Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory: A Qualitative Study

Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory: A Qualitative Study From the time of conception until death, humans undergo incessant changes. One would experience biological, psychological and cognitive changes as one progresses in life. It leads to a change in the way one thinks and behaves. Development is the systematic change that takes place in an individual over the course of life (Shaffer and Kipp 2009: 2). The development of a human being is influenced by factors of nature and nurture. Based on these factors, various psychologists have proposed theories pertaining to human development. Particularly, psychologists have been interested in how one’s personality develops; whether personality is inherent or whether it is shaped by one’s experiences and environment. Among such psychologists was Erik Erikson who proposed the psychosocial theory of development. Erikson was a follower of Freud and accepted many of the idea’s that Freud introduced, however Erikson made modifications to Freud’s ideas and introduced the theory of psychosocial development (Erikson 1963, 1982 cited in Shaffer and Kipp 2009: 44). Freud believed that the stages of personality development was influenced by the maturation of sex instinct, this theory was termed psychosexual development (cite needed). Psychosexual theory of development focuses essentially on the unconscious mind. The id, ego and superego are the components of personality and these three components develop in accordance to the stages of psychosexual development. There are 5 stages of psychosexual development; the oral, anal, phallic, latency and finally the genital stage. The extent to which conflicts are resolved in each of these stages influence one’s personality later in life. Erikson modified this theory by emphasizing more on social and cultural influences on development and personality, rather than the influence of sex instinct and urges. The psychosocial theory of development constructs a series of 8 stages of psychosocial conflict that one would encounter at various stages of life. Each stage consists of a major crisis. The time at which each crisis emerges is dependent on factors of biological maturation and social demands that one would encounter during various phases of life. The extent to which an individual resolves each conflict affects the psychological development and personality of the individual (citation needed). Early life experiences, therefore, are assumed to have a significant impact on the way in which one would think about the world, the way one would form social relationships and on what one would think about oneself. To determine how Erikson’s psychosocial theory of development may contribute in explaining how interpersonal relationships, emotion and personality are shaped, particularly in individuals of the Sri Lankan context, a structured interview was formulated and 2 individuals were interviewed based on how he/she looks back on his/her life. The interview provides means of obtaining qualitative data about the participants’ lives with respect to the psychosocial development that has and is taking place. The sample for the interview consisted of a 25 year old Sri Lankan male who was married and a 50 year old Sri Lankan female who was divorced, single and had 2 children. The occupation of the participant A (the male participant) was mechanical engineering and participant B (the female participant) worked as a confidential secretary. Before the interview was conducted, each participant was briefed on the purpose of the interview and the method in which the interview would take plac e, then were asked if he/she would like to participate in the study. Information regarding the expected duration of the interview and the nature of the questions that would be asked was also given to the participants prior to the interview so that the participant would be fully aware of what the consequences of taking part in the study would be. The interview was a structured interview; 38 open ended questions were devised and there was an average of 4 questions relating to each of the 8 stages of Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development. After the participants agreed to participate in the study a face to face interview was conducted at each of the participants’ homes. Before the interview began the participants were briefed on confidentiality being maintained, their rights to not answer questions that they wished not to answer and they were given the right to withdraw at any moment they wished. The participants then signed a consent form and the interview proceeded. Stage 1: Trust versus mistrust The first stage of psychosocial development is believed to take place during infancy (0 – 1 year). At this stage the relationship between the infant and mother is of importance. In order to cultivate a healthy balance between trust and mistrust the infant should not be overprotected and overindulged yet the infant should be cared for and not neglected. If the infant is abused or neglected at this stage the infant’s basic trust will be destroyed and mistrust would be fostered. When one has mistrust one tends to expect that the world would bring more bad his/her way than good. One may find it difficult to trust friends and loved ones, even society. Mistrust may even cause an individual to be more avoidant of exposure to risks because the individual feels that the world is dangerous and inconsistent. Contrastingly, if the infant is overprotected by the mother the infant may develop a false sense of trust. Insulation from any form of unexpectedness may amount to sensory dis tortion and the individual may become naive. Such individuals are generally optimistic. In the interview conducted, questions were asked to determine how trusting the participant was of the world. When asked about what the participant thinks the future holds, participant A stated that he was optimistic to a certain extent about the future and the responses that participant A provided revealed that he did not seem to have difficulty in trusting other individuals. Participant A believed that the world is good yet has its ugly when asked whether the participant thinks the world is a bad place. Using the psychosocial theory of development participant A appears to have a healthy balance between trust and mistrust. Therefore it can be inferred that as an infant the participant obtained sufficient affection and care without being overprotected. Participant B, however, was pessimistic about the future, failed to see any good in the world and did not seem to trust other individuals with ease . Mistrust seems to have fostered more in participant B and this may be as a result of neglect during infancy. However the degree to which this theory is effective can be of question. Participant B’s mistrust may not be a result of experience during infancy, instead it may be an experience from later in life. The individual is divorced and the failed marriage may be a better explanation for why the individual is pessimistic and finds it difficult to trust others. Stage 2: Autonomy versus shame and doubt Between the age of 1 and 3, exerting independence becomes a key challenge for the child. The child begins to gain control over his/her body and is able to explore surroundings. If the child is ridiculed for his/her attempts at autonomy the child