Fictitious Business Description Essay

The main purpose of this study is to discuss the importance of a Human Resource Information System (HRIS) in Castle’s Family Restaurant. We are therefore going to discuss on the HR problems in Castle’s Family Restaurant and how the implementation of HRIS will enable the company to reduce costs together with ensuring efficiency in HR operations (Randall S. & Susan E. 2007). Business assessment Castle’s Family Restaurant in Northern California is the business to be assisted. It is large in size since it runs several branches in different locations and also has over 300 employees and this makes it to be a company. Depending on the size of the business, I have in my description assumed that Castle’s Family Restaurant is a since it has many employees and many branches. This assumption is based on the background of restaurant work environment and industry. Based on the basic theory of business complexity and getting work done restaurants should employ many workers to ensure that work is done efficiently like in the case of Castle’s Family Restaurant. Identified problems In the review of the HR of Castle’s Family Restaurant, I have noted the following: I have discovered that business does not have a human resource manager rather the operations manager served as HR manager. The company has not implemented HRIS which is important in monitoring the employee’s performance (Randall S. & Susan E. 2007). It is therefore evident that the HR is experiencing problems since the HR manager is unqualified and had so many duties to handle which is quite tiresome for him. Some of the functions of a HR include manpower planning, recruitment and training of employees, hiring employees and monitoring employees to ensure high performance. In my analysis I will focus much on monitoring of employees performance which will help me design a business plan. The main reason for focusing on this HR function is because the company seems to have failed in its implementation of HRIS which could be useful in reducing the HR managers travel time and travelling costs and that is why the HR manager has to travel to the branches to monitors employees performance. According to the resource-based theory of Human Resources, strategic management of the company resources leads to its success (Randall S. & Susan E. 2007). Increase in the costs incurred by the company is wastage of company resources since a better method can be implemented to reduce these costs and improve company’s performance. HRIS needs assessment According to Michael J. & Mohan T. (2008), HRIS is an online solution used by Human Resources to enter data, track data and manage accounting and payroll functions of the company. The main purpose of implementing HRIS in a company is to reduce the manual workload in HR administrative activities through tracking existing workers. Implementation of this software will create a more efficient process from the HR in the sense that it will help the HR manager to manage information about the employees, analyze employee information, manage resumes and new applications and also complete payroll integration with other financial accounting software in the company (Michael J. Mohan T. 2008). Automating all HR functions saves a lot of time and resources and hence increasing efficiency in HR operations as suggested by the resource-based theory of Human Resources. By implementing HRIS in Castle’s Family Restaurant, the HR manager will not have to travel to all company branches to monitor and answer employees questions rather he will perform his duties in his office. All questions that need to be answered will be answered through this software. Application or implementation of HRIS in Castle’s Family Restaurant will therefore enable the HR manager to complete all of his tasks in a cost-effective manner. Conclusion As a HR consultant, I would advise Castle’s Family Restaurant to implement HRIS as this software will solve much of the HR problems and hence leading to reduced costs and improved HR efficiency. Implementation of HRIS will make the company to effectively use it resources for better operations.

Washington Crossing the Deleware

CROSSING THE DELEWARE HIST101 George Washington saved not only the continental army at the battle of Trenton, but he also saved and breathed new life into the cause of Independence. After knowing seemingly knowing nothing but defeat and hardship for the latter half of 1776, Washington knew that not only he, but the neophyte country known as the United States, needed a miracle. History dictates that he most certainly delivered that miracle and saved the cause, but what were the effects of his victory?What is the importance of his crossing of the Delaware? The crossing at the Delaware river has become over the years, the symbol of American spirit and resolve. Numerous historical evidence indicates the hardships and hazards that accompanied the crossing that fateful December night. But to discuss the effects of the crossing, one must set the stage of events first. In the winter of 1776, General George Washington and his fledgling continental army stood on the precipice of annihilation.A fter suffering a series of disastrous defeats which resulted in the loss of New York city and it's surrounding areas, Washington gathered the shattered remnants of his once proud army and retreated across the Delaware river into Pennsylvania. Washington knew that the life of not only his army, but the cause was ebbing away daily, more so with their disastrous string of defeats. With low morale, constant desertion, sickness and hunger facing his men, he also knew that there was one other chief problem which would befall him at the end of the year;the expiration of the soldiers enlistments. [1]When the continentals drove the British troops out of Boston in March of 1776, Washington had seventeen thousand troops under his command. By December of 1776, through not only combat but the attrition of war and what entails with it, he now commanded a mere four thousand seven hundred men. At the end of December when the enlistments for the soldiers ran out, he would be fighting with only twelv e hundred men. In a letter that Washington wrote to John Hancock who was residing with the Continental congress in Philadelphia at the time, Washington wrote, â€Å"Ten more days will put an end to the existence of our Army[2]. Washington was not exaggerating when he said this. He had no doubt in his mind that come the end of the year the expiration of enlistments would cause an exodus of his fighting force. Aside from the threat of the ending enlistments, there was also the Hessian mercenary force across the river at Trenton, which Washington had no doubt that the they would cross the Delaware river once it was frozen over and suitable to do so. Washington also realized that if he could end the year with a tremendous victory, it would do wonders not only for the cause, but for recruiting more soldiers to fight for it.With nothing to lose and everything to gain, Washington decided that he would attack the Hessian mercenary force on December 25, 1776. The Hessians were feared by the continental army, and rightfully so. They were some of the Europe's best trained troops at the time and the memories of their massacre of American troops at the Battle of Long Island, lay fresh in their minds. The need for self-preservation seemed almost as strong as the need to avenge the brave soldiers lost. Washington's staff strongly advised him from attacking the Hessians in broad daylight, even crossing the river it's self.Their seemed to be a prevalent feeling that the Hessians would destroy the continentals, even though they had the Hessian'soutnumbered(the Hessians in Trenton were around fifteen-hundred men). While the continentals had numbers on their side, the Hessians had several things they did not. The Hessians were billeted in houses no doubt with fire places and were relatively safe and comfortable from the cold. The Hessians were also no doubt well fed and well cared for. On the contrary, the continental soldier at the time had barely any adequate provisions at all .They were ill fed and ill equipped to face not only the Hessians but the driving winter which was upon them. Most of them wore no shoes, if any shoes at all. On the night of the crossing a major, John Wilkinson, had seen spots of red in the snow, â€Å"tinged here and there†, he wrote, â€Å"with blood from the feet of men who wore broken shoes. †[3] Washington had also lost a significant number of weapons and material during the retreat across the Delaware. Taking over the Hessian garrison in Trenton would not only be a good psychological boost for his troops, but it would also be a start in obtaining much needed supplies for them as well.On Christmas night 1776, Washington assembled his army to cross the Delaware. Several writings on that fateful evening indicated the hardships and perils of the crossing itself. Thomas Rodney who was there that night described it as, â€Å"It was a severe night as I ever saw. The frost was sharp, the current difficult to stem, the ice increasing, the wind high, and at eleven it began to snow. † When the continentals cross the Delaware, all accounted for and behind schedule, they began their march onto Trenton, New Jersey. John Greenwood, a fifer in the Continental Army described the march. What I suffered on the march, cannot be described. They who were with us know best about these things, others cannot believe the tenth part, so I shall say nothing further. 3† Exhausted, starving, frightened and freezing, the Continentals commenced battle with the Hessian at Trenton around eight in the morning, catching most of the Hessian unaware, most of which were still sleeping. From the start of the engagement, the continentals were fully in control of the tempo of the battle and seized the initiative. The Hessians became completely surrounded and their units became isolated and they were forced to surrender.They also suffered heavy losses with twenty-two men dead, eighty three wounded, and nearly one thous and and one hundred troops captured by the Americans. The American's only suffered two dead and five wounded. (statistics differ to a varying degree on the casualties and material obtained by Washington and his men). Washington had originally planed to march the army further to Princeton and New Brunswick, but after consideration and discussion from his staff, dropped the plan. He ordered his troops to recross the Delaware, where they took back with them not only the Hessian prisoners, but much needed quipment and supplies needed to sustain his army. The battle despite its seemingly small proportion increased not only morale among the men which had been dangerously low to begin with, but also their confidence. They had defeated one Europe, even one of the world's most respected troops at the time. Despite the victory and the bold gamble it was, there was still the issue of the expiration of enlistments. Washington seized the advantage and the boost the victory had given him, and two days after the battle, only a few days before the expiration, implored his exhausted, underfed and underpaid troops to stay longer.Fifty years after, a sergeant whom was present at the time gave his account of what Washington said to a group of soldiers. â€Å"My brave fellows, you have done all I asked you to do, and more than could be reasonably expected. But your country is at stake, your wives, your houses, all that you hold dear. You have worn yourselves put with fatigues and hardships, but we know not how to spare you. If you will consent to stay but one month longer, you will render that service to the cause of liberty, and to your country, which you probably can never do under any other circumstances.The present is emphatically the crisis that will decide our destiny. †3 Before this gambit, there were some members of the Congress and even Washington’s own soldiers and staff whom questioned his military ability and handling of the army. The victory at Trenton, and later at Princeton, quelled these fears. Faith was not only renewed in him, but also in his army. The victory also had a tremendous effect upon morale not only within the troops but in Congress as well. The victory also broke the psychological hold that the Hessians had over the continentals as well.They knew now and full realized that they were a capable army as any in the world. The defeat of the Hessians also caused the British to abandon their efforts of protection to the loyalist leaning peoples of New Jersey. When looking at the crossing of the Delaware and the victory at Trenton on a tactical scale, it seems to be a minor engagement. But the significance and the psychological impact, saved the not only the continental army, but it pulled the cause out of the depths of a sea of despondency and defeat.Over the years the American people have come to see the crossing of the Delaware, as a symbol of American resolve, and that we as a people will never give into tyranny and opp ression. Bibliography 1. â€Å"The Continental Army†, http://www. history. army. mil/books/RevWar/ContArmy/CA-05. htm 2. â€Å"George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress†, last modified Feb-16-1999, http://memory. loc. gov/ammem/gwhtml/gwhome. html 3. â€Å"Washington Crossing Historical Park†, http://www. ushistory. org/washingtoncrossing/history/revwartimeline. htm ———————– 1]â€Å"The Continental Army†, http://www. history. army. mil/books/RevWar/ContArmy/CA-05. htm [2]â€Å"George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress†, last modified Feb-16-1999, http://memory. loc. gov/ammem/gwhtml/gwhome. html [3]Washington Crossing Historical Park†, http://www. ushistory. org/washingtoncrossing/history/revwartimeline. htm 3Washington Crossing Historical Park†, http://www. ushistory. org/washingtoncrossing/history/revwartimeline. htm 3Washington Crossing Historical Park† , http://www. ushistory. org/washingtoncrossing/history/revwartimeline. htm

