Philosophy and Psychiatry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Philosophy and Psychiatry - Essay Example For every argument that "personal reactive attitude" puts forward, there is a counter-argument used by "objective attitude." The whole idea seems to be rotating in circles and ending up in a blind alley. Strawson is, however, diplomatic in his stand. While he is willing to side one, he is not prepared to sidestep or antagonize the other. He voices his opinion in favour of the first group, the group which simply dismisses the thesis of determinism as something it does not know anything about. However, he sympathizes with the other group or sub-groups. Could it be hypocrisy on his part No, says Strawson. He favours reconciliation because he believes that there is some light in what the group of pessimists, optimists and sceptics say. The Arguments Now, coming to the main issue, the optimists feel that the thesis of determinism cannot be ruled out as false for the simple reason that the "facts as we know them do not show determinism to be false." [2] That is to say, the optimists feel, there are enough facts to corroborate the existence and relevance of determinism. However, they submit that the facts are not strong enough to convince the pessimists. Or else, they are not in a position to present the facts in a convincing manner. Therefore, the optimists are willing to 2 The Determinism and Freedom Philosophy Website -- of http://www.ucl.ac.uk/uctytho/dfwstrawson1.htm, page 2 concede a "vital part" of their facts which they find difficult to produce, in exchange for the pessimists' willingness to "go beyond the facts" and thus allow some kind of a status quo, so that whatever is "beyond the facts" may still hold out some ray of hope for the pessimists. The status quo is necessary because the pessimists cannot prove that the optimists are...The status quo is necessary because the pessimists cannot prove that the optimists are totally wrong for being unable to adequately represent the facts. (page 2) Going a step further, Strawson elaborates, â€Å"Some optimists about determinism point to the efficacy of the practices of punishment, and of moral condemnation and approval, in regulating behaviour in socially desirable ways. The fact of their efficacy, they suggest, is an adequate basis for these practices; and this fact certainly does not show determinism to be false.† To this the pessimists counter that, â€Å"just punishment and moral condemnation imply moral guilt and guilt implies moral responsibility and moral responsibility implies freedom and freedom implies the falsity of determinism.† The optimists persist, â€Å"it is true that these practices require freedom in a sense, and the existence of freedom in this sense is one of the facts as we know them. But what ‘freedom’ means here is nothing but the absence of certain conditions the presence of which would make moral condemnation or punishment inappropriate.† [3] How one wishes the buck stopped here! But it does not! The pessimists too persist, â€Å"You turn towards me first the negative, and then the positive, faces of a freedom which nobody challenges. But the only reason you have given for the practices of moral condemnation and punishment in cases where this freedom is present.

Create Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Create - Assignment Example Executive Assistant position suctioning for parlay of customer service, demonstrated organization, project management and communication skills proven by 10 years of affluent, profitable self-employment. Personable, motivated business professional with college degrees and a prosperous 10-year profitable small business ownership track record. Talent for speedily adapting technology- currently completed Microsoft Office Suite certificate course. Tactful and diplomatic with non-professionals and professionals at all levels. Acquainted to handle confidential, sensitive records. Established history of producing timely, accurate reports that meet stringent HMO along with insurance guidelines. Versatile and flexible- able to retain a sense of humor even under pressure. Competent and posed with established ability to quickly transcend cultural differences. Good team-building skills. Thrive in environments driven by

Traditional versus Modern Essay Example for Free

Traditional versus Modern Essay Moral philosophy or ethics is about the individual’s concept or system of right and wrong behavior which becomes his foundation or basis of moral judgment and decisions. Two kinds of ethics which differs in moral judgment are traditional and modern ethics.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Traditional ethics emerge from the religious beliefs of what is morally right and wrong plus some concepts from the early philosophers such as Aristotle, Kant, Mill, Moore, Hume, and many others. The philosophers explained virtues and truths according to what is good and bad. Moreover, the birth and domination of Christianity, the law or concept of ethics (divine law) was about what â€Å"is† right or wrong doings (murder, theft, etc). However, some philosophers like Sidgwick constructed a system according to intention of the individual. Modern ethics is more of the â€Å"reason† or â€Å"motive† of the doer whether it is for the good of many people or for just a few ones that pushed him to do the said unjust behavior. That is why there is a term today as â€Å"legally wrong, but morally right†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Traditional and modern ethics should not be necessarily considered as different ideas and beliefs that are contrasting each other. Modified traditional ethics can be considered as modern ethics since most of the morals today came from religious beliefs and early philosophies as respected by almost all cultures (specifically the Ten Commandments). Traditional ethics greatly affected our foundation of what is right and wrong or responsibility, which also became the basis of our cultural norms. But, as time passes by, people started to look closer to the different sides of the story that makes us consider the reasons or intentions behind an action that we later decide whether it is wrong or right. For example, when person steal a medicine for his dying mother because he has no enough money to buy it for her, in term of traditional ethics, the person committed a crime. But in terms of modern ethics, he is morally not guilty since he did it to save his mother’s life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Religion and theology became the foundations of traditional ethics of responsibility and helped it its developments. Modern ethics became more independent from religious views but is still greatly influenced by traditional beliefs as cultural norms were adapted from it which helps a person’s system of judgment. References Moore-Bruder. (2006). Moral and Political Philosophy. Philosophy: The Power of Ideas, Sixth Edition.   The McGraw-Hill Companies.   [Electronic Version

Relationship between competitive sport and self esteem