may become doubtful and ashamed of handling situations and problems on his/her own. Participant A’s responses to the questions based on autonomy took no extremes but rather fell on middle ground. The responses revealed that the participant made decisions independently and did not rely on others for matters that needed to be handled himself, however would seek help occasionally when in doubt. Participant B, however, still relied on parents for assistance when making important decisions in life and would ask for assistance when facing difficulty or if doubtful about what to do. Therefore, it can be assumed that participant B is less autonomous than participant A. However in the Sri Lankan culture it is not common to find adults still see king his/her parents for advice. Families in Sri Lankan culture are closely knit. Even as children grow into adults, the relationship with parents remain strong and it is quite common to find that elderly parents continue to live with their adult children and grandchildren. This closeness and confidence could be the reason why individuals still ask parents for advice even as an adult, not because of autonomy as a toddler. In this sense Erikson’s theory may be ethnocentric and not quite applicable in Sri Lankan culture. Stage 3: Initiative versus guilt This stage takes place between the age of 3 and 6 years. In addition to autonomy, the child now learns qualities of planning and undertaking tasks for the sake of being active. Guilt is a result of being reprimanded for adventure and experimentation. At this stage in a child’s life Erikson highlights the importance of adventure and play no matter how puerile it may appear to the parent of supervisor. Preventing an individual from initiation at this stage may have an effect on the individual’s confidence to initiate in later life and may instil fear that the individual is wrong or would be disapproved. However the child should still experience the consequence of mistakes and learn through trial and error so that the child does not turn out to be irresponsible so that the child’s conscience develops and so that he/she does not become boastful in nature. Stage 4: Industry versus inferiority From the age of 7 to 12, the child’s cognitive capabilities increase drastically. The competence of the child develops and the child begins to engage in meaningful activity. Involvement in extracurricular activities in school may help the child prepare to enter life and become industrious as an adult. Contrastingly if the child does not experience the satisfaction that achievement brings, experiences failure in school work and activities, or is denied the opportunity to develop his/her unique potential and participate in school activities, in later life the individual may feel useless, unable to contribute or work in teams. Moreover, a certain amount of failure is important too so that the child has a sense of modesty. The balance between modesty and competence if important. One develops the virtue purpose if successful in this stage. Stage 5: Identity versus role confusion Adolescence (age 12 to 18 years) is a major stage of development of an individual. One becomes increasingly independent, one begins to think of the future in terms of the career one wishes to occupy and the type of lifestyle one wishes to follow. In making such decisions one must learn the roles that one will occupy as an adult. What should happen at the end of this stage, according to Bee, is â€Å"a reintegrated sense of self, of what one wants to do or be, and of one’s appropriate sex role† (Bee 1992 cited in McLeod 2013). Individuals begin to explore possibilities and based on the result of such explorations, one’s identity is formed. Forcing an identity upon a youth would cause diffusion in which the individual lacks any form of commitment or passion. The youth would become rebellious or unhappy. In failing to form one’s identity, one may experience foreclosure where the youth adopts an identity of convenience precipitately. The youth that is unable t o form his/her own identity becomes confused about his/her role in society. Individuals would develop the virtue of fidelity if successful in this stage. Although Erikson’s theory describes the development of fidelity the theory does not explain how the development takes place. It is difficult to test the theory in this area and it is not falsifiable. The relationship between exploration as a youth and development of identity is vague. Participant A in the interview had strict parents and was not allowed to explore and adventure as a teenager yet seems to have fidelity and a strong identity. This contradicts the psychosocial theory of development. Stage 6: Intimacy versus isolation In young adulthood (18 to 40 years), one starts to share oneself and one’s space more intimately with another individual. It starts with exploring a relationship with an individual other than a family member, which in turn could lead toward a long term commitment to that individual. Avoidance of intimacy and commitment to a relationship could lead to isolation or even depression. If an individual succeeds in this stage the individual develops the virtue of love. However in a country that has arranged marriages it is difficult to see how willing one is to share one’s personal space with another. It could just be that the individual is forced to be in a committed relationship with another individual. The obligation to remain in the relationship would be present without love. In this case determining the successfulness of an individual at this stage is difficult. Stage 7: Generativity versus stagnation This stage occurs during middle adulthood (between 40 and 65 years). The individual starts to feel more involved in the world and a part of a bigger picture. Moreover, one would become more productive in terms of one’s career or in terms of raising one’s children. Some may even become involved in community activities and organizations that would benefit society. Failure in being generative in these ways would cause an individual to feel unproductive and stagnant in society. This stage is important for the development of the virtue care. Stage 8: Integrity versus despair As one steps into old age (65 years and over), one becomes unable to be as productive as one use to be. Therefore at this stage one starts to reflect on one’s life in terms of how satisfied one is with how he/she lived life. Integrity develops as a result of one seeing oneself as successful in life. According to Erikson, if one is disappointed and feels one did not accomplish the life goals one had, the individual would develop despair. Whilst the psychosocial theory is an aid in capturing central development issues in the 8 stages, it is still difficult to use the theory as an explanation of as to how and why such development comes about and Erikson acknowledges this (Erikson 1964 cited in McLeod 2013). There is no explicit explanation for how the degree of development at one stage affects the degree of development at another stage. The psychosocial theory of development is claimed to be universal however it is difficult to apply in certain cultures. For the solution of crises there is no universal mechanism that can be applied. It may vary from culture to culture. Moreover, the psychosocial theory of development, similar to the psychosexual theory of development, is not falsifiable and is difficult to test