Cultural Norms Determine Emotions Sociology Essay

Cultural Norms Determine Emotions Sociology Essay Culture has been recognized by sociologists and anthropologists to carry a particular display roles or norms. These affect the supervision of emotions and establish commonality and predictable behaviour among individuals and their social environment in response to various emotional stimulations. Therefore, it is of primary importance to address the issue how and why cultural norms can determine the emotional status of people. Levy (1984) defines culture as an internalized system of controlling people in order to construct adaptive, integrated and sane attitude. Culture influences individuals in a multi-level perspective and shapes human beliefs, emotions and behaviour through various traditions, ethnic belonging and national identification. In this paper I will attempt to illustrate how cultural norms have a profound effect on peoples emotions and demonstrate a clear understanding of the interaction between emotional state of mind and the culture and where they are positioned in soci ety. We witness culture since we were born. We are learning about culture mainly through socialization. Caruso and Salovey (2004) examine culture on a macro lever, meaning how culture influence emotional expressions in different nations and ethnic groups. They conclude that cultural beliefs, symbols and emotional patters are shared by a complex system of processes called socialization. These are the key points and issues to be discussed in this essay which aims to illustrate the dramaturgical and structural perspectives on the sociology of emotions by contrasting them. On another level culture also provides shared symbols such as norms, language, traditions, customs and frame in this way the value, feelings and behaviour of its members. On a group level culture influences emotional process through the performance roles individuals have in society (Levy, 1984). In order for sociologists and anthropologists to comprehend and explain the emotional processes they have to study cultures from t he point of view of cognitive social psychology (Druskat and Wolff, 1999). Lazarus (1991) proposes that there are two phases of the emotional process. The first one involved awareness of the events and the second one represents the behavioural response to the emotions stimulated. Culture and social structure are interrelated. Both reproduce order and alter emotions during the course of interacting with other individuals. Lewis (2000) claims that there are at least five theoretical research traditions in the sociology of emotions which are related to the significant aspects of sociological analysis. Lewis (2000) enumerates the models as dramaturgical (Culture), structural (social structure), symbolic-interactionist (cognitive appraisal) and ritual and exchange (interaction) perspectives on emotions. I will concentrate on dramaturgical and structural ones. Dramaturgical approaches to the sociology of emotions focus on the importance of culture in supplying ideologies for emotions, feeling rules, knowledge and vocabularies. This structure is provided by Gordon (1981). According to him the elements of culture act as cognitive guidelines to what emotions might be experienced and conveyed in situations. An example of dramaturgical perspective on emotional sociology is made by Schmitt and Clark (2006). Their studies conclude how emotions are culturally decoded so as to when to feel and how to give raise to feelings. During the process of socialization individuals learn how to associate certain emotion vocabularies with particular situations and internal sensations. What makes the approach dramaturgical is that individuals are screened as performing on a stage, constructed by social structure (audience). Each person employs different cultural scripts in order to perform his role. In this sense people are dramatic actors, because they utilize their emotions to manipulate others through expressive control of their behaviour on the stage. People take advantage of the knowledge they store for the appropriate feelings and their displays and follow strategies to reach their goal. Through various manipulations of postures, language, role play, or talk individuals consciously apply dramatic emotional displays to gain recognition, favour, control or social status (Schmitt and Clark, 2006). Recent research in dramaturgy reveals that there are cases when social structure demands from individuals to express emotions that they do not feel. Hochsehilds (1983) research on flight attendants and bill controllers is an example and clear illustration how dramaturg y can be inseparable from emotions in a cultural and social context. The emphasis on culture in dramaturgical perspective aids us in understanding how emotional responses are learned and applied in situations. Another example of cultural displays and emotional management is given by Pierce (1995). Her research highlights that emotions can be gendered and this is so, because of the different social positions men and women occupy and the social roles they are expected to perform. She gives an example of male and female lawyers. Lawyers who are male are supposed to be aggressive, whereas, women are generally considered paralegals and are expected to be more nurturing. Dramaturgical perspectives of sociology of emotions involve emotions associated with already rehearsed social roles and conscious emotional manipulation. All sociological perspectives studying emotions involve social structure as part of the analyses. However, it is not only an analysis of the social structure, but also how relevant is the relationship between emotions and social structures. Theories and researches in the sociology of emotions often emphasize on a relatively small specter of social-structural properties. According to Lewis (2000) the most prominent theories in this direction, investigate micro-level power (authority) and status or prestige dissimilarities among individuals and emotions during the course of interaction, including stratifications, institutional spheres and macro-level processes. Berger and Webster (2006) create set of approaches that follow the micro-level order in interactions. They reveal that there are differences in relative power and in status among individuals. Berger and Webster conclude that the dissimilarities are forced by the existing social structures. In other cases they emerge in the cours e of the very interaction. Furthermore, the differences can be encoded in cultural beliefs for the people that stay high or low in the social ladder. Here too, like in the dramaturgical perspective, emotions generate expectations. Therefore, there is a similar characteristic in the two approaches. In dramaturgical as well as in the structural the differences in emotional stimulations are likely to occur in ethnicity, age, social class, or gender. Berger and Webster (2006) state that when individuals react in accordance with the expectations what depicts them as belonging to a certain hierarchy, they display and experience positive emotions such as pride, happiness. In contrast, those who were in low-ranking status, are predisposed to experience negative emotions, for example anger or fear. Individuals perceive that their low rank in their own fault and blame themselves, and that is the reason why they are affected by negative emotions and dissatisfaction. All these are consequences of structural arrangements which work quite unfairly. Social structure, therefore determines to a large degree the level of emotions and their polarity. Kemper (1978) comments that when individuals gain power their positive attitude and self-presentation grows accordingly. For Barbalet (1998) emotions are distributes unevenly and differently across segments of society, usually corresponding to each of the socio-economic status segments. People react emotionally in regards to their social standing and what advantages this brings them particular shares of money, power, or prestige something what they can not obtain in a lower social belonging. Fear is one of the emotions that Barbalet (1998) theorizes to differentiate between social ranking. Fear is generated from the lack of power. Usually individuals attribute this to their shortcomings. In his analysis Barbalet (1998) preliminary speculates that emotions are like most resources and consequently are distr ibutes unequally. Particular kinds of emotions emerge among some subpopulations and have rather predictable conditions. However, sociological theory will have to elaborate on the conditions determining those emotions and define the potential effects that they have on collective actions in society (Lewis, 2002). Lewis (2000) says that most of the structural theories on emotions are oriented to the micro-level, meaning that they examine situations and processes and face to face and daily interactions such are power or social status. But, micro-level course of actions happen within the context of macrostructural operations. In the structural theory of emotions in order for them to emerge, there needs to be interconnections between the micro and macro level of the structure. These differentiations were no present in the dramaturgical perspective. For the structural theory of emotions a whole category of individuals regardless of their gender, class belonging, race or cultural values, can experience very similar emotions, because they are placed in the same stratification system (Lewis, 2000). They are structurally identical, thereby, they are likely to have the same experiences, which creates similar emotional reactions. Cultural concepts determine in greater degree the emotional quality and the versatile emotions that people experience. While discussing various approaches, special attention was paid to dramaturgical and structural perspectives of the sociology of emotions. Examples were given illustrating the two methods and seeing that even though they differ they are similarities namely that emotions are the result of culturally translated elements. Integrated into the cognition processes, emotions are cultural just like traditions and values. We need to posses some cultural knowledge in order to recognize certain emotions. Evaluating emotions requires a comprehensive framework about different concepts of culture and cultural norms. Emotions are socially constructed just like cultural norms and we can say that emotional are also collectively directed because they transfer the inward relation of the individual with the surrounding social structures. Both approaches, the dramaturgical and the structural are based on the social organization of human behaviour and how it is controlled through the means of psychology. Cultural norms determine emotions, because they are socially organized activities, they are psychological phenomena and they involve human behaviour.