An Exploration of the Malay Kompang

AN EXPLORATION OF THE MALAY KOMPANG Name: Chan Tsui Sze Dora Matriculation Number: U1210644K Seminar Group Time: 1330 – 1530 Seminar Group Instructor: Cikgu Zubir Assignment: Research Paper in Malay Music Date: 10 April 2013 Word Count: 2245 Contents Chapter 1: An Introduction to the Kompang3 1. 1 Features of the Kompang4 1. 2 Features of Kompang Music4 1. 3 Performance Context6 Chapter 2: Influences on the Malay Kompang 7 2. 1 Arabic Influences7 2. 2 Portuguese Influences9 2. 3 Thai Influences11 2. 4 African Influences12Chapter 3: Future Changes in the Malay Kompang14 3. 1 Pop and Media Influences14 3. 2 Western Influences15 Chapter 4: Conclusion16 Bibliography 17 Discography/ Videography 19 Chapter 1: An Introduction to the Kompang The Malay Kompang ensemble refers to a Malay drum ensemble that ranges between three performers in a small chamber or accompaniment setting, to a large group of 30 drummers. As an instrument, the Malay Kompang is so familiar to most Singaporeans, yet it encompasses a rich history spanning more than 700 years that would astound and intrigue many.Kompang is mainly an oral tradition (Abdullah, 2005). Like all other non-notational music forms, it is inevitably highly characterized by change, self-improvisation and influences from other cultures. While Kompang music today is admittedly not so frequently heard nor performed as before, there have been efforts to assimilate this traditional music genre into today’s popular culture. This paper will address the diverse cultural influences on Malay Kompang from Arabic, Portuguese, Thai and African sources.Through the main musical elements of instrumentation, rhythm, form, and performance context, a comprehensive musical analysis of the influence of the different cultures on Kompang music will be made. This paper will also examine how elements of popular culture can be infused into the traditional Malay Kompang music genre, and discuss the general developmental direction that Kom pang music is taking. 1. 1 Features of the Kompang The Malay Kompang is part of the membranophone family.It is a wooden-framed, circular, one-sided handheld drum with a skin made up of animal hide and played using the free hand (Abdullah, 2012). There are two main types of tones on the Kompang – the lentong beat played by hitting the side of the drum with closed fingers, and the cerang played by slapping the center of the drum with the palm (Abdullah, 2012). The lentong typically produces a lower-pitched, rounder sound while the cerang typically produces a higher-pitched slapping effect. One of the unique features of the Kompang is its â€Å"wet† and rumbling timbre due to the strong effects of reverberation.Another special feature of the Kompang is its interlocking technique and the unique musical texture heard from this effect. 1. 2 Features of Kompang Music Even though most musical repertoire of the Kompang is oral in nature and neither notated nor formally defined, there is undeniably a wide range of repertoire in the Kompang genre. There is purely instrumental drumming as well as Kompang used to accompany vocal parts, like zikir. The variety in form – the organization of musical elements in time to create structure (Kamien, 2013) – used in Kompang music is very wide.There is the use of Pukulan, which the first section is called Pukulan Mula (introduction beat), the second is called Pukulan Asas (basic beat) and the third is Pukulan Naik (ascending beat), followed by a combination of other sections including Pukulan Turun (descending beat) and Pukulan Naik. Finally the last section is identified as Pukulan Mati (ending beat). (Abdullah, 2005) There is no rule as to how many times each Pukulan has to be played; the combination of Pukulan sections is determined by the length as well as the function of the entire performance.Also, the form of Kompang pieces is also specific to the community that is performing the pieces. For exampl e, the Kompang music performed by the Kompang Ezhar community in Malaysia typically begins with a call-and-response recitation of the Selawat, a reading of a holy scripture, and then continues with the various Pukulan sections. Additionally, there are even more types of Pukulan found in various forms of dance music (Abdullah, 2005). A summary of the different Pukulan specific to the Kompang Ezhar community is shown in Figure 1 below: Figure 1: A summary of the various types of Pukulan found in the Kompang Ezhar (Abdullah, 2005)In Kompang, rhythm is mainly characterized by the interlocking of different parts divided within the Kompang ensemble. Interlocking is basically done with two or more Kompangs playing simultaneously, with one part playing the Basic beat which is usually the downbeats; another part playing the Rhythm beat which is usually the off beats; and an additional part(s) playing the Leading beat which is usually characterized by triplets or a syncopated rhythm that crea tes a unique interlocking texture specific to the Malay Kompang musical genre (Hahril, 2010).In addition, instrumentation is a musical element that is relatively fixed in Kompang; there is usually a group of Kompangs playing together, and occasionally, accompanying voice. 1. 3 Performance Context In the Singaporean context, the Malay Kompang is usually seen performed at weddings and celebratory ceremonies, or at traditional showcases. As the Kompang is usually performed in large, open spaces, it is important that it produces loud, penetrating and thundering sounds. Kompang performances are also popular at social functions like cultural festivals, dinner shows and events, as well as for the royalty (Abdullah, 2005).All these factors underscore the importance and essentiality of this unique instrument in the entire Malay community. Chapter 2: Influences on the Malay Kompang The Malay Kompang is influenced by many cultures, especially from those cultures that introduced the musical gen re into the Malay community in the early 13th century. As Malacca was ruled by different cultural groups throughout its history, the performance of Malay Kompang was also inevitably influenced by these cultures that took over the land at different points in its history. 2. 1 Arabic Influences One main influence on Kompang music is the Arabic culture and its music.In this context, it is of relevance to discuss the main hand drum that is greatly symbolic of Arabic music – the goblet drum, a large single-headed drum introduced in 1100 BCE (Sadie, 1980). Figure 2: African goblet drum The goblet drum is played either with the drum held under the player’s arm, or with the player sitting down and placing it sideways on his lap, or with the drum strapped around his neck. Similar to the Malay Kompang, it is played using only the hands. There are three main tones used. The doum (bass) tone is produced by hitting the center of the drum head with the palm.The tek (higher-pitched) is produced by hitting the edge of the drum head. The pa is a percussive effect produced by hitting the drumhead and then muting it with the palm to create a closed sound. Figure 3: Doum tone on the Arabic goblet drum Figure 4: Tek tone on the Arabic goblet drum Thus, it can be seen that the playing techniques of the Malay Kompang is somewhat derived from the playing techniques of the Arabic goblet drum – such that a higher-pitched sound is heard by tapping the side of the drum and letting the sound ring, and a lower-pitched sound is produced by hitting the middle of the drum using the palm.Although the muting percussive tone is not as established in Kompang performance techniques, this is probably due to the limitations of the Kompang in that it can only be hit with one hand and held with the other, making it hard to execute a muting effect. 2. 2 Portuguese Influences Portuguese musical elements are also evident in the music of Kompang, particularly in its repertoire. This i s not unexpected, as the Portuguese took over Malacca after its successful assault on the city in July 1511 (Leo, 2013) – leading to infiltration of Portuguese elements into the Malay culture and practices then.The main hand drum in the Portuguese tradition is the Tabor. It is a double-headed snare drum made of cylindrical wood, played with one hand. The skin heads are tightened with leather straps and rope tension (Harms, 1989). Figure 5: The Portuguese Tabor The repertoire of the Tabor is mostly military in nature and is used frequently in marching band processions. Additionally, the Tabor is commonly played together with the Portuguese pipe. The player commonly plays the pipe with his left hand and hits the drum with a wooden stick in his right hand.Portuguese pipe music is folk in nature and the rhythms played on the Tabor are accompanimental and characterized by dotted rhythm. As the musical repertoire of the Tabor is not extensive, there is little notation available. He nce a short transcription of the Tabor parts from a Portuguese Pipe and Tabor ensemble has been attempted: Figure 6: Transcription of Pipe and Tabor ensemble recording As seen from Figure 6, each of the three Tabor parts plays different rhythms, but the performance culminates in an interlocking effect such that the three different parts compliment each other’s beats of emphasis.Hence we can derive two insights regarding the Portuguese influence on the Malay Kompang – firstly, the use of the Kompang in Malay processions and weddings could be influenced by the use of the Tabor in Portuguese marching processions. Secondly, the interlocking feature in Kompang music could be taken from Portuguese Tabor ensembles and then developed to the several complex interlocking parts of today, which includes triplets and more complicated syncopation parts. 2. 3 Thai Influences Yet another cultural influence on Kompang music is Thai music.The Malays and the Siamese have had long, diplom atic contact for over half a decade during the Siamese empire of 1403 – 1909. This allowed the Malays to adapt to the Thai culture and music. Two Siamese musical forms that were of great influence to the Malay Kompang were the Wayang Siam and the Makyong (Abdullah, 2012). The Wayang Siam is essentially accompaniment to shadow puppet theatre. The form of Wayang Siam music is mostly free in nature and depends on the theatrics and drama of the performance. Characters are free to move onstage in more or less than the traditional eight-bar phrases (Baier, 1995).The Makyong musical form was primarily performed by a small ensemble of instruments used to accompany theatrical acts, and included improvised monologues and dialogues (UNESCO, 2005), underscoring the flexibility of the form. Similarly, Kompang ensembles accompany dances, weddings and processions and require a certain amount of flexibility to suit the occasion. Despite the flexibility in combination and number of repetition s of Pukulan sections played, it is not as free as the form in Wayang Siam. Nevertheless, the flexibility in form can be seen as a main influence of Wayang Siam on Kompang music. . 4 African Influences The way that the drummers in an African djembe ensemble interact musically is also of influence to the Malay Kompang. One main feature of African djembe ensemble playing is polyrhythm, in which each djembe player plays a repetitive cycle of its own accompanying rhythm which is in a different measure from the other djembe players. This creates a very unique rhythmic texture as there are different downbeats heard simultaneously with the playing of two different measures. This can be seen in the example below, depicting a polyrhythmic effect: Figure 7: Example of polyrhythmIn addition, there is usually also a solo, virtuosic part heard above all the different accompanying parts, which gives even more rhythmic variety to the music. The influence that this has on Kompang is clear in the di fferent parts that are taken on by the different players in the ensemble. However, the interlocking effect in Kompang is not as complex in that it is not as texturally thick as djembe as all the ensemble players are still playing in the same measure. Nevertheless, it still shows a very important influence that African drum music had on the Malay Kompang.In the 13th century in the Malay Archipelago, little polyrhythmic or even contrapuntal music could be found. Hence the interlocking feature of Kompang music was drawn from the polyrhythms in African djembe. Chapter 3: Future Changes in the Malay Kompang In the 21st century today when most people including those in the Southeast Asia region are exposed to popular music due to factors like technological advances and the strong wave of social media, there is inevitably a strong inclination towards fusing traditional music with pop elements.In addition, due to the increased westernization of Asian cultures, many traditional musical forms are gradually evolving into a more Westernized structure. Besides this, the culture where Kompang is performed today also has an effect on how it is performed. For example, Kompang Melayu is a modern style of playing Kompang, specifically found in Singapore (Hahrill, 2010). Based on my research and analysis, there is a strong possibility of two main directions that musical developments in Malay Kompang can take – the pop-infused style and the westernized style. 3. Pop and Media Influences Pop music is a main influence on Kompang music today. Since the 21st century, technology has allowed a growing number of people to be connected to the Internet. With today’s wireless connectivity and infiltration of social media, the immense volume of technological information sharing inevitably causes people to be influenced by songs that are literally popular – those that are accessible to the widest audience (Lamb, 2013). Elements of rock, R&B, country, disco, punk, and hip -hop have been integrated into pop music for the past few decades.The rhythmic elements in these styles have the potential to be incorporated into Kompang. In addition, the form of pop music – verse and chorus – could be another element that could possibly influence Kompang music in the future. 3. 2 Western Influences Due to increasing westernization of Southeast-Asian cultures today as well as the flourish in Western Music education that uses mainly western notation, Kompang music is more frequently notated these days. This is evident from the difficulty that cross-cultural ensembles face in rehearsing due to differences in notational practices. Ross, 2011) Western orchestras, bands and ensembles have also been introduced to the Malay culture in recent years. There could potentially be new compositions that incorporate the Kompang into the scored music. For example, percussion ensembles with Kompang as one of the instruments, or even Kompang concertos could be written in the near future as part of efforts to popularize traditional instruments. Chapter 4: Conclusion In conclusion, the Malay Kompang, although a considerably specific musical genre, is still influenced by a myriad of elements from other cultures.This is especially so with globalization today, causing homogenization of culture throughout many countries. As discussed above, Kompang music was initially influenced by Arabic, Portuguese, Thai and African musical elements. In recent years, it has started to be influenced by pop and western elements, which are mostly caused by the infiltration of media and technology, and the slow but definite westernization of Asian cultures. As such, the growth of Kompang music in ways that are characterized by today’s era can be witnessed. Bibliography Abdullah, M. H. (2005).An Organological and Ethnomusicological Study of A Malay Frame Drum. Retrieved from https://theses. ncl. ac. uk/dspace/bitstream/10443/869/1/Abdullah05. pdf Abdullah, M. H. ( 2005). ENCHANTING THE CULTURE: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE AUTHENTIC KOMPANG PLAYING. Retrieved from http://www. academia. edu/380345/ENCHANTING_THE_CULTURE_AN_INTRODUCTION_TO_THE_AUTHENTIC_KOMPANG_PLAYING Abdullah, M. H. (2012). The Role of the Kompang in Malay Society. Retrieved from http://portal. unesco. org/culture/en/files/21753/10891249663abdullah. pdf/abdullah. pdf Charry, E. (2000). A Guide to the Jembe.Retrieved from http://echarry. web. wesleyan. edu/jembearticle/article. html Djembe technique | Inner Groove Percussion. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://innergroove. wordpress. com/learn-to-drum-2/djembe-technique/ Elements of Music. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://historyofmusic. tripod. com/id6. html Kompang! – SHSS ‘O' Level Music. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://shssolevelmusic. wetpaint. com/page/Kompang! Mak Yong. (n. d. ). Retrieved April 2013, from http://www. unesco. org/culture/intangible-heritage/23apa_uk. htm Matusky, P. (1995). Malaysian Shadow Play and Music: Continuity of an Oral Tradition.Retrieved from http://www. jstor. org/discover/10. 2307/1124116? uid=3738992&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&sid=21101877205913 Matusky, P. A. (2004). Music of the Percussion Ensembles. Retrieved from http://books. google. com. sg/books? id=x06nBdEkAOMC&pg=PA198&lpg=PA198&dq=kompang+music+scores&source=bl&ots=hjI8kuVMZo&sig=uGiMpUc98bGJcM3GbIV9UH0_gB0&hl=en&sa=X&ei=f_5bUanSH8yUrgeXo4CoAQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=kompang%20music%20scores&f=false Musical Elements : Key, Musical Texture,

