William Shakespeare s Play Othello - 1266 Words

Vonelle Robertson Professor Wells Com 2 December 3rd, 2014 Drama Research Paper Shakespeare’s Play Othello is one of the more notable plays produced during his playwright tenure, the play starts off with Othello who is a moor but the general of the Venetian Army. In this particular play Shakespeare placed several different themes throughout the play but two of the main themes were Love and Race. Othello is strong, confident man he is the head of one the most prestigious armies in all Europe. But with all that success Othello had envious people watching gain all this success, one of the people’s name is Iago who. The straw that finally broke the camel’s back is when Othello eloped with the beautiful Desdemona daughter of Venetian senator Brabantio. She disappoints her father by having wed the moor Othello and he disowns her for having done such a deed. Brabantio even said to Othello that Desdemona would betray him just like she betrayed her father. In fact, being that Othello was from a foreign land and he was dark skinned this angered Iago even more to the point that he concocted an elaborate story to break up Desdemona and Othello. Iago manipulated Othello into believing that his sweet, loving was an adulteress and has lain with none other than Michael Cassio. Othello has great love for Desdemona so when he hears this news he becomes enraged. Through all the adversity he has faced for marrying Desdemona, he was even accused by Brabantio of using trickery because heShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Othello Is A Play About Human Nature And Relationships1400 Words   |  6 PagesShakespeare s Othello is a play about human nature and relationships. By studying these human relationships, differences in race, gender and class suggest that as in all other societies, Venetian society consists both of empowered groups, and constrained groups. These relationships, discussed with reference to Othello, Desdemona, Iago, Emilia, Cassi o, Bianca, Lodovico and a number of other characters, are revealed through words and actions. The relationship between Iago and Emilia is a superb exampleRead MoreUse Of Illusion And Hide Reality Plays A Heavy Role On William Shakespeare s Othello 947 Words   |  4 PagesThe use of illusion to hide reality plays a heavy role in William Shakespeare’s â€Å"Othello†. Illusion is used frequently throughout the play in relation to love, friendship and character personalities. Some characters, especially Othello, cannot see through the illusion and assume what they see as reality. Iago, however, uses this to his advantage by creating multiple illusions to manipulate the other characters for power and revenge. Iago is seen by most of the characters as an honest and trustworthyRead MoreBetraying and Lying in Othello by William Shakespeare1726 Words   |  7 Pagesthe root of all evil today. People have made it an everyday thing to lie and betray people just because they like to see people broken in misery. People also lie and betray people because of jealousy they may have towards them. The tragedy of Othello explains why some people are not trustworthy. Just because some people feel like they are miserable, they try everything in their power to make the other individual miserable as well. Enemies come in different colors, shapes, and forms, making itRead MoreThe Concept Of Iago By William Shakespeare1163 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"The Concept of Iago† William Shakespeare’s plays all have a common theme: death. There is almost always death, and the play of â€Å"Othello† is no different since it ends in a â€Å"tragedy.† It begins with a man named Iago who speaks to Roderigo of how he should have received the position of lieutenant that was instead given to Cassio, a inexperienced man in his words, by Othello, the General. Iago shows distaste towards Othello, the play then goes through the story of Iago attempting to receive the positionRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Othello As A Tragic Hero1323 Words   |  6 Pagesown demise. William Shakespeare’s Othello the Moore of Venice is a play about a heroic individual that goes through a tragic event based on his decisions throughout the play. Many of the characters that Shakespeare presents in his plays reveal attitudes and value that is reflective of both the Elizabethan society in sixteenth century England and William Shakespeare; these values are evident in the context of the Venetian society that Othello takes place in. Through Othello Shakespeare embodies hisRead MoreThe Secret River By Kate Grenville And William Shakespeare1467 Words   |  6 PagesHow has the Kate Grenville and William Shakespeare used compositional features to express both similar and different ideas of difference and power? The Secret River, set in England and Australia, was written by Kate Grenville in 2006. William Shakespeare’s play Othello was written in 1603 and set in Venice. Kate Grenville and William Shakespeare used compositional features to express both similar and different ideas of difference and power. They have cohesive ideas of power such as the use of structureRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s All The World s A Stage 1540 Words   |  7 PagesEnglish 1102 17 April 2017 Research Paper William Shakespeare once said, All the World’s a Stage —and now his quote can be applied to his literature within his tragedies (William Shakespeare 1). The generation of people today have a much different definition of tragedies than people did during the Shakespearean times. Shakespeare’s tragedies involve a protagonist whose character is developed so that it is clear that he is a heroic figure in the setting of the play, but he has a flaw which leads to hisRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Othello By William Shakespeare Essay1418 Words   |  6 Pages scrutinizing the ills of their society and portraying them for the world to see. William Shakespeare, 1564-1616, was an English playwright, poet and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world s most distinguished dramatist. His surviving works, including some collaborations, consist of about 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems and a few other verses. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more oftenRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Othello By William Shakespeare757 Words   |  4 Pages The Tragedy of Othello by William Shakespeare William Shakespeare uses many literary devices to enhance and provide greater complexity in his works. More specifically, the theme, symbolism, and dramatic irony are used to enrich Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Othello. The plot is definitely engaging but the theme allows for an universal human correspondence, furthering the depth of the author’s message. The element of symbolism contributes to the theme of Shakespeare’s tragedy. Symbolism expressesRead MoreAnalysis Of Sax s Film Othello 1457 Words   |  6 PagesGeoffrey Sax s advanced retelling of William Shakespeare s Othello can control Shakespeare s unique ideas in spite of the time period and connection in which both writings happen, while investigating the all inclusive topics of prejudice, misogyny and force. Shakespeare s play reflects conventional Elizabethan connections and qualities in its investigation of such ideas amidst a catastrophe impelled on by misleading and desirously (Aebischer 12). On th e other hand, Geoffrey Sax s 2001 representation

Childhood Obesity A Social Issue - 1714 Words

