Non violent movement

There is a wide-spread conception in the theory of nation-building that violence is an ultimate way to express disagreement and overcome injustice as well as fight a dictatorship. But the last century has proven the fallaciousness of this conception. Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and Dalai Lama and many others have shown that nonviolence can be more powerful force in defeating oppressive rulers and laws.Their lives and actions are examples how oppressors or unjust legislation may be defied by the force of word and soul rather than by the force of weapons. Gene Sharp summarizes the effectiveness of nonviolent actions with such words: â€Å"nonviolent action is possible, and is capable of wielding great power even against ruthless rulers and military regimes, because it attacks the most vulnerable characteristic of all hierarchical institutions and governments: dependence on the governed† (p. 18).Nonviolent action is an application of a very simple tr uth: people do not always do what they are told to do, and sometimes they do that which has been forbidden. When people refuse their cooperation, withhold their help, and persist in their disobedience and defiance, they do this to deny their opponents the basic human assistance and cooperation which any government or hierarchical system requires. If they do this collectively through their established independent social institutions or newly improvised groupings for a sufficient period of time, the power of that government will weaken and potentially dissolve.The world history has witnessed the cases when nonviolent means have been chosen over violence for religious or ethical reasons. In some cases, even when pragmatic political considerations were dominant in the choice of nonviolent struggle, the movement has taken on certain religious or ethical overtones. This was the case in the campaigns of the Indian National Congress for independence from Britain in the 1920s, 1930s, and 194 0s. Those struggles, often under Gandhi’s leadership, and also the civil rights campaigns in the 1950s and 1960s in the Deep South of the United States, under the leadership of Martin Luther King, Jr., are very important.Mohandas Karamchand  Gandhi, better known as Mahatma Gandhi, is the first name that comes to mind when one speaks of nonviolence in the 20th century. His charisma and his action not only had a profound effect on India’s modern history, but also provided firm basis for all future nonviolent struggles in the world. Gandhi’s political philosophy revolved around three key concepts: satyagraha (non-violence), sawaraj (home rule), and sarvodaya (welfare of all). Whereas satyagraha was essentially a tactic of achieving political ends by non-violent means, sawaraj and sarvodaya sought to encourage ideas of individual and collective improvement and regeneration. Such regeneration, Gandhi insisted, was necessary if India was to rediscover her enduring h istorical and religious self and throw off British rule. (Andrews, 1949)Perhaps Gandhi’s best-known act of civil disobedience, known as the second satyagraha (‘hold fast to the truth’) was Salt March that was taking place in 1930 from  12 March to 6 April. It expressed increasing frustration by Congress at its own impotence and, specifically, the British refusal to grant Dominion status to India. Gandhi chose the hated salt tax as the object of his campaign. At the time, the Indian government maintained a monopoly over the manufacture of salt, an essential basic commodity which was thus heavily taxed. Those using their own salt, e.g. if they were living close to the sea, were subject to heavy punishment.The 61-year-old Mahatma started the 240-mile-long march from Sabarmati to the coastal town of Dandi together with seventy-eight of his followers. He was joined by thousands along the way, in a march that received vast international and national attention. When t he protesters marched on to a government salt depot, he was arrested, as were between 60,000 and 90,000 other Indians in subsequent months, as well as the entire Congress leadership. Gandhi was released and called off the campaign in March 1931 following the Gandhi–Irwin Pact, which allowed Gandhi to participate in the second Round Table Conference, and symbolically permitted the production of salt for domestic consumption.From the 1920s to early 1940s, he led a series of passive resistance campaigns in pursuit of Swaraj, which redefined the character of Indian nationalism. He sought tolerance between Hindus and Muslims and the eradication of caste untouchability. In January 1948 he was assassinated by a Hindu fanatic for his pro-Muslim sympathies. Gandhi’s insistence that means were more important than the ends distinguished him from other great political leaders of the twentieth century.Since his death Gandhi has become the source of inspiration for non-violent polit ical movements such as the Civil Rights Movement in the USA. Desmond Tutu in the article A Force More Powerful a Century of Nonviolent Conflict rightfully points out: â€Å"The leaders who opted for nonviolent weapons often learned from resistance movements of the past. Indian nationalist leader Mohandas Gandhi was inspired by the Russian Revolution of 1905. The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other African American leaders traveled to India to study Gandhi’s tactics.† (Tutu, 2000) Non-cooperation was a major tactic employed by Gandhi when he felt the state had become immoral or unjust.In the King movement, such action was called boycott, the most effective nonviolent tactic employed in the movement to abolish discrimination in public transportation in Montgomery, Alabama. The justification for such action lies in the fact that rejection is as much of an action as acceptance. Thus, King, like Gandhi, while emphasizing the necessity of courage, utilized the boycott to achieve rejection of unjust laws regulating public transportation and public lunch counters.The net effect of the various expressions of the nonviolent protest, especially the boycott, strike, demonstration and jail, was to draw one’s opponent off balance, hoping thereby to change his mind. (Smith, p.58) Nonviolence, therefore, was not a sign of weakness or of a lack of courage. Quite the contrary, King believed that only the strong and courageous person could be nonviolent. He advised persons not to get involved in the civil rights struggle unless they had the strength and the courage to stand before people full of hate and to break the cycle of violence by refusing to retaliate.King just as Gandhi emphasized the need to prepare for action. The Civil Rights Movement initiated by Martin Luther King, Jr. succeeded in mobilizing massive nonviolent direct action. Innovative tactics included economic boycotts, beginning with the yearlong boycott of a bus company in Montgomery, Al abama, begun in December 1955 and led by Martin Luther King, Jr.; sit-in demonstrations; and mass marches, including a massive mobilization of whites and blacks in the August 1963 March on Washington, which culminated in King’s â€Å"I have a dream† speech, and protest marches led by King that met with police violence in Selma, Alabama, in January 1965.The goal of these protests was to overthrow the entire system of racial segregation and to empower African Americans by seizing the franchise. Participants of the Civil Rights Movement were often beaten and brutalized by southern law enforcement officials, and thousands were arrested and jailed for their protest activities. Some leaders and participants were killed.Nevertheless, an endless stream of highly visible confrontations in the streets, which contrasted the brutality and the inhumanity of the white segregationists with the dignity and resolve of black protesters, made the cause of black civil rights the major iss ue in the United States for over a decade during the 1950s and 1960s. The nation and its leaders were forced to decide publicly whether to grant African Americans their citizenship rights or to side with white segregationists who advocated racial superiority and the undemocratic subjugation of black people.In conclusion it would be relevant to provide a brief revision of the similarity and differences the detection of which was purpose of this analysis. The parallels between Gandhi and Martin Luther King are self-evident. This preliminary look at Gandhi and King’s activity gives us the understanding that nonviolent movement cannot be limited by time frames or specific location. It rather needs a leader with strong character, resilience and ability to persuade people. The two leaders preferred nonviolence at a time when their people were being oppressed. Both struggled against the yoke of white oppression. Like Gandhi, King valued the power of nonviolent political action in ke eping with the spirit of Gandhi’s satyagraha. King’s role in organizing the Montgomery bus boycott enabled him to emerge as the creator of a strategy of civil disobedience that earned for the civil-rights movement in the United States unprecedented media coverage, new forms of public recognition, and greater access to political power.Though both agreed that nonviolence is successful tactics on condition that every individual is committed to truth and justice, Gandhi tended to lay stress upon the necessity of personal suffering when participating in nonviolent movement, an attitude that to some extent was less aggressive than King’s emphasis on self-sacrifice. Moreover, Gandhi claimed that to achieve the goals through nonviolence one needs patience and non-cooperation and King believed that it is a certain degree of confrontation that is necessary to accomplish change. One more difference between Gandhi and King lies in the paradigm of their activity.While Gandhi was concerned about social injustice suffered by Indian people, King’s concerns bore upon racial discrimination of African Americans in the USA. And probably the most striking difference is the result of their struggle. While Martin Luther King’s ideas after his death were followed through by his followers and found an echo in common American’s heart, Gandhi was criticized that his tactics unnecessarily delayed the departure of the British, precipitated the partition of India, and led to the Hinduization of Congress because of his over-emphasis on religion. Few of Gandhi’s ideas were put into practice by independent India.While both of them deserve respect and admiration, it is possible to recognize that their approaches to the practice of nonviolence later grew strong one as opposition, the other as protest. Gandhi and King help us to believe that peaceful resolution of a conflict will live up to its promise.References:Andrews, C. F. Mahatma Gandhi†™s Ideas.   London: Allen & Unwin, 1949McCarthy, R. and Sharp, G., eds., Nonviolent Action: A Research Guide. New York, 1997Sharp, G. The Role of Power in Nonviolent Struggle. Monograph Series, No. 3. The Albert Einstein Institution, 1990Smith, Kenneth and Zepp, Ira. Search for the Beloved Community: The Thinking of Martin Luther King. Valley Forge: Judson Press, 1974.Tutu, Desmond. â€Å"A Force More Powerful a Century of Nonviolent Conflict†. Social Education. (64):5, 2000