Relationship between competitive sport and self esteem The present study examined the relationship between competitive sport and self esteem. The sample included both female and male participants who were divided into two groups, athletes (N=20) and non-athletes (N=20) An athlete was defined as an individual between the ages of 15-25 years old who was currently involved in organized competitive figure skating for at least 10 hours per week. A non-athlete was defined as an individual between the ages of 15-25 years old who was not currently involved in organized, competitive skating for at least 10 hours per week. The measures used in this study were Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (1965), the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (1981), for all participants to measure their self esteem. In addition, the figure skaters athletic identity was evaluated by using the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale developed by Brewer et al. (1993). The global hypothesis was that competitive sport would have a negative impact on the individuals and that there would be a significant difference in self esteem scores between the athletes and non-athletes. More specifically it was hypothesized that the athletes would present trends as to why their self-esteem was lower than th e non-athletes. Results of the independent t Tests refuted the hypothesis that there would be a significant difference between athletes and non-athletes. Sport is commonly defined as an organized, competitive and skillful physical activity requiring commitment and fair play. It is practiced all over the world in different countries. A competitive athlete is proficient in their sport and dedicates their time and money to competition and training. A competitive athlete is someone who has competed in organized, competitive figure skating sport for more than 10 hours per week. Competitive athletes can fall under the amateur level (college and university) or the professional level (not attending school). Being a competitive athlete involves time, dedication and hard work. It involves being at the rink, tennis court or pool all the time. To simultaneously develop a career in competitive sport and commitment to education, work and personal life is not easy today as it was a few years ago (Bussmann,1995). This challenge will become more difficult in the future because the competitive calendar is becoming more demanding each year. (Bussmann, 1995). A career in competitive sport is only possible if an athlete commits themselves to hard work, dedication, training, and a tight time structure with their competition season. Coakley (1992) found that a major aspect that leads athletes to experience feelings of entrapment included identity development, self esteem and life balance issues. If athletes have more facets to their personal identity that just sport, they are less likely to burnout. It is important for athletes to have a healthy balance. Focusing too much on any given sport can lead to feelings of hopelessness, failure and resentment to their sport. A healthy balance is the ultimate goal in an athletes life. Despite the importance of a healthy balance in an athletes life, Orlick and Partington (1988) pointed out that the key to elite athleticism was a total commitment to pursuing excellence. This total commitment to sport was found to be the distinguishing factor between successful and unsuccessful competitive athletes. Therefore, in order to achieve or maintain athletic success, an athlete must sacrifice this healthy balance to capitalize on their physical talents. Self esteem is an example of a sacrifice some athletes experience, to attain success. Often athletes push themselves so hard, that failure or lack of perfectionism can negatively affect their self esteem. Athletes are especially vulnerable to this problem of attaching self-esteem to ones performances because they are judged by how well they perform. This is specifically evident in figure skating, where participants are constantly judges by their coaches in practices, judges in competitions, and themselves almost daily. However, society sends subtle signals that they must achieve in their sport to feel worthy as a person and that is the trap that many athletes fall into. In addition, if an athlete is a perfectionist, it can further affect their self-esteem because they have such high expectations and are always so critical and hard on themselves. If athletes fall into this trap, their emotions, and how they feel about themselves, are heavily influenced by the perceptions of their perf ormance, which can naturally vary from day to day. Your self esteem may fluctuate based on performance or practices. Although previous research has investigated the psychological effects of competitive sport, few studies have examined competitive figure skaters and their self esteem. The research area studied was sport psychology, and the topics were athletes, non-athletes and self esteem. A subtopic measured was athletic identity. The global hypothesis was that competitive sport would have a negative impact on the individuals and that there would be a significant different in self esteem scores between the athletes and non-athletes. More specifically it was hypothesized that the athletes would present trends as to why their self-esteem was lower than the non-athletes. Conceptual Framework The main theory behind the study was the need for research. More research was required on competitive figure skaters and self esteem, as figure skating can produce high fluctuations of self esteem. Theory plays a large part in my study because the ideas behind my theory came from personal experiences as an athlete. I have a close personal connection to my study, as I was once a competitive figure skater, who was immersed in the sport and identified quite strongly with the athlete role. When I retired, I experienced low self-esteem and identity foreclosure. Attempts were made in the study, to see if there were similarities between my experiences as a competitive figure skater and my participants. The study was both descriptive and explanatory in nature. I attempted to describe my data and explain why and how it happened. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data obtained through the surveys. It was explanatory in nature and I attempted to explain my findings and why self esteem affected competitive athletes. An attempt was made to understand of why competitive sport affects athletes so strongly, specifically self-esteem. My paradigm and perspective was post-positivist and deductive. I developed a hypothesis and set out to prove it with my data. I attempted to produce factual information through my survey research, however I still had a personal connection to the topic. Literature Review Self Esteem Self-esteem reflects a persons overall evaluation or appraisal of his or her own image, perception. The term self-esteem encompasses beliefs and emotions such as triumph, despair, pride and shame. A persons low self-esteem may be reflected in their behaviour, such as shyness, or caution. Self Esteem and the Competitive Athlete In a study done by Koivula (2002), 30 Swedish elite athletes were assessed on their self esteem and perfectionism levels. It was concluded that the setting of high standards is an integral part of elite sports, and often beneficial for the athletes performance. However, individuals who suffer from perfectionism may have heightened levels of anxiety, due to discrepancies between ideal and current self/situation. This could, of course be detrimental to their