Mass Relationships in Chemical Reactions Essay

Aim The aim of this experiment is to show that a reaction doesn’t have always 100% yield by reacting NaHCO3 and HCl and determining the amount of the products to calculate actual yield. Introduction A chemical reaction will be quantitative if one of the reactants is completely consumed. In this experiment sodium bicarbonate and hydrochloric acid start a reaction. The formula of this reaction is below. NaHCO3 + HCl –> NaCl + H2O + CO2 Observations In this experiment, sodium bicarbonate is put in an evaporating dish and some amount of HCl is added in the dish and the reaction started. Bubbles are formed and CO2 gas is produced and the reaction started to make sound. There was also water vapor formed. White NaHCO3 started to turn into a colorless liquid after adding HCl. As the reaction takes place water is started to form. NaCl was dissolved in water, so salty water is heated to obtain NaCl. As the liquid is heated it turned into a yellowish color for a few seconds. Then it started bubbling and water vapor is formed. Raw Data: Trial # Mass of Dish+NaHCO3+Lid +- 0.1 (g) Mass of NaCl+Water+Dish+Lid +- 0.1 (g) Mass of NaCl+Dish+Lid +- 0.1 (g) 1 64.14 g. 72.16 g. 63.28 g. 2 65.14 g. 72.95 g. 63.91g. Mass of Evaporating Dish + Lid: 62.14 +-0.1 g Processed Data: Trial #1 64.14 – 62.14 = 2 g NaHCO3 72.16 – 62.14 = 10.02 g NaCl + H2O 63.28 – 62.14 = 1.14 g NaCl Trial # 2 65.14 – 62.14 = 3 g NaHCO3 72.95 – 62.14 = 10.81 g NaCl + H2O 63.91 – 62.14 = 2.07 g NaCl Trial # Mass of NaHCO3 (g) Mass of NaCl + H2O (g) Mass of NaCl (g) 1 2 g 10.02 g 1.14 g 2 3 g 10.81 g 1.77g Calculations Na: 14.01 g/mol, H: 1.01 g/mol, Cl: 35.45 g/mol, O: 16 g/mol, C: 12.01 g/mol NaCl= 49.46 g/mol H2O= 18.02 g/mol NaHCO3: 75.03 g/mol Mole number of NaHCO3 = mole number of NaCl Trial #1 2 / 73.03 = 0.0274 mol NaHCO3 1.14 / 49.46 = 0.0230 mol NaCl Theoretical Yield: 0.0274 mol NaCl Percent Yield: 0.0230 / 0.0274 = 0.8394 x 100 = 83.94% Trial #2 3 / 73.03 = 0.0411 mol NaHCO3 1.77 / 49.46 = 0.0358 mol NaCl Theoretical Yield: 0.0411 mol NaCl Percent Yield: 0.0358 / 0.0411 = 0.8710 x 100 = 87.10% Conclusion The results are 83.94% for trial #1 and 87.10% for trial #2. Trial #2 is more accurate. The accepted value is 100%. The percentage errors are 16.06% for trial #1 and 12.90% for trial #2. The uncertainties are too small to calculate on the results. Random errors presented in this experiment. All the errors were done by human beings. There weren’t any errors due to a flaw of a machine or the procedure. Evaluation When salty water is heated on the first trial, the substance started to spill around, because the substance is heated with high amount of heat and faster than it should be. As a result, some of the NaCl which stuck on the lid and spilled around was lost, so the result of the first experiment is not accurate. Other reasons that changed the results may be all NaHCO3 may not be dissolved. Too much HCl may be added on the dish. There may be still water molecules left on the salt after heating. To get more accurate results, the experiment should be done more slowly than this experiment. Especially the heating process should be done slowly, so the evaporation can be observed more carefully.

Effects of Music on Human Behavior

As music has changed through out the years, artists have become much more lax with the message that they send to the public. As laws of censorship change, a separation of the public’s freedom of speech and the medias has become very significant. As the government cracks down, many artists fight to keep their freedom. With people blaming their actions on the lyrics of the music they are exposed to, this is going to be a hard feat for the artists to accomplish. Although the fight of the musical artists against the government has been going on for the past 20 years, it has become even more emanate now. Are the actions of people to be blamed on the music? What effect does music have on the social behavior? Should these effects make harder censorship laws, or is music protected by the Bill of Rights? Music has become a large part of everyone’s life. Preservation of music is very important to the preservation of the american culture so these problems cannot be ignored. The most misunderstood music is Rap. Children as well as teenagers have a hard time interpreting emotions in music (Weinberger). This misunderstanding is most relevant in rap music, because it is harder for children to relate to the artist. In cases like these, apparent or older sibling has to explain the message to the child (Weinberger). In particular, â€Å"gangsta rap† is distinguished by lyrics that often involve references to street gangs, gunplay, sex, drug use and violence, and has been accused of extolling violent behavior. Studies have found that exposure to rap music â€Å"tends to lead to a higher degree of acceptance of the use of violence. † In addition, several major rap artists have been charged with violent crimes in real life, and many worry that their actions seemingly condone the violent messages in their music. Their celebrity status also serves to glamorize their violent behavior (Mediascope). Although there is violence, sex, and drug reference in modern rock music, most have a much deeper message about life. It has been resolved that rock music has had more influence on older adolesencents then their parents do (Weinberger). Rock music is much easier for teenagers to relate to with all of their pressures and problems. â€Å"Kids who listen to Heavy Metal and Rap tend not to do as well in school, or it maybe that troubled students are drawn to these types of music† (Weinberger 99) The most rebellious music is Punk. Punk spreads the true ideas of the modern teenager through the media. â€Å"When parents look at Punk music they see everything that is wrong with their children just as their parents did† (Robertson). Parents should pay more attention to the music that their children listen to. They must also censor the music (American Acad†¦). Even with all of the violence, sex, and drug references in music, there are many benefits. Listening to music keeps the brain in shape. Listening involves learning, memory, and emotions (Ezarik). Studies of the Mozart Effect have shown that listening to music can make babies more creative, smarter, healthier, and happier (Ezarik). Some doctors in ancient Greece even believed that music was just as important as medication in treating patients (Gregory). Other studies of music, faster music tends to make people work faster where as music with long, gentle notes tend to relax (Gregory). The effects of music psychology can be seen in stores in our own community. Many play background music in order to get shoppers to stay in the store (Gregory). Music is important in adolescent lives: teenagers spend between four and five hours a day listening to music and watching music videos and name music listening as their preferred non-school activity. It is not surprising that government officials, researchers and parents alike are concerned about the impact of music on teenagers. Disturbed by the amount of violence portrayed in modern music, adults worry that these messages are contributing to the rise in violence among kids. Forty-eight percent (48%) of Americans say that violence in popular music should be more heavily regulated and 59% would ike to restrict violence in music. (Mediascope) The effects of stimulating and sedating music were determined for heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure of premature infants in an intensive care nursery. The results indicate that the calming and stabilizing effect of sedating music might help to reduce the use of sedative drugs in infants on ventilators and reduce the incidence of respiratory problems (Journal of Mus†¦). The basic rights of freedom of speech are outlined in the Bill of Rights. Do these rights also cover the freedom of speech in music? Music is a form of media and should be censored, just as movies and television (American Acad†¦). Many performers do see themselves as large role models, but they also believe that parents should take action. â€Å"How much damage can I do with a pen? † (Eminem, Rap Artist) When parents are not around, who are children supposed to look up too? (American Acad†¦) There is really no way that parents can regulate all of the music that their children listen to, but it is a start for parents just to find out what kind of music their children are exposed to (American Acad†¦). Even with these changes many bands have not received the message to clean up or get out (Gregory). How far should the government go in their intervention? Keeping records that should not be open to the public off the shelves, taking away publishing rights from some artists that go to far with their music is up to the public to decide. Many parents look at the music that their children listen to and do not even consider it music, but porn. With all the reference to sex not only in the music, but also in the music videos shown on television. Although the government has made a lot of threats to try to intimidate the music industry; many parents believe that these threats should be carried out in order to end the violence (American Acad†¦). â€Å"Music may contribute to the atmosphere of violence that some argue is generated by popular media. Critics claim that music negatively affects teenagers by repeatedly exposing them to themes such as Satanism, substance abuse, murder, suicide and sexual violence, which may be heavily reinforced and normalized by the frequency of their portrayal. Heavy metal and rap music are especially criticized for lyrics that many believe glorify violence. Music lyrics have also become increasingly explicit in the past two decades. Songs commonly make graphic references to sex, drugs and violence, whereas such sensitive topics were cleverly veiled in the past. †(Mediascope) The public, and parents, should be aware of sexually explicit, drug oriented, or violent lyrics on compact discs, tapes, music videos, and the Internet. The music industry should develop and apply a system of specific content-labeling of music regarding violence, sex, drugs, or offensive lyrics. If labeling is not done voluntarily by the music industry, then regulation should be developed to make it mandatory (American Acad†¦). â€Å"Forty-seven percent (47%) of mothers with children in public schools believe that violent messages in rap music contribute â€Å"a great deal† to school violence, and 66% of 13- to 17-year-olds believe violence in music is partly responsible for violent crimes like the 1999 Columbine High School shootings. However, no studies have documented a cause-and-effect relationship between violent or sexually explicit lyrics and adverse behavioral effects. Studies show that the preference for heavy metal music may be a significant indicator for alienation, substance abuse, psychiatric disorders, suicide risks, sex-role stereotyping, or risk-taking behaviors during adolescence, but music is not the cause of these behaviors. It is hypothesized that teenagers already struggling with those issues may be attracted to heavy metal music, because the lyrics express their own troubled feelings. (Mediascope) The music video industry should be encouraged to produce videos and public service messages with positive themes about relationships, racial harmony, drug avoidance, nonviolence and conflict, pregnancy prevention, and avoidance of sexually transmitted diseases (American Acad†¦). â€Å"Music Television (MTV) redefined music for future generations by creating music videos, and the unique fusion between rock music and visual images continues to be a hit. A 1996 study revealed that boys and irls ages 12 to 19 watch MTV for an average of 6. 6 and 6. 2 hours each week, respectively. But despite music videos' popularity among adolescents, many adults criticize the medium as studies show that music videos often contain violence, sexism, suicide and substance abuse. A 1998-1999 study revealed that music videos were more violent than feature films and television, averaging four violent scenes each, and a 1997 study reported that 22. 4% of MTV videos contained overt violence and 25% depicted weapon carrying. (Mediascope) Pediatricians should counsel parents to become media-literate. This means watching television with their children and teenagers, discussing the content with them, and initiating the process of selective viewing at an early age (American Acad†¦). What actions has the government taken to get the ball rolling on these problems many people are wondering? The government has set up a rating system for music. As with movies, it is separated into age groups that are mature enough to listen to the content of the album. The government has also required a label to be placed on albums with explicit content. The label simply states â€Å"Parental Advisory Explicit Content† (VH1, 100 most†¦). Although the government has taken a few steps, there is much more that could be done. As for the laws that are involved none are truly enforced out of fear of a lawsuit, or problems involving the loss of support to pass these laws by the music industry and the artists. As ideas and times change in the world, the message in music will also change. Looking back in the past few years the change in music has been very substantial, with the introduction of new music such as techno. Music may be stepping away form violence by itself. If music does take this step away, all by itself, there may be no reason for the government to intervene with censorship. There is no reason why people should be able to get away with their actions because of listening to music. Music may have a substantial effect on many people, but everyone knows the difference between right and wrong, fact and fiction.

