Intercultural Relations Essay

Question: There is no need to study intercultural relation. Discuss Communication occurs between individuals who have varying degree of intimacy within each other. Intercultural relations capability is the degree to which people effectively adapt his/her nonverbal and verbal messages to the appropriate cultural context (Kiss 2008). Intercultural relations can be taken place when individuals influenced by different cultural societies exchange shared meanings in communication. Yet, intercultural relations can be formed of different nationalities, different ethnic and even different religion, as well as communication among individuals of different sexual orientation. However, communicating and exchanging values within different culture of individuals is complex as communication process is apparently complicated involving cognitive process, cultural background, individual’s linguistic capability and even biological process. Stienfatt and Roger 1999, claims that one of the most illuminating aspects of intercultural communication is that it opens our minds to the interplay of varied influenced. The world these days is facing great challenges of an increasingly diverse in cultures. Interaction and exchanging values between individuals from different cultures can lead to a whole host of benefits, for instance establishing good relationships within society and healthier communities. Yet, culture allows individuals to connect in small communities to larger communities through exchanged experiences and values (Lull 1995). Intercultural relations assist students step back from their characteristic point of view of seeing the world and demonstrates the influences that have constructed the ways of viewing this world. Cited in Stienfatt and Roger 1999, Gitlin 1995 indicated the concept of people thinking that human think within the intellectual and cultural currents that surround them. Back into the last decade, invasion; colonialization; and warfare brought individuals among countries with divergent cultures into face-to-face contact. An improvement of technologies in communication and rapidly evolving the transportation has changed the way individuals interact and communicate with each other in terms of intercultural relations and communication. However, people from different cultures are usually representative of divergent norms and psychological elements. The crusade explored that communication through various cultures occurred among individuals by human nature. Jerusalem is one of great examples cities in Middle East where people in different cultures and religions; Muslims; Christian; and Jews living together in relative peacefulness and harmoniousness. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Jerusalem indicated that communication effectiveness among divergent cultures and religions are not relying on the study of intercultural relations. Nevertheless, cited in Yinyan 2013, Y. Y. Kim (1988) argued that person who wishes to accomplish an effective intercultural interaction in terms of intercultural relations must be equipped with skills and abilities to be capable and deal with dynamics of cultural diversity. Yet, cite in Sydney morning herald article, Munro (2009) had explored the experiences of an Australian diplomat who worked in Jakarta decided to resign from her workplace due to the strict rules of international diplomacy. The purpose of this essay is demonstrated the necessity of intercultural relations for human being and discuss the terms of intercultural. People are socialized in their own culture and also different in cultures are different norms. An effectiveness communication in intercultural relations can occur by human being in every generation as indicated in our predecessors in Crusades which is people should be culturally sensitive.

Marketing Dunkin Donuts Essay

Dunkin Donuts builds long term customer relationships by being consistent with their marketing strategy. They have maintained an everyday value since they opened their doors fifty years ago. They have met their customers’ expectations by not changing recipes. The coffee tastes the same no matter what store you go into. Dunkin Donuts also has a lengthy training class so they can maintain their quality in the kitchen as well as customer service. Dunkin Donuts maintains customer relations by fully meeting the customers’ expectations. When a customer enters a store they know exactly what to expect, no surprises or disappointments. Dunkin Donuts value proposition is value and quality. Dunkin Donuts has always made their products a value. Starbucks has the expensive coffee; Dunkin Donuts has the value coffee. Dunkin Donuts has also maintained their quality as well. They have kept the same ingredients and recipes; everything tastes the same as fifty years ago. By maintain the quality and value the customer knows exactly what to expect when he or she walks through the door. Dunkin Donuts is growing its share of customers. Dunkin Donuts has maintained its coffee and donuts, but has also grown with the times to gain more customers. Dunkin Donuts now offers a variety of coffee drinks such as cappuccinos and iced coffees. The company also sells breakfast sandwiches and cookies too. The coffee is mostly what keeps customers coming back for more, but now there is more of a variety to please everyone.

Analysis of the political change the United States underwent in Research Paper

Analysis of the political change the United States underwent in 2008-2011 - Research Paper Example Political Philosophy The political situation of the United States from 2008 to the present day has been shaped by the President Obama’s political philosophy. President Barrack Obama political philosophy tends towards the leftist ideology. His focus on majority of the things is based on socialism. Socialism is an ideology that consists of redistribution of wealth through taxation and government programs. His presidential campaigns were dominated by Yes We Can mantra thus, making himself the personification of hope for the American future. He was of the ideology that the grassroots movements could change United States. However, after two years of his leadership, the ingrained â€Å"national pessimism about the economy has taken a toll, and it is Republicans, seemingly poised to seize the House of Representatives† (Breitbart, 2011) and they are posing as agents of change. Republicans criticize President Obama for not delivering the changes he promised in 2008 and they asse rt that the Americans have not experienced it (Breitbart, 2011). As a presidential candidate in 2008, Obama appeared less ideological and more moderate and he vowed to unite the Republicans and Democrats under one nation. His tactics to embrace his foes in his presidency was obstructed by the staunch Republicans and thus, his appearance to the voters as a post-partisan president was largely damaged. He was forced to expose the largest government intervention to save the sinking economy; he took big chunks of the auto sectors and finance and framed stimulus package worth 800 billion dollars. President Obama implemented a social agenda with the Wall Street and health care reform; this made it easy for the Republicans to assert that Obama was eyeing a major government conquest in a country where there is deep-rooted government suspicions. Republicans argue that Obama lacks a defining political tag; he was not at ease, for example, with the politics of the New Democrat (Breitbart, 2011) . Conservatives seem him as a radical person but his followers on the left are not happy with the change because it was not as expected. Some of the liberals are not happy with Obama because he failed to endorse promises to permit gays to serve directly in the military or near the Guantanamo Bay. Others want investigations into the alleged abuses (in his war against terror) by the Bush Administration. Liberals are very disappointed with Obama and the independent voters who supported him in 2008 are joining the Republicans in large numbers (Breitbart, 2011). Thus, the popularity of Obama is diminishing on a daily basis due to his political philosophy and the failure to fulfill most of the promises he made in 2008. Economic Issues Like the other nations, United States is an exceptional to the problems associated with the economic disasters facing these nations. Majority of the people cannot see the obvious signs of the economic crisis facing the United States. The United States is no longer capable of producing what it needs in order to sustain itself. The nation imports more than it exports and it is selling off majority of its assets. To sustain its standard of living, the nation is taking huge debts; the standard of living the nation is attempting to sustain is beyond the abilities of the nation. United States is almost becoming entirely

Technology and Issues with Modern Communication Essay

Technology and Issues with Modern Communication - Essay Example e benefits of modern technology to an effective communication, there are also four words that pose challenges that we should think about – Communication, Ubiquitous, Consequential, & Complex†. Today, the internet and mobile phones are one of the mostly used medium of communication as it provides real-time messages to be exchanged, not to mention the affordability of doing so. However, we can see a paradigm shift in the kind of messages we now create – from detailed sentences to communicate as sending letters would always put pressure on enveloping the whole message before sending it out because of the time it will take to get to the recipient and the cost, convenience we now enjoy with modern technology makes us shift to a conversational way of communicating (Thomas, M.). Thus, most of the time, we fail to establish the story or the purpose of a message and go directly to the main point which somehow fails to deliver the point to a recipient. The next challenge would be the ubiquitous & consequential quality of modern technology. We all know that technologies that aid us to communicate are universal. Everyone now has easy access to it. However, one downside to this would be the fact that everyone desires to get a hold of the faster gadget available with more features for a better exchange of messages without really taking time to get proper education on how to use it. Thus, increased spending, not getting the most of a certain gadget, and at the same time lessened person to person interaction is diminished because of the proliferation of social media. Also, modern technology being deemed to be consequential to the quality of life has a strong tendency to be merely an object that describes a status quo instead of being used as an instrument to establish lasting and sustainable peer interaction, friendships, and successful business transactions. Lastly, as with great power comes great responsibility, one of the downsides of modern technology would be the

Environmentally Sustainable Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Environmentally Sustainable Business - Essay Example Globalization and ever-changing advances in information technology and the emergence of ethical investment opportunities have resulted in an increased focus on community and business smooth relationship. Globalization resulted in cross border flow of people, products, information and money. At different level all over the world, globalization is resisted by societies or communities concerned with the social and environmental implications of large companies (say MNC's) operating throughout the world. Therefore it becomes increasingly important for organisations to attempt to be proactively responsive to social and environmental issues in order to ameliorate to social concerns (Panwar et al. 2006). Corporate social responsibilities is defined as "an obligation to pursue those policies, to make those decisions, or to follow those lines of action that are desirable in terms of the objectives and values of our society" (Bowen, 1953, P.6). However there is no universally accepted definitio n but several models have been developed. The Continuum model of business responsibility conveys a proportional set of responsibilities of the firm such that larger elements represent greater responsibilities. According to the model the firm's primary responsibility is economic success followed by legal, ethical and discretionary responsibilities. Ethical and discretionary responsibilities espoused by Carroll (1979) and have been further developed. Another model called the multidimensional Construct (Niskala & Tarna, 2003) is introduced by emphasizing the interdependence among economic, environmental and social dimensions in responsible business behavior. According to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD, 2000) Companies have a responsibility to the following stakeholders: Owners and investors- high profits Employees- consistent, fairly compensated employment. Customers- high quality products and service. Business Partners- fair, ethical treatment as partners. Suppliers- consistent customer upon which to base the suppliers business. Competitors- Maintain industry image. Government regulators- meeting or exceeding expectations. Communities- Stable employment for community members. Finally Zadek (2004) proposed 4-stages maturity model (fig.-1) having different organizational stages through which business organizational deals with social and environmental issues. The first stage is latent stage where active communities and NGO's are aware of the societal issues but generally issues are ignored or dismiss by business communities. The next stage is Emerging stage where Political and media is aware of the issues and leading business also try to deal with the environmental and social issues adopting different approaches. The third stage is consolidation stage represented by those business organizations which frame their business policies and practices around societal issues, organizations normally establish sector wise and issue base voluntary initiative which take care of societal issues. Through litigations and legal approach all the issues are addressed. In the process voluntary standards are developed and collective actions emerges. Finally the fourth stage in t he organization emerges with

