Income Inequality Essays - Social Inequality,

Income Inequality Income inequality in the United States remained relatively stable for a period of nearly forty years. Beginning in the 1970's, however, this period of stability ended, as the first signs of widening income inequality became apparent. Over the course of the 1970's and 1980's, an increasingly clear trend toward greater income inequality emerged. By the end of the 1980's, the top 20 percent of workers were receiving the largest share of income ever recorded by government figures, and the bottom three fifths were receiving the lowest shares ever recorded. This trend has continued into the 1990's and currently shows no signs of decline. When the indicators of growing inequality were first observed in the 1970's, some researchers argued that the effects were merely temporary artifacts of short-term labor market disturbances. By the end of the 1980's, however, a long-term trend towards increasing inequality had clearly emerged, pointing instead to inflexible changes in the occupational structure itself. The new occupational structure appeared to be one with an increase of well-paid technical, scientific, and professional jobs at the top, a"sliding" middle class, and a growing poorly-paid service and retail jobs at the bottom. Several important labor-force changes appeared to be contributing to the shifting occupational structure. As occupational reconstructing and growing income inequality became increasingly evident, a heated debated as to the causes and magnitude of these changes arose. Two dominant bodies of thought emerged around the issue: the "job-skill mismatch" thesis and the "polarization" thesis. Mismatch theorists argue that there is an increasing distance between the high skill requirements of post-industrial jobs and the inadequate training and mediocre qualifications of workers. They see the post-industrial economy leaving behind unskilled workers, especially women and minorities. For the mismatch theorist, the trend toward greater inequality is temporary and will dissipate once the supply of workers acquires the skills demanded by a post-industrial economy. And they predict that the overall distribution of workers will experience and upgrading in their wages over the long run. Polarization theorists, on the other hand, believe that the rise in inequality is permanent, a result of the shift to a service-based economy. This vision of the post-industrial economy is characteristically polarized. The problem according to these theorists, is the type of jobs being generated in the new economy, not worker attributes. Because they believe the causes are structural and permanent, polarization theorists would deny the efficacy of public policies designed to educate and train unskilled workers. They predict a long-term continuation of the trend towards increasing income inequality. Studies show that the long run increase in income inequality is also related to changes in the Nation's labor market and its household composition. The wage distribution has become considerable more unequal with more highly skilled, trained, and educated workers at the top experiencing real wage gains and those at the bottom real wage losses. One factor is the shift in employment from those goods-producing industries that have disproportionately provided high-wage opportunities for low-skilled workers, towards services that disproportionately employ college graduates, and towards low-wage sectors such as retail trade. But within industry shifts in labor demand away from less-educated workers are perhaps a more important explanation of eroding wages than the shift out of manufacturing. Also cited as putting downward pressure on the wages of less-educated workers are intensifying global competition and immigration, the decline of the proportion of workers belonging to unions, the decline in the real value of the minimum wage, the increasing need for computer skills, and the increasing use of temporary workers. At the same time, long-run changes in living arrangements have taken place that tends to provoke differences in household incomes. For example, divorces and separations, births out of wedlock, and the increasing age at first marriage have led to a shift away from married-couple households and toward single-parent and non-family households, which typically have lower incomes. Also, the increasing tendency over the period for men with higher-than-average earnings to marry women with higher-than-average earnings has contributed to widening gap between high-income and low-income households.