empirically. The lack of empiricism is one reason why developmentalists prefer other viewpoints of development, typically the learning viewpoint, rather than the psychoanalytical viewpoint. Despite the criticisms of the psychosocial theory of development, there is still support for Erikson’s 8 stages of personality development (McAdams 2001). The emphasis on the fact that individuals undergo development actively rather than passively and that humans are not subject to irrational urges is a quality that Erikson introduced after improving Freud’s psychosexual theory (Erikson 1963 cited in Shaffer and Kipp 2009: 44). Many find it easier to accept that humans are rational and there is interaction of both biology and social influences, with ego playing a greater role than id. The psychosocial theory indeed has provided understanding to the development that occurs through various stages of life. The impact that relationships with family, friends and peers has on development has been brought to light and this theory can be applied to the education setting, work setting and even help improve parenting methods. Therefore despite the limitations of the psychosocial theory, the contribution to the field of developmental psychology that Erikson has made, in terms of the psychosocial stages of development, is certainly valuable. List of References McAdams, D. P. (2001) ‘The Psychology of Life Stories’. Review of General Psychology 5 (2), 100 McLeod, S. (2013) Erik Erikson [online] available from www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html> [19 March 2014] Shaffer, D. R., and Kipp, K. (2009) Developmental Psychology: Childhood and Adolescence. 8th edn. Australia: Cengage Learning TWas The Dopolavoro A Success? TWas The Dopolavoro A Success? To What Extent Was The Dopolavoro A Success? Plan Of Investigation This essay will analyse the extent of the Dopolavoros success within Italian society between the years 1925 and 1939. The Dopolavoro was a leisure program under the organization Opera Nazionale Dopolavoro (OND) and was created initially to help gain the support of the Italian working class after the ban on trade unions. In addition to controlling Italian dissatisfaction within the state, the OND saw these programs as a further area of competition with the Socialists, who had similar social organizations. Seeing that it tried to gain the support of employers, there was nothing characteristically fascist about it. However, after Augusto Turatis rise to party secretary in 1927, the Dopolavoro became another supporting element of Mussolinis regime. Despite propaganda having a wide range presence, Italian society was not affected to the extent that the government wished, leading to the question, to what extent was the Dopolavoro a success? The two sources presented approach the topic in a relatively different manner. John Whittams Fascist Italy describes the course taken on this subject by a purely subjective viewpoint and analyses the factual information. Martin Blinkhorn on the other hand, in Mussolini and Fascist Italy, promotes a objective opinion on the Dopolavoro and the Italian state while criticizing it for its manipulation and deceptive attitude. Conclusively, an evaluation of the extent to which this program was a success will be presented through the analysis of key factors. Summary Of Evidence Mussolini was appointed Prime Minister in 1922 The Dopolavoro was formed on the first of may in 1925. The Dopolavoro included adult leisure programs, facilities and welfare programs. This idea was introduced by an engineer Mario Giani. Edmondo Rossoni promoted Gianis schemes. It was ran by a government agency called Opera Nazionale Dopolavoro. It aimed at decreasing tension created after the ban on trade union-sponsored clubs. In the 1930s the Dopolavoro ranged from theater to bands and libraries. Initially, membership was limited to 300,000, in 1926 and grew to 4 million by 1939. The OND was the answer to Gianis plea for a national state sponsored plan. The OND took over former socialist buildings and used them as its facilities. Turati was appointed leader of the OND in 1927. The ONDs initial purpose was to deliver news on the agricultural sector. Increased membership urged the OND to put more emphasis on recreational activities. Sports activities and welfare programs were heavily funded and journeys to favorable locations were subsidized. In 1936, twenty per cent of urban workers joined, 7 per cent of rural members and 80 per cent of employees in state and private sectors. Company employees were granted better facilities and lounge areas. Class divisions were evident. The poorer classes were given the cheapest seats in addition to being separated from the higher classes. Evaluation Of Sources Fascist Italy by renowned historian John Whittam, is a concise introduction on the nature of Italian Fascism under Mussolini. This book was written to inform the reader of the Italian Fascist state in terms of politics, diplomacy and military developments, and in what ways the domestic sector was neglected. The provision of documents and recent research aided in analysing the origins of the movement and its political success. Within its far-reaching analysis, Whittam emphasizes Mussolinis attempt for social control and party-state tension. The successes and failures of the fascist state, as well as the collapse of the regime are analysed objectively. Mussolini and Fascist Italy, also written by renowned historian Martin Blinkhorn, explains the importance of Mussolini, the movement and the regime which overlooked Italian society between 1922 and World War 2. Furthermore, he examines the fascist partys rise to power and the creation of Mussolinis dictatorship through reason and rational arguments. Nevertheless, Blinkhorn portrays his argument by criticizing the fascist state for subjecting society totalitarianism and deception. Although he makes brief comments on certain aspects of the Dopolavoros success, his argument largely consist of its â€Å"abysmal failures†. Furthermore, the age of the book must be questioned. In contrast to Whittam who has exploited certain recent revelations, Blinkhorns resources rely on documents preceding 1980. Analysis Like several other dictators, Mussolini too tried to tie his people closer with fascist beliefs and incorporate the masses to the fascist regime. An attempt was made to achieve this by introducing certain programs to the Italian people. These included adult leisure programs, facilities and welfare programs. On May first 1925 the Dopolavoro was formed, ran by a government agency called the Opera Nazionale Dopolavoro (OND). Initially, this idea of social engineering was introduced by Mario Giani, an engineer and a former manager of Westinghouse plant at Vado Ligure. Edmondo Rossoni, an Italian Fascist politician, acknowledged Gianis schemes for common activities and arranged for them to be introduced to his rapidly growing syndicalist organization. The upholding of the relationship between employers was crucial, seeing that such a project required increased funding as well as buildings and recreation grounds. Gianis plans seemed to be put in peril by suspicion placed on Rossoni on beha lf of the employers. Giani saw the risk in going through with his schemes under the current situation so he requested a national, state-sponsored plan. The solution to this appeal was the Opera Nazionale Dopolavoro. The remains of the Socialist Partys establishments aided the emergence of the Dopolavoro â€Å"with its chambers of labour, co-operatives and leagues many of them with mutual aid societies, communal halls and facilities for social and sporting events.