Social Behavior of the Silvered Leaf Monkey Essay Example for Free

Social Behavior of the Silvered Leaf Monkey Essay Adult Silvered Leaf Monkey (Trachyphitecus sp. ) can be distinguished by having silver-tip fur, with dark-skinned face, a feature which is entirely different from the infants. Infants can be seen as a starling bright orange. However, in Sabah (Malaysian Borneo) reddish adults also occur. Species Range Species of Silvered Leaf Monkeys can be found ranging from Indochina, Southern Burma, Southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia to Sumatra, Java, and Borneo. Group Size Species of Silvered Leaf Monkey are usually found in groups up to about ten. The average group size of Javan Langur is around seven individuals (V. Nijman, unpubl. data; cited in Nijman and van Balen, 1998). Based on Kool (1991) found that groups ranged in size from 6-21 individuals with one or two adult males in the group. Group sizes were observed to be larger on Lombok Island, Indonesia, in secondary and monsoon forests than in tropical forests (Supriatna et al. , 1986). Foraging Behavior of Silvered Leaf Monkey Silvered Leaf Monkeys are observed feeding on young leaf shoots or forest fruits in swampy areas, riverine forests and back-mangrove (â€Å"Silvered Leaf Monkey. † 2007). The diet of the Leaf Monkey consists of young leaves and leaf buds, including sweet and fleshy fruits (ripe and unripe), flowers, flower buds, and insect larvae (Kool, 1993). During times that fruits are unavailable or not in season, they increase the intake of young shoots/leaves. It was found out that half of the dietary intake for the subspecies T. auratus sondaicus consisted of protein-rich leaves (Kool, 1992, 1993). In addition to that, the leaves that, the Silver Leaf Monkey selects and prefers to eat consists of low-fiber contents which are easily digestible (Kool, 1992). Silver Leaf Monkey rarely eat mature leaves, they are observed to spent 20% of feeding time foraging on species of Moraceae. When the favored food are scares, their important food source are young leaves of the teak tree (Tectona grandis), (Kool, 1993, 1991). The midrib part of the leaf of teak tree are mostly preferred to be eaten by the Silver leaf Monkey. Nutritional Value of Their Diets Part of their diet, are high protein rich leaves and leaves with low fiber-content which are easily digestible. According to Kool (1993) twenty seven to thirty seven percent of their diets was fruit in which fifteen to twenty seven percent consists of the diets of unripe fruit, and ten to twelve percent of the diet ripe fruit. These fruits that they consume consists of higher amount of condensed tannins, (which according to Goltenboth 1976; Davies, et al. , 1998; Kool, 1992, is useful in the diet because they may reduce acidosis of the stomach by slowing down the rate of fermentation) and total phenolics. Part of the diet of the subpsecies T. auratus sondaicus are ripe fruits which was found causing acidosis in colobines, this is maybe the reason why colobines avoid eating this (Goltenboth, 1976; Kool, 1992). Some of the species also prefer eating fruits with seeds. Some of the important species of trees they prefer to consume are from Ficus sinulata, Ficis sumatrana and Vitex pinnata (Kool, 1993). Depending on what kind of fruits was in season especially during the month of July, August, September, January and February, the kind of food that different groups prefers, varies. Groups may feeds simultaneously having the same food preference. Individuals may be observed eating while the others are traveling or resting. It was also observed that compared to other group of adults and sub-adults the male Silvered Leaf Monkey fed less frequently (Brotoisworo and Dirgavusa, 1991). Locomotion It was observed that the silvered leaf monkey (Javan langur) moves through the forest, quadrupedally (Rowe, 1996). Social Behavior The species of Javan langur are found living in social groups of one or two adult males and some groups on Lombok islands are observed to have only one male. The males were observed to separate and travel solitarily or mixed with all-male groups. The male tends to maintain close proximity with other males the same is true with the females, who tend to maintain close proximity with other females. Aggressive behavior of adult females against one another of the same sex can be observed. Some females may tend to care infants which are not from them (Kool, 1991; Supriatna, etal. 1986; Bennett and Davies, 1994; Rowe, 1994; and Mengantara and Dirgayusa, 1994). Vocal Communication: Silvered leaf Monkey produced a sound like â€Å"ghek-ghok-ghek-ghok,† which serves as their alarm call (Gumaya et al). Reproduction: The species of silvered leaf monkey produces or gives birth to only one offspring at a time. References Bennett, E. L. and Davies, A. G. 1994. The Ecology of Asian Colobines. in Colobine Monkeys: Their Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution. eds. A. G. Davies and J. F. Oates. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge. Brotoisworo, E. and Dirgayusa, I. W. A. 1991. Ranging and Feeding Behavior of Presbytis cristata in the Pangandaran Nature Reserve, West Java, Indonesia. in Primatology Today. eds. A. Ehara, T. Kimura, O. Takenaka, and M. Iwamoto. Elsevier Science Publishers: Amsterdam. Davies, A. G. , Bennett, E. L. , and Waterman, P. G. 1988. Food Selection By Two South-east Asian colobine monkeys (Presbytis rubicunda and Presbytis melalophos) in Relation to Plant Chemistry. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. Vol. 34, 33-56. Djuwantoko. 1994. Habitat and Conservation of Ebony Leaf Monkey in Deciduous Forests (teak), in Central Java. (abstract) XVth Congress of the International Primatological Society. Bali-Indonesia. Goltenboth, R. 1976. Non Human Primates (apes, monkeys and prosimians). in The Handbook of Zoo Medicine. (translation) eds. H-G. Klos and E. M. Lang. Van Nostrand Reinhold: New York. Gurmaya, K. J. , Adiputra, I. M. W. , Saryatiman, A. B. , Danardono, S. N. , and Sibuea, T. T. H. 1994. A Preliminary Study on Ecology and Conservation of the Java Primates Kool, K. M. 1991. â€Å"Behavioral Ecology of the Silver Leaf Monkey, Trachypithecus auratus sondaicus, in the Pangandaran Nature Reserve,† West Java, Indonesia: (abstract) Primate Eye. Vol. 44, 19-20. Kool, K. M. 1992. Food Selection by the Silver Leaf Monkey, Trachypithecus auratus sondaicus, in Relation to Plant Chemistry. Oecologia. Vol. 90, 527-533. Kool, K. M. 1993. â€Å"The Diet and Feeding Behavior of the Slilver Leaf Monkey, (Trachypithecus auratus sondaicus) in Indonesia. † International Journal of Primatology: Vol. 14(5), 667-700. Mengantara, E. and Dirgayusa, I. W. A. 1994. Social Behavior of lutung (Trachypithecus auratus sondaicus) in Pangandaran Nature Reserve. (abstract) XVth Congress of t

