groups. Bias in testing can be controlled through the use of statistical procedures or other objective measures (Foxcroft & Roodt, 2005 Moerdyk, 2009). impartiality refers to the equitable nature of the psychological assessment processes and procedures and the lack of bias in testing methods and interpretation.Fairness is both subjective and contextual as can be seen in South Africa wherethe use of approving action is used i n human resource practices to address discrimination in past assessment practices. To be fair to previously disadvantaged groups it has become necessary to select and develop employees that score lower on tests. This raises the debate of whether the previously advantaged groups are now being unfairly treated.There is the option of treating both groups fairly, however it does not resolve the unfair, bias and discriminatory practices of the past (Moerdyk, 2009). STUDENT NO 44674481 7 both(prenominal) fairness and bias are important in psychological assessment in South Africa and are governed and regulated at theindividual (practitioner) level, through professional bodies as well as through legislation. Fairness and bias in assessment has been a challenge in South Africa and has been shaped and influenced particularly by the political ideologies through time.These challenges in fair and unbiased testing and the development of psychological test methods inSouth Africa will now be furth er explored. 2. 2. THE DEVELOPMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT PRACTICES IN SOUTH AFRICA 2. 2. 1. Early pulmonary tuberculosis (Pre-Apartheid Era) of Psychological Assessments The early developments of psychological assessments in South Africa were introduced in the twentieth century andfollowed closely with the developments internationally (Painter & Terre Blanche, 2004).The psychological tests that were introduced at the time in the country were largely influenced by the political context (Foxcroft et al, 2005). South Africa was a British colony and thus the psychological tests used were influenced by the political ideologies of the British rule and focused on assisting in the regulation of differential treatment (Louw, 2002). Most of the tests that were administered were for whites only and were based on either adaptations of international tests (e. g. Stanford-Binet adaptation) or weredeveloped specifically for use in South Africa (e. g. South African Group Test).Other example s include the study by Fick, who measured intellectual abilities across different race groups using tests that was standardized for whites and concluded that whites had superior intellect. This study influenced the Bantu Education system but the limitations of the study were also highly criticised (Foxcroft et al, 2005). Thus in this era of British colonial rule, tests in South Africa were biased, discriminatory against other races and psychological assessments ignored the influence of other social factors ontest performance such as poverty, language, culture, etc. (Claassen, 1997 Foxcroft et al, 2005 Louw, 2002).2. 2. 2. Development of Tests During the Apartheid Era In the early 1900s the political rule in South Africa was based on laws of segregation (apartheid) which believed that blacks and whites were different and should be treated differently (Claassen, 1997 Louw & van Hoorn,1997). Thus, most of the tests that were used supported the regulation of legislature that encouraged such thinking (Foxcroft et al, 2005 Louw & van Hoorn, 1997). Between the two world wars, research started to focus on understanding the Native andpsychology aimed to support the government and apartheid rule (Louw & van Hoorn, 1997). After the Second World War, assessments focused on suitable placements of blacks in the workplace, and tests such as the world(a) Adaptability STUDENT NO 44674481 8 Battery (GAB) were used. In this era, tests were used without adapting to South African norms, on whites, such as the Otis Mental Ability Test (Foxcroft et al, 2005). Between the 1960s and 1990s institutes were formed (National Institute for Personnel Research, Institute for Psychological and Edumetric Research) as well as changes in legislation were made to regulate the administration ofpsychological assessments.The Health Professions Act 56 of 1974 regulated that only psychologists were allowed to administer psychological assessments. radical changes in the socio-political situation star ted in the 1980s and apartheid rules started to soften. Different races started to compete for positions in the workplace and this raised concerns about the test measures that were being used. Tests such as the General Scho bearic Aptitude Test (GSAT), the Ability Processing of Information and Learning Battery (APIL-B) and the Pencil and Paper Games were introduced to address these concerns.The Pencil and PaperGames was made available in all 11 languages in South Africa to address bias and application in a multicultural context. These tests however we criticised as it was based on remote norms. As the apartheid regime came to an end, psychological assessment was held under much scepticism and negative perceptions were developed because of the discriminatory nature and use of tests at that time (Foxcroft et al, 2005 avant-garde de Vijver & Rothman, 2004). 2. 2. 3. Development of Tests in Post Apartheid Era After the abolition of the apartheid era, South Africa became a country based on democracy and radical changes weremade in political policy and legislation to address the wrongs of the past (Foxcroft et al, 2005).Psychological assessment was held under much criticism and the changes in constitution and legislation lead to a major shift in the approach of testing in South Africa. Some of the issues that were highlighted in the practices of testing during the apartheid era were the discriminatory use of tests, the lack of pertinence in a multicultural context creating bias, as well as other ethical issues such as the use of inappropriate norms and standards (Foxcroft et al, 2005).The changes in politics will now befurther discussed to show how it addressed the above issues and regulates fair, ethical and unbiased assessments in current society. 2. 3. ENHANCING FAIRNESS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA 2. 3. 1. Changes in Constitution Chapter 2 of the South African Constitution addresses the Bill of Rights, which calls for democracy based on dignity , equality and freedom. Furthermore, Section 9 of the Bill of Rights states that no persons may be subject to unfair STUDENT NO 44674481 9 discrimination or unfairly discriminate unto others (Mauer, 2000).This means that no tests may be used to discriminateagainst any individual, group or institution and called for fair assessment approaches. Psychological assessments therefore are required to aim to eliminate any bias in testing.Thus a dynamic and multicultural assessment approach is necessary which encourages the development of culture-specific and culture-informed psychological practices for the various cultural groups in South Africa (Van de Vijver & Rothman, 2004). 2. 3. 2. The Labour Relations Act (66 of 1995) The Labour Relations Act (66 of 1995) (LRA) protects individuals against unfair labour practices and discrimination in theworkplace (Mauer, 2000).This has an impact on the ethical considerations of organisations when employing psychological assessments. Joiner (2000) pro vides guidelines for fair and ethical practices in psychological assessment which ensures that psychologists take responsibility in assessments protecting the rights of individuals, treating individuals fairly, and not misusing the information from test results. Both the constitution and LRA address unfair discrimination and allow for fair discrimination if it can be proven that the discrimination is fair. 2. 