Gone are the days that kids would beg for the chance to play outside. My grandfather often reminisces about his childhood, when the lack of technological entertainment had very little sway over how he and his childhood friends spent their time. Most days were spent playing outdoors, riding bikes, playing baseball, or simply just running around and getting into trouble. These days however, technological advances such as smartphones, television, and tablets, have turned children’s attention away from the great outdoors. Many days are now spent staring mindlessly into a digital screen. While this may be keeping kids out of trouble, it is also causing detrimental effects on their health. With such a sedentary lifestyle, mixed with a diet that is high in sugar and empty calories, it is no wonder that childhood obesity has gripped the nation (Schmidt, 2003). Childhood obesity is a social issue that is affecting the lives of many young Americans, and children around the World. Accor ding to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a person is termed obese if he or she has an excess of body fat in relation to their body mass (CDC, 2015). This is usually the result of a higher intake of calories in conjunction with a low activity level (CDC, 2015). For a long time, obesity and its health related conditions were thought to only exist in the older generations (Daniels, 2006). However, these conditions are now being seen in children, and with rapid frequency (Daniels,Show MoreRelatedWhat Are The Largest Problems That Plague America? Essay1383 Words   |  6 PagesWhat are the largest problems that plague America? Most would argue that issues such as mass hunger, climate change and poverty are the most prominent difficulties that the United States faces. While these things are important, and do have a great impact on the country, there is another large and often forgotten issue that faces America: childhood obesity. This nationwide problem is also direc tly harmful to the strength and conditioning industry. Physical education classes are failing to involveRead MoreChildhood Obesity : How Has This Become A Problem1218 Words   |  5 PagesChildhood Obesity: How Has This Become a Problem and What Can Be Done to Fix it? Childhood obesity is affecting 1 out 3 kids in our society. These children are being classified as being obese or overweight. Obesity has gained recognition as an important worldwide public problem and in the U.S., appears to be overtaking tobacco use as the number one cause of preventable death (Dennison, B. A., Edmunds, L. S., Stratton, H. H., Pruzek, R. M. (2006). This is the first time we have ever seen our childrenRead MoreBackground and Methodology of the Research Process to Problems in Health Care1003 Words   |  5 PagesResearch Process to Problems in Health Care Childhood Obesity HCS/465 August 2, 2012 Donald Steacy Introduction The purpose of the paper is to show how to develop and understand methodology of the research process when pertaining to health care. The process consists of retrieving a peer-reviewed article and applying the research methodology to the article selected. The article selected for the research methodology was Childhood Obesity: A Global Public Health Crisis written by SameeraRead MoreThe Effects Of Childhood Obesity: An Epidemic In Our Nation.1391 Words   |  6 PagesThe Effects of Childhood Obesity: An Epidemic in Our Nation Seema Patel A Capstone Proposal Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Healthcare Administration KAPLAN UNIVERSITY March 2017 The Effects of Childhood Obesity: An Epidemic in Our Nation Childhood obesity is a greatest public health concern in our nation because it has an immediate and long-term effect on morbidity and mortality later in life. Experts in this epidemic suggest that there isRead MoreEffects Of Obesity On Children Health1139 Words   |  5 PagesEffects of Obesity on Children Health Obesity is a serious medical and psychological condition that affects children, adult, and elderly people. According to WHO, People who are above the normal weight for their age and height are called obese. Childhood obesity has been problem in developed as well as in developing countries. As Cause, it is accepted that increase in obesity results from an imbalance between abnormal intake of unhealthy food and drink and also unable to burn calorie. There is increasingRead MoreEssay on Policy Priority Issue1648 Words   |  7 PagesPolicy Priority Issue: The Childhood Obesity Pandemic Marla C. Khalikov Chamberlain College of Nursing NR506 – 10999: Health Care Policy Winter 2014 Policy Priority Issue: The Childhood Obesity Pandemic Childhood obesity is a global pandemic requiring prioritization in policy and health care reform. It has many effects on acute and long term health, including increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and certain types of cancer. This paper addressesRead MoreTaking a Look at Childhood Obesity1842 Words   |  7 PagesWhat does childhood obesity means? Obesity can be defined as a condition in which the body carries abnormal or unhealthy amounts of fat tissue, leading the individual to weigh in excess or 20 percent more than his or her ideal weight (Health Illness).Obesity in America is an ever-growing problem and has boosted America to the number one spot in terms of obese population. It also stands as the most prevalent medical issue in American Children. In the past thirty years, obesity has affected manyRead MoreChildhood Obesity And The United States1286 Words   |  6 PagesChildhood Obesity in America Since 1980 the rates of child obesity have more than tripled which has caused a growing pandemic of childhood obesity in the United States. Out of all the young children and adolescents within the age group of two through nineteen about 12.7 million are obese. That is the equivalent of about 17% of America’s population that is suffering from childhood obesity. Childhood obesity is too prevalent in all American households. Childhood obesity is detrimental on a nationalRead MoreChildhood Obesity Essay examples1472 Words   |  6 PagesAmerica childhood obesity was rarely a topic of conversation. A survey done in the early 1970s showed that 6.1% of children between the ages 12 and 19 were overweight. Eight years later the same survey was done and 17.4% were considered overweight (Iannelli). â€Å"Childhood obesity epidemic in America is now a confirmed fact since the number of overweight or obese children has more than tripled during the last 30 years† (Childhood Obesity Epidemic). â€Å"Over the last 20 years, the prevalence of obesity in childrenRead MorePhysical Activity Essay1410 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Worldwide, we need to know also learn how physical activity has the potential to prevent health risks from young children. One of these health risks is obesity, which affects Middle Childhood children from the ages of 6 - 11years of age. Therefore, how has society prevented childhood obesity and what strategies can be implemented to develop and promote awareness of physical activity amongst children? If young children are to be educated and advised about the important benefits of

E-Tailing Persuasive Message Free Essays

E-Tailing Many retailers have expanded their retail market to an online market. Using the internet to sell their goods is known as e commerce. â€Å"Ecommerce allows consumers to electronically exchange goods and services with no barriers of time or distance† (Network Solutions, n. We will write a custom essay sample on E-Tailing Persuasive Message or any similar topic only for you Order Now d. ). E commerce has expanded rapidly in recent years due to its convenience for the consumer and the increase in businesses that use electronic retailing (e-tailing). Businesses use different marketing methods in order to reach their customers and attract new ones. Direct Marketing Direct marketing is when businesses sell a product or service directly to the consumer (B2C). With direct marketing, businesses have several options in marketing to their consumers. Businesses can use direct mail, television ads, and internet marketing just to name a few. There has been a rise in direct marketing in recent years. The use of direct marketing can be more costs effective for a business without having the additional cost of the overhead of a traditional store. Amazon. com took book stores to the next level when they began their website selling books via the internet in the mid 1990s. Some companies such as skin care products Proactiv and Skin ID advertise on television and direct you to their websites to purchase their products. Businesses can reach customers directly through email when they sign up for mailing lists. Emails Businesses will contact customers directly through email. This happens often with existing customers. Wells Fargo bank will contact their customers with special offers of products and services with occasional emails. Other businesses will email their customers coupons to draw them into their stores. Baskin Robins ice cream lure their customers in their stores with email coupons promising them free ice cream on their birthday. Email marketing that offers customers special savings and free products can be a very effective marketing tool. Websites Internet consumers can find great deals on travel when they