Case Studies Of Companies Supply Chain Management

Case Studies Of Companies Supply Chain Management Dell was incorporated in 1994 by Michael Dell while he was a student at University of Texas, Austin. From its very first initiatives, direct selling model was adopted. In the beginning PC’s were sold over the phone and they were customized according to customers’ specifications. Dell returned to its direct selling model after using the retail channel from 1990 to 1994. In mid 1990’s, the company grew rapidly, thus becoming number one PC seller in the US and number two worldwide in 1999. Dell’s success continued over the following years, but it was not able to avoid the crisis in PC industry in the new millennium. Dell’s growth rate fell, resulting in the fall of its stock price. However, over the time, Dell managed to remain a highly successful company, and its growth rate continued to outperform the industry as a whole. Dell’s strategic choices and ways of realizing those choices have played an effective role in story Dell’s success. The supply chain management of the company is the key element in its successful business model. The core element of the company’s business model is its direct sales model, referred as ‘direct mode’, with the build to order strategy. In this work we have a look at an organisation with its sheer strategy and competitive view of the future created a giant in the industry. It has developed a business model which has a very little requirement of controlling variables, but with few efficient and critical models it has created an industry leader. It shows how Dell Inc has changed the dynamics of the industry and how it has helped in evolved with the industry. It is an $80 billion company which is created in just in time frame of 23 years. The strategy was to bypass the dealers in the field of personal computers and sell directly to the consumers. What will urge customers to buy online? The answer to these is to make the product build to order and provide them customiza tion. This business model gave Dell some great cost advantage over it peers. This strategy has given Dell- Information about the customer we can just buy and collaborate as per our requirement. This view gave them flexibility and coupled with the excellent supply chain that they created- they became what they are. In this model there are fewer things which can go wrong because there are only fewer things which can go wrong. There is no drag effect of 50000 people working with you.

Art history ( Latin American Photography) (NO RESEARCH PAPER) Essay

Art history ( Latin American Photography) (NO RESEARCH PAPER) - Essay Example Thus combining the subject of an eye hoisted above pedestrian invokes mystery and multitude of meanings. Reversal of negative such as in Alvarez Bravo’s  La Optica Moderna  has been used for a long time. Print makers and typesetters are very familiar with this process albeit its use has not always been for art. Painters used this method by using lenses to cast reverse image of object. In this case, a flipped image caused by a reversed negative to cast a positive image on a paper to produce a reversed text. This is also the case of the eye except that it is not obvious that it is also a reversal because it cannot be read but rather a subject whose orientation does not change with the reversal of the negative. Rendering the artwork in reversed negative and then printing it in black and white or monochrome on a photography paper made Alvarez Bravo’s  La Optica Moderna  modern. It however strikes a paradox because the subject depicts ancient meanings such as deity and mystery especially with the inverted text but rendered through a modern medium of photography. Aesthetically, the image also became more appropriate of where it is hoisted which is in an optical shop except that the symbolism that the artwork suggests that there is â€Å"more than what meets the eye† or that it is not just a commercial signage. Especially when it is rendered in monochrome that marks a serious air about the image. It invites its viewer not just to visit the optic shop for a commercial or medical purpose but to examine closely what does the image means. The reversal of the image may intrigue the viewer of how it was rendered but rather than being curious of how a reversed negative was printed on a photography paper, the viewer will be move more by the eerie feeling of seeing an eye looking over them with a reversed text. It is interesting to note that the artwork was rendered in a photograph and not in

Organizational Structure of Spectrum Brand, Inc Research Paper

Organizational Structure of Spectrum Brand, Inc - Research Paper Example Project Management structure fosters the use of teams created from various departments, to achieve goals or create products. This type of structure can be beneficial to Spectrum, as it combines aspects of both a functional organization and project team structure. It effectively coordinates resources for various projects and allows personnel to retain membership on both the team and their functional departments.  However, the matrix structure has some inherent communications challenges. One such challenge is a line of authority and resource allocation ambiguity as personnel report to both their functional manager and the team/project manager. Confusion as to which manager’s authority takes priority regarding tasking can be addressed through the use of pre-established lines of authority, project plans, resource allocation plans, and timelines, as coordinated between the functional and team management. The ambiguity surrounding resource allocation can lead to personal disputes on the number of resources allocated to respective projects. Clearly defining the level of capital, resources, and lines of authority at the beginning of each project offers a viable solution for this dilemma. A second communication challenge is a need for common terminology. New terminology or  hinder productivity of the newly formed team. Management can address this by scheduling on-the-job or external training, as part of the project timeline. A third challenge is the lack of peer interaction from functional teams, due to logistics, if geographically dispersed. To combat this, management should ensure that periodic virtual or in-person team meetings are conducted, allowing personnel to stay abreast of developments in their functional area of expertise and promotional opportunities.

The Introduction of Management Techniques and National Culture Research Paper

The Introduction of Management Techniques and National Culture - Research Paper Example HRM itself is the new avatar of ‘Personnel Management’. Personnel management was largely concerned with the technical aspects of hiring, evaluating, training, and compensating employees. HRM, on the other hand, leaves scope for career building of the employee, development of a professional relationship and the satisfaction aspect. It is no more a mere "staff" function in the organizations. The main reason for attempts to avoid bad publicity is because as per a recent study seventy per cent of world trade—â€Å"including one-third of all manufacturing exports, three-quarters of all commodity trade, and four-fifths of technical and management services trade†Ã¢â‚¬â€was accounted for by the 500 largest MNCs. Changes in almost every aspect of human life are taking place very rapidly in a pervasive and profound manner. This change is engulfing technologies, products, processes, materials and above all, People. Globalization leads the changing scenario, bringing in newer technologies, a new phenomenon of the knowledge worker and of course the competitive era. In view of the competition and globalization companies start exploring avenues for growth within and outside the borderline of their country of origination. Therefore, it is amply clear from the above diagram that companies are required to take care of a number of factors while planning to go global. Expanding business operations beyond national boundaries, while continuing the commitment to local markets requires more complex business structures. Large, worldwide businesses tend to evolve from international to multinational to global structures.

An essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

An - Essay Example The argument of associating some people with one thing and others with a different thing is not pro-music. This article highlights an individual’s strive to achieve something that many people could only dream of back in the history addressed in the article. The move to engage in rock even when expected not to breaks the usual and points out to the possibility of achieving something unusual. From a neutral point of view, however, black or white does not make bad or good. The most important factor to consider is the interest, drive, and motive behind that music genre. What this means is that both black and white people cannot do whatever and be whomever they want by putting the racial factor aside. The result would be a harmonized society where the dreams, interests, talents, and goals of an individual overrule one’s racial or cultural background. The author makes a significant statement in the article, which notes, â€Å"Listening to rock felt like sneaking past guards of racial barriers† (Douglas, 2013). In light of this statement, it is evident that race, culture, and music are critically intertwined. The statement implies that rock music is not a black people’s thing. The truth of the matter, however, is that music and music genres have no racial boundaries. The misconception therein follows social events that sought to define who does what and why. Such misconceptions and stereotypes only stand to derail musical progress among racial differentials. Music is an art without boundaries. In other words, it should be defined in words that go beyond racial concerns. The white or black factor should not feature anywhere as far as rock is concerned. In light of this article, there is notable difference between the time referred to in the article and today. Back then, racial profiling and potential segregation were evident. Today, however, majority of people have become

Development methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Development methods - Essay Example There are both undertaken to improve the performance measure or increase the cost saving opportunities. Organic growth is whereby a strategy is achieved through building on advancing the capabilities of an organization. It is defined as the growth rates of the firm excluding the scale increases from mergers, acquisition or takeovers (Hess, 2007). In strategic alliance, more than one  firm  shares resources and activities in order to pursue a strategy. Hassanien, Dale and Clarke (2010, 17) define strategic alliance as an arrangement between two or more independent firms, which makes a decision of operating in a certain business. This is through jointly coordinating resources and skills on their own or merging their operations. Microfinance industry is one of the institutions that have been growing significantly through organic, merger, acquisition and strategic alliance. This sector has attracted many investors because of varied reasons, hence strategically increasing the performance level. The first reason is that the industry is not only based on financial motives but also managerial and market share motives. Many microfinance firms have been operating their business where there are potential markets. Shenkar and Reuer (2006, p. 123) argue that many microfinance industries strive to survive in the global competitive market; thus many of them seek for alternative means of surviving in the competitive global market. Therefore, they conduct mergers and acquisitions as well as choose organic growth and strategic alliance in order to achieve successful business performance. The merger between Britvic and AG Barr is inclined; thus it is a share deal with management emerging from both companies. The deal is structured as an acquisition from both companies and the shareholders seem to be on the top. Both organizations share the shame profits and the annual cost savings are