Molecular basis of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase II activity Coursework

Molecular basis of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase II activity - Coursework Example The RdRP activity has also been implicated in the replication of the RNA Genomes of HDV virus and plant viriods. 3) What is meant by HDV? Why would investigators want to study HDV? In your answer, tell me about HDV and why investigators would want to study HDV. What is the ANTIGENOME? Why is it important in the experimental design? HDV is Hepatitis Delta Virus. The investigators have taken HDV for the study as RdRP activity of Pol II has been established to be involved in the replication of the viral genome. Antigenome is the complementary positive RNA which serves as the template for the synthesis of the negative strand of the virus. To understand the physiological significance of the RdRP activity, the terminal segment of the HDV antigenome, which directs RNA synthesis and is sensitive to the Pol II inhibitor alpha- amanitin, was studied. 4) What is meant by â€Å"FAM-labeled RNA products were separated by denaturing gel electrophoresis†? DO NOT give me cookbook recipes, i.e. do not provide a ‘step-by-step how to’ that could be used to perform an experiment. Describe the method in general terms. FAM is 6 carboxy- flourescein label. Nucleotides labeled with such flourophores, have shown improved sensitivity, versatility and normalization when separated by denaturing gel electrophoresis. After purification of the nucleotides the fluorescein tag was attached by incubation with the 5’ terminal of the nucleotides. 5) DATA INTERPRETATION: Evaluate Figure 1. Break the analysis down. Strive to understand what each lane of the gel represents. Make note of the controls as well. Your focus for your response is the part of the figure labeled b, c, and d. Use part a in assisting you. Summarize what each part (b, c, and d) of the figure suggests. The RNA synthesized by the RdRP activity of Pol II is fluorescent labeled and separated by gel electrophoresis and viewed. Lane 1 in the gel shows only the reactant RNA.

Is patient protection and affordability act really affordable Research Paper

Is patient protection and affordability act really affordable - Research Paper Example According to CBO the Act will not only bend the healthcare cost curve, but will also help in reducing the deficit in the next ten years and beyond (PPACA Detailed Summary, n.d.). The aim of this paper is to evaluate the Act and find out if it is economically viable or not for the Americans. For this purpose I intend to explore the peer reviewed articles in order to understand the economic effects of the Act. Towards the end a conclusion shall be made based on the findings of the research. Howard (2011) has discussed in detail the economic consequences of the Act in his article â€Å"The Impact of the Affordable Care Act on the Economy, Employers and the Workforce†. Howard is of the view that the Act is neither affordable nor a solution to the healthcare problems of the Americans. Instead, it would lead to increased problems and cost pressures along with economic degeneration and unemployment. Reducing the fiscal deficit leads to economic growth and job creation. If the US government continues to spend money without any cost effective plans, the US economy will soon be crippled. Slowing the growth rate of the health care cost is therefore a good option. The Act however asks the middle class to purchase heavily subsidized health care insurance and doubles the size of Medicaid program because of the increased number of insured people. Howard (2011) is of the view that the Act is not a suitable way of bending the cost curve, as mentioned by President Obama. As more and more people are insured, the demand for health services would increase which would mean more expansion and spending on health care projects, such as Medicaid. The Act ensures more spending on health care and increased demand will lead to increased cost of health care goods and services. A prominent economist, Jonathan Gruber (quoted online in California Healthline, 2010), explained the Act as â€Å"a spaghetti approach† to cost control. It is just doing a lot without getting any optimal