go to travel websites such as Expedia and Travelocity where customers can purchase airfare, rental cars and hotels. Many of these sites offer price matching and other incentive when consumers book their travel plans with their company. They also allow the customer to comparison shop different travel deals in order to eliminate confusion for the consumer. Click-and-Mortar A popular trend in e tailing has been click-and-mortar retailers. Click-and-mortar is typically when e-tailers have an existing store and have branched out into selling their products online (Turban, et al, 2008). Many retailers have expanded their stores to an online market with their stores websites. Stores such as Walmart and Best Buy have tapped into this market. Some of these retailers have some products that are only available for purchase online. Best Buy for example, will sell products that were available at one time in their retail stores but are now only available online. There has also been a shift with e-tailers have moved from internet only to physical brick-and-mortar stores. They have taken a popular, successful way of shopping and brought it to consumers in a traditional way. These e-tailers turned brick-and-mortar as well as those who rely solely on direct marketing can target their consumers with emails, banner ads on popular websites such as social networking sites, and with internet mailing lists. Some businesses do not have enough of a market for their goods to convert to a click-and-mortar retailer â€Å"because they would not have enough consumers† (Turban, et al, 2008). When e-tailers are trying to attract potential customers, no matter what medium they use all messages must follow a similar model. The sender must make clear the purpose of the message, choose the best media for their message, and the technology they will use to deliver the message. When a business chooses the right forum they can be very effective in e tailing. Persuasive Message Member of the Community, Your local City Animal Shelter is making the move into becoming a no kill shelter by the year 2012. We are asking the residents of this city to assist us in meeting this goal by participating in our upcoming low cost spay and neutering clinics. We are also asking for your donations in order to get our new training program up and running so that we may train some of our older dogs to assist the elderly and disabled members of our community. Although the number of animals that are being euthanized is on the decline, any animal put to death is a precious life lost. Countless numbers of animals are being senselessly euthanized as a matter of population control. In order to reach our goals, the shelter plans to begin training as many of the older animals as service dogs because these animals are the least likely to be adopted out and the most likely to be euthanized. Hosting a low cost vaccination clinic will help reduce the number of strays and unwanted animals in the community. Euthanizing animals can no longer be used as a method of population control. We must begin to use our cities unwanted animals in order to help our neighbors in the community that need our help. Please help us by participating in our spay and neutering clinics or with a contribution to get our program off and running. Together we can make this a no kill city and improve the quality of life for our cities elderly and disabled. Sincerely, Your City Animal Shelter References Network Solutions. (n. d. ). What is Ecommerce? Retrieved, May 10, 2010, from http://www. networksolutions. com/education/what-is-ecommerce/ Turban, E. , King, D. , McKay, J. , Marshall, P. , Lee, J. , Viehland, D. (2008). Electronic commerce 2008: A managerial perspective (5th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. How to cite E-Tailing Persuasive Message, Essays

Leadership effectiveness in the film Elizabeth

Introduction The movie Elizabeth starts with the coronation ceremony of Princess Elizabeth who then becomes Queen. She is depicted as a warm hearted and blameless person who must take on the enormous task of leading her people. However, she steps up and rules England in the midst of plots by close allies to oust her, turmoil in the nation concerning religion and pressure from foreign nations.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Leadership effectiveness in the film Elizabeth specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The report will analyse her effectiveness based on the Dubrin model and then look at other theories on leadership effectiveness with regard to Elizabeth I’s reign. Lastly, the report will compare the usefulness of the model in leadership effectiveness assessment. Discussion Dubrin’s model Dubrin et. al. (2006) assert that leadership effectiveness needs to be analysed through three parameters and thes e include cognitive skills, personality traits as well as the behavioural approach. In the film Elizabeth is depicted as one who created a relationship with her followers. In other words, she was empathetic towards them and sensitive to their needs. She displayed this when she struck a compromise with the religious leaders of her time thus illustrating that she had put herself in her citizens’ shoes. She knew that her people valued spiritual connection rather than the supreme rule of law so she was able to alter her ambitions in order to satisfy this need in the population. Elizabeth 1’s sensitivity to her followers is what inspired many to get influenced by her and to follow her lead. Indeed another personality trait that caused her success is emotional intelligence. When one is emotionally intelligent then one is passionate about task, one is self confident and visionary. Elizabeth the first was able to demonstrate her emotional intelligence through her self confiden ce. She could keep her emotions in check even during trying times. Dubrin et al (2006) affirm that great leaders are always calm and predictable during a crisis. This leader had heard about plots to oust her from her throne and she responded to them in a very calm way.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For instance when she hears about Mary of Guise who is now allying with external forces i.e. the French in order to attack England, she uses her ally to tackle these issues. At the beginning of the film, Elizabeth appears to be this innocent and sweet lady. However, if she had chosen to remain that way in the midst of all these planned attacks and plots then she would have lost the throne and England would be in jeopardy. Consequently, Elizabeth acts in response to her environment and thus secures the future of her kingdom. She thought through these issues and knew that the onl y way she could deal with a possible dethronement would be to handle the instigators of the crime. Clearly, this was a crisis but she handled it in swiftly and calmly. Elizabeth I was the daughter of King Henry the Eighth and his second wife. She was not wanted and her childhood had not been that great. In the film, one can see this from the fact that she has been jailed by her half sister Mary I who believed that Elizabeth was conspiring to dethrone her. This is something that could have put Elizabeth’s spirits down but she did not let it get to her. Furthermore, she steps into a highly charged political environment dominated by men who each want to have their own way. These adversities would have caused her to lose enthusiasm for her role as leader of England. Elizabeth I never succumbs to these pressures. She always remains enthusiastic and that was the reason why she managed to do so well during her reign. Dubrin et. al. (2006) explain that followers tend to respond well to enthusiastic leaders because they feed off that energy. Most will be motivated to act in accordance to their leader’s assertions because they will be switched on. Similarly, Queen Elizabeth was enthusiastic about her tasks despite her circumstances before her inauguration and also when she started leading. This was definitely an aspect that contributed towards her effectiveness as a leader.