Art Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Art - Assignment Example The characters in the painting according to me are husband and wife but the painter confirmed that the painting is about a father and his daughter. (Guardian 2002). If she is the daughter of the man in the painting, then the painting can be interpreted in another way, the painting goes to show that she has no control of her life and she is dominated by her father, she should have got married long back but that’s not quite the case when one looks at the painting. Age has taken a toll on the woman in the painting and she should have got married long back, the same is probably making her depressed and reluctant to make eye contact. In this picture the husband has a stern serious look on his face, which represents his position as a provider. This also could represent an angry farmer who has worked too many years in the fields and would like to retire from his duties. Unfortunately I haven’t done any research regarding this picture and feel if I did look at what other people were saying it may change my own representation. I haven’t heard any background on this particular picture, but I have seen it many times. When I look at the painting, I think of the Amish culture, the women with their hair back, straight laced and abiding, having no voice as far as family decision making is concerned. The men with their serious duties as a provider, having most of the authority in regards to household and discussions are concerned. Many people continue to live in this way, but most are in rural areas of the country. The painter has depicted a painting that can be seen in varieties of ways. This representation of a man and women allow the viewer an open pallet for interpretation and imagination. If I had to label a title on this painting it would say â€Å"An American Couple.† I am not sure why I chose that but it was the first vision I created.

Why has the Palestinian-Israeli conflict been so difficult to resolve Essay

Why has the Palestinian-Israeli conflict been so difficult to resolve - Essay Example This is one reason why the problem has not been resolved. Another reason due to which the conflict has failed to be solved is that both sides are claiming that they own the entire region and are not ready to restrict themselves to their side only (Caplan, 2011). Due to this a religious conflict has taken place. The people in these regions fear that if the other side controls the entire region then their freedom to practice their religion will be taken away from them and due to this each side wants their religion to prevail and want to freely practice their religions. Another issue that is not solving the problem is the ineffectiveness of the United Nations which has developed policies that can solve the problem but has failed to enforce it (Harris, 2013). The failure to enforce such policies is due to the division of the Arab world and the Western world on the conflict. The Arab world supports the Palestinian view and on the other hand the western world, such as the United States sup ports the Israeli view. Harris, D. (2013). Why Israeli-Palestinian Peace Is So Difficult to Reach. [online] The Huffington Post. Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-harris/why-israelipalestinian-pe_b_2895228.html [Accessed 11 Dec. 2014]. Yehoshua, A. (2011). Why the Israeli-Palestinian conflict refuses to be resolved. [online] Haaretz.com. Available at: http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/features/why-the-israeli-palestinian-conflict-refuses-to-be-resolved-1.358095 [Accessed 11 Dec.