being the youngest child Essay -- essays research papers

Being the youngest child in a family has definite advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, babies are fussed over and pampered. They enjoy special status in the pecking order and often get away with behavior that other family members can't. On the other hand, many youngest children feel that they never quite measure up to their more experienced and accomplished siblings. To borrow a phrase from a famous comedian, they get no respect. Psychologists use a variety of words to describe last-borns: affectionate, sensitive, people-oriented, attention-seeking, indulged, dependent, laid-back, tenacious, absent-minded, relaxed, fun, flaky. What family relationships might be at work molding youngest children into these diverse shapes? Relationships with parents Some parents look on their youngest child as their last chance to do everything right. In these families, the youngest may feel a great deal of performance pressure, similar to a firstborn. Other parents seem to decide that they will never allow their last child to be unhappy, ever. The predictable effect of constantly catering to the child's wishes is to make her into a demanding, dissatisfied tyrant. Psychologists sometimes refer to such a child as being "enthroned." In most families, however, last born is a relatively low-pressure position. The parents have more experience under their belts and are more likely to take a laissez-faire attitude toward such issues as developmental milestones, toilet trainin...

Egyptian Tombs :: World History Essays

Egyptian Tombs Egyptologists had lost interest in the site of tomb 5, which had been explored and looted decades ago. Therefore, they wanted to give way to a parking lot. However, no one would have ever known the treasure that lay only 200 ft. from King Tut's resting place which was beyond a few rubble strewn rooms that previous excavators had used to hold their debris. Dr. Kent Weeks, an Egyptologist with the American University in Cairo, wanted to be sure the new parking facility wouldn't destroy anything important. Thus, Dr. weeks embarked in 1988 on one final exploration of the old dumping ground. Eventually he was able to pry open a door blocked for thousands of years, and announced the discovery of a life time. "We found ourselves in a corridor," he remembers. "On each side were 10 doors and at end there was a statue of Osiris, the god of the afterlife." The tomb is mostly unexcavated and the chambers are choked with debris, Weeks is convinced that there are more rooms on a lower level, bringing the total number to more than 100. That would make tomb 5 the biggest and most complex tomb ever found in Egypt, and quite conceivable the resting place of up to 50 sons of Ramesses II, perhaps the best known of all the pharaohs, the ruler believed to have been Moses' nemesis in the book of Exodus. The Valley of the Kings, in which Tomb 5 is located, is just across the Nile River from Luxor, Egypt. It is never exactly been off the beaten track. Tourism has been brisk in the valley for millenniums: graffiti scrawled on tomb walls proves that Greek and Roman travelers stopped here to gaze at the wall paintings and hieroglyphics that were already old long before the birth of Christ. Archaeologists have been coming for centuries too. Napoleon brought his own team of excavators when he invaded in 1798, and a series of expeditions in 19th and early 20th centuries uncovered one tomb after another. A total of 61 burial spots had been found by the time the British explorer Howard Carter opened the treasure-laden tomb of King Tutankhamun in 1922. Britain's James Burton had burrowed into the site of Tomb 5 in 1820, and decided that there was nothing inside. A dismissive Carter used its entryway as a place to dump the debris he was hauling out of Tut's tomb. In the late 1980s, came the proposed parking area and Weeks' concern. His 1988 foray made it clear that the tomb wasn't dull as Burton said. Elaborate carvings covered walls and referred to Ramesses II, whose

Computer: Wildlife and People

: 1. Tourism is becoming good source of revenue for many countries. Discuss the advantage and disadvantage of exploiting this resource. 2. What is your opinion about the advantages and disadvantages of fast food? (2002,10;2003,1;2004,4) 3. In 1995,an Englishman killed a burglar who broke into his house. He was sentenced. Do you think he should be sentenced ? How can we protect our property? 4. With the development of a market economy. Advertisements have become a dominant feature in television industry, despite the rich information brought by television.There still exists strong criticism against television advertisement. Write an article analyzing the positive and negative effects of television advertisement. 5. :version:000121(2005? G ) Some people think that visitors to other countries imitate local custom and behaviors. Some people disagree. They think the host country should welcome culture different. Discuss the two views and give your own opinion. : : 1. Some people think that people at the age of 55 and over should be encouraged to retire in order to give opportunities to a new generation. Do you agree or disagree? 2.A report indicates that nowadays children are becoming more and more lazy, fat and unsociable. Give the reasons for this and a proposal for a solution. (2003) : 3. Computers are widely used for education and some people think that teachers will not play important role in the classroom. Disagree or agree? 4. People use computers when they work, go banking and so on, but some argue that it will make people isolated and decrease their social skills. To what extent do you agree or disagree? 5. Some people think that traditional techniques and modern technology are incompatible. To what extent do you agree or disagree? . Oriental session 7. Some people think that strong tradition can civilize a country and the government should subsidize musicians, artists, actors and drama companies. Do you agree or disagree with this opinion? what should government do? 8. Is it possible for a woman to be a good mother and a successful career woman at the same time? some people agree that government should pay some money to women so that they can stay at home to look after their children. Do you agree or disagree? 9. Modern technology, such as fertilizer and machinery has changed our world so much. What are the advantages and disadvantages? Discuss 10.There have been many technological developments in the 20th century. For example, computer and electric power. Choose either of them, describe the change it has brought about and discuss whether all the changes are positive. 11. :What are the purposes of places, such as museums and how should they be funded? : 1. A. Television is the most popular form of entertainment in the modern household. ( )people of all ages use this medium to entertain themselves for an average of four hours a day. ( )thus, television has had a tremendous influence on its viewers, especially children. )scien tists now say that children can be negatively effected by constantly watching television. ( )? I take their side. B. We hear a lot about negative effects of television on the viewers. Obviously, televisions can be harmful if it is watched constantly. However, when television is watched in moderation, it is extremely valuable,( )as/for it provides relaxation entertainment and education. 2. Some people think that the government should not put money in building theaters and sports stadium, they should spend more money on education and medical care. a.Theaters and sports stadium are the most popular places in the modern society. People of all ages love to entertain themselves and enjoy the relaxation. Plus, as the desire for music and sports is increasing, the government ought to spend more money on that. b. Most people hold the point that theaters and sports are losing their importance as time passes by. It is no denying that modern people are leading an increasingly busy life. Neverth eless, not a single place can replace the status in helping people develop their physical body and mental condition like theaters and stadium. : 1. :We are now living in high developing world. Great changes have taken place. The computer was born in 1946 in America and was named ENTAC by researchers. It’s development is very quick. It had made greater progress recently and plays a more important role in our society. ( ) It is of great value to master necessary computer knowledge In world today. ( )? That is to say, one can never live without sufficient knowledge of computer. As what happens in Britain, a college graduate even from Cambridge University may face a difficulty in finding a job if he or she does not know how to manage computers.It is true in other countries. Therefore, it will be very hard to live free from contact with computers. : From the above, in conclusion, in short, all in all, on the whole, in one word : some people claim that disadvantages of cars are more than advantages, do you agree or disagree? 