Deception in Romantic Relations Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Deception in Romantic Relations - Dissertation Example Paterson (1996, pp. 283) noted that â€Å"students who were gaining the most satisfaction from their couple relationships w ere the least likely to conceal things from their partners by making intentionally deceptive e statements†. Nevertheless, this statement implies that relationship satisfaction leads to transparency. However, it is also possible reverse that statement arguing that couples who were more intimate and honest with each other derived more satisfaction. According to her study, except white lies, relationship satisfaction seems to be correlated with the other types of deception. Furthermore, the blatant lie w as regarded as the most dishonest. It is also very interesting to find that deception is a two-edged sword. Not only the ones who believed that their partners deceived them were unhappy; but, the ones who deceived seem also dissatisfied due to their deceptive behavior. Paterson (1996, pp. 285) stated that â€Å"When respondents ’ own self -reported f requencies of using the s ix different type s of deception were analysed individually, blatant lies, half truths, and failed deceptions were all statistically significant negative predictors of satisfaction.† The major flaw of Paterson's research is that the question with regard to the preference is biased in a sense that it asked whether the students preferred deception over fight. This question assumed only one possible motivation for deception, which is the avoidance of an argument. Thus, it was a manipulative question forcing the students to choose between argument or deception. In that sense, it was not an open-ended question exploring the possible reasons of the deceptive behaviors. Accordingly, the research actually found what it set out to find, the students lied in order to avoid argument; while it did not leave any other option to choose as their motive. The major gap of the study is also pointed out by the researcher herself, she noted that more research is needed i ncluding the samples of adults from different cultures. However, her sample must have been more varied in terms of the ages of the participants. It is even doubtful whether the university students are capable of handling truly intimate, adult and mature relations; since, they tended to date casually. Young people might have preferred to deceive in order to argue, since most of them are neither mature nor committed enough to develop conflict-resolution mechanisms as much as the older people. In fact, the title of the article should have been â€Å"Deception in Intimate relationships of the Australian Students†. Gerald R. Miller (1986) studied how several differences between impersonal and personal relationships may affect deceptive behavior in â€Å"Invited Article Fudging with Friends and Lying to Lovers: Deceptive Communication in Personal Relationships†. According to him, lies are told to resolve threats to relationship; he stressed the protective function of lies wh ile describing the motivation of lying as preserve social relationships. His account is similar to Paterson’s and probably influenced her study. However, Miller’s term of deceptive communication is misleading. Deception means a deliberate distortion of communication. Hence, â€Å"deceptive communication† sounds paradoxical and oxymoronic. In â€Å"Linking Love and Lies: A Formal Test of the Mccornack and Parks Model of Deception Detection†, Levine and McCornack(1992) tested the model developed by McCornack and Parks presented the results. The model of

FAR Compliance Issues And Contributing Factors Assignment

FAR Compliance Issues And Contributing Factors - Assignment Example The national museum has selected Sunshine Wood Dealer Company to provide a proposal for supply of raw wood and furniture products for the construction of a natural wood products asylum. This request for proposal holds information and directives to enable the interested bidder to prepare and submit a detailed proposal and explains the terms and conditions that qualified bibbers will be expected to agree on in order to undertake the project. The project is in its initial stages and all documentation for commencement are ready. We intend to commence construction process once all the design documents are duly signed by the most preferred proposer. The construction director will be liable for the whole construction task and synchronization of commissioning, inspection, and certification. This project covers the construction of a one-story building haven for natural wood products with partitions for offices and various furniture products. The project documents provided (specifications and design) outline the span of the work. Close to one thousand pieces of raw wood are required for the construction of an ultramodern store that will house the natural wood products. Additionally, two thousand wood carvings of different shapes and styles are required for storage once construction is completed. Consequently, unique furniture products such as tables and chairs are required to color the sanctuary. Due to the scale of the entire project, the qualified company must ensure that its products are of high quality and will serve for a long period before replacement. It is essential to identify that fake product will not be accepted and if a company offers such products, it will face the full force of federal laws. Besides, in case of any loss suffered as a result of the counterfeit product, the source company will meet all the resulting expenses including the legal fees.

Project management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 23

Project management - Essay Example Project planning and budgeting helps project managers to take pro-active measures to avoid some of the risks that emerge from the external and internal environment that surrounds the contractors (Kerzner, 2013). Project planning is an iterative process. Tasks undertaken are interdependent of each other; hence, failure of a subsystem affects the whole systems. Project planning rescues the project team from unforeseen circumstances due the high uncertainty that is with a majority of projects. The first stage of the project plan is identifying the goals of the project. In the stage, beneficiaries of the project are identified and the stakeholders. Their needs are so that the project is designed to meet them. A schedule is then developed to establish the amount of time and resources that will be. A budget of the resources necessary is prepared to determine the cost of executing the project. Additionally, a Human Resource plan is also developed to determine the skills that will be needed to accomplish the mission. Furthermore, a communication plan is outlined indicating how progress of work will be. Lastly, a risk management plan is created to provide measures that can be taken to shield activit y from interference (Turner, 2014). Mode Sante, a company, based in France launched an ambitious plan of constructing ultra modern leisure complexes. The company outsourced for contractor through a competitive bidding process who were supposed to build one of the facilities in Uxbridge. With a capital as a constraint, the new Active Being Complex had to be built according to the specifications provided with the minimum cost possible. A capital amount of  £300,000 had to be allocated prudently towards installation of a new IT infrastructure, security system, music and public address systems and other amenities that were to be in the new building. Interestingly, an old building that had been left

Ensuring Employees Pay for Extra Cost of Healthcare Essay

Ensuring Employees Pay for Extra Cost of Healthcare - Essay Example Employers should devise an economic program that would ensure employees compensate the extra cost over premiums spent on lifestyle-related diseases. The following is a proposed framework that employers would use to ensure employees pay for extra costs above the coverage premium spent on lifestyle-related conditions. First, employers should schedule all chronic conditions that are lifestyle-related and contribute to the increase in the cost of the premium. A possible list should include conditions such as diabetes, some forms of cancers, heart disease, and obesity-related illnesses. In order to ensure a robust program, accredited health care professionals should approve the scheduled list of complications and ascertain they are lifestyle-related. The second process in the framework should involve calculations of direct and indirect costs incurred from health-related illnesses. The direct cost calculation is simple and can be estimated based on extra expenditure the company has on inpatient and outpatient services. They include extra expenditure on services including surgeries, radiological processes, laboratory tests, and drug therapies. Indirect costs include an estimation of resources forgone by the firm or company because of a lifestyle-related health condition that affects an employee. The value of lost work because of absenteeism should be calculated based on accumulated wages throughout the period. Other forms of indirect cost include the value of increased insurance incurred by the company because of lifestyle-related conditions.  Ã‚  

Unit 3 Organisational Behaviour, Unit 5 Aspects of Contract and Assignment

Unit 3 Organisational Behaviour, Unit 5 Aspects of Contract and Negligence for Business, Unit 31 E-Business Operation - Assignment Example Valid contracts act as tools for a business enterprise that can be used as defence mechanism to protect its resources. Contract is essentially a promise between two or more parties, and the promise is legally bound with the implication that court of law will intervene in case there is any breach of the promise (Ryan, 2005, p.3). There are various essential elements for the formation of a valid contract. First of all, there must be an offer made by one or more parties and acceptance of the offer by other parties. An offer is a legally bound promise which means all the terms and conditions attached to the offer have been accepted by both parties. Acceptance occurs when the party responding to the offer expresses agreement to the offer, and the acceptance must be explicit and unequivocal as law will not consider an offer as accepted merely because it has not been expressly refused. There must also be a clear intention of both parties to enter into a legal relationship. The parties to th e contract should also be capable to enter into a legal relationship like the involved persons should be adults, mentally fit, and mentally alert so that they are aware of the terms and conditions of the contract. A person is considered an adult when he or she is of legal age requirement. In most countries the legal age requirement is 18 years. A person is not considered mentally fit if he has been declared mentally incompetent by the court. Finally, a contract signed by an intoxicated person is not considered as valid contract since such a person is not mentally alert to become aware of the terms and conditions of the contract. There should also be free consent from both parties, i.e. neither party should force the other party to enter into a contract. When a valid document is signed it becomes a legally bound contract and is assumed that all the terms and conditions have been understood by both the involved parties. A contract is made up of various terms

Group reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Group reflection - Essay Example I could say I have learned a lot from our group activities and did not just teach me about our lessons but more so about how I should deal with other people, which I believe is also very important in my future career. Saying working with my group mates has been a good experience for me because I have been blessed to have had them as my group, might sound like sugar coating but then it is true. The task may have not been always easy but we were able to work things out because of the unity shown by each individual and we have gone through the process identified by Tuckman in the formation of a group. There have been a lot of times we met at the lab for our work and I could not remember how many times we have already met together to complete our tasks. Reza, being the one with potential leadership skills stood up as the chair to guide us through the process. Being a sociable person, she was assigned to do the first part of our task while I did Antenatal Clinic, Maysara worked on deliver y and Adin on post natal care, the three of us picking what we thought we could perform best. The following meetings, we checked all our works, compared notes and shared ideas about our assigned tasks. We had to work on activity diagrams and use of cases individually but still, we met at the lab to work as a team, helping each other in parts where one finds difficulty doing or understanding.