† The squadristi, commonly known as The Blackshirts, destroyed many of these; the fascists simply took over those which remained intact. Mussolini appointed Turati, the party secretary, as leader of the OND two years after its establishment, and proceeded to integrate it as a central aspect of the National Fascist Party. The party representative in the provinces was responsible for assembling a board to supervise the area, and all Dopolavoro activities, as well as those sponsored by the employers, would be managed by its members. Originally, the OND was meant to inform the workers of new techniques and developments in the industrial sector. However, as the organization grew, more efforts were put in enhancing sports activities, summer camps, subsidized journeys to the mountains and the sea, cheap rail fares and welfare programs. It aimed at â€Å"re-educating† the Italian people as a whole, instead of brain washing them from an early age. It aimed at providing leisure/after-work activities within a fascist atmosphere. Also the Dopolavoro aimed at decreasing the workers irritation with the fascist ban on the trade union-sponsored clubs. Reaching the 1930s the Dopolavoro ranged from theater to bands and libraries. Initially, membership was estimated at 300,000 in 1926 and grew to almost four million by 1939. Reaching 1936, twenty per cent of urban workers took part, 7 per cent of rural members and 80 per cent of employees in state and private sectors. Many of the state and private employees were granted access to clubs, shops and athletic facilities provided by their respective company. What separated these benefits from the publicly used ones was the difference in their superiority. Even though organization was used to â€Å"demolish† barriers, class divisions were evident. During their excursions boarding railways or steamers, lower classes were separated from the higher ones and were given the poorest seats. Nevertheless, they saw no reason to complain, seeing that it was the first time for most of them to ever board a train or a boat, let alone go to the sea and the Alps. In order to clarify the extent of the Dopolavoros success, we must first distinguish the nature of its success. In this respect there are two criteria which have to be taken in mind. Social indoctrination of fascist ideology and diversion of mass awareness and attention. The ONDs initial cause was to provide after-hours leisure activities, so it should come as no surprise that they neglected direct ideological indoctrination as priority. However, during the 1930s (with Starace as party secretary) the importance of the OND as an instrument of propaganda was understood. In the cordial environment of the OND clubs and excursions, the masses were exposed to the success, failures and problems of the party. This was particularly worrisome for the regime as they made great efforts to avoid fanatical reactions. All they wished for was for passive acceptance of the given situation. The OND distributed government issue radios. Although these were considered a luxury item (300,000 in 1932, over a million in 1938), collective listening was encouraged. This was a measure taken for regulating information. The regime issued these radios so as to censor most information and prevent any public aggravation. Due to its recent appearance, the radio was highly favored. Moreover, through the OND, millions of people were exposed to propaganda and entertainment plans. This was an advantageous step for both the government and the illiterate. The ONDs use of the radio as well as the cinema was very efficient in distracting the masses. The Dopolavoro even purchased mobile projectors and sent them to remoter areas. Despite the Dopolavoros efforts to create a â€Å"laid-back† atmosphere so as to keep a sense of serenity among the people while in parallel integrating them in the fascist regime, it is argued that the members were not affected by fascist propaganda, hence failing to meet the goal set from 1927 onwards which included fascist indoctrination within the masses. Conclusion Among the fruition of many institutions brought forth by the Italian government, the Dopolavoro (or OND) was without doubt the most popular. Evidence of its popularity lies in the fact that it survived even Mussolinis fall, at which point its name was altered to Ente Nazionale Assistenza Lavatori (National Organisation for Worker Assistance) in 1945. Throughout the course of its existence, the Dopolavoro proved to be invaluable in its efforts to divert attention from the partys social and economic issues by providing a widespread and diverse range of cultural and recreational activities. Moreover, it served as a buffer in response to societys discontent. Be this as it may, criticism is present in the fact that it facilitated the infiltration of government branches and aided the meeting of enemies of the regime without attracting attention of the police. The Dopolavoro attempted a more active approach in fascist indoctrination in the late 1930s, however due to the lack of radical thinking, it failed to meet the regimes wishes. As far as public unrest is concerned, the Dopolavoro was successful in toning it down by introducing various leisure activities aimed at decreasing social irritation. However, in its goal to instill the fascist ideology within the Italian people, not only did it meet a miserable fail, it proved to be highly inefficient and showed a direct contrast to the regimes intentions. Bibliography Blinkhorn Martin, Mussolini and Fascist Italy, Routledge 1987 De Grand J. Alexander, Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany, Routledge 1995 Kolinsky Martin, Continuity and change in European society: Germany, France and Italy since 1870, New York: St Martins Press 1974, 58 Marinetto Michael, Corporate Social Involvement: Social, Political and Environmental Issues in Britain and Italy, Ashgate Publishing 2005 Townley Edward, Mussolini and Italy, Heinemann Educational Publishers 2002 Whittam, John, Fascist Italy, Manchester University Press 1995 Whittock Martyn, Mussolini in Power, HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 1998 Whittock Martyn, Mussolini in Power, HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 1998, 4 Townley Edward, Mussolini and Italy, Heinemann Educational Publishers 2002, 91 Townley Edward, Mussolini and Italy, Heinemann Educational Publishers 2002, 91 Marinetto Michael, Corporate Social Involvement: Social, Political and Environmental Issues in Britain and Italy, Ashgate Publishing 2005, 124 Whittam, John, Fascist Italy, Manchester University Press 1995, 73 Whittock Martyn, Mussolini in Power, HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 1998, 19-20 Whittock Martyn, Mussolini in Power, HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 1998, 19-20 Blinkhorn Martin, Mussolini and Fascist Italy, Routledge 1987, 36 Whittam, John, Fascist Italy, Manchester University Press 1995, 73 Whittam, John, Fascist Italy, Manchester University Press 1995, 73 Whittam, John, Fascist Italy, Manchester University Press 1995, 73 De Grand J. Alexander, Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany, Routledge 1995, 71 Whittam, John, Fascist Italy, Manchester University Press 1995, 73 Kolinsky Martin, Continuity and change in European society: Germany, France and Italy since 1870, New York: St Martins Press 1974, 58 Whittam, John, Fascist Italy, Manchester University Press 1995, 73 Whittam, John, Fascist Italy, Manchester University Press 1995, 73 De Grand J. Alexander, Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany, Routledge 1995, 71 Whittam, John, Fascist Italy, Manchester University Press 1995, 73