How to Make Bubbles That Dont Pop

How to Make Bubbles That Don't Pop If youre tired of bubbles that pop as soon as you blow them, try this recipe for unbreakable bubbles! Now, its still possible to break these bubbles, but they are much stronger than regular soap bubbles. Examples of bubbles that truly wont pop include plastic bubbles, which are essentially small balloons. This recipe makes bubbles using a sugar polymer to accomplish much the same result. Unbreakable Bubble Recipe 3 cups of water1 cup liquid dishwashing detergent (Joy is a good choice)1/2 cup white corn syrup Simply stir the ingredients together to make the bubble solution. You can use dark corn syrup just as easily as white corn syrup, but the solution will be colored. Also, you can add food coloring or glow paint to color the bubbles. You can substitute another type of sticky syrup. Expect changes in color and odor. Heres another easy bubble recipe: 3 cups water1 cup dishwashing liquid1/2 cup glycerin Getting the Biggest, Strongest Bubbles If you blow bubbles and they dont seem strong enough, you can add more glycerin and/or corn syrup. The best amount of glycerin or corn syrup depends on the dish soap you use, so the recipe is a starting point. Feel free to adjust the ingredient measurements. If you use ultra dishwashing liquid, youll probably need to add more syrup or glycerin. If you are having trouble getting big bubbles, you might want to use distilled water rather than tap water. Also, bubble recipes benefit from sitting for several hours or overnight before use. Glowing Bubbles If you break open a yellow highlighter and allow the ink to soak into the water, the resulting bubble solution and bubbles will glow under a black light. Another option is to use tonic water in place of regular water. The tonic water bubbles will glow pale blue under a black light. For brighter glowing bubbles, you can add glow pigment to the bubble mixture. However, the pigment becomes suspended in the solution rather dissolves, so the bubbles wont last as long or get as large. Coloring Bubbles Bubbles consist of a thin liquid film over a gas (air). Because the liquid layer is so thin, its hard to color bubbles. You can add food coloring or dye, but dont expect the color to be really noticeable. Also, the pigment molecules are large and will weaken the bubbles so they wont be as big or last as long. Its possible to color bubbles, but you may not like the results. Your best bet is to substitute a water-based dye in place of water in the bubble recipe. Blow colored bubbles outdoors because they will stain surfaces and clothing. Bubble Clean Up As you might guess, bubbles made using corn syrup  are sticky. They will clean up with warm water, but its best to blow bubbles outdoors or in a bathroom or kitchen so you wont have to un-stick your carpet or upholstery. The bubbles wash out of clothing.

History question Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

History question - Coursework Example He wanted to restore law and order in the country which ensures people stays harmoniously and also championed for what was perceived as morally right in Vietnam traditions was among his achievements. This made him popular hence could go to achieve a lot more. There was constitutional crisis in the region which Nixon worked hard to restore. Presidential elections had been marred by corruption and rigging, which Nixon ensured no more of that when the then South Dakota senator George McGovern was elected as the president democratically. In 1964, Nixon was more popular than even the president as he had 60.7% votes except Massachusetts where he came second. Democrats also required good representations in their states which were to gather for women and youths in their states. Grass root conservative movement emergence was brought by a number of issues. Lyndon Jonson victory in 1964 election results significantly mastermind rise of conservative movements as people didn’t believe there was transparency. There were also grassroots movements unions which were growing which had enabled Barry Goldwater win nominations. These unions comprises middle class men and women from south and west, college students and young Americans who were fighting for freedom as they believe justice were not done during election. Some states were dominated by white people, who were highly skilled; strong economically with high security had angered the minority which took it as discrimination as they were not given same opportunities. Women changing roles were also his concern as he aligned himself with those who were against the idea. Nixon main area of concern was at racial discrimination, poverty and equality among the citizens. This made his famous among the middle and law class who were feeling the pressure as he fought for their rights. Through this, he manages to come out stronger which later became the base of his political

Case analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Case analysis - Essay Example Consequently, if Adam looses trust and faith in her superior, Janet, the same will happen to Adams juniors. Thus, any miscommunications will always pass down to the juniors and the whole organization will feel the effects at the end. Adams is put in a difficult situation of explaining to her juniors why she had misinformed or rather lied to them. Ethically, Janet has violated her responsibly to pass the right information to the employees working below her. The second Pinocchio would be for breaking the personal trust between her and Adams. Honesty should be the driving factor in any relationship since even the working relationship depends on the personal relationship between employees. This can be seen, when Janet tells Rachael that the company is not going anywhere and that they are there to stay. Here, Janet has created a misleading impression by playing with words thus beating Adams’s wits. Even though Janet had the moral obligation to Ballinger, she equally had a moral obl igation to Adams and the employees under her at large. Alternatively, she would have told Adam of not knowing any information regarding the merger as they waited for the official communication. By being dishonest, she is jeopardizing the company’s reputation at the same time killing the workers’ morale and as such killing the organization. By telling Adam the truth, the faith of the employees to the organization would have been saved thus owning the challenges the organization was facing then. Since the employees feel betrayed now, they would not mind looking for other opportunities