Ireland Tradition and Dissent Essay Example for Free

Ireland Tradition and Dissent Essay The two concepts of â€Å"tradition† and â€Å"dissent† are extremely useful in understanding the built heritage of Ireland. To understand the differing attitudes to the built heritage of Ireland is to contemplate the historical accounts, stories and legends that fabricate traditions and incite dissent. The concept of tradition is associated with the passing down through generations, beliefs, thoughts and actions (â€Å"tradition†, n. d) and dissent derives from a desire to publicly protest against the traditions and against those holding the authority (â€Å"dissent†, n. ). Ireland, ‘the land of saints and scholars’ (Burke, Watson, and Laurence, 2008), is a country coming to terms with its past by acknowledging the wealth it possesses within its built heritage. A past fabricated with tradition and dissent which resulted in the creation of The Irish Free State in 1922, known today as The Republic of Ireland (Hachey, 1996, p. 167). Attitudes to Irish built heritage have been fashioned through the experiences of a people caught in the tides of both tradition and dissent. From the Anglo-Norman invasion in the 12th century to the creation of the Irish Republic, in 1922, Ireland had been battling with an apparent drive by Britain to ‘anglicise’ the isle. Celtic traditions encounter British dissent. Eventually, The Reformation of the 16th century secured a British dominance and thus, new colonial traditions were formed. Oliver Cromwell ensured his ‘plantation’ policies were implemented, whereby, the Irish- Catholics were ‘expelled’ from their lands and the British now landlord over the real estate and its subservient, Irish -Catholic tenants (â€Å"Cromwellian-Conquests, n. ). Irelands ‘lost her music, she lost her games, she lost her language and popular literature, and with language she lost her intellectuality† (Hyde, as cited in Laurence, 2008, p. 161). The Irish traditions, by way of religion and culture, now became the dissent (Hachey, 1996, p. 16). Built heritage is a way to visualise the changes that endure tradition and dissent within society. Architectural structures shaping a landscape by reflecting function, wealth, culture or just personal tastes and fashion. Monuments, churches, houses, ring forts are examples of built heritage in Ireland. Nationalists were able to use the power of the most historic and revered sites to remember the days of a common Gaelic past to restore a sense of nationalism (Laurence, 2008, p. 164). One of the most recognised sacred sites by the Irish people is Newgrange, built 5200 years ago, the oldest known astronomically aligned structure in the world (Burke, Watson, and Laurence 2008). Tradition was questioned when Newgrange was restored in 1960’s by Professor Michael Kelly. He used his own controversial interpretation of how the structure would have appeared by the use of stone on the frontage and its overall appearance. The structure now appears as a 1960’s view of a sacred and traditional site (Burke et al. 2008). In the middle of the 20th century, it is intriguing to see the emphasis place on the sites of â€Å"ancient places and sacred spaces† (Murphy, as cited in Burke et al. 2008) rather than other structures built whilst under British rule. The Hill of Tara, located in County Meath, is the symbolic capital of Ireland and the seat of ancient high kings. The site became an Irish nationalist symbol when Daniel O’Connell, a nationalist leader, assembled over 500,000 people at the site to protest against the lack of civil rights for Catholics and the oppressive interests of Anglo-Irish landlords (Laurence, 2008, p. 159). This protest resulted in the Catholic Relief Act 1829, whereby, for example, Catholics were now able to sit as members of parliament in Westminster. However, as the majority of Catholics were unable to afford a political career due to the position being unsalaried and parliamentary sessions were held at Westminster, London; the opportunities in politics were very unlikely (McCaffrey, 1996, p. 27). This small step to independence by a group of dissenters was able to use the built heritage site of Tara to invoke within the Irish people a sense of their lost traditionalism and new found fervor for nationalism (Laurence, 2008, p. 159). Nevertheless, the continual dominance of British rule saw no substantial social and economic changes for Catholics as they were still†steeped in habitual misery† (Finn Lynch, 1995, p. 24). At Daniel O’Connell’s burial site, his supporters erected the tallest round tower in Ireland. The round tower is a historical symbol of Irish Christianity. This enabled dissenters to create new traditions to speak to future generations through the visual power of a symbolic monument. At his request, O ’Connell’s heart was buried in Rome, the home of the Catholic Church (Burke et al. 008) By the beginning of the 19th century, the Cromwellian policies of plantation and land confiscation were evident on the landscapes of country estates. Landownership was the domain of the privileged minority. In 1804, up to 10,000 landlords, within a population of 5. 4 million, were almost exclusively Protestant; only 5% of land in Catholic hands (â€Å"History of Landed Estates in Ireland, n. d). This leads to another asset to the built heritage of Ireland, known as â€Å"The Big House†. The Big House is the country residence of the landlord. At the beginning of the century, over 4,000 Big Houses glorified the landscape. Today, the number is less than 100. These grand houses, many built during the 18th century ‘golden age’ produced the most ornate and sophisticated architecture, together with highly crafted workmanship. The presence of these houses reflected the social and economic dominance over the generations of ‘landed’ Anglo-Irish families (â€Å"History of Landed Estates in Ireland, n. d). On creation of the Republic, the Big House was deemed a domineering symbol of Anglo-Irish oppression. The civil war 1916-1923 had resulted in approximately 300 houses being burned for political or military reasons (Burke et al. 2008). Social chaos stirred on by agrarian agitators may also have lead to the abandonment of other houses and the perception of â€Å"reversing Cromwellian policy†(Dooley as cited in Burke et al. 2008) resulted in the destruction of The Big Houses as justification of British oppression (Burke et al. 2008). Various Land Acts after the civil war caused the power of the Anglo-Irish landlord to diminish (â€Å"History of Landed Estates in Ireland, n. ). As a consequence of civil war, the collateral damage of war-torn buildings scarred the streets in Dublin. The Office of Public Works undertook a rebuilding program for some integral, functional buildings, for example, the General Post Office and the Customs House (Burke et al. 2008). These traditional buildings, built under the control of British authority were to become iconic within the new Republic. The General Post Office was an emotive building which served as the base for nationalists during the Easter Rising 1916 and thus, out of an act of issent against the ruling British , nationalists were to see the formation of new traditions; a new republic rise out of the rubble. At the time of reconstruction after civil war, the National Monuments Bill ensured the protection of heritage sites built after 1700 and only Irish materials would be used in restoration work. This creation of new tradition, written in law, is evident on The Customs House. The rebuilding of the prominent dome, atop The Customs House, with dark Irish limestone appears to overpower the white English Portland stone. The image evokes a feeling of nationalism over colonialism dissent over tradition (Burke et al. 2008). On the other hand, other buildings were left abandoned for emotive as well as economic reasons, due to their connections with British rule. Examples of this neglect were Dublin Castle, the seat of British power and The Royal Hospital Kilmainham, a former military hospital and a home for retired British soldiers until 1927 (Burke et al. 2008). The two abandoned buildings, along with the Big Houses, were the symbols of colonial rule and colonial traditions. The oppressive conditions the Irish had to contend with for so many generations were witnessed through these buildings. Colonial traditions of built heritage, seen as scars on the landscape, seem to have eroded with time as a synergy is formed between the perils of the past and the creation of a country’s identity, to be worn as a sense of pride (Burke et al. 2008). A turning point for the built heritage of Ireland, being appreciated as a valuable asset of the past, occurred at the time of inauguration into the European Community in 1973 (Burke et al. 2008). Acceptance of the Republic’s own identity and worth on the world stage seems to have empowered Irish society to value its rich past alongside its built heritage. Within the past twenty years, the Irish Republic’s economic and social confidence has resulted in the proliferation of restoration works on many historic landmarks of the city. The attitudes invoke a feeling of ‘moving on’ from a difficult, complicated past and this reverberates through the stone (Burke et al. 2008). The once abandoned Dublin Castle is now a majestic place where the inauguration of the President occurs and state functions are held. The Royal Hospital Kilmainham, now the site of the Irish Museum of Modern Art, a historic building utilised as a creative space to represent the future (Burke et al. 2008). The past dissent is used as a platform to reinvent the city and to showcase the wonders of its traditional craftsmanship and local materials. The architecture and craftsmanship of the Big Houses are today being recognised also as highly valued from cultural, historical and educational viewpoints (O’Brien and Guinness, 1993, p. 11). Today, restoration of the houses shows an appreciation of the ‘golden age’. Support from the Irish Georgian Society and The Heritage Council enables the homes to be opened to the public and for the owners to be educated in proper restorative practices (â€Å"Irish Georgian Society†, 2010; â€Å"The Heritage Council†, n. d). Today, Ireland’s built heritage from Newgrange to the Museum of Modern Art is being seen by the rest of the world for its architectural glory and historic significance as well as contributing to contemporary society. Moreover, to understand the attitudes to the built heritage of Ireland is to accept that the concepts of tradition and dissent are very useful. The views of a traditionalist or the views of a dissenter cite opposing attitudes to their built heritage. The visual nature of built heritage enables the attitudes of the people to be reflected in the way they revere or revile the society in which they live. Irish dissent rising from the dominance of British tradition has developed through time the sense of pride and the nationalism of a Republic. This vision of nationalism now empowers the people to be trusting caretakers to their own built heritage.