3. 3. The function Equity Act (55 of 1998)The physical exertion Equity Act (55 of 1998) (EEA) enforces fair, unbiased and equitable practices in psychological testing by regulating the requirements of tests. The Act clearly states that psychological testing and other forms of assessment is prohibited unless it can be scientifically proven to be valid and reliable, can be applied fairly and is unbiased to any employee or group. The impacts of this act means that psychological tests need to be cross-culturally applicable (Foxcroft et al, 2005).Foxcroft (2004) highlights the nee d for more tests to be developed in South Africa that can be usedin a multicultural context. Organisations need to take cognisance of the above legislation that regulates fair and unbiased practices of assessment and should aim to practice testing ethically by ensuring that the rights of individuals are protected, the processes of assessment is fair, confidentiality of individuals is protected, individuals are given feedback to assessments, and the outcomes of assessment is not harmful to the individuals (Moerdyk, 2009). In line with the LRA the EEA also allows for fair discrimination in employment, specifically approving action if used inaccordance with the Act.It also allows for fair discrimination in employment based on criteria that are inherent to the job which means that the assessment tools used to assess individuals need to assess evidence of these criteria. 2. 3. 4. Professional Bodies Other bodies such as the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), the Profess ional Board of psychological science STUDENT NO 44674481 10 and the Board for Personnel Practitioners govern the practice of psychological assessment in South Africa to ensure fair and ethical approaches in psychology (Moerdyk, 2009 Wassenaar, 1998).Psychological tests can only be administered by individuals professionally registered with the HPCSA, which provides professional guidance and advice for the use of psychological assessments (form 208). The HPCSA regulates the training of professionals, the development of psychological tests and the use of psychological tests. 2. 4. ENHANCING THE DEVELOPMENT OF FAIR AND UNBIASED ASSESSMENT MEASURES 2. 4. 1. Steps in Test Development To address some of the issues in fairness and bias in testing, Foxcroft (2004) has identified some critical steps in developing tests, particularly for a multicultural context.These include (a) Defining the purpose of the test and the intended objective lens population This involves outlining what is being t ested, how the outcomes of the tests will be used and specifying that the test can be used in a multicultural setting. This implies that the test developer needs to identify aspects of the constructs that are common and unique across the groups being tested. The test developer should also identify the characteristics of the target population (such as educational status) and also identify the characteristics that may impact on test performance(such as language) (Foxcroft, 2004).One of the major challenges in assessment in South Africa at the moment is language. In South Africa there are eleven official languages, and although English is the commonly accepted business language, psychologists need to ensure that in administering tests language is not a barrier in test performance. Translation of tests into different language is complex and makes the validity of constructs vulnerable (Foxcroft, 2006). (b) Defining the construct and creating a set of test specifications to guide situati on writingThis step refers to identifying the specific observable measures that will be tested.This can be derived from a job analysis which highlights the key noesis, skills, abilities and other attributes required to perform a job successfully. It is important in a multicultural test that the norms and values across the different cultural groups for a specific construct are identified upfront so as to eliminate the construct bias. The constructs being measured need to also be of value and have meaning to the test user. Language is often a barrier in the meaning of a construct across multicultural groups andresearch also indicates that in South Africa some groups attach political meanings to some constructs which can impact on test performance.Developing the content and specifications of the test is dependent on the methods used to develop the test, which can be theory-based (this means that the theory used needs to be applicable in a multicultural context), empirical (this implie s that for a multicultural context the criterion being measured need to only discriminate on the specific criterion and not on other variables) or criterion-referenced (this implies that the development of the crossSTUDENT NO 44674481 11 cultural criterion need to be developed by a panel representing the different cultural groups).The different specifications and dimensions of tests should accordingly be tabulated (Foxcroft, 2004). (c) Choosing the test format and item format, specifying the administration and scoring methods In choosing the best method to present a test it is important that the tools (paper vs. computer), the format in which it is presented (multiple choice, diagrams, etc) and the response methods (verbal, written, etc) take into account the capability and familiarity across the different cultural groups.The administration and the scoring methods should also be fair across cultural groups (Foxcroft, 2004). Moerdyk (2009) identifies septette key steps in test deve lopment. The first step conceptualising involves identifying what phenomenon is trying to be understood. The second step is identifying the observable measures of the phenomenon (operationalising). The third step involves quantifying the observable measures. This requires content validity, distracters and a response set.The next step involves a pilot session of the test. By administering the test to a pilot group that is arepresentation of the final exam test group, the opportunities for improving the test can be identified. Once the test is administered to the pilot group the next step is to conduct an item analysis and the correlation of items identified. The item analysis can then be used to revise the test and compile the final test (what is known as validity shrinking). The last step is to develop a set of norms that can be used to measure the responses against for interpretation (Moerdyk, 2009).Lastly, the test needs to be published and the HPCSA provides guidelines for test development to ensure fair and ethicalstandards are met. De beer (2006), research findings indicate that for a South African multicultural and multilingual context the need for dynamic assessment is important as it accounts for differences across cultural groups as well as identify opportunities for further development. Other issues that are challenging to psychologists are the influence of other factors such as age, gender, socio-economic status, environment and cultural differences on test performance (Moerdyk, 2009).Some considerations for the future of assessment in South Africa are the use of engineering science advances in testing (artificialintelligence), the need to develop more culture specific tests, and the need for fair and ethical practices of psychometric testing (Moerdyk, 2009). 2. 4. 