Kite Runner Essay Example for Free

Kite Runner Essay Sometimes, up in those trees, I talked Hassan into firing walnuts with his slingshot at the neighbors one-eyed German shepherd. Hassan never wanted to, but if I asked, really asked, he wouldnt deny me. Hassan never denied me anything. And he was deadly with his slingshot. Hassans father, Ali, used to catch us and get mad, or as mad as someone as gentle as Ali could ever get. He would wag his finger and wave us down from the tree. He would take the mirror and tell us what his mother had told him, that the devil shone mirrors too, shone them to distract Muslims during prayer. And he laughs while he does it, he always added, scowling at his son. Yes, Father, Hassan would mumble, looking down at his feet. But he never told on me. Never told that the mirror, like shooting walnuts at the neighbors dog, was always my idea. But we were kids who had learned to crawl together, and no history, ethnicity, society, or religion was going to change that either. I spent most of the first twelve years of my life playing with Hassan. Sometimes, my entire childhood seems like one long lazy summer day with Hassan, chasing each other between tangles of trees in my fathers yard, playing hide-and-seek, cops and robbers, cowboys and Indians, insect torture – with our crowning achievement undeniably the time we plucked the stinger off a bee and tied a string around the poor thing to yank it back every time it took flight Think of something good, Baba said in my ear. Something happy. Something good. Something happy. I let my mind wander. I let it come: Friday afternoon in Paghman. An open field of grass speckled with mulberry trees in blossom. Hassan and I stand ankle-deep in untamed grass, I am tugging on the line, the spool spinning in Hassans calloused hands, our eyes turned up to the kite in the sky. Not a word passes between us, not because we have nothing to say, but because we dont have to say anything – thats how it is between people who are each others first memories, people who have fed from the same breast. A breeze stirs the grass and Hassan lets the spool roll. The kite spins, dips, steadies. Our twin shadows dance on the rippling grass. From somewhere over the low brick wall at the other end of the field, we hear chatter and laughter and the chirping of a water fountain. And music, some thing old and familiar, I think its Ya Mowlah on rubab strings. Someone calls our names over the wall, says its time for tea and cake Next to me, Sohrab was breathing rapidly through his nose. The spool rolled in his palms, the tendons in his scarred wrists like rubab strings. Then I blinked and, for just a moment, the hands holding the spool were the chipped-nailed, calloused hands of a harelipped boy. I heard a crow cawing somewhere and I looked up. The park shimmered with snow so fresh, so dazzling white, it burned my eyes. It sprinkled soundlessly from the branches of white-clad trees. I smelled turnip qurma now. Dried mulberries. Sour oranges. Sawdust and walnuts. The muffled quiet, snow-quiet, was deafening. Then far away, across the stillness, a voice calling us home, the voice of a man who dragged his right leg Quote #1Sometimes, up in those trees, I talked Hassan into firing walnuts with his slingshot at the neighbour’s one-eyed German shepherd. Hassan never wanted to, but if I asked, really asked, he wouldnt deny me. Hassan never denied me anything. And he was deadly with his slingshot. Hassans father, Ali, used to catch us and get mad, or as mad as someone as gentle as Ali could ever get. He would wag his finger and wave us down from the tree. He would take the mirror and tell us what his mother had told him, that the devil shone mirrors too, shone them to distract Muslims during prayer. And he laughs while he does it, he always added, scowling at his son. Yes, Father, Hassan would mumble, looking down at his feet. But he never told on me. Never told that the mirror, like shooting walnuts at the neighbors dog, was always my idea. (2. 2-3)| This passage shows up early in the novel and really tells us quite a bit about Amir and Hassans friendship. Hassan protects and defends Amir and, foreshadowing later events in the novel, refuses to tell on Amir. (Hassan will later take the blame for the wad of cash and the watch. ) We should also note that Amir seems like the gang leader in this passage, getting the two boys into trouble. Does Amir control the relationship? Is this why Hassan often takes the blame for things? Does Amir ever take responsibility for anything in the novel? Quote #2Then he [Ali] would remind us that there was a brotherhood between people who had fled from the same breast, a kinship that not even time could break. Hassan and I fed from the same breasts. We took our first steps on the same lawn in the same yard. And, under the same roof, we spoke our first words. Mine was Baba. His was Amir. My name. | Theres a primal closeness between Amir and Hassan. Later, well find out the two boys have the same father, but notice how Hosseini is laying the groundwork for that revelation. The two boys might as well be brothers: they learn to walk together, they learn to speak together, and they feed from the same breast. Which brings up an interesting question: What does Rahim Khans revelation – that Amir and Hassan are half-brothers – really change? Arent the two already brothers in everything? Or does blood fundamentally change Amirs relationship with Hassan? Quote #3Ali and Baba grew up together as childhood playmates – at least until polio crippled Alis leg – just like Hassan and I grew up a generation later. Baba was always telling us about the mischief he and Ali used to cause, and Ali would shake his head and say, But, Agha sahib, tell them who was the architect of the mischief and who the poor laborer? Baba would laugh and throw his arm around Ali. But in none of his stories did Baba ever refer to Ali as his friend. (4. 2-3)| Baba and Alis friendship parallels Amir and Hassans on a number of levels. First, as this passage indicates, theres a similar pattern of leadership (and power): both Baba and Amir have dominant roles in each friendship. And, lest you forget, Baba betrays Ali much like Amir betrays Hassan. As they say, two peas in a pod. Or, maybe it would be four peas in a pod. Were not sure. Anyways, after Amir learns that Baba lied to him for years, he says: Baba and I were more alike than Id ever known. We had both betrayed the people who would have given their lives for us (18. 7). Four peas in a pod. Quote #4But we were kids who had learned to crawl together, and no history, ethnicity, society, or religion was going to change that either. I spent most of the first twelve years of my life playing with Hassan. Sometimes, my entire childhood seems like one long lazy summer day with Hassan, chasing each other between tangles of trees in my fathers yard, playing hide-and-seek, cops and robbers, cowboys and Indians, insect torture – with our crowning achievement undeniably the time we plucked the stinger off a bee and tied a string around the poor thing to yank it back every time it took flight. (4. 6)| Amir lays out the opposing argument just prior to this paragraph. In it, he says ethnicity will always define a relationship. We believe Hosseini really wants us to grapple with Amirs contradictory stances: Does Amirs friendship with Hassan ever get past history, ethnicity, society, and religion? Later, Amir will justify his cowardice in the alleyway by asking himself if he really has to defend Hassan (since Hassan is a Hazara). Does Amir ever get past his prejudices? Were really not sure about this one. Hosseini devotes the entire novel to this question. Quote 5I know, he said, breaking our embrace. Inshallah, well celebrate later. Right now, Im going to run that blue kite for you, he said. He dropped the spool and took off running, the hem of his green chapan dragging in the snow behind him. Hassan! I called. Come back with it! He was already turning the street corner, his rubber boots kicking up snow. He stopped, turned. He cupped his hands around his mouth. For you a thousand times over! he said. Then he smiled his Hassan smile and disappeared around the corner. The next time I saw him smile unabashedly like that was twenty-six years later, in a faded Polaroid photograph. (7. 52-54)| Yet again, Hassan demonstrates his loyalty and devotion to Amir. If we were to judge Amir and Hassans friendship by actions and not simply expressions of loyalty, the score would be pretty lopsided. (Of course, Amir saves Hassans son at the end of the book from a pathological pedophile so that counts for something. ) We also want to point out the irony in Hassans reply: For you a thousand times over! Amir will develop a pretty nasty case of insomnia as the guilt piles up inside him. Really, Amir returns to the alleyway thousands of times in his memory before he comes to peace with his cowardice. And so the phrase a thousand times over is colored with some pretty devastating irony. Yes, Hosseini is using irony again. Quote #6[Assef:] But before you sacrifice yourself for him, think about this: Would he do the same for you? Have you ever wondered why he never includes you in games when he has guests? Why he only plays with you when no one else is around? Ill tell you why, Hazara. Because to him, youre nothing but an ugly pet. Something he can play with when hes bored, something he can kick when hes angry. Dont ever fool yourself and think youre something more. Amir agha and I are friends, Hassan said. He looked flushed. Friends? Assef said, laughing. You pathetic fool! Someday youll wake up from your little fantasy and learn just how good of a friend he is. Now, bas! Enough of this. Give us that kite. (7. 106-108)| This is a fairly complex scene. Assef, before he assaults and rapes Hassan, asks Hassan whether he really wants to sacrifice himself for Amir. We know Amir is listening in – and watching – this exchange between Assef and Hassan. In a way, Assefs speech is not prophetic but descriptive: Amir is abandoning Hassan right now. However, we wonder if Assefs description is inaccurate. Is Assef describing his own relationship with Hazaras or Amirs with Hassan? Sure, sometimes Amir does cruel things to Hassan, but he also reads to Hassan and spends almost all his free time with Hassan. Amir may hesitate to call Hassan his friend, but perhaps thats because neither friend nor servant really describes Hassan. Brother might do the trick, but Amir has no idea at this point. Quote #7Think of something good, Baba said in my ear. Something happy. Something good. Something happy. I let my mind wander. I let it come: Friday afternoon in Paghman. An open field of grass speckled with mulberry trees in blossom. Hassan and I stand ankle-deep in untamed grass, I am tugging on the line, the spool spinning in Hassans calloused hands, our eyes turned up to the kite in the sky. Not a word passes between us, not because we have nothing to say, but because we dont have to say anything – thats how it is between people who are each others first memories, people who have fed from the same breast. A breeze stirs the grass and Hassan lets the spool roll. The kite spins, dips, steadies. Our twin shadows dance on the rippling grass. From somewhere over the low brick wall at the other end of the field, we hear chatter and laughter and the chirping of a water fountain. And music, some thing old and familiar, I think its Ya Mowlah on rubab strings. Someone calls our names over the wall, says its time for tea and cake. (10. 73-75)| You need some context for this quote. Baba and Amir are on their way to Pakistan, but theyre not traveling by taxi or bus. Theyre in the belly of an oil tanker along with dozens of other Afghans. Baba tells Amir to think of something good, something happy. So what does Amir think of? His childhood with Hassan. We believe this passage proves Amirs (brotherly) love for Hassan. Notice that Amir doesnt recall a special moment with Baba, or even his books or poetry. He thinks of Hassan. Quote #8Lying awake in bed that night, I thought of Soraya Taheris sickle-shaped birthmark, her gently hooked nose, and the way her luminous eyes had fleetingly held mine. My heart stuttered at the thought of her. (11. 104)| Soraya doesnt sound that hot here. From Hosseinis description, we picture the witch in Sleeping Beauty: her nose is hooked like a scythe, and her eyes are glowing in a potion-induced mania. However, we do think Sorayas sickle-shaped birthmark should remind you of someone else in the book. Give up? Thats right: Hassan. (Hassan has a harelip. ) Why do you think Hosseini compare these two characters through their physical features? What else do they have in common? Quote #9When we got to Kabul, I [Rahim Khan] discovered that Hassan had no intention of moving into the house. But all these rooms are empty, Hassan jan. No one is going to live in them, I said. But he would not. He said it was a matter of ihtiram, a matter of respect. He and Farzana moved their things into the hut in the backyard, where he was born. I pleaded for them to move into one of the guest bedrooms upstairs, but Hassan would hear nothing of it. What will Amir agha think? he said to me. What will he think when he comes back to Kabul after the war and finds that I have assumed his place in the house? Then, in mourning for your father, Hassan wore black for the next forty days. (16. 24-25)| You may be confused by the voice here. Its actually not Amir – Rahim Khan gets one chapter in the book. Rahim Khan recounts his trip to Hazarajat to find Hassan and bring him back to the house in Kabul. When Hassan does move back to the house with Rahim Khan, he refuses to live where Baba and Amir lived. Does Hassans refusal suggest that Hassan is only Amirs servant and the two never achieved an equal friendship? (Side question: Does Hassan sense – on some unconscious level – Babas true relationship to him? Is that why he mourns Baba for forty days? ) Quote #10Next to me, Sohrab was breathing rapidly through his nose. The spool rolled in his palms, the tendons in his scarred wrists like rubab strings. Then I blinked and, for just a moment, the hands holding the spool were the chipped-nailed, calloused hands of a harelipped boy. I heard a crow cawing somewhere and I looked up. The park shimmered with snow so fresh, so dazzling white, it burned my eyes. It sprinkled soundlessly from the branches of white-clad trees. I smelled turnip qurma now. Dried mulberries. Sour oranges. Sawdust and walnuts. The muffled quiet, snow-quiet, was deafening. Then far away, across the stillness, a voice calling us home, the voice of a man who dragged his right leg. (25. 