Behaviour of managers with their workers

Behaviour of managers with their workers Introduction: Management Behaviour is concerned with the study of the behaviour of managers with their workers/subordinates within an organisational setting. (Laurie J. Mullins, 2005.) The management behaviour is a vital and key part that decides the business success or its fall because it has direct effects on the individual that are in the team of the manger. The manger is responsible to get the most and best out of them and if he is able to do that the business will be positively affected by this. It has always been argued about the factors that affects the management behaviour. But the factors that affect this are the Culture, organisation structure. The study of the individual members behaviour is a key element for the business performance and its success either they are the managers or the low level workers. This not only helps the management of the organisation to understand but also formulate the policies that have favourable effects on the individuals behaviour and subsequently affecting the business performance in the positive way. Company Profile: Tesco, which was started in 1919 and today it is one of the leading and largest British supermarkets in UK. Tesco has also entered the US market with a different name. Many companies in this industry see the Tesco as their role model to succeed in their business. Tesco in also entering different sectors of the retail industry even it has recently entered the financial industry as well by offering the banking services and insurance as well. They studies and analyses the policies of Tesco that they have in place in different business functions of them and tries to implement that in their own businesses according to their own preferences. Culture And Management Behaviour There are many factors that affect that influence the management behaviour in the organisation. But the main factor is Culture. It can broadly be defined as set of norms along with the aspects like values and beliefs which are closely associated with the norm concept. (Kilmann et al. 1985). The culture have great amount of influence in the management behaviour. If for instance the culture in an organisation is power culture i.e. few people have the whole power to make the essential decisions, the management behaviour in those organisations is autocratic behaviour where the work is more important than the individuals. In that environment individuals are motivated through the power and threatening that is related to their work. Many individuals due to this kind of management behaviour either continue their job due to the threat regarding work or they leave the job due to lower motivation due to the management behaviour and the culture. And the other extreme kind of culture is person culture where the individuals are given the importance. They are given the right to speak and express their opinion on the decisio n made by the management and in some cases even the decision making powers are given to them. The management behaviour in this culture is more democratic sort, where individuals are motivated through different factors, which will be later discussed and the main element of the management behaviour is this culture is to achieve the targets of the company by keeping the employees happy. Tesco uses the mix of the task culture and the role culture which are based on the work and type of roles that are given to the individuals. And the management behaviour is partly autocratic and partly democratic depending upon the situation that prevails at that moment. The team based culture in Tesco clearly gives an indication of the democratic process of decision making and work in the organisation. And the behaviour of the management with the staff and since the staff is heard, they are motivated by this. Motivation And Management Behaviour It can be defined as a force which drives an individual to achieve some goal in order to fulfil some need or expectation. The driving force on which it depends it is different for different individuals and depends upon their needs and behaviour. The motivation is a key at work because a motivated person works harder at work and uses his all energy to fulfil the tasks that he is given. (Laurie J. Mullins, 2005.) It a key factor that influences the individuals behaviour and their performance hence resulting in the success of any business and its performance. Motivated staff is very important for the supermarket businesses like Tesco, because if the staff is motivated it will provide the customers the best customer service they can. That is why the organisations like Tesco have a proper management system that conforms not only their corporate policy of happy employees; happy customers but also is tailored and varied according to the situation and environment prevailing. Different organisation uses different motivation tools based on different theories but the ones used by Tesco is Maslow and Hertzberg Theory and Tesco Maslow was the one who said that there are also other factors that affect the individual other than the money which Taylor Fredrick argued. After a well research he came up with a hierarchy of needs that are responsible to motivate the employees in one or the other way. The pyramid of Maslow consisted of five stages of needs according to their priority. Physiological Needs: These are the basic and most preferred needs by the humans and include factors like food, sleep and shelter. Tesco also understands these needs of their employees and importance of these factors in the life of their employees. They provide these needs to their employees by providing them a safe place to work, regular working hours and important facilities like discounted shopping for its workers, staff canteen, and lockers for personal belongings. [ Source: Abraham-Maslow.com ] The next level of needs is Safety need which includes the jobs security, right to express themselves, better management behaviour towards the employees and a feeling of belonging and attachment by the management and the organisation. Tesco also motivates its staff by providing these needs. Tesco fulfil these needs of staff by giving them the job security, most employees of the Tesco are on permanent contract and of they are not on permanent contract, they are offered permanent slots on the basis of their performance. They also have the access to the sick schemes provided by the Tesco to give them the feeling that some cares for them. The third level is the Social/ Love needs this includes the socially active environment to the staff at workplace and opportunity for social interaction between the staff. This will not only satisfy the social needs of the employees but also creates a social and friendly environment in the organisation. Since Tesco focuses on the team based targets therefore they automatically fulfils this need due to the team based tasks. Tesco have working groups at different levels of their organisation including the top management level. They also have certain days in the year where they have all the teams participating in different fun tasks thus offering inter teams interaction and few other occasions like celebrating birthdays of the members and annual events like Christmas, Halloween and others. Esteem Needs includes the self respect and the esteem of others. This may include appreciation by the upper level of staff or even promotions for instance. These needs are related to the future of the employees on the basis of their past performance. Tesco uses this factor as well and the system through which this need is fulfilled is called the 360 Degree Feedback and Appraisal System, which forces on the values of not only self respect but also the respect for others and the appreciation of employees in the basis of their performance. It has a self assessment system that marks the performance of individuals. Usually the supervisors hold meetings to discuss the possible promotions or give them the value awards to recognise their good performance. This not only motivates the employees to achieve more than what they are doing but also makes them feel good and think that if theyll perform well it will be marked. The highest level of Maslows Theory is Self Actualization that includes the factors and area that influences the person in question automatically and there is no particular list area of personal interest of the employee and it varies widely from individual to individual. Although Tesco offers Personal Development plans that recognises the skills and talents of the workers and offers them the career progression options. The outreach plan offers the talented and competent individuals a fast track to reach the management level of the Tesco. Maslow also argued that once one level of needs have satisfied the individual than the next level will automatically motivate the employee to achieve it. (Hiriyappa, B., 2009.) Available from: http://www.thetimes100.co.uk/downloads/tesco/tesco_15_full.pdf [Last Accessed: 10/01/2011.] Conclusion: After all the analysis and research done above it, can clearly be seen that the culture plays a vital part in deciding the management behaviour of an organisation and its effects on the individuals. And subsequently the Management Behaviour plays a key role in motivating the staff, hence positively affecting the performance of the businesses. And since now a days employees are termed as a key asset of an organisation therefore if they are motivated they will play a key role in success of the business. Same happened in the case of the Tesco who has cleverly adopted the Management Behaviour on the basis role and task culture. And created a team based environment in the organisation to fulfil their different needs to motivate them. And these are the reason that has made the Tesco one of the market leaders in the supermarket industry. Since the needs of the Tesco staff are fulfilled they are motivated. Low labour turnover indicates that Tesco treat its employees in a better manner and em ployees there are happy enough to not leave. Available from: http://www.thetimes100.co.uk/downloads/tesco/tesco_15_full.pdf [Last Accessed: 10/01/2011.] . Bibliography and Referencing Laurie J. Mullins (2005). MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR. Prentice Hall. p26 Laurie J. Mullins (2005). MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR. Prentice Hall. P66 Laurie J. Mullins (2005). MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR. Prentice Hall. p294. Hiriyappa, B. (2009). ORGANISATION BEHAVIOR. New Age International. p154155 Mats Alvesson, 1995. Management of Knowledge-Intensive Companies. Germany. P30 The Times 100 Business Case Studies (n.d.), How Training and Development Supports Business Growth at Tesco Edition 14, Available from: http://www.thetimes100.co.uk/downloads/tesco/tesco_14_full.pdf [Last Accessed: 10/01/2011.] The Times 100 Case Business Studies (n.d.), Motivational theory in practice at Tesco Edition 15, Available from: http://www.thetimes100.co.uk/downloads/tesco/tesco_15_full.pdf [Last Accessed: 10/01/2011.] Centre for Leadership Study (n.d.), Situational Leadership Conversation with Paul Hersey Available from: http://www.trainingpages.com/cdocs/liggy/5399/5435/Conversations_With_Paul_Hersey1.pdf [Last Accessed: 10/01/2011.] Abraham-Maslow.com, (n.d.), Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Chart [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.abraham-maslow.com/m_motivation/Hierarchy_of_Needs.asp [Accessed 07 January 11]. Corporate and organisational culture | Business Studies Theory | Business Marketing Resources. 2011. Corporate and organisational culture | Business Studies Theory | Business Marketing Resources. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.thetimes100.co.uk/theory/theorycorporate-organisational-culture322.php. [Accessed 7 January 2011]. Strategic Planning: Tesco Activity. 2011. Strategic Planning: Tesco Activity. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.bized.co.uk/educators/16-19/business/strategy/activity/strategic1.htm. [Accessed 7 January 2011]. BBC NEWS | Business | Sainsburys loses out to rivals. 2011. BBC NEWS | Business | Sainsburys loses out to rivals. [ONLINE] Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3682544.stm. [Accessed 7 January 2011].