Erikosonian Psychosocial Tradition And Social Identity Theory

Erikosonian Psychosocial Tradition And Social Identity Theory Several psychological theories have attempted to provide a definition of identity and an explanation of the processes that develop it. Many theorists see identity development as a means for an individual to explain the present as a bridge from the past to the future, agreeing that identity consists of both individual and social elements. This essay aims to consider the contributions and implications posed by two different associated fields of study; the Erikosonian Psychosocial tradition and Social Identity Theory. Eriksons Psycho-social method was the first identity theory to provide an explanation between our self image (psycho) and the others in the community (social). He proposed individuals must have a stable sense of core identity, as failure to do so would mean the individual may be subject to an identity crisis. This is not to say that people must never experience a conflict of interest between individual needs and social demands. In fact Erikson argued that only by the successful resolution of these normative crises is the achievement of identity possible. He went on to identify eight stages in this life-long development of identity, marked by a distinct conflict, for which successful, normative crisis resolution would result in a favourable outcome. According to Erikson, the most important conflict takes place during adolescence, the fifth psychosocial age. Here the individual re-evaluates everything that was established in childhood by enduring psychosocial moratorium. During this so cially approved period of uncertainity, the indiviual can experieent with dfferent scial roles and consquently personality, self concept and self worth, may all be altered. Psychosocial Theory is a persuasive model. It is both accessible and relevant, resulting in Erikson being highly regarded amongst psychologists. He has been described as a visionary, providing a basis for the work of James Marcia on different forms of identity. The theory is still relevant in todays modern life, due to its utility in many professional arenas [such as] clinical, theoretical and empirical (McKinney, 2001). Erikson has had a huge impact in child development, resulting in teachers, parents and counselors drawing on ideals of his to support their work. Theorists such as Mary Ainsworth, who studied attachment in infancy explained concepts similar to those of Erikson, offering credibility to his work. The approach has been useful for understanding and explaining how personality and behaviour manifest, and therefore has become a much-used tool in dealing with conflict managent and in general self-awareness. It also provides a convincing explaination for many current issues, such as bullying in school. During stage 5à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. and current racial issues and why it can cause so much aggression and understanding of motives behind terrorism. However the theory does not go without criticism. Santrock (2004) highlights research which suggests that identity formation does not begin or end in adolescence, that the conflict is notably less dramatic than proposed, and that in fact some individuals go through their teenage years without any real problems at all. It therefore seems that erikson may have placed too much emphasis on adolescence. This maybe due to eriksons own personal experiences having an effect on his interpretation of results. His young life was fraught with problems, not least being tall and blond and living in a jewish neighbourhood, with a jewish step-family. This need for acceptance and the conflict associated with being different became important themes in his theory. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Based on field work, so reliable as in own environment; He studied combat crises in U.S. soldiers during World War II, child-rearing practices in Native American communities and soci al behavior in India. There are two basic problems with the pychosocial approach to identity. Firstly that large social group were ignored beause although Erikson believed person and social were interlinked, he treated them separately. And secondily Erikson focused on individual identities to explain how people identitfy with indivudal groups. Sit:- 700 words get down to 200! social identity theory (SIT) aims to resolve some of these problems highlighted with the pychosocial tradition, by producing a social rather than individual focus on identity, empahsising on the way we compare ourselves to others. concerned with when and why individuals identify with, and behave as part of, social groups, adopting shared attitudes. Tajfel, the founder of the theory, directly challenged the eriksons concept that group behaviour could be explained by looking at the psychology of individuals. He studied the relationships between people and proposed two separate sub-systems; Personal Identity (describing oneself as a friend or parent for example) and Social Identity (in instances such as referring to gender, race or religion). Their alternative theory suggested a distinctive level of collective psychological processes. This meant that people acted as group members as well as individuals. Their central idea was that behaviour and identity operated on a continuum based on situation, ranging from the highly individual and unique at one end (purely interpersonal), to the collective and common at the other (purely intergroup).The theorys fundamental idea is that identity is drawn from selfcatagorisation, when describing characteristics from our social group. This provides labels for ourselves, in turn provding rules for our behaviour. The category in which we place ourselves is called the ingroup. There is a sence of elitism and a tendency to exclude others; the outgroup. Tajfel research aimed to consider this discrimination between the groups, by proposing superficial differences, he split participants into inial groups and subjected the to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.he concluded that this was sufficient enough to generate predujices. This has been demonstrated, for instance in one example where school boys were placed in groups based on preference for abstract painters such as Klee or Kandinsky. Even using this trivial basis for grouping, and despite the fact th at the school boys didnt know who was in the groups, the boys allocated more resources towards ingroup members than outgroup members. In addition, the resources were given to other individuals in a group instead of the group as a whole, so the boys were not just giving resources to themselves out of self-interest.