Man and his Environment Notes Essay Example

Man and his Environment Notes Paper Hence, energy flow through an ecosystem is non-cyclic and energy must be continuously supplied to the ecosystem. Suggested and excreted materials (e. G. Faces, urine) and dead organisms contain trapped chemical energy, which is released through the action of decomposer. Approximately 10% of net energy production at one tropic level is passed on to the next level. Not all the energy produced or consumed at each level is passed on. Energy transfer in ecosystems in inefficient. Here are some reasons why: . 3. 4. Energy is needed to carry out life processes. Heat is lost to the surroundings during respiration. Not every part of the organism gets eaten. Not everything consumed is digested by the consumer (e. G. Cellulose from plants cannot be digested by humans) Biology ; Man and His Environment Energy is transferred between tropic levels Organisms in any ecosystem can be classified as producers, consumers and decomposer. The transfer of energy and nutrients is dependent on the feeding relationships of an ecosystem. A food chain shows the sequence of food transfer from one organism to another. Each stage in a food chain is known as a tropic level. Producers: Producers are organisms that are able to produce their own organic matter (e. G. Carbohydrates) from inorganic nutrients (e. G. Water, carbon dioxide) through photosynthesis. We will write a custom essay sample on Man and his Environment Notes specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Man and his Environment Notes specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Man and his Environment Notes specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer They are also known as atrophic organisms or authors (auto-self, troop=nutrition). Other than green plants, algae and certain types of bacteria and unicellular organisms can produce their own food. Consumers: Organisms in the tropic levels above the producers. Herbivores are primary consumers which feed directly on producers. Carnivores are consumers which feed on other consumers. Consumers, which do not make their own food, are also known as heterodox (hetero=other). Decomposer: Decomposer (e. G. Bacteria and fungi) are a group of consumers that obtains their energy from detritus (dead material and waste of organisms from all tropic levels). Organic material from the tissues of organisms (e. G. Reverberates) will be broken down into simpler inorganic substances (e. G. Carbon, nitrogen). These substances can be recycled in the ecosystem. A food web shows the inter-relationships between different food chains. A food web is a more realistic representation of feeding relationships in an ecosystem as consumers usually have more than one source of food and some organisms are a source of food for multiple consumers. Ecological pyramids: Pyramid of numbers and Pyramid of biomass Ecological pyramids are a visual representation of how different populations interact within a community. They are used to compare the different tropic levels in a food chain. They are horizontal bar diagrams, with the producers placed at the base of the pyramid, followed by the primary consumers and so on. Pyramid of numbers Pyramid of biomass A pyramid of biomass compares the *mass A pyramid of numbers compares the of organisms present at each tropic level number of organisms present at each in an area at a particular time. Tropic level in an area at a particular time. *the average dry mass of each species in each tropic level must be obtained, and then multiplied by the estimated total number of individuals in the food chain. Example 1 Example 2. 2 Example 2. 1 Why do the two pyramids in Example 2. 1 and 2. 2 have different shapes? Why do the two pyramids in Example 1 and 2. 1 have different shapes? Most ecological pyramids are pyramid-shaped, but there are some exceptions, as seen in Example 2. In the table above. A pyramid of numbers may appear to be inverted if: Organisms on one tropic level are parasitic on organisms on another tropic level (e. G. Aphids feeding on the sap of an elder tree) Many small organisms on one tropic level feed on a large organism Of another tropic level A pyramid of biomass may appear to be inverted if it includes organisms which reproduce rapidly (e. G. Phytoplankton). (2) Nutrient cycling Inorganic nutrients like carbon and nitrogen can be recycled They are obtained from the biotic environment (e. G. Air, soil) Nutrients are continuously recycled in a balanced ecosystem The Carbon Cycle Carbon is constantly being removed from and released into the environment in the form of carbon dioxide. Thus, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the environment remains relatively constant. The processes involved in the removal of carbon dioxide and its release into the environment make up the carbon cycle. Photosynthesis: Photosynthetic organisms convert carbon, from carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, into carbohydrates. Carbohydrates can also be converted to proteins and fats. Feeding: Animals obtain carbon compounds (e. G. Carbohydrates, proteins and fats) by feeding on plants and other animals. Respiration: Some of the carbon compounds are converted back to carbon dioxide through respiration, which releases energy for cell activities. Decomposition: Decomposer like fungi and bacteria break down the carbon compounds in dead tissue into carbon dioxide, which is returned to the atmosphere Combustion: Some of the remains of dead organisms are locked up as carbon-based fossil fuels like coal and oil. The burning of such fossil fuels releases the stored carbon into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. Ecological field techniques: Quadrate and Transect sampling Within an ecosystem, the Organisms are rarely distributed