Alcohol And Driving While Intoxicated :: DUI, Drunk Driving, research papers

Alcohol and Driving While Intoxicated Alcohol is a drug, a very popular drug. Alcohol has been around for a long time, and people have always enjoyed it's effects. Many people have passions for alcohol, some people have refrigerators filled with beer, many others are wine connoisseurs. Alcohol always seems to liven up the party. But no madder what your preference is, alcohol can be very dangerous when combined with the operation of an automobile. If you can remember only a few things from this report remember this: driving drunk is unsafe to you, and everyone else around you. The driver's of other cars, pedestrians, etc†¦ Driving drunk can also be very, very costly: insurance surcharges, insurance rates, tickets, fines.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  You should understand what alcohol does to you before we go on. Alcohol is a depressant, and often enhances your mood. If your angry, after a couple drinks you may be quite possibly angrier. If you are sad, you probably will feel sadder after some drinks. It is not good to drink and drive when you are in a good mood, but your driving is also influenced by your mood. It can make you drive faster, pay attention less, etc†¦ Study's have shown that the combination of anger, and drinking is responsible for much of reckless driving. Not only can alcohol enhance your mood, but it has been proven that it can quickly alter your mood. When alcohol is consumed, it is not digested. It passes through your stomach and small intestine directly into the bloodstream and is carried to all parts of your body. It reaches your brain in small amounts. When alcohol is ingested in larger amounts, it dulls the area of your brain that control inhibition, judgment, and self-control. Hopefully you can see how this could be detrimental to your health when driving. Drinking.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  But how does alcohol effect my driving? To expand upon this, drinking increases your self-confidence, and inhibitions but lowers your driving performance (reaction times, stopping distance). You may feel like you can do anything behind the wheel of a car after a six-pack. But you can't. Many, many accidents occur because of drinking. Most of these accidents involve only 1 car, but other people are killed by drunk drivers. There is a technique to protect yourself from drunk drivers. First, always wear your seat belt. Second, keep your distance from anyone that may appear to be under the influence. Anyone who is swerving, or going to slow are good examples. But it is impossible to prevent all of these accidents, people have to be educated about drinking and

Creating Computer-based Learning Essay

Computer-based learning, or e-learning, refers to online or offline learning through the means of computers. It can be offline through the means of CDs or it can be online wherein the student accesses an online web-based training module to acquire learning. Computer-based learning provides various advantages as compared to classroom learning. It provides flexibility to the learners who can access the course at their own pace and at their convenient times. It also enables the students to undertake distance learning wherein a large distance separates the instructor and the students. It is estimated that in 2006 nearly 3. 5 million students in the United States were undergoing some kind of computer-based learning. In this essay, I will discuss computer-based learning and will also provide a sample outline of a computer-based learning course. A storyboard is used to provide a screen-by-screen description of the e-learning course to the programmers, graphic designers, and animators who construct the e-learning course. It contains the On-screen Text (OST) and detailed instructions on graphics and animation. A storyboard should be detailed enough to provide all the required information to construct the course. It should have the following minimum eight elements – project information, screen label, audio/narration text, video clips if used, graphics, OST, navigation and interactivity, and notes to programmers and artists (Creating Scripts and Storyboards for E-Learning). The OST in a storyboard should only contain the relevant information that the learner needs to see. Transition text should only be provided in the audio script of the storyboard. This enables the learners to focus on the core concepts that they have to learn. An e-learning course can have a linear or a staggered navigation. Providing staggered navigation through inserting hyperlinks or cross-references allows learners to choose their learning path, but it is more complex, provides slower navigation, and has greater upload time (Storyboarding for E-Learning Courseware). Secondly, a hyperlink to an outside site will make the learners navigate out of the course, and they may not return to the course. It is not necessary to describe each step of an animation in a storyboard. Only the key aspects of the animation should be outlined and the animation should be described in a separate document. It is not advisable to use too many animations in a course as an animation may take a long time to load. The development life cycle of a computer-based learning course consists of analysis, design, development, implementation and, evaluation phases. The content, graphics, and assessment are developed during the â€Å"development† phase. A sample outline of a course on â€Å"How to Buy and Sell a House† would be as follows: I. Welcome page II. Introduction screen a. Slide 1 – Opening questions (to establish motivation for learning). i. Questions on what type of house is required and various available options. ii. Questions on problems faced in buying and selling a house. b. Slide 2 – Common mistakes while buying or selling a house. III. Learning Objectives i. Given a specified budget and location preference, the learner will be able to identify how to buy the most suitable house for his or her needs. ii. Given a specified budget, the learner will be able to identify how to negotiate successfully with a seller or a buyer on the price and obtain the optimal bargain. iii. The learner will determine how to avoid hidden costs and charges while buying a house. iv. The learner will identify how to do the paperwork, such as house registration correctly. Unit I – Finding the Best House Within Your Budget and Location Preference Unit II – Negotiating Successfully Unit III – Avoiding Hidden Costs Unit IV – Carrying Out Paperwork Correctly There will be assessments for the course – one at the end of each unit and one at the end of course. A sample question for Unit II is as follows: 1. Which of these are correct negotiation techniques while buying a house? a. Refuse to budge from your price. b. Request persuasively to provide additional benefits. c. Give examples of other lower cost options that you have. References Kruse, Kevin. Creating Scripts and Storyboards for E-Learning. Retrieved May 23, 2008 from http://www. e-learningguru. com/articles/art2_5. htm Pandey, Amit. Storyboarding for E-Learning Courseware. May 1, 2007. Retrieved May 23, 2008 http://www. associatedcontent. com/article/229486/storyboarding_for_elearning_courseware. html? page=6