Infancy and Early Childhood Development

Infancy and early childhood are referred to as those immature years of life and the stage at which most of a child’s development occurs. To strengthen the development of a child’s learning one must understand the physical and mental factors that affect a child’s development through observation and interaction. Development begins during the prenatal period on up to the early years and depends on the nutritional, medical, emotional, and intellectual support of parents, family members, caregivers, and teachers (Cherry, 2011). Parenting styles also play a role in what influences development as well as early childhood education programs. During the prenatal period when a child’s development begins, thus being aware of many factors that can damage the fetus and the development of a healthy child. In the early years the development of physical growth is through constant change. A key component in a child’s development is based on good nutrition as well as motor milestones needed for a child to succeed. Piaget and many other theorists refer to stages of specific age that defines the milestones reached. However, every child is different and so are there developmental successes (Berger, 2008). Infants develop skills based on their experiences in exploring the world around them. Physical play allows them to develop coordination as well as stronger muscles. Sensory skills are developed through taste, smell, touch, seeing, hearing, and from that perception is gained. Motor, sensory, and perceptual skills are supported by stimulation and a caring environment. Cognitive development occurs when a child becomes aware of physical sensations such as his or her mouth, hands, and feet. This is when an infant will explore and begin to understand what is around them (Berger, 2008). It is through early childhood that physical and neuropsychological changes help to increase coordination, control, manipulation, and movement through refining motor and perceptual skills. A good example of refining motor skills is through lacing and threading when tying their shoes as well as writing and drawing. It is these changes that create the milestones of such development. Environmental stimulus creates neurological development to control body functions to succeed in sports and other body-related skills. To enable such development to master such skills one must provide children with the opportunities of a challenging environment to learn and improve on such skills. The importance of childhood development is based on peer relationships, social play, and emotional development that help them build on self and moral values. As children engage in such play, he or she will begin to explore ways to solve problems as well as how they view other’s perspectives (Berger, 2008). It is through a stimulating and supportive environment that will allow a child to develop. The support of the parents, family members, and other individuals will help a child develop self-concept and self-esteem to learn and grow, and will be the foundation for building strong relationships with the ability to express emotion. Such a foundation will allow a child to develop by exploring new situations and being able to build on that to create healthy relationships (Berger, 2008). Parenting Styles and their Influence Family structure also affects both cognitive and emotional development of a child and is based on the size of the family and what order the child was born. However, a child’s performance is based on how safe and secure the child feels as well as an environment that provides warmth, consistency, and family communication. Family structure also leads to other factor that influences childhood development and the styles in which parents teach that may or may not be a supportive foundation. A clinical psychologist named Diane Baumrind discovered that there were four styles of parenting; however, three styles were displayed most. Her discovery came from a study that she had conducted on more than 100 children. This study of parenting and its effects on children displayed many aspects of parenting such as strategies of discipline, parental nurturance, styles of communication, and one’s level maturity and control. Observation from such dimensions created what is known as the four styles of parenting. Authoritarian Parenting Authoritarian parenting was a style of parenting that expected children to follow the rules and obey. Good behavior was rewarded; whereas, bad behavior was punished. This style of parenting felt as though they needed to give no eason other than â€Å"they said so. † Communication between parent and child was minimal with no response to child. Children who grew up from this type of parenting ranked lower in happiness, social competence, and self-esteem. Children are not allowed to make their own choices and given limited freedom. Authoritative Parenting Authoritative parenting is similar to that of authoritarian in terms of establishing rules and guidelines to follow, but much more democratic. However, this style of parenting is more responsive to their children. Though standards are set high there is room for decision-making. Parents are more willing to listen to their children and be more supportive rather than punitive. This style of parenting tends to result in happier children. These children tend to achieve higher grades in school, and have less social problems. Authoritative parenting helps children develop self-sufficiency and independence. This is the style of parenting I believe is most effective because it offers the most balanced approach to parenting. Parents enforce rules and limits, but do so to protect their children rather than stifle them. This style of parenting enforces rules when they need to but also allows their children to make mistakes and learn from them when the situation does not require strong discipline. Permissive Parenting Permissive parenting is what many refer to as understanding parents. They demand less and seldom discipline their children and create substandard assumptions of maturity level and self-control. Baumrind believes that indulgent parents are less demanding and more responsive. This parenting style would prefer to be a friend rather than a parent and can be a detriment because it teaches the child; rules do not need to be followed; thus, creating defiance of authority without worrying about the consequences of others. Children taught from this style of parenting tend to have low self-esteem, lack of self-control, and do poorly in school. These children will have difficulty in society associating with their peers and creating healthy relationships. Uninvolved parenting Uninvolved parenting ranks lowest of all life domains. This style of parenting makes few demands and communicates very little with little responsiveness. Uninvolved parents are detached from the lives of their children other than fulfilling basic needs and there are some instances in which the parents even neglect those. These children often feel rejected and lack in self-control, self-esteem, and rank less competent than the rest of their peers (Cherry, 2011). The way our children show respect, obedience, and discipline is created by the style a parent teaches his or her child. The nurturing support and love we provide is crucial to the development of our children and provide the means of our children being happy and healthy. Those children who learn better probably have a secure family life and supportive environment that will allow mistakes to be made from which children learn from without judgment being passed. By creating such a positive environment our children can explore, and we help to create those positive influences that allow children to succeed. Childhood Education and How it Influences Cognitive Development Childhood education is those activities and experiences created by educational programs and strategies intended to effect developmental changes in children. However, it begins in the home at an early age. As parents, we begin by being supportive of our child’s abilities while making sure that he or she is making all the necessary connections. Parents should be reading and singing as well as pointing out objects located in one’s environment and developing conversations with our children that builds on vocabulary. Allowing children to draw or color allows them to be expressive and gain that hand-eye coordination. Childcare givers also increase the benefits of our children’s development with giving them more conversation and interacting with other children. This type of setting allows them to try diverse activities and allows them to visit new places. In doing so, this will help to increase their thinking skills and teach them to follow directions. From this point, our children go into the pre-k programs and kindergarten. In general, children engage in much pretend play, thus building on cognitive skills by allowing the children to read others intentions, encouraging social interaction and helping them to distinguish between genuine and imaginary. This allows children to take on a social role representing reality through make believe. This stimulates the child’s ability to think for him or herself. Therefore, childhood play contributes to human development and allows the child to express by pretending social roles. Conclusion In conclusion, children continue to grow and learn as they move from infancy to toddler, and to school age. However, it is not just the physical aspects, but the cognitive aspects of thinking, imaginative play as well as language maturity. A child’s emotional, social, moral, and sexual factors are growing as well. In knowing those factors, one will obtain a better understanding about the importance of family influences, parenting styles, and childhood education. However, to understand these influences are not the only factors in the development of our children. The key is to apply practical everyday knowledge in how we care for our children and what it takes to meet their needs. Infancy and Early Childhood Development As a child develops families play a role in teaching the child. The first role is done through the five senses as a child’s brain develops. Parents are also responsible for making sure a child stays healthy. Piaget says that a child will learn through experiments in his or her world. Erickson and Freud also have ideas on family interaction in childhood development. Along with interaction a parent has different styles to bring up a child. These styles can help shape the child as he or she grows into adults. Early childhood education and cognitive development also play a role in childhood development also.Families affect development through interaction with a child, the parenting style used by the parent will also help shape the child as he or she grows, along with early education and cognitive development. Families play a role in infancy and early child development. Early childhood experience is in two categories; experience-dependent (cultural-bound) and experience-expectant ( universal) that aid in brain growth (Berger, 2008). As the brain grows senses and motor skills such as seeing, mobility progress, and hearing improve. The child’s environment helps with this as the brain will respond to different particulars in life.Also in the biosocial aspect of development is health, a child will grow at expected rates and have better survival rates when the parents or caregivers practice healthy habits for the child such as immunization and nutrition, and regular well child check-ups. Another view of family effects on development comes from cognitive views of Piaget. Piaget’s work on sensorimotor intelligence and information processing says that infants progress from knowing their world through experiments. The child is shown objects by the parent and the parent tells the child what he or she is seeing, such as a cup, ball, or bottle.This communication with the child is how the family helps the child with language development. According Berger (200 8), by one an infant can speak about two words, and by the age of two languages explodes, and at the toddler ages a child capable of speaking in short sentences. The last role from parents in the developing child comes from psychosocial theories. Emotions play a basic role in newborns two aspects of the role of emotions are from Erickson and Freud. Erickson’s theory is one of trust versus mistrust, and Freud’s theory is one of oral and anal stages. Both theories express the guidance given by parents to help raise their children.Parents and children play together, which helps develop social skills and attachment. Through attachment a child learns to explore and become independent in his or her world (Berger, 2008). Social play and attachment encourage social confidence. Besides play a parent must use a style to raise the child. Parenting styles vary the three most used styles consist of authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive. Authoritarian parents controls, evalua tes behavior, and attitudes of the child with standard rules of conduct. A child who fails to follow the set rules normally receives punishment with no explanation regarding why.According to Baumrind (1991), these parents are â€Å"status and obedience oriented, and expect rules to be followed without explanation. † The authoritative parent also sets rules for his or her child. Authoritative parenting styles also sets rules for a child but unlike the authoritarian parent the parent is much more democratic about it. This parenting style permits the parent to be more responsive to the child’s needs, and listen to questions and concerns the child may have. The child is not punished when he or she does not meet expectations of the parent as the parent is more nurturing, and forgiving.Discipline with the authoritative parent is more supportive than punitive, as the parent wants the child to be assertive, socially responsible, self-regulating, and cooperative (Baumrind, 1991 ). The last of the three parenting styles is permissive. The permissive parent consults with the child about decisions, gives reasons for rules, and makes few demands of the child. The permissive parent is more of a resource for the child to use, and is not active in shaping or altering the child. The permissive parent will try to manipulate the child to arrive at desired results but will not show power over the child (Baumrind, 1991).Of the three parenting stages authoritative parenting has the best balance. Authoritative parents want for the child, helps shape the child into an upstanding citizen while nurturing and firm in rules. This parenting style values the expressiveness of the child, and still setting standards for the child. The authoritative parent will also be objective, uses reason, power, and shapes and reinforces achievements and objective for the child, but does this with consensus of the child and the child’s desires (Baumrind, 1991). Besides parenting educat ion and cognitive development are important for a child.Early childhood education can began in the 1800s with private classes in a person’s home. Serious studies of cognition and early education began with Piaget’s work in defining stages of development. Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky are both famous for theories on cognition, and early learning of young children. Piaget whom began his career as a biologist teaching in a boy’s school found an interest in child development after helping design a test on intelligence. His theory was that a child could not perform tasks until he or she was psychologically mature enough (Berger, 2008).His second stage or preoperational stage works in the classroom with the child using language to define objects. Vygotsky theory on early childhood learning is more of a social one. Vygotsky theory is a basis of young children’s thinking being self-centered and at time magical. His theory was a second aspect of cognition; young ch ildren can be sensitive to other people’s emotions and wishes. Every aspect of child development is in social context, children are curious and observant. Vygotsky called this apprentice in thinking, as older children and adults are the teachers of society.Younger children are guided participates as they learn to think from their mentors. Vygotsky belief was that children could do anything with the assistance of others in their social network (Berger, 2008). In conclusion as the brain grows, the interaction from the parent helps the brain develop, along with parent keeping a healthy regimen. Parent and caregiver interacting with the child helps the child learn language. The three parenting styles: authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive help shape with rules and responsibilities.The well balanced parenting style is authoritative; allowing the child to understand why he or she is receives punishment, shapes and reinforces the child, and takes the child’s feeling in to consideration. Early childhood education began in the 1800s. Piaget and Vygotsky both believed that education was important. Piaget thought that a child learned he or she was psychologically mature enough. Vygotsky belief was that children learn from others and could do anything with the help from their mentors. Cognition is needed to help a child learn, develop, and grow. Infancy and Early Childhood Development Infancy and early childhood are referred to as those immature years of life and the stage at which most of a child’s development occurs. To strengthen the development of a child’s learning one must understand the physical and mental factors that affect a child’s development through observation and interaction. Development begins during the prenatal period on up to the early years and depends on the nutritional, medical, emotional, and intellectual support of parents, family members, caregivers, and teachers (Cherry, 2011). Parenting styles also play a role in what influences development as well as early childhood education programs. During the prenatal period when a child’s development begins, thus being aware of many factors that can damage the fetus and the development of a healthy child. In the early years the development of physical growth is through constant change. A key component in a child’s development is based on good nutrition as well as motor milestones needed for a child to succeed. Piaget and many other theorists refer to stages of specific age that defines the milestones reached. However, every child is different and so are there developmental successes (Berger, 2008). Infants develop skills based on their experiences in exploring the world around them. Physical play allows them to develop coordination as well as stronger muscles. Sensory skills are developed through taste, smell, touch, seeing, hearing, and from that perception is gained. Motor, sensory, and perceptual skills are supported by stimulation and a caring environment. Cognitive development occurs when a child becomes aware of physical sensations such as his or her mouth, hands, and feet. This is when an infant will explore and begin to understand what is around them (Berger, 2008). It is through early childhood that physical and neuropsychological changes help to increase coordination, control, manipulation, and movement through refining motor and perceptual skills. A good example of refining motor skills is through lacing and threading when tying their shoes as well as writing and drawing. It is these changes that create the milestones of such development. Environmental stimulus creates neurological development to control body functions to succeed in sports and other body-related skills. To enable such development to master such skills one must provide children with the opportunities of a challenging environment to learn and improve on such skills. The importance of childhood development is based on peer relationships, social play, and emotional development that help them build on self and moral values. As children engage in such play, he or she will begin to explore ways to solve problems as well as how they view other’s perspectives (Berger, 2008). It is through a stimulating and supportive environment that will allow a child to develop. The support of the parents, family members, and other individuals will help a child develop self-concept and self-esteem to learn and grow, and will be the foundation for building strong relationships with the ability to express emotion. Such a foundation will allow a child to develop by exploring new situations and being able to build on that to create healthy relationships (Berger, 2008). Parenting Styles and their Influence Family structure also affects both cognitive and emotional development of a child and is based on the size of the family and what order the child was born. However, a child’s performance is based on how safe and secure the child feels as well as an environment that provides warmth, consistency, and family communication. Family structure also leads to other factor that influences childhood development and the styles in which parents teach that may or may not be a supportive foundation. A clinical psychologist named Diane Baumrind discovered that there were four styles of parenting; however, three styles were displayed most. Her discovery came from a study that she had conducted on more than 100 children. This study of parenting and its effects on children displayed many aspects of parenting such as strategies of discipline, parental nurturance, styles of communication, and one’s level maturity and control. Observation from such dimensions created what is known as the four styles of parenting. Authoritarian Parenting Authoritarian parenting was a style of parenting that expected children to follow the rules and obey. Good behavior was rewarded; whereas, bad behavior was punished. This style of parenting felt as though they needed to give no eason other than â€Å"they said so. † Communication between parent and child was minimal with no response to child. Children who grew up from this type of parenting ranked lower in happiness, social competence, and self-esteem. Children are not allowed to make their own choices and given limited freedom. Authoritative Parenting Authoritative parenting is similar to that of authoritarian in terms of establishing rules and guidelines to follow, but much more democratic. However, this style of parenting is more responsive to their children. Though standards are set high there is room for decision-making. Parents are more willing to listen to their children and be more supportive rather than punitive. This style of parenting tends to result in happier children. These children tend to achieve higher grades in school, and have less social problems. Authoritative parenting helps children develop self-sufficiency and independence. This is the style of parenting I believe is most effective because it offers the most balanced approach to parenting. Parents enforce rules and limits, but do so to protect their children rather than stifle them. This style of parenting enforces rules when they need to but also allows their children to make mistakes and learn from them when the situation does not require strong discipline. Permissive Parenting Permissive parenting is what many refer to as understanding parents. They demand less and seldom discipline their children and create substandard assumptions of maturity level and self-control. Baumrind believes that indulgent parents are less demanding and more responsive. This parenting style would prefer to be a friend rather than a parent and can be a detriment because it teaches the child; rules do not need to be followed; thus, creating defiance of authority without worrying about the consequences of others. Children taught from this style of parenting tend to have low self-esteem, lack of self-control, and do poorly in school. These children will have difficulty in society associating with their peers and creating healthy relationships. Uninvolved parenting Uninvolved parenting ranks lowest of all life domains. This style of parenting makes few demands and communicates very little with little responsiveness. Uninvolved parents are detached from the lives of their children other than fulfilling basic needs and there are some instances in which the parents even neglect those. These children often feel rejected and lack in self-control, self-esteem, and rank less competent than the rest of their peers (Cherry, 2011). The way our children show respect, obedience, and discipline is created by the style a parent teaches his or her child. The nurturing support and love we provide is crucial to the development of our children and provide the means of our children being happy and healthy. Those children who learn better probably have a secure family life and supportive environment that will allow mistakes to be made from which children learn from without judgment being passed. By creating such a positive environment our children can explore, and we help to create those positive influences that allow children to succeed. Childhood Education and How it Influences Cognitive Development Childhood education is those activities and experiences created by educational programs and strategies intended to effect developmental changes in children. However, it begins in the home at an early age. As parents, we begin by being supportive of our child’s abilities while making sure that he or she is making all the necessary connections. Parents should be reading and singing as well as pointing out objects located in one’s environment and developing conversations with our children that builds on vocabulary. Allowing children to draw or color allows them to be expressive and gain that hand-eye coordination. Childcare givers also increase the benefits of our children’s development with giving them more conversation and interacting with other children. This type of setting allows them to try diverse activities and allows them to visit new places. In doing so, this will help to increase their thinking skills and teach them to follow directions. From this point, our children go into the pre-k programs and kindergarten. In general, children engage in much pretend play, thus building on cognitive skills by allowing the children to read others intentions, encouraging social interaction and helping them to distinguish between genuine and imaginary. This allows children to take on a social role representing reality through make believe. This stimulates the child’s ability to think for him or herself. Therefore, childhood play contributes to human development and allows the child to express by pretending social roles. Conclusion In conclusion, children continue to grow and learn as they move from infancy to toddler, and to school age. However, it is not just the physical aspects, but the cognitive aspects of thinking, imaginative play as well as language maturity. A child’s emotional, social, moral, and sexual factors are growing as well. In knowing those factors, one will obtain a better understanding about the importance of family influences, parenting styles, and childhood education. However, to understand these influences are not the only factors in the development of our children. The key is to apply practical everyday knowledge in how we care for our children and what it takes to meet their needs.