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Leadership effectiveness in the film Elizabeth specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One ought to be a servant leader in order to be effective. This is a crucial aspect of the behavioural aspects of a leader (Luthans, 1992). Here, individuals need to think of their followers above everything else. They often make sacrifices on behalf of those individuals and also must display elements of honesty and appreciation of others. In this case, it can be said that Queen Elizabeth I slipped when i t came to this matter. At the end of the film, Queen Elizabeth takes up the persona of the Virgin Queen through her costume and make up. She is therefore sending the wrong message to her followers by claiming to be something she is not. Elizabeth I had an affair with Dudley and this takes up an immense portion of the movie. As a servant leader, Elizabeth should have behaved in an ethical manner because effective leaders are honest. She is expected to say something and then follow through on it. Indeed good leaders should never be satisfied with simply telling people what they expect to hear but they need to walk the talk. Leaders’ words should always match their deeds so when Elizabeth proclaimed herself as the Virgin Queen of England then she was being hypocritical. In this regard, she was ineffective because she did not exercise servant leadership (Bennis, 1989). Cognitive skills are a crucial part of leadership assessment as laid out in the Dubrin model; one must posses pr oblem solving skills in order to forge ahead as a leader. Elizabeth came into power at a time when England was viewed as discontented. The country was grappling with religious problems and was faced by various threats to the throne. Queen Elizabeth the First was able to handle these problems successfully and thus guaranteed peace and stability in her country. She was excellent at solving problems. Other rulers would not have thought of the creative solutions that she proposed and implemented with regard to the religious matters. She also solved the ruling question by choosing to stay unmarried. If she had accepted proposals by the French suitor or the Spanish one, England would have to surrender to French or Spanish rule. If she got married to someone in England then she would have immediately relinquished her throne.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Queen Elizabeth therefore made the best decision by refusing to get married to anyone hence proclaiming herself as the Virgin Queen; married only to England. These sharp problem solving skills are what led to her success and remembrance. Another cognitive skill that that makes Queen Elizabeth I stand out is her imagination and creativity. Dubrin et al (2006) explain that effective leaders need to be willing to experiment. In the film, this element comes out when one looks at the Queen’s management of her relationship with Philip the Second of Spain. At the time, Philip was a Catholic and yet her country was going through this great Protestant reformation so she knew that acceptance of the proposal would be detrimental to her countrymen. On the other hand, she could not just let go of him because this relationship could be of use to her. At the time, there were negotiations going on with the French concerning political matters. England needed to have an upper hand in these neg otiations and Elizabeth I came up with the perfect solution. She kept the Spaniard suitor at arm’s length so that the French could think that Spain was on England’s side. She was creative about this problem and it proved to be effective for her. One can definitely learn from such a leader because she managed to use her imagination in order to secure the future of her country with their adversaries (Draft, 1999). In terms of behavioural approaches to leadership, Queen Elizabeth was transformational because her leadership was strategic, and she made positive changes in England (Bass Avolio, 1994). She knew that in order for England to move forward, she needed to instate uniformity of leadership. Nonetheless, she could not do this without the senior clergy’s involvement so she articulated her vision to them and this eventually contributed towards their support. She was not naive enough to think that people would simply obey her blindly. Queen Elizabeth felt that t he only way to end the conflict arising from religious differences would be to convince stakeholders. By talking to them about her idea, she got them to be conscious of the other points of view. Furthermore, she stimulated their minds to think of others’ interests rather than their own. Instead of just focusing on what each side could accomplish out of the impasse, Elizabeth caused them to imagine what the country would achieve. In other words, they now started considering the long term implications of their tasks. They also saw that change was needed sooner rather than later. These were all elements of transformational leadership. A transformational leader usually articulates a vision for the future as Elizabeth did. He or she also thinks about problems in new ways and encourages innovation as was the case with the Queen. Transformational leaders are charismatic and often cause others to be respectful or proud of them. These were all qualities that she possessed especially w ith regard to the religious issue. Transformational leadership also requires support from the concerned individuals. This implies that one should always recognise and encourage followers. This aspect was not just illustrated when Elizabeth I needed to convince them about religious uniformity, it also came out when they were going to implement the policy. The Bishops of the Anglican Church started facing hostilities from parliament through the House of Commons. They needed to have support from a higher authority and Elizabeth stepped in to assure them. Transformational leaders always encourage their followers and empower them in order to achieve their goals (Avolio, 1994). This was definitely an important element in bringing out her effectiveness. As one goes through the film, one soon realizes that Queen Elizabeth the First refrained from making sweeping measures in her group of council members. She appeared to work hand in hand with people who were already appointed in the previous era. In fact, the film does not make any reference to fresh changes in memberships of councils. Historical records illustrate that when Queen Elizabeth was elected to the throne, she did not carry out sweeping reforms of the Privy Council. In other words, she just chose a few members who would assist the former ones in carrying out their roles. She built a trustworthy team of Councilmen by selecting individuals who could carry forward with work done by others yet at the same time retained the best of the former team. This illustrates that leaders need not alter things as soon as they ascend to power. They can look at how things are functioning and then instate changes slowly. The Queen’s manner of choosing a team actually serves as a good example of what effective team building should really be. This is illustrative of the situational leadership model. Here, an effective leader is one that selects the best leadership style depending on the concerned group members and their r eadiness. These last two factors will determine whether leadership behaviours will either be task centred or relationship centred. When group members are unwilling, unable and insecure then leadership behaviours should be highly directed. In this case, the Council did not fall in this category. When group members are willing followers but unable and confident then leadership behaviour should also be directive but this time more explanatory so that members can understand. Elizabeth 1’s team also did not fall in this category. If group members are able but unwilling or are insecure then a leader should not be directive. Leadership should be participative so that decision making and idea sharing are facilitated. In other words, one should work on the relationship aspect more the task based aspect. Queen Elizabeth’s group members did fall in this category. She therefore won their support by facilitating participation. It should be noted that she did not delegate all the re sponsibilities and decisions to the Council because the members were not all willing. Most of them thought that she was not ready to perform as a Monarch so she needed to win their support. On the other hand, she could not hand over everything to them. The Queen was therefore an effective leader because of the manner in which she chose leadership behaviours. In this case, it can be asserted that she considered the confidence, ability and willingness of her team before she could choose her approach in just the same manner as it is