2:2005 version00110 Many of the world’s languages and cultures are dying out. Give possible reasons and your recommendations. 1. : 2. :Dear Mr. Wang: I am awfully sorry about what my dog did to your garden the day before yesterday, I want you know how badly I feel about it. I assure you that it will not happen again. , , , , , , , , ) :Being sorry is not enough. But we honestly thank you for being so generous with us and our dog. Yours sincerely Lynn 3. :thank you from the bottom of my heart thanks a million I sincerely appreciate Many thanks for your kindness :Write a letter to thank your friends for caring for you when you were in hospital after an accident. 4. 😕 :Write a letter to Mr. Wang who works in administration office to ask for an increase in financial aid. Dear Mr. Wang: I am writing to you to see whether or not I can get an increase in financial aid.As the administration office had done a lot in help ing people with financial need. I tend to ask another help from you. 5. : you have come back to your hometown after the first term in Canada. Write a letter to your good friend, Mike, inviting him to visit your hometown in summer vacation. One of your friends invites you to visit his hometown. But you have made your plans. Write a letter to refuse his invitation. Version 00113 Some people think that university should not provide theoretical knowledge, but to give practical training beneficial to the society.Do you agree or disagree? Use your own experience and knowledge to support you idea. 5: Most universities and colleges spend rather long period in fundamental theories and elementary course. But students regard these kinds of knowledge useless, and pay less attention to it. Some people think that university should not provide theoretical knowledge, but to give practical training beneficial to the society. As for me, I think this view is reasonable in some aspects. First of all, the theoretical knowledge just handles problem is an abstract concept. It must combine with real job.For instance, as everyone know, with the development of society, work position more and more need experienced and technical talent, especially in Shanghai of China, one of the biggest city throughout the world. So, more offering practice training to university students can help them to adapt to the society better. Therefore, the theoretical knowledge losing contact with reality is nonsensical. Secondly, the theoretical knowledge comes from practice. Any theoretical knowledge is obtained form the work of practicing. The universities provide practical training to students, making them understand the theoretical knowledge deeply.Just because of this, our universities believe that students should participate in social work at least one year in the four years in order to get practical training. However, the theoretical knowledge is the essence of practice, and it is the important course t hat we can’t ignore too. So, theoretical knowledge and practice have the equal status in our study. In a word, theoretical knowledge and practical training is all our require courses. We should study theory knowledge, and then apply it to practice. , , , , version 00121(2005? G )Some people think visitors to other countries should imitate local custom and behaviors. Some people disagree. they think the host country should welcome culture different. Discuss the tow views, and give your own opinion. 4: Recent years, because traffic is convenient day-by-day, people have more chances to travel around the world. The plane can make us reach any corner of the earth in a short time. Some people think visitors to other countries should imitate local custom and behaviors, but some people disagree. As far as I am concerned, necessary imitation is, in contrast, a wiser choice.As a famous saying goes, do as they do when in Room. The knowledge of local custom can help outside people adap t to the new environment rapidly. For instance, a Chinese student came to Britain, he can imitate British life style. In this way, he can understand British habit more thoroughly, thus, make himself live a more comfortable life in Britain. In addition, the cultural uniqueness that should be maintained need more attention. If people did not adhere to their national symbol especially in foreign country, these treasures would disappear. Take American hug for instance.Opposed to it, Chinese people greet each other with a formal handshake instead of warm hug. Because of this, different countries know each other to a greater extent. On the other hand, it is generally believed that outside cultures take a significant role in shaping the new world. Without taking back foreign customs home, a traveler can do nothing to help promote his or her country’s civil variety, In conclusion, according to the above reasons, the transformation to total reference to foreign customs gain an upper h and over the persistence in cultural identity abroad. Version 00110Many world languages and cultures are dying out. Give possible reasons and your recommendations. Nowadays, international communication has become more and more important. But many world languages ad cultures are dying out. In this essay, we will examine the problem of languages and culture dying and the solutions. Firstly, as the technology improves, people around the world are relying more and more on electronic devices to communicate with each other. Take internet for example. In order to make international conversations, people attempt to talk and send e-mail with the commonly-spoken language, say, English.As a result, cultural uniqueness will fade away gradually. Secondly, some of the world languages and cultures are not being learned widely by children. As what happens in China, Chinese youngsters tend to avoid speaking as their elders do. Because of their contact with foreign cultures, they prefer imitating som e odd sayings and behaviors. That is also the way Peking opera is dying out. In order to solve the problems illustrated above, I offer two solutions in this special occasion. For one solution, people might record the culture and languages on books or tapes, making sure our descendants can learn or use them in the future.The second solution is to increase the awareness of the importance of national cultural identity among young people. From the above analyses, the important thing is to learn the elder’s tongue and culture before it is too late. Otherwise, we will lose them. V120 What are the purposes of places such as museums and how should they be funded? : As we all know, museums are unreplaceable places for human beings. However, more and more museums have to face the serous economic problem nowadays. Therefore, many people doubt museum’s significance. On the contrary, I am a firm believer that museums is still of great importance.Firstly, museum is considered the h istorical symbol that it exhibits traditional culture of a nation. Nations of difference have different culture and history. Taking the history and revolution museum for example. The museum is the best way to let the Chinese youngsters enjoy their ancestor’s history and let visitors and foreigners know what china was like century ago. Secondly, museum could help improve people’s love for art and beauty. As a result, museums aiming to exhibit artist paintings, photos and the like can never be replaced. For instance, the greatest art museum in Paris represents things alike every year.Without it, we would not have a so keen taste for beauty. For one solution, the government ought to buy all museums. If museums belong to government, it means main economic problem of museums is solved. The second solution is that society ought to donate lots of money to maintain development of museum. The museum protects out history and culture, so we have obligation to support progress of museums. All in all, it is museums, along with other institutes, that enrich our dull lives. Only by permanently funding them can we share the magnificence. V105Some people claim that the disadvantages of cars are more than the advantages, do you agree or disagree? With the development of science and technology, the cars have already become the important component in our daily life gradually. Cars make our life convenient and swift. However, too many cars have caused very serious social problems. Some people claim that the disadvantages of cars are more than the advantages. I doubt it. Since one century ago, the auto industry has been developed at full speed worldwide, and has brought the enormous progresses to our life. For example, the car is the most convenient tool of transportation.We can be on and off duty by car every day; we can go to travel by car on the vacation; we can utilize the cars to deal with some emergency too. The car is playing an important role in our daily life . They make our rhythm of life faster and faster and make our business become more and more efficient. On the other hand, the development gives people countless employment opportunities too, such as manufacturing industry, repairing industry and maintaining industry. We are enjoying the convenience that the cars bring to us; at the same time we can utilize the auto industry to support ourselves.However, we ca not ignore that too many cars cause enormous social problems, for example, traffic jam, air pollution, traffic accident, to which we have to find a solution. In a word, the cars have brought enormous change to our life. The advantages are far more than the disadvantages. : The graph below shows the percentage of people unable to find work in three major countries from 1983 to 1992. [pic] The line graph shows a comparison of unemployment rates in Japan, the United Kingdom and Canada between 1989 and 1992. In Japan, the percentage of unemployment from 2. 