Capstone Checkpoint Essay

Looking back over the past nine weeks I must say that a large amount of valuable information has been presented to our class. The reading material, assignments, and class discussions have taught me some valuable lessons in the area of nutrition. The assignment that I learned the most from was the Week Two assignment about the digestive system. I now understand how the body uses the different types of food, the path food takes as it enters the body, and how the organs, including the salivary glands work together in the digestive process. However, my favorite part of Week Two came through the class discussions in the area of home remedies. I learned how a change in diet can prevent or help to cure digestive disorders. For example, Diverticulus can be treated at home by drinking plenty of fluid and eating fiber rich foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc. I enjoyed this part the most because I was forced to take medicine for an extended period of time and I really did not enjoy that experience. Therefore, learning natural ways to bring relief was truly refreshing for me.  Checkpoint from week one, three day diet analysis instructed me how to begin eating healthier. I made the necessary changes in my diet and by the time I reached the three day analysis for week six, I noticed some major changes in my eating habits. Currently I notice the different foods on my plate and the nutritional value that each has to offer. I refrain from eating meals (other than grains for breakfast like cereal or oatmeal) that does not include fruits or vegetables. Even on those days when I stop by a fast food place and grab a burger I avoid the fries, and I ask for extra pickles, lettuce, and tomato, to add more nutrients to the sandwich.