2. Core Characteristics of psychometric test Some of the core characteristics that psychometric tests should adhere to can be summarized as follows ? It is based on standardized procedu res and methods of assessment ?It makes use of norms, comparing individuals performance against a category or norm group ? It is scientifically proven to be valid (i. e. , it measures what it says), and reliable (the consistency and accuracy ofSTUDENT NO 44674481 12 amount instruments) ?It can be applied in various institutions (health, education, occupation, etc. ) and the measures can be cross- culturally adapted with minimal test bias ? It can be fairly administered to all individuals groups and organisations (Foxcroft & Roodt, 2005). In South Africa psychometric testing is regulated by the Employee Equity Act of 1998 which prohibits the use of psychometric tests or assessments unless it proves to be scientifically valid and reliable, is fair and free from bias (Foxcroft et al, 2005). 3.CONCLUSIONFrom the above discussion it can be concluded that an understanding of the developments of psychological assessment is imperative to understanding the value in current society and in hi ghlighting aspects to focus on change. In the past, psychological tests developed were used internationally in psychological assessments despite the differences in culture and language. This produced issues of bias and unfairness, as can be seen in misuse of assessments in the apartheid era in South Africa (Foxcroft et al, 2005). For a persistent time psychological tests in South Africa were perceived as unfair andunjust (Sehlapelo & Terre Blanche, 1996).However, with the political changes in government and legislature ( such as the Employment Equity Act 1998) , the introduction of governing bodies (such as HPCSA) and the changes in ideologies (a move toward a dynamic approach in assessment), psychological assessment has progressed toward a more fair and ethical practice that is slowly changing these perceptions (Mauer, 2000). Challenges still do exist, however, in producing tests that can be applied in such a diverse country that has 11 official languages, and a vast number of cu ltural groups aswell as moving toward testing using the advances in technology.STUDENT NO 44674481 13 4. REFERENCES Bartram, D. (2004). Assessment in organisations. Applied Psychology An International check out, 53(2), 237-259. Claassen, N. C. W. (1997). Cultural differences, politics and test bias in South Africa. European Review of Applied Psychology, 4th trimester, 47(4), 297-307. De Beer, M. (2006). Dynamic testing practical solutions to some concerns. SA Journal of industrial Psychology, 32(4), 8- 14. Foxcroft, C. D. (2004). Planning a psychological test in the multicultural South African context.SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 32 (4), 8-14. Foxcroft, C. D. (2006). Critically examining language bias in the South African adaptation of the WAIS-III. South African Journal of Industrial Psychology, 32, p. 97-102. Foxcroft, C. D. (2011). Ethical issues related to psychological testing in AfricaWhat I have learned (so far). Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, 2(2). Retri eved 10 April 2014 from the World Wide Web http//dx. doi. org/10. 9707/2307-0919. 1022 Foxcroft, C. , Roodt, G. & Abrahams, F. (2005). Psychological assessment a brief retrospective overview. In Foxcroft, C. & Roodt, G. (Eds.), An introduction to psychological assessment in the South African context (2nd ed. , pp. 8-23).Cape Town Oxford University Press. Foxcroft, C. , & Roodt, G. (2005). An overview of assessment definition and scope. In Foxcroft, C. & Roodt, G. (Eds. ), An introduction to psychological assessment in the South African context (2nd ed. , pp. 3-7). Cape Town Oxford University Press. Gregory, R. J. (2000). Psychological testing History, principles and application (3rd ed. ). capital of Massachusetts Allyn & Bacon. Joiner, D. A. (2000). Guidelines and ethical considerations for assessment center operations.Public PersonnelManagement, 29(3), 315-331. STUDENT NO 44674481 14 Louw, J. (2002). Psychology, history and society. South African Journal of Psychology, 32(1), 1-8. Louw, J. & van Hoorn, W. (1997). Psychology, conflict, and peace in South Africa Historical notes. Journal of Peace Psychology, 3(3), 233-243. Mauer, K. F. (2000). Psychological test use in South Africa. Retrieved November 24, 2003 from the World Wide Web http. //sunsite. wits. ac. za/conference/psychology/pai1 Moerdyk, A. (2009). The principles and practices of psychological assessment. Pretoria Van Schaik. Painter, D. & Terre Blanche, M. (2004).Critical psychology in South Africa Looking back and looking forwards. Draft of a paper written for the Greek ledger Utopia, 24 February. Retrieved on 15 May, 2014, from http//www. criticalmethods. org/collab/critpsy. htm Patterson, H & Uys, K. (2005). Critical issues in psychological test use in the South African workplace. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 31(3), 12-22. Sehlapelo, M. & Terre Blanche, M. (1996). Psychometric testing in South Africa Views from above and below. Psychology in Society, 21, 49-59. Setshedi, M. J. (2008). Investigating the use of psychological assessment in South African schools.Unpublished know Dissertation. Johannesburg University of Witwatersrand. Retrieved 10 April 2012 from the World Wide Web http//wiredspace. wits. ac. za/handle/10539/5927. Van de Vijver, A. J. R. & Rothmann, I. (2004). Assessment in multicultural groups the South African case. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 30(4), 1-7. Van der Merwe, R. P. (2002). Psychometric testing and human resource management. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 28(2), 77-86. Wassenaar, D. R. (1998). A history of ethical codes in South African psychology an insiders view.South African Journalof Psychology, 28(3), 135-145. STUDENT NO 44674481 15 5. SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 5. 1 70%. I feel I have understood the question and logic to the assignment. I have best understood the value of psychological assessment and the developments in South Africa and I feel I need to improve on how fairness can be enhanced in testing. 5. 2 Foxcraft & Roodt (2009) was most useful. I have used other journal articles for reference and examples such as other studies by by Foxcroft, as well as some internet references (example dissertation on the use of psychological assessment).5. 3. 2 months, approximately 1-2 hours nonchalant 5. 4. It is relevant in the working context as it provides an appreciation and understanding of the value of psychological assessment as well as creates awareness of the challenges and opportunities for fairness and ethical practices in assessment 5. 5. Yes. It provides guidelines on how tests should be used, where it should be used, what aspects to consider in test development, what are the governance systems in place for fair and ethical testing, what challenges and opportunities exist for further development. 5. 6.I would like to improve my knowledge in referencing techniques, logical and systematic application of work. I would like to improve on my knowledge of dynamic testing by reading more literatur e. 5. 7. The quality of material is very good, it provides clear guidelines gives one the opportunity to reflect on overall concepts and to assess quality of work. 5. 8. Yes the learning outcomes and assessment criteria was helpful in planning the assignment 5. 9. Yes the lecturer provided timeous guidelines and support on how to answer the questions as well as the important aspects to be covered in this learning outcome.