Evaluate the evidence that regulatory T cells maybe be successfully Research Paper

Evaluate the evidence that regulatory T cells maybe be successfully used to prevent graft versus host disease - Research Paper Example A main immunological technique that is used to measure regulatory T cell frequency is flow cytometry; other methods used are immunohistochemistry staining involving studying skin biopsies and ELISAs. All evidence proved strong in correlation with the hypothesis and suggests that CD4 CD25 FOXP3 Tregs could provide a future for the treatment of GvHD. Transplantation is the process of obtaining tissues or organs or cells and placing them in the same or different individual. The organs, tissues and cells that are transferred from one individual to another are called grafts. The person who donates the graft is called donor and the one who recieves the graft is called recipient. Heart, kidney, cornea, liver, pancreas, lungs and bone marrow are transplanted from one person to another. There are two types of transplantation: autograft (transplant from one region to another of the same indivudual and Syngraft or Isograft (Transfer of graft between individuals of same species). ( Khan, 2009). Graft versus host disease is the series of events that occurs after the transplantation of the donor T –cells with the stem cell graft. This is a donor T-cell mediated syndrome where the T cells in the graft shows their immune response. This response creates tissue damage. ( Beres and Drobyski, 2013). This is the major difficulty after the stem cell transplantation. The T-cells can recognise the minor and major histocompatibility antigens that are expressed at the host antigen presenting cells. The T-cells gets activated and expands and finally infiltrates and destroys the Graft versus host disease target tissues. The major tissues targeted are liver, gut and skin. This graft versus host hematopoiesis effect is the target for the allogenic stem cell transplantation. (Edinger, 2009). The rejection of the host may occur in first 100 days, where the donor immune cells recognize and attack the host tissues. As

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

Religious - Essay Example Such trips were necessitated by the requests of the father as well as studies [Marquita, Breit, Patricia, Burton & Paul [2002]. In 1930, Thomas Merton joined Oakham Public School during which time, Owen his father, died. However although the death affected Thomas Merton who sought support and financial help from the uncle was co-operative and finances to Thomas Merton was never a problem. Thomas Merton often received help from Tom Bennett, Owen’s former physician who was very supportive of Thomas as was the aunties and uncles. It was in 1932 during one of his visits to his grandparents in New York that Thomas Merton decided to venture into journalism by co-editing the school’s journal. In 1933, Thomas Merton visited Italy where he stayed in Rome where Merton acquired a Bible and become religious, severally praying asking God to ‘deliver him from darkness’. Up to when Thomas Merton was still faced many challenges such as not being aware of what he really wanted to become even as a college student at Clare College, Cambridge. In 1938, Thomas Merton then a student in Columbia came into contact with a Hindu monk called Mahanambrata Brachmachari, who influenced him in that instead of converting him into Hindu, Brachmachari encouraged the young Thomas to remain steadfast in Catholicism. Gandhi had an influence in shaping the future of the man in that, Merton was an admirer of Gandhi. Such events culminated in the Baptism of Thomas Merton in 1938. In 1941, Thomas Merton finally became committed to Catholicism and eventually graduated into a Catholic priest in 1949. Thomas Merton died in 1968 in Bangkok, Thailand. Thomas Merton continues to influence the live s of many as a writer, teacher, a priest and a family man. Howard was born several years after the birth of Thomas Merton in 1939. Unlike Thomas Merton, Howard went on to join active politics and eventually became the Prime Minister of

Aesthetic relativism versus aesthetic objectivism Essay

Aesthetic relativism versus aesthetic objectivism - Essay Example end the relation between aesthetic experience and value? Of late questions have arisen and have been likely to have a skeptical cast, as to whether the use of anesthetic is explicated without appeal to others, or whether the term answers any genuine philosophical purpose.The expressed skepticism by these questions did not hold until the end of the twentieth century. This fact prompted the question as to whether (a) notion of aesthetic is fundamentally problematic and has just become known, or (b) the notion is fine and has become cluttered enough for our imagination. Deciding between these possibilities needs a vantage from which to take concerning both early as well as late theories on aesthetic matters.The notion of aesthetic descends from the notion of taste.The reason why the notion of taste commanded a lot of philosophical attention in the eighteenth century was due to the theory of taste that had emerged of which was a corrective measure to the upraise of objectivism in regard to beauty. With this rise especially applied to virtue. While objectivism was against beauty, the judgment of beauty in the eighteenth century idea of taste was to be immediate, against self-absorption of virtue and held the desire of beauty to be disinterested (â€Å"Relativism vs. Objectivism† 1). In any given debate, arguments especially to do with relativism versus objectivism tend to separate leaving no in between. The Slippery slopes myth says that people who are on one side of any argument easily find it easier to blame people on another side of an argument. However, concerning the other side of slippery slopes can also be extreme. For example, the prevalent abortion debates that exist today. Furthermore, the relativism versus objectivism argument in philosophy is not altered either. Objectivists blame relativist of being subjectivists that look for ethical negativism by claiming that morality is up to the individualism; relativist blame objectivists of being absolutis ts of whom believe that all queries have a single right answer, regardless of culture or context. With such a debate, majority population holds the view of falling somewhere in between. Concerning relativism, this interpretation states that the moral principles are lawful, but vary in culture (conventionalism) or individuals (subjectivism). For instance, Ruth Benedict debates that different cultures have different principles, how can someone judge another person. Each of these moralities is equally legal. She goes on to argue from the angle of normality that each culture outlines what behavior is considered normal, in order to fit the majority’s behavior. The said majority population then describes normality as well as living by it, and the small minority is seen as abnormal. Ruth calls majority â€Å"socially convenient approved ways† and standard as â€Å"variations of good concepts.† Put differently, whatever social acceptable behavior is considered good and normal. While subjectivism is considered the extreme result of relativism. That being said we can say that morality is determined on an individual level and not at a social or even universal level. Therefore, moral principles that are viewed as valid are the ones a person believes in. Making all principles

Hamlet Questions Answered Essay Example for Free

Hamlet Questions Answered Essay Question 1: Laertes and Polonius provide several explanations of their reasons for Ophelia to stop seeing Hamlet. Both their opinions appear to be unreasonable, which is evident through their oppressive and restrictive attitudes. Laertes believes Ophelia is beneath Hamlet on social level, therefore he voices that the prince’s, â€Å"choice must be circumscribed.† This is unreasonable as Laertes is diminishing Ophelia’s confidence by referring to the fact that Hamlet’s partner will be chosen for him, and Ophelia would not fit this role, or be considered for it. Laertes continues to refer to Hamlet in a negative matter, stating that his, â€Å"love,† is, â€Å"not permanent,† and, â€Å"the perfume and suppliance of a minute,† meaning it is brief, and temporary. Polonius also presents unreasonable arguments as to why Ophelia should stop seeing Hamlet. The hypocritical nature of Polonius is evident through his commands to Ophelia: â€Å"To thine own self be true,† which is later followed by, â€Å"you’ll tender me a fool.† It is clear that Polonius is only concerned with sculpting Ophelia to act a specific way to ensure that his own reputation is not tainted. Polonius states, â€Å"give every man thine ear, but few thy voice.† This also acts as a contrast to the previous statement, as Ophelia cannot be true to herself if she has to, â€Å"reserve,† her true self. Evidently, Polonius offers an unreasonable opinion to encourage the discontinuation of Ophelia’s relationship with Hamlet. Question 3: Both soliloquies voiced by Hamlet contain similar ideas and concepts, which are crucial to understanding the nature of his character. The two soliloquies present Hamlet as an isolated figure, which is seen by the language such as, â€Å"and thy commandment all alone shall live,† and, â€Å"break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.† These statements express the mental anguish Hamlet is experiencing in his, â€Å"distracted globe,† a metaphor for his scattered thoughts. The soliloquies also contain elements of hatred towards women. For Hamlet it particularly involves his mother, however he generalises his statement by voicing, â€Å"frailty, thy name is woman!† This is continued in his second soliloquy where Hamlet states, â€Å"O most pernicious woman!† Evidently Hamlet struggles to respect the role of women and the mannerisms of his mother, whom he refers to as a, â€Å"beast,† who married Claudius at a, â€Å"wicked,† speed. Question 6: Hamlet gives signs for potential madness in his first soliloquy, where he desires to commit suicide if it were not for the fact t hat â€Å"God† is, â€Å"’gainst self slaughter.† He refers to his hatred towards the world and it’s, â€Å"weary, stale, and unprofitable,† atmosphere. The negativity towards the nature of the world expressed by Hamlet provides a possible reason as to why he often isolates himself. Isolation is a dynamic that ultimately lead to madness, which is eventually what occurs with Hamlet. Furthermore, the audience obtains an indication of Hamlet’s potential for madness in the scene where he tells Horatio and Marcellus to, â€Å"swear,† their silence in relation to the ghost. Hamlet explains that he will put on an, â€Å"antic disposition,† which means he will, behave in a strange manner. The irony in this statement is that Hamlet does in fact go mad, and he announces this to Horatio and Marcellus as a means of giving himself permission to act, â€Å"out of joint.† Question 7: Claudius attempts to win over Denmark with his charming and manipulative behaviour, which is seen in the irony of his words: â€Å"Our dear brother’s death, the memory be green.† Claudius associates the death of his brother with new life and growth, so when the audience becomes aware of the, â€Å"unnatural,† and, â€Å"foul,† murder he committed, we are confronted with his wickedness. To establish his popularity Claudius repeatedly uses language that signifies national unity such as the, â€Å"jointress of this warlike state,† and â€Å"our heartsour whole kingdom.† This conscious work displayed by Claudius demonstrates his methodology in having Denmark view him as a compassionate and practical King. Question 8: There is a reference to the fact that Denmark is a Catholic country when the ghost states that he was, â€Å"cut off even in the blossoms of my sin/Unhousel’d, disappointed, unaneled;/no reckoning made† This provides evidence for Catholicism as the apparition was not able to confess his sins (died without the Last Rites). A second reference which expresses Denmark as a Catholic country is shown when Hamlet remarks, â€Å"O, that this too too solid flesh would melt/Thaw and resolve itself into a dew! Or that the Everlasting had not fix’d/ His canon ‘gainst self-slaughter.† This excerpt indicates that Hamlet wished to commit suicide, but cannot as it is considered wrong in the eyes of God, therefore he would not be able to forgive himself in the afterlife. This is why Hamlet wishes he could, â€Å"melt,† which would save him from the guilt he would feel due to self-slaughter. Question 9: There are significant differences between the previous King Hamlet and King Claudius. The audience is given evidence that Old King Hamlet was a respectable and genuine leader through Prince Hamlet’s remark, â€Å"So excellent a king†¦so loving† It is clear the King Hamlet was honest and caring in all his actions; this contrasts with King Claudius’ character, who is scheming and power-hungry, so much so that he murdered his own brother, which he concealed due to his deceptive personality. King Hamlet tackled foreign policies openly and was so good a leader that he defeated Old Fortinbras, which had him take his land for the people of Denmark. King Claudius acts in a less honourable manner, where he leads Denmark on the basis of impressions, similar to politicians as seen in the modern age.