Negative Priming Experiment

Negative Priming Experiment Negative Priming: The effect of inhibitory mechanisms on the probe of a pair of trials in a Stroop style ink identification task. Abstract The investigation was based on the work of Dalrymple-Alford and Budayr (1966), who investigated the phenomenon of negative priming in relation to the Stroop task. In the original experiment by Dalrymple-Alford and Budayr (1966), it was discovered that if in a trial, the ink colour was the same as the word on the previous trial; subjects were slower to respond. This effect has been termed negative priming. The aim of this experiment was to partly replicate the work of Dalrymple-Alford and Budayr (1966), and to further investigate the phenomena of negative priming. The experimenter hypothesised that in an ink colour identification task, when the target in the probe trial matched the distractor in the prime, then reaction times would be significantly slower in comparison to conditions where the prime and probe were unrelated. To test the hypothesis, the researcher created four conditions; congruent, neutral, ignored repetition and attended repetition. The condition of interest was ignor ed repetition. Participants reaction times were recorded for the primes and probes of each condition. The effect of condition was shown to be significant using a two way repeated measures ANOVA [F(3,57) = 13.09; p = 0.001]. The significance of the results means the hypothesis was accepted, and it was concluded that negative priming is prominent in conditions where the target in the prime becomes the distractor in the probe, supporting the work of Dalrymple-Alford and Budayr (1966). Introduction Attention is a vital and complex function of cognition. One of the earliest definitions of attention came from James (1890), who defined it as â€Å"the taking possession by the mind, in clear and vivid form, of one out of what seem several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thoughtIt implies withdrawal from some things in order to deal effectively with other.† This early definition from James (1890) highlighted the issue of the selective nature of attention. This feature of attention is essential for organisms to be able to be successful in a search for a target; to select and process only the information they need. It is therefore vital that during this search there are certain mechanisms that suppress distracting information and prevent the return of attention to previously attended objects or events. The mechanism responsible for this important feature is inhibition- the suppression of unwanted or distracting information to ensure movement of attention to novel l ocations. The role of inhibition has been theorised through a variety of concepts. One such concept is Inhibition of Return (IOR). IOR was proposed as an inhibitory mechanism, which reduces the prominence of the previously inspected item in a scene. IOR was first observed by Posner and Cohen (1984) in their simple cuing experiment and refers to the relative suppression of stimuli (object and events) that had recently been the focus of attention. This inhibition of return effect is thought to make visual search more efficient as it ensures that previously examined objects are not searched again, thus facilitating the search for the target (Wright Richard, 1996). Further evidence of inhibitory mechanisms in attention comes from the visual marking mechanism; proposed by Watson and Humphreys (1997) as a goal-directed process that enhances visual search through the inhibition of ‘old objects. When new objects are added to a visual scene, they take priority during search, because old objects are ‘marked for non search. Also, the discovery of the ‘attentional blink provides some clear evidence that in tasks using Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP), a method of displaying information very briefly in sequential order, perception of a target presented 200-500ms after the first target is impaired (Raymond, 1992). This attentional blink occurs because of interference caused by the presentation of stimuli after the target but before the target-identification process is complete, causing the temporary suppression of inhibitory mechanisms. In other words, inhibition of distracting stimuli does not occur, causing a failure in identif ication. Mechanisms such as IOR and visual marking are evidence for inhibitory mechanisms in selective attention, and the attentional blink demonstrates just how important these mechanisms are. This process of inhibition however, is not without consequences. It has been discovered that after a stimulus has been ‘ignored, processing of that ignored stimulus shortly afterwards is impaired. This effect has been termed negative priming (Tipper, 1985). In recent years, numerous studies have looked at negative priming as evidence of an inhibitory component within selective attention. An important study which was vital in the discovery of negative priming is the Stroop task (Stroop, 1935). The standard Stroop colour-word test involved participants being required to name the ink colour of a printed word. When the word was incongruent with the colour ink- such as the word ‘red written in green ink- then interference occurred, resulting in slower response times and more errors in comparison to control conditions. In congruent conditions, where the colour written matched the colour of ink it was written in, reaction times were faster. The interference observed in this study can be attributed to automaticity as reading is an automatic process. According to Shiffrin and Schneiders (1977) model of automaticity, automatic processing makes no demands on attentional resources, has no capacity limitations, and is unavoidable. Automatic processing thus provides a liable explanation of why the Stroop effect occurs, as when seeing a word we unavoidably read it, causing a delay in the process of naming the ink colour of the word. Whilst investigating the effect of stimulus sequencing on Stroop interference, Dalrymple-Alford and Budayr (1966), came across what is now known as negative priming. What they found was that there was a greater delay and an increased error rate when an item appeared in the colour ink which was required to be ignored in the previous stimulus. Similar findings come from Tipper (1985), who presented participants with overlapping line drawings, in either red or green. The participants were required to identify only the red items in each set of stimuli. When the ignored drawing (green) became the required response (red) in the next set of trials, response times slowed. This suggests it is harder to identify and selectively attend to what was previously rejected. A key question in regards to selective attention and negative priming is at which point of sensory processing can incoming signals first be selected or rejected by attention- does this happen early in the process or late? Early selection models, such as Broadbents (1958) filter theory, argue that as sensory processes are limited, they require attention to initially select the stimuli that are required for further processing and discarded irrelevant stimuli. Therefore, attentional selection should occur early; implying a ‘bottleneck in the brain protecting processing systems from being overloaded by irrelevant information. The late selection models (Deutsch Deutsch 1936) however, claim that all stimuli, both attended and unattended, can be processed automatically in parallel- thus without a need for early selection. Therefore, selection should occur late, after the semantic analysis of the stimuli. Negative priming has generally been interpreted as evidence for late selection as the phenomenon shows that distracting/ irrelevant stimuli are in fact processed at the same time as the attended stimuli, hence the interference that occurs. Negative Priming is clearly a well studied phenomenon, and there have been numerous variations on the original experiment by Dalrymple Alford and Budayr (1966). The explanations behind the effect have generally focused on the effect being caused by increased interference due to the suppression of the word during naming of the ink colour- resulting in temporary unavailability of that response (MacLeod MacDonald, 2000). The majority of evidence supports the idea that if a probe in a pair of stimuli has the same target as the prime, then reaction times will be slowed for that probe; suggesting that internal representations of the ignored object may become associated with inhibition during selection. Therefore this experiment hypothesises that, in concordance with the previous evidence, in an ink colour identification task, the probe in the ignored repetition condition will take significantly longer to identify than the prime, in comparison to other conditions. Method Design The design was repeated measures with 2 within factors; condition with 4 levels (Congruent, Neutral, Ignored Repetition and Attended Repetition) and pairing with 2 levels (prime and probe). The experiment was a part replication of the work of Dalrymple-Alford and Budayr (1966), as an investigation into negative priming. The experiment consisted of 4 conditions. Condition 1 was ‘Congruent, where the target and distractor matched in both prime and probe, for example blue in blue ink followed by red in red ink. Condition 2 was ‘Neutral, where the normal Stroop style format was used and the prime and probe bore no intentional resemblance to each other; for example blue in red ink followed by yellow in green ink. Condition 3 was ‘Ignored repetition. This condition was where negative priming was presumed to take place, as the distractor in the prime became the target in the probe, for example, blue in yellow ink followed by red in blue ink. The final condition, condition 4, was ‘Attended repetition, where the target was repeated in the probe, for example blue in red ink followed by green in red ink. For each condition, there were 30 pairs of trials (120 pairs in total, 240 individual trials). Within each pair was a prime (1) and a probe (2) The trials were split into two identical blocks. To control for order effects, the conditions were randomised such that no condition/ pair was presented in succession. This resulted in 15 pairs of each condition per block. A total of 240 responses (reaction times, in milliseconds) were collected for each participant. Participants The sample selected was a group of 20 undergraduate students at the University of Lincoln, with a mean age of 21.35 years, and a standard deviation of 6.51. This target population was relevant because it was the most easily accessible group of people of similar age and status. Participants were selected by opportunity sampling. This method was used because it is a quick, practical and efficient way of generating data through using participants available and willing at the time of the experiment. Materials In order to carry out the experiment certain materials were necessary. The researcher used a Dell Optiplex 745 computer with a monitor size 15inches, 150HP. Also used was a button box (Credus Corporations) and voice recorder (TTC Quality Electronics). The 6 colours used were randomly selected from a bag of various coloured cards. The chosen colours were then created from a standard Microsoft windows palette. These were; Blue (red: 0, green: 0, blue: 225), Green (red: 0, green: 225, blue: 0), Red (red: 225, green: 0, blue: 0), Yellow (red: 255, green: 255, blue: 0), Pink (red: 225, green: 0, blue: 225), Black (red: 0, green: 0, blue: 0). All colour words were presented in Aerial font, size 58, bold. In addition to the colour words presented, there was also a welcome message (Arial font, size 48, bold, in Black ink), and a fixation cross (Arial font, size 58, bold, in Black ink). Further necessary materials included a checklist for Type I and Type II errors. Procedure The participants were approached and asked if they would like to take part in the experiment. If they agreed they were taken to a quiet area chosen for the experiment to take part in. Then the researcher explained to the participant what they would need to do, and gave them a set of standardised instructions (appendix 1). The participants were then asked to read and sign the consent form (appendix 2) if they agreed to take part. Following this, the participants were seated in front of the computer screen and shown how to hold the microphone. They were then told there would be an initial practice run of the experiment, and asked to begin when they were ready. Following the practice run, the participant was once again asked if they were happy to continue with the experiment. If they agreed, they were instructed to begin when they were ready. During the experiment, two researchers were present at all times. The researchers each had a list of the order of trials and correct responses, as they were pseudo-randomised. One researcher marked type I errors on one sheet, and the other marked type II errors on another. Block one consisted of a series of 60 trials followed by a 30second break before the remaining 60 trials in that block. The experiment began with a welcome message which instructed the participant to press the left key on the button box when they were ready to start. After they had pressed this, a fixation cross was presented on the screen for 1500ms, followed by a blank which lasted 1000ms. Each trial was presented for 1500ms, trials were presented in pairs according to condition. Between each pair was a blank of 1000ms. After the first block of trials, the experiment closed, and one researcher started block two, which was identical to block one. Once again any and all errors were recorded. After the completion of this second final block, the experiment automatically closed. The participant was then thanked for their cooperation and given a debrief form to read (appendix 3) they were also encouraged to ask any questions, and assured that their results