outlined in the situational leadership model (Judge et. al., 2002). Application of other theories on leadership to the film Aside from the Dubrin model of leadership effectiveness, one can also utilise the normative decision model to assess leadership effectiveness in the film. The model attempts to lay out what should happen and what actually occurs within the decision making environment. In this model, leadership is assumed to improve if the concerned lea der involves members of the group or if the leader is more participative. However, that is dependent on the effects of the decision. If the decision will heavily impact followers then one should reconsider one’s level of involvement in it. When Elizabeth made the decision to unify the church, she was aware of the fact that this matter would heavily impact the church and other citizens. Consequently, she needed to get input from them. In terms of this parameter, she therefore did not do this effectively. In this model one also needs to think about the importance of gaining commitment from those being led. If this is vital then one should not decide on one’s own. Queen Elizabeth should have obtained the clergy’s opinion on the matter and then made the decision on religion. She did this independent of them and only went to them after she had made her decision privately. One can say that she impeded the possibility of getting one hundred percent commitment from thes e group members. However, this issue of the importance of getting commitment from team members can be overridden by the likelihood of getting commitment from the group if one chose to make the decision by oneself. Elizabeth I knew that she would still get support from the clergy if she made the decision by herself. Consequently, she was effective in this regard because she took a risk and went on and followed through. Effective leaders should also consider how important team competence is before they can consult or delegate decisions to them. In this case, Elizabeth I knew that the clergy were not capable of coming up with a selfless decision so it would have been wrong to give them those powers. It is likely that they would not have struck a compromise since they would mostly be interested in pushing their agenda. In this regard, the Queen was right to make the decision on her own. According to the Normative decision model, Elizabeth I was right in making the religious decision on her own because; it was likely that she would get commitment from the team, the team was not competent enough to make the decision on their own and the decision was going to be very crucial to the success of the clergy. These reasons are more compelling and greater in number than the reasons that would have led her to be more participative in making this decision (Vroom and Yetton, 1973). Vecchio (1987) explains how situational leadership theory is useful in assessment of leadership as well. According to adherents of this theory, one should choose to be either task centred or relationship centred depending on the circumstances. One can analyse Elizabeth’s effectiveness based on these factors. According to Fielder (1967) one should adopt a task motivated style only when there is a low degree of control in the situation. Here, the relationship between the group and the leader is poor and the tasks involved are poorly structured. One instance when these situations existed was wh en Elizabeth wanted to pass the uniformity Act. She had a poor relationship with herself and the bishops that were incarcerated. Therefore, she needed to use a task based approach. The only problem is that she did not identify the rights tasks- incarceration was not the right way to go; this made her ineffective. On the other hand, one should go for a relationship centred style when intermediate control exists. This means that the situation should have a combination of both unfavourable and favourable traits. In the film, such a situation occurred when Elizabeth needed to deal with the two foreign suitors. She had moderate control over these two individuals and needed to motivate them on relational basis. She kept one suitor at arm’s length so as to triumph in peace negotiations with France. She therefore adopted a relationship approach and this worked well for her; Elizabeth I was effective in this regard. The socio independent leader should be taken on when control is reall y high. This occurred when the Queen heard about the betrayal of her cousin. She did not consult with anyone and needed to act socio independently. In the Path goal leadership theory, Robert house claims that leaders need to motivate subordinates. In other words, they must stress the relationship between the path used to achieve a goal and the goal itself (House, 1996). Leaders ought to do this by relating organisational goals and the needs of subordinates. Queen Elizabeth was able to do this when convincing the clergy about the need to have a uniform religion across England. She illustrated to them that the country’s success was at stake and since living in a peaceful environment was an important goal for the clergy then Elizabeth I was effective in this sense. In this theory, leaders are also expected to look at the characteristics of a certain situation and then modify their behaviour in accordance. Queen Elizabeth I exercised this principle because she was always rethinki ng her strategies depending on the situation under consideration. When obstacles came her way, she always reacted to them very promptly by eliminating them. Also, at the beginning of the film, she starts as a very warm and innocent individual but when she analyses the people she has to work with, she soon realises that she has to be tough with them so she uses a different approach when handling them. She was therefore effective in these terms. As one looks at the kind of leadership in the film, it is critical to think about gender and how this relates to leadership since the main character was a woman. Studies carried out by Heilman et. al (1989) illustrate that followers tend to hold certain stereotypes about female leaders. Some of them believe that male leaders are more effective than female leaders. However, this does not necessarily imply that the leaders’ actions will be affected by followers’ expectations of them. Elizabeth I illustrated this when she rose to th e occasion and defied her team members’ expectations of her. Eagly Johnson (1990) examined the leadership styles of a number of women and found that they were more interpersonal than task oriented. Men were found to be more directive and autocratic while their female counterparts were found to be more participative and democratic. They also found that female leaders tended to be more transformational than transactional. In other words, women motivated their subordinates more than did the males. On the other hand, men were focused on current needs of their followers and were not as engaged in motivation as women. These findings were affirmed by Druskat (1994). On the other hand, Komives (1991a) claimed that there were no major differences between the genders. In the film, it can be asserted that Elizabeth I also fitted in the profiles of the former mentioned writers in gender differences. However, in order to know whether she was effective in applying transformational leaders hip, one must look at the environment she was leading (Avolio, 1994). In her case, it was appropriate to use such a method. Conclusion The Dubrin model derives some of its qualities from trait theories of leadership and although these theories are quite effective in their simplicity, the model’s major weakness lies in the fact that some leaders can possess a set of traits but may not always be effective. This means that direct linkage is absent in this scenario. Also, the model incorporates behavioural aspects of leadership but the problem with this approach is sometimes the situations may be too many to accommodate. This model places a lot of focus on individuals in executive positions especially because they are the ones who have the capacity to transform an organisation. Consequently, other members of the leadership team may not find it easy to use the model in order to assess whether they are effective or not in their respective capacities. Also, the model does not includ e decision making leadership goals/ organisational goals and gender contributions to leadership. This is the reason why the normative decision