150)| We think this is one of the most beautiful passages in the book. Hosseini moves effortlessly between the past and present. Sohrab becomes Hassan, and the park in Fremont, California becomes a snow-quiet Kabul. The smells of Kabul mix with the smells of the New Year celebration in the park. Perhaps, at least in the space of this passage, Amir does find peace. America allowed Amir to escape his past for so many years; but, in this moment, the two homelands merge. Ali calls Amir home, and Amir doesnt seem to mind. ROAD TO AMIRS REDEMPTION THE KITE RUNNER REVISION - Top of Form zainboThreads: 1 Posts: 3 Author: Zain Mehdi | Edited by: zainbo Mar 11, 2012, 12:58pm #1| The topic of the Essay is After reading the novel The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, do you think Amir has found redemption in things hes done. If so, please explain how I wrote this essay based on the events that took place in the novel. Each paragraph must have a quote from the book and Ive included that. I just need to see if my essay is well written, correct grammar and other little mistakes. Please and thank you. ROAD TO AMIRS REDEMPTION In a lifetime, everyone will face personal battles and guilt, some large and some small. Such as guilt over sneaking out, not doing homework, or telling your parents a little white lie. People find peace of mind through redeeming themselves, in other words, we do something that makes up for the cause of guilt. Khaled Hosseinis novel The Kite Runner revolves around betrayal and redemption. Redemption is the act of saying or being saved from sin, error or evil, which the main character Amir seems to need the most. Amir lives with the guilt he has built up over the years because of one incident from his childhood. Amirs fathers words still echo through his head A boy who wont stand up for himself becomes a man who cant stand up to anything. ? pg. 24 Although Amir destroyed the lives of many people, and he has had more than one opportunity to redeem himself of his guilt, he is not the selfish little boy he once was. How often does one stop and think, How will this affect everyone else in my life? Amir had a chance in the alley, to put Hassan first and change the path of both their lives, but he made the decision to turn around and run because it was what he thought was best for him: I had one last chance to make a decision. One final opportunity to decide who I was going to be. I could step into that alley, stand up for Hassan ? the way hed stood up for me all those times in the past ? and accept whatever would happen to me. Or I could run. In the end, I ran. I ran because I was a coward. I was afraid of Assef and what he would do to me. I was afraid of getting hurt. Thats what I told myself as I turned my back to the alley, to Hassan. Thats what I made myself believe. I actually aspired to cowardice, because the alternative, the real reason I was running, was that Assef was right: Nothing was free in this world. Maybe Hassan was the price I had to pay, the lamb I had to slay, to win Baba. ? pg. 77 Amirs selfish ways were a result of the lack of his fathers affection in his life. As a young boy, he was forced to deal with his fathers disinterest in him, which made him incredibly jealous of Hassan. Amir could not understand at the time, why his father adored his servants son more than his own son. As the tension increases between Amir and Hassan, Amir can no longer stand to see Hassan everyday because of what Amir had not stopped and he could not bare seeing his father showing Hassan love and not him. Hassan and his father are forced to leave their home after Amir places his watch under Hassans pillow and accuses him of stealing it. Hassan did not even deny the accusations because he had figured out what Amir was doing. Hassan knew. He knew I had betrayed him and yet he was rescuing me once again, maybe for the last time. ? pg. 111 Even after the alleged theft of the watch, Amirs father is willing to forgive Hassan, which stunned Amir, and made him see that the love his father has for Hassan is greater than he imagined. Amir did not just ruin Hassans life; he also ruined the lives of many people with his decisions after the incident in the alley. Baba lost a chance to watch his son, Hassan, grow up and also lost the chance to bring him to America so he could start a new life. Sohrab lost both his parents to war because they were still living in Afghanistan, lost his childhood to war, and tried to commit suicide as a result of Amir going back on his promise to keep him safe from orphanages. Soraya lost her right to the truth when Amir kept his past a secret even though she opened up to him about hers. It is one thing to destroy your own life with guilt, but it is a completely different issue when you destroy the lives of others. Before Amir can go on the road to redemption, Amir must realize that he cant go back and change what he has done as a child, and he must find inner peace. Although if it was not for Amirs actions as a child, Sohrab never would have needed to be saved in the first place but by saving Sohrab, the last piece of Hassans life, does make a difference. From the moment he chose to turn his back on Hassan, there were many chances where Theres a way to be good again ? pg. 238 for all his wrongdoings, but he chose not to take any of these. Sohrab was his last and only chance for redemption. I have a wife in America, a home, a career and a family. But how could I pack up and go back home when my actions may have cost Hassan a chance at those very same things? And what Rahim Khan revealed to me changed things. Made me see how my entire life, long before the winter of 1975, dating back to when that singing Hazara woman was still nursing me, had been a cycle of lies betrayals and secrets. ? pg. 238 Amir admits that he cost Hassan a chance at a good life and that he had many opportunities to change the outcome of Hassans life. But at this moment he realized he could lose everything he has built in America, but for the first time in his life, Amir did not care about only himself, he came to terms with what he had done, and he was ready to redeem himself at any cost. Amir finally became the man who stood up for himself and his sins. Throughout his childhood, Amir looked for his fathers affection and he never could get it. His father had said Im telling you, Rahim, there is something missing in that boy. ? pg. 24 Amirs father would have been proud of him at this very moment because that was all he had wanted from him. The guilt that was built over the years was finally put to rest at the safety of Sohrab. In Afghanistan when Amir stood up for Sohrab and Assef aggressively beat him up, Amir had said My body was broken? just how badly I wouldnt find out until later? but I felt healed. Healed at last. I laughed. ? pg. 289 which showed Amir had come to terms with what he had done as a child and was finally felt relieved. Although he was getting beat up, it did not matter anymore, he just wished he had stood up to Assef years ago, and maybe he would have earned his redemption in that alley. | | Jennyflower81Threads: Posts: 884 Author: Jennifer Reeves 85 | Mar 11, 2012, 02:17pm #2| Such as guilt over sneaking out, not doing homework, or telling your parents a little white lie. Not a full sentence. You could start this sentence with: Guilt can stem from People find peace of mind when they redeem themselves, in other words, they do something that makes up for the cause of their guilt. Amir had a chance in the alley, to put Hassan first and change the path of both their lives, but he made the decision to turn around and run because it was what he thought was best for him: I would break up this sentence into 2 sentences, because it is a bit too long, it would be easier to read if it was in 2 shorter sentences. Amirs selfish ways resulted from the lack of his fathers affection in his life. At the time, Amir could not understand why his father adored his servants son more than his own son. As the tension increases between Amir and Hassan, Amir can no longer stand to see Hassan everyday because of what Amir had not stopped and he could not bare seeing his father showing Hassan love and not him. Right here, you begin writing in present tense, when the beginning of the essay is written in past tense, be sure to stay consistent with this, it makes your paper easier to read that way. | | zainboThreads: 1 Posts: 3 Author: Zain Mehdi | | Thank you, any more updates? | | Jennyflower81Threads: Posts: 884 Author: Jennifer Reeves 85 | Mar 11, 2012, 05:04pm #4| Amir did not just ruin Hassans life; he also ruined the lives of many people with his decisions after the incident in the alley Can you be more specific about how exactly did he ruin Hassans life? This is kinda vague. Another example of a life ruined is that of Soraya- you say: Soraya lost her right to the truth when Amir kept his past a secret even though she opened up to him about hers I dont know if this is her life being ruined, although she was wronged. How did this ruin her life? Clarify this. but it is a completely different problem when you destroy the lives of others. Although if it was not for Amirs actions as a child, Sohrab never would have needed to be saved in the first place but by saving Sohrab, the last piece of Hassans life, does make a difference. This sentence is long and confusing, I would make it into 2 shorter sentences. Amir admits that he cost Hassan the chance at a good life and that he had many opportunities to change the outcome of Hassans life. At this moment, he realizes he could lose everything he has built in America, but for the first time in his life, Amir did not only care about himself, he came to terms with what he had done, and he was ready to redeem himself at any cost. | | chalumeau | | ROAD TO AMIRS REDEMPTION? During their lifetime, most people face guilt: some appropriate some inappropriate. Redemption is a way that makes up for the cause of the guilt. In Khaled Hosseinis novel, The Kite Runner, the theme revolves around betrayal and redemption. I looked up the word redemption in The Kite Runner: p. 65, All I saw was the blue kite. All I smelled was victory. Salvation. Redemption. If Baba was wrong and there was a God like they said in school, then Hed let me win. I didnt know what the other guy was playing for, maybe just bragging rights. Important quote. p 231, And from this one last chance at redemption. What is going on here? My body was broken? just how badly I wouldnt find out until later? but I felt healed. Healed at last. I laughed. ? pg. 289 Good quote you found. Salvation is when God saves you. Redemption may be part of salvation, but redemption also has a place separate from the Divine. After doing a wrong, a person may be redeemed by performing some act, or saying something, or fighting for (or against) someone. You know how they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder? Redemption is in the eye of the wronged party. Its why you hear phrases such as, redeemed in her eyes. You cant be redeemed without permission. Hopefully, the wronged party accuses the right person, and the right person knows what wrong was committed. Otherwise, you have a very confusing situation for all parties. One that cannot be redeemed. Ever. Try writing your essay again with the theme of redemption as the main focus. Try to answer these questions: 1) What wrongs were committed? Pick the best 3 wrongs he committed. You partially explained these. 2) What does Amir think about redemption? Why does he seek it? Usually a person feels badly about something, or the other party is making his life miserable enough to cause him to cry, ___! 3) What action or words support him receiving redemption? 4) What action or words deny him redemption? 5) At the end is he redeemed? In the eyes of the wronged party? Did the wronged party (parties) know the truth that the reader knows? Does he feel redeemed? Did he know the same truth as everyone else? For the record, Ive never read The Kite Runner. I dont have a copy of the novel either. I wanted to try to help you focus and organize your essay. Ive written many A-essays over the years. | | zainboThreads: 1 Posts: 3 Author: Zain Mehdi | Mar 12, 2012, 08:37pm #6| thanks, ill try to work on it| | Essay Forum / Literature Review /| Unanswered [this forum] / Featured / Similar| Bottom of Form Similar discussions: * Michigan Supplement. Kite Runner * The Kite Runner: A Marxist Perspective * The Kite Runner Thesis Statement * HELP! Kite Runner Essay on Father/Son relationship * Persuasive essay on The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini + The Devil in the White City * The redemption of Sydney Carton in A Tale of Two Cities * Run after the kite common app essay * UC Essay I am a runner, track and cross-country * Developing Runners Mindset Common App Essay for Stanford * Morality and Responsibility essay (connection between Frankenstein and Blade runner) Random: MSW Essay on Parent Advocacy- Child Protective Services The discrimination theme in The Kite Runner helps explain? Discrimination The Kite Runner tackles the issue of ethnic discrimination in Afghanistan with an example of the relationship between Pashtuns and Hazaras. Babas father sets an example for him of being kind to Hazara people, even though they are historically demeaned and persecuted. He could have easily sent Ali to an orphanage after his parents death, but chose to raise him in his household. Baba does the same with Hassan, although this is complicated by the fact that Hassan is actually his son. Even in Babas house, the house of best intentions, the class barrier between the Pashtuns and Hazaras endures. Ali is as dear to Baba as a brother; he calls him family. But Ali still lives in a hut and sleeps on a mattress on the floor. He tends the garden, cooks, and cleans up after Baba, and raises Hassan to do the same. So strong is Hassans identity as a servant that even as an adult, when Baba is gone, he has no sense of entitlement. He insists on staying in the hut and doing housework. When Hassan dies defending Babas house, he does so not because he feels it belongs to him, but because he is being loyal to Baba and Amir. In Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, discrimination is everywhere and nowhere at the same time. On the one hand, the Taliban do not seem to care whom they are beating, torturing, or executing. Children like Sohrab and grandmothers like Sanaubar are all susceptible to the Talibans cruelty. In this way, the Talibs discriminate against everyone but themselves. As Amir notices, Assef forces Sohrab to dance to music for his enjoyment dancing and listening to music have long been banned. Amir thinks, I guessed music wasnt sinful as long as it played to Taliban ears. On another level, the Taliban discriminate specifically against the Hazara people. They massacre the Hazaras not only in Mazar-i-Sharif, but in the region of Hazarajat and nearly anywhere else they can find them. Assef and his fellows do not see the Hazaras lives as worthwhile; they barely see them as human. Assef tells Amir, Afghanistan is like a beautiful mansion littered with garbage, and someone has to take out the garbage. Like his idol, Hitler, he feels entitled to killing those he deems unworthy of living in his land. He even relishes the term ethnic cleansing because it goes so well with his garbage metaphor. Hosseini has mentioned in interviews that his focus on discrimination in The Kite Runner angers some Afghans, who feel it is inappropriate. Like Baba, many people do not mention the Hazaras history of persecution. Perhaps these people are so uncomfortable with this topic because by having Assef appear in pre-Taliban times and emerge as a leading Talib, Hosseini shows that the Talibans persecution of the Hazaras and other Shiites is not new, but a greatly intensified outgrowth of long-held discrimination. In The Kite Runner friendship is a recurring theme, particularly in terms of how friendship is experienced between different social classes and castes. This is explored in the relationships between Baba and Amir who are Pashtun and Ali and Hassan who are Hazara. A central issue in the novel is how friendship is experienced, understood and expressed between social unequals when they have been pushed together by circumstances (Baba’s father’s adoption of Ali meant he and Baba grew up from boyhood together, followed by Amir and Hassan sharing their entire childhoods in the same house, despite their very different status within the household. ) Amir constantly reflects on the question of friendship: ‘But in none of his stories did Baba ever refer to Ali as his friend. The curious thing was, I never thought of Hassan and me as friends either. Not in the usual sense anyhow†¦Because history isn’t easy to overcome. Neither is religion. In the end, I was a Pashtun and he was a Hazara, I was Sunni and he was Shi’a and nothing was ever going to change that. Nothing. ’ When questioned by Assef about his friendship with a Hazara Amir admits: â€Å"But he’s not my friend! † I almost blurted. â€Å"He’s my servant! † Had I really thought that? Of course I hadn’t. I hadn’t. I treated Hassan well, just like a friend, better even, more like a brother. ’ Hassan regards Amir as his friend and shows it by his unfailing loyalty which is indicative of his awareness of the unequal power in the relationship. Amir is bothered by Hassan’s unfailing loyalty and self