[13] This experiment was especially interesting because it challenged other models of intergroup interaction which are based on the idea that discrimination between groups happens because there is a clear reason for it, such as a competition for resources or a conflict of interests between the groups. Sit proposes that the reason for this discrimination is because of the need to belong to a group, taht are distinctive and have a high status, it boosts self esteem by making the other group inferior however sit argues that the resistance to this prejudice can result in some individuals seeking to iprove their status by using social obility or leaving behind their soial group. Others may attept social change, by social creativietly, a redefition of the group or through social competition, actively dmenading alternative social ideas in regard to a particular group. People dont like being in the out goup; so one answer is Moving to another group, but requires social mobility to be practicable. For instance, this may be viable in the case of social class or a job, but not so much in groups based on race or gender for example. Social mobility is at the individualistic end of the social behaviour continuum suggested by social identity theory.At the other end of the continuum, group level strategies focus on direct competition. But for this to be possible, there needs to be a belief that change is genuinely possible as well as desirable. In addition, group members need to perceive the current relationships with other groups to be unjustified.Finally, if neither of the above two options are viable, members of groups wishing to change their status may decide to compare themselves using different criteria where they compare more favourably, or focus on comparisons with a different group compared to whom they fare better. People can also choose to redef ine the negative elements of their group identity, or even redefine the group identity itself. These actions are not as effective as the others described above, but do allow group members to contend in a small way with the undesirable current perception of their group. Good bits Attepts to explain prejudies and self esteem, where erikson did not. Self-categorization theory grew from Tajfel and Turners early work on social identity. It is a development of social identity theory, specifically in the part of the relationship between group behaviour and self-concept that describes the social cognitive processes that create social identity effects. The theory describes how people define themselves at a group level but also at an individual level.[4][15] It considers group and individual identities to be at different levels of self-categorization, and more distinct from each other than social identity theory does. For instance, individuals can have several different group identities (e.g. gender, occupation, or nationality) and also several different individual identities depending on context (e.g. how someone considers themself as a male or how they consider themselves compared to their colleagues at work).[16][17] This concept of a hierarchy of different identities replaced the continuum in social identity theory, and allowed an individual an unlimited range of identities based on context.[18] The salience of a particular group identity is based on how accessible a categorization is to an individual, and how well it fits the social context (e.g. bearing in mind what the individual wants to achieve with their behaviour, or what they did last time they were in the situation). For instance, when discussing political issues in a conversation, nationality may become more salient.[19] Bad triviualise issues such as diability Ethical ? Labtest unreliable? Can results be applied to real life stuations. Some criritces cos it trear groups as indivudals (see bx on pg 66) Conclusion:- Although Eriksons theory of identity development is widely cited, other theories provide important knowledge about identity and its development. However Eriksons work is as relevant today as when he first outlined his original theory, in fact given the modern pressures on society, family and relationships and the quest for personal development and fulfilment his ideas are probably more relevant now than ever. Erikson was keen to improve the way children and young people are taught and nurtured, and it would be appropriate for his ideas to be more widely known and used in day-to-day life, beyond the clinical and counselling professions. Eriksons psychosocial theory is. As with any concept there are critics, but generally Eriksons theory is considered fundamentally significant. Erikson was a psychoanalyst and also a humanitarian. So his theory is useful far beyond psychoanalysis its useful for any application involving personal awareness and development of oneself or others. Social learning theories expand the constructs of self concept and self worth as the basis of self description in late childhood. Cognitive development theory describes the age-related processes leading to a childs limitation before adolescence and competence during adolescence for establishing identity. Researchers investigating Eriksons theory of identity development have provided important modifications to the theory.