Math Enquiries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Math Enquiries - Essay Example This essay will therefore evaluate various mathematical functions involving numbers, measurements as well as how math has developed overtime to get to what it is today. Just like humanity, mathematics is quite old and is said to have originated in Egypt and Greece as simple to the complex one we have today. In the historical times, mathematics encompassed arithmetic, geometry and algebra, making it get known as a science of quantity; while others referring it to as science of simplicity (Rouseball, 2010). Several developments in the field however got realized in the 19th century where mathematics spread its wings to an extent of being regarded as a science of inferences and relations to the fact that it now consisted of logic that was symbolic (Lavine, 1994). To date, mathematics as a discipline now covers a wide range of areas including numbers, geometry, algebra, calculus, set theory and mathematical logic, as well as statistics and probability that are known to be more applied aspects of the discipline. Mathematics also covers other areas like graph theory, differential geometry, topology, model theory, among many others. When it comes to number bases, we have two types; the binary and hexadecimal systems. As for the case of binary number bases, what is contained here is the ones and zeros and zero through nine for the hexadecimal system. In the base ten system, the ten stands for 1 and 0, and not a single numeral 10. In this case therefore, for one to count one more than nine, the ones column is zeroed out ant the tens column added 1 onto. If the tens column gets too big, both the ones and tens column are zeroed out and add one to the ten times ten (Stapel, 2014). Another thing worth noting is that any number raised to power 0 is 1. For instance, in conversion of base 2 numbers to their corresponding base 10, all you need are digits of the

CMI Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

CMI - Essay Example What can be seen in practice is various firms achieving competitive advantage in different ways. There is evidence, for example, that in industries where scale is considered to be very important, small-scale innovations have completely opened up the competition, This became clear in the stagnating steel industry, where mini-mills grew rapidly in answer to the demand for all kinds ÃŽ ¿f specialist products. In the Netherlands, large-scale shipyards were engaged in a struggle for survival--with all eyes focused on the government for subsidies--while at the same time specialist firms were successful in the fields ÃŽ ¿f yacht-building and dredging. The great differences in profitability between firms within the same industry are difficult to explain by resorting to neoclassical theory. (Rumelt 169-185) For these differences lie in the introduction ÃŽ ¿f innovative concepts, new combinations ÃŽ ¿f production factors and the smart use ÃŽ ¿f technologies. The internal side ÃŽ ¿f the firm pl ays a crucial part in this. Firms like Primark and McDonalds, for example, have developed specific routines and skills which are difficult for competitors to imitate. The existence ÃŽ ¿f this sort ÃŽ ¿f firm-specific competencies does not fit in very well with the cookbook metaphor ÃŽ ¿f neoclassical economics. The new insights indicate that a sustainable competitive advantage can only be attained by creating new organization-specific knowledge. On the cutting edge ÃŽ ¿f strategic management and evolutionary economics, a debate is currently taking place about new theories ÃŽ ¿f the firm in which the special qualities ÃŽ ¿f knowledge are incorporated. In these theories, static thinking is replaced by a more realistic process perspective. Concepts like limited rationality (or even trial and error), path dependency and heterogeneity are all embraced. The role ÃŽ ¿f soft variables like knowledge, culture and network relations is

The regulatory intervention that took place in the US post 2008 crisis Assignment

The regulatory intervention that took place in the US post 2008 crisis - Assignment Example There is a dichotomy between investor protection on one hand, and the need to have a government that does not interfere too much with the economy. The President Obama ended the era of investor protection enacted by President Roosevelt. As a result, uncertainty in the markets is created. Moreover, international companies bear the brunt of their presence in the United States. However, this act focuses more on systemic risk than its equivalents in other countries, such as Japan and Germany. As a result, the United States complies more rigidly with some of the G20 recommendations than other countries. Introduction Until 2007, the world experienced low inflation levels, high growth and an increase in international trade and movements of capital.1 Then in 2007, the housing markets started to collapse, as lenders began to default on their mortgages. However, soon defaults spread across other parts of the financial industry and in 2008, the United States entered a crisis whose consequences a re still felt today. The crisis spread globally, as many foreign banks invested in the American financial industry. 2 Consequences of the crisis were enormous. ... f the causes of the crisis being in the housing market and the ability of the housing market collapse to spread to other markets, and eventually affect the real economy as well. In short, due to such interconnectedness, there are multiple explanations of causes of the crisis: over borrowing and securitization of mortgages, inadequate financial regulatory structure and failure to properly foresee possible problems that might arise from recent financial innovations are main causes of the 2008 crisis. Though the Dodd – Frank Act (Act) was passed to address the 2008 crisis and prevent a future crisis of such a magnitude, the Act creates instability on the markets, and fails to address properly the international nature of the crisis, which will be further elaborated on in the paper. Causes of the 2008 Crisis As Reinhart and Rogoff put it, there was a lull in defaults, globally and domestically, before the 2008 crisis took place.4 However, the two authors note that the last lull was the deepest in the last two centuries of the American history. 5 The regulators created a weak regulatory system. Between 1990 and 2006, housing prices increased to an average of four times the yearly income of an average family two or three times previously.6 High housing prices led to high demand for construction workers, remodelling and real estate services. Moreover, the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act in 1999 enabled banks to engage in investment banking, while banks could also act as insurers. Mortgage – backed securities were invented and sold freely. 7 In 2000, the Commodity Futures Modernization Act deregulated the derivatives market, which was used by banks to increase liquidity. 8 Risky homeowners were encouraged by the Clinton administration to acquire expensive homes, despite

Discussion-MODULE 10 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion-MODULE 10 - Essay Example -Classic societies in Mesoamerica included the presence of jade carvings, engineering genius, complex and perfect signs, the Oto-Manguean language, and the establishment of the 365-day secular calendar and 260-day ritual calendar . Other features included monumental stone heads, and occupation of Balsa river basin, which is the origin of the Olmec society Olmec culture. On the other hand, the lecture, textbook, the reading by Diaz del Castillo, and the video "Engineering an Empire: Aztecs," describes the origins of Aztec society and their rise to power in the Valley of Mexico. Indeed, they agree that the origin of the Aztec is legendary and uncertain but relate their traditions to hunters and gatherers who originated from the northern Mexican plateau before migrating to the Valley of Mexico. The name Aztec originated from the name Aztlà ¡n that referred to northern Mexico. The Aztec rose to power in the Valley of Mexico by forming allies with the powerful tribes in the Valley of Mexico, brilliant military campaigns, and adopting new technologies to survive in the harsh environment. Ideally, the technological achievements in Tenochtitlan enhanced their gradual accumulation of power by transforming the marshes in the Valley of Mexico into rich agricultural land that improved their economic capacity to fight their rivals. They also used technologies to expand the island and create more spaces for transporting their materials. However, the human sacrifice practice adopted by the Aztec led to their fall since they sacrificed a huge number of their people at once thus deflating their army. The human sacrifice led to the defeat by the Spaniards who later occupied the Mexico City. Moreover, the lecture, textbook, and the reading by Cieza de Leon describe the basis of Andean society and the rise of the Inca Empire. The use of huge numbers of reluctant draftees defined the basis of Andean society that was fighting the Spaniards. The Inca Empire rose in the 1440s under the

Comparison between Le Guin's The Ones that Walk Away from Omelas and Essay - 1

Comparison between Le Guin's The Ones that Walk Away from Omelas and Kafka's The Metamorphosis - Essay Example The storylines in the two pieces of writing are varied. Le Guin addresses the situation in an imaginary community called Omelas that has people that live in much happiness and delight. The people in this area adhere to their culture and are intelligent. Despite the hullabaloo of happiness in the community, there is a child that is suffering in a filthy place, a sacrifice for the community to live happily. Only adults are required to know about this issue. It happens that some who realize the issue opt to walk away from Omelas to unknown destination. On the other hand, Kafka addresses the predicaments of the Samsa’s family. Gregor Samsa is the main character, he used to be a travelling salesman before he transformed to a ‘monstrous vermin’. This scenario scares his family members, he is unable to go to work thereby exposing his family to several predicaments since he was the bread winner. They try as much as possible to take care of him but are uncertain about his destiny. Gregor at one point causes borders in their home to flee. His sister Crete is fed up taking care of him and wishes him dead, a proposition that his father agrees with. Gregor is also made aware and dies in his house. Upon his death, the family is highly relieved. The two stories address unusual occurrences in the society. Therefore, the stories do carry some hidden meaning. The setting of Le Guin’s story encompasses a situation where festivities are depicted as the dominant aspect. Contrarily, The Metamorphosis is a sad story for the Samsa family; Gregor seems to be a thorn in the flesh, though at one point was the breadwinner of the family. In this family life is not as enjoyable as is the city of Omelas. However, the joy and happiness in the city has an underlying suffering component, this is because of the young child that suffers so that the community can live happily. Both stories presents out of ordinary incidences. Le Guins fails to explain the relationship between