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Gun Control Synthsis Paper essays When you mention gun control, many things come to mind. School shooting, the Brady Law, second amendment rights, and kids killing kids, these issues have prompted a controversy over guns and whether they are a menace to society. There are many types of guns and each contributes to crime differently. The smaller more easily concealed weapons, like handguns and sawed off shotguns are most likely to be used in crime. While the larger firearms, rifles, have a slightly lower reported incidence of crime. Crimes reported that involve an assault weapon such as the Uzi is virtually unheard of. Views on the subject of gun control range from one extreme, all guns are bad, to the other extreme that all existing laws should be revoked and every person should own a gun. In the discussion on gun control there are a few points that everyone argues about. Two of the most popular topics on gun control seem to be, do guns contribute to crime, and would tougher gun laws prevent gun fatalities? With all the different subjects discussed within the gun control controversy, the topic of how tougher laws would affect the death rate, associated with firearms, seems to be most common. Dennis Henigan believes that the laws need to be redirected toward better safety features on guns, to prevent some accidental shootings. Henigan also believes that the gun manufacturers should be liable for the lack of safety devices that could prevent accidental shootings. Morgan O. Reynolds and W.W. Caruth III believe, that the laws, proposed for the control of gun crime, would rase the price for purchasing a gun; but do little for preventing crime from being committed with them. According to Woody West, guns are responsible for the deaths of many people, some of which are innocent, but before we make new laws we should try enforcing the scores of laws already enacted, but not enforced. On the far end of the argument against controlling crime through banning gu...

How to Build the Best Editorial Style Guide in 10 Steps (Template)

How to Build the Best Editorial Style Guide in 10 Steps (Template) As a marketer, creating content that converts readers into customers is key to a successful content strategy. However, if your team has multiple writers, it can be tough to enforce content consistency and  brand standards. This is especially true for team members who have to write content, but arent writers by trade. So, how do you maintain a consistent voice across all the content your company creates? The answer starts with a strong editorial style guide.   Theyre the holy grail of writers guidelines, making it easy for everyone to understand your organizations voice, style, and tone. They also answer questions around formatting, appropriate usage of branded terms, and more. When every writer on your team is equipped with one, theyll be prepared to execute content that better reinforces your brand. In this post, youll learn everything you need to know about creating one that work. Table of Contents: Free Template Definition Examples Why Should Marketers Use Style Guides? Step 1. Start With the AP Style Guide Step 2. Create Guidelines For Voice, Tense, and Point of View Step 3. Translate Jargon Into Customer-Friendly Language Step 4. Explain Best Practices for Different Formats and Content Types Step 5. Identify How Branded Terms Must Be Spelled and Formatted Step 6. Define Your Brand Voice and Tone Step 7. Establish Standards of Performance Step 8. Establish Formatting Guidelines Step 9. Set Photo Guidelines Step 10. Define Guidelines for Visual Design Elements What Is ?: is the best editorial calendar platform to keep content marketing teams organized. Curious how we can help your team plan, publish, and measure content more effectively? Start here. Download Your Style Guide Template One reason companies dont bother creating style guides is because they take time. Eliminate that excuse with this free template. Download it now, then use this post to learn how to complete each section. By the time youre done, youll have a complete copy you can share with your organization.This Is How To Create A Style Guide Your Team Will Actually Use (+Free Template) What is a Content Style Guide, Anyway? For the purposes of this post, here's the definition we'll work with: A content style guide is a  document  that outlines the expectations and brand standards that every piece of content needs to meet. This should describe everything from grammar and spelling to design elements, like proper header use and logo placement. What Does a Style Guide Look Like? If you’re looking for even more information on how to build your style guide, check out the following 15 examples. MailChimp University of North Carolina Spotify Urban Outfitters Buzzfeed Drupal National Geographic Envatotuts+ Epic Content Marketing A List Apart Mozilla Google Developers GitHub Open Table FrontifyWhy Are Style Guides Important For Marketers? Style guides aren’t just for designers. They can help all content creators achieve the following: Understanding your standards of performance. What should every piece you publish include? Keep content consistent. This includes proper usage of branded terms, text formatting, and more. Learn how to write with your brand's voice. Your company should sound like your company, no matter who is writing the content. Above all, they help editors and managers save time reworking writer's content by setting clear expectations up front. Step 1. Consider Following AP Style If you ever took a journalism class, you're probably familiar with AP style. But, did you know there are other style books you can follow, too? Brands, like publishers, often base portions of their style guides on AP style. Consider ordering a copy for your office. Template Action Item: If you choose to use AP Style, drop links to external resources on AP style. Here's one from Purdue OWL, and another from Lake Sumter State College. Step 2. Establish Guidelines for Tense, Voice, and Point of View Even the best writers can use reminders on basic aspects of writing well. For team members who aren't writers by trade, including some general tips can help them avoid mistakes, too. General best practices should center around three writing elements: Tense: Should content be written in past, present, or future tense? Voice: While most writing should be in active voice, is passive voice acceptable for your brand in certain circumstances? Point of View: Should writers use first, second, or third-person perspective when writing as your company? Recommended Reading: How to Create a Marketing Strategy That Will Skyrocket Your Results By 9,360% Understanding When to Use Active Voice  vs. Passive Voice Most content should be written in active voice. However, there are times when passive voice may be preferable. In order to use the correct voice, though, it's important to understand the difference between active and passive voice. (For clarification, this isn't referring to brand voice. That will be touched on later.) Active Voice:  When using active voice, the sentence's subject performs an action. Ex: makes great software. Passive Voice:  When using passive voice, an action is applied retroactively to the subject. Ex: The great software is made by . In the active voice example,  the subject comes first, followed by a verb. This differs from the passive voice example, where  the action comes first, followed by the subject.   