Definitions of Attitude Essay Example for Free

Definitions of Attitude Essay An attitude can be defined as a positive or negative evaluation of people, objects, event, activities, ideas, or just about anything in your environment, but there is debate about precise definitions. Eagly and Chaiken, for example, define an attitude a psychological tendency that is expressed by evaluating a particular entity with some degree of favor or disfavor.[2] Though it is sometimes common to define an attitude as affect toward an object, affect (i.e., discrete emotions or overall arousal) is generally understood to be distinct from attitude as a measure of favorability. [3] This definition of attitude allows for ones evaluation of an attitude object to vary from extremely negative to extremely positive, but also admits that people can also be conflicted or ambivalent toward an object meaning that they might at different times express both positive and negative attitude toward the same object. This has led to some discussion of whether individual can hold multiple attitudes toward the same object.[4] Whether attitudes are explicit (i.e., deliberately formed) versus implicit (i.e., subconscious) has been a topic of considerable research. Research on implicit attitudes, which are generally unacknowledged or outside of awareness, uses sophisticated methods involving peoples response times to stimuli to show that implicit attitudes exist (perhaps in tandem with explicit attitudes of the same object). Implicit and explicit attitudes seem to affect peoples behavior, though in different ways. They tend not to be strongly associated with each other, although in some cases they are. The relationship between them is poorly understood. Jungs definition Attitude is one of Jungs 57 definitions in Chapter XI of Psychological Types. Jungs definition of attitude is a readiness of the psyche to act or react in a certain way (Jung, [1921] 1971:par. 687). Attitudes very often come in pairs, one conscious and the other unconscious. Within this broad definition Jung defines several attitudes. The main (but not only) attitude dualities that Jung defines are the following. †¢ Consciousness and the unconscious. The presence of two attitudes is extremely frequent, one conscious and the other unconscious. This means that consciousness has a constellation of contents different from that of the unconscious, a duality particularly evident in neurosis (Jung, [1921] 1971: par. 687). †¢ Extraversion and introversion. This pair is so elementary to Jungs theory of types that he labeled them the attitude-types. †¢ Rational and irrational attitudes. I conceive reason as an attitude (Jung, [1921] 1971: par. 785). †¢ The rational attitude subdivides into the thinking and feeling psychological functions, each with its attitude. †¢ The irrational attitude subdivides into the sensing and intuition psychological functions, each with its attitude. There is thus a typical thinking, feeling, sensation, and intuitive attitude (Jung, [1921] 1971: par. 691). †¢ Individual and social attitudes. Many of the latter are isms. In addition, Jung discusses the abstract attitude. â€Å"When I take an abstract attitude† (Jung, [1921] 1971: par. 679). Abstraction is contrasted with concretism. â€Å"CONCRETISM. By this I mean a peculiarity of thinking and feeling which is the antithesis of abstraction† (Jung, [1921] 1971: par. 696). For example: I hate his attitude for being Sarcastic. Pasted from The classic, tripartite view offered by William J. McGuire[9] is that an attitude contains cognitive, affective, and behavioral components. Empirical research, however, fails to support clear distinctions between thoughts, emotions, and behavioral intentions associated with a particular attitude.[10] A criticism of the tripartite view of attitudes is that it requires cognitive, affective, and behavioral associations of an attitude to be consistent, but this may be implausible. Thus some views of attitude structure see the cognitive and behavioral components as derivative of affect or affect and behavior as derivative of underlying beliefs.[11] Despite debate about the particular structure of attitudes, there is considerable evidence that attitudes reflect more than evaluations of a particular object that vary from positive to negative. Attitudes also have other characteristics, such as importance, certainty, or accessibility (measures of attitude strength) and associated knowledge.[12] There is also considerable interest in inter-attitudinal structure, which connects different attitudes to one another and to more underlying psychological structures, such as values or ideology.[13] Attitude function Another classic view of attitudes is that attitudes serve particular functions for individuals. That is, researchers have tried to understand why individuals hold particular attitudes or why they hold attitudes in general by considering how attitudes affect the individuals who hold them.[14] Daniel Katz, for example, writes that attitudes can serve instrumental, adjustive or utilitarian, ego-defensive, value-expressive, or knowledge functions.[15] The functional view of attitudes suggests that in order for attitudes to change (e.g., via persuasion), appeals must be made to the function(s) that a particular attitude serves for the individual. As an example, the ego-defensive function might be used to influence the racially prejudicial attitudes of an individual who sees themselves as open-minded and tolerant. By appealing to that individuals image of themselves as tolerant and open-minded, it may be possible to change their prejudicial attitudes to be more consistent with their self-concept. Similarly, a persuasive message that threatens self-image is much more likely to be rejected.[16] Attitude formation According to Doob (1947), learning can account for most of the attitudes we hold. Theories of classical conditioning, instrumental conditioning and social learning are mainly responsible for formation of attitude. Unlike personality, attitudes are expected to change as a function of experience. Tesser (1993) has argued that hereditary variables may affect attitudes but believes that they may do so indirectly. For example, consistency theories, which imply that we must be consistent in our beliefs and values. As with any type of heritability, to determine if a particular trait has a basis in our genes, twin studies are used.[17] The most famous example of such a theory is Dissonance-reduction theory, associated with Leon Festinger, which explains that when the components of an attitude (including belief and behavior) are at odds an individual may adjust one to match the other (for example, adjusting a belief to match a behavior).[18] Other theories include balance theory, origincally proposed by Heider (1958), and the self-perception theory, originally proposed by Daryl Bem.[19] Attitude change Main article: Attitude change Attitudes can be changed through persuasion and an important domain of research on attitude change focuses on responses to communication. Experimental research into the factors that can affect the persuasiveness of a message include: 1. Target Characteristics: These are characteristics that refer to the person who receives and processes a message. One such trait is intelligence it seems that more intelligent people are less easily persuaded by one-sided messages. Another variable that has been studied in this category is self-esteem. Although it is sometimes thought that those higher in self-esteem are less easily persuaded, there is some evidence that the relationship between self-esteem and persuasibility is actually curvilinear, with people of moderate self-esteem being more easily persuaded than both those of high and low self-esteem levels (Rhodes Woods, 1992). The mind frame and mood of the target also plays a role in this process. 2. Source Characteristics: The major source characteristics are expertise, trustworthiness and interpersonal attraction or attractiveness. The credibility of a perceived message has been found to be a key variable here; if one reads a report about health and believes it came from a professional medical journal, one may be more easily persuaded than if one believes it is from a popular newspaper. Some psychologists have debated whether this is a long-lasting effect and Hovland and Weiss (1951) found the effect of telling people that a message came from a credible source disappeared after several weeks (the so-called sleeper effect). Whether there is a sleeper effect is controversial. Perceived wisdom is that if people are informed of the source of a message before hearing it, there is less likelihood of a sleeper effect than if they are told a message and then told its source. 3. Message Characteristics: The nature of the message plays a role in persuasion. Sometimes presenting both sides of a story is useful to help change attitudes. When people are not motivated to process the message, simply the number of arguments presented in a persuasive message will influence attitude change, such that a greater number of arguments will produce greater attitude change.[20] 4. Cognitive Routes: A message can appeal to an individuals cognitive evaluation to help change an attitude. In the central route to persuasion the individual is presented with the data and motivated to evaluate the data and arrive at an attitude changing conclusion. In the peripheral route to attitude change, the individual is encouraged to not look at the content but at the source. This is commonly seen in modern advertisements that feature celebrities. In some cases, physician, doctors or experts are used. In other cases film stars are used for their attractiveness. Emotion and attitude change Emotion is a common component in persuasion, social influence, and attitude change. Much of attitude research emphasized the importance of affective or emotion components. Emotion works hand-in-hand with the cognitive process, or the way we think, about an issue or situation. Emotional appeals are commonly found in advertising, health campaigns and political messages. Recent examples include no-smoking health campaigns and political campaign advertising emphasizing the fear of terrorism. Attitudes and attitude objects are functions of cognitive, affective and conative components. Attitudes are part of the brain’s associative networks, the spider-like structures residing in long term memory that consist of affective and cognitive nodes. By activating an affective or emotion node, attitude change may be possible, though affective and cognitive components tend to be intertwined. In primarily affective networks, it is more difficult to produce cognitive counterarguments in the resistance to persuasion and attitude change. Affective forecasting, otherwise known as intuition or the prediction of emotion, also impacts attitude change. Research suggests that predicting emotions is an important component of decision making, in addition to the cognitive processes. How we feel about an outcome may