3%to 3%between 1983 and 1986.After that, the percentage started decreasing with minor fluctuation and returned to the original value in 1992. ( : , , ) In 1983, the percentage of umemployed people was 12% in Canada and 13% in the UK. ( )These values decreased dramatically and at a constant rate over the next few years. ( )and unemployment reached the lowest percentage in Canada with about 7. 7% in 1988-1989,and in the UK with 7% in 1989-1990. ( )( )The unemployment rates of the two countries reaches the same point between 1988 and 1989. And then the figures( ))started increasing in both countries . n 1992,Canada reached its original value. Meanwhile, UK reached 10%, three points below the original percentage in 1983. ( ) From the above analysis, the unemployment rate was more stable than those of UK and Canada. ( ) : The graph below shows the different modes of transport used to travel to and from work in one European city in 1950, 1970, and 1990. [pic] The bar chart represents a contrast in terms of bus , car, bike, foot in years of 1950, 1970 and 1990. From 1950 to 1990,the percentage of people who travel( )by bike and on foot decreased from 27%to 7% and 33%to 10% respectively.Similarly, the percentage of people taking bus dropped after 1970 but increased before that. However, car’s percentage use sharply boomed year after year. ( : ) Traveling by bike or on foot were most popular in 1950. but percentage of car users was far more smaller. After two decades, with the decrease of bike users and travelers on foot, bus and car gain a lot of popularity. Bus reached its peak at 27%. in 1970,over one out of three( )people drive to and from work. ( , ) All in all, as the economy increases gradually, people prefer to go to work and come home by driving rather than taking bus or walking. : The table below shows information on income, taxes and prices in five cities around the world. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below. |City |Average hourl y wage |Tax as % of wage |Monthly rent for 4-bedroom flat | |Athens |? 4 |18. 9% |? 700 | |Geneva |? 13 |26. 6% |? 1, 300 | |Hong Kong |? |15% |? 2, 400 | |London |? 7 |31. 3% |? 1, 200 | |Tokyo |? 12 |19. 3% |? 5, 300 | This table graph demonstrates a comparison of wages, taxes and rents in five important cities, Athens, Geneva, Hong Kong, London and Tokyo. Geneva and Tokyo offer the highest average hourly wage,13 and 12 pounds respectively.Within expectation, the tax as percentage of wage is also high. However, the rent in Tokyo is much more than that in Geneva. On the contrary, the lowest wages are offered by Hong Kong and Athens,3 and 4 pounds respectively. It is not surprising that the taxes are correspondingly lower than the rest. The difference between the two cities is the rent, with the lowest 700 pounds in Athens and more higher 2400 pounds in Hong Kong. ( : , ) With the average rent and wage, London has the highest tax ( ) In conclusion, in terms of living cost, living in London might harder than the others. ( ) :The two pie charts below show the types of communication used in 1962 and 1982. [pic] [pic] The two pie charts demonstrate a comparison in different patterns of communication which were used in 1962 and 1982. As what has been shown in the two charts, the percentage of letters drastically decreased from 50% in 1962 to 10% in 1982 respectively. The figures of phone and computer usage, on the contrary, increased correspondingly at a high rate. The percentage of computer communication in 1982 was exactly twice that in 1962. Similarly,the popularity of phone in 1982 can also be suggested by its rise-25% from the original value,35%.In conclusion, communication devices, as economy and technology are being enhanced, have changes greatly. High-tech ways will gradually take the place of private and traditional ones. 1. 21 discuss? With our entrance to 21st century, there rises the controversy of whether our future would turn to the bright one. Many people claim that 21st century would be taken into a positive way through scientific and technological advance while a great number of pessimists argue that our future is threat123d by lots of ongoing disasters. As for me, I prefer a balanced view that there will be crisis and opportunities.On one hand, we have reasons to be optimistic. For one thing, the development of information technology will make it possible to for all the people in the world to communicate with each other easily. Take the internet as an example. A simple click on the mouse could lead you to every place and person all over the world. For another, as the medical treatment develops, it could be expected that there will be cure for such deadly diseases as cancer and AIDS and that human beings would be able to enjoy a long life expectancy. Moreover, with the ongoing mechanization, an increasing amount f dangerous and heavy-labor work would tend to be taken by the robot. In this case, man can work in more safe and comfortable conditions, as well as enjoy more leisure time. On the other hand, it can be foreseen that there may be crises in the future. First, people will run high risk of psychological problems for dealing with computers in long-term is likely to cause the loneliness and infantile autism. Consequently the rate of suicide would experience a sharp rise. Besides, there is possibility that the robot would take over the earth, enslaving our mankind who is originally its creator.Furthermore, it is not impossible that a global nuclear war would break out. As a result, none of all creatures on the earth can escape this disaster so that from then on the civil history comes to an end. From the discussion above, it can be concluded that we would confront both opportunities and crises. The advanced science and technology could obtain merit and drawback. So what I hope to see in the future is that we can enjoy healthier and longer life and that more and more science and technology will be em ployed in the peaceful way. 2.Some people claim that the increasingly frequent business and cultural communications are positive whereas others hold a different opinion. Discuss. Although a slight mention of the past pastoral life arouses a nostalgia and reminiscent beauty, which is unexceptionally characterized by isolation and somewhat disconsolation, various and frequent communications in business, education, scientific research, and even the daily life are flooding the existent values, ideas, and ideals. Inevitably, this social phenomenon provokes a storm of commendation and criticism as well.Frequent communications in various fields among cultures and people undoubtedly benefit individuals’ life. Almost every citizen becomes the beneficiary of the communications. People around the world today are able to enjoy otherwise unavailable products and services. For instance, it is due to the international communication in business that people in China can enjoy such high qualit y products as Mercedes Benz from Germany, Titoni watch from Switzerland, and IBM computers. All these cases demonstrate one thing: communications contribute to human beings.Not only are diverse array of communications in the international spectrum positive to individuals, they also have been exerting significant favorable influences on family life. It was virtually incredible to imagine an international family five decades ago, but today on account of the rapid development of communications and transportations, religious and racial discriminations have almost entirely â€Å"gone with the wind†. It is no longer an â€Å"abnormal† thing that a Chinese husband gets married with a Japanese wife.Such international family, as scientific research warrants, is a welcome development in terms of both biological and political elements. In fact, the advantages of communications are also shaping and reflecting the general human civilization development. If God, as Bible says, creat ed different languages among men, then men all over the world today are able to work together, pray together, and