evenly and Hereford it can be very difficult to count their numbers accurately. Scientists therefore need to adopt appropriate sampling techniques to achieve a realistic estimate of population numbers. Why are such field techniques important? What can we do with the data obtained from these sampling techniques? Quadrate sampling A quadrate is a sampling unit of known area. They are usually taken using square frames of size 1 urn. Quadrate can vary in size, depending on the particular habitat and type of organisms likely to be encountered. Quadrate should be placed randomly so that a representative sample is taken. Transect sampling A transect is simply a line that is stretched over an area that we want to study. Compared to quadrate sampling the transect sample points are arranged in linear fashion. This approach is useful when recording changes in the species composition or population numbers where some sort of transition or environmental gradient exists (e. G. N intertribal area like a sea shore or mangrove, or an area next to where a pollutant is known to be spreading). Impact of Man on the Environment Our ecosystem consists of regularly interacting and interdependent components forming a unified whole, and it is meant to be functioning at a teddy state. However, due to the exponential increase in human population over the years, the impact of man on the environment is increasingly noticeable. Additional information Ecological and carbon footprints An ecological footprint measures the total amount of land and resources used to produce the resources that the population consumes and assimilate the wastes that the population produces. A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment, and in particular climate change. It relates to the amount of greenhouse gases produced in our day-to-day lives through burning fossil eels for electricity, heating and transportation and so on. Calculate your carbon footprint! Http://www. Onus. Du. So/goes/resources/carbonization_calculator. HTML pollution Pollution is the release of substances, which cause harm to living organisms, into the environment. Substances that cause pollution are called pollutants. Water pollution and fasciculation The use of insecticides to kill insects has its impact on other organisms. If insecticides are carried by rainwater into water bodies like rivers and lakes, they can accumulate in high concentrations in the bodies of aquatic organisms. For instance, EDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) is an insecticide that is nonprogrammable, which means that it cannot be broken down by microorganisms. It is insoluble in water and is thus stored in the fatty tissues of organisms that consume it. If consumers keep consuming food that contains EDT, the concentration of EDT will further increase in their bodies. This is called fasciculation. The insecticide is then passed along food chains, increasing the concentration of EDT in the bodies of organisms along the tropic levels. This process is called pontification or pontification. Water pollution by sewage and inorganic waste Water-borne diseases and poisoning Sewage contains waste matter from homes and industries, which contains a lot of disseminating organisms like bacteria if left untreated. If such organisms get into drinking water, water-borne diseases like cholera and typhoid may spread. Inorganic waste from industries, like mercury, lead and zinc can be absorbed by aquatic organisms and cause poisoning (e. G. Intimate mercury poisoning in 1 sass Japan, where many who ate fish from the polluted water were blinded or paralyses). Triplication Triplication is the process where water receives excess nutrients like hostages and nitrates, which causes excessive growth of algae and water plants. Untreated sewage and inorganic fertilizers contains phosphates and nitrates. Inorganic fertilizers that are not absorbed by plants may dissolve in ground water, or get washed by rainwater into water bodies like rivers and lakes. Phosphates and nitrates are nutrients for algae and water plants. As a result, their growth is enhanced. The overgrowth of algae and floating water plants prevent sunlight from reaching the submerged plants. The submerged algae and plants die and are decomposed by bacteria and fungi. As the bacteria multiply rapidly, they use up oxygen in the water. Other organisms such as fish die due to the lack Of oxygen. Environmental biotechnology Sewage treatment Environmental biotechnology is the use of biological science to provide environmentally friendly solutions to red cue pollution. Sewage treatment helps to minimize the effects of water pollution on the environment. Decomposer like bacteria are naturally found in sewage. However, decomposition takes time and occurs at different rates. Sewage treatment in water reclamation plants is a controlled process which ensures that sewage is ropey treated in one location before being released into the environment. The sewage treatment process 1) Sewage from households is channeled into the water reclamation plant. 2) The used water is passed through bar screens to remove large, coarse materials. Primary treatment: 3) The screened liquid is sent to the primary settlement tank. Here, the liquid flow is very slow. This allows solids to settle at the bottom Of the tank as primary sludge. The primary sludge is removed and fed into an anaerobic digester (anaerobic-not requiring oxygen). The top liquid from this tank flows into an aeration tank. Secondary treatment: 4) Activated sludge process in the aeration tank: In the aeration tank, the liquid is mixed with aerobic microorganisms like bacteria. Bubbles of air are pumped into the liquid. The oxygen in the air is used by the microorganisms for aerobic respiration (aerobic-requiring oxygen). The microorganisms absorb and break down organic pollutants in the water into harmless substances and carbon dioxide. ) Final settlement tank: The treated water, together with the microorganisms, is channeled into the final settlement tank. The microorganisms settle to the bottom of the tank as sludge. A portion of this sludge is returned to the aeration tank to be reused. The excess sludge is sent to the anaerobic digester. 