sport performance. The differences cited between athletes and non-athletes in self-esteem in the Huddy and Cash (1997) study were based on comparing athletes involved in individual sports (running and swimming) to a group of non-athletes. Therefore, it may be the case that individual-sport athletes benefit more from participation in physical activity than do those athletes involved in group-type sports when it comes to having a positive effect on self- esteem. This could also be detrimental to their self-esteem because an individual sport requires extreme mental toughness, concentration, pressure and a much higher degree of accountability. Most research hasnt focused on figure skaters, their self-esteem and the impacts of this competitive sport. There is a definite need for research in this area, because figure skating demands psychological and mental strength from an athlete. The present study will add to the work done by Hall and Durborow (1986) and Frost (2005) who studied self esteem in high school college athletes, with Hall and Durborow, studying specifically female athletes. These studies failed to include figure skaters as a competitive sport. It is hoped that from the present study that some insight will be found on if and why figure skaters suffer from low self-esteem and future research may come from it. Athlete Identity Most research done on athletic identity was done in the early twentieth century. Identity answers the question Who am I? Athlete identity is the degree to which an individual identifies with an athlete role. (Brewer, et al) Sense of self is the realization and knowledge of who you are as a person; athletes might know who they are and define themselves through sport. Having a strong sense of self is important in shaping your identity. Brewer, Van Raalte, and Linder developed the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS) and tested it with college students (athletes and non-athletes). They tested based on a rating scale handed out in the form of a survey. Athletic identity differences between males and females were tested and in three studies, they found that males had a significantly higher athletic identity than females. The researchers reasoned that American society places a greater emphasis on sport for males than for females. Coakley (1990), supported this finding with his analysis that girls are less likely to learn that physical activities and achievements in sport can or should be uniquely important sources of rewards in their lives. If girls do not receive as many rewards for their participation in sports, they are less likely to develop a strong athletic identity. (Coakley, 1990) Athletes who are more immersed in their role in sport will identify themselves with more certainty than others (Adler, 1991). Forty college basketball players competitive in their sport were tested by Adler and Adler (1991) and were found to identify themselves as student-athletes. This is a common identification among college athletes and is a desirable status symbol with a strong sense of belonging and self esteem. Those with a very strong athletic identity tend to interpret events, such performance and practice sessions, in terms of how it affects their athletic involvement. A strong athletic identity tends to increase an individuals commitment to sport, but those with an exclusive athletic identity tend to have emotional difficulties when they had performances or their competitive careers end. Those with a strong athletic identity spend more time with teammates and coaches who further strengthen their athletic identity. These were findings done in a recent study by Horton and Mac k (2000). Alpine skiers were tested and viewed in conjunction with other aspects of ones self-concept, that athletic identity plays a significant role in understanding ones cognitive structure and social role composition. (Horton, 2000) However, if an athlete exclusively identifies with the athletic role, he/she has an increased risk of experiencing a severe emotional disruption during a career transition One very interesting study previously conducted involved identity and athletic retirement. It is the most recent and relevant study done that relates to my own intended research. The study was conducted by Lally (2007), to examine the relationship between identity and athletic retirement using a longitudinal, prospective design. One-on-one in-depth interviews were conducted with three males and three female university student competitive athletes at three times: at the outset of their last season of competition, approximately 1 month after their retirement, and approximately 1 year later. The results revealed that the participants committed themselves strongly to their athletic goals and anticipated disrupted identities upon retirements. The study concludes that the redefinition of self long before sport career termination may protect ones identify during this transition process. (Lally, 2007) The Importance of Sport Sport is a great way to get involved and stay active and healthy. Evidence has shown that there are significant benefits to participating in sport. For example in a study done with high school students states that extra-curricular sport participation throughout high school is a good predictor of having a good job with autonomy at the age of 24 (Eccles, 2003). This study looked at sport and youth development and shows only the impact of sport at a high school level. Sport is a social process and involves engaging with others and meeting new people. Many important relationships are formed in sport and an athlete often forms relationships solely within their sport. Athlete-coach, athlete-athlete and athlete-parent are examples of important relationships developed in the sport environment (Jowett, 2006). These examples were studied by Jowett among Olympic medalists, who trained very hard and fall under the competitive athlete category. Sport can positively affect a persons self esteem and give them a sense of satisfaction. A study done by Findlay and Bowker (2009) explored specific aspects of sports and individuals on 4 levels (physical competence and physical appearance self-concept, global physical and general self-esteem). Three hundred and fifty one adolescents were studied from elite sports and regular school classrooms. Participants were separated into group based on sports participation (elite athletes, competitive athletes, and non-athletes). The level of athleticism was found to be positively related to physical competence and appearance self-concept and general self-esteem. (Findlay, 2009) This study is a positive indicator as to why people compete and identity with sports. Unfortunately this study was very large and broad and therefore wasnt overly clear and concise. Competition and Sport Competition is a large part of sport and involves a direct comparison of performance against others or ones own goals. Sport needs to have goals or the outcomes seem meaningless. Athletes are driven to achieve goals and improve on performance. Competitors enjoy winning. This simply put is the driving force behind competitive sport and athletes. There is a joy from accomplishment and an intrinsic value with competing and performing at your best. A competitive athlete trains day after day to perform their best when the day of competition