Self Determination Theory in Injury Rehabilitation

Self Determination Theory in Injury Rehabilitation Self-Determination Theory as a proposed aid to Athletic Injury Rehabilitation Just as Honda Motor Company advertises widely that the technology it places in its Formula I racing program finds its way to each consumer automobile it sells, one can find the same justification for utilizing psychological interventions to increase the performance of athletes, especially after potentially career-ending or –derailing injuries. The success of such interventions, much as is efficacy of the technology in 200+mph race cars, is exceptionally clarified during moments of intense sport action. Similarly, by incorporating elements of Self-Determination Theory and motivational interviewing during the â€Å"pit time† of an athlete in rehab, their likelihood of emerging as strong as or perhaps even stronger than before the injury are increased. In fine scientific tradition, the basis of Self-Determination Theory (SDT) is found in the continual evolution of prior theories that were found lacking. For example, in one early model, Hull’s Drive Theory, motivation was posited to simply be a factor of unmet physiological needs. While this is true for some ‘drives’, for other needs such as emotional or even play, this theory was notably silent (Deci Ryan 2000, p. 228). Another example of an ‘unfinished’ theory would be Skinner’s operant conditioning, a very useful theory that nonetheless omits intrinsic motivations (Deci Ryan 2000, p. 233). Fundamental precepts of SDT indicate that people â€Å"have an innate organizational tendency toward growth, integration of the self, and the resolution of psychological inconsistency† (Markland, Ryan, Tobin Rollnick 2005, p.815). These three concepts are both the â€Å"what† and the â€Å"why† of motivation have been demonstrated to not only be valid theoretically but also in real-world field research where actual behaviors occur (Ryan Deci 2000, pp. 228 and 258). In first speculating about and then later in predicting and then influencing behavior, SDT argues that motivation must first be understood. According to SDT, behaviors lie on a continuum from externally motivated, in which others control behavior through reinforcements, to identification which is very â€Å"self-determined†. In between these extremes is behavior motivated by introspective regulations as would be the case when someone partially internalizes motivation, often because of self-esteem type issues that are unstable as sources of continual motivation (Markland, et al 2005, p. 816). To begin bridging motivation with actual performance, that is to bring together intent with actual outcome, it is well documented that those with a greater degree of internal motivation do better in â€Å"motivational persistence, quality of behavior and learning, and well-being outcomes in†¦ education, work, sports, exercise†¦.† (Markland, et al 2005, p. 817). Though it is not enough to say that these things just â€Å"happen†, there are methods designed to facilitate the internalization of goals. Such techniques as Motivation Interviewing, in fact, make a purposeful facilitation of this objective. In short, Motivational Interviewing is style of counseling that has been widely adopted for behavioral change. Beginning with the reasonable assumption that there is not a single behavior that did not first begin as a thought or motive emotion, the key to changing behavior is to change one’s motivation. It achieves this through the exploration and resolution of the client’s ambivalence in choosing one â€Å"desired† behavior over another â€Å"undesired† behavior (Markland, et al 2005, p. 813). By assisting the client to clarify the conflicts of change and the choices they make and rationalize, the therapist is able to facilitate the client to want to change, thus overcoming their own ambivalence. To better illustrate how these methods might work, consider the following case: John is a third year high school athlete in a top-third soccer program. He consistently plays at a high level and has been told that he has potential to possibly play at a top college program. The key to this seems to be to continue to evolve as a total