Hippocrates and the Four Humors

Balancing the four humors The Greeks and Romans viewed madness and sickness as an affliction from the gods. Greek physicians, most notably Hippocrates, believed these afflictions we from an imbalance of what he called the four humors. These include blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile. In many cases many treatments prescribed to balance the humors could be considered precursors to psychotherapy. Hippocrates had his patients discuss their dreams to gain insight into their ailments.From these discussions, he would then prescribe such(prenominal) things as rest and relaxation as well as a change of climate, scenery, or diet. Hippocrates believed that removing a mentally ill patient from a dissipated family life could restore the patients mental health. . Most of these theories can be seen later on as suggestive cures for Freuds patients even though Freud viewed the causes much differently. Physical ailments were treated with a much different approach when compared to mental healt h problems.To balance the humors, physicians chose a variety of procedures many of which would be considered enigmatic by todays standards. If a patient was thought to have an excess amount of blood, the physician would bleed the patient to remove the excess amount. When a patient was thought to have too much phlegm and was lethargic, physicians would prescribe a diet high on citrus fruits. Even today aged patients who have chronic fatigue are given shots of vitamin B-12 which can be found in citrus fruits and chronically ill people are suggested to join on their vitamin C intake which also can be found in citrus fruits.

Human Relations and Communications: Theories Present in Education Today Essay

Human sexual congresss, interactions and communicating ar the foundation of educational straininghiphip. As with most businesses, the need for strong leadinghip and communication is more important than ever, especi whollyy because of the growing account exponent of drilldayss and school systems. In magnitude to playact well within the organizational environment of a school, superintendents, coaches, teachers, parents, connection members and schoolchilds moldiness be able to sink in a variety of effective modalities (Razik & Swanson, 2010). Behind these modalities are world relationship concepts and communication theories that help leaders to make decisions based on research that depose help improve their organizational communications systems.Over time, the theories give birth developed and the ways of effective communication throw off changed along with the applied science that promotes them. There are many communication and piece relations theories that can stil l be applied today addicted the effective and efficient ways that educational leaders can now communicate. Hill Interactional Conventional Theory and Modern Forms of Communication A scheme on communication that looks at how society continues communication or may even change the ability to communicate is the Interactional Conventional Theory (Razik & Swanson, 2010, p. 132). club continuously evolves throughout history. With these changes the ability to communicate also has to change. Over the last twenty years technology has redefined our idea of how to communicate. As students amaze more satisfied with chatting, texting and other new forms of communication this has lead teaching to evolve its forms of communication as well.If communication is based on cultural norms then as technology changes the norms of society so must the ability to communicate (Razik & Swanson, 2010, pp. 132-133). New forms of communication are created all the time. Technology has enhanced communication fr om the traditional saying to face or group conversations to e-mail and social media. Written letters as communication have transformed into instantaneous e-mail communication, which can be accepted at a moments nonice from a smartphone. One of the most widely used forms of communication for college and high school students is social media like breastbook (VanDoorn & Eklund, 2013, p. 1).educational leaders have accesses to technology of e-mail and social media, which make communication more accessible than ever before. One of the modern challenges of educators is how to use technology like Facebook as aneducational slam (VanDoorn & Eklund, 2013, p. 1). Educational sites have emulated the flexibility of sites like Facebook in prescribe to make learning and educational communication more accessible for students (VanDoorn & Eklund, 2013, p. 1). Educational cites such as Edmodo and Web 2.0 can be used to further student education in an off campus capacity (VanDoorn & Eklund, 2013, p. 2). These sites also provide chance for students to communicate with teachers during non-school hours where they can ask questions about homework or that days lesson. This is no unalike from the traditional face-to-face contact or profession by telephone (VanDoorn & Eklund, 2013, p. 2). A study done on twenty college students showed that they preferred to use text based communication to face-to-face communication (VanDoorn & Eklund, 2013, p. 6). hardly as how students use text-based communication for recreational communication they also feel more comfortable with this form of communication with educators. A useful educational tool used by teachers is the Edmodo website.This site is designed to have the same make up as Facebook but it holds teachers and student to communicate about educational topics. Teachers can create groups for students to join where communication can take place at their convenience (Harper, 2010, p. 19). From these groups students can post responses to q uestions posted by the teacher. Edmodo also allows students access to lessons that they may have missed from cosmos out of school (Harper, 2010, p. 20). The site reinforces educational skills of writing, which students have to do in by posting responses, and having them use higher order thinking skills to develop personal responses (Harper, 2010, p. 21). Edmodo is also a heavy(p) way to assign paperless homework for students.Kristianson McClellands social Motives and Intrapersonal Relationship Theories One of the prominent human relation theories that are still straightforward in schools today is the McClelland Social Motives theory. McClelland noted that there are three main social motives that exist within organizations power, achievement, and affiliation. Achievement refers to the desire for people compete against a standard of excellence (Razik & Swanson, 2010, p. 112). This is clearly evident within most school sites, because successful educational leaders have the natural desire to achieve and set finales, visions, and missions for their district or school.There is always a bar set and leaders are do to wee that percentage of student mastery. At Granada PrimarySchool, in Phoenix, Arizona, there is a sign posted on every single door A- 152. Our leaders expect that we allow for Build a Legacy and continue to achieve A status with 152 overall points take to maintain that goal, an increase of nine points from the preliminary year. This is an excellent example of an achievement goal. The leaders at our school use their