Hear the difference? Active voices sounds much more fluid, while passive voice sounds formal. Past vs. Present vs. Future Tense Tenses tell readers when something will occur, or when it happened in the past. There are three tenses, each with four tense subcategories. Present Tense Present tense is an unchanging, repeated, or reoccurring action that exists right now. Present Tense Subcategories: Simple Present: The preferred use of present tense. It uses the least amount of words of all of the other forms, and is best for crafting clear and concise messaging. Present Progressive:  Indicates an action is ongoing that happens at the same time someone writes the statement. Present Perfect: An action that happens at an indefinite time in the past or begins in the past and continues to the present. Present Perfect Progressive: An action that begins in the past, continues to the present and may continue into the future. Past Tense Past tense expresses an action that starts and ends at a previous point in time. Past Tense Subcategories: Simple Past:   This is the preferred use of past tense. Like simple present tense, it is the least wordy of all the past tense sub-categories and is preferred because of its ability to be clear and concise. Past Progressive: An ongoing action that happens in the past at the same time as another action. Past Perfect: An action that happens in the past before another past action. Past Perfect Progressive: An action that begins in the past and ends before another action occurs. Future Tense Future tense expresses an action that occurs in the future. It is recommended that writers avoid writing in this style when they create content for potential customers. Future Tense Subcategories: Simple Future: As with the other two tenses, simple future is the preferred use of the tense as it is the least wordy and can be the most concise. Future Progressive: Indicates an ongoing action that happens in the future. Future Perfect: An action that happens in the future before another future action. Future Perfect Progressive: A future ongoing action that begins in the future before another future action. Point of View Point of view refers to the perspective the author assumes when writing. The Three Points of View: First Person: The speaker refers to themselves/itself. Ex: I get organized with . Second Person: The speaker addresses the reader directly. Ex: You can get organized with . Third Person/em: The speaker refers to a person, place, thing, or idea. Ex: helps marketers get organized. Template Action Item: Under the General Writing Best Practices header record the following information: Decide whether you will write in active or passive voice.  Explain when (or if) using active or passive voice is acceptable in your content. Teach writers how to choose between tenses. Show examples of different tenses and when to use each one. Choose a POV. Choose your POV and explain why content should be written in that POV. Include example text.Step 3. Translate Jargon Into Customer-Friendly Language Next, your style guide should explain how to translate jargon into conversational language customers will understand. Every company and industry uses some type of jargon. This could include acronyms, shorthand that refers to products, or terms you use internally (that most people wouldn't understand out of context). List common pieces of jargon and internal language, and offer better alternatives to use in content and copy instead. For example, a hybrid car manufacturer might use the term, "advanced technology-partial zero emission vehicle". What a mouthful, right? A car shopper might better understand "hybrid car" or "natural gas engine." Template Action Item:  Underneath The Internal Jargon Translations header: Record each piece of jargon that comes up in your customer-facing content on the left-hand side of the chart. Record the customer friendly translation of said jargon on the right-hand side of the chart. Add rows based on the number of terms that your writers will frequently come across. Step 4. Explain Writing Best Practices for Different Formats and Content Types The next piece of your style guide revolves around choosing and outlining expectations for the types of content your marketing team will create. There are many different types of content that you can choose to create. Some common content types include: Blog Posts Case Studies Infographics Podcasts Video Scripts Social Posts Website Content Email Now, you may have different style standards for different types of content. For example, social media posts would likely follow different best practices than video scripts. Take a look at MailChimp's style guide. They offer specific writing recommendations for numerous different channels and content types: Follow their lead with your own style guide. Include each type of content your team creates. Step 5. Identify How Branded Terms Must Be Spelled and Formatted Another section of your style guide should identify brand names, trademarks, and so forth that must be spelled a specific way every single time it is mentioned. Sometimes, this may have legal ramifications, like when you're using trademarked terms. Take a look at this example from Microsoft.com: Note that both Intel and Core feature different legal trademark symbols. Failure to get these right could result in a letter from Intel's lawyers. Here's another example from the same page: Note that PixelSense is written not only with a trademark symbol, but with a capital S. This is likely a branding consideration the company wants to keep consistent. If you have any branded terms that need to be spelled or formatted a certain way, whether for legal or stylistic reasons, document them in your style guide. Template Action Item: Under the Brand Terminology header, record each branded term your content uses in the chart in your template. If your company has a large number of products, consider including only those that writers will need to reference most often. Step 6. Define Your Brand Voice and Tone The next part of your style guide should explain the voice, tone, and style that your branded content should take. What is Brand Voice? Brand voice is the purposeful and consistent personification, or characterization of a brand often expressed through words, tone, and culture. As a marketer, it’s important to bring across this voice at all times, whether that be through content or any other media form. You may already have your brand voice figure out, but if you don’t try a brainstorming session with the following framework: We are [insert desired perception], but we are not [insert antonym of desired perception]. For example, if we were doing a brand voice session for a major software company, it might look something like: We are professional but not stuffy. We are smart but not arrogant. We are technology savvy but not inaccessible. Repeat this process 15 to 20 times. Then, choose four or five pairings that best fit your brand voice, and record them in your template.