arrives. Although many athletes see positive effects from competition, there are also are many negative side effects to competitive sport. Competition can be difficult from a practical standpoint because it doesnt, contrary to public belief, improve performance, creativity or productivity. It can also be psychologically detrimental because it leads to anxiety, lower self-esteem and dependence on external evaluation (Kohn, 1992). This was argued in Alfie Kohns (1992) book, No Contest: the Case against Competition. However athletes still pursue further training and dedicate themselves to becoming a competitive athlete. It is also the love of their sport that drives them to continue to train ha rd and push themselves to be the very best. Athletes often become so involved and immersed in their sport that training and competing becomes an everyday routine and way of life, therefore identifying with the sport. The sense of accomplishment and pride that comes with winning a prize or medal is huge. There is no greater feeling in the world. To obtain this feeling, athletes often have to push themselves to the point of psychological impact. With success, comes sacrifice, often affecting self-esteem and confidence. Production of the Competitive Athlete For athletes in highly competitive sports, discipline and dedication are required to pursue excellence in sport. Success depends on multiple factors an athlete must strive to work towards in order to gain maximum results. Coaches and athletes understand that repetitive training and immersion in practice drills will develop the athletes skills necessary to perform well and to reach their goals. A large part of sport involves mental toughness, focus and concentration. Concentration and determination and focus are often the deciding factors in the outcome of athletic competition (Nideffer R. ., 2001). Regardless of the specific sport, attention and concentration are essential for success. These were findings by Nideffer and Sagal (2001) in their study done with elite skiers. They found that attention and control are keys to becoming successful athletes. The more concentrated and focused on a sport an athlete is, the greater the results will be. Continuing success at an elite level requires athletes to devote more time to their sport and focus their entire life on training, managing specific diets, maintaining fitness levels and preparation and focus for competitions. Competitive athletes who tend to spend more time immersed in the sport, will get transformed, and often identify themselves strongly as an athlete. As the competitive athlete devotes more of their life involved in their sport their ability to identify with that sport becomes increasingly evident (Horton, 2000). Significant life changes can happen in competitive sport. As the world of sport gets faster, stronger and more successful, the demands from training and performance increase. Psychological Impact of Competitive Sport Injuries are on example of why self-esteem may be lower in competitive athletes. Some research has been done to date on the psychological effects from an injury however within the last decade; the main physiological dimensions of sport injury to the exclusion of psychological dimensions have been looked at in detail (Petitpas, 1995). *** injuries with figure skaters In an argument and analysis done by Cupal (1998), from Utah State University, psychological interventions are needed when an athlete suffers from an injury. Most of this article focuses on what needs to be done and what has been done in the past with post injury psychological testing and intervention of athletes. More work is needed on illustrating how an athletes injury affects their sense of self and identity. The mind is very powerful and can be greatly affected by injury (Cupal, 1998). In a study done by Johnston and Carroll (2000); looked at the variation of psychological impact of injury based on sport. It was mentioned that to date there are only 4 published reports of sports involvement as a factors of injury (Johnston and Carroll, 2000). They also concluded that the more involved an athlete is within their sport the greater negative impact, and injury will have psychologically. This study was completed by giving them questionnaires, highlighting which sport they were involved in, training regimens and post injury effects. It was an important study because it showed more competitive athletes having experienced the greatest hardships when an injury happens. It also gave the reader an indicator of which sport-related injuries have the greatest psychological impact. Mental toughness and focus are contributing factors of success in sport. Sports psychology has a distant role in the acceptance and recovery of athletic injuries. Stress-related factors are the most common among psychological factored to influence an injury. (Anderson Williams, Psychological risk factors : Injury prediction and preventive measures, 1998) They developed a theory on psychological factors that contribute to injuries. They vaguely show how injuries can develop from stress, depression, lack of motivation, but fail to show how the mind is affected when the injury occurs. An athletes recovery can be vastly influenced by their mental ability to cope. After an injury the brain goes through psychological reactions to what has just happened. The five stage process includes denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance (Hardy, 1990). This five stage process fails to consider athlete identity after injury. There are four other psychological reactions associated with athletic injuries. Identity loss, fear and anxiety, lack of confidence and performance decrements are all part of the minds way of dealing or reacting to what has happened (Petitpas, 1995). Figure Skating as a Competitive Sport For the purpose of the present study figure skating will be the competitive sport of choice. Figure skating is the epitome of all things sport. Athletes must have the stamina of both a short and long distance runner, strength of a hockey player and the grace of an equestrian rider. Figure skating offers its participants unparalleled opportunity to achieve personal success, fitness and strength. The competitive figure skating experience lends itself to the acquisition of life skills including determination, mental toughness, focus and respect. Figure skating teaches good, wholesome values, commitment, the pursuit of excellence, healthy competition, resources and health and well being. Achieving excellence demands a lot of time, most competitive figure skaters are at the rink 10-15 hours per week depending on age and achievement level desired. Their training regimens include on-ice training, off- ice conditioning workouts, ballet classes and nutrition and psychology seminars among othe r demands. Figure skating is primarily an individual sport. Unlike more traditional sports, figure skaters do not have teammates to rely on for social and athletic support, and they alone are responsible for their competitive outcomes. Thus, figure skaters may experience considerable pressure and performance anxiety than athletes in other sports. Figure skating requires its athletes to make sacrifices that are not required of athletes in many other sports. One such example is the significant financial investment for the