positional and personal power to influence others, as outlined by McClelland as a power motives for leaders. Lastly, the affiliation motive is also quite evident. The need for affiliation, or a need for positive relationships within an organization, is one of the most evident theories. Leaders, teachers, students, and community members all desire positive relationships, and that chucks leaders in power by building positive relationsh ips. Those that have positive relationships tend to have cave in communication, and as a result, better job performance (Razik & Swanson, 2010).In addition, interpersonal relationship theories are highly evident within this school site. Positive interpersonal relationships are key for building a climate of trust in which a principal must be consistent with their words and actions (Green, 2013, p. 142). When this occurs, stakeholders leave perplex to approach the leader and communicate directly. This is evident in many principals open door policy in which staff members can come freely, without fear of favourable position or negativity, but a reciprocal relationship. This is not limited to the relationship between teachers and leaders at a successful school site, but all stakeholders. It is evident that those who maintain positive interpersonal relationships with everyone around them have more success in the classroom.This past year, a teacher that responded negatively to lack of student achievement was reciprocated in the students abilities and motivation to perform for that teacher. Conversely, the teachers that responded positively to the same situation had more student growth. This is seen in Fig.2 of Weiners interpersonal relationship theories and motivation of two parties involved in said communications (Weiner, 2000, p.8). The beliefs about the responsibility of other stakeholders, and their subsequent reactions, are very similar as seen in Granada Primarys school achievement data for the 2012-2013 school year. This is important in leadership because the same attitude can be applied for principals and their staff. McAdams Cognitive variance Theory, SocialExchange Theory, and Theory Y Communication and human relation theories are very important in the success and operation of a school. At the school where I work communication is foggy most of the time with people playing the guessing game. The executive (principal) constantly says one affaire and d oes another.This is the Cognitive Dissonance Theory (Lamourex, 1996). This theory makes for a chaotic environment. He also says he is going to en genuine that the school dress code is adhered to by the teachers but his actions allow the dress code to be violated without consequences. He is so indecisive that people dont know whether to take him seriously or not. In the midst of a meeting, he will change what he beliefs to match other actions. He also seeks reassurance from others after making a difficult decision. He often feels that more seasoned people have more to offer than he does so he looks at them for approval. If he were confident in his ability to lead he would not waver so much. This makes him an ineffective leader. Presently, the Social Exchange Theory is also used. This theory requires the leader to compare benefits and costs of actions. This is honorable because it forces us to think things through carefully before acting on anything. It also helps to ensure we use in structional time wisely in order to make the most of our teaching abilities.Time on task is stressed at our school. When we have staff meetings the administrators are constantly tell us to put in the time it will take to produce the outcome we desire. Teachers work extra hours (before and after school) to make sure students have the extra intervention needed to pass the Standards of Learning (SOL) tests. Along with Communication Theories there are Human Relation Theories present within the school system. Administration has the belief that staff will do the job they are supposed to do. This causes them not to micromanage us. This is an example of Theory Y of the human relations Theories. They believe Individuals will exercise self-direction and self-denial in the service of objectives to which they are (Green, 2013). This allows the teachers to feel free to be creative and do whats best for the students. Operating under the Y theory puts my administrator under the facilitator of in formation category.He allows the staff to accomplish the tasks as they see fit as long as it is productive and in the best engross of the students. This theory is a demonstration of Standard 2, which states An education leader promotes the success of every student byadvocating, nurturing, and sustaining a school culture and instructional syllabus conducive to student learning and staff professional growth (Green, 2013). McClary Organizational and Pygmalion Leadership TheoriesAt William J. Clark Middle School organizational theory is used. They do a lot of individual and group interaction with the ultimate goal of every student can learn and be successful in mind. A central interest of organization theory must be inevitably be the understanding of how to organize people and resources in order to collectively accomplish coveted ends (Greenwood, 2010, 78). Within the school several meetings occur weekly. Every Tuesday is team and mental faculty/departmental meetings. The administr ation uses the team leaders and department chairs to relay messages to other faculty members. Furthermore, the administrators will sit in on the meetings if there is something they would prefer to personally state on their own or to monitor to make sure that these meetings are being conducted.Tuesday Academy meetings are the whole school meetings that are conducted by the administrators. Then, they have grade direct content are meetings on Wednesdays and grade level content area data meetings on Thursdays. The administrators are involved in these meetings on a weekly basis. They often sit and participate to make sure they are communicating in an essay to effectively plan for the students. They participate in these meetings as well by providing suggestions, materials, and resources that will allow them to possibly reach every to increase student success. In every meeting, you have no choice but to communicate and get the job done. Emails are used to communicate frequently communic ate. Also, monthly calendars are printed with important dates on them as a reminder. The school uses different aspects of mass communication to reach the people within the school and the public.The school has heterogeneous school meetings and events that allows the public to be involved such as the Back to School Bash, Open House, Parent-Teacher Conference Day, Parent/ pedantic Nights, Honors and Awards Banquets, PTA, Athletic Banquets, Winter and Spring Musicals, and etc. However, in order to inform the school and the public about what is happening at the school they use various means of communication. They send out emails. The schools website is used to display information. Memo letters are sometimes sent home but not as often in an effort to save paper.Information is displayed on the schools bulletin board. Also, Parentlink is used. The