6) Clean water at the top of the t ank is collected and may be discharged as effluent into nearby rivers, streams or lakes. The effluent may also be treated further using reverse osmosis technologies (I. E. Neater). Anaerobic digester: The anaerobic digester is a closed tank with no oxygen supply. Anaerobic bacteria decomposes the sludge. Biogas, mainly methane, is produced through the breakdown of the organic matter. The biogas is used as fuel to generate electricity for the reclamation plant. The remaining solid material is removed from the tank, and can be incinerated or used as fertilizer. Think: How is sewage treatment a sustainable practice? Sustainability and Conservation Sustainable development involves meeting the needs of the present without compromising on the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Thus, we wish to maintain, or improve the environmental, economic and social characteristics of the world we live in, in a manner that can be continued into the future. In ecology, sustainability refers to the capacity for biological systems to remain diverse and productive over time. The principles of sustainable development Conservation, which is part and parcel of ensuring sustainable development, is the protection and preservation of natural resources in the environment. Reasons for conservation Maintaining Biodiversity It is important to maintain a large gene pool as many wild plants and animals contain favorable genes. By cross-breeding organisms with favorable genes, we can improve agricultural produce (e. G. Disease-resistant plants) Economic purposes: Plants and animals are major sources of food and raw material. Many tropical plants are sources of medicinal drugs (e. G. Nine which is an anti-malarial drug) It is important to maintain a stable and balanced ecosystem to prevent disruption of nutrient cycles like the carbon cycle (which may lead to global warming), and to alter feeding relationships in ecosystems. Scientific research on wildlife provides useful information to humans Management fisheries Fish are important sources of protein Overfeeding or indiscriminate fishing must be prevented in order to ensure that there is a sustainable yield for each species. The harvest each year should not cause a decline in the population. Sustainability can be ensured through

Alexander Nevsky - Prince of Novgorod and Kiev

Alexander Nevsky - Prince of Novgorod and Kiev The son of an important Russian leader, Alexander Nevsky was elected prince of Novgorod on his own merits. He succeeded in driving invading Swedes from Russian territory and fending off the Teutonic Knights. However, he agreed to pay tribute to the Mongols rather than fight them, a decision for which he has been criticized.  Eventually, he became Grand Prince and worked to restore Russian prosperity and establish Russian sovereignty. After his death, Russia disintegrated into feudal principalities. Also Known As Prince of Novgorod and Kiev; Grand Prince of Vladimir; also spelled Aleksandr Nevski and, in Cyrillic, Ð Ã »Ã µÃ ºÃ' Ã °Ã ½Ã ´Ã'€ Ð Ã µÃ ²Ã' Ã ºÃ ¸Ã ¹ Alexander Nevsky was noted for Stopping the advance of the Swedes and the Teutonic Knights into Russia Occupations Roles in Society Military LeaderPrinceSaint Places of Residence and Influence Russia Important Dates Born:  c. 1220Victorious in battle on the ice:  April 5, 1242Died:  Nov. 14, 1263 Biography Prince of Novgorod and Kiev and Grand Prince of Vladimir, Alexander Nevsky is best known for stopping the advance of the Swedes and the Teutonic Knights into Russia. At the same time, he paid tribute to the Mongols instead of attempting to fight them off, a position that has been attacked as cowardly but which may have been simply a matter of understanding his limits. The son of Yaroslav II Vsevolodovich, grand prince of Vladimir and foremost Russian leader, Alexander was elected prince of Novgorod (primarily a military post) in 1236. In 1239 he married Alexandra, the daughter of the Prince of Polotsk. For some time the Novgorodians had moved into Finnish territory, which was controlled by the Swedes. To punish them for this encroachment and to bar Russias access to the sea, the Swedes invaded Russia in 1240. Alexander scored a significant victory against them at the confluence of the Rivers Izhora and Neva, whereby he got his honorific, Nevsky. However, several months later he was expelled from Novgorod for interfering in city affairs. Not long afterward, Pope Gregory IX began urging the Teutonic Knights to Christianize the Baltic region, even though there were Christians already there. In the face of this threat, Alexander was invited to return to Novgorod and, after several confrontations, he defeated the knights in a famous battle on the frozen channel between Lakes Chud and Pskov in April 1242. Alexander eventually stopped the eastward expansion of both the Swedes and Germans. But another serious problem prevailed in the east. Mongol armies were conquering portions of Russia, which was not politically unified. Alexanders father agreed to serve the new Mongol rulers, but he died in September 1246. This left the throne of the Grand Prince vacant, and both Alexander and his younger brother Andrew appealed to Khan Batu of the Mongol Golden Horde. Batu sent them to the Great Khan, who violated Russian custom by selecting Andrew as Grand Prince, probably because Alexander was favored by Batu, who was out of favor with