player, attend a top-flight summer camp program and have a predictably excellent final year. Everything proceeds according to plan when, at the summer camp, he has a severe grade II hamstring pull. Though he immediately iced it, he was unable to move faster than a limping walk for two days. Surgical repair was ill advised due to the specific nature and location and aggressive therapy was prescribed. Clearly, John seems to be properly motivated for ‘his best efforts’ at recovery prior to the fall season only 3 months away. On the line is a college scholarship, the admiration of his peers and the otherwise ‘abandonment’ of his team. Seemingly, all the ingredients for motivational performance in the â€Å"sport of rehabilitation† are present yet, when one examines these, it is not apparent the extent to which he is internally motivated. Is he playing to save his parent’s money? Will his girlfriend reject him if he becomes a â€Å"spectator†? These are potentially powerful motivators yet SDT research clearly indicates an almost linear relationship between performance and the degree of internal motivation. To utilize the SDT and motivational interviewing precepts to John’s advantage, the first order of business is to become â€Å"client-centric† by giving John choices in his care. The greater extent that John can control the outcome in a medically acceptable way, the greater the extent that he will feel as though he is in charge and therefore motivation is more intrinsic and thus he is more likely to perform better during and consequently after rehab as well (Podlog Eklund 2005, p. 23; Markland et al 2005, p. 818). In addition, in direct support of SDT, the following motivational interview techniques are recommended: SDT Functional Area Competence Autonomy Relatedness Clear neutral information about goals and outcomes Avoid coercion Express empathy Develop appropriate goals â€Å"Roll with resistance† Explore concerns Positive feedback Explore Options Demonstrate understanding of the client’s position Self-efficacy is supported Client-centric decision making Avoid judgment and blame (Markland et al 2005, p. 821) As an additional adjunct to utilizing SDT theory and as indicated earlier, it is not a great stretch of the imagination to envision rehab as a form of sport in which you continually compete against one’s on â€Å"personal best†, the admonitions of your medical â€Å"coaches† and the coming next game or season, as applicable. By doing so, not only does this perspective further enable one to apply SDT to rehab as to other settings but is also allows the athlete to leverage the intrinsic competitiveness and drive to achieve greater gains in rehabilitation. An example in which we might apply a broader portion of sports psychology to a rehab setting would be to utilize mental rehearsal not just of a sporting moment but of rehab exercises. By focusing on the specific components of a rehab exercise, performance is likely to be increased just as visualizing on-the-field performance can enhance the performance of a healthy athlete (Wrisberg Fisher 2005, p. 58). In conclusion, by utilizing sport psychology and SDT and Motivational Interviewing techniques in particular, there is a great likelihood that John, our case study, performance could be significantly enhanced not only in rehab but in the following season as well. By clearing the mind of its barriers and ambivalence to performance, the body will be enabled to reach its utmost performance potentials. Works Consulted Deci, E. and R. Ryan. (2000). â€Å"The â€Å"What† and â€Å"Why† of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-Determination of Behavior†. Psychological Inquiry, (11), 4, pp. 227-268. Markland, D., R. Ryan, V. Tobin, and S. Rollnick. (2005). â€Å"Motivational Interviewing and Self-Determination Theory†. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, (24), 6, pp. 811-831. Podlog, L. and R. Eklund. (2005). â€Å"Return to Sport After Serious Injury: A Retrospective Examination of Motivation and Psychological Outcomes†. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation, (14), pp. 20-34. Wrisberg, C. and L. Fisher. (2005). â€Å"Mental Rehearsal During Rehabilitation†. Athletic Therapy Today, (6),10, pp. 58-59.