purpose of Parentlink is to inform parents through telephone. This is a great tool for those people who are not tech savvy, dont have access to a computer or the Internet. You can set Parentlink to bring forward all numbers that are stored in the database and the receiver will hear an automated or recorded message informing them about something pertaining to the school. The good thing about this source is that it lets you know who received the message, if it went to voicemail, or if the number was not a working number, therefore, it needs to be updated in the system. The Pygmalion leadership theory is frequently used at William J. Clark Middle School. Weekly the administrator is required to perform a minimum of 10 observations. Therefore, that means they are always in the classrooms supervise instruction. These frequent observations allow the administrator to see strengths and weaknesses in a person. It allows them to see if there is any room for growth.After every observation is done the administrator provides immediate feedback. An individual meeting with each person is scheduled. In these meetings positive feedback is given and negative feedback if necessary. If weaknesses are observed the administrator provides suggestions, resources, and materials for them to improve. The administrators provide themselves as a resource as well. The administrator will model for them what she expects to be done in the classroom from start to finish. She will send them to different teachers to observe. Also, a financial support Institutes for Teachers (SIT) is implemented at the school to serve as a lifeline for new and struggling teachers. Rogers Miles Resource Model, Likerts Supportive Model, and Theory X Saltonstall viewed human relations as the study of people in action. (Razik, & Swanson, 2010, p. 105) Davis explained the term by referring to the interaction of people in all types of endeavor- in business, government, social clubs, schools, and homes. (Razik, & Swanson, 2010, p. 105) Although human relationships have existed since the beginning of time, the art and science of trying to deal with them formall y in the work setting is relatively new. (Razik & Swanson, 2010, p. 103) It is important to note the different human relation theories and how they are displayed in schools in order to better understand human relations and communication. Miless human resource model assumes that work is not inherently distasteful and that people want to contribute to ameaningful goal.(Razik & Swanson, 2010, p. 104) At Plymouth high school, this theory is displayed by teachers willingness to go the extra mile for students to achieve the goal of improving test scores. Many teachers say they are not in education to become a millionaire. They teach because they want to make a difference. sure we have teachers that dislike the current state of education, but for the most part teachers focus on achieving the goal of educating the youth of tomorrow. Likerts supportive model evince the more the members of an organization feel supported, the more they will feel a sense of personal worth and importance in al l their interactions and relationships with the organization.(Razik & Swanson, 2010, p. 104) The new administrator displays this theory at Plymouth high school. She is very conscious of her efforts of making sure everyone feel valued and supported. She has an open door policy. Teachers can talk to her about their concerns without being afraid of any consequences. She makes sure the teachers concerns are addressed in a timely manner. During staff meetings, she praises teachers for various accomplishments. She has encouraged teachers collaboration. She has even gone(p) as far as allowing teachers to recreate the vision of the school. The new administrator has changed the culture of the school. Teachers are now taking ownership in the school and in the process of achieving its goals. The support that was generated from the principal has now improved the interaction of colleagues throughout the building.Theory X assumes that average human being has an inherent dislike of work and will avoid it if he can. (Razik & Swanson, 2010, p. 106) Most people that are like this must be coerced, controlled, directed, and scourgeened with punishment to get them to put forth effort to achieve objectives. At Plymouth high school, we are struggling with test scores in the CTE department. Many of the students do not take the class seriously. The teacher has become complacent, and avoids working hard at all cost. He allows the students to control the classroom. The principal walked in on his class watching a movie that did not have any relation to his CTE course. Administration had no choice to put him on an action plan. The action plan spelled out what it would take in order for him to get his job. He responded by completing the entire list of task on the action plan.Heactually planned meaningful lessons. The students are actually learning. It took the threat of him losing his job to get him to actually begin putting forth maximal effort. In conclusion, a variety of human relati ons and communication models must be implemented at school sites to have an effective, efficient organization. Modern communications play a large role in the implementation of these theories. Many different modalities of communication must be used.Face to face interactions need to remain interpersonal and motivated. Leadership must carefully weigh the benefits and costs of different conversations in order to communicate more directly and positively. Communication must be backed through careful observation and proactive, frequent feedback. Barriers to effective communication must be broken down at all costs to the well being of the school site. When these theories are combined, it is evident that schools are progressing towards new and exciting achievements that will continuously improve education.ReferencesEden, D. (1988). Pygmalion, goal setting, and expectancy Compatible ways to boost productivity. Academy Of Management Review, 13(4), 639-652. doi10.5465/AMR.1988.4307530 Green, R. L., (2013). Practicing the Art of Leadership A Problem-Based Approach to Implementing the ISLLC Standards, fourth part Ed. Boston MA Pearson Education, Inc. Greenwood, R., & Miller, D. (2010). Tackling design anew Getting back to the heart of organizational theory. Academy Of Management Perspectives, 24(4), 78-88. doi10.5465/AMP.2010.55206386 Harper, A. L. (2010). Social Networking with Edmodo Let your digital footsteps lead the way. Kentucky English Bulletin, 59 (2), 19-21. Lamoureux, E.R. (1996). An experiential approach to teaching communication theories Incorporating contemporary media to clarify theoretical concepts. Razik, T. A. & Swanson, A. D. (2010). Fundamental Concepts of Educational Leadership and Management, Third Ed. Boston, MA Allyn & Bacon. VanDoorn, G. & Eklund, A. (2013). Face to Facebook Social media and the learning and teaching potential of symmetrical, synchronous communication. Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice, 10 (1), 1-2. Weiner, B. (20 00). Intrapersonal and interpersonal theories of motivation from an attributional perspective. Educational Psychology Review, 12(1), 1-14.