the Great Khan. Alexander settled for being made the prince of Kiev. Andrew began to conspire with other Russian princes and western nations against the Mongol overlords. Alexander took the opportunity to denounce his brother to Batus son Sartak. Sartak sent an army to depose Andrew, and Alexander was installed as Grand Prince in his place. As Grand Prince, Alexander worked to restore Russian prosperity by building fortifications and churches and passing laws. He continued to control Novgorod through his son Vasily. This altered the tradition of rule from one based on a process of invitation to institutional sovereignty. In 1255 Novgorod expelled Vasily, and Alexander put together an army and got Vasily back on the throne. In 1257 a rebellion broke out in Novgorod in response to an impending census and taxation. Alexander helped forced the city to submit, probably fearing that the Mongols would punish all of Russia for Novgorods actions. More uprisings broke out in 1262 against the Muslim tax farmers of the Golden Horde, and Alexander succeeded in averting reprisals by journeying to Saray on the Volga and speaking to the Khan there. He also obtained an exemption for Russians from a draft. On the way home, Alexander Nevsky died in Gorodets. After his death, Russia disintegrated into feuding principalities but his son Daniel would found the house of Moscow, which would eventually reunite northern Russian lands. Alexander Nevsky was supported by the Russian Orthodox Church, which made him a saint in 1547.

Child Exploitation in War Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Child Exploitation in War - Research Proposal Example ets walking through the rubble of destruction and relatively large children carrying revolvers and AK-47s[5, page2] on their still underdeveloped shoulders. At least two million children have died in last decade as a result of wars waged by adults; many targeted as non-combatants or killed in action as soldiers. And three times that number were injured and disabled [1, page 1]. Carol in [1, page 2] discusses how the last decade (90s period has witnessed development of new laws and UN backing the cause to immune children from the ills of wars and conflicts. Irrespective of the winners of war, damage is inevitable to both sides in terms of destruction and civilian killings. She also lays importance on the education factor and its importance in reviving (and in less effect quarantine) children from war`s blow. Ethnic conflicts witnessed recently (middle east Palestine-Israel border and Afghanistan etc) and still going on in mainly parts of Africa has seen local militia enrolling brain washed children with weapons and ready to fight like a hero in the eyes of local public. In Children and War, J Pearn gives thorough insight into the â€Å"changes† that are brought into the lives of children who experience the conflicts and wars. First of all, there are injuries and even loss of body parts (mainly limbs, due to lad mine explosions, and shooting & shelling that goes on in their neighborhood). It is a common noticeable fact that elderly people and small children have relatively weak immune system, hence they can`t cope up with fatal injuries and post traumatic shock in post war scenario. Children age group between 8-18 years is a growing body and mind. Early life experiences and situations are etched in human minds for a long time and help in developing our personalities and attitudes toward life. Since the only thing that war torn areas notice is violence and blood and anger, these expressions are imprinted deep inside the psyche of small children who on growing up

How the life and personal qualities of Harry Bridges can inspire us to Scholarship Essay

How the life and personal qualities of Harry Bridges can inspire us to achieve our goals today - Scholarship Essay Example After completing school, Bridges declined to enter his father’s real estate business, choosing to be a merchant seaman at 16. In 1920, Bridges entered the USA, and became a longshoreman at San Francisco in 1922. Bridges protested against the stranglehold of the ship owners through the company-controlled Longshoremens Association of San Francisco and the Bay Region (the Blue Book Union). Speedups, arbitrary dismissals, blacklisting of militant workers, low wages, long hours and dangerous working conditions were endemic on the docks. Bridges earned support among the longshoremen for the revival of the local of the International Longshoremen’s Association, advocating "Organization...rank and file control... unity of action... union democracy... solidarity among all Coast ports... among all unions,† (ILWU website). The local ILA was formed in 1933. Despite pressure from the Roosevelt administration, theories of a communist conspiracy and media opposition, the 1934 Wes t Coast Longshore Strike began on May 9, with Bridges as the chairman of the Strike Committee. Bridges formed a coalition of all waterfront workers and effectively stopped shipping on the West Coast. On July 5, "Bloody Thursday," the police charged the workers picket lines, shooting into the ranks of unarmed men, and wounded over one hundred men. Two men were killed. This led to a general strike and finally, arbitration commenced, with the unions successfully negotiating joint hiring-halls, a thirty hour week, higher wages, union recognition and coast-wide contracts. In 1937, Bridges founded the ILWU, serving as President for 40 years. Bridges life was characterized by a shining integrity which one cannot fail to admire. He remained steadfast in his loyalty to his fellow-workers, insisting that the salary of all union officials be the same as that of a longshoreman’s wages. His tactics are a shining example of the adage ‘United we stand,

How Psychological Research Has Helped in the Understanding of Criminal Behaviour Essay Example for Free