Racial Profiling: An American Crisis Essay -- Racism, Prejudice Essays

The concept of racial profiling has been given many different definitions. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, racial profiling refers to â€Å"the discriminatory practice by law enforcement officials of targeting individuals for suspicion of crime based on the individual's race, ethnicity, religion or national origin.† Everyday, people fall victim to racial profiling. Some people argue that racial profiling is a necessary and practical form of law enforcement. Others deny its entire existence. Sadly, racial profiling does exist, and it plagues our nation. Unfortunately stopping racial profiling completely is very difficult. Police are people and will fall victim to stereotypes and assumptions. That said, we must acknowledge the fact that racial profiling is unconstitutional. It violates the 4th amendment which guarantees the right to be safe from unreasonable search and seizure without probable cause, and the 14th amendment which requires that all citizens be t reated equally under the law. The practice of racial profiling also contradicts one of the most well known phrases in the Declaration of Independence, â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.† Racial profiling has its roots in the older technique of criminal profiling. Criminal profiling became popular in the middle of the twentieth century when it was successfully used by a psychiatrist to find a serial bomber. Then, in the 1960’s and 1970’s, after a rash of airplane hijackings or â€Å"skyjackings†, experts used similar techniques to form a profile for sky jackers. They taught airline personnel to look out for a list of 25 different characteristics; none which were related to a particular race or ethnic group. Unfortunately, the pr... ...reated a law that makes it a state crime to be in the state illegally, allows police to arrest or fine a person who fails to provide U.S. identification, and allows police to detain anyone who they suspect to be an illegal alien. While supporters argue that the law is necessary, critics believe that the new law will open the door for racial profiling. And if this is true, Arizona’s 1.7 million residents of Hispanic or Latino origin are potential victims. Racial profiling doesn’t just exist today, it thrives. It is used by law enforcement everyday even though it is both unjust and unconstitutional. Not only does it violate the core principles of this country, but it can be dangerous. It threatens our national security and, on a deeper level, racial profiling is a threat to racial equality, something that the people of the United States have fought to achieve.

Good vs. Evil in John Cheevers The Five-Forty-Eight Essay -- Five-For

Good vs. Evil in John Cheever's The Five-Forty-Eight John Cheever was an award winning American author of the twentieth century. His work often possessed 'psychological and religious vision' with central themes of 'sin, deception, and redemption' (Kennedy, 551). Cheever's short story entitled 'The Five-Forty-Eight' portrays a struggle of good vs. evil. Following the themes of sin, deception, and redemption, we read of a young woman (good) seeking revenge for the evil done to her. Through the course of the story the reader can distinguish between the traits of good and evil. The Webster's dictionary defines evil as 'that which is morally wrong.' Blake has some distinct morality issues. Blake, the evil force in the story, possesses many character flaws that are indicative of the force he portrays. He is self-absorbed, manipulative, and shallow and has isolated himself from his friends and family. Blake sacrifices his relationships to give into his sexual desires, which is our first indication of his evil streak. He sleeps with Mrs. Dent, his secretary, and proceeds to fire her. As a result of Blake?s many one night of stands, in which he manipulates women to sleep with him, he loses his wife, son, and friends. He is so incredibly shallow and self-involved that he married his wife for her beauty alone; he has no attraction to her in her old age. He does not even pretend to love his wife ?the physical charms that had been her only attraction were gone? (554). His neighbors and friends hear of the evil Blake has done to his own wife, and as a result they rej ect Blake as a friend. His self-involved attitude prevents him from caring that he has no companions. When his neighbor, Mrs. Compton, cannot give him a genuine smile, we r... ...relationship. Cheever?s preoccupation with sin and deception is played out in the story. Works Cited Cheever, John. ?The Five-Forty-Eight.? Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Ed. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 8th ed. New York: Longman, 2002. 550-561. Chesnick, Eugene. ?The Domesticated Stroke of John Cheever.? Ed. Dedria Bryfonski. Contemporary Literary Criticism. Vol. 7 of 46. Detroit, MI: Gale Research Company, 1980. 48. Oates, Joyce Carol. Article on John Cheever. Ed. Dedria Bryfonski. Contemporary Literary Criticism. Vol. 11 of 46. Detroit, MI: Gale Research Company, 1980. 119-120. The New Webster?s Dictionary. New York: Lexicon Publications, Inc., 1990. 135. Tyler, Anne. Article on John Cheever. Ed. Dedria Bryfonski. Contemporary Literary Criticism. Vol. 11 of 46. Detroit, MI: Gale Research Company, 1980. 121.