Technology Article Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Technology Article - Assignment Example Bluetooth wireless technology has revolutionized the personal connectivity market as it provides the freedom to connect without using cables or wires. Bluetooth wireless technology has a number of key features including its low cost, robustness, ease-of-use, built in security, ad hoc networking abilities and low power consumption (Bluetooth.com, 2010). Yet another adorable feature with the technology is that quite a number of its core features are optional which therefore allows room for product differentiation. Originally, the technology was thought of as an alternative to data cables (Bluetooth.com, 2010). Bluetooth can be used to connect many devices and has overcome problems related to synchronization. In other words, the technology enables devices to connect remotely and exchange between themselves a variety of data classes. Several products can be fitted with Bluetooth devices. Some of these include digital cameras, Global Positioning System receivers, personal computers, printers, telephones, laptops, mobile phones, high definition watches, stereo headsets, MP3 players, cars and video game consoles just to mention a few. According to Bluetooth SIG (Special Interest Group), the consumer demand for the technology has continued to rise. In 2005, the technology achieved a milestone - shipping five million Bluetooth units per week (Bluetooth.com, 2005). This definitely implies that the technology has significant market traction. Since 1998 when Bluetooth Specification was first released, more than 3400 companies have become Bluetooth Special Interest Group members (Bluetooth.com, 2005). Some of these companies include Microsoft, Motorola, Toshiba, Nokia, Intel, IBM, Agere and Erickson. According to the Zelos Group (2002), the use of Bluetooth has impacted mobile carrier revenue significantly ever since the technology first hit the market. The group predicted that Bluetooth, in 2006, would