athlete by his or her family, and the expenses are much greater than those incurred in many other sports. The cost of a pair of skates alone ranges from a minimum of $500 for relatively low level boots and blades to well over $1,000. Practice time, private instruction, off-ice training, practice apparel, routine equipment maintenance, music editing, competition entrance fees, competition apparel, and travel fees are all additional costs. This financial burden can negatively impact a figure skater into constantly feeling pressure to give 100 percent all the time and achieve considerable success. A figure skaters social life can be majorly impacted by the demands of this competitive sport. Figure skaters often have inconvenient times for practice, such as very early in the morning and in the early afternoon. In order to make these practice times, many figure skaters have shortened school schedules that allow them to leave school early. At the Mariposa School of Skating in Barrie, Ontario there is a co-op program that allows figure skaters to obtain school credits while skating. However, this also eliminates times where students generally socialize with peers, such as lunch and recess. Practice schedules may also prevent figure skaters from becoming involved in school-based extracurricular activities, which frequently have meetings before and after school, eliminating another potential setting for peer interaction for figure skaters. Finally, figure skaters often are required to get up very early in the morning for practices. This also leaves little time for socialization with friends after school, as early morning practice requires skaters to go to sleep earlier than their non-skating friends. Other than that, figure skaters often devote what time they have left, to dinner and homework. Figure skating can be tied into self esteem and sense of self-worth. Some competitive figure skaters may suffer from a foreclosed identity status. According to Marcia (1966), identity foreclosed individuals solely identify with their sport and fail to explore any other possible identities. The training demands leave little time to explore potential identity options specifically other sports or interests. Frequently, early and mid-adolescents make identity decisions based on their peers and significant others (Kroger, 2007). For figure skaters, there are few opportunities available to interact with and identify with peers and significant others other than fellow figure skaters. Studies done on self-worth and self-esteem has shown that there are numerous dimensions of self-esteem that can contribute to an individuals overall sense of self worth (Harter, Waters, Whitesell, 1998), and that the dimensions of self-esteem most valued by the individual are the best predictors of his or her overall sense of self-worth (Harter et al., 1998). The athletic identity measurement scale by Brewer (1993) further supports this as many studies have confirmed that the higher the immersion in their sport, the higher the athletes identifies with it. Often with competitive athletes their self-esteem and identity are tied into their athletic accomplishments and with each new accomplishment, comes new, higher expectations (Blansett Blansett, 2002) The task of controlling body changes during adolescence and early adulthood may be especially difficult for figure skaters. The increases in height, body fat, and weight distribution that accompany adolescent development in females (Kroger, 2007) may be especially detrimental for figure skaters because these biological changes greatly impact a skaters ability to perform jumps and spins. The addition of body fat not only makes it more difficult for skaters to get the height necessary to complete rotations in their jumps, but changes in weight distribution can affect their timing and balance. Some studies like (Stoutjesdyk Jevne, 1993; Sundgot-Borgen, 1994), suggest that athletes are at increased risk especially female athletes are at risk for eating disorders. Sports that have major aesthetic components such as gymnastics, cheerleading, ballet, diving and figure skating (Brooks-Gunn, Burrow, Warren, 1988; DiBartolo Shaffer, 2002; Reel Gill, 1996; Sundgot-Borgen, 1994) may have hig her eating disorder rates than others. Skaters are concerned about appearance, have lower than recommended daily caloric intake and often engage in caloric restriction due to dietary advice from nutritionists and coaches. A study done by Monsma and Molina (2004), investigated figure skaters and presented a profile of eating disorder risk; comparing different variables. Analyses indicated that the Body Mass Index (BMI) was the most robust biological variable for subsequent analyses. BMIs among skaters were lower when compared to other athletes and individuals. The present study will attempt to garner similar results in the qualitative sections of the questionnaire. The role an athlete assumes in figure skating can be important in affecting their self worth and self esteem. The Charter for Competitors lists the following duties and responsibilities of all sport competitors: must abide by both the laws and spirit of their sport, must accept the decisions of umpires and referees without question or protestation, must not cheat and in particular must not attempt to prove their performance by the use of drugs, must exercise self control at all times, must accept success and failure, victory and defeat with good grace and without excessive display of emotion, and must treat opponents and fellow participants with due respect at all times (Kew, 1997). The role of the figure skater requires the athlete to be responsible for his or her skating; their behavior, their fate and no one can do it for them. All of these responsibilities can be negatively damaging on a competitive figure skater. There is so much pressure on competitive figure skaters and without intense training and dedication, skills and achievements decline. Figure skaters repeatedly apply huge amounts of pressure onto their bodies, sometimes without success. Sometimes athletes will try so hard to achieve success, but at times, can fail. Fear of pain and failure are both paramount psychological challenges for athletes (Shogun, 1999) Fear of failure can also lead to decreased self esteem and self worth. Methodology Instruments Athletic Identity Measurement Scale The Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS) is a 10-item quantitative inventory measuring the level of athletic identity. It is designed to measure the degree in which an athlete identifies themselves with their sport. The Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS) is a tool that assisted in the study. To examine the athletic identity of athletes, Brewer, Van Raalte, and Linder (1993) developed the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS). Brewer Cornelius (2001) have since developed the most recent version of the scale. (B. . Brewer, 343) this scale will be used to ask questions and for participants of my study to complete upon which additional open ended questions will be added. (See attached appendix) This scale is a highly validated scale, used in past research to measure athletic identity. Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (1978) The Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (CSEI; Coopersmith, 1989) was designed to measure the respondents attitudes toward self in personal, social, family, and academic areas of experience. The original Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory was developed for children. In the present study, a modified version developed by Dr. M.B. Ryden was used for adults and adolescence. It was then modified to fit the study, by only using 15 like me and 15 not like me questions. The participants had the option of checking like me or not like me for each question. Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (1965) The Rosenberg self-esteem scale, developed by Morris Rosenberg, is a widely-used self-esteem measure in social science research. The scale is a ten-item quantitative measure with items answered on a four-point Likert scale from strongly agrees to strongly disagree. Qualitative Questions Two additional questions were added to the questionnaire, one for the athletes and one for the non-athletes. They are located in Appendix____. The purpose of these questions was to provide analysis and interpretation of the answers. Qualitative research gathers in-depth understanding of human behaviour and the reasons why such behaviour happens. For example, the athletes were asked to expand on any negative effects that competitive figure skating has brought about. It was hoped that if the figure skated experiences low self esteem, the qualitative questions would provide answers. For the non-athletes, a question was presented about being a non-athlete/inactive and any negative affects it brought with it. It was hoped that if they experienced any low self esteem from not being active or a competitive athlete, the qualitative questions would provide answers. Procedure In order to insure consistency among test subjects the sport of figure skating was chosen for this study. Figure skating is a well-organized, professionally coached sport in which individuals between 15-25 years old, practice a minimum of 10 hours per week. The athletes were recruited from The Mariposa School of Skating in Barrie, Ontario. There were 20 figure skaters who participated in the study. A meetin

The September 11 Generation :: September 11 Terrorism Essays

There has been much talk about how the events of September 11 changed everything. I don't think they changed the central urgency and relevance of what each one of us does with our life.. I think we're all being pressured by history. How many people have lost their jobs or are re-evaluating their work and lives? Those of us who are concerned about the issues of diversity, coexistence, reconciliation, conflict prevention, understanding and tolerance, peace and justice, will find our life gives us a firm ground to stand on. This is where the action is for the foreseeable and unforeseeable future. Clash of civilizations? War of the worlds? Global discord, intergroup ignorance, suspicion and fear. Many thoughful people and insitutions   were studying and addressing those questions long before September 11. Now the efficacy of tens of thousands of diversity awareness training sessions is put to the test. This is our performance review. What beneficial effect have we had in all these years? We have seen so many people rise to the challenge of the occasion. We have seen the cumulative effect of humanity shining through fire and smoke, we have heard so many people speaking about the importance of peace and understanding. Two hours on that Tuesday morning are having enormous ripple effects. What if we called this the next level of diversity awareness training? How are we debriefing it? We need to continue. It is a case study for sensitivity training, for strategic planning, for risk assessment, knowledge management, religious understanding. I can't think of an activity that is not affected. Groups may need us to convene and moderate the discussion, to provide guidelines for interaction, to be facilitators. We have numerous opportunities. We can speak about the interconnectedness of people and cultures. We can help to define patriotism in a new way. We can offer ourselves as resources in forums, classes, religious services, panels, talkshows, to provide alternative ways of thinking and acting. We can assist people to learn and teach about different cultures, religions, nationalities. What have you been doing?    In one fell swoop the importance of our work has been put into stark relief against the horizon. I hear about people who have just realized the truth of being a citizen of the world. Thinking people have been practicing this craft for many years. I think groups and institutions need us.

Merchant of Venice Essay: The Importance of the Law -- Merchant of Ven

The Importance of the Law in The Merchant of Venice      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The link between Shakespeare and the law is not new; scholars have long realized that the legal discourse can lead to a better understanding of Shakespeare's works.   Yet, that the converse is also true: the study of Shakespeare can lead to a deeper understanding of the fundamental nature of law.   A play like The Merchant of Venice has a great deal to offer in the course of such a reading.   The action of the play is concerned with contract law, but issues of standing, moiety, precedent, and conveyance are also raised.   At the most fundamental level, though, the trial scene in Act IV illustrates the conflict between equity and the strict construction of the law.    Equity, in the legal sense, is "justice according to principles of fairness and not strictly according to formulated law" (Gilbert 103).   This definition, while easily understandable, presents us with a problematic - even dangerous - structure of opposition.   Law and fairness are set at extreme ends of some continuum of justice, and are exclusive.   The definition implies that one can have justice according to "fairness," or justice according to "formulated law."   Yet if law is not inherently fair, if there is need for a concept of equity, how can the law be said to be fulfilling its purpose?   And if "fairness" is not to be found within the confines of "formulated law," from whence does it come?   This is not a new argument, of course; the conflict between law and equity was recognized even in medieval England.    From earliest childhood, we are indoctrinated with a sense of justice, of fairness, of right and wrong.   Every schoolyard echoes with cries of "No fair cheating!"   We seem to know inst... ...s of Shakespeare.   4th ed.   New York: Longman-Addison Wesley Longman, 1997. Gilbert Law Dictionary.   Chicago: Harcourt Brace, 1997. Homer.   The Iliad.   Trans. Robert Fagles.   New York: Penguin, 1990. Keeton, George W.   Shakespeare's Legal and Political Background.   New York: Barnes & Noble, 1967. Kornstein, Daniel J.   Kill All the Lawyers?: Shakespeare's Legal Appeal.   Princeton: Princeton UP, 1994. The Merchant of Venice.   British Broadcasting Corp.   Prod. Jonathan Miller.   Dir. Jack Gold.   Time-Life Video, 1980. Shakespeare, William.   The Merchant of Venice.   Bevington 178-215. ---.   The Merry Wives of Windsor.   Bevington 252-87. Ward, Ian.   Shakespeare and the Legal Imagination.   Law in Context.   London: Butterworths, 1999. White, Edward J.   Commentaries on the Law in Shakespeare.   St. Louis: F.H. Thomas Law Book Co., 1911.   