Promotional Strategies in the Branded Denim Industry

Promotional Strategies in the Branded Denim Industry The global fashion apparel industry is one of the most important sectors of the economy in terms of investment, revenue, trade and employment generation all over the world. Apparel industry has short product life cycles, tremendous product variety, volatile and unpredictable demand, long and inflexible supply processes. The industry has been in a transition over the last 20 years. Some of the major contributors are: Significant consolidation in retail, Increasing use of electronic commerce in retail, and Wholesale trade Given below is a diagram of the types of markets for the fashion industry globally/ India as can be seen comes under Emerging Fashion market. viewer.png Figure: Global Fashion Market. The Indian Fashion Industry Fashion Industry growth in India is mainly driven by the growing exposure of domestic designers at international forums, but growth is also supported by other factors such as the launch of focused business education courses for emerging designers and the establishment of an industry association. The Indian fashion industry has gained international acclaim and recognition at several global forums. This has also helped attract a large number of international clients to the country Rising affluence has increased brand awareness among Indian consumers. According to theNielsen Global Luxury Brands Study, India is among the most brand conscious countries in the world, with 35% of Indian survey respondents reporting to buy designer brands India is considered an attractive market for luxury brands; about 50 premium and luxury brands, including Jimmy Choo, Gucci, Christian Dior, and Chanel, have opened stores in India in recent years. Consumer spending on fashion products has grown at 7.1% annually from 2002 through 2007 Denim Industry in India Denim Brands in India Jeans the working class garment has something about it which has fascinated the poor and the rich alike, and has survived fashion trends and technology changes for over a century. The jeanswear market in India is currently pegged at approximately Rs 6,000 crore the bulk of it in the unbranded market according to recent reports. However, the branded segment is believed to be growing at a faster pace, with brands giving tough competition to one another. According to industry sources, the total size of the jeans market in India is about 40-45 million pairs of denims out of which 44 million pairs are in the value segment(less than Rs 1,000). The Indian retail market size of jeans (men`s and women`s) in 2007 was Rs 3,080 crore with a healthy growth of 18 per cent over last year as per research conducted by Technopak. According to an Indian expert, denim production in India in 2006 was estimated to be at 400 million metres, of which 250 million metres was for domestic consumption and the rest for exports. The Indian denim market is still in the nascent stages but it`s definitely a growing market which is growing in the right direction. Brand-conscious market With changing lifestyles, the organised players are coming up with contemporary designs to target the youthful, stylish, trendy and fashionable consumers. Today`s consumer is educated and very well informed about different brands and knows what to buy and what not to buy. Indian consumers are no longer price conscious rather they are willing to spend money on high-end denim brands. Denims are not only restricted to jeans, shirts, jackets and skirts, but are also a popular choice for accessories like bags, belts and caps. In denims, low rise, slim fit and twisted fit are in vogue. Ripped, brushed, torn, bleached, laser finishes acid and ice-washed are enough to tempt the brand conscious customers. The organised denim players are not only catering to the premium class, but are also catering to the upper-middle and mid-segments as well. Today`s customer is definitely brand conscious and asking for brands. Consumers are looking at innovations rather than just a pair of jeans and T-shirt. The key to catching up with these changes is to innovate, as the Indian denim customer is more variety driven, says Shah. The brand has been quick to gauge that the young Indian consumers were getting bored with just a five pocket pair of jeans and hence Pepe Jeans today is a one-stop destination for the young premium segment customer with its exhaustive range of fashion wear, club wear, and evening wear along with the core jeans. India is an emerging nation and has a huge potential to harness the untapped market. The denim industry has registered impressive growth in the last five years. This growth has also changed the consumer preferences- he has become more discerning and fashion conscious. Major players in the denim market A number of players, both Indian and international, have entered the Indian market. The brands of both categories that were studied are listed below: Indian Players The Indian players include the following: Spykar has established itself as the Indian youth icon and the brand of the Generation Next in the Indian apparel industry, with a vast and staggering array of designer wear- from the first manufactures of Cargo in India unto the authentic five pocket Jeans to fashionable denims, fatigues, jackets, tees, shirts, etc. to trendy bags, belts, caps, wallets, socks and other accessories like shoes, deodorants, junk jewellery, eyewear. Having provided clothing for the last 15 years to the brand conscious youth, Spykar Lifestyle intends to now offer complete styling solutions to patrons through the Spykar Style Lab, with a reach to 3 million customers, influencing the youth culture across India. The brand Deal: was born in the year 2000 and is today an innovative international design company, manufacturing jeans and casual clothing as well as accessories. It is present in over 22 states with 400 points of sale. From the beginning, Deal jeans team turn their back on the style-dictator and consumer fore-casters of the fashion establishment and lead their own tastes lead them. It is for this reason that Deal became the leader in developing the styles, manufacturing methods, fabric and quality control and guaranteeing an outstanding quality product Levi Strauss (India) Pvt. Ltd (LSIL) is a Bengaluru based, wholly owned subsidiary of Levi Strauss Co. (LSCO.). The company markets the Levi`s ®, Dockers ® San Francisco Levi Strauss Signature ® brands in India. The company was established in 1994 and brought authentic American jeanswear to India by launching the iconic Levi`s ® brand. It has since built a strong retail and distribution network spanning more than 250 cities and 750 outlets backed by an equally strong sourcing base. The company, with strength of about 200, is headquartered in Bengaluru. International players The International players studied are the following: Pepe Jeans London: Pepe Jeans London originated from the fashionable Portobello area of London in 1973 as a result of the efforts of three NRI brothers. In a very short span, the brand became the best selling denim brand in England. The company entered the Indian market in 1989 and today is amongst the premium brands in India in this segment. Pepe Jeans is an absolute casual wear brand and sells everything one would associate with such as casual cotton shirts, denim shirts, lightweight jeans, T-shirts, shirts, jackets, cotton casual pants and accessories such as bags, caps, belts, wallets, wrist bands, etc. Lee Cooper: Founded in London in 1908, Lee Cooper offers a wide range of lifestyle jeans and products to men and women of all ages. In 2006, Lee Cooper International entered into an equal joint venture with India`s largest retailer, now known as Lee Cooper India Pvt. Ltd, under which the first franchisee store was opened. At present, the company has 31 exclusive brand outlets, 50 shop-in-shops and 250 selling points in India. By the end of this fiscal, it will double the selling points and add 24 new stores to its kitty. The company aims to grow to 100 stores within the next two years. An investment of about Rs 35-40 crore has been earmarked for retail expansion this year. The competitors at each segment are given below: Super Premium Segment (Rs. 2000+)- brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Hugo Boss, AN Jeans, Rocky S Jeans Premium Segment (Rs. 1000-2000)- Pepe, Levis, Lee, Wrangler Middle Segment (Rs. 500-1000)-Most Indian brands cover both Middle and Premium categories Economy Segment (Rs. 300-500)-Ruf n Tuf, Newport, Impact, Thunder as well as in store labels like Westsides SRC and 2Fast4U that are priced between Rs. 375 to Rs. 600 Benefits of this study to the organizations: As compared to the booming international denim market, India is still emerging. Indian brands haven`t enjoyed much success. International brands, which are present in India, are doing extremely well. Competition is increasing with the presence of a number of denim brands in India. To stay ahead of competition, the players will have to raise their standards to international levels; only then will they be able to make a strong foothold in the country. Every company is coming up with aggressive marketing, promotional campaigns and constant publicity to make their brand popular. Various companies have been successful in the Indian market using different approaches and different strategies. For example Pepe Jeans London works on a 360 degrees approach on the marketing communications strategy, involving both above the line and below the line activities. Billboards print advertising in both national and regional newspapers and all lifestyle magazines constitute Pepe`s above the line strategy. The companies in the denim market have to ensure that they have strategies that are successful and make a positive impact on the target segment due to all the competition and the challenges that they face in this environment. With the Indian youth becoming increasingly fashion conscious and with spending power being consistently on the rise, making life easier for the fast-growing premium category of jeanswear brands. On the other hand, it has been tough times for other segments of the business one of the underperformers being a mass-market jeanswear brand. This study helps analyze the promotional strategies of five different popular denim brands in India. This study helps to recognize the success or failure of the brands through the perception that consumers have towards the brand. The study helps recognize the weak points in the strategies. Chapter 2 Research Design This chapter details the procedures that were used for obtaining the information needed to structure the marketing research. It provides details such as the Purpose, Aim of the study, and Scope of the study, Objective of the study, Research methodology and Data collection. Aim of the study: The aim of this study is to observe and evaluate the promotional strategies that are used by Levi Straus, lee and Pepe jeans, Spykar and Deal . Scope of the study: The study was aimed at understanding and analyzing the promotional strategies implemented by Levi Strauss, Lee, spykar, Deal, Pepe Jeans The research was conducted in the geographical area of 1 city- Bangalore North (Karnataka). Objectives: It will present the promotional activities used by the major players in Branded Denim industry. It will present the awareness of the promotional strategies that the consumers have. Further the study will generate some suggestions that could be implemented by the companies. Research methodology: An analytical study, descriptive and quantitative in nature was undertaken to study the promotional activities used in the Branded Denim industry. Based on the data and knowledge gathered thus, a tool in the form of a questionnaire was prepared to elicit primary data for the study. The customers of the company have been used as the respondents for the study. Questionnaire method was adopted to gather necessary primary data. Secondary data was gathered from previous other records, journals, papers and books. The data collected by the study is compiled, classified and tabulated for the purpose of analysis. Analysis was done using averages for data consolidation and interpretation. Methods of data collection: Survey- Through a closed and structured questionnaire administered to 50 respondents of Bangalore City in the area of New BEL Road (Bangalore North). Sources of Data collection: The study required data to be collected from both primary sources and secondary sources. * Primary research -also known as field research, which involves the conduction and compilation of research for the purpose it, was intended. Questionnaires were used to collect the primary data. * Secondary research -also referred to as desk research, is initially conducted for one purpose, but often used to support another purpose or end goal. Secondary research was collected from Internet sites, books, journals, magazines and research materials provided by other research. Sample design: This refers to a set of rules or procedures that specify how a sample is to be selected.   