How Psychological Research Has Helped in the Understanding of Criminal Behaviour Essay Albert Bandura created the bobo doll experiment in 1961, the aim of this experiment was to show that if children where witnesses to aggressive displays by an adult of some sort they would imitate this behaviour when given an opportunity. The tested group contained 36 young girls and 36 young boys all aged between 4 and 5 years which was then divided into 3 groups of 24 – the aggressive condition, the non aggressive condition and the control group. The first group involved the children watching aggressive models, where the children where then subdivided by sex of the role model they were exposed to. The second group involved the children watched non aggressive models, where the children were also subdivided by the sex of the role model which they were exposed to. This left the two conditioned groups subdivided into eight experimental groups each containing 6 subjects. They were 6 boys with the same sex model, 6 boys with opposite model, 6 girls with the same sex model and 6 girls with the opposite model. With 3 different groups, Bandura had created a complicated design for the study which resulted in 3 independent variables; the conditions the children were exposed to, the sex of the child and the sex of the role model. Each child was then tested individually and the findings where then recorded. The experiment was done in an artificial environment and the researcher manipulated the independent variables into the conditions. In stage one of the experiment, the children were brought into the experimental room by the examiner. The room was set out as a nursery play room since that was the appropriate setting for the age of the children. One corner of the room had been arranged as a child’s play area consisting of a small table and chair and picture stickers. In the opposite corner of the room was where the adult models would be followed by a small table and chair, tinker toy set and a five foot bobo doll. In the aggressive condition the model began by playing with the tinker toy set but after a couple minutes the model turned its attention to the bobo doll and was aggressive towards the doll in a very distinctive way. Were as in the non aggressive condition the model ignored the bobo doll and played with the tinker toys in a gentle manner. After 10 minutes the children where then taken into new room. In stage two of the experiment the children were brought into a room with relativity attractive toys. In this room the children were to be subjected to mild aggression arousal. Once the children started to play with the toys, the experimenter took them off the children claiming they had been reserved for the other children. The children were then taken into the last and final room for stage three of the experiment. In this room the children were told they could play with any toys in there, the toys in stage three consisted of both non aggressive and aggressive toys. The children were kept in the room for 20 minutes where observations were made through a one way mirror by judges. With the observation and findings of this experiment, three measures of imitation were obtained. For this study the observers’ looked specifically for responses from the children that were very similar to the display by the adult model. They included; imitation of physical aggression, imitation of verbal aggression and imitation of non verbal aggression. With these observations, the researchers were able to consider which children imitate the models, which models the children imitated and whether the children showed a general increase of aggressive behaviour. The main findings of this study were that the children in aggressive model condition made more aggressive responses than the children in the non aggressive condition. They also found that the boys made more aggressive responses than girls, as well as the sex of the children being more aggressive if the model was of the same sex. These findings support Bandura’s social learning theory that children learn social behaviour through observation learning, which children learn through imitation. This study has helped in the understanding of criminal behaviour as children learn through imitation and the environment which they grow up in have an effect on their behaviour. If a child has been brought up around abuse, criminal activity or consistent aggression then the child is most likely to offend by imitating their role model which could be a parent, sibling or even just a role model which they look up to. Philip Zimbardo (1971) Stanford prison experiment – Dr Philip Zimbardo created the Stanford prison experiment in 1971, the aim of this experiment was to find out the psychological effects of prison life, and to what extent can moral people be seduced to act immorally. The study consisted of 24 students selected out of 75, the roles of these 24 men were randomly assigned, 12 to play prison guards and 12 to play prisoners. The prison set up was built inside the Stanford’s psychological department, doors where taken of laboratory rooms and replaced with steel bars in order to create cells. At the end of the corridor was the small opening which became the solitary confinement for the ‘bad prisoners’. Throughout the prison there were no windows or clocks to judge the passage in time, which resulted in time distorting experiences. After only a few hours, the participants adapted to their roles well beyond expectations, the officers starting displaying authorisation and subject some of the prisoners to humiliation and torture whilst the prisoners developed passive attitudes towards the guards and accepted the physical abuse that was given to them. On the second day with surprise an unexpected rebellion broke