Report on Cybermediaries

4. 724 E-BUSINESS A REPORT ON THE CYBERMEDIARIES OF THE NEW ZEALAND RESTAURANT INDUSTRYÂ   The use of the information systems and applications to drive and support the processes of a business, mainly using the web technology is known as E-Business. This helps the companies to connect their processes (Internal and External) much more effectively and efficiently. This also allows them to have a much more closed interaction with their suppliers and partners, which leads to a higher level of customer satisfaction and overall business performance (The National B2B Centre). The business process which lies in between the ends of a value chain is known as Intermediation.These businesses have a much classified role of being the entities that serve the market by connecting multiple buyers and sellers. The core essence of the intermediary is mainly a content provider (service based on information). Hence when these kinds of businesses take place using the web is known as Cybermediation. In the present business world, all the companies are trying to develop their virtual image with the help of the internet. The restaurant industry is one of the major industries contributing to the New Zealand economy. Hence the development of cybermediaries in the NZ restaurant industry is very obvious.There are lots of different websites which work as cybermediaries for the NZ restaurant industry, but in this report we specifically concentrate on two of them, and they are 1) www. menumania. co. nz 2) www. menus. co. nz 1|P ag e 2. 0 SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES Cybermediaries 1: www. menumania. co. nz Menu Mania is a community based guide for restaurants in New Zealand founded in 2006 by Cristian Rosescu. The primary aim of the Menu Mania is to connect the people with great local restaurants or eating places. It provides a platform for the passionate and influencing people to share their experiences about various eating places.It provides a great channel for local businesses to market th emselves at no extra cost. Menu mania knows that recommendation of friends is the best and the most reliable way of finding restaurants, so it collects and organizes the recommendations and suggestion of people in one place. Thus www. menumania. co. nz is a site where people find where and what to eat on the basis of the real reviews given by the real people. Cybermediaries 2: www. menus. co. nz Menus is considered to be one of the oldest websites in New Zealand related to restaurants. The website has on an 2|P ag e average of more than 64,000 visitors every month (Menus).Menus can be considered as the easiest mode for the local businesses that are related to food industry to create or increase their internet exposure, as they have partnerships and associations with reputed companies. The website basically provides a basic free listing for the local businesses, it provides free coupons to their registered customers at specific occasions, the go extra mile to provide reservation faci lities to their customers, they provide personalized list of menu according to the preference of the member and also gives a map featuring the location of the restaurant. Thus www. menus. co. z wants the people to comment and give reviews of the restaurants that are listed on their site. They appreciate both the positive and negative comments and feedback, while expect the customers to give their suggestions on positive improvements. Thus both the cybermediaries namely www. menumania. co. nz and www. menus. co. nz have their own market importance. Customers and businesses use them as a guiding factor for either the selection of the restaurant or menu from customer’s perception while the businesses use the comments, reviews or suggestions of the customers in order to improve themselves and create their image in the market.Both the websites have similarities and differences in the service they provide, which are discussed as under. 3|P ag e 2. 1 Similarities The selected cyberm ediaries of the Restaurant Industry have certain similarities which can be considered as the basic features of the cybermediaries, which are as under: Reviews and Comments: Both the cybermediaries have lists of restaurants from all over New Zealand and these websites give people a chance to give their personal reviews about different restaurants they have visited. It also allows them to give a negative feedback if they had a bad experience and asks for suggestions. Mobile Application: These websites have developed a specific application for I-Phone users in order to make it much more convenient to their customers, as the trend is shifting from using computers to mobiles for internet access. – Search Options: Both the cybermediaries have a search option which helps the consumers to find their required restaurant much more easily. In the given search option the consumers can search restaurants on the basis of location, cuisine, kind of restaurant, categories and key words. 4|P ag e –Member Login: These websites have a special login facility for the members; this is kind of a loyalty program for the frequent visitors of the website. They send newsletters, articles, reviews, deals and special offers of different restaurants. – Featured Restaurants: These websites have an especially dedicated portion of their website for the featured restaurants or businesses, which display some of the best and the finest restaurants of the selected place. – Best for Occasion: These websites have a special search option in which the customers can search and choose the restaurants that are best for the particular occasion.They have options of restaurants for the occasions like Private Functions, Business dinners, wedding functions, private parties, romantic dinners, group outings, kids friendly, kids parties, outdoor catering and many more. Thus these are some of the similarities in the two chosen cybermediaries of the New Zealand Restaurant Industry. 5|P ag e 2. 1 Differences The selected websites are for a particular restaurant industry and thus needs to differentiate from each other in order to create their own reputation and market image. Menu Mania: What’s New: The website gives the information about the new things happening in the particular area.This section gives information about the new menus, the new photos of the restaurants that the customers have uploaded and the reviews about the two. Browse by Price: This is an extra feature provided in order to help the customers to differentiate or categorize the restaurants according to the price of the food they sell. They categorize the restaurants as Cheap (Under $15), Moderate ($15 – $25), Spendy ($25 – $35) and Splurge (Above $35). Hot in City: This section of the website gives the information about the latest restaurants in the particular area.It gives the information about the good restaurants for different cuisines like Japanese, Asian, A La Carte, Mid dle Eastern, Fast Food and many more. 6|P ag e – Latest News: This section of the website gives the latest information about the new updates on the website, restaurants, cuisines, culture and others. It also gives the information about the various competitions and awards happening in the restaurant industry. – Special Offers: The special offer section of the website gives the special deals to their customers from the restaurants that offer them. –Browse by more features: This section of the website gives the customers to browse the restaurants on other features like the restaurants Good for Groups, Outdoor Seating, Wifi Access, BYO and Wheelchair Accessible restaurants. Menus: Categories of Venues: This website gives the option to the customers to choose venues more easily by categorizing the restaurants as Bars & Bistros, Cafes, Pubs, Restaurants, Takeaway Foods, Wine Bars and Wineries & Vineyards. 