A Gamma Rays Report Biology Essay

A Gamma Rays Report Biology Essay Have you ever know that Gamma-ray bursts can release more energy in 10 seconds than the Sun will emit the same amount of energy in its entire 10 billion-year lifetime? Have you ever believed that a Gamma-ray is actually the most energetic and most active photon in the electromagnetic spectrum? As a matter of fact, scientists believe that a gamma-ray burst will occur once every few million years in the Milky Way, but has it ever came to your mind that a gamma ray burst is the MOST powerful known explosion in the galaxy?http://www.astrocappella.com/images/GRBposter.jpg Well, Gamma-rays are extremely high frequency waves that have very small wavelengths and carry the largest amount of energy in the entire electromagnetic spectrum. In fact, these waves are produced by radioactive atoms as well as nuclear explosions. Because Gamma-rays pass through almost any material and are very difficult to stop, one may need a large concentration of lead or concrete in order to block them out and reduce their damage. In fact, Gamma-rays also have the ability to cause serious damage when engaged by living cells due to their extremely high energy substance.http://web.princeton.edu/sites/ehs/osradtraining/radiationproperties/rad1.gif How Gamma-Rays are produced? Gamma rays are obviously part of the electromagnetic spectrum, and are photons, or in other words, packets of energy. The term photon itself means visible light particle, however, photons inside gamma rays are called gamma photons. These photons inside the gamma rays have over a million times more energy than visible light. Gamma rays originate or actually come from the nucleus of an atom, and as a result, are produced when an atom is radioactive and contains too much energy in the nucleus (the center of an atom). Also, when the atom is very active it emits a beta particle, which is an extremely high speed electron or proton that is emitted when an atom is radioactive. However, when the atom emits a beta particle it still contains too much energy, so it emits a gamma photon, or in other words, gamma radiation.C:Documents and SettingsRamzaMy DocumentsMy Picturesgamma.gif Properties: Gamma rays are very high energy ionizing radiations that are part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Gamma photons have absolutely no mass and no electric charges; they are neutral and have 100% pure electromagnetic energy. In fact, Gamma Radiation is a type of energy that has a very high frequency, and therefore, consists of extremely short wavelengths. Actually, Gamma Rays can travel at the speed of light due to their high energy levels; they can cover thousands of meters before consuming all their energy. Consequently, gamma photons can pass almost any type of material that includes human tissue. For instance, lead is used as a shield to slow down or stop gamma photons. Uses Gamma rays, which are basically electromagnetic radiations discharged by radioactive or atomic decay, are used in many purposes, from killing cancerous cells to measuring soil density. Even though Gamma rays contain some cancer-causing properties, they are somehow used to treat some types of cancer. As a matter of fact, in the procedure called gamma-knife surgery, different beams of gamma rays are actually directed on the growth (the cancerous cells) in order to kill them. Well, first of all, Gamma rays are used for many treatment purposes, mainly for killing tumors, cancer cells and other malignant cells in the human body. In fact, a tracer, which is in other words, a radioactive substance, is put inside the human body, and its path (trace) inside the body is then followed. A special gamma camera uses those rays to build up a picture, and this picture gives the doctor an excellent and complete vision of what he is treating and dealing with. The patient gets a very small dose of the radiation and, therefore, does not suffer greatly. Secondly, Gamma Rays are used in sterilizing medical equipment by actually killing the bacteria. They are also used to kill bacteria, microbes and insects in foodstuffs, mainly meat and vegetables, basically to maintain freshness. Furthermore, gamma rays are used to gauge thickness of metals in steel mills, measure and control flow in liquids in industrial processes, as well as provide very interesting images of the universe. Finally, Gamma rays have also disclosed huge information about the structure of the atomic nucleus, as they actually interact with substance by different separated elementary processes.C:Documents and SettingsRamzaMy DocumentsMy Picturesradiotherapy.jpg Effectshttp://gymjunkies.com/images/vegetables.png As a matter of fact, Gamma radiation is the most penetrative type of energy known; gamma rays can get past even some of the densest and thickest materials, making them both a great benefit as well as a hazard. Because the photons that cover up gamma radiation are so energetic, their effect on human health is indeed extremely deep. Effects of gamma rays are well-known to everybody from treatment of nuclear fallout. In fact, close contact with radioactive materials of a significant size causes damage to skin tissue and deaths are also very likely. Normally, burns occur more or less directly, while nausea, fatigue and vomiting take hours to become visible after the exposure. Unfortunately, the burn is very painful and deep. Hair loss and bleeding may take up to months to start heeling and actually return to normal again. In fact, Gamma rays are generally recognized to be the most physically major grate by which ionization radiation causes cancer as well as heredity disease. http://www.a nimatedsoftware.com/environm/no_nukes/tenw/page568.gif In conclusion, Gamma-rays have the shortest wavelengths, highest frequencies, and, as a result, are the most powerful and energetic form of light in the universe. As mentioned above, it has the most energy of any other wave in the electromagnetic spectrum. Gamma rays are used to kill cancerous cells, which actually assures the fact that gamma rays are an advantage to medicine, but, at the same time could be very harmful indeed. Actually, Gamma radiation is the most penetrative type of energy known currently; it can get past even some of the densest substances, making them both a great benefit as well as a hazard.C:Documents and SettingsRamzaMy DocumentsMy PicturesPicture%204_43.png Quotes about Gamma Rays In general, the objects in the universe that are very high-energy objects, or the processes that are high-energy processes, will radiate more in the short wavelength range towards the gamma rays or the x-rays. Claude Nicollier The first stage had been all over before the doctors even knew they were dealing with a new sickness; it was the direct reaction to the bombardment of the body, at the moment when the bomb went off, by neutrons, beta particles, and gamma rays. John Hersey Gamma was a logical progression after doing the Open Fire record. Ronnie Montrose I turned my attention for a while to gamma ray astronomy and soon began the first in a continous series of experiments at the Savannah River site to study the properties of the neutrino. Frederick Reines In this case, the particle formed has correspondingly less energy, whereas the product nucleus passes into the ground state with emission of the quantity of energy saved as gamma radiation. Walther Bothe Our border patrol does a great job under these very dangerous conditions. They use very sophisticated equipment, including gamma rays, to detect drugs and illegal immigrants as they enter the U.S. Timothy Murphy Read more: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/gamma.html#ixzz1EdKeRyfQ Citation Website Mark. Gamma Rays | Radiation Protection | US EPA.  US Environmental Protection Agency. Us Government, 1 Oct. 2010. Web. 12 Feb. 2011. . Thompson, Martin J. What Is a Gamma Ray?  WiseGEEK: Clear Answers for Common Questions. IND, INC, May-June 2028. Web. 10 Feb. 2011. . Moss, Jennifer M. The Electromagnetic Spectrum: Gamma Rays.  Andy Darvills Science Site: Home. Google, Jan. 2006. Web. 21 Feb. 2011. . Liam S. Gamma Ray Quotes Science Quotes Dictionary of Science Quotations and Scientist Quotes.  Today In Science History. Web. 21 Feb. 2011. . Book Schonfelder, Volker. 5.  The Universe in Gamma Rays. Berlin [u.a.: Springer, 2001. Print.