out, reinforcement was called and more guards where to be on duty however the prisoners refused to leave their cells, barricading themselves in. This early in to the experiment the prisoners had already felt a loss of identity to the extent they started to refer to themselves as their inmate number rather than name. Even Dr Zimbardo himself started to lose sight of his role in the experiment believing he was in fact a ‘prison superintendent’ rather than a psychologist. Due to the extent of the rebellion the guards were forced to show more authority over them which led to the creation of the ‘privileged cell’. In order to break down the ‘superior’ inmates the guards placed the good prisoners in the privileged cell for a few hours, then placed the good prisoners back into the bad cells causing confusion within the inmates, breaking the trust and isolating them. Within a week the study was abandoned as the experiment was no longer a simple simulation, instead the guards saw the prisoners as troublemakers they were made out to be. In response to this they began stepping up control, surveillance and aggression whilst the prisoner started breaking down emotionally being unable to handle the situation anymore. From the observations and information given by Dr Zimbardo’s reports, this study has helped in the understanding of criminal behaviour as it relates to imitation and conformity. The guards imitated the behaviour of real guards adapting the role quiet quickly. The prisoners also adapted the role quickly falling into depression and conforming to each other. This also helps how a person mental state can change their behaviour, with the prisoners they soon became depressed and mentally unstable, and this shows that when put into a certain disciplinary situation the mind adapts causing them to act immorally. Solomon Ashce (1951) Conformity experiment- Solomon Ashce conducted the conformity experiment in 1951. The aim of this experiment was to investigate the extent of social pressure from a majority group can affect a person to conform. For this experiment Ashe used a lab experiment. Ashe used 8 participants for this experiment, 7 confederates and 1 naive participant. The 7 confederates had previously agreed to what their responses would be when presented with the line task. However the real participant had no knowledge of this and was led to believe that the other 7 participants were also real. With this experiment each person had to state aloud which line was most like the target line, (A, B or C). The answer was always an obvious one. The real participant always gave his or her answer last in order to see if they conformed or not. In some trials, the confederates gave the wrong answer whereas in some they gave the correct obvious answer. In the experiment there was 18 trials altogether and the confederates gave the wrong answer 12 out of the total 18. Ashce main observation was to find out if the real participant would end up conforming based on the majority views given by the other 7 participants. The results were then drawn up and out of the 18 trails, around 75% of the trials the real participant conformed even though he or she knew the answers were wrong. From the observations, this study has helped in the understanding of criminal behaviour as it explains that criminals may have previously been highly exposed to such aggressive behaviour causing them to conform. This shows that publicly any source of aggressive behaviour or criminal activity can lead to conformity causing more criminal behaviour. Anderson and Dill (2000) – Violence in video games study- Both Anderson and Dill conducted the relation between violence and video games study in 2000. The aim of this study was to find out how violent video games relate to aggressive behaviour. Their first study consisted of 227 students which were given a questionnaire in order to get data on their aggressive behaviour patterns. This study looked at the long-term exposure to video games and what effect it has on aggression towards people. The findings of the first study relating to the questionnaire came back with positive relations between the violence portrayed in video games and aggressive behaviour. The second study which Anderson and Dill conducted was to approach the impact that video games have on aggressive thoughts, social view and mood of a person. This study consisted of 210 students which were given a choice of 2 video games a non violent game ‘Myst’ or a violent interactive video game ‘Wolfstein 3D’. With the non violent game the objective was to travel the island of Myst, finding clues and making your own ending depending on the journey you took. With the violent game the objective was to eliminate the enemy ‘Adolf Hitler’ choosing your own hero and variety of weapons. With each game the students were allocated 3 slots for a period of 15minutes each. The findings of this study concluded Anderson and Dills knowledge and opinions that those exposed to the violent video game gained more aggressive behaviour than those who were not exposed to violence. From the observations, this study has helped in the understanding of criminal behaviour as it states that playing video games may increase aggressive behaviour because the violent acts are continually repeated throughout the game. Video games also encourage players to identify and interact through role play of their favourite characters causing them to imitate the character they are playing. Referring to first person in a game, it causes lead players to make their own decisions in the game affecting the actions of the character. Anderson and Dills studies show that after a limited amount of time playing violent video games, a player can start to automatically prime aggressive thoughts which can lead to aggressive behaviour. This shows that continually playing violent video games can affect a person’s thought patters leading to automatic aggressive behaviour through imitation of their favourite characters which could lead to criminal activity. Jahoda name study (1954)- Jahoda created the name study or as it is also called the self fulfilling prophecy. Jahoda studied the Ashanti tribe people who gave their boys ‘soul names’ depending on what day of the week they were born. For example, boys born a Monday were expected to be peaceful and full of good, whereas boys born on Wednesday which were called ‘Kwaku’ were expected to be aggressive and quick tempered. Jahoda found that when looking at prison and court records 13. 