Analyzing the Relationships between Service Quality and Special Events Essay - 1

Analyzing the Relationships between Service Quality and Special Events in the Entertainment Industry - Essay Example While examining this issue the other questions which this research seeks to answer are: Is the current SERVQUAL instrument an effective overall measure of perceived service quality for special events organizations; if the answer to the first question is â€Å"No†, can new dimensions be added to make SERVQUAL more effective for measuring customers’ perceived service quality of special events and can such an adapted and modified SERVQUAL instrument be generalized for measuring perceived service quality of special events’ offerings? Modification of the 1991 version of the SERVQUAL method would aim at the reduction of ambiguity in expectations definition and unstable dimensionality (Babakus and Boller 1992; Carman 1990; Cronin and Taylor 1992). Babakus and Waller in fact suggest (p. 265) that â€Å"it may not be fruitful to pursue the development of a standard measurement scale applicable to a wide variety of services†. In order to achieve this modification an attempt would be made to add one or two dimensions to the standard instrument so that the scale would become more contextual for situations concerning special events. To identify these additional dimensions factor analysis would be conducted on variables (factors) to identify relevant and critical factors. Respondents would be chosen from the customer base of the targeted special events company(ies). External validity would be addressed by also surveying non-customers. The sampling scheme deployed would be stratified random sampling. The company’s entire customer base would be organized according to the demographic variable of customer income. The underlying assumption would be that the ability to purchase entertainment offered by the special events company is a direct function of the income of the consumer. However, income/ability should not be deemed to be synonymous with â€Å"willingness† to pay. Customer willingness assessment, on the other hand would be the

Customer satisfaction in the mobile telecommunication industry Dissertation

Customer satisfaction in the mobile telecommunication industry - Dissertation Example Basically, the purpose of research is the production of knowledge on how to best address the world’s problems, new ideas that lead to improvements and evidence carefully and meticulously gathered. Research on customer satisfaction involves finding out what a customer wants, how he wants it and providing it when he needs it. Several scholars in the business field recognize that substantial investments have been put in research on customer satisfaction. A successful company like Wall-mart knows more about its customers and uses this information to generate profits (Denove & Power, 2011).The only way to know whether customers are satisfied with a certain product is by doing research especially in a market like the mobile telecommunication industry in Nigeria. In cases of such an industry, even the employees of that company are customers, and their attitudes towards their employer affect their dealings with the customers. If satisfied with the services of their employer, such empl oyees will work hard not just in their dealings with a customer but also in evangelizing for the firm. Herein arises the fact that it is crucial when doing research a company should cater for both its internal and external customers.Customer satisfaction is an unclear and undefined field having personal bias affecting judgment and, therefore, any company should strive to know what satisfies their customers through intense research. Apparently, psychological aspects together with physical variables directly.... In cases of such an industry, even the employees of that company are customers, and their attitudes towards their employer affect their dealings with the customers. If satisfied with the services of their employer, such employees will work hard not just in their dealings with a customer but also in evangelizing for the firm. Herein arises the fact that it is crucial when doing research a company should cater for both its internal and external customers. Customer satisfaction is an unclear and undefined field having personal bias affecting judgment and, therefore, any company should strive to know what satisfies their customers through intense research. Apparently, psychological aspects together with physical variables directly affect utility of a product which in turn determines customer recommendation on such a product. Thus, this is a complex cycle and can only be unearthed by research done from time to time. Research philosophy My approach to research is one of searching for valua ble knowledge of issues affecting us in the everyday life. The world is complex and keeps emerging as such it is almost impossible to understand the world through principles (Lancaster, 2005). My research agenda can be divided into two; customer satisfaction and changing trends in the mobile telecommunication industry. In my research, I have found evidence that deep unanswered questions on customer satisfaction affect most businesses eating deep into their profit account. I hope to pursue this issue with an aim of helping businesses and I understand the customer’s satisfaction better to maximize profits. Research methodologies This section describes procedures that were followed in conducting research. The pertinent areas to be