We have used simple random sample  which is a subset of  individuals  (a  sample) chosen from a larger set (a  population). Each individual is chosen  randomly  and entirely by chance, such that each individual has the same  probability  of being chosen at any stage during the sampling process Sample size: The number of elements in the obtained sample. The sample size for this study is 50 respondents. Sampling bias: This refers to the notion that those selected are not typical or representative of the larger populations that have been chosen from. Here we were limited to north Bangalore so it does not reflect the bigger side of the actual population. Limitations: The limitations of the study are as follows: Questionnaires are impersonal, so it is difficult to understand the answers given by the customers also there is a chance that the questions may be misinterpreted, rendering the answer useless to the study. Questionnaires also invite people to lie and answer the questions very vaguely which they would not do in an interview. Though a lot of effort was put in at designing the questionnaires, some peoples preferred answers may not have been included, and this also does not allow for much detail. The research was limited to the city of Bangalore (north Bangalore) The research did not include the infrequent customers of the company, so a lot of valuable input could have been lost Chapter 3 Analysis and Interpretation Q. No. of Male and Female Respondents. Gender No of Respondents Male 26 Female 24 Total 50 Interpretation: From the above chart it is quite evident the numbers of male respondents exceed female respondents. Q. Average age of Respondents. age No of Respondents Less than 20 1 20-30 42 30-40 6 40-50 0 Above50 1 total 50 Interpretation: From the above chat it can be interpreted that the highest range of respondents belongs to the age group of 20-30. Q. what are the different occupation of the respondents. occupation No of Respondents students 31 professional 17 businessman 2 unemployed 0 total 50 Interpretation: From the above chat it is clearly visible that the maximum numbers of respondents are students, followed by professionals. Q Salary of the respondents. salary No of Respondents Less than 2lakh 28 2-4 lakh 15 4-6 lakh 6 Above 6 1 total 50 Interpretation: Since the most respondents are students and are just employed the salary range is below 2 lakh and for professionals it is 2-4 lakhs. Q Do you buy anything of these brands (Levis, Lee, Spykar, Pepe jeans, Deal). Response No of Respondents yes 43 no 07 Total 50 Interpretation: It can be clearly interpreted that 43 out of 50 Respondents have tried one of the brand and rest have not. Break-up of the different brands bought by the sample group: Brand name No. of respondents Levi Lee Spykar Pepe Deal 16 15 6 12 1 Total 50 Q Other than the brand you purchase from, Are you aware of the promotional activities followed by other brands. Responses No of respondents Yes 40 No 10 total 50 Interpretation: From the above chart it can be understood that the people are aware about the promotional scheme of the other brands even if they do not purchase products from the other brand. Levi Q. Why did you buy this brand? Characteristics Number of Respondents Good Service Good Quality Price Design Brand Name Discount Schemes 1 3 10 2 Total 50 Interpretation: it is clearly visible from this chart that most of the people are going for Levis because of the brand name. Q. Would you like to purchase this brand again? Willingness to purchase Number of respondents Yes No 15 1 Total 16 Interpretation: It is clearly visible that all those who have purchased this brand want to go again for this brand. Q. Are you aware of the various promotional schemes available in this brand? Awareness Number of respondents Yes 16 No 0 Total 16 Interpretation: all the respondents are aware of the promotional schemes of Levis. Q. As per your knowledge what type of promotion activity is undertaken by the organisation characteristics responses Advertisement 3 Publicity 0 Personal selling 0 Social media networking 3 Sales promotion(discount offers, seasonal sales, loyalty programs) 10 Total 16 Interpretation: It is found that most consumers are aware of the promotional schemes that Levis has in the form of sales promotions. They also seem to be aware of promotions through advertising and social media networks. Q. If yes how were you made aware? Mode of Awareness No. of respondents Newspapers O Magazine Ads 6 Television Ads 0 E-Mailer from store 2 Word of mouth 9 Others 1 Total 16 Interpretation: it can be interpreted that people are aware of Levis promotional skills because of tools like newspapers and various emails that are being send from the store. 12. What according to you makes the brand more attractive than others? Characteristics Number of Respondents Quality 1 Price 0 More sizes 4 Better customer services 2 More designs 4 Brand Name 5 Brand Ambassador 0 Total 16 Interpretation: From this table we can see that consumers are attracted to the brand due to its brand name- the perception towards the brand is positive and also they feel that more designs are available in this brand Lee Q. Why did you buy this brand? Characteristics Number of Respondents Good Service Good Quality Price Design Brand Name Discount Schemes 1 2 1 3 8 0 Total 15 Interpretation: The graph shows that maximum people bought the jeans from this brand due to the brand name. Followed by the designs available, and no one bought the jeans due to the discount schemes available Q. Would you like to purchase this brand again? Willingness to purchase Number of respondents Yes No 13 2 Total 15 Interpretation: From the table it is obvious that a large number of the respondents would buy jeans from this brand maybe because they have a positive perception towards the brand Q. Are you aware of the various promotional schemes available in this brand? Awareness Number of respondents Yes 12 No 3 Total 15 Interpretation: From the table it can be seen that most consumers are aware of the promotional schemes available in this brand Q.As per your knowledge what type of promotion activity is undertaken by the organisation characteristics responses Advertisement 5 Publicity 0 Personal selling 0 Social media networking 4 Sales promotion(discount offers, seasonal sales, loyalty programs) 6 Total 15 Interpretation: Most of the consumers are aware of the sales promotion schemes like discount offers, seasonal sales, followed by advertising and social media networking. Q.. If yes how were you made aware? Mode of Awareness No. of respondents Newspapers O Magazine Ads 2 Television Ads 0 E-Mailer from store 2 Word of mouth 7 Others 1 Total 12 Interpretation: In this we can see that most consumers were made aware of the available promotional schemes through word of mouth followed by e-mailer from store as well as magazine ads. None were aware of the television ads of the brand. Q. What according to you makes the brand more attractive than others? Characteristics Number of Respondents Quality 1 Price 1 More sizes 2 Better customer services 2 More designs 4 Brand Name 5 Brand Ambassador 0 Total 15 Interpretation: As can be see, the brand is found to be attractive due to the brand name and the positioning of the brand, followed by the fact that consumers perceive that plenty of designs are available in this brand. Better customer service also seems to have made an impact on the consumer. Spykar Q. Why did you buy this brand? Characteristics Number of Respondents Good Service Good Quality Price Design Brand Name Discount Schemes 0 2 4 0 0 0 Total 6 Interpretation: The primary reason that the respondents seem to have bought the jeans was since they perceived the jeans to be cheaper than the other branded jeans. The next reason was since the jeans were perceived as good quality. Hence Spykar can be said to be a value for money brand. Q. Would you like to purchase this brand again? Willingness to purchase Number of respondents Yes No 3 3 Total 6 Interpretation: Only have the consumers who bought the product have the willingness to repurchase the product. The reasons could be that they were dissatisfied with the design, or with the service. Q. Are you aware of the various promotional schemes available in this brand? Awareness Number of respondents Yes 0 No 6 Total 6 Interpretation: Out of the six respondents who had purchased the jeans from this brand, none were aware of any promotional schemes that were conducted by the company. Q. As per your knowledge what type of promotion activity is undertaken by the organisation Since no one was aware of the promotional schemes, this table was Not Applicable Q. If yes how were you made aware? Since no one was aware of the promotional schemes, this table was Not Applicable Q. What according to you makes the brand more attractive than others? Characteristics Number of Respondents Quality 1 Price 3 More sizes 0 Better customer services 0 More designs 2 Brand Name 0 Brand Ambassador 0 Total 6 Interpretation: The main reason that people seem to go for this brand is the price since the jeans are more pocket friendly as compared to the other branded jeans. Pepe jeans Q. Why did you buy Pepe jeans? Characteristics No of respondents Good service 0 Good quality 2 Price 1 Design 8 Brand name 1 Discount Scheme 0 total 12 Interpretation: From the above graph it can be easily interpreted that more people are going for the design in pepe jeans than the other factors. Q Would you like to purchase goods and services from this store again? Responses No of respondents Yes 10 No 2 Total 12 Interpretation: From the above chart it is clearly seen that people are willing to purchase the goods and services as they are happy with their experience. Q. Are you aware of the various promotional schemes and offers available in the store? Responses No of respondents Yes 5 No 7 Total 12 Interpretation: From the above chart we can easily understand that people are not much aware of the promotional schemes carried out by Pepe jeans. Q. As per your knowledge what type of promotion activity is undertaken by the organisation characteristics Responses Advertisement 4 Publicity 0 Personal selling 0 Social media networking 3 Sales promotion(discount offers, seasonal sales, loyalty programs) 5 Total 12 Interpretation: Most of the consumers were aware of the sales promotion strategy followed by Pepe Jeans followed by Advertising. Q .If yes, how you were made aware? Characteristics No of respondents News paper 2 Magazine 1 Television advertisement 5 E-mail 0 Word of mouth 4 total 12 Interpretation: From the above chart its clear that tools like television ads and words of mouth plays a very important role in creating awareness for Pepe Jeans. Q. what according to you made the brand more attractive from the other leading brands of jeans? Characteristics No of respondents Quality 2 Price 1 More fashionable 1 Better customer services 0 More diverse design to choose from 2 More customized product 2 Brand name 4 Brand ambassador 0 total 12 Interpretation: From the above pie chart it can be concluded that the quality, more customized products and more diverse design to choose from are some of the features that makes this brand attractive as compared to others. Deal jeans Q. Why did you buy Deal jeans? Characteristics No of respondents Good service 0 Good quality 0 Price 1 Design 0 Brand name 0 Discount Scheme 0 total 1 Interpretation: Price is the only characteristics that pull the customers to stores. Q. Would you like to purchase goods and services from this store again? Responses No of respondents Yes 1 No 0 Total 1 Interpretation: The person who has bought the product is satisfied and is ready to try the product again. Q. Are you aware of the various promotional schemes and offers available in the store? Responses No of respondents Yes 1 No 0 Total 1 Interpretation: The person seems to know about the promotional schemes that are carried out by Deal jeans. QAs per your knowledge what type of promotion activity is undertaken by the organisation characteristics Responses Advertisement 1 Publicity 0 Personal selling 0 Social media networking 0 Sales promotion(discount offers, seasonal sales, loyalty programs) 0 Total 1 Q. If yes, how were u made aware? Characteristics No of respondents News paper 0 Magazine 0 Television advertisement 1 E-mail 0 Word of mouth 0 total 1 Interpretation: The person is aware of the product through the television ads. Q what according to you made the brand more attractive from the other leading brands of jeans? Characteristics No of respondents Quality 0 Price 1 More fashionable 0 Better customer services 0 More deserve design to choose from 0 More customized product 0 Brand name <