override purely cognitive rationales. In terms of research methodology, the challenge for researchers is measuring emotion and subsequent impacts on attitude. Since we cannot see into the brain, various models and measurement tools have been constructed to obtain emotion and attitude information. Measures may include the use of physiological cues like facial expressions, vocal changes, and other body rate measures. For instance, fear is associated with raised eyebrows, increased heart rate and increase body tension (Dillard, 1994). Other methods include concept or network mapping, and using primes or word cues in the era . Components of emotion appeals Any discrete emotion can be used in a persuasive appeal; this may include jealousy, disgust, indignation, fear, blue, disturbed, haunted,and anger. Fear is one of the most studied emotional appeals in communication and social influence research. Important consequences of fear appeals and other emotion appeals include the possibility of reactance which may lead to either message rejections or source rejection and the absence of attitude change. As the EPPM suggests, there is an optimal emotion level in motivating attitude change. If there is not enough motivation, an attitude will not change; if the emotional appeal is overdone, the motivation can be paralyzed thereby preventing attitude change. Emotions perceived as negative or containing threat are often studied more than perceived positive emotions like humor. Though the inner-workings of humor are not agreed upon, humor appeals may work by creating incongruities in the mind. Recent research has looked at the impact of humor on the processing of political messages. While evidence is inconclusive, there appears to be potential for targeted attitude change is receivers with low political message involvement. Important factors that influence the impact of emotion appeals include self efficacy, attitude accessibility, issue involvement, and message/source features. Self efficacy is a perception of one’s own human agency; in other words, it is the perception of our own ability to deal with a situation. It is an important variable in emotion appeal messages because it dictates a person’s ability to deal with both the emotion and the situation. For example, if a person is not self-efficacious about their ability to impact the global environment, they are not likely to change their attitude or behavior about global warming. Dillard (1994) suggests that message features such as source non-verbal communication, message content, and receiver differences can impact the emotion impact of fear appeals. The characteristics of a message are important because one message can elicit different levels of emotion for different people. Thus, in terms of emotion appeals messages, one size does not fit all. Attitude accessibility refers to the activation of an attitude from memory in other words, how readily available is an attitude about an object, issue, or situation. Issue involvement is the relevance and salience of an issue or situation to an individual. Issue involvement has been correlated with both attitude access and attitude strength. Past studies conclude accessible attitudes are more resistant to change. Attitude-behavior relationship This section requires expansion. (September 2012) The effects of attitudes on behaviors represents a significant research enterprise within psychology. Two theoretical approaches have dominated this research: the theory of reasoned action[21] and, its theoretical descendant, the theory of planned behavior,[22] both of which are associated with Icek Ajzen. Both of these theories describe the link between attitude and behavior as a deliberative process, with an individual actively choosing to engage in an attitude-related behavior. An alternative model, called MODE for Motivation and Opportunity as DEterminants was proposed by Russell H. Fazio, which focuses on motivations and opportunities for deliberative attitude-related behavior to occur. MODE is a Dual process theory that expects deliberative attitude-behavior linkages like those modeled by the theory of planned behavior only occur when individuals have motivation to reflect upon their own attitudes. Pasted from Theory of reasoned action From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search The theory of reasoned action (TRA), is a model for the prediction of behavioral intention, spanning predictions of attitude and predictions of behavior. The subsequent separation of behavioral intention from behavior allows for explanation of limiting factors on attitudinal influence (Ajzen, 1980). The Theory of Reasoned Action was developed by Martin Fishbein and Icek Ajzen (1975, 1980), derived from previous research that started out as the theory of attitude, which led to the study of attitude and behavior. The theory was born largely out of frustration with traditional attitude–behavior research, much of which found weak correlations between attitude measures and performance of volitional behaviors (Hale, Householder Greene, 2003, p. 259). Pasted from Definition and example Derived from the social psychology setting, the theory of reasoned action (TRA) was proposed by Ajzen and Fishbein (1975 1980). The components of TRA are three general constructs: behavioral intention (BI), attitude (A), and subjective norm (SN). TRA suggests that a persons behavioral intention depends on the persons attitude about the behavior and subjective norms (BI = A + SN). If a person intends to do a behavior then it is likely that the person will do it. Behavioral intention measures a persons relative strength of intention to perform a behavior. Attitude consists of beliefs about the consequences of performing the behavior multiplied by his or her evaluation of these consequences. (Fishbein Ajzen, 1975) Subjective norm is seen as a combination of perceived expectations from relevant individuals or groups along with intentions to comply with these expectations. In other words, the persons perception that most people who are important to him or her think he should or should not perform the behavior in question (Fishbein Ajzen, 1975). To put the definition into simple terms: a persons volitional (voluntary) behavior is predicted by his/her attitude toward that behavior and how he/she thinks other people would view them if they performed the behavior. A persons attitude, combined with subjective norms, forms his/her behavioral intention. Fishbein and Ajzen say, though, that attitudes and norms are not weighted equally in predicting behavior. Indeed, depending on the individual and the situation, these factors might be very different effects on behavioral intention; thus a weight is associated with each of these factors in the predictive formula of the theory. For example, you might be the kind of person who cares little for what others think. If this is the case, the subjective norms would carry little weight in predicting your behavior (Miller, 2005, p. 127). Miller (2005) defines each of the three components of the theory as follows and uses the example of embarking on a new exercise program to illustrate the theory: †¢ Attitudes: the sum of beliefs about a particular behavior weighted by evaluations of these beliefs ââ€"‹ You might have the beliefs that exercise is good for your health, that exercise makes you look good, that exercise takes too much time, and that exercise is uncomfortable. Each of these beliefs can be weighted (e.g., health issues might be more important to you than issues of time and comfort). †¢ Subjective norms: looks at the influence of people in ones social environment on his/her behavioral intentions; the beliefs of people, weighted by the importance one attributes to each of their opinions, will influence ones behavioral intention ââ€"‹ You might have some friends who are avid exercisers and constantly encourage you to join them. However, your spouse might prefer a more sedentary lifestyle and scoff at those who work out. The beliefs of these people, weighted by the importance you attribute to each of their opinions, will influence your behavioral intention to exercise, which will lead to your behavior to exercise or not exercise. †¢ Behavioral intention: a function of both attitudes toward a behavior and subjective norms toward that behavior, which has been found to predict actual behavior. ââ€"‹ Your attitudes about exercise combined with the subjective norms about exercise, each with their own weight, will lead you to your intention to exercise (or not), which will then lead to your actual behavior. Pasted from In psychology, the theory of planned behavior is a theory about the link between attitudes and behavior. The concept was proposed by Icek Ajzen to improve on the predictive power of the theory of reasoned action by including perceived behavioural control.[1] It is one of the most predictive persuasion theories. It has been applied to studies of the relations among beliefs, attitudes, behavioral intentions and behaviors in various fields such as advertising, public relations, advertising campaigns and healthcare. The theory states that attitude toward behavior, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, together shape an individuals behavioral intentions and behaviors. Pasted from Extension from the theory of reasoned action The theory of planned behavior was proposed by Icek Ajzen in 1985 through his article From intentions to actions: A theory of planned behavior. The theory was developed from the theory of reasoned action, which was proposed by Martin Fishbein together with Icek Ajzen in 1975. The theory of reasoned action was in turn grounded in various theories of attitude such as learning theories, expectancy-value theories, consistency theories,[2] and attribution theory.[3] According to the theory of reasoned action, if people evaluate the suggested behavior as positive (attitude), and if they think their significant others want them to perform the behavior (subjective norm), this results in a higher intention (motivation) and they are more likely to do so. A high correlation of attitudes and subjective norms to behavioral intention, and subsequently to behavior, has been confirmed in many studies.