The Three Branches of the U.S. Federal Government Essay -- United Stat

The Three Branches of the Federal Government There are three branches of the federal government, the executive, the judicial, and the legislative. The executive branch consists of such people as the president, the cabinet, and the executive offices of the president. The executive branch is known for enforcing laws created by the legislative branch. The judicial branch entails the United States Supreme Court and the Federal Judiciary. The judicial branch must review the laws the executive branch is to enforce. There is also the legislative branch. This branch contains the United States House of Representatives, the United States Senate, and the Library of Congress. Laws are created through the legislative branch. The basic idea between the creation of the three branches is based upon â€Å"checks and balances.† No branch should become so powerful that it over-takes either of the other branches. This also brings out the point that neither one of these branches, nor any person holding office in one of them, can exercise power belonging to either of the others. The legislative branch creates the laws, the judicial branch reviews the law, and then the executive branch enforces the laws. All three branches are interrelated, each branch overlaps but serves separate purposes. The main powers of the executive branch rest with the President of the United States of America. Powers granted to him by the constitution include serving as commander in chief of the armed forces; negotiating treaties; appointing federal judges, ambassadors, and cabinet officials; and acting as head of state. The president also has a cabinet which includes officials such as the attorney general and the secretaries of State, Treasury, Defense, Interior, Agricu... ...ve. The legislative branch deals with the people, not directly, but in similar terms. The judicial branch could be considered the most democratic because the judicial branch is set-up to protect the people and their rights. While the legislative branch speaks for the people, the judicial branch protects the people. The executive branch does a combination of both the judicial branch and the legislative branch; however, it doesn’t focus solely on one power or the other. The executive branch works for the people, at the same time protecting the people. The executive branch has the power to veto bills and laws passed by the Congress, and the executive branch sees the laws through. All the branches, however democratic, are set-up for the people and to carry out the public’s will. If any of the branches were unable to do so, the system would not have survived 200 years.