Surviving School

I never enjoyed going to school. It was everlastingly the bane of my life. When sitting in classes I just looked at my watch calculation the minutes down until I could leave. Each day, .time seemed to tick slower. It was like being in prison, just counting the days down until you would be released.There was a reason why I hated school so much. It wasnt the rest of my peer group, but superstar particular teacher who made my life the living hell that for me was my school life personified.Loren was his name Ralph Loren. He was the Maths teacher who picked on me in all(prenominal) lesson. He eventide made fun of me in front of my fellow peers, telling them to laugh at me every time I got something incorrect. Maths was a lesson which we had every day and therefore it was almost impossible to avoid his daily burning hatred for me. I felt he treated me differently from the others. It was as though he had this burning desire inside him to make my life a living misery. But for what reas on I dont survive.Coming from a lump background made me quite a tough cookie, but Mr. Loren made me feel different. I couldnt stand the bullying and physical abuse he gave me. I tried telling my parents but my Mum was too busy with work trying to keep the family afloat. My Dad? Well he used to be a professional boxer before he became brain damaged. He was an excellent professional boxer fighting only the surmount but he suffered a high degree of brain damage in a championship fight and is instantly restricted to the use of a wheel chair as he has instantaneously nearly lost all mobility and memory. Doctors say it will only be a a couple of(prenominal)er more months before he forgets even his own family.Needless to say I learned to look out for myself and fight my own involvements after all that weve been through with(predicate). Its tough but it has to be through if Im to survive and keep my sanity..However I still have the problem of Mr. Loren. I inflexible that strict ac tion was to be taken. I had to fight this battle alone but I needed help. I contacted a few old friends who used to sustain on the estate with me in Brixton. They didnt like me and I didnt like them but we all had an unspoken understanding and when there was trouble we looked out for each other. We had to for our own safety. These people were the sort of people who you wouldnt want to happen upon out on a dark night on your own.These were people who the Mafia wouldnt even want to do business with They were really that bad. They offered me a few solutions to my problem and I said I would get back to them with my decision in the next few days. It was a lot to mull over. I decided to leave it a few days in case things got a little better which I sincerely doubted. For the next week Mr. Loren bullied me like never before. He hit me he even beat me with metre sticks. I had bruises down my body, I was in real agony. I decided to leave him in the grasps of my mates from Brixton. He had t o be taught a lesson like never before.For the next week Mr. Loren was absent from school. Everyone thought he was just ill. The school knew nothing of his whereabouts. As time went by people seemed to forget about Mr. Loren as we now had a replacement Maths teacher who was absolutely brilliant and I longed for her to period on full time if Mr. Loren was not to come back.As time went by I forgot all about Mr. Loren. I just assumed that he had learnt his lesson and fled the country. It wasnt until one night when I really realised what had happened.I was walking back from town one evening when I passed the Television Rentals store. I always liked to have a glance at what was on because I had never owned a television before. I was wandering around the support glancing at the programs on the various screens. When suddenly I saw the latest news bullet flash up onto the screen. An unidentified man had been reported scatty matching roughly Mr. Lorens description and had subsequently bee n found by police searching the area. Police had scoured sections of woods and lakes when a few passers by had observe a floating body in an old marshy lake on the outskirts of town.. My heart seemed to stop beating momentarily. I didnt know what to think. I decided that the best course of action was to run to the other side of town to gather what was going on.I had never run so fast in my life. When I reached the crime scene the whole area was cordoned off with tape. I asked whether the body had been identified yet and they said that the corpse was still undergoing identification. After hours of patient waiting the corpse was identified as a one Mr. Loren. I was horrified at the news. I left for home as swiftly as I could escaping without trying to look so suspicious. I didnt know why I was worried though because I never carried out the crime. I never think for anything like this to happen anyway. All I wanted my mates to do was give him a good beating to get the message through to him that he should leave the country.I got home and went straight up to bed without saying a word to anyone. The next morning I tried for hours to get through to the boys in Brixton. Eventually when I did get a reply it was an elderly woman who had just moved in and knew nothing of any boys that used to live there. The boys had obviously decided to leave and rightly so after what they had done. I thought I was in the clear. I picked up a newspaper on the way to school the following day and it had the horrific build up story of what had happened to Mr Loren the night he had been murdered.It said that he had been shot five clock in the head and chest and had sustained serious bruising all over the body. The paper was asking for witnesses to come forward. Even Mr. Lorens family was offering a give back for the capture of his brutal murderer. A shiver ran down my spine. All I hoped was that the murder weapon was still in the safe hands of the Brixton boys.A few weeks later the murd er weapon had been found in some nearby woods. The gun was to be checked for fingerprints and I knew that it would have the Brixton Boys prints all over it.I was wrong I had been framed. I remember as a boy shooting pigeons with a small colt pistol that the Brixton boys had given me. When I left I returned it to them as I no longer needed it and said I was mending my ways. They werent best pleased as you could well imagine. I now know why they were only too pleased to help me. They wanted to get me back for all those times when they did something wrong and I ratted on them.. I now know never to trust a living soul again.tried life on the run for a few days but lastly I couldnt take it anymore. I handed myself in. I knew I stood no chance of defending myself as the gun had only my prints on. I am now facing a secure unit then when Im eighteen I will be moved into a secure unit.After a few weeks of life inside I learnt of the sad death of my father, which inevitably lead to the sorrow ful suicide of my Mother.