[4] A counter-argument against the high relationship between behavioral intention and actual behavior has also been proposed, as the results of some studies show that, because of circumstantial limitations, behavioral intention does not always lead to actual behavior. Namely, since behavioral intention cannot be the exclusive determinant of behavior where an individuals control over the behavior is incomplete, Ajzen introduced the theory of planned behavior by adding a new component, perceived behavioral control. By this, he extended the theory of reasoned action to cover non-volitional behaviors for predicting behavioral intention and actual behavior. Extension of self-efficacy In addition to attitudes and subjective norms (which make the theory of reasoned action), the theory of planned behavior adds the concept of perceived behavioral control, which originates from self-efficacy theory (SET). Self-efficacy was proposed by Bandura in 1977, which came from social cognitive theory. According to Bandura, expectations such as motivation, performance, and feelings of frustration associated with repeated failures determine effect and behavioral reactions. Bandura (1986)[full citation needed] separated expectations into two distinct types: self-efficacy and outcome expectancy. He defined self-efficacy as the conviction that one can successfully execute the behavior required to produce the outcomes. The outcome expectancy refers to a persons estimation that a given behavior will lead to certain outcomes. He states that self-efficacy is the most important precondition for behavioral change, since it determines the initiation of coping behavior. Previous investigations have shown that peoples behavior is strongly influenced by their confidence in their ability to perform that behavior (Bandura, Adams, Hardy, Howells, 1980).[full citation needed] As the self-efficacy theory contributes to explaining various relationships between beliefs, attitudes, intentions, and behavior, the SET has been widely applied to health-related fields such as physical activity and mental health in preadolescents,[5] and exercise.[6] Concepts of key variables Behavioral beliefs and attitude toward behavior †¢ Behavioral belief: an individuals belief about consequences of particular behavior. The concept is based on the subjective probability that the behavior will produce a given outcome. †¢ Attitude toward behavior: an individuals positive or negative evaluation of self-performance of the particular behavior. The concept is the degree to which performance of the behavior is positively or negatively valued. It is determined by the total set of accessible behavioral beliefs linking the behavior to various outcomes and other attributes. Normative beliefs and subjective norms †¢ Normative belief: an individuals perception about the particular behavior, which is influenced by the judgment of significant others (e.g., parents, spouse, friends, teachers).[7] †¢ Subjective norm: an individuals perception of social normative pressures, or relevant others beliefs that he or she should or should not perform such behavior. Control beliefs and perceived behavioral control †¢ Perceived behavioral control: an individuals perceived ease or difficulty of performing the particular behavior (Ajzen, 1988).[full citation needed] It is assumed that perceived behavioral control is determined by the total set of accessible control beliefs. †¢ Control beliefs: an individuals beliefs about the presence of factors that may facilitate or impede performance of the behavior (Ajzen, 2001).[full citation needed] The concept of perceived behavioral control is conceptually related to self-efficacy. Behavioral intention and behavior †¢ Behavioral intention: an indication of an individuals readiness to perform a given behavior. It is assumed to be an immediate antecedent of behavior (Ajzen, 2002b).[full citation needed] It is based on attitude toward the behavior, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control, with each predictor weighted for its importance in relation to the behavior and population of interest. †¢ Behavior: an individuals observable response in a given situation with respect to a given target. Ajzen said a behavior is a function of compatible intentions and perceptions of behavioral control in that perceived behavioral control is expected to moderate the effect of intention on behavior, such that a favorable intention produces the behavior only when perceived behavioral control is strong. Pasted from Cognitive dissonance is a term used in modern psychology to describe the feeling of discomfort when simultaneously holding two or more conflicting cognitions: ideas, beliefs, values or emotional reactions. In a state of dissonance, people may sometimes feel disequilibrium: frustration, hunger, dread, guilt, anger, embarrassment, anxiety, etc.[1] The phrase was coined by Leon Festinger in his 1956 book When Prophecy Fails, which chronicled the followers of a UFO cult as reality clashed with their fervent belief in an impending apocalypse.[2][3] Festinger subsequently published a book called A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance, published in 1957, in which he outlines the theory. Cognitive dissonance is one of the most influential and extensively studied theories in social psychology. The theory of cognitive dissonance in social psychology proposes that people have a motivational drive to reduce dissonance by altering existing cognitions, adding new ones to create a consistent belief system, or alternatively by reducing the importance of any one of the dissonant elements.[1] It is the distressing mental state that people feel when they find themselves doing things that dont fit with what they know, or having opinions that do not fit with other opinions they hold. [4] A key assumption is that people want their expectations to meet reality, creating a sense of equilibrium. [5] Likewise, another assumption is that a person will avoid situations or information sources that give rise to feelings of uneasiness, or dissonance.[1] Cognitive dissonance theory explains human behavior by positing that people have a bias to seek consonance between their expectations and reality. According to Festinger, people engage in a process he termed dissonance reduction, which can be achieved in one of three ways: lowering the importance of one of the discordant factors, adding consonant elements, or changing one of the dissonant factors.[6] This bias sheds light on otherwise puzzling, irrational, and even destructive behavior. Pasted from The elaboration likelihood model (ELM) of persuasion[1] is a dual process theory of how attitudes are formed and changed that was developed by Richard E. Petty and John Cacioppo in the early 1980s (see also attitude change). The model proposes an elaboration continuum, which determines the extent to which arguments are processed and evaluated (high elaboration) versus peripheral cues such as source expertise or attractiveness (low elaboration) shape persuasion. The model is similar to the Heuristic-systematic model of information processing developed around the same time by Shelly Chaiken. Pasted from Central route Central route processes require the audience to use a great deal more thought, and therefore are likely to predominate under conditions that promote high elaboration. Central route processes involve careful scrutiny of a persuasive communication (e.g., a speech, an advertisement, etc.) to determine the merits of the arguments. Under these conditions, a persons unique cognitive responses to the message determine the persuasive outcome. If a person evaluates a message centrally as reliable, well-constructed, and convincing, it will often be received as favorable even if it is contrasting to the receiver’s original stance on the message. So, if favorable thoughts are a result of the elaboration process, the message will most likely be accepted (i.e., an attitude congruent with the messages position will emerge), and if unfavorable thoughts are generated while considering the merits of presented arguments, the message will most likely be rejected.[1] In order for the message to be centrally processed, a person must have the ability and motivation to do so. In order for the receiver to have motivation to centrally process a message it must have relevance to him or her. Peripheral route Peripheral route processes, on the other hand, does not involve elaboration of the message through extensive cognitive processing of the merits of the actual argument presented. These processes often rely on environmental characteristics of the message, like the perceived credibility of the source, quality of the way in which it is presented, the attractiveness of the source, or the catchy slogan that contains the message.[1] It is also frequently used when the argument presented is weak and/or lacking evidence. The peripheral route is a mental shortcut process that accepts or rejects a message based on irrelevant cues as opposed to actively thinking about the issue [2] The peripheral route is a process in which outside influences affect the decision making process. This is also the process used when the audience is unable to process the message. This could be from having a message that is too complex, or an audience that is immature. The most common influences would be factors such as reward. Reward could be objects like food, sex or money. These inducements create a quick change in mind and action. Celebrity status along with likability and expertise are other factors in the peripheral process that have become more popular. Humor within messages is a dominant influence in this process as well. Appearance also has the ability to gain the attention of individuals which can create an interest in the topic, but will not create a strong change in individuals. The goal of the peripheral process is to create change, this change can be weak and even temporary as opposed to the strong and lasting change in the central route. Choice of route The two factors that most influence which route an individual will take in a persuasive situation are motivation (strong desire to process the message; e.g., Petty Cacioppo, 1979) and ability (actually being capable of critical evaluation; e.g., Petty, Wells, Brock, 1976). Which route is taken is determined by the extent of elaboration. Both motivational and ability factors determine elaboration. Motivational factors include (among others) the personal relevance of the message topic, accountability, and a persons need for cognition (their innate desire to enjoy thinking). Ability factors include the availability of cognitive resources (e.g., the presence or absence of time pressures or distractions) or relevant knowledge needed to carefully scrutinize the arguments. The ability to understand the message that is being communicated. Distractions such as noise can affect the ability for one to process a message. An example of noise would be a persuader trying to share his message in a room full of crying babies, this would make it extremely difficult for listeners to concentrate on the message being given. Noise that you cant physically control would be if a persuaders listeners could concentrate on the message because they had something else on their mind which was more important than the persuaders message like a death in the family, or problems theyre having in their relationship. Another example of this is in children. A child will change their behavior because his or her parent told them to do so rather than taking the information given and processing it. As that child grows up, however, he or she will have a higher cognitive complexity, and therefore be able to process the information of the situation centrally in order to draw a conclusion of their own. (OKeefe) The subjects general education level, as