making model, contingency model, gender theories and the path goal theory are also imperative in assessment of leadership effectiveness since they accommodate other facets of leadership. References Avolio, B. (1994). The natural: some antecedents to transformational leadership. International journal of public administration, 17(4), 1559-1581 Bass, B. Avolio, B. (1994). Improving organisational effectiveness through transformational leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage publications Bennis, M. (1989). Managing the dream: leadership in the 21st C. Journal of Organisation Change Management, 2(1), 7 Draft, R. (1999). Leadership: theory and practice. NY, Harcourt brace college publishers Druskat, V. (1994). Gender and leadership style: transformational and transactional leadership in the Roman Catholic Church. Leadership quarterly, 5(2), 67-78 Dubr in, A., Dalglish, C. Miller, P. (2006). Leadership. Australia, John Wiley and Sons Eagly, H. Johnson, B. (1990). Gender and leadership style: a meta analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 108(4), 233-256 Fielder, F. (1967). A theory of leadership effectiveness. McGrawhill, Harper and Row publishers Heilman, M. (1989). Has anything changed? Current characterisations of men and women and managers. Journal of applied psychology, 74(3), 935-842 House R. (1996). Path goal theory of leadership: lesson, legacy and a reformulated theory. Leadership quarterly, 7(3), 323:352 Judge, T., Bono, J., Ilies, R. Gerhardt, M. (2002). Personality and leadership: a qualitative and quantitative review: Journal of applied psychology, 87(3), 765-780 Komives, M. (1991). Gender differences in the relationship of hall directors’ transformational and transactional leadership and achieving styles. Journal of College student development, 32(4), 155-165 Luthans, F. (1992). Organisational personality trait. NY, McGrawhill Vroom, V. Yetton, P. (1973). Leadership and decision making. Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Press Vecchio, R. (1987). Situational leadership theory: an examination of a prescriptive theory. Journal do applied psychology, 3(72), 444-451 This report on Leadership effectiveness in the film Elizabeth was written and submitted by user Memph1s to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. 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Ecstasy and Memory Impairment Neurological Correlation

Ecstasy and Memory Impairment Neurological Correlation Introduction The three articles chosen for analysis focus on the neurological correlation between ecstasy and memory impairment; one by Simon and Mattick (2001) assessed the relationship between ecstasy use and memory impairment. The second one by Zakzanis Young (2001) dwelt on memory impairment in abstinent MDMA users over one year. Lastly, a study done by Bolla et al. (1998) focused on memory impairment in abstinent ecstasy users.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Ecstasy and Memory Impairment Neurological Correlation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Biological psychology methodology Simon and Mattick (2001) used a correlational analysis to determine whether a relationship exists between prolonged ecstasy use and memory function. The researchers were also interested in comparison of this memory function with that of regular cannabis users. Therefore, this research method revolved around establishment of a r elationship, definition of what the relationship was and how strong it was. This was a cross sectional study because the researchers sampled the population and studied all the concerned measured at one point. Although the researchers were interested in analyzing the effect of prolonged usage of MDMA, they did not measure level of drug use for a prolonged period of time. The authors recorded the histories of the participants and collected information about their average lifetime drug use and psychological well being. They tested their memory function using standardized tests. All these variables were collected using structured interviews. Bolla et al. (1998) utilized an experimental approach in their analysis. They focused on a control group that did not use MDMA (drug-naà ¯ve participants) and one that used the drugs. They measured their memory scores and then compared the results. This allowed them to establish whether a cause and effect relationship existed between ecstasy drug u se and memory impairment. The authors carried out a retrospective study. Zakzanis Young (2001) used a longitudinal approach in their analysis. Such an approach is quite sensible because it minimizes the effect of past difference in memory functioning. This method allowed the authors to show the causal direction of effects. During a twelve month period, participants were analyzed twice for memory functions and only MDMA users were employed. Strengths and weaknesses of the biological hypotheses The key strength with the research conducted by Simon and Mattick (2001) is that it acknowledges the possibility of cannabis as a confounding factor and thus analyses it. Possibilities of the effect of other drugs such as alcohol were considered, as well. Additionally, the researchers tried to narrow down the demographic variation and lifestyle differences between the test and comparison groups by focusing on members of the same age group.Advertising Looking for research paper on healt h medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More These researchers also studied the psychological robustness of the subjects in order to ascertain that the variable would not interfere with memory functioning. The key weakness in this study is the fact that it is a correlational study in which the test subjects are subjected to a series of other confounding factors. Consequently, one cannot determine cause and effect relationship unless all the possible variables that affect memory are controlled. First, this experiment uses subjects with different memory capabilities. No analysis of the subjects was done prior to their use of cannabis or ecstasy in order to determine their previous memory scores. This should have been compared with their current memory status (after prolonged ecstasy use) in order to determine whether there was any change. Furthermore, only average ecstasy dosage levels were considered for the entire group, yet individual consumption variations do exist. Some people may take 30 tablets of ecstasy a month while others may only take two. Education plays a vital role in one’s performance during memory tests. Persons with tertiary education are more likely to remember certain things that those without it. This study did not acknowledge that difference, and randomly selected test subjects. Lastly, the researchers did not consider the effect of lifestyle in patterns of use. Ecstasy is a drug that is associated with the ‘rave’ culture while cannabis is not. People who engage in prolonged dancing and are sleep deprived may report relatively low scores in memory tests, so this should have been considered. The critical problem with Bolla et al. (1998) was that they allowed the control subjects to have experimented with other drugs. They claimed that this was only fair since members of the test group also used other drugs. Instead of incorporating two confounders, the scientists should have tried to eliminate the use of other recreational drugs from both subjects. If this was impossible, then they should have included prior recreational drug use in the regression analysis. Another major problem that was also noted in the previous study was failure to measure underlying memory function differences between the control group (non MDMA users) and the test group. No incorporation of lifestyle differences between the control and test subjects was also made. One of the vital strengths of this study was that it included the effect of drug dosage levels during the analysis. It also considered other demographic factors such as age, gender and vocabulary use. Furthermore, the effect of MDMA dosage concentrations on memory concentrations also validated their claims.