Effect of Superstition on the Perception of Control

Effect of Superstition on the Perception of Control The Effect of Superstition on the Perception of Control over a Partially Uncontrollable Situation The effects of superstition on the an individuals behaviour has long been an area of interest in psychological research. Matute (1994, 1995) showed that an individuals response to uncontrollable circumstances is dictated by their level of superstition. Individuals with low levels of superstitious belief tend to show a decrease in cognitive capacity motivation, known as learned helplessness (Abramson, Seligman, Teasdale, 1978; Hiroto Seligman, 1975). Whilst individuals with high levels of superstitious belief, on the other hand, do not appear to develop this learned helpless, and it has been hypothesised superstitions provide an individual with an illusion of control (Matute 1994, 1995). Likewise, Dudley (1999) suggested that superstitious beliefs inhibit the learned helplessness effect by provided participants with an external locus of control. Conversely, it has been suggested that there may be other factors which inhibit the learned helplessness effect, such as attribution style (Abramson et at., 1978). Seligman (as cited in Rudski, 2004), conducted an experiment which showed that individual who formed particularly pessimistic attributions were susceptible to learned helplessness, in addition to depression. Furthermore, many studies which investigate superstitious belief the illusion of control do so by utilising judgements of contingency from the participant. Contingency judgements are useful as they help to explain how the illusion of control develops in participants (Yarritu, Matute, Vadillo, 2013). Blanco, Matute Vadillo (2011) showed that a participants contingency judgement is dependant on their level of action. It has been suggested, that the this combination with this level of action effect, and the high probability of a specific outcome, even when that outcome is uncontrollable, is what caused the participant to develop the illusion of control (Yarritu et at., 2013). This study aims to build on pre-existing research by investigating whether an individuals perception of control over a partially uncontrollable situation is impacted by their level of superstitious belief. To do this, participants were asked to perform a contingency judgement task, the results of which were then compared in relation to their level of superstition. It is hypothesised, firstly, that individuals with higher levels of superstition will report having higher levels of control in the active condition, when compared to individuals with low superstition and secondly, that this effect will be less apparent in the passive condition. Method Participants The participants were 996 undergraduate psychology students from the University of New South Wales (mean age = 19.8 years; 644 females: 352 males). They participated in this experiment as part of their week 5 tutorial class. Design This study took the form of a quasi-experiment, as it assessed the participants perception of control over a partially controllable situation, in relation to their level of superstition. As such, the independent variable, high or low superstition, was determined by the Superstitious Beliefs Questionnaires (SBQ). Participants were divided into the high superstition and low superstition groups based on a median split of the SBQ score. Based on the responses given, 492 participants (mean age = 19.7 years; 320 females: 172 males) were allocated to the high superstition group, whilst the remaining 504 participants (mean age = 19.9 years; 324 females: 180 males) formed the low superstition group. This experiment then tested two conditions, dubbed the active and the passive condition. The dependent variable, that is, the participants perception of control, was then measured, by self-report. Materials The experiment was carried out on standard computer terminals in one of the universitys computer labs. Inquisit software (Millisecond Software, Seattle) was used to present the experimental stimuli. In the active condition, participants were presented with a light bulb graphic button. Participants could choose whether or not to press the button, and the light bulb would either light up, or remain off as a result of their decision. As a result, there were four categories of trial: press with light, press without light, no-press with light and no-press without light. After 10 trials participants were asked to rate how much control they felt they had over the light bulb. In the passive condition, participants were only presented with a light bulb graphic, and informed that they would observe an imaginary friend, Bob, perform the task. As in the active condition, there were four categories of trial, and after 10 trials, participants were asked to rate the level of control they perceived Bob had over the light bulb. Participants completed the Superstitious Beliefs Questionnaire (SBQ), a demographic survey, and were asked if they were aware of the experiments design. The SBQ is a 26 item scale, designed to measure the level of superstitious belief in an individual. Each item of the SBQ can be scored from 0 up to 4, making a maximum score of 104 points possible. Participants who scored less than or equal to 46 on the SBQ were placed in the low superstition group, whilst those who scored above 46 were placed in the high superstition group. Procedure The participants were asked to complete a contingency judgement task, in two conditions. Each condition consisted of four sets of 10 trials. In the active condition, participants were instructed to choose between pressing or not pressing a button on the screen. This action or inaction then lead to a light bulb on the screen being illuminated. After 10 trials of this, participants were asked to rate how much control they had over the light bulb, using a sliding scale displayed on the screen. In the passive condition, participants were informed that they would observe an imaginary friend performing the task. The participants were able to observe the outcome (whether the light turned on or remained off) and were informed of the imaginary friend action (pressing or not pressing the button). Participants were again asked to rate how much control the imaginary friend had over the light bulb. References Abramson, L. Y., Seligman, M. E. P., Teasdale, J. D. (1978). Learned helplessness in humans: Critique and reformulation. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 87(1), 49–74. Blanco, F., Matute, H., Vadillo, M. A. (2011). Making the uncontrollable seem controllable: The role of action in the illusion of control. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 64(7), 1290–1304. Dudley, R. (1999). The effect of superstitious belief on performance following an unsolvable problem. Personality and Individual Differences, 26(6), 1057–1064 Hiroto, D. S., Seligman, M. E. P. (1975). Generality of learned helplessness in man. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 31(2), 311-327. Matute, H. (1994). Learned helplessness and superstitious behavior as opposite effects of uncontrollable reinforcement in humans. Learning and Motivation, 25(2), 216-232. Matute, H. (1995). Human reactions to uncontrollable outcomes: Further evidence for superstitions rather than helplessness. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 48B, 142–157. Rudski, J. (2004). The illusion of control, superstitious belief, and optimism. Current Psychology, 22(4), 306-315. Yarritu, I. Matute, H. Vadillo, M.A. (2013). Illusion of control: The role of personal involvement. Experimental Psychology, 61(1), 38–47.

Natural Law Theory Essay -- essays research papers fc

Natural Law Theory The natural law theory is a theory that dates back to the time of the Greeks and great thinkers like Plato and Aristotle. Defined as the law which states that human are inborn with certain laws preordained into them which let them determine what is right and what is wrong.(Bainton 174) This theory was them adapted by religious philosophers to fit the Christian religion.(Berkhof 114) This, however was not exactly the same as the original. The classical thinkers were the first to define the natural law. Heraclitus, in the sixth century BC, specified one the components by saying, *for all human laws are nourished by one, the divine.* This meant that a divine power determined a logic and gave to all humans. (Microsoft Encarta) This definition put this law into direct conflict with positive laws. Aristotle elaborated on the word natural in relation to law. He said that a natural law was one that had the same validity for every one and situation.(Berkhof 268) An example of this would be that a man contemplating murder would see that it was wrong by his nature. His reason would tell him that to kill another was unnatural, and therefore wrong. Cicero tries to determine what the actual law encompassed and he came up with the theory of Stoicism. Stoicism is an interpretation of the natural law which states that every, single person is a part of the universe that was created and is ruled by a divine power rationally. To live rationally and with virtue, according to...

Moral Education in the University :: Philosophy Research Papers

Moral Education in the University ABSTRACT: Does the title of the World Congress of Philosophy, Paideia: Philosophy Educating Humanity, reflect hubris, irony or a pragmatic optimism? How is it possible for philosophy to educate the human community in the twenty-first century? More specifically, at a time when few people besides academic philosophers read philosophy, in what sense can philosophy educate humanity? In this essay I examine one possible way philosophy can educate humanity advanced by Derek Bok, former president of Harvard University. In a variety of public lectures, published essays and books Bok insists that America's leading colleges and universities ought to recommit themselves to moral education as one of their central tasks. I argue that recommitment to this task on the part of these elite universities is far more difficult than Bok admits. Indeed, I contend that as long as America's elite educational institutions retain the intellectual and structural commitments that displaced paideia, Bok's vision for moral education has little chance of success. At a time when both higher education and philosophy are self-conscious about their limitations, The Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy chose as its theme, Paideia: Philosophy Educating Humanity. Does this title reflect hubris, irony or a pragmatic optimism? How is it possible for philosophy to educate the human community in the twenty-first century? More specifically, at a time when few people besides academic philosophers read philosophy, in what sense can philosophy educate humanity? In this essay I examine one proposed answer to this question. Derek Bok, former president of Harvard University, in a variety of public lectures, published essays and books offers one possible way philosophy can educate humanity. Bok insists that America's leading colleges and universities ought to recommit themselves to moral education as one of their central tasks. (1) While I sympathize with Bok's admonition to America's prestigious universities to reclaim the task of moral education, I shall ar gue that a recommittal to this task on the part of these elite universities is far more difficult that Bok admits. (2) Indeed, I contend that as long as America's elite educational institutions retain the intellectual and structural commitments that displaced paideia, Bok's vision for moral education has little chance of success. To accomplish this aim, first, I clarify Bok's case for moral education in American colleges and universities. Second, closely following Bok's account, I provide a brief history of moral education in 19th century America.