well as their education and experience with the topic at hand greatly affect their ability to be persuaded. Under conditions of moderate elaboration, a mixture of central and peripheral route processes will guide information processing. There are benefits and consequences for both processes. An individual who disagrees with the message being presented will likely have a boomerang effect if he or she centrally processes the message and bounce farther away from the speaker’s goal. If that same situation takes place, but the message is peripherally processed, a weak change will not have as large of a negative effect on that individual. (OKeefe) Type of Elaboration: Objective Versus Biased Thinking Attitude, motivation, and ability strongly increase the likelihood that a message will be ingrained in the minds of listeners. Although, as the social judgement theory suggests, they may not process the information in a fair, objective way. Attitudes are general evaluations that people hold that correspond with how they perceive themselves in relation to the world they live in. One way to influence attitude is to give peripheral cues. Peripheral cues can be things that lead to good or punishing or they can invoke provide guiding rules or inferences. These are often effective because they cause the audience to draw the conclusion themselves, therefore, making them believe it is their own idea, so they buy in to it. (Griffin) Many of the evaluations are based on Cognitive intelligence, behavior, and guidance. Given a basic understanding of an individuals attitudes one can interpret which type of elaboration would better suit the situation. There are two types of elaboration a listener can possess: (Biased elaboration, Objective elaboration) Elaboration can lead to both positive and negative results depending on the audience who is receiving the message. Individuals who have a Pre conception of a certain topic are going to be much harder to persuade oppose to an individual who has an open mind about a topic where only the facts hold truth. Biased Elaboration: Top-down thinking in which predetermined conclusions color the supporting data. This is used on people who likely already have their minds made up about a situation before the message is ever conveyed to them (Cacioppo) Ex. Someone who has had a negative personal experience with motorcycles will probably have made up their minds and be biased in the way they process the message.[2] Objective Elaboration: Bottom-up thinking in which facts are scrutinized without bias; seeking truth wherever it might lead. These listeners let the facts speak for themselves and approach the message with an unbias mind. Which leads to a true unbiased result or opinion. (Cacioppo) Ex. A person who is listening to a motorcycle salesman and already has a mindset about them. This person would let the facts influence their attitude.[2] Testing the Elaboration Likelihood Model To design a way to test the Elaboration Likelihood Model, it is crucial to determine whether an argument is universally seen as strong or weak. If an argument is inconsistent in opinions of strength, the results of persuasion will be inconsistent. A strong argument is defined by Petty and Cacioppo as â€Å"one containing arguments such that when subjects are instructed to think about the message, the thoughts they generate are fundamentally favorable† (Griffin). In general, a weak argument that is universally viewed as weak will entice unfavorable results if the subject is instructed to and is in an appropriate environment to consider it logically (or when testing the central route of the Elaboration Likelihood Model). In turn, a strong argument under similar circumstances will return favorable results. The test arguments must also be rated for ease of understanding, complexity, and familiarity. To scientifically study either route of the Elaboration Likelihood Model, the arguments themselves must be designed to have consistent results.[3] Conclusions of the Elaboration Likelihood Model In addition to these factors, the ELM also makes several unique proposals.[1] It is suggested that attitudes formed under high elaboration, the central route, are stronger than those formed under low elaboration. This means that this level of persuasion is stable over time and is less susceptible to decay or any type of counter-persuasion. Attitudes formed under low elaboration, the peripheral route, are more likely to cause a short term attitude change. Variables in ELM routes can serve multiple roles in a persuasive setting depending on other contextual factors (examples below). Under high elaboration, a given variable (e.g., source expertise) can either serve as an argument (If Einstein agrees with the theory of relativity, then this is a strong reason for me to as well) or as a biasing factor (if an expert agrees with this position it is probably good, so let me see what else agrees with this conclusion at the expense of information that may disagree with it).[4] Under condition s of low elaboration, a given variable can act as a peripheral cue. This could happen, e.g., through the use of an experts are always right heuristic. Note that, while this is similar to the Einstein example presented above, this is a simple shortcut, which, unlike the Einstein example, does not require careful thought. Under conditions of moderate elaboration, a given variable can serve to direct the extent of information processing: If an expert agrees with this position, I should really listen to what (s)he has to say. Interestingly, when a variable affects elaboration, this can increase or decrease persuasion, depending on the strength of the arguments presented. If the arguments are strong, enhancing elaboration will enhance persuasion. If the arguments are weak, however, more thought will undermine persuasion. More recent adaptations of the ELM (e.g.)[5] have added an additional role that variables can serve. They can affect the extent to which a person has confidence in, and thus trusts, their own thoughts in response to a message (self-validation role). Keeping with our source expertise example, a person may feel that if an expert presented this information, it is probably correct, and thus I can trust that my reactions to it are informative with respect to my attitude. Note that this role, because of its metacognitive nature, only occurs under conditions that promote high elaboration. Pasted from Attitudes Attitudes are evaluations people make about objects, ideas, events, or other people. Attitudes can be positive or negative. Explicit attitudes are conscious beliefs that can guide decisions and behavior. Implicit attitudes are unconscious beliefs that can still influence decisions and behavior. Attitudes can include up to three components: cognitive, emotional, and behavioral. Example: Jane believes that smoking is unhealthy, feels disgusted when people smoke around her, and avoids being in situations where people smoke. Dimensions of Attitudes Researchers study three dimensions of attitude: strength, accessibility, and ambivalence. †¢ Attitude strength: Strong attitudes are those that are firmly held and that highly influence behavior. Attitudes that are important to a person tend to be strong. Attitudes that people have a vested interest in also tend to be strong. Furthermore, people tend to have stronger attitudes about things, events, ideas, or people they have considerable knowledge and information about. †¢ Attitude accessibility: The accessibility of an attitude refers to the ease with which it comes to mind. In general, highly accessible attitudes tend to be stronger. †¢ Attitude ambivalence: Ambivalence of an attitude refers to the ratio of positive and negative evaluations that make up that attitude. The ambivalence of an attitude increases as the positive and negative evaluations get more and more equal. The Influence of Attitudes on Behavior Behavior does not always reflect attitudes. However, attitudes do determine behavior in some situations: †¢ If there are few outside influences, attitude guides behavior. Example: Wyatt has an attitude that eating junk food is unhealthy. When he is at home, he does not eat chips or candy. However, when he is at parties, he indulges in these foods. †¢ Behavior is guided by attitudes specific to that behavior. Example: Megan might have a general attitude of respect toward seniors, but that would not prevent her from being disrespectful to an elderly woman who cuts her off at a stop sign. However, if Megan has an easygoing attitude about being cut off at stop signs, she is not likely to swear at someone who cuts her off. †¢ Behavior is guided by attitudes that come to mind easily. Example: Ron has an attitude of mistrust and annoyance toward telemarketers, so he immediately hangs up the phone whenever he realizes he has been contacted by one. The Influence of Behavior on Attitudes Behavior also affects attitudes. Evidence for this comes from the foot-in-the-door phenomenon and the effect of role playing. The Foot-in-the-Door Phenomenon People tend to be more likely to agree to a difficult request if they have first agreed to an easy one. This is called the foot-in-the-door phenomenon. Example: Jill is more likely to let an acquaintance borrow her laptop for a day if he first persuades her to let him borrow her textbook for a day. Social Norms and Social Roles Social norms are a society’s rules about appropriate behavior. Norms exist for practically every kind of situation. Some norms are explicit and are made into laws, such as the norm While driving, you may not run over a pedestrian. Other norms are implicit and are followed unconsciously, such as You may not wear a bikini to class. Social roles are patterns of behavior that are considered appropriate for a person in a particular context. For example, gender roles tell people how a particular society expects men and women to behave. A person who violates the requirements of a role tends to feel uneasy or to be censured by others. Role requirements can change over time in a society. The Effect of Role Playing and the â€Å"Prison Study† People tend to internalize roles they play, changing their attitudes to fit the roles. In the 1970s, the psychologist Philip Zimbardo conducted a famous study called the prison study, which showed how roles influence people. Zimbardo assigned one group of college student volunteers to play the role of prison guards in a simulated prison environment. He provided these students with uniforms, clubs, and whistles and told them to enforce a set of rules in the prison. He assigned another group of students to play the role of prisoners. Zimbardo found that as time went on, some of the â€Å"guard† students became increasingly harsh and domineering. The â€Å"prisoner† students also internalized their role. Some broke down, while others rebelled or became passively resigned to the situation. The internalization of roles by the two groups of students was so extreme that Zimbardo had to terminate the study after only six days.