Cat Dissection Structures Essay

Healthy kidneys make hormones such as renin and angiotensin. These hormones regulate how much sodium (salt) and fluid the body keeps, and how well the blood vessels can expand and contract. This, in turn, helps control blood pressure. They do this by regulating: †¢ The amount of water in the body. If there is too much water in the body (fluid overload) blood pressure will go up. If there is too little water in the body (dehydration) the blood pressure will drop. †¢ The width of the arteries. The arteries constantly change in width as blood flows through them. The narrower the arteries, the higher the blood pressure. Renin helps control narrowing of the arteries. Failing kidneys often make too much renin. This raises blood pressure. If your blood pressure is high, your heart is working harder than normal to pump blood through your body. High blood pressure (also called hypertension) caused by a breakdown in these functions is common in people with kidney failure. It is also a complication, a secondary condition caused by kidney failure. †¢ RBC production? o The urinary system controls red blood cell production by secreting the hormone erythropoietin. . What structures enter or exit at the hilum of the kidney? †¢ Ureters, renal blood vessels, lymphatics, and nerves enter and exit at the hilum Know the anatomy of the kidney so that you could recognize the following parts from a description or on a diagram: capsule, hilum, renal artery, renal vein, ureter, cortex, medulla, papillae, renal columns, minor and major calyces, renal pelvis. The Kidney is bean-shaped and located in the lumbar region of the body. The kidney is described as being Retroperitoneal-that is, it is located between the dorsal body wall nd the parietal peritoneum. 1. An average human kidney weighs about 5 ounces. 2. Sitting on top of each kidney is a single adrenal gland that essentially has no influence on the kidney. B. The Renal Hilum-vertical cleft on the medial surface of the kidney, that leads into an internal space within the kidney known as the Renal Sinus. 1. The ureter, the renal blood vessels, lymphatics and nerves all join each other at the hilum and occupy the renal sinus. C. There are Three Layers of Support Tissue Surrounding each kidney. The layers are: 1. The Fibrous Capsule-a capsule-like layer that prevents infections in surrounding regions from spreading to the kidney. 2. The Perirenal Fat Capsule-a thick layer of adipose tissue that attaches the kidney to the posterior body wall and cushions it against blows. 3. The Renal Fascia-an outer layer of fibrous connective tissue that anchors the kidney and adrenal glands to surrounding tissues.   Three Distinct Internal Segments in the Human Kidney: 1. The Renal Cortex-light colored, superficial region of the kidney. This area has a granular appearance. . The Renal Medulla-a dark red or brown colored region in the kidney. The medulla contains cone-shaped areas known as the Medullary or Renal Pyramids. a. The base of each pyramid faces towards the cortex and the apex (Papilla) points internally. b. The pyramids contain bundles of microscopic urine-collecting tubules and capillaries. Structures known as the Renal Columns separate the pyramids from each other. c. Each pyramid and its surr ounding tissue makes up one of eight lobes of a kidney. 3. The Renal Pelvis-a funnel-shaped tube that is continuous with the ureter leaving he hilum. a. Branching extensions of the Pelvis form two or three Major Calyces, each of which subdivides to form several Minor Calyces. b. The Minor Calyces are cup-shaped areas that enclose the papillae of the pyramids. 1) The calyces collect urine, which drains from the papillae, and empty into the renal pelvis. The urine then flows through the renal pelvis and into the ureter which moves it to the bladder where it is stored. 2) Smooth muscle lines the walls of the calyces, the pelvis and the ureter. Urine is pushed through these areas via peristalsis. In what part of the kidney are most of the nephrons located? Renal Cortex 4. Blood supply of the kidney: †¢ Branch of aorta that enters kidney is the renal artery, which divides several times as it moves toward the cortex. †¢ At the base of the renal pyramids, the arcuate arteries branch into interlobular arteries that branch into afferent arterioles that deliver blood to the glomerulus. †¢ The efferent arterioles exit the glomerulus and give rise to the peritubular and vasa recta capillaries surrounding the renal tubule. Secretion and reabsorption occurs between the tubule and bloodstream in these capillaries.

A Different View essays

A Different View essays Terrorism is defined as a systematic use of terror as a means of coercion. To enforce political or common values on the Iraqi citizens, could that be considered terrorism? Who is the culprit, the military or the Iraqi citizens who crowd the streets? I will discuss whether or not the U.S.A is committing crimes of terrorism by enforcing their style of government on the Iraqi citizens. In addition, how the Iraqi citizens have grown weary and begun to form fierce mobs that crowd the streets ending with who are the real victims military or Iraqi citizens On May 13, 2004, our reconnaissance unit was patrolling the Iraqi border, just about five miles outside of the city. The sky is orange from the rays of the sun and the hot desert sand thats covering my jungle boots. The water is as thick as mud as it goes down my throat; explosion and gunfire are becoming to sound like the latest music. We are now approaching the city where crowds of at least three hundred people are forming picking up massive rocks, guns ,and sticks while chanting fiercely go home we dont need any help. Sergeant strong and powerful had a look of fear that shadowed his face; the unit was in a state of shock. A kid no older than thirteen years ran up to me laughing and chanting I asked him why. He told me an answer that, in our country no thirteen year old would care he said Americans try to change us and make us follow their ways, they call us terrorists, but theyre coming in our country, running tanks down the street who are the real terrorists. I was shock stan ding there holding a M-16 in the middle of their town hall. When I caught, a reflection of myself in their clothing store I wanted to immediately drop the rifle. Suddenly, a massive rock is thrown down from the rooftop, hitting my captain directly on top of his helmet, causing him to instantly drop to his knees; luckily, he was wearing a helmet prev ...