struggle for freedom together. The communications are actually a process of globalization. This is the trend of sustainable development. With communications, people become brothers and sisters rather than enemies.With communications, there will be peace rather than war. With communications, the mundane mortals will eventually retrieve the paradise that our forefathers lost and get renascence. Admittedly, the communications might have some negative influences. But the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. Therefore, the communications should be advocated and encouraged with the utmost enthusiasm A,B : Wild animals have no place in the 21st contrary, and the protection for them is a waste of resource. To what extent, do you agree or disagree with the above statement?Humans share the planet with the wild animas who have contributed a lot to our society and economy. But today, the world is poised on the brink of the largest wave of extinctions. So we have to do something to protect wild animals. Firstly, faming to feed the growing human population is one of the chief cause of extinction. From this millions of hectares of forests and natural vegetation have been cleared for agricultural use. Secondly, excess mining has destroyed the habitat of wild animals. Then came the threat of illegal logging, poaching and smuggling.Wild animals are now facing severe problems, but fortunately more and more people begin to realize the value of wild animals to our human-beings environment. As we know, wild animals together with wild plants consist of a complex ecosystem, which is significant to our natural environment, providing clean water, clean air and various resources. They are so connected and interacted that even extinction of several species will lead to a disaster to the whole ecosystem. Furthermore, the variety of species and genes founding wild animals are critical resources that could be utilized in each country’s development, especially in science and medical.In history, many ideas of famous inventions originated form animals such as ultrasonic fro bat. Moreover, there are still so many undiscovered fields of science, maybe we can get use of one kind of wild animals one day. Before this, we had better keep them protected, particular to some rare species. Someone said safeguard of wild animals is a waste of resource, but I do not agree. It seems that we would spend some time, wealth and manpower on this meaningless thing. Actually we also do this for human being ourselves.Wild animals have no place in the 21st contrary, and the protection for them is a waste of resource. To what extent, do you agree or disagree with the above statement? With the rapid progress of society, people’s living standard is dramatically improved, with more convenience and resource coming to us. However, our living environment at the same t ime is getting more polluted. One effect of this phenomenon is that there is not enough space for wild animals to survive, and many people hold an opinion that it would be a waste of resource to protect wild animals.Nevertheless, I think exactly the opposite way. The environment is a comprehensively biological life cycle, with human beings, animals and plants playing affecting each other accordingly. Wild animals occupy an essential position in the life cycle. Let’s look at a very simple example. Although snakes are very dangerous and frightening, they can catch mice, and mice can destroy the crop as well as sanitary surroundings. Here it is easy to understand that if there are not enough snakes, the number of mice would grow rapidly, doing more harm to us. Then , should not we protect the snake?Actually, we are saving resource by doing this because trying to save something that is already destroyed seriously costs more. Secondly, in present, quite a number of problems such a s desertification and rivers dried up, caused by excessive exploitation of natural resource, have arisen an increasing number of people aware of environment protection. More and more places, I think, should be planned for wild animals in 21st contrary. Thus, it is obviously noticed that more trees are planted and more wildlife conservation areas are planned, ensuring that wild animals will be under protection.As we can see from the improvement, in the 21st contrary, wild animals would be leading a happy life. To sum up, we cannot live without wild animals due to their profound effects on us. For this reason, we should try our best to protect them. Let’s remember one thing—protecting wild animals is equivalent to protecting ourselves. Wild animals have no place in the 21st contrary, and the protection for them is a waste of resource. To what extent, do you agree or disagree with the above statement? Biological diversity has never been as threatened as it is today as a r esult of the process of human civilization.The various forms of pressure created by human activity have destroyed natural balance, led to the deterioration of natural habitats, genetic erosion and the rarity, even disappearance, of a number of plant and animal species. As the pace of civilization accelerates, more people, taking more space, needing to use more natural resources, engaging in ever-growing consumption, impose sever deterioration on the habitat of animals. An increasing number of people come to realize that the disappearance of animals will result in serious threat to the equilibrium of ecosystem.Simply put, the extinction of hawks, rat-eating bird seen in many regions, will result in the rapid propagation of rats. And rats, further, will destroy the prairies and threaten the other animals like gazelles, zebras, and others, who live on grass and green lands. The coexistence of animals and human beings creates perfect harmony and brings about vividness to our planet. It is hard to imagine what our world would be like without animals. Sociologists also point our that the disappearance of animals can cause social and economic problems. Animals trade, as a supporting sector to the world economy, was very active before.However, the situation is beyond control since animals trade is very profitable and alluring. Many species cannot escape the adversity of being killed. Certainly, our diet cannot be without meat. There are living stocks, which can provide us with sufficient and nutritious produce. Therefore, we need not to resort to wild animals, especially the endangered ones. To protect animals is to protect our living environment. Every individual should join efforts to keep the diversity of animals. : The gap of living in cities and the countryside is larger and larger. What are the reasons in your country and how to reduce the differences?As the step of economic development accelerates, the gap between the city and the countryside becomes more and more overt , which arouses colossal concerns. Take a further look at the phenomenon, there are three major causes. Firstly, the insufficiency of investment in the rural areas accounts mainly for the issue. China, for example, covers a very large area. Due to the emphasis on the development in the coastal areas, the government devotes more investment in the large cities, such as shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou. The investment, undoubtedly, is repaid by the threefold increase of economy and commerce in these cities.However, this is not the case in the rural area and the western regions. The lack of investment barriers the productivity and economic development and sharpens the gap between the city and the countryside. Secondly, the low education level in the rural areas contributes partly to the gap of living. Education is the prime force of productivity. Keeping this in mind, many countries and governments give priority to the development of education. China’s education witness ed a rapid growth in the past decade. However, the education level in the countryside still keeps very low.The enrollment of primary schools and secondary schools is much lower compared with the advanced regions, not to mention the developed countries in the world. Without good education, the development of economy and technology would be dream difficult to be realized. Finally, the influx of migrant workers to the cities form the countryside deteriorates the undeveloped conditions in the rural areas. The life style in the urban areas is very attractive to the people in the countryside. To seek more working opportunities, many people abandon the fertile lands and leave them uncultivated.If the situation continues, it will lead to serious unbalance of economic and regional development. To sum up, only when the government renders more concerns over the issue can the gap between the cities and the countryside be bridged. The gap of living in cities and the countryside is larger and lar ger. What are the reasons in your country and how to reduce the differences? When you look back to the last contrary, amazingly you will find that not