Prison Dog Training Program by Breakthrough Buddies

Prison Dog Training Program by Breakthrough Buddies Breakthrough Buddies (BB) is an organization which proposes an innovated health intervention using animal assisted therapy (ATT). Breakthrough Buddies mission is to enhance the mental, social, and physical well-being of incarcerated people; impart marketable skills in inmates for post-release job prospects; and increase shelter dog adoption rates. AAT connects people living with cognitive, emotional and/or physical issues with an appropriate animal, which becomes the fundamental element of their treatment. Selection of participating inmates is essential to the success of the program; as such we have developed strict selection guidelines. Prisoners interested in entering the program must complete an official application form and must have maintained good behavior during the six months prior to applying. This requirement creates an incentive for good behaviors, as wrong actions can cost the inmate the opportunity (1). Inmates chosen must be willing and able to participate; this criterion demonstrations the inmates motivation to want to change his behaviors. Prisoners with any severe physical or mental illness that may jeopardize the safety of staff members, dogs or other participants will not be permitted to join. Inmates must have no more than 5 years left before their earliest release date, and no less than 12 months before their earliest release date. Furthermore, selected inmates must have possession of, or be in the process of completing a GED or high school diploma; this requiremen t increases work commitment, motivation for education, and betterment of self. Finally, inmates convicted of animal abuse or violence against women will not be granted admission into the program. There is a strong correlation of animal abuse and violence against women, particularly domestic violence, and this criterion will decrease or eliminate abuse of the dogs as well as ensure that trainees who use their sills in the future are well-meaning and nonviolent (!!!!!). Criteria for the dogs entering the program are extensive as well. Dogs will be screened in an in-depth temperament test, conducted by a professional dog trainer, and must show no signs of aggression towards humans or animals. The dogs chosen must be in good health, which will be determined in health exams performed by veterinarian staff at Dixon Animal Shelter. The dogs will come exclusively from Dixon Animal Shelter and will be up to date on vaccinations, spaying and neutering. The no-kill shelter, which is located on prison grounds, opened in December 2010 after functioning in 2006 and 2008 as a temporary emergency shelter for animals abandoned by Hurricanes Katrina and Gustav. Fifty-two dogs at a time are housed in the shelters adoption center and in the event of an emergency, the shelter can hold up to 500 dogs and cats (!!!!!! ). The partnership of Dixon Animal Shelter and Breakthrough Buddies will be mutually beneficial in that the shelter will provide dogs for training and we will return well-behaved dogs that are more likely to be adopted. The intervention program consists of many different levels. The program is ongoing for the inmate but is an eight- week training program for the dogs. During the first year of operation five dogs will be chosen at a time and three inmates will be assigned to each dog. There will be a lead handler/trainer, a secondary handler and a caretaker. Once the dogs are placed with their inmate group they will undergo eight weeks of basic obedience and agility activities, as well as house and crate training. Inmates will be required to engage their dogs in at least 30 minutes of agility exercise before the onset of daily training, helping to relax and expel some of the dogs energy before training. At the end of the eight-week training, adopted dogs will be placed in new homes , arranged by Dixon Animal Shelter, or will go back to the shelter and await adoption, and the inmates will receive a new set of dogs to begin a new session. The personnel needed to implement the program are: a professional dog trainer who uses positive reinforcement methods and who has experience working with prisoners and the penal system. Both a social worker and public health nurse experienced in correctional facilities work and penal system procedures, who will work alongside prison medical staff. A program coordinator, who will be in charge of organizing and will oversee the integrity of the program will be employed. Volunteers and other health professionals familiar with record keeping and research are also included in the intervention team. The Breakthrough Buddies organization has many goals that it hopes to achieve. BB hopes to improve the psychological, social, and physical state of inmates by improving self-esteem, and by providing non-threatening and non-judgmental affection. BB also hopes to stimulate a responsible attitude within the inmate as well as catalyze communication and social interaction among inmates in and out of the program, guards, and staff. BB wants to improve the atmosphere of the prison, help provide a new focus of attraction, provide a necessary diversion and provide needed companionship. The program also, hopes to improve or build upon the physical activities of the inmates. The use of animal therapy is not a new concept in todays medical and psychological fields. It began more than a century ago when hospitalized patients relished the companionship provided from a pet (t4). It was not until the 1960s that AAT emerged as an effective tool, helping people cope and rehabilitate (grp11). AAT is useful in a variety of settings such as hospitals, schools, nursing homes and prisons. Breakthrough Buddies focuses on providing meaningful experiences and skills for incarcerated individuals at Dixon Correctional Institution by using dog training as a form of AAT. Although we will bring our unique approaches and practices into the program, we modeled our program on the current animal training programs that have already demonstrated successes. These programs allow the community to see the inmates doing good deeds and provide inmates the opportunity for introspection. We want to make sure that the inmates are giving something back to the communities that they once violated, said the CommissionerÂÂ  of the Massachusetts Department ofÂÂ  Corrections Michael Maloney. This innovative program [inmates raise future service dogs for NEADS] is the latest of our reparation efforts, and allows inmates to contribute to society without compromising public safety or security in our institutionsÂÂ  (6). One of the more powerful examples of the impact animals have on the incarcerated can be found at the Oakwood Forensic Center, a hospital for the criminally insane. A patient in a ward housing the centers most depressed and non-communicative patients found an injured sparrow and conspired with other patients to keep the bird, regardless of the rules; not even plants were allowed on the grounds. The results were remarkable. The despondent and non-communicative patients took part in gathering insects and other supplies to care for the bird. The staff noticed for the first time some of the most severely disturbed patients began working in groups and relating openly with other patients and staff. A formal animal therapy program was put into place shortly after. The success of Oakwoods program has paved the way for numerous animal training programs (1). The Prison Pup Program; a puppy training program, at Bland Correctional Center in Virginia, a minimum-security facility, had results of increased work performance and social interaction among inmates. This sense of responsibility helped inmates trust and care for others beside themselves. One inmate expressed that working with the puppies helped him develop patience and reduced stress; another said the program helped him deal with the emotions that arise in prison and helped eliminate negative thinking through laughter. Inmates remarked that other programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous, anger management and drug rehabilitation programs, did not help them with their problems like Prison Pup Program had helped them it was considered a 100percent success (t4). In 1999, Downeast Correctional Facility, a medium-security prison in Maine, found success after one year of implementation. Under supervision by a full-time guard with experience in training dogs, inmates were allowed to take the dogs into town daily, exposing both dogs and inmates to the noises and crowds of the real world. After one year, two clear results were observed (6). Not only were the dogs remarkably well-trained by inmates, the atmosphere throughout the prison seemed less tense (t4). The commissioner of the Maine Department of Corrections, Martin Magnusson stated: The bonding that the prisoners have with these dogs by caring for them is visible throughout the prison environment. For some inmates this is their first encounter as a positive role model for the community (13). Project POOCH (Positive Opportunities Obvious Change With Hounds) of the MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility in Woodburn Oregon, demonstrated that animals also have a positive influence on juvenile delinquents. Sandra Merriam-Arduini, a researcher from Pepperdine University, spent three years studying the impact of animal training on juveniles. The study found that the juveniles who participated in the program showed greater respect for authority, were more honest, had empathy, self-confidence, social growth, patience, higher self-esteem, gained a higher level of responsibility and most importantly, zero recidivism rate (13, 4). B.N., a Project POOCH participant, said: Being taught to care for and appreciate these animals, along with the interaction we have with people from the outside, taught us compassion for things other than ourselves. Project POOCH is a great idea, and I hope that ideas such as this one will be used in other correctional facilities as a way of motivating people who need to learn to show kindness, friendship, trust and compassion (7). A national survey was conducted on prison-based animal training programs; the survey respondents overwhelmingly regarded these programs as positive and they support the implementation of animal training program in correctional facilities (t6). The programs discussed above collectively demonstrated the positive effects of AAT on inmates. Animals have the ability to bring a sense of serenity to a prison and they affect even the most hardened felons. Several studies and correctional facilities staff show support in the health benefits of animal-human bonding and suggest that AAT can greatly reduce stress and anxiety (t1). Interaction with animals often helps inmates reduce their aggression, depression and reclusion. To examine the relationship animal interaction and mental health of inmates, prison officials at Joseph Harp Correctional Center in Lexington Oklahoma recorded the aggressive incidents four months before the dogs arrived and four months after the dog-training program was ini tiated. They found a 43% decrease in the aggressive incidents of inmates, which indicated that dogs have a profound impact in reducing the levels of aggression among inmates (t4). The companionship and non-judgmental affection gained from a pet helps to break the barriers that exist among inmates, leading to better communication and are less defensive, allowing them to become more relaxed (t5). Moreover, animal-training requires physical activity and its advantage is the improvement in physical health. Research shows that interacting with animals can lower blood pressure, blood sugar levels and can reduce heart rate (15). In addition to benefitting mental well-being, physical health and social skills, animal-training program have also been shown to help inmates seeking employment after their release (t6). Most animal-training programs provided basic marketable and vocational skills, equipping inmates with basic training and grooming skills. The universal impact of AAT techniques is that inmates are motivated to set and achieve goals. The discipline, dedication, respect, patience and the amount of knowledge that inmates gain by participating in the program enable them to obtain and keep a job (t5). A prison based animal-training program is a win-win approach; it benefits the animals, inmates, community, institution and the nation as a whole. Previous studies, prison officials and staff are all in favor for the implementation of animal-training programs in prisons. Even after the inmates are released, BB will continue to conduct follow ups to monitor any success or failure of inmates being in an AAT program prior to release.

Abbey Road Essays -- essays research papers

â€Å"Abbey Road† By The Beatles Abbey Road is heralded as one of the greatest rock ‘n roll albums ever. It grinds with hard rock and sways with soft guitar. The variety of the tracks provides something for everyone. It was created in 1969 at the famous Abbey Road studios. George Martin and Geoff Emerick, who had produced many other Beatles’ albums, contributed to this work. This album is one of the more famous albums of the Beatles, who are one of the most popular bands ever. Almost every piece of this album, even the cover, is art works in themselves. The album begins with the hard-rocker â€Å"Come Together†. The song is a perfect example of John Lennon’s rock influence in the Beatles. â€Å"Come Together† is a song that’s popularity has been revived due to its appearances in many commercials. Its trademark chorus, â€Å"Come together right now over me†, is known just about everywhere. Ringo’s heavy drums and John’s deep poetic lyrics drive the song, while Paul’s voice and George’s sharp guitar contribute to the body of this song. John Lennon was well known for his creative lyrics. His mind provided lyrics for such insightful songs such as â€Å"Across the Universe† and â€Å"A Day in the Life†. The third track is â€Å"Maxwell’s Silver Hammer†. This song is a humorous tune about a boy who enjoys attacking people with a silver hammer. It is a playful piano jingle that reflects on Paul’s influence on the album. Paul McCartney’s songs usually presented the lighter, more friendly side of the Beatles. Pau...