Crime and Poverty Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Crime and Poverty - Research Paper Example The genesis of the crime Before reviewing some sources related to poverty and crime, it is important to determine the evolution and genesis of the crime. As mentioned above, poverty is a social phenomenon. This means that it is socially constructed. According to Obeidallah & Brooks-Gunn, the cases of crime have been rising drastically since the advent of agrarian revolution (1475). Crime is an activity that occurs when a person uses unaccepted means to solicit resources, money or to benefit him or herself. Poverty limits one from getting basic needs hence encouraging crime Inability to meet the basic needs is one of the major factors fuelling crime. A person who does not have means of making life comfortable or sustaining life would opt into engaging him or herself in activities that would enable him or her to acquire the basic needs. However, these activities are usually not socially accepted. They are classified as crime. Poverty is the main factor that limits people from using the legal means to acquire their daily bread. It does this by limiting the access to resources such as money that can be used to pay fees, access good schools and finish education. According to Hannon & DeFina, education is a means through which a person can get money and other resources necessary in offsetting the daily expenses that relate to life matters (53). However, because of poverty, some people would find it difficult to pursue their education to the expected level. The chances of such people getting employed become limited. Consequently, such people would have to opt into those activities that are not socially and legally accepted, crime. In a study conducted in Dubuque to find out the trends and perceptions of crime in conjunction with poverty, it was found... The intention of this study is crime as an unaccepted social activity that entails doing things or activities that are against the expectation of society. A number of studies related to crime and poverty have been conducted but most of them normally focus on these social phenomenons individually. Few researches have tried to find out the link between the two. However, none of the researches is comprehensive and intensive enough to explain the relationship between crime and poverty. From the foregoing discussion, it is clear that poverty play an important role in creating an environment that fuels crime activities. However, the discussion implies that there is no direct relationship between poverty and crime. This means that poverty fuel crime by limiting man from accessing resources that are necessary in development of an ideal life. One interesting idea that should be noted as far as poverty and crime is that crime is a short cut of meeting ones basic needs. It is closely related to lazy and poor people who cannot work hard through the normal legal and socially accepted process. This implies that the best way of mitigating the crime rate is by helping people navigate through their education so that they can acquire better ways of dealing with life challenges as well as better means of earning their livelihood. The discussion also implies that criminal justice system should not be handled independently because it does not provide long term solution to the crime rates. Conversely, combining the criminal justice system and the welfare system would bring a relatively long term solution to the rising crime rates

Phy 155 Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Phy 155 Assignment - Essay Example Another factor was the market monopoly for large computers held by IBM, which made the product only applicable to private computers. CISCO is a multinational corporation specializing in designing, manufacturing and selling network equipment. The company was started by a married couple, Sandy Lerner and Leonard Bosack , who both worked at Stanford University in computer operations (Schneider, 2010). The company managed to develop high standard routers although it faced lawsuits as some of their software were said to have been stolen from the university. The founding couple worked out of the company in 1990, when the company went public. The company went public and became the most valued companies at more than $500 billion. The company has extensively utilized acquisitions in achieving the tremendous growth it currently enjoys. Despite the acquisitions, the company captured the internet wave through production of modem access shelves and core GSR routers. Large capacity – fibre optics can transmit a large number of conversations simultaneously compared to other cables, fibre optics (up to 1million), coaxial cables (10,000 conversations, microwave radio (2000 conversations. There are approximately over 5 billion internet connection devices in the world today. The current world population is said to be about 7.2 billion people. The number of internet connection devices is expected to surpass the total world population as internet connections continue to increase. The effects of increased internet usage are expected to enhance communication and information transferring between the increased population. The increased usage and increased population is expected to increase the pressure on internet connections necessitating upgrades within short

History in the Making Essay Example for Free

History in the Making Essay History†¦it’s who we are and where we come from. From cave men to cars that run on compost, history happens every day. Everything that has happened in history is absolutely fundamental in our current day existence. From the Revolutionary Era to the Cold War, America has come so far, and through the War on Terror, we continue to march on making every action history. The Revolutionary Era: After the British spent an extreme amount of money defending the Colonies against the French, they decided to shift some of the expenditures to the colonists. The result led to the Boston Tea Party in 1773 (Lib. Of Congress, p. 1), when the colonists rebelled against the British and their absurd tax on tea in order to re-coop defense expenditures. Reactions such as this led to the necessitation of order, which led to the Declaration of Independence, and the Revolutionary Era. The Constitution: As a result of deciding not to amend the current Articles of Confederation, a new frame of government was born. 55 delegates from age 26 to age 81 debated, redrafted and created what is now known as the Constitution of the United States. These articles clarified many topics such as how much control the government should have in certain areas, how representatives should be elected, and many other issues we still live by today. Since it’s publishing in 1787, there have been 27 amendments to the original version. Jeffersonianism: Derived from the term Jeffersonian, and named for its discoverer, the Jeffersonianism philosophy held that each man had a right to have a say-so in government, believed in the expansion of human freedom, and believed that every person had a right to be educated. It also supported reliance on the farmer and agriculture, instead of relying solely on History in the Making 3 industry to boost the economy. Hamiltonism, which followed Jeffersonianism, was believed to be an evil stigma to Jeffersonianism by Jeffersonians. Civil War: Brother against brother, the revolutionized nation could not decide whether or not the government should have control over the states, industrialization, and most importantly, slavery. The southern states, or the Confederate States of America, decided to take matters into their own hands and individualized themselves to make their own rules. This led to the Civil War, where one nation quarreled with its counterpart. Although the North won, losing over half a million soldiers did not make the impact any easier for anyone to handle. Reconstruction: After the period of the Civil War, a period of Reconstruction began. Attempts were made to solve differences between the Union and the 11 Confederate states that had seceded from the Union. Though opposition from the Radical Republicans was evident, the Reconstruction Act of 1867 was passed, and military districts in the South were re-established. The South had no choice but to accept the 14th and 15th amendments of the Constitution (39th Congress, p. 1). The New South: Although the days of slavery had ended, the Southern states continued to retain control over their civilization. With the abolition of slavery came anger from loss of control, which led to the birth of the Black Codes. The Black Codes allowed whites to control the newly freed slaves by regulating the type of work black people could do, the hours they worked, and prevented blacks from raising their own crops. Freedom was not freedom after all. Foreign Affairs: Lack of support from the European economies post Civil War distressed the cotton crops, as the producers became overstocked. The North added some restriction to the History in the Making 4 Southern ports, and our foreign allies soon found other sources to fulfill their needs, which hurt the South tremendously. Industrialization: As America advanced, so did the way work was performed. Not only did industrialization bring forth machinery, it also was the birth of transportation and communication. Andrew Carnegie’s steel industry revolutionized transportation. The rails made from refined steel created necessary use of the railroad system, as did communication with the use of the telegraphs and telephone systems (Feldmeth, p. 1). Progressive Era: Along with industrialization came those who felt that anything old was inefficient and useless. These reformers brought forth the Efficiency Movement, which argued that the economy, society and government were inefficient. Frederick Winslow Taylor coined the term â€Å"one best way† with the idea that there was one best way to fix everything. He, along with several other engineers improved industrial efficiency. World Wars: Taking place mostly in Europe, the First World War between the Allied Powers (France, the Russian Empire, the British Empire, Italy and the U. S) and the Central Powers (Austria-Hungary, the German Empire, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire) was a result of the assassination of the Austrian throne heir Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife. This event soon led to a full fledged war. The Treaty of Versailles would end the first war, and stake victory for the Allied Powers, but controversy over its contents would soon lead to World War II. The second war between the Allied Powers and the Axis Powers (Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and the Empire of Japan) would be the deadliest war to date, killing over 60 million people. This war resulted in victory for the Allied Powers. History in the Making 5 The Depression: In 1929 our nation suffered the worst market plunge to date. The stock market crash, in conjunction with the outrageous cost of WWII, led to great losses for many people. Soon, supply exceeded demand. Cities based heavy in industry-type operations, including those outside of the U. S. were hit especially hard. Farmers were also a target, as the price for crops fell between 40 and 50 percent. The New Deal, or restructuring of the economy, enforced by President Roosevelt, would help lead the nation to recovery. The Cold War: The Cold War, as dubbed by Bernard Baruch and Walter Lippmann, is a term used to describe the growing tensions between the US and the Soviet Union. It would be the longest war to date, lasting from the mid 1940’s to the early 1990’s. Post WWII, the two nations could not agree on how to reconstruct the post war world. Wars including the Korean War, the Cuban Missile Crises, and the Vietnam War were possible threats to lead into a third world war. The Cold War came to an end when Gorbachev launched his reform programs, Perestroika (reconstruction of the Soviet economy) and Glastnost (introduction of publicity and openness) (Wikipedia Staff, p. 1). It is almost impossible to summarize our nation’s history. So many events, far too many to place in a single composition of words, played key roles in the structure of how we live today. Needless to say, history continues to ensue every day. From our nation’s birth to the Cold War to the hanging of Saddam, America will continue to write a story we all should be so eager to read. References 1. Library of Congress (1998). Revolutionary Period. Retrieved in January 2007 from www. americaslibrary. gov/cgi. bin/page. cgiljb/revolt. 2. 39th Congress (1866). 14th Amendment to the US Constitution. Retrieved in January 2007 from www. nps. gov/archive/malu/documents/amend14. htm. 3. G. Feldmeth (2000). American Industrialization. Retrieved in January 2007 from www. home. earthlink. net/~gfeldmeth/lec. indust. html. 4. Wikipedia Staff (2001). Definitions for Perestroika and Glastnost. Retrieved in January 2007 from www. en. wikipedia. org.