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Ecstasy and Memory Impairment Neurological Correlation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Zakzanis Young (2001) research was advantageous because it was longitudinal, so it eliminated problems with differences between the test subjects. Additionally, it used participants within the same age group; that is, 17- 31. Education level was also considered as all had to have at least 14 years worth of education. Since these factors were incorporated in the analysis, then the possibility of confounding factors in memory scores was eradicated. Additionally, because the study only focused on ecstasy users, then there was no need to include lifestyle differences between the test subjects. The major challenge with this study was that the sample size was small; only 15 participants were employed in the study. In addition, no reference was made to psychological factors that could have affected the test subjects in the past; this may have impeded their memory during the study. Assessment of the research findings conclusion Simon and Mattick (2001) found that there was no correlation between me mory impairment and regular MDMA use. However, they found an association between lifetime cannabis use and memory impairment. They explained that cannabis has a confounding role in other tests that measure memory impairment and MDMA use. One may question these findings because adjustments for lifestyle differences between cannabis and MDMA were not done. Failure to incorporate other confounding factors such as education level, age and memory capabilities before the study also place doubt on these findings. Bolla et al. (1998) found a strong relationship between memory impairment and drug use. However, the challenges in proving a cause and effect relationship in studies of memory impairment were not overcome in this paper. No consideration for recall differences was done and no incorporation of lifestyle variations was included in the research, so one might question these findings. Zakzanis Young (2001) found that continued ecstasy use led to a decline in delayed recall. One may cou nt on this research because its design was the least problematic among the three. The authors eliminated inaccuracies that stem from lifestyle variations, and preexisting memory differences between non MDMA users and MDMA users. Besides these, problems with sample size can easily be corrected. Study plan The study plan under consideration will be a correlational longitudinal study. It will be longitudinal because such studies allow authors to study effect patterns over long periods of time. They can authoritatively make cause and effect correlations owing to these patterns.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This study design was borrowed from the one done by Zakzanis Young (2001). It will use correlational analysis because a group that will possess the characteristics under analysis will be compared with one that does not have these characteristics, and a conclusion will be made. The latter correlational section is similar to Simon and Mattick (2001). Hypothesis The hypothesis of the research is â€Å"The lifestyle of MDMA users causes memory deficits†. Many analysts acknowledge that ecstasy users have an exclusive way of life that is not found among other drug users. These individuals often engage in prolonged dancing and visual stimulation. Users may lack sleep and may eat minimal quantities of food. These are all factors that may affect how a person’s memory functions. Few researchers have considered this factor in their research, let alone use it as the main research variable. Only a a small number have tried to exclude its confounding effects from their findings. Co nsequently, the line of research is worth pursuing. How to design a study to verify the hypothesis The research will involve 50 individuals. All participants will be MDMA users, but 25 of them will have a relatively dormant lifestyle while the other 25 will have a lifestyle that is identified with ecstasy users. The study will last for a period of one year, and the memory scores of test subjects will be measured at the beginning of the study and at the end of it. A longitudinal analysis of memory functioning will be done for these two groups and their t-test values compared. If the group with the typical ecstasy lifestyle has higher declines in memory than the one without the active lifestyle, then the hypothesis will be confirmed (refer to the section above for the hypothesis statement). Independent and dependent variable The hypothesis will provide a guideline on the dependent and independent variables in the study. First, the dependent variable is memory decline or memory deficit s while the independent variable is the lifestyle of MDMA users. People who manifest this lifestyle will be persons who lack sleep and food due to dancing and participation in the rave subculture. Those who do not possess this quality will belong to the control group. How to assure validity of the research In order to ensure validity in the research, it will be imperative to avoid most of the pitfalls that researchers in this field often fall into. First of all, the research will employ a longitudinal analysis that will eliminate the problem of comparing separate groups of people whose previous memory scores were not known. The paper will not compare discrete memory scores between the control and the test group; instead, it will look at the patterns of memory decline in these two separate groups. This will eradicate any possible psychological factors that may alter individual memory scores among these groups. Another method for ensuring validity will be to use participants of the sa me age group, gender and educational background. Such an approach would eliminate possible confounding effects on memory. Additionally, since prior drug use of other recreational drugs may affect outcomes, it will be imperative to include these in the correlational analysis. Characteristics of drug use will also be included in the calculations so as to preclude the effect of this exposure on the dependent variable. Criteria for conducting the study safely and ethically Only participants who give informed consent will be used in the research. They will be informed about the purpose of the research, procedures involved and the duration. Furthermore, their identities will remain anonymous, and those who feel uncomfortable with any of the research procedures will be excused. The matter under analysis is MDMA drug usage. Since this substance has neurological effects, then no participants will get the substance from the researcher. It would be unethical to subject participants to biologic al harm through this avenue. Consequently only those individuals who take MDMA out of their own accord will be considered for the research. During analysis of the results, findings will be used as is. In other words, no manipulation of outcomes will take place in order to confirm or nullify the hypothesis. Acceptable data analysis techniques will be used in order to come up with the most accurate results. References Bolla, K., McCann, M. Ricaurte, G. (1998). Memory impairment in abstinent MDMA (Ecstasy) users. Neurology Journal, 51(6), 1532-1537. Simon, N. Mattick, R. (2001). The impact of regular ecstasy use on memory function. Addiction Journal 97, 1523-1529. Zakzanis, K. Young, D. (2001). Memory impairment in abstinent MDMA (Ecstasy) users: a longitudinal investigation. Neurology Journal, 56, 966-969.

The 15th Century Chinese Explorer Cheng Ho