only had all world’s largest populated cities experienced different population growth rates, but also the difference between the city and the ountryside had grown accordingly. Two reasons of mine can examine the tendency as following. The glamorous city life allures lots of human resources to move to the city, taking major contribution to the gap. In the city, there are many advantages to attract those talented people to settle down—more job opportunities, cultural activities, sporting events, if you name them. Therefore, even those well-educated people who are originated from the country intend to lead a dynamic city life instead of returning to face the static country view.If the rural government can work out some favorable policies such as low prices of land occupied for industrial uses, with the combination of low co st of workforce, investors are willing to establish factories in the countryside. The improvement of employment situation will enormously help pull back some intellectuals and lessen the gap. (104words) In the second part, I would mention the factor of transportation. Supporting sentences: the vital resistance of economic development in the countryside is the inconvenient transportation. It has been witnessed in China that almost all leading cities are scattered along the coastline.They take advantages of sea, air and other sophisticated transport facilities to enjoy high economic growth rates. I suggest that the central government should fund on infrastructure for the whole nation, including rural areas, to build up a nationwide transport network. Consequently, tourism as well as housing in the countryside will be boosted, and the difference between the city and the country would be minimized. (94words) To sum up, intelligent resources would determine who is the winner or loser of the intense competition; moreover, transit system also play an important role in developing economy.If both issues were tackled properly in the countryside, gap between the city and the country would never be overwhelming. 2007 3? 10? TASK 1bar , , 7 TASK2 With the increase in use of mobile phones and computers, less people tend to write letters. The skill of writing letters will disappear completely. To what extend do you agree of disagree? How important do you think is letter writing ? 3? 3? task 1 ,overseas and UK visitors in London from 1996 to 2001. task 2 , , 2? 10? task1 how waste recycled to garden fertilizer task2: maintaining public libraries is a waste of money because computer technology services the function. do you agree or disagree? 2? 3 TASK1:TABLE. TASK2:Who will be responsible for the environment, individual? or government? you opinion? 1? 20 table, 8? ( 8? ) motor vehicle? 1990 2000 It is believed that government should pay for health care and education instead of the public. However, some people debate that it would be a large cost and it is not necessary. What's your opinion? 1? 13? 1? TABLES 1? 6 ,TABLE 1900 ? 2000 : , , , 2006 1? 7? People believe that they should be able to keep all the money they earn and should not pay tax to the state. To what extent do you agree or disagree? 1? 14? There are social, medical, and technical problems associated with the use of mobile phones. What forms do they take? Do you agree that the problems outweigh the benefits of the mobile phone? 1? 21? At present, science has been developing at a high speed, but people still have a high opinion of artists.What can the arts tell us of the life that science cannot? 2006? 2? 11? In many countries, the proportion of older people is steadily increasing. Does this trend have more positive or negative effects on the society? 2? 18? Some people believe that air travel should be restricted because it causes serious pollution and uses up the world's fuel res ources. To what extent do you agree or disagree? 2? 25? More and more measures to improve the security in the urban area have been introduced because of the increased crime. Do the benefits of the measures outweigh the drawbacks? 3? 11? In many countries, more and more young people are leaving school and unable to find jobs after graduation. What problems do you think youth unemployment will cause to the individual and the society? Give reasons and make some suggestions. 3? 18? VS Some people think that teachers should be responsible for teaching students how to judge right and wrong and how to behave well. Some say that teachers should only teach students about academic subjects. Discuss both views and give your opinion. 3? 25? Long distance flight uses more fuel than car and brings pollution to the environment.We should discourage non-essential flight rather than limit the use of car. To what extent do you agree or disagree? 06/ 04 / 08 Space travel to the moon, cited as a b ig step for the mankind. Some people think it made little difference to our daily lives. To what extent do you agree or disagree? 06/ 04 / 22 VS History is little or nothing to tell people. Others believe people must study history to understand the present. Please discuss. 06/ 04 / 29 Some people believe that national sports teams and individual men and women who represent their country should be financially supported by the government.Others think they should be funded by non-government organizations (business, scholarship). 06/ 05 / 13 Housing shortage in big cities can cause severe consequences. Only government action can solve this problem. To what extent do you agree or disagree? 06/ 05 / 20 Do the problems brought by international travel outweigh the advantages? 06/ 05 / 27 Some people think that the use of animal for experimentation is cruel. Other think it is good for the development of science. Discuss the two sides and give your opinion. 06/ 06 / 10 Nowadays some peo ple like to give help to the local community or provide people with direct help. Other people prefer to give money to national and international organizations. Discuss both of the two ways and present your own opinion. 06/ 06 / 17 The best way to solve the world’s environmental problems is to increase the price of fuel. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Use your own experience and give an example to support your idea. 06/ 06 / 24 Some people think that it is beneficial for students to go to private secondary schools, but other people think that it can have a negative effect.Discuss the two points and give your own opinion. 06 / 07 / 08 In a modern society, it has been observed in some countries that the elderly are not duly respected. Discuss the reasons why this has occurred and the effects it might have on our society. 06 / 07 /22 Is it better for students to live at home with their parents or in school accommodations? Give your own opinion on the issue. Use your own experience or an example to support your idea. 06 / 07/ 29 Earlier technological development brought more benefits changes to the life of ordinary people than the recent technological development will.To what extent do you agree or disagree? 06 / 08/ 05 Some people think museums should be enjoyable places to attract and entertain young people. Other think the purpose of museums is educate, not entertain. Discuss both sides and give your own opinion. 06 / 08/ 12 In order to learn a language well, we should also learn about the country as well as the cultures and lifestyles of the people who speak it. To what extent do you agree or disagree? 06 / 08/ 26 Multi-cultural societies, which are a mixture of different ethnic groups, bring more benefits than drawbacks for a country.To what extend do you agree or disagree with this conclusion? 06 / 09/ 02 In some countries, advertisers increase the amount of advertising which try to persuade children to buy snacks, toys,and other goo ds. Parents object such pressure on children. But some advertisers claim that there is useful information in these advertisements. Discuss both views and give your opinion. 06 / 09/ 16 Some people think the students should take the subjects which are decided by the government in the university. Others think that students can apply for the subjects they prefer.Discuss the two situations and give your opinion. 06 / 09/ 23 Young adults should undertake unpaid work to help people in the community. Do you think it brings more drawbacks to the community and the young adults than benefits? 06 / 10 / 14 Some people think the main purpose of schools is to turn the children into good citizens and workers, rather than to benefit them as individuals. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion? 06 / 10 / 22 The speeding up of life in many areas such as travel and communication has negative effects on society at all levels—individual, national and global.To what extent d o you agree or disagree? 06 / 10 / 29 Some people think that increasing business and cultural contacts have positive influences on development; others think that it has negative effects on national identities. Discuss both views and give your opinion. 