5% of boys that had been referred to court to court where from boys that were born on Wednesday, yet they were responsible for over 22% of violent crimes which was significantly higher than would be expected and shows that Wednesdays boys tended to live up to their reputation. However as for the boys born on Monday, they found that only 6. 9% of all juvenile cases where of minor offences. This implies that stereotypes of the boys behaviours depending on which day of the week they were born caused them to live up to expectations of their names. Jahoda concluded from all this that there was indeed nothing magical about the day of the week the boys were born on but of effect of expectations has on a person’s behaviour. From the observations and findings, this study has helped in the understanding of criminal behaviour as it links to the effect of rehabilitation and the study of the self fulfilling prophecy. If the offenders have the expectation that they should behave in such a way, rehabilitation may be more difficult. Overall the psychological theory of criminal behaviour suggests that negative expectations cause curtain’s to behave towards others in a specific way because their stereotypes – self fulfilling prophecy. Rosenthal and Jacobson (1968) – Self fulfilling prophecy- Both Rosenthal and Jacobson also conducted a self fulfilling prophecy study and the way that people behave according to profiling or being stereotyped in 1968. Their study was conducted on students in a classroom which was also known as the ‘Pygmalion in the classroom’. The students were then put into groups of what the students think they will achieve, where they were then treated in a way that their ability group could achieve. All students completed an IQ test before the study. The findings of this study concluded Rosenthal and Jacobson’s theory that when people are put into groups or have been stereotyped into a group can cause people’s behaviour to change as they will live up to the expectations of the stereotype. The findings found were that after two years the students that were put into the group for higher levels achieved higher than the other students in any other group. These students were known to have been given additional feedback and extra attention so the finding expected had were correct. From the findings, this study has helped in the understanding of criminal behaviour as it shows that when categorised into a stereotype, people soon learn to live up to that expectation, behaving in a certain way. This also has an impact on a person’s self esteem, causing them to act undesirably and maybe even lead them to turn to crime. Eden (1990) – Self fulfilling prophecy- Eden also conducted the self fulfilling prophecy study in 1990, this study explains why some people turn to crime due to the way they have been stereotyped or labelled into a certain group. For this study, Eden looked at the training of 1000 Israeli soldiers and had them organised into 29 platoons. Some platoon trainers were told their groups were above the average potential but other trainers were told nothing. The findings of this study showed that after 10 weeks the performance of all soldiers were assessed and was found that on both the written exam and weapon test, the soldiers who had been told they were above the average potential did overall better than others, even though all soldiers were at an average level. These findings concluded Eden’s expectations that when labelled into a certain group, a person can adjust to behave according to expectations within the labelled group. This study has helped in understanding of criminal behaviour as it shows the stereotypes and labelled groups can influence a person’s self esteem leading them to behave in a certain way and if the stereotype is negative it can cause a person to turn to crime. Sheehan (1983) – TV violence and aggression Sheehan conducted the TV violence and aggression study in 1983. This study consisted of a group of middle class children aged between 5 and 10 to help find the link between children’s TV viewing and aggressive behaviour. Throughout the study data was gathered about the participants’ parents and the researchers also asked about the children’s aggressive fantasies to whether it would physically injure a person. Sheehan found that there were correlations between viewing violence and peer rated correlations for children that were aged between 8 and 10, with the correlations being stronger for the boys than the girls. The results were recorded by looking whether the child injured of irritated another person. These findings can relate to the social learning theory as he found that boys were more likely to imitate male models but overall looking at the data Sheehan collected, those who watched violent TV and films became more aggressive towards others than those who did not. This study has helped in understanding of criminal behaviour as it shows that continuously watching violent and aggressive TV programmes can affect a person’s thought patterns leading to automatic aggressive behaviour and imitation of their favourite characters which could lead to criminal activity.