Cadbury Schweppes Strategic Dilemma of Trebor Bassett Essay -- Value

Cadbury Schweppes' Strategic Dilemma of Trebor Bassett Cadbury Schweppes is a UK-based beverage and confectionary group founded in 1969 with the merger of two English groups (Cadbury and Schweppes). This family-managed group grew and flourished through the years. It became an international major player in the late 80s and was admired by its peers for such an ascent. In 1990 the group bought two little entities from the same business and merged them into a single unit: Trebor Bassett. The CEO of this unit soon became the CEO of the group (1993) and he then realized that the success of the past years was seriously in danger and that a real turn needed to be taken. John Sunderland (CS’CEO) and John Stake (Human Resources Director) decided to spend time trying to understand the problem and finding the adapted solutions. Let us see how to change from a budget-driven strategy to a sustainable value-driven strategy. The following pages will try to show how the precedent success was in fact a satisfactory underperformance of CS, then how a real change in the way of seeing the business helped to recover and finally what became the challenge in 1999. I. Cadbury Schweppes in 1996: a satisfactory underperformance 1. An admired company Cadbury Schweppes, born after the merger of two major companies in 1969, was an admired company in 1996. Indeed thanks to Sir Dominic Cadbury’s governance from 1983 to 1996, based on an international development and several strategic acquisitions, the company had become a truly global player: the financial company turnover increased by 30% between 1990 and 1996, the operating profit by 144%. This performance was underlined by the Most Admired UK Company Prize, awarded by the representatives of Britain’s top 250 publicly traded companies and 10 leading investment dealer companies. In 1996, Cadbury Schweppes gathered activities in two major fields, both consumer-oriented: confectionary and beverages. The beverages branch was highly competitive, all the more so as few giant players operated on the market. Cadbury Schweppes owned international bottling and partnership operations and sold products in 149 countries. The company, divided into five divisions in 1996, had a varied product portfolio, based on international brands such as Schweppes or Dr. Pepper/Seven Up, acquired by the group in 1995. As for the ... ...â€Å"over deliver† (= Game playing) - The Group was too far away from the BU and markets to appreciate the complex strategy issues - Strategy of achieving market volume and exploiting scale economy in order to protect short-term revenues â€Å"Grow bigger through steady volume increases† > price discounts in an attempt to protect volumes > irrational brand and packaging size proliferation with no real marketing strategy (and risk of cannibalisation) - No Piloting tools (managers’ comments : â€Å"A lot of data, not a lot of good facts†) Opportunities Threats - Fragmentation of the market - Long term potential of the sugar confectionary business - Total sweets market was stagnant - Low end market : private labels had already captured 20,000 tons owing to the strength of British major retailers - New competition entering the market in its most profitable niches - Raw material prices shooting up - Price competition EXHIBIT 2: COMPETING ENVIRONMENT OF THE BRITISH SUGAR CONFECTIONARY MARKET The five forces model of Porter allows a better analysis of the attractiveness and value of the British sugar confectionary market in the 1990’s:

Health and Social Care Essay

We acknowledge with sincere thanks the many people who gave generously of their time to help us with this work. We particularly appreciate the expertise and advice o? ered by Arnon Bentovim, Richard Velleman, Lorna Templeton, Carolyn Davies and Sheena Prentice. The work has been funded by the Department for Education and we thank sta? in the department, particularly Jenny Gray who supported us throughout the work with her interest and valuable comments. The work was assisted by an advisory group whose membership was: Isabella Craig and Jenny Gray (Department for Education); Christine Humphrey (Department of Health) and Sian Rees (NICE); Arnon Bentovim (consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist at the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children and the Tavistock Clinic); Marian Brandon (reader in social work, University of East Anglia); Carolyn Davies  (research advisor, Institute of Education, University of London); Jo Fox (social work consultant, Child-Centred Practice); David Jones (consultant child and family psychiatrist, Department of Psychiatry; University of Oxford); Sue McGaw (specialist in learning disabilities, Cornwall Partnership Trust); Sheena Prentice (specialist midwife in substance misuse, Nottingham City PCT); Wendy Rose (The Open University); Lorna Templeton (manager of the Alcohol, Drugs and the Family Research Programme, University of Bath); and Richard Velleman (University of Bath and director of development and research, Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust). Introduction This second edition of Children’s Needs – Parenting Capacity provides an update on the impact of parental problems, such as substance misuse, domestic violence, learning disability and mental illness, on children’s welfare. Research, and in particular the biennial overview reports of serious case reviews (Brandon et al 2008; 2009; 2010), have continued to emphasise the importance of understanding and acting on concerns about children’s safety and welfare when living in households where these types of parental problems are present. Almost three quarters of the children in both this and the 2003-05 study had been living with past or current domestic violence and or parental mental ill health and or substance misuse – often in combination. (Brandon et al 2010, p. 112) These concerns were very similar to those that prompted the ? rst edition of this book, which was commissioned following the emergence of these themes from the Department of Health’s programme of child protection research studies (Department of Health 1995a). These studies had demonstrated that a high level of parental mental illness, problem alcohol and drug abuse and domestic violence were present in families of children who become involved in the child protection system. Research context The 2010 Government statistics for England demonstrate that, as in the 1990s, only a very small proportion of children referred to children’s social care become the subject of a child protection plan (Department for Education 2010b). However, the types of parental problems outlined above are not con? ned to families where a child is the subject of a child protection plan (Brandon et al. 2008, 2009, 2010; Rose and Barnes 2008). In many families children’s health and development are being a? ected by the di? culties their parents are experiencing. The ? ndings from research, however, suggest that services are not always forthcoming. Practically a quarter of referrals to children’s social care resulted in no action being taken (Cleaver and Walker with Meadows 2004). Lord Laming’s progress report (2009) also expressed concerns that referrals to children’s services from other professionals did not always lead to an initial assessment and that ‘much more needs to be done to ensure that the services are as e? ective as possible at working together to achieve positive outcomes for children’ (Lord Laming 2009, p. 9, paragraph 1. 1). Practitioners’ fear of failing to identify a child in need of protection is also a factor driving up the numbers of referrals to children’s social care services which result in no provision of help. ‘This is creating a skewed system that is paying so much attention to identifying cases of abuse 2 Children’s Needs – Parenting Capacity and neglect that it is draining time and resource away from families’ (Munro 2010, p. 6). Munro’s Interim Report (2011) draws attention once again to the highly traumatic experience for children and families who are drawn into the Child Protection system where maltreatment is not found, which leaves them with a fear of asking for help in the future. A ? nding which was identi? ed by earlier research on child protection (Cleaver and Freeman 1995). Evidence from the 1995 child protection research (Department of Health 1995a) indicated that when parents have problems of their own, these may adversely a? ect their capacity to respond to the needs of their children. For example, Cleaver and Freeman (1995) found in their study of suspected child abuse that in more than half of the cases, families were experiencing a number of problems including mental illness or learning disability, problem drinking and drug use, or domestic violence. A similar picture of the di? culties facing families who have been referred to children’s social care services emerges from more recent research (Cleaver and Walker with Meadows 2004). It is estimated that there are 120,000 families experiencing multiple problems, including poor mental health, alcohol and drug misuse, and domestic violence. ‘Over a third of these families have children subject to child protection procedures’ (Munro 2011, p. 30, paragraph 2. 30). Children’s services have the task of identifying children who may need additional services in order to improve their well-being as relating to their: (a) physical and mental health and emotional well-being; (b) protection from harm and neglect; (c) education, training and recreation; (d) the contribution made by them to society; and (e) social and economic well-being. (Section 10(2) of the Children Act 2004) The Common Assessment Framework (Children’s Workforce Development Council 2010) and the Assessment Framework (Department of Health et al. 2000) enable frontline professionals working with children to gain an holistic picture of the child’s world and identify more easily the di? culties children and families may be experiencing. Although research suggests that social workers (Cleaver et al. 2007) and health professionals are equipped to recognise and respond to indications that a child is being, or is likely to be, abused or neglected, there is less evidence in relation to teachers and the police (Daniel et al. 2009). The identi? cation of children’s needs may have improved, but understanding how parental mental illness, learning disabilities, substance misuse and domestic violence a? ect children and families still requires more attention. For example, a small in-depth study found less than half (46%) of the managers in children’s social care, health and the police rated as ‘good’ their understanding of the impact on children of parental substance misuse, although this rose to 61% in relation to the impact of domestic violence (Cleaver et al. 2007). The need for more training on assessing the likelihood of harm to children of parental drug and alcohol misuse.

Roger Chillingworth’s Journal

Doctor Roger Chillingworth July 21st 1646 The minister's health is fading. I fear that if I do not find a solution to his ailment soon that he may die, leaving me without a meaningful patient. Maybe it is Hester Prynne that is the problem. She is the evil influence that is taking the last little bit of life he has left. I am ashamed to think that I was even minutely involved with her many years ago. I used to be a good man but our terrible marriage corrupted me. All I have left is Mr. Dimmesdale. I have made him a concoction using plants I found on tombstones.I hope that these plants, which have grown from buried human hearts will have an effect on him. If he dies then I will no longer have a patient to perform experiments on so I will have to slow my medical research until I find another ailing individual. It will be hard to find another individual with such a strong heart and a similar aura to the pastor. Also, a victim with enough assets to pay for my expenses. He knows that I hav e profited from his ailments and his weak frame. I do not see the Pastor's recovery as a likely scenario.I see that he is heading to his grave so I need to take as much energy from him before he passes on. Maybe it is the demon child Pearl that is causing his imminent death. She has her own sickness which I tried to cure previously, but was unable. The deep rooted evil in the child is something even the most skilled physician cannot remove with any medicine. You can see the malevolent spirit in her eyes. I wonder if the father of this child is the devil himself. Hester is too ashamed to name her father even years after the incident. One day I will find out how this child came to be.Perhaps I will go out again to the forest tonight and perform a ritual to try to find out the true father. I must find out soon, I am getting to be an old man and I fear my time in this town is limited if I cannot find another host. I shall take the pastor for a walk on the beach tomorrow while I secretly gather ingredients for a spell. He has not been walking as well but I will still insist that he come. I must search into this matter further. If he questions me as he usually does, I will give him some medicine to calm him down.I have a draught I have made that will slow him down for a few days giving me the opportunity to control the situation. My intelligence is far superior to that of Arthur's and I can use that to my advantage. It is true that he is a man of purity; but he is also naive. He is the perfect patient in every way. I hope that my medicines can extend his life for at least another year. He is a very rare case, I must find out more before he leaves my care. I will continue practising on him until he expires. ,Roger Chillingworth~