06 / 11/ 04 Some people think that good health is very important to every person, so medical services should not be run by profit-making companies. Do the disadvantages of private health care outweigh the advantage? 06 / 11/ 18 Some people think secondary students should study international news as a school subject, but others argue that it is a waste of their valuable school time. What’s your opinion? 06 / 11/ 25 Exposure to international media, e. g. films, TV and magazines, has an impact on the local culture. Please discuss whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. 06 / 12/ 02 Throughout the history, male leaders often made the society more violent and conflicting. If women governed the world, it would be a more peaceful world. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give an example to support your idea. 6 / 12/ 09 Modern buildings are appearing in large numbers, some people believe that we should build our buildings in traditional styles. To what extent do you agree or disagree? 06 / 12/ 16 Some people believe that personal happiness is directly related to economic success. Others believe there are other factors. Discuss the two sides and give your opinion ———————– 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 % of people unable to work (UNEMPLOYMENT RATES) United Kingdom Canada Japan 1962 P 35% C 15% L 50%

Assassination of John F. Kennedy Essay

On the day of November 24, 1963, Americans were all shocked by the sudden death of the 35th President of the United States of America. During that day, the itinerary of the president was to join the motorcade from the Dallas airport to the city business district. While the President and the First Lady were aboard an open vehicle along with other political dignitaries in Dallas, Texas, a gunshot was fired as the presidential party approached the Dealey Plaza. Unfortunately, it was Kennedy who was the target and was hit on the head and on his back. The only other causality during that event was John Connally, the Texas Governor who was also shot on the back. Though Jackie Kennedy, the First Lady, was seated near the President in the car, she was left unharmed (BBC, 2008). Many civilians have witnessed this incident because it happened in a public place and it was televised at the local TV networks. Because of these circumstances, many claimed that they have seen where the gunman took his shot. According to Bob Jackson, a photographer from Dallas Times Herald who was then covering the event and situated near the presidential car, â€Å"As I looked up I saw a rifle being pulled back from a window – it might have been resting on the windowsill – I didn’t see a man. † Also, others said that the shots came from the â€Å"window of a building overlooking the road† where Kennedy was shot (BBC, 2008). After the shooting incident, the president was right away brought to the Parklands hospital. But after 35 minutes, Kennedy was pronounced dead. As the protocol, Lyndon John, vice-president, who was next in line was immediately â€Å"sworn in as the new US leader. † This tragedy caught America by surprise that have left them mourning the unexpected death and the brief term in office of President John F. Kennedy (BBC, 2008).

Research Paper on Stereotype Threat

Stereotype Threat in a High Stakes Testing Environment Jennifer J. Krebs Wilkes University Abstract Given the rapidly changing demographics of today’s classrooms combined with the high-stakes testing environment created by the passage of No Child Left Behind, it is important to understand potential explanations for the persistence of achievement gaps. Explanations for the achievement gap have included high populations of English Language Learners (ELLs), socioeconomic issues, lack of resources at the school, teacher, and student levels, and even inherent differences in the intellectual abilities of stereotyped and non-stereotyped groups.A theory developed by Steele and Aronson, called stereotype threat, provided a radical view into how knowledge of stereotypes affects performance (McKown & Strambler, 2009). Stereotype threat is the experience of anxiety or concern in a situation where a person has the potential to confirm a negative stereotype about their social group. The pur pose of this research was to determine how and when children begin to develop knowledge of stereotypes and how stereotype threat affects academic performance. IntroductionThe diversity of student demographics increases every day. Therefore, teachers must be increasingly more aware of the cultural differences and challenges that students from diverse backgrounds bring to school. Not only are these students likely to learn differently based on their cultural expectations, but these students are also likely to possess knowledge of commonly held social stereotypes which can negatively impact their performance (McKown & Strambler, 2009). The current emphasis on high-stakes testing makes the achievement of all students extremely important.Experimental research into performance gaps was limited prior to a groundbreaking study that focused on the possibility of stereotype threat. First described by social psychologist Claude Steele and his colleagues, stereotype threat (ST) has been shown t o reduce the performance of individuals who belong to negatively stereotyped groups (McKown & Strambler, 2009). Since its introduction into the academic literature in 1995, stereotype threat has become one of the most widely studied topics in the field of psychology.However, a major assumption of this theory was that children possess knowledge of commonly held social stereotypes. In order to address this assumption, the following qualitative studies were implemented to determine how and when children begin to develop knowledge of stereotypes. This research is combined with quantitative studies to determine how ST affects academic performance. Method Schaffer and Skinner (2009) examined student interactions within four fourth grade classrooms at a diverse public school in the southeastern United States.Upon observing student interactions and conducting interviews, the researchers discovered several patterns. First, white children were less likely to engage in explicit race talk, whil e black students frequently engaged in openly racial discussions and often used commonly held stereotypes to identify themselves. Second, most minority students who performed at the high end of the class and participated in challenging academic programs relied heavily on racial stereotypes to bridge the social gap between themselves and their racial peers.These students sought to distance themselves from the white students with whom they took advanced classes. Third, white students were more likely to describe students of other races as â€Å"loud† or â€Å"troublemaking† (Schaffer & Skinner, 2009). These observations suggest that students were not only aware of commonly held stereotypes, but strategically used them to organize their social world and dictate social functions. Another study, which examined high school students, suggested that these trends continue as students mature rather than diminish. Lisa M.Nunn (2011) observed six classrooms across three different high schools, and conducted 57 interviews with students to determine the ways in which students’ classroom interactions reflected ideas about commonly held stereotypes. In one school, nearly half of the students interviewed said that race matters for school success. At another school, students expressed frustration with being racial targets and felt they had done nothing to provoke degrading views from their classmates. Furthermore, in a remedial English classroom consisting of eight students, the researcher noticed a ommon occurrence. Five of the students in this classroom were Latino, and three were white. The white students all had learning disabilities which hindered their language usage, while the Latino students’ only handicap was that English was not their native language (Nunn, 2011). Combining ELLs with students with disabilities effectively treats the native language of ELLs as a learning disability. Between the racial views of the students and the systematic reinforcement of prejudices, it is easy to understand why students tend to hold views that race matters for success.The question that remains is how does this knowledge of stereotypes affect student academic performance? McKown and Strambler (2009) conducted a study of 124 students ranging in age from grades K-4 in a suburban Chicago area. The students were given a series of vignettes to determine their ability to identify stereotypes and then placed in diagnostic or non-diagnostic groups to complete performance tasks. Consistent with prior research, minority participants in the diagnostic group performed worse than in the non-diagnostic group; and majority participants performed equally well in both groups (McKown & Strambler, 2009).Desert, Preaux, and