Meaning of Life Essay Example for Free

Meaning of Life Essay We ask ourselves everyday if our life has meaning. We view our lives and others lives in different ways. I agree with life being viewed as a game, and life as learning is adding meaning to our life. I disagree with life having no meaning at all. Every human being views life differently and believes your life is influenced by different ideas and lessons. Life as a game creates a theory that we cant just take our lives too seriously or else we wont be happy and feel as if we have fulfilled our lives and/or our purpose on earth. In our textbook it says if you believe your life is a game, you must pick the type of game you wish to play in your life. You can play games that are purely for fun, for superiority, social, hurting your opponents, or to help others. If you pick to have your game of life to be played just for fun then this could possibly be the happiest way to play your game of life. When being able to play a game for fun it excludes the worry of being judged and having to conquer other opponents to become the winner in your game of life. Your opponents could be your friends, family, co-workers, peers, mentors throughout your life and this could make you a miserable person if they turn their backs on you, or fight against your game of life. If we pick to play our life in a game to hurt our opponents then do we decide who our opponent is? Our opponents could be people in our lives who we do not like. They could become our friends and family and if we disagree, then do they become an opponent to us because we dont see eye to eye? There are so many different ways you could pick to play your game of life. And only you can pick your game, but others around us do influence our choice of what we choose for a game. We dont want to pick a game to which we are setting ourselves up to become targeted as a loser. We all want to be the winner. I believe in our game of life we should be able to choose if we are going to be the winner in our game of life and who the losers will be. Or should everyone be a winner? Some games in particular could cause chaos in our lives. If we choose to play our life as a competitive game then this could end up giving us enemies, and then what is life really about when you have people against you. In a competitive game it is hard to see the ending outcome of the game, so it is always a gamble to what your life or even the next day might bring. When you dont know what the next day will bring, does the rules in your game of life change? It is possible when playing a game, the rules will change and new ones can be created and taken away. As little kids playing games, when they dont like a rule, or merely forget a rule, this changes the game. And these changes affect the outcome of your ending result. Unfortunately I think the rules of your game can change because you learn new things and new technology comes out every day. Life as learning is something we all are introduced to throughout our lives. But do we pay attention to the things life is trying to teach us? Our textbook refers to having a bad experience and turning it into a situation we can learn from. I think we take all situations we are put into and get some kind of lesson or moral meaning out of it. If you view life in different ways then it could change how you react to your life lessons and the idea you should get out of the story. I believe we should all try everything once if it is presented to us and it is morally right. If you cant live your life to the fullest, then are you actually learning everything you can from your life? Do we encounter things in our life because we should learn from them? Is life supposed to have flaws so we can become a better person and make ourselves better prepared for the next time the problem arises? We can ask ourselves all theses questions and if we listen to the ending result and want to understand then we will take something out of the issue as a life learning situation. But can we shut the ideas and ending decisions out, and ignore the life lesson? I think that each and every event that happens in our life was presented to us to teach us a new life lesson and prepare us better for the next time if it comes up in our life again. These life lessons can hurt us but if life was perfect all the time, then when faced with a flaw in our life we wouldnt know how to respond and cope with the problem. Some people in life cant face their flaws of life and walk away or give up. People might do this because they cant deal with the pain and suffering they believe they are being faced with. With the two philosophies above I do agree that our life is a game, and life is learning. We pick what we want to believe and understand. And in our life we play a game where we can pick the winners and losers. We believe that we make the ending decision in our life and pick what our life stories and experiences actually mean. When we are surprised with conflict and a sudden problem, we might not be able to control our life until we can understand what is going on. And if we take time to understand, then arent we still controlling our life? We could always walk away and ignore the new problem. The idea I disagree with the most is life has no meaning at all. Albert Camus said in his book The Myth of Sisyphus that the absurd had become a widespread sensibility in our times. He also relates life having no meaning at all to atheism. If there is no external meaning, then he believes there is no point in life. If life had no meaning then wouldnt we careless about our future and live for that moment. If life has no meaning then would we be in school trying to receive a quality education? Albert Camus believes that most humans are frightened by the idea of living on earth with no purpose to life. And this allows humans to create a purpose to live. In our textbook it states a quote from his book, The gods had condemned Sisyphus to ceaselessly rolling a rock to the top of a mountain, whence the stone would fall back of it own weight. They had thought with some reason that there is no more dreadful punishment than futile and hopeless labor. This to me means that when you are asked to conquer something that is impossible for you to accomplish, then it is the worse thing that would happen in your life. This makes you feel like you have failed at what god has asked you to do. I believe we all have a meaningful life. Each and every one of us affects someone in the world, either if its a positive way or sometimes in a negative way. We wont always realize our affect on others unless it is pointed out to us. As we discussed in class, a drug addict might share his story, and affect children and teenagers and show them the life they lived and how they are now. I think as a teacher you add meaning to your life by teaching others about a variety of topics in life and history. The question does life have a meaning is worth answering. Each and every one of us has our own opinion of life and if it has meaning. We truly cant look up the definition in the dictionary and believe that is what life is. We need to look at our personal situations, as well as experiences to see how it molds our view of what life means. The definition of life from The American College Dictionary states a corresponding state, existence, or principle of existence conceived as belonging to the soul. This to me means that as long as we have a presence on earth they have life on earth. This definition isnt the only one about life; we create our own meaning which is molded to our life. If life is just about existence, then life may have no meaning. We are here on earth to impact people in same way and form. If we are here just for existence then we arent living life. In reality I think life can be looked at in many different ways and there is not just one definition. Is their just one definition and would this change the way we live our lives? Would we be different people than who we are today? Life is a special thing, and we can view our life in different perspectives. As mentioned in my paper we can view life as a game, as learning, and life can have no meaning at all. I dont agree with all the ways we can view our life, but each and every one of us can pick our own way to view life. For me I agree with the fact that life is a game. We pick if we want to play a game for fun, or to be the king of the world. The way we decide to play our life game determines who we are as a person and it helps affect the mood we are in. I also believe life as learning. In life we are given many different life lessons. And what we take from these life lessons is teaching us life. If we dont take the time to learn, then our life isnt complete. Or we at least arent living our life to the fullest. I disagree with the fact that our life has no meaning. We make our having meaning, and if we dont put meaning in our life, then it will be meaningless. You might view your life as meaningless, and to others your life could be filled with meaning. Your view of your life can be different than the way others view your life. Life can have many different meanings and can affect our lives in different ways. In the end we choose what our life will be, and how we will live our life. No one else can choose how you should live your life. In the end it is your choice and your choice alone. We can be influenced by others, but they cant make the final decisions.