The 15th Century Chinese Explorer Cheng Ho Decades before Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue in search of a water route to Asia, the Chinese were exploring the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific with seven voyages of the Treasure Fleet that solidified Chinese control over much of Asia in the 15th century. The Treasure Fleets were commanded by a powerful eunuch admiral named Cheng Ho. Cheng Ho was born around 1371 in Chinas southwestern Yunan Province (just north of Laos) with the name Ma Ho. Ma Hos father was a Muslim hajji (who had made a pilgrimage to Mecca) and the family name of Ma was used by Muslims in representations of the word Mohammed. When Ma Ho was ten years old (around 1381), he was captured along with other children when the Chinese army invaded Yunan to take control over the region. At the age of 13 he was castrated, as were other young prisoners, and he was placed as a servant in the household of the Chinese Emperors fourth son (out of twenty-six total sons), Prince Zhu Di. Ma Ho proved himself to be an exceptional servant to Prince Zhu Di. He became skilled in the arts of war and diplomacy and served as an officer of the prince. Zhu Di renamed Ma Ho as Cheng Ho because the eunuchs horse was killed in battle outside of a place called Zhenglunba. (Cheng Ho is also Zheng He in the newer Pinyin transliteration of Chinese but hes still most commonly called Cheng Ho). Cheng Ho was also known as San Bao which means three jewels. Cheng Ho, who was said to have been seven feet tall, was given greater power when Zhu Di became emperor in 1402. One year later, Zhu Di appointed Cheng Ho admiral and ordered him to oversee the construction of a Treasure Fleet to explore the seas surrounding China. Admiral Cheng Ho was the first eunuch appointed to such a high military position in China. First Voyage (1405-1407) The first Treasure Fleet consisted of 62 ships; four were huge wood boats, some of the largest ever built in history. They were approximately 400 feet (122 meters) long and 160 feet (50 meters) wide. The four were the flagships of the fleet of 62 ships assembled at Nanjing along the Yangtze (Chang) River. Included in the fleet were 339-foot (103-meter) long horse ships that carried nothing but horses, water ships that carried fresh water for the crew, troop transports, supply ships, and warships for offensive and defensive needs. The ships were filled with thousands of tons of Chinese goods to trade with others during the voyage. In the fall of 1405, the fleet was ready to embark with 27,800 men. The fleet utilized the compass, invented in China in the 11th century, for navigation. Graduated sticks of incense were burned to measure time. One day was equal to 10 watches of 2.4 hours each. Chinese navigators determine latitude through monitoring the North Star (Polaris) in the Northern Hemisphere or the Southern Cross in the Southern Hemisphere. The ships of the Treasure Fleet communicated with one another through the use of flags, lanterns, bells, carrier pigeons, gongs, and banners. The destination of the first voyage of the Treasure Fleet was Calicut, known as a major trading center on the southwestern coast of India. India was initially discovered by Chinese overland explorer Hsuan-Tsang in the seventh century. The fleet stopped in Vietnam, Java, and Malacca, and then headed west across the Indian Ocean to Sri Lanka and Calicut and Cochin (cities on the southwest coast of India). They remained in India to barter and trade from late 1406 to the spring of 1407 when they utilized the monsoon shift to sail toward home. On the return voyage, the Treasure Fleet was forced to battle pirates near Sumatra for several months. Eventually, Cheng Hos men managed to capture the pirate leader and take him to the Chinese capital Nanjing, arriving in 1407. Second Voyage (1407-1409) A second voyage of the Treasure Fleet departed on a return trip to India in 1407 but Cheng Ho did not command this voyage. He remained in China to oversee the repair of a temple at the birthplace of a favorite goddess. The Chinese envoys on board helped to ensure the power of a king of Calicut. The fleet returned in 1409. Third Voyage (1409-1411) The fleets third voyage (Cheng Hos second) from 1409 to 1411 consisted of 48 ships and 30,000 men. It followed closely the route of the first voyage but the Treasure Fleet established entrepots (warehouses) and stockades along their route to facilitate trade and storage of goods. On the second voyage, the King of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) was aggressive; Cheng Ho defeated the kings forces and captured the king to take him to Nanjing. Fourth Voyage (1413-1415) In late 1412, Cheng Ho was ordered by Zhu Di to make  a fourth  expedition. It wasnt until late 1413 or early 1414 that Cheng Ho embarked on his expedition with 63 ships and 28,560 men. The goal of this trip was to reach the Persian Gulf at Hormuz, known to be a city of amazing wealth and goods, including pearls and precious stones much coveted by the Chinese emperor. In the summer of 1415, the Treasure Fleet returned with a bounty of trade goods from the Persian Gulf. Detachments of this expedition sailed south along the eastern coast of Africa almost as far south as Mozambique. During each of Cheng Hos voyages, he brought back diplomats from other countries or encouraged ambassadors to go to the capital Nanjing on their own. Fifth Voyage (1417-1419) The fifth voyage was ordered in 1416 to return the ambassadors who had arrived from other countries. The Treasure Fleet departed in 1417 and visited the Persian Gulf and the east coast of Africa, returning envoys along the way. They returned in 1419. Sixth Voyage (1421-22) A sixth voyage was launched in the spring of 1421 and visited Southeast Asia, India, the Persian Gulf, and Africa. By this time, Africa was considered Chinas El Dorado, a source of riches. Cheng Ho returned in late 1421 but the remainder of the fleet didnt arrive in China until 1422. Emperor Zhu Di died in 1424 and his son Zhu Gaozhi became emperor. He canceled the voyages of the Treasure Fleets and ordered shipbuilders and sailors to stop their work and return home. Cheng Ho was appointed military commander of Nanjing. Seventh Voyage (1431-1433) The leadership of Zhu Gaozhi did not last long. He died in 1426 at the age of 26. His son and Zhu Dis grandson Zhu Zhanji took Zhu Gaozhis place. Zhu Zhanji was much more like his grandfather than his father was and in 1430 he resumed the Treasure Fleet voyages by ordering Cheng Ho to resume his duties as admiral and make  a seventh  voyage in an attempt to restore peaceful relations with the kingdoms of Malacca and Siam. It took a year to gear up for the voyage which departed as a large expedition with 100 ships and 27,500 men. On the return trip in  1433,  Cheng Ho is believed to have died; others state that he died in 1435 after the return to China. Nonetheless, the era of exploration for China was soon over as the following  emperors  prohibited trade and even the construction of ocean-going vessels. Its likely that a detachment of one of Cheng Hos fleets sailed to northern Australia during one of the seven voyages based  upon  the Chinese artifacts found as well as the oral history of the Aborigine. After the seven voyages of Cheng Ho and the Treasure Fleets, Europeans began to make headway toward China. In 1488 Bartolomeu Dias rounded Africas Cape of Good Hope, in 1498 Vasco da Gama reached Chinas favorite trading city of Calicut, and in 1521 Ferdinand Magellan finally reached Asia by sailing west. Chinas superiority in the Indian Ocean was unrivaled until the 16th century when the Portuguese arrived and established their colonies along the rim of the Indian Ocean.

Shaping Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Shaping Behavior - Essay Example Skinner whose work with behavior modification earned him the moniker of Father of Behaviorism develop the theory of operant conditioning. The theory postulates that all behavior is essentially governed by the constant application of punishing and reinforcing stimuli. Behavior modification is designed to use a scheduled approach that consistently punishes undesirable behavior while rewarding desired behavior (Snowman, McCown & Biehler, 2012). . This concept as developed by Skinner is seen to be widely used in not only therapy, but also in a number of psychological settings. It can effectively be used in the treatment of a number of disorders including oppositional defiant disorder, autism and attention deficit disorder. In addition to this, the fundamentals of behavior modification can essentially be used to try and increase desired behavior in a given individual regardless of the person’s functional level. Reinforcement and punishment as based on the operant conditioning theory have been demonstrated to be effective in shaping behavior. In classical conditioning, organisms are trained to learn to associate a given new stimuli with biological and natural responses such as fear or salivation. The organism does not essentially learn something new, but instead is seen to being performing in what is an existing behavior in the presence of a given new signal. Operant conditioning takes a different approach as learning is based on the consequences of behavior and can at times involve the learning of new actions (Miltenberger, 2011). Punishment can be used to stop negative behavior among children. In operant conditioning, positive is seen to refer to the addition of a consequence that will serve to deter a child from repeating what is deemed to be negative behavior. Although positive punishment is essential in healthy discipline it