Jund (2009) administered Raven’s APM to 153 children within first and third grades. In the diagnostic group, students were given the standard administration instructions as provided in the Raven’s APM Administration Ma nual. In the non-diagnostic group, students were given instructions explaining that the test was actually a series of games that the researchers developed and were testing to determine their appropriateness for the students’ age groups.Researchers stratified the results based on socioeconomic status, arguing that negative stereotypes about the performance of low-SES students could result in ST. The results of the study showed that low-SES students in the diagnostic group performed significantly worse than those in the non-diagnostic group. The performance of high SES students did not differ significantly among the two groups (Desert, Preaux, & Jund, 2009). These results suggested that children in the early elementary years are not immune to ST, even on a test that is supposed to be culture free. While all of these experiments support he theory of ST, one of the strongest arguments to date relies heavily on developing technologies. Derks, Inzlicht, and Kang (2008) offered an o verview of breakthroughs in social neuroscience research that highlighted biological factors underlying conditions of stereotype threat. The researchers discussed several experiments that used functional magnetic resonance imagining (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG), and event-related potentials (ERP) to measure the neurological activities of participants when asked to perform tasks under diagnostic and non-diagnostic conditions.One study tested women under mathematical performance stereotypes and found that the conflict monitoring systems of the brain showed a mis-regulation of neural responses. This information supported the hypothesis that emotions aroused by ST conditions lead to a decrease in cognitive ability. The decrease in ability occurred because emotion-regulation centers of the brain experienced increased activity while areas of the brain associated with academic performance and cognition experienced decreased activity. The researchers cautioned that neuroscience expe riments in the area are too new to allow for generalizations and definitive findings.However, they argued that development of this area is crucial to the study and understanding of stereotype threat (Derks, Inzlicht, & Kang, 2008). Results The assumption that the performance gap between stereotyped and non-stereotyped groups is solely rooted in cultural differences and limitations of students’ background is restrictive. Research has shown that there is also a factor of social psychological threat related to knowledge and perceptions of stereotypes, which can depress test scores of stereotyped individuals.The use of high-stakes testing in an overall environment of racial inequality perpetuates that inequality through the emotional and psychological power of the tests over the test-takers. While researchers have begun to delve into the intricacies as to how stereotype threat causes decreases in performance and other negative effects, there is still much research that needs to b e conducted in order to completely understand the mechanisms that underlie the performance deficits that occur as a result of stereotype threat. ConclusionIn conclusion, stereotype threat is a pervasive phenomenon that has the ability to impact a variety of individuals in a number of ways. Current research offers us insight as to what stereotype threat is, how it impacts individuals, what mechanisms drive the relationship between stereotype threat and performance, and how we can begin to remediate some of the damaging impacts of this threat. Since the current emphasis on high-stakes testing does not appear to be diminishing, teachers and mentors should at a minimum equip students with knowledge about the possible effects of stereotype threat.In this way, proactive strategies might transform a powerless situation into one where students are actively participating in discussions that illuminate the complexities and strengths of their educational futures. Teacher education programs sho uld review their course curriculum and address any gaps in the discussion of standardized testing and methods to improve test scores. Changing test directions from diagnostic to non-diagnostic, educating students in malleable intelligence theories, and reducing the general stress of the testing environment are all methods which could be implemented.References Derks, B. , Inzlicht, M. , & Kang, S. (2008). The neuroscience of stigma and stereotype threat. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 11(2), 163-181. Desert, M. , Preaux, M. , & Jund, R. (2009). So young and already victims of stereotype threat: Socio-economic status and performance of 6 to 9 years old children on Raven’s progressive matrices. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 24, 207-218. McKown, C. & Strambler, M. J. (2009).Developmental antecedents and social academic consequences of stereotype-consciousness in middle childhood. Child Development, 80, 1643-1659. Nunn, L. (2011). Classrooms as racialized s paces: Dynamics of collaboration, tension, and student attitudes in urban and suburban high schools. Urban Education, 46, 1226-1255. Schaffer, R. & Skinner, D. G. (2009). Performing race in four culturally diverse fourth grade classrooms: Silence, race talk, and the negotiation of social boundaries. Anthropology & Education Quarterly, 40, 277-296.

Kanye West Analysis

The song â€Å"So Appalled by Kanye West seems to be one of many songs on Kanye’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, album that takes a straight forward attack on the life that Kanye lives but at the same time likes. It seems that the album itself makes many claims about the lifestyle and things that people in the high society do. Beyond that Kanye West is well known for his music being strictly more or less about the internal battle with himself. One that is easily pointed out is â€Å"I'm trying to write my wrongs, But its funny these same wrongs helped me write this song. †(Touch the Sky) I would have to say that through Kanye West career as a song writer he’s is one of the most consistent artist that openly points out and accepts the life he lives as something that isn’t the most holy life to have. As I listen to the song So Appalled I noticed that of all the songs on the album this song seemed to have the most serious or viable beat to go with its pretty direct meaning. As I did the grammar and thesaurus changes to the song I did a lot of adding of the word I changing literally every verse into the first person and of course it sounded more like a story realistically about Kanye’s life. I think the most important changes to me was the changing of the word â€Å"ridiculous† to â€Å"unbelievable† and also changing â€Å"appalled† to â€Å"amazing† which in my eyes gave the song kind of a double meaning and also reminded me of another song he did that was actually called amazing done in the album before this 808 Heartbreak which is kind of the other half to this double meaning in the song. With most of the changes I made I feel like I changed the song to better resemble the song â€Å"Amazing† which is in first person as he talks strictly in one verse about him knowing he is a problem and saying that that’s something he is fine with and saying that you’ll never be able to take that away from him. So I don’t really believe I changed the song from its meaning just directed it and kind of tried to make it more direct which seems to be more like Kanye. In my eyes the song really talked about the way Kanye west realizes what he does in life really is kind of unbelievable and somewhat unrealistic to the everyday ife of a middle class or even a rich person who is just beginning to see the high life but hasn’t yet really experienced the whole package to think on this level. I believe that jay-Z verse is the most straight forward verse on the track that points out the sinful but amazingly unbelievable life the rappers live. I also kind of took this from Push T’s verse in the song were he starts out with â€Å"success is what you make it† â€Å"take it how it comes â€Å" as the verse goes on it seemed to me like he was talking telling a story of his like as if it was something you tell a child. He took the important concept of success and twisted it as if he’s success was good and turned to be someone what of an amazing but odd success that he is happy with but appalled with at the same time. The song really makes you think about how much the most successful rappers think about their lives as a whole. This song has to one of the most, straight forward and most creative songs created by Kanye West. I find it’s really confusing and interesting at the same time that the rappers in the song like the lives they live but at the same timed they call it ridiculous.