The Life Span Developmental Perspective Psychology Essay

The Life Span Developmental Perspective Psychology Essay The first chapter was very interesting from start to finish. However, out of all the concepts covered in this chapter the original sin, tabula rasa, and innate goodness views were the concepts that really fascinated me. The reason for this is that I am a Roman Catholic, therefore as part of my faith I am supposed to believe that we are all born with original sin. After reading the Tabula Rasa View and dwelling on my basic knowledge of human behavior, I leaned more towards English philosopher John Lockes theory. I believe that children are not born innately bad. It has been said that a childs brain is like a sponge therefore it absorbs everything. With that being said, it is obvious that a child develops characteristics through experience. This would also mean that I agree with nurture as oppose to Nature for child development. However, I do believe that genetics and disorders such as mental illness that one might acquire through birth can impact the way they are developed. Chapter 1 gave me a basic understanding of Life Span Developmental Psychology as well as an idea of what I can expect to learn and study in later chapters. Chapter 2 : The Science of Life Span Development introduced me to theories of development, such as Psychoanalytic, Cognitive, and Ethological. In addition, the different research methods used by scientists such as standard tests and correlation research. As well as the challenges ethics, gender, and culture have on the research. This chapter also informed me on the different theories developed by scientists such as Erik Erikson, Sigmund Freud, and B.F. Skinner and the impact they had and still do have on life span development. As chapter 1 grabbed my interest with the ideas and concepts of Life Span Development being predominantly environmental as oppose to biological, so did chapter 2. Not only did I agree with the view of Social Cognitive Theory being that behavior, environment, and cognition are the key factors in development, I was fascinated on how the book related Banduras model to a college students achievement behavior. The example stated that a college student who studies hard and gets good grades produces positivity in their thoughts and abilities. If the college provides a study skill class and the students succeed, then this is an example on how environment influenced behavior. In return, if the college expanded their study skills program based on the success of its past students, then this is an example of behavior changing the environment. The most interesting part of Chapter 2 was the role ethics play in Life Span Development research. Obviously people are entitled to rights of privacy and do not like the intrusive vibes that some researchers might give off during an experiment. However I do believe that in order to obtain the greatest amount of useful information, flexibility and professionalism by the scientists and subjects are needed to produce the best result. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Biological Beginnings examined the concepts of evolution and the early stages of Life Span Development. Genetics, DNA, chromosomes, and the effects of biological make up have on development were introduced. In addition, the relationship and importance of hereditary and environmental interaction were examined. Essentially, this chapter was everything you would have learned from fifth grade sexual education, but on a larger more in depth scale. I am one of six children and hope to be a father someday. With that being said, I found the section on infertility the most interesting as well as the most useful concept revealed in this chapter. I was already aware of the fact that drugs such as cocaine and marijuana can affect the sperm count in men, but I was not aware that it was reversible after approximately one year. With all the shows on TV such as John and Kate Plus Eight or the Octo-Mom craze, it was interesting to learn how infertility drugs have caused super ovulation, meaning to produce three or more babies at a time. While the infertility section was useful and informative, I would have liked to learn more about preventative actions that could be used against problems such as immobile sperm, and Pituitary or ovarian tumors. The chapter only covered possible causes and treatments for fertility disorders, not the acts that could save someone from the pain, suffering, and expense that infertility brings. Even if it were small common known facts like wearing boxers over briefs. Its a simple yet effective way of eliminating low sperm count and ultimately infertility. I feel that this type of information could decrease the ten to fifteen percent of couples who face infertility in the United States as stated by the book. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Prenatal Development and Birth covered anything and everything there is to know about pregnancy before, during, and after. Prenatal developmental subjects such as cultural beliefs, teratology and prenatal hazards were introduced as well as the three periods of prenatal development. These three periods are germinal, embryonic, and fetal. Following the three periods of prenatal development, the book described the three stages of birth which are contractions, movement of the babys head to the cervix, and finally the afterbirth where the placenta and umbilical cord are removed. The chapter ended with the post-partum period, where the woman returns to pre-pregnancy state as well as her adjustments and relationship with the baby. With such an informative and interesting chapter, it is difficult for me to choose a topic that intrigued me more or left me with doubt and unanswered questions. Perhaps the section that I absorbed the most information from was the post-partum period. The information given about the physical, emotional, and psychological adjustments that a woman goes through after pregnancy will be useful for me with the future mother of my children. A part of post child birth that this chapter exposed me to that I never really gave much thought, was the fact that the men go through difficult adjustments in the post-partum period as well. Apparently, men suffer from a jealousy of the babys attention which I felt was ridiculous. However, I do believe that time set aside for the couple is very important for their sanity and will ultimately lead to better parenting. So if my wife is suffering from excessive worrying, depression, extreme changes in appetite, crying spells or inability to sleep, I will kn ow from chapter 4 of Life Span Developmental Psychology, that she might require professional help. Chapter 5 As stated in the title, chapter 5 covered the Physical Development in Infancy. The physical growth aspects of infancy such as Cephalocaudal and Proximodistal patterns, height weight, nutrition, and even toilet training were described. Following the physical developments, motor, sensory and perceptual development was defined through definitions such as sensation, when information interacts with sensory receptors, and the five different forms of reflexes. Chapter 5 alone can be a useful tool for parents who have any questions on the development of an infant. Out of the many topics covered in this chapter, I of course identified most with the toilet training. For years I had pride myself on the notion that I was some sort of baby genius because I learned to potty train at the age of four. After reading that children have the physical and motor skills to use the toilet as oppose to their pants, I realized that I was not a baby genius but a late bloomer. Besides destroying my ego, I did learn that one of the main reasons I have been underweight my whole life is due to the fact that I was not breast fed. The book states the breast feeding allows appropriate weight gain, fewer allergies, less diaherria and many other benefits that I did not have the opportunity to experience. This chapter had me realize how the physical development in infancy can affect the physical developments of adolescence and adult hood. Ultimately, this chapter reinforced the importance of proper nutrition, continuous stimulation of the mind and body are crucial during infant development. Chapter 6 The memory, sensory, and language of infants were all described in Chapter 6 Cognitive Development in Infancy. A name that was mentioned numerous times throughout the chapter was psychologist Jean Piaget. Piaget developed a theory on Cognitive Development after meticulously observing of his own children; Laurent, Lucienne, and Jacqueline. Piaget believed that a child passes through different stages of thought from birth to adolescence. An important concept of his theory is scheme, which helps individuals organize and understand their experiences. The most fascinating part of chapter six for me was the defining, of language and a childs development of vocabulary. An interesting fact I learned was that children all over the world reach language milestones at about the same time developmentally despite vast variation in language input. The chapter also offered helpful strategies to develop an infants language and those are recasting, echoing, expanding, and labeling. An example for recasting is if the baby says the bell rang the parent should respond by saying where did the bell ring. This allows the infant to learn the language by elaborating on an interest they had already stated. Perhaps the most common method is labeling, which is just basically naming objects and having the baby repeat them such eyes, and ears. The chapter ended by stating that parents should not use any deliberate method to teach their children to talk and that if the child is a slow learner intervention should happen naturally with the goal of being able to convey a meaning. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Socioemotional Development in Infancy defined what emotional and personality development are in addition to the definition of attachment and infants in social contexts. The vast emotions an infant contains from crying to smiling were detailed such as the differences between an anger cry and a pain cry, as well as the difference between a reflexive smile and a social smile. Other concepts introduced were defining temperament, which psychiatrist have argued that there are three types an easy, difficult, and slow-to-warm-up child. The chapter ended focusing on the importance of a childs surrounding such as family and day care. These concepts were the transition to parenthood, the family as a system, and maternal/parental infant care giving. What captivated my attention the most from this chapter was the section on attachment, because it is something that I believe is very crucial in a childs development, however there are many different ideas and methods that can sometime cause debate or conflict between parents. Something I learned new about attachment from the chapter was that attachment does not emerge suddenly but rather develops in a series of phases. The first phase starts from birth to two months where infants are instinctively directing their attention to any human being, family or stranger. The second phase is from two to seven months in which the attachment becomes focused on one figure usually the primary caregiver, and learns the difference between familiar and unfamiliar faces. From seven to twenty-four months in phase three the infant makes specific attachments to their main caregivers. Finally, in phase four a goal corrected partnership is formed which the child becomes aware of others and takes this into account when deciding their actions. Chapter 8 The early childhood section of the book started in Chapter 8 Physical and Cognitive Development in Early Childhood. The physical development was defined by body growth and change, motor development, nutrition, and illness/death. The concepts described in the cognitive development, were Piagets and Vygotskys theories of development, information processing, language development, and early childhood education. In addition, to information processing, language development, and early childhood education. The most alarming information listed in this chapter was the leading causes of illness and death for young children in the united states. Out of all the diseases that could potentially harm a child, accidents are still the leading cause of child fatality. Accidents such as motor vehicle, drowning, falls, and poisoning are higher risks than cancer, meningitis, measles, and even chicken pox. One of the many useful tips listed in this chapter were the descriptions of young childrens education programs. Such as the difference between Montessori and child centered kindergarten. In kindergarten, the instructor focuses on the process of learning, rather than what is actually being learned. Montessori instructors serve as more of a facilitator allowing children to practice freedom and spontaneity. I learned that Montessori offers way more than what I thought was just a glorified day care. Studies have shown that while early childhood education is good, it is important to not add too much stress on a child early, for they can develop a pattern of stress. Chapter 9 The theme for chapter 9 was Socioemotional Development in early childhood development. This included emotional and personality development, families and peer evaluations. The emotional and personality development covered self understanding, emotional development, moral development and gender identity. The family section of this chapter consisted of different styles of parenting which included authoritarian, authorative, neglectful, and indulgent. In addition to sibling influence, relationship, and the affect working parents have on a childs development. Finally, the funnest part of the chapter was all about the different aspects of childs play such as games and television. As I stated earlier, I really enjoyed the different descriptions of child playing listed in this chapter. According to Mildred Parten, there are four classifications of childrens play which include unoccupied, solitary, onlooker, parallel, associative, and cooperative. Each different classification offers the child different skills of learning and drawbacks. Unoccupied play, solitary, onlooker, and parallel play are generally practiced by children between the ages of 3 to 7, preschool kindergarten years. Associative and cooperative play is generally more structured and is aimed towards competition and winning therefore they are aimed for 7 years and beyond. A shocking statistic that the book offered was the effects of television on Childrens Aggression and prosocial behavior. In on longitudinal study, the amount of violence viewed on television at age 8 was significantly related to the seriousness of criminal acts performed as an adult. The chapter contained a chart that exposed the percentage of 9 year old children who report watching more than five hours of television per weekday, the chart revealed that the United States led all countries in the 21.3 percentile. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 opened section 5 of the book which covers middle and late childhood. The chapter covered the Physical and Cognitive Development in Middle and Late Childhood. The physical development section covered body growth and proportion, motor development, exercise and sports, health, illness, diseases, and children with disabilities. The cognitive development section consisted of Piagets theory, information processing, intelligence, creativity, and language development. Being a firm believer in the importance of exercise and sports, I identified with that aspect of the chapter. As I was completely already aware of, the book stated that American children do not receive enough exercise in their development. According to a 1997 study, only 22 percent of children between the ages of 9 to 12 participate in thirty minutes of physical activity a day. The parents of the other 78 percent said their children were too busy playing video games, watching TV, or wasting time on the computer. I really liked how the chapter brought up the issue of school sports programs not facing enough moral questioning. I am a firm believer in the costiveness that sports have on students. I believe it raises their confidence, teaches them to work hard and push themselves. However, often times the school sport programs interfere with a childs academic, which is by far the most important aspect of human development. There needs to be better regulation of these programs to ensure the success of its student-athletes. Chapter 11 The Socioemotional Development in Middle and Late Childhood. The following concepts were Emotional and Personality development, families, peers, and schools. Like in previous chapters, emotional and personality development consisted of the self, emotional, moral and gender identity and development. Family section covered parent child issues such as the issue of changes in discipline. The peers section dealt with concepts of peer statuses, bullying, social cognition, and friendship. I enjoyed the peer section of this chapter. It was interesting to read their definition, and reasoning behind social statuses such as popular children, neglected children, rejected children, and controversial children. According to the book, popular children are frequently nominated as a best friend and are rarely disliked by their peers. Popular children give out reinforcements, listen carefully, maintain open lines of communication with peers, are happy, act like them, show enthusiasm and concern for others, and are self-confident without being conceited. I disagree with this definition. From my understanding, popular children are usually popular based on superior athletic abilities, good looks, charm and charisma. Most of the time they are very conceited and show very little concern for others, speaking as a former popular child, I was an asshole. The section on bullying was very informative. I particularly enjoyed their suggestions on the reducing of bullying which were to get older peers to serve as monitors for bullying and intervene when they see it taking place, form friendship groups for adolescents who are regularly bullied by peers, incorporate the message of the anti-bullying program into church, school, and other community activates where adolescents are involved. Chapter 12 Section 6 Adolescents opened up with Chapter 12 Physical and Cognitive Development in Adolescence. The concepts covered in this chapter were the nature of adolescence, puberty, adolescent sexuality, adolescent problems and health, adolescent cognition, and schools. Puberty was defined by pubertys boundaries and determinants, hormonal changes, height, weight, sexual maturation, body image, early and late maturation. Adolescent sexuality consisted of developing a sexual identity, the progression of adolescent sexual behaviors, risk factors for sexual problems, contraceptive use, sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. Adolescent health and problems covered substance use and abuse, eating disorders, and general adolescent health. Adolescent cognition was defined by Piagets theory, egocentrism, and information processing. Finally schools impact on adolescence went over the transition of middle school, effective schools, high school dropouts, and moral education. Without a doubt chapter 12 was by far the most interesting and informational chapter yet. With such well written, intelligent facts on the changes that adolescence brings, I almost felt as if I was reliving that time in development myself after reading this chapter. Perhaps one of the more interesting facts listed was the progression of adolescent sexual behavior. According to a survey done in 1998, the majority of adolescent females first voluntary sexual partner are 27 percent of the time to be 3 or four times older and 12 percent are 5 or more years older. The average age children lose their virginity is 17, this means that 12 percent of the time, 22 year olds or older are engaging in sexual intercourse with teenagers. I found that to be very distributing. Chapter 13 Following the books typical pattern, the second chapter in the section of Adolescence dealt with the Socioemotional Development in Adolescence. The chapters concepts were identity, families, peers, culture and adolescent development, and adolescent problems. Identity discussed contemporary thoughts about identity, identity statuses and development, family influences on identity, cultural and ethnic aspects of identity. The Families section had two major concepts which were autonomy and attachment as well as parent adolescent conflict. The peers section was defined the three concepts of Peer groups, friendships, and dating/romantic relationships. Culture and adolescent development consisted of the cross cultural comparisons and rites of passage and ethnicity concept. Finally, the adolescent problems section of the chapter discussed concepts of juvenile delinquency, depression and suicide, in addition to the interrelation of problems and successful prevention/ intervention programs. After reading this chapter I realized that I am more intrigued by the Adolescent development stage rather than early childhood. I think this could be because I am closer to it age wise, but mostly due to the fact that it is such an intense, and complex part of a persons life that it can affect their future. Speaking from a former delinquent, I felt that the chapter described the causes of delinquency being partially hereditary, identity problems, community influences, and family experiences all just factors. Chapter 14 Section 7 Early Adulthood was opened with Chapter 14 Physical and Cognitive Development in Early Adulthood. The chapter dealt with the transition from adolescence to adulthood, physical development, sexuality, cognitive development, careers and work. The section on the transition from adolescence to adulthood consisted of two concepts being the criteria for becoming an adult, and the transition from high school to college. Physical development included the peak and slowdown in physical performance, eating and weight, regular exercise, and substance abuse. The sexuality section was defined by sexual orientation, sexually transmitted diseases, forcible sexual behavior and sexual harassment. Cognitive Development focused on cognitive stages and creativity. The most intense section was careers and work because it consisted of the following concepts; developmental changes, personality types, values and careers, monitoring the occupational handbook, the skills employers want, finding the r ight career, and just work in general. Since I could be considered an early adult, I found this chapter to be very relatable and interesting. Of course the most interesting section of this chapter was sexuality. What was so interesting about this section were once again the surveys results. According to this survey Americans tend to fall into three categories, one third have sex twice a week or more, one third have a few times a month, and the other third has it a few times a year or less. A result from the essay I did not agree with or thought perhaps is out dated, was that America believes strongly in sexual behavior between married couples and monogamy. There have been many other studies and surveys that proved opposite that we are one of the many non-monogamous countries in the world today. Chapter 15 Socioemotional Development in Early Adulthood was what was covered in chapter 15. Topics included Continuity and Discontinuity from Childhood to Adulthood, Attraction, Love and Close friendships, Marriage/Family, The Diversity of Adult Lifestyles, Gender, Relationships, and Self Development. Temperament and Attachment were covered in the Continuity and Discontinuity from Childhood section of the chapter. Attraction, Love and Close Friendships was divided into three sections of attraction, the faces of love, and loneliness. Marriage and Family consisted of the family life cycle, marriage in general, the aspects of gender and emotion in Marriage, as well as parental roles. Single, cohabiting, divorced, remarried, gay and lesbian adults were examined in the diversity of adult lifestyles section of this chapter. The last section, Gender, Relationships, and Self-development consisted on the development of men and women. I enjoyed the section on marital expectations and myths because it gave me a good sense of what I can expect if I ever do get married. According to the book, the reason for our nations high divorce and dissatisfaction of marriage is due to the fact that we have too high of expectations. We expect our spouse to simultaneously be a lover, friend, a confidant, a counselor, a career person, and a parent. The myths of marriage were the most interesting part of this concept. Apparently, avoiding conflict does not save marriages, sex is not the main cause of affairs, and men arent all philanderers. After reading this chapter all I could say was, AMEN! Tools that make marriage work are establishing love maps, nurturing fondness and admiration, Turning toward each other instead of away, letting your partner influence you, and solving solvable conflicts. Useful tool were provided in this chapter. Chapter 16 Section 8 Middle Adulthood began as all other sections with Physical and Cognitive Development in Middle Adulthood. Topics included in chapter 16 were changing middle age, physical development, cognitive development, careers, work, and leisure, religion and meaning of life. Physical development included physical changes, health and diseases, culture, personality, relationships and health, morality rates and sexuality. Cognitive development was described through the concepts of intelligence and information processing. Job satisfaction, career challenges and changes, and leisure were what was covered in the careers, work and leisure section. Finally, Religion and meaning of life consisted of the affect religion has on the health and psychological development of middle adult hood. This chapter was kind of depressing to read. It made me realize that middle adult hood is usually spent wishing that you were still in early adult hood and are constantly fearing for late adulthood. With middle adult hood comes a terrible physical change like wrinkles, aging spots, decrease in height, increase in weight and the more likelihood of containing a serious disease or illness such as cardio vascular disease. An interesting part of the chapter was the description of leisure in middle adult hood. Leisure refers to the pleasant times after work when individuals are free to pursue activities and interests of their own choosing. One aspect of middle adulthood to look forward to be the fact that most adults have more money therefore they can do hobbies such as traveling. He book states that traveling is very important to the well being of a middle adult because it gives them a chance to distress and get away from the typical routine aspects of life. Adults who vacation can live up to nine years longer than those who dont. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 was about the Socioemotional Development in Middle Adulthood. Personality theories and development in middle adult hood, which consisted of adult stage theories, the life events approach, and contexts of midlife development, were the first section of this chapter. Stability and Change was described by two concepts of longitudinal studies and conclusions. The last part of the chapter discussed close relationships which was described by love/marriage at midlife, the empty nest and its refilling, parenting conceptions, sibling relationships and friends, and intergenerational relationships. My mothers relationships with her siblings and parents are complex. Therefore the sibling relationships and friendships section of this book was what I felt I could identify with the most because I wanted to learn more about the dynamics of those relationships and how they change when you reach midlife. Unfortunately, the chapter didnt really cover anything it just said some stay close some grow apart. I would have like to know why some siblings stay close and some grow apart. In addition to maybe some strategies to keep those relationships close would have been nice. One interesting aspect of this chapter was the empty nest syndrome. According to the book the empty nest syndrome is the marital satisfaction decreases because parents derive considerable satisfaction from their children and the childrens departure leaves parents with empty feelings. Parents who live vicariously through their children suffer from emptiness syndrome. On the other hand, other couples greater marriage satisfaction when the children leave because they are able to live as they did before there was children, like more time for each other and other pursuits. Chapter 18 Finally Ive reached the last section which is the inevitable Late Adulthood. As always, The physical Development in Late Adulthood was examined first. The topics were Longevity, The course of physical development in late adulthood, and health. Longevity consisted of life expectancy, life span, the young old, the old old, and the oldest old and biological theories of aging. The course of physical development in late adulthood is the aging brain, physical appearance, sensory development, the circulatory system, the respiratory system, and sexuality development. As if all that wasnt enough, the book discussed late adulthood health, with topics of health problems, the robust oldest old, exercise, nutrition, weight, and finally health treatment. This chapter was depressing, informative, and interesting all at once. The depressing aspect of this chapter was the descriptions of the physical changes you face with late adulthood development. You become more vulnerable to diseases, we lose considerable muscle mass, contain a more sagging look, as well as loss of hearing, smell, taste and just about every other aspect of our physical being is worsen. Not to mention you become more asexual, due to diseases such as erectile dysfunction and societal views of disgust towards senior citizens engaging in such acts. Some of the more informative information in this chapter was the growing controversy over vitamins and aging. My grandparents take several vitamins because they were instructed that it was crucial to their health. According to the book, some researchers believe that just a balance diet is all that is needed to achieve health at an old age. Why this is true and important, other studies have shown that other factors such as pollution, smoking, and poor food quality can make it difficult, therefore those who took antioxidants like vitamin E reduced their chance of heart disease. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 was the Cognitive Development in Late Adulthood. The topics Cognitive functioning in older adults, work and retirement, the mental health of older adults, and religion in late adulthood were discussed. Cognitive functioning in older Adults consisted of the descriptions of the multidimensional, multidirectional nature of cognition, education, work, and health links to cognitive functioning, the use it or lose it approach, and the training of cognitive skills. Work and retirement talked about work for senior citizens in general, retirement in the united states and other countries and their adjustment to it. The mental health of older adults discussed its nature, depression, dementia, Alzheimers disease and other afflictions. As well as fear of victimization, crime, elder maltreatment, and meeting the mental health needs of older adults. I was very intrigued by the story of ninety-two year old Russell Bob Harrell. Apparently, this man puts in twelve hour days at Sieco Consulting Engineers in Columbus Indiana, as a highway and bridge engineer designing and planning roads. I