The Bodys Response To Stress And How Do We Deal With It The WritePass Journal

The Bodys Response To Stress And How Do We Deal With It Introduction The Bodys Response To Stress And How Do We Deal With It Introduction Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal Axis (HPA)Seyles General Adaption Syndrome  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kiecolt- Glasers Exam StudyProblem-focused method of copingThe emotion-focused way of copingConclusionReference:Related Introduction Stress is a psychological and physical response of the body that occurs whenever we must adapt to changing conditions. And a stressor is the stimulus that brings about the stress response. For example, if you are scared of flying, airports may be a stressor for you. Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal Axis (HPA) The stress response begins in the brain in an area called the hypothalamus, this is the point at which the perception of stress by higher brain centres begins a major physiological change in the body, it does this by stimulating 2 biological mechanisms. The first is called the Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal system (HPA). When a stressor   is detected,   the higher brain centre send signals to hypothalamus telling it to ready the body for action. The hypothalamus does this by communicating with another part of the brain called the pituitary gland, stimulating it to release adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH). ACTH is detected in the bloodstream by the adrenal cortex, and in response it releases further hormones called the corticosteroids. There are a number of corticosteroids each having specific effects on the body, like causing liver to release glucose, fatty acids and cholesterol for extra energy needed during stress. When the corticosteroids are detected by the brain it has th e effect of switching off the stress response. Sympathetic Adrenalmedullary Axis (SAM) For the sympathetic adrenal medullary axis (SAM), when the hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system, which is a part of the autonomic nervous system, it stimulates a gland in the body called the adrenal medulla to release 2 hormones called adrenaline and noradrenaline into the bloodstream, these hormones have wide-ranging effects but mainly to increase blood pressure and heart rate. Seyles General Adaption Syndrome  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Han Selye(1940) developed a theory which has helped us understand how and why stress leads to illness. He subjected animals to a variety of stressors such as injection,   poison or extreme temperature and found that a similar pattern of physical responses could be observed, and divided them into three different stages. At stage 1 which is the alarm stage, stressor is perceived, HPA and SAM are activated, heart rate and blood pressure therefore increase.Stage 2, the resistant stage, the level of stress-related hormones and bodily arousal are remaining high n finally, at the final exhaustion stage, long period of stress   (chronic stress) eventually exhaust the bodys   defense system and its ability to maintain high levels   of circulating stress hormones, stress related illness may develop. There has been an increasing body of evidence supporting a relationship between long-term stress and cardiovascular disease, 2 of the biggest risks are high blood pressure and coronary hea rt disease. Kiecolt- Glasers Exam Study Research on a wide variety of stressors has shown that stress can reduce the effectiveness of the immune system. Kiecolt- Glaser et al (1984) has done an experiment on stress and the immune system. The aim of the experiment is to see whether external stress can have an impact on the immune system. They did it by collecting samples of 75 medical students on 2 different occasions. First, blood samples was taken at one month before their examinations, which is a relatively low stress time and secondly, during the examinations. The researchers looked at each of the blood samples and calculate the natural killer cell content. The more natural killer cells, the more efficient the immune system. Finally they found that the blood samples taken during the exams were much lower in NK cells than the samples taken a month earlier. One of the drawbacks of this experiment is that it had a causality problem, we cannot conclude that the stress caused the reduction in the immune system. Moreover, there may be a sampling bias, the participants are students n it is possible that they may respond to stress differently than some other types of people. However, being a natural experiment this study has high validity and there are likely to be few or no demand characteristics, though control of extraneous variables was not possible. Problem-focused method of coping The methods of coping with stress can be distinguished into emotion-focused and problem-focused methods of coping. The problem focused way deal with stress by treating it as a problem and actively engage with it. This includes anticipatory coping by gaining information about what makes us stressed and develop a plan of action to help us deal with it, and seeking social suport, pit means identify events in the environment that are either causing or likely to trigger stress, then we can take practical steps to avoid or better deal with it. SIT, the stress inoculation training is developed by Meichenbaum (1972) , its a psychological method of dealing with stress by restructuring how we think about events. First the client is encouraged to reappraise stress, the therapist discusses the nature of stress   with the client and explores stressful experiences that the client had in the past. Secondly the client is taught various ways of coping with stress, these would be quite specific and include general strategies such as relaxation. In the final phase clients are encouraged to apply their training to the real world. The stressors may be graded and gradually increase in intensity. Meichenbaum then wanted to investigate how effective his own SIT treatment was. So he studied anxious pre-exam students and placed them in three different conditions which are 8 weeks of SIT, 8 weeks of systematic desensitisation, and the controlled group which had no therapy at all. The efficiency of SIT was evaluated through exam performance and self reports by participants. So simply, if the students felt it has been sucessful and they performed well in exams, SIT was judged to have worked. Finally he found that the SIT group gave the most positive self-reports and outperformed the other students in exam. Some drawbacks of this study is that self-reports are not necessarily reliable , just because a person feels that something has not worked does not mean they receive no benefits from i t. Moreover the study does not address â€Å"optimum treatment period†, so we cannot be sure which of the method is best, only that SIT worked better than systematic desensitisation if a treatment period of 8 weeks is used. Although SIT is neither a quick, easy or cheap method to mange stress, it is flexible and the benefits of it can be long term. The emotion-focused way of coping The emotion-focused method is one that provides stressed person with relief from their symptoms. Some of the techniques are defence mechanisms, which is a way of blocking out the stress, or they may choose to reappraise it, which means simply changing the way they feel about the situation. Drugs is also the common physiological method to use. The most widely used prescribed drugs today are benzodiazepines and beta-blocker. They are quick acting, but do not treat the cause of problem, they may also have side effects n cause addiction too. Conclusion In conclusion, the problem focused strategies aim to change, alter or even remove the stressful problem, while emotion-focused aim to control or regulate the feelings a person is having. It has no a very satisfying answer of which one is better than the other, each has its strengths n weaknesses and each works best in different situations. Different people with different personalities and characteristics can react differently to stress, so which method of coping to choose is depend on numbers of factors, gender, age, and even wealth may also matter! Reference: NHS nhs.uk/Conditions/Stress/Pages/Introduction.aspx New 2008 AQA A Specification AS Level Psychology, Nigel Holt and Rob Lewis, Crown House Publishing Limited Coping with stress   helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm

Depends on the movie Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Depends on the movie - Coursework Example The most crucial query is your comfort and preference, disregarding common stereotypes and prejudices. This main idea is set forth in rather extraordinary movie The Kids are All Right by Lisa Cholodenko, which tells the story about untraditional married couple. With a help of artificial insemination, Nic and Jules have managed to build full and amicable family, raising two children, eighteen-year-old Joni and fifteen-year-old Laser. The stated movie shows the availability of alternative ways of reproduction, implying today’s solutions and possibility to have kids in same-sex union. The statement of Paul Hatfield, a donor that appears in family’s life so abruptly, saying, â€Å"I loved the idea of helping people, who were in need† (Horowitz, 2010), accentuate mutual assistance and support, which people have to give each other more frequently. Though in nineteen-year-old age Paul’s intentions, obviously, could be called mercenary, because he admits the role of maternal factor, however, being a grown-up person, Mister Hatfield realizes the importance and nobility of his deed, calling to follow his example. Relationships within the family seem to be quite ordinary. Being too serious and demanding all the time, Nic plays the role of the head that makes decisions and gives pieces of advice.

John Rawls - Political Liberalism - Choose 1 out of 2 suggested topics Essay

John Rawls - Political Liberalism - Choose 1 out of 2 suggested topics - Essay Example The idea explains political liberalism in a democratic society. It is evident that, in a democratic society, each person’s world view is valid and acceptable. The confusion here is that, if each person’s opinion of the world is diverse, it is a miracle how they live in the same society, sharing common laws. The idea of public reason explains how the society is able to maintain political liberalism. It shows that the public reason plays an important role in ensuring constitutional democracy. Below is a description of the connection between public understanding and political liberalism, which also illustrates its role in the constitutional democracy. Rawls’ political liberalism is all about the liberal conception of the role of justice. Rawls argues that because the society has competing conceptions of the good, the government should be neutral when it comes to support such conceptions. This is where he develops the idea of public reason, to explain the existence of political liberty even with the existence of different people with different views and beliefs. A political liberty comes with a democratic society, but within a democratic society, people still have to be coerced to specific laws. One law for so many people, yet they have differences. Rawls uses public reason to explain how it ensures constitutional democracy (Rawls 213). In order to understand how public reason helps a society achieve political liberty, it is important to describe what it is, as conceptualized by Rawls. It is also essential to comprehend what a democratic society means. A democratic society is a free society. A free society is composed of citizens with dissimilar worldviews. People have different conceptions about what is wrong or right; people have different religious beliefs, and people value various forms and pursuits of interpersonal relations. Democratic people will have different aims in life and will want to act according to their beliefs, yet in a