How one learns best Essay

The way I learn best is from observation and a little explanation. I mainly prefer to find things out for myself rather than have it told to me. This allows me to have more of a connection with what I have learned. When I learn something I like to learn it properly and fully. I like to learn it from all perspectives, so I can truly understand things â€Å"from the inside† as Van de Lagemaat nicely puts it. I dislike having a serious conversation with narrow minded people. It disgusts me to see people blindly supporting their own view and reject everything that contradicts their ideas, without even giving it a single thought. It is natural thought because it is part of human nature to have this type of mentality when only â€Å"my view† is the right one. Once humans learn to view things in other people’s shoes, they will start to view the world in a different way. I believe that human nature is basically wild. Society we are living in covers up our wild side but at some points this side is exposed. I enjoy reading during my free time. But to have a book forced on me slightly puts me off reading it. There are certain exceptions where the book fits my likings, but over the year, they have been an odd occurrence. To have an assignment on a novel that is devoid of interesting ideas and information is almost painful. I would very much welcome flexibility with deadlines. With sport practice and extra-curricular activities, some extra time would be truly appreciated. I would also welcome teachers to always point out my mistakes and make a big deal of them. This way it can stick in my mind and I won’t forget it as easily. I always like to see my teacher be very active in class bring up class discussions and stating his/her opinion on things. For me to entirely succeed I would need to change certain things about myself. Most of which I have already started to do, such as my organizational skills. Other aspects I should improve upon are my concentration skills. I sometimes find it hard to focus on any given subject when there are distractions present.

Amanco Case Study Essay

Is the Amanco strategy an example of â€Å"corporate social responsibility† or â€Å"corporate self-interest†? Amanco’s strategy is an example of corporate social responsibility. Amanco came from a group who self-regulated social responsibility into its business model. Amanco’s business model is also self-regulated and has opportunity to be recognized as a company with social concerns. It almost cannot be seen as a corporate self-interest, because Amanco addressed every step of their operation. They employed a birth-to-grave approach when looking at the effects it had on the social well-being of the people and the environment. Why has Roberto Salas chosen to develop a strategy map and Balanced Scorecard to represent Amanco’s triple bottom line objectives? He chose to develop this strategic map, so that his top, middle, and bottom manager can understand the directions that the company wants to go it. By developing this map, it is easier to adapt this strategy in the different regions and business units. Why did Salas choose to modify the traditional strategy map/BSC format? Salas didn’t think that the traditional strategy map clearly presented the triple bottom line concepts as a foundation for any value creation and competitive advantage. He thought by modifying the map, it would make it a clearer and more logical representation of the company’s strategy. What challenges does Salas face with implementing Amanco’s strategy? Salas’s challenges will be getting the right people to champion such a strategy. This falls a little into the Red Strategy of getting the right people, who understands, and buys into the strategy. The problem doesn’t just lie with the people, but also with the different rules and regulations, and the languages in the different countries. Trying to standardize the strategy would be a huge challenge, but it sounds like the created Local SSCs first and tried to link it back to the company’s SSC. In what ways is Amanco following a ‘yellow’ strategy? Amanco is a yellow strategy company, since they look to be considerate of the people. Their purpose and practice goes a long way in making sure that their actions address the needs of its community. Things like product awareness; they adapted a birth-to-grave approach on their products, vetting each step in the cycle to make sure that their outputs weren’t detrimental to the community. With the people, they started within, in ensuring that their employees were taken care of.