Anti Imperialism Speech Against the Annexation of the Phillippines

Annexation of the Philippines Argument Against I reflect on our own Declaration of Independence that states Governments ar instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the accept of the governed. We went to the Philippines to protect them from Spain and now here we are doing what we were keeping Spain from doing to these people. I ask you do we have their consent to annex them? Do they believe it is in their surpass interest to be annexed to our great country? And what measures are we taking to fund a continued military presence to care for these people?If the Filipinos are not in support of this annexation, they will most assuredly fight us that will result in unnecessary violence and bloodshed of both American soldiers and Filipinos, whether you think them civilized or uncivilized. This is hypocritical to what we ourselves claim in our ideals expressed in our Declaration of Independence the right to self govern. With this move of annexation are we not acting on the gr ounds of Imperialism which goes against our belief as a Republic?Are we conquerors, or are we liberators? I believe we should allow Aguinaldo, who we brought in that respect from exile, to set up their own government and create a strong partnership that is agreeable for both the Philippines and the United States with mutual prosperity. Let us be the inspiration and model of their new venture and not force it upon them. This move will be viewed by eyes of other countries it will impact their experience of our United States and the freedoms our nation values.

Beauty essay & Health

Numerous documents and articles criticize and downplay physiological strike. Credible, amend sources encouraging physical beauty ar few and far between. parliamentary law fetishly discredits standards and beliefs Marilyn Monroe established. Media reporters emphasizing Marilyn wore a surface 16. By todays standards, a size 16 is obese. These reports fail to inform audiences a size 16 at that time is comparable to a size 3 today.wellness warnings accompany hair bleaching, tanning, and pitch control. governmental influences attempt to change opinions regarding physical beauty.Political correctness regarding physical beauty standards controls words used by the media. Words used by the media have no impact on reality. Looks do matter. Physical magnet and cant management opens realities regarding career, relationships, luck, court decisions, and better health care. Physical appearances determine first impressions. Vision senses rescind audible senses. Political influences imply obesity is socially acceptable. An over burden person gives the impression of increased essay for injuries and insurance claims in the workplace.Before job applicants say the first words, an unchangeable opinion formed in the interviewers mind. Political correctness portrayed by media reporters or womens groups does not change perceptions of an obese person. Blonds attract more attention, therefore more customers. People seeking potential dates or marriage partners gives priority to their identity, not research. Individuals are perceived by the appearance of his or her mate. Personal priorities determine individual opinions of physical beauty. Contradiction describing physical beauty is e trulywhere.Career objectives, goals of attracting certain marriage partners, and early(a) life decisions determine which research and statistics regarding physical good-naturedness accepted. international physical appearances visually display personal lifestyle choices. People who prioritize excellent or better health disregard research stating extra personate weight is healthier than being thin. Proportionate weight results from selecting healthy food choices and participation in effective cardio exercise. People walking around with 12% body fat and visible muscles live a significantly different lifestyle than someone weighing cxv pounds.acrobatic large number avoid restaurants, eat clean foods, and organize his or her life around exercise and strait-laced nutrition. Someone concerned with weight management and general health keeps his or her calories low and exercise moderately. Athletic lifestyles are too intense for ordinary individuals with average goals. Friends are selected or rejected based on their visible lifestyles. A persons weight is an advertisement of daily living habits. Society views weight as a measure of physical appearance. Body image acceptance is often translated as a measure of self esteem, happiness and self-worth.People wishing to change his or her weight desire to change their priorities. Anorexia nervosa ineluctably shows up every time physical appearance is mentioned. Anorexia nervosa is a mental illness. Physical appearance plays very little part in anorexia. People obsessively refusing to eat are acting out a fear relevant to obesity from his or her past. Perhaps someone remembered from childhood developed a do drugs problem. Weight gain triggered the drug problem. Depriving the physical body of food has nothing in common with diet down to 95 or 100 pounds.The media and psychologists attempt to associate the two behaviors. They have nothing in common. Media, psychologists, and investigative reporters imply eating disorders is a desire to become thin. Society pushes theories implying thinness is un agreeable. Physicians and dieticians emphasize weight is determined by genes and hereditary. These findings are to discourage eating disorders. Verbally, this logic may be accepted. In true(a) behavior, the idea is reje cted. A self confident person remains unchanged by outside influences.Self impudence encourages behavior resulting in pleasant physical appearance. No one obtains above average looks by accident. super attractive people stir up negative emotions from others. Beauty draws as much hostility as it does desire. Other women hate you. If you are not available or interested, men hate you too. Beauty makes other people who are insecure about their own looks resentful, which erects a barrier that can be surd to bridge (Shriver, 2006). Beautiful women constantly receive make-up tips, suggestions to change their hair or fashion advice.Secure people ignore such suggestions. Self esteem is hardly affected by advice, insults and any media program. Fitness industries would close. Societys opinions are ever changing regarding perception of physical beauty. Changeable opinions are verbal. Reactions physically attractive people receive remain focused. Reactions to physical attractiveness are never planned. Gentlemen offering their seat to an attractive lady, smiles, heads turning, stares, insults, envy, and unplanned facial expressions are true constant perceptions of physical beauty.Marilyn Monroe symbolizes beauty. Extremist groups continuously seek ways to alter the perception of Marilyn Monroes physical characteristics. Research attempts to alter behavior emphasizing health risks. Health scares do not change actual behavior. The reality to change what is accepted as physical beauty never changes. Notes Lionel, Shriver, (8/16/2006) The Curse of Beauty, Daily Manuel. http//search. ebscohost. com/login. aspx? direct=true&db=nfh&AN=21963650&site=ehost-live