would remain private and anonymous. Ethical Considerations A number of ethical issues were identified in the experiment in line with British Psychology Society (BPS) guidelines. A consent form was given to participants which explained what the experiment was researching into, what they had to do during the testing and it also requested the participants age and gender. The form explained that any participant with aversion to flashing lights or rapidly presented stimuli should not continue on with the experiment, and asked participants to report if they had any back problems. Participants also had the right to withdraw themselves and their results from the experiment at any time, and this was stated in both the consent form (appendix 2) and debrief (appendix 3). After the participants had taken part in the experiment, the experimenter explained what they were investigating and the implications to the research, and answered any questions asked. It was the experimenters responsibility to make sure that participants left in the same psychological state that they started the experiment with. Participants were informed that their identity would be kept anonymous and that their results would be treated in confidence and destroyed after the experiment. To ensure protection of participants, no physical or mental harm came to them while taking part in the experiment as the consent form included a brief health check to eliminate those individuals who may be at slight risk from participating in the experiment. The room was an empty, calm setting, in order to minimise any stress to the participant, and to avoid any eye strain, a break was given, splitting the trials into two blocks. No deception took place in this experiment. An ethical approval form was completed by researchers prior to the experiment (appendix 4). Results The results were recorded and analysed for each condition in the experiment- 1 (Congruent), 2 (Neutral), 3 (Ignored Repetition) and 4 (Attended Repetition). Any errors, either cognitive (type I), or human/computer (type II), were excluded from the data. Both prime and probe trails were removed regardless of where the error occurred. Error analysis will be discussed later. A table to show a comparison of the mean and standard deviation of the difference between reaction times of prime and probe per condition Condition Mean Standard Deviation 1 (Congruent) 21.250 98.63002 2 (Neutral) 12.950 111.55149 3 (Ignored Rep) -69.350 66.52287 4 (Attended Rep) 35.450 94.73424 A table to show a comparison of mean standard deviation for reaction times of prime and probe per condition Condition Mean Standard Deviation 1 (Congruent ) Prime 1 (Congruent ) Probe 744.3 723.0 156.4 122.3 2 (Neutral) Prime 2 (Neutral) Probe 822.9 809.9 170.7 129.0 3 (Ignored Rep) Prime 3 (Ignored Rep) Probe 782.7 852.0 138.6 132.7 4 (Attended Rep) Prime 4 (Attended Rep) Probe 775.9 740.5 142.1 140.4 See appendix 5 for full SPSS data. The mean difference between prime and probe for condition 3 (Ignored Repetition) was -69.35, which was significantly greater than for any of the other conditions (21.25 for Congruent; 12.95 for Neutral, and 35.45 for Attended Repetition). It also shows that the condition with the smallest difference in reaction time between prime and probe was condition 2 (Neutral). 2 shows that for condition 3 (Ignored repetition) the mean reaction time for the prime (782.7) was smaller than the mean reaction time for the probe (852.0). This stands out when compared to all of the other conditions, where the mean reaction time for the prime was greater than for the probe. This suggests that for conditions 1 (Congruent), 2 (Neutral) and 4 (Attended Rep), the probe generated a quicker response than the prime, yet for condition 3 this effect was reversed and the probe generated a slower response. To further analyse the data, a Two-way Repeated Measures ANOVA was carried out to analyse the reaction times and look at any effect between conditions. The results of the ANOVA shows that the main effect of Condition was significant [F(3,57) = 13.09; p = 0.001]. The following bar chart ( 3) presents a visual representation of this significance and shows the variation between conditions: The second ANOVA was concerned with the difference in reaction times between prime and probe. The ANOVA showed that the main effect of Pair is not significant [F(1,19) = 0.001; p = 0.996], suggesting that the pairing did not significantly affect reaction times. Although the effect was not found to be significant, the plot below ( 4) clearly shows that condition 3 (Ignored Repetition) was the only condition where response time was slower in the probe than in the prime: Thirdly, the interaction effect between Condition and Pair was analysed. This was found to be significant [F(3,57) = 6.6; p = 0.001]. As the interaction effect between ‘Pair and ‘Condition was significant, a post-hoc Bonferroni was carried out to find where the significances lay. The Bonferroni showed significant differences between the following conditions; (1) Congruent and (2) Neutral (p= 0.001) (1) Congruent and (3) Ignored Repetition (p= 0.002) (2) Neutral and (4) Attended Repetition (p= 0.001) (3) Ignored Repetition and (4) Attended Repetition (p= 0.014) Error analysis Errors were recorded per type I and II for each condition. The table below ( 5) shows the number of errors of each type that occurred in each condition. A table of sums of errors per condition and error type Condition Error Type I Error Type II 1 (Congruent) 11 26 2 (Neutral) 21 33 3 (Ignored Rep) 35 35 4 (Attended Rep) 26 24 A table to show the mean rank of errors per condition Condition Mean Rank 1 (Congruent) 2.15 2 (Neutral) 2.70 3 (Ignored Rep) 2.93 4 (Attended Rep) 2.23 The condition with the lowest number of errors was condition 1 (Congruent), with a mean of 2.15. The condition with the highest number of errors condition 3 (Ignored Repetition), with a mean of 2.93. A Friedmans test was used to analyse the errors and look for any significances in their distribution. Application of Friedmans test showed that there were no significances in the distribution of errors over the four conditions; X2=5.71; df = 3; p = 0.127. Discussion The results obtained show that the mean difference between prime and probe for condition 3 (Ignored repetition) was -69.35, which was notably greater than for any of the other conditions (21.25, 12.95 and 35.45). This suggests that something different is happening in this condition, as the difference is not only a lot greater but also in the opposite direction. The plot ( 4) shows a visual representation of this effect. From this it is possible to infer that in the Ignored repetition condition, negative priming did occur as the probe took longer to respond to than the prime in comparison with all other conditions. After carrying out a two way repeated measures ANOVA, it becomes clear that this is in fact the case. The results of the ANOVA showed that the main effect of Condition was significant [F(3,57) = 13.09; p = 0.001], and that the interaction effect between Condition and Pair was also significant [F(3,57) = 6.6; p = 0.001]. The ANOVA concerning the difference in reaction times between prime and probe showed that the main effect of Pair was not significant [F(1,19) = 0.001; p = 0.996]. Analysis of errors found them not to be significant; however the mean ranks showed that there were more errors in the ignored repetition condition (Mean rank 2.93). This is consistent with previous research; that in the ignored repetition condition, more interference occurs causing slower response times and more mistakes to be made. These findings mean that the hypothesis can be accepted: in an ink colour identification task, when the target in the probe trial matches the distractor in the prime, then reaction times will be significantly slower in comparison to conditions where the prime and probe are unrelated. Thus the experiment supports and confirms the previous research such as that of Dalrymple-Alford and Budayr (1966). The negative priming effect observed in this experiment can be explained as an inhibitory mechanism of attention. The differences in reaction times between conditions infer that for condition 3 (Ignored Repetition), at the point of the probe something different happened in than in the other conditions. In line with previous research, we can assume that due to the suppression of the word in the prime trial, when that colour word then becomes the ink colour in the probe trial, then there is a problem with retrieving that response as it had just been suppressed. One limitation of this experiment was the methodology. The design involved a set of two blocks in a Super Lab program, each containing 15 pairs of each condition, in a randomised order. Between each pair of trials was a blank screen presented for 1000msc. This quick succession of pairs means it may not have been obvious for the participants that the stimuli were in fact presented in pairs. This therefore may be able to explain why the probe condition 1 (Congruent) was fastest; when it was expected that condition 4 (Attended Repetition) would be. To overcome this limitation, future experiments could use separate blocks for each condition- thus making it more obvious that the trials were in certain pairs. In addition to the above adjustment, it would also be interesting to consider individual differences in a future extension of this experiment. There has been numerous past studies that suggest for certain individuals, the effect of negative priming is actually less robust. An example of this is Schizophrenics, who seem less able at inhibition- hence are less susceptible to negative priming (Beech et al 1989). A future investigation could build on the evidence of individual differences playing an important role in the effect of negative priming, and possibly look into more general differences such as cultural background or occupation. For example, it would be interesting to look for any differences in the effect of negative priming between people in creative careers- such as artists, compared with those in writing careers such as journalists. Would someone who is used to looking at words be more prone to negative priming than someone who would be more interested in the colour and form of the word? To summarise, this experiment has shown clear negative priming, consistent with the majority of existing studies, thus supporting the notion of inhibitory processes in attention. References Beech, A., Powell, T., McWilliam, J., Claridge, G. (1989). Evidence of reduced cognitive inhibition in schizophrenia. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 28, 109-116. Broadbent, D. E. (1958). Perception and communication. New York: Pergamon. Deutsch, J. A., Deutsch, D. (1963). Attention: some theoretical considerations. Psychological Review, 70, 80-90. Dalrymple-Alford, E.C., Budayr, B. (1966). Examination of some aspects of the Stroop color-word test. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 23, 1211-1214. James, W. (1890). The Principles of Psychology. New York: Henry Holt. MacLeod, C. M., Masson, M. E. J. (2000). Repetition priming in speeded word reading: Contributions of perceptual and conceptual processing episodes. Journal of Memory and Language, 42, 208-228. Pashler, H. (1998). The psychology of attention. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Posner,M.I., Cohen, Y. (1984) . Components of visual orienting. In H. Bouma D.G. Bouwhuis (Eds.), Attention and performance X: Control of language processes. Hove: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Ltd. Raymond J.E., Shapiro K.L., Arnell K.M. (1992). Temporary suppression of visual processing in an RSVP task: an attentional blink?. Journal of experimental psychology. Human perception and performance, 18, 849-60. Shiffrin, R.M., Schneider, W. (1977). Controlled and automatic information processing: II. Perceptual learning, automatic attending, and a general theory. Psychological Review, 84, 127-190. Stroop, J.R. (1935). Studies of interference in serial verbal reactions. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 18, 643-662. Tipper, S.P. (1985). The negative priming effect: Inhibitory priming with to be ignored objects. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 37A, 571-590. Tipper, SP (2001) Does negative priming reflect inhibitory mechanisms? A review and integration of conflicting views. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology 54A: 321-343. Watson, D. G., Humphreys, G. W. (1997). Visual marking: Prioritizing selection for new objects by top-down attention inhibition of old objects. Psychological Review, 104, 90-122. Wright, R.D Richard, C.M. (1996) Inhibition-of-return at multiple locations in visual space. Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology, 50, 324-327.

My Papa’s Waltz - Thats not just coke in Dads glass Essays -- My Pap

My Papa’s Waltz - That's not just coke in Dad's glass Some define alcohol abuse as "the recurrent use of alcohol to the extent that repeated use results in an inability to fulfill normal role functions, or presents legal or social/interpersonal problems, or creates a hazard to self or others" (Suppes 339). While most people seem to drink in moderation, others have a hard time drinking responsibly. Sometimes alcohol abuse can lead to physical abuse, mental abuse, loss of a job, alcoholism, or the breaking down of relationships. In "My Papa's Waltz," we see the detrimental effects of alcohol on a father/son relationship. Papa does not abuse his son, however his repeated drinking creates a gap in their relationship. In "My Papa's Waltz," we see no evidence of any physical abuse. His son, at this age, adores him. Together they "romped until the pans / Slid from the kitchen shelf" (Roethke 5-6). The young boy does not want to let go of his father; he admits, "I hung on like death" (3). Then, he explains he still clings to his father's shirt even while...