7|P ag e – Craving Something? This is a special section of the website that helps the customers to view some of the best restaurants for the particular food item they wish to eat. Reservation Facilities This website gives the option to the customers to do reservation for the restaurants they wish to go. This is very beneficial for the customers, as they view the comments or feedback for the restaurant and then do the reservation for the same. – Competitions They organize competitions for the customers who visit their website. They give away prices for the winners in the form of gift vouchers or coupons for the various restaurants. – Menu Articles This section of the website gives the customers an option for reading articles for different sections like General Interest, Where to Eat, Best for and Spotlight Recipes This section of the website gives the recipes for different cuisines. These recipes are uploaded by the different customers. 8|P ag e 3. 0 CONSUMER BENEFITS The selected cybermediaries of the New Zealand Restaurant Industry have several benefits for the customers, who visit their websites. ? These websites provide the customers or the food lovers with a platform to give their opinion or review about their experience of a particular restaurant or a local eating place so it can be positive or negative.For Example if a person had some very good experience about a particular restaurant, then he can come to the website, and write about his experience on the listing of that restaurant. ? Based on the reviews or comments of other people, its gives a fair idea about the restaurants or eating places to the other customers. Hence it becomes much easier for them to choose good restaurants from the list. For Example if a person is searching restaurant for Japanese food, then it becomes easy for him to decide which one to go in, on the basis of the reviews and comments of the other customers who had already visited the restaurant. These websites also categorize the different eating places into different t ypes such as Bars, Cafes, Restaurants, Takeaways and many more. ? They also provide the customers with the different search options, which make it easy for them to choose the restaurants or other places according to the type of the cuisine, location, occasion, price and other features. 9|P ag e ? These websites have special sections in which they provide the special offers or deals of the different restaurants that use this medium as a mode of marketing themselves. ?They also make use of the latest technologies like the Mobile Applications, which makes it more convenient for the customers to access the information. For example if a customer wants to suddenly find a restaurant providing the best Chinese food, while he is driving he can check on his mobile application for the best Chinese restaurant/takeaway in the particular location. ? These websites also provide a lot of extra information to their viewers in the form of articles related to the restaurant industry, award functions, competitions and others. ? These are also a very good platform for the food lovers and the ones who try making new dishes.The people can upload their own recipes and others can learn new recipes and comment on these recipes. ? These websites along with finding the proper restaurant also provide the customers with the details of restaurant like the menu, contact details and timings. Some of them also provide them with the extra facility of reservation or booking a table at their chosen restaurant. For Example the customer can find a good place for eating Thai food from the lists, now they can use the reservation facilities provided and can book a table for the numbers of prop 10 | P a g e 4. REVENUE MODEL The revenue model of any E-business is the model which shows how the company generates revenue for the particular period of time. The cybermediaries identified for the New Zealand Restaurant industry also have some particular revenue models which helps the companies to make revenue from the services they provide. The revenue model for the identified cybermediaries www. menumania. co. nz can be considered to be consisting of one major way and that is the Advertisement Charges. 4. 1 Advertising Charges Menu Mania website offers two different kinds of advertising options.The first option is ‘Restaurant Advertising’ where in businesses related to the restaurant industry can give their ads on the website and the second option is ‘Banner/Display Advertising’ where companies other than the restaurant industry can give their ads. 4. 1. 1 Restaurant Advertising In the first option of advertising the restaurants or the eating places give their ads. These ads are featured at two places in the website namely on the top of the search result for that particular category in which the restaurants falls and in between the other restaurant pages. 1 | P a g e On the Top of the Search Result Between the page of other Restaurant 12 | P a g e They have wee kly charges for giving advertisements, they charge $12/week if the customer pays for one whole year or they charge $13/week for one month. They also have option of pay the whole amount at one go that is $600 + GST for one year or $55 + GST for one month. They also give their customers a special option of 30 days free trial and if customer wants to continue advertising they charge $15. 92 + GST/ Week or $69 per month.They also provide 20% discount to the members of the Restaurant Association or the Hospitality Association (Menu Mania). 4. 1. 2 Banner / Display Advertising In the second option of advertising, any company can give ads on the website of Menu Mania at the fixed location. The advertising banners are on the right side of the website. 13 | P a g e 5. 0 CONCLUSION Thus it can be concluded that with the development of the internet, there is development of different businesses which are only virtually present on the web. These cybermediaries are helpful to both the customers a s well as the businesses.The businesses get a better way to promote their business to the particular targeted audience and in the same way the customers get the benefits of the price comparison, product comparison, get to know news products and services. Hence the cybermediaries are main source of information for the customers irrespective of the industry the customer is looking for. 14 | P a g e REFERENCES Chaffey, D. E-Business & E-Commerce Management. Prentice Hall – Pearson Education Limited. Menu Mania. (n. d. ). Retrieved Nov 2012, from Menu Mania: http://www. menumania. co. nz/restaurants/browse/auckland-city Menu Mania. n. d. ). Advertising on MenuMania. Retrieved Nov 2012, from Menu Mania: http://www. menumania. co. nz/restaurant/advertising. php Menus. (n. d. ). Retrieved Nov, from Menus: http://www. menus. co. nz/ Menus. (n. d. ). Why should I list my business on Menus? Retrieved Nov 2012, from Menus: http://www. menus. co. nz/help/list-business/ The National B2B C entre. (n. d. ). What is E-Business? Retrieved November 2012, from http://www. nb2bc. co. uk/what_is_ebusiness/ Vidal, D. (2012). E-Business. Lecture Notes / Module Slides . Auckland, New Zealand. 15 | P a g e