Illegal Immigration from Mexico: Law, People and Business

Illegal Immigration from Mexico: Law, People and Business Illegal Immigration from Mexico: The Contradiction Between the Law, the People, and Business I. Introduction Before the nineteenth century migration between Mexico and the United States of America was open and did not require any type of verification between the two countries. After the nineteenth century, individuals who crossed the border into the United States without authorization were labeled illegal immigrants[1] These immigrants typically crossed into the United States because of labor shortages and economic disparity. In this essay, I will demonstrate that in regard to Mexican and Latin American illegal immigration, there is a contradiction between the law, business, and public opinion. This will be accomplished through a sociological perspective that will highlight a conflict theory outlook. First, a historical explanation is needed to frame the problem in proper context. II. Mexican Illegal Immigration History As a result of the Mexican American war, Mexico lost a large portion if its northern territory. The Mexicans who lived in this newly acquired area were given American citizenship and movement on the new border remained in flux. In the beginning of the nineteenth century a few inspection stations were created at the ports of entry along the southern border. World war one caused a labor shortage due to a sudden relocation of a mass amount of American males. Mexicans migrated to the United States and filled in the labor shortage caused by the lack of American males. The open border policy changed during prohibition due to a large amount of Mexican alcohol smugglers. The United States border patrol was created in reaction to smuggling in nineteen twenty-four. Additionally, the great depression caused a negative opinion of Mexican immigrants and mass deportations happened between nineteen twenty-nine to nineteen thirty-nine. When the United States entered world war two, a labor shortage s pread across the country. To cure the problem, the Bracero Program was created: [W]hich allowed millions of Mexican men to come to the United States to work on, short-term, primarily agricultural labor contracts. From 1942 to 1964, 4.6 million contracts were signed.[2] The program was ended due to mistreatment of the workers and the xenophobic public opinion. Although the program was terminated, Mexicans kept crossing the border for better economic opportunities. In response to the flux of Mexican migration, the United States: [E]nacted Operation Wetback, a campaign to deport Mexican workers who were in the country illegally. The program succeeded in rounding up over 1 million people, most of them men.[3] Soon after Operation Wetback, maquiladoras were created on the northern border of Mexico to provide cheap labor for United States businesses. Maquiladoras are factories that create and distribute products. They are typically located in impoverished countries and create products for more affluent countries. In addition, an agreement between the United States, Canada, and Mexico termed NAFTA was created to eliminate tariffs between the countries. Although NAFTA helped the elite in Mexico, it did not help the poor, thus the amount of migration to the United States increased. III. The Contradiction Between the Law, the People, and Business The policies that the United States government has created to stop or slow down the rate of illegal immigration is in conflict with the demand of cheap labor by companies located within the United States. Additionally, public opinion constantly alters and contradicts the policy and business needs. For instance, after world war one, the Bracero program became problematic because of public opinion, therefore a new policy was created to stop the flow of migration. Karl Marx defined capitalism as an economic system composed mainly of capitalists and the proletariat, in which one class (capitalists) exploits the other (proletariat).[4] It is apparent that the dominant ideology was tacit with its workers being sent to a war, which created a need for labor. The bourgeoisie exploited the Mexican migrants for the sake of maintaining their surplus value.[5] The Mexican workers were not the original proletariat but of a lower class, called the lumpenproletariat.[6] Eventually, when the workers came back from war, they were at odds with the Mexican lumpenproletariat, which created an alienation[7] between the two workers. The bourgeoisie/capitalist helped create this contradiction and conflict between the two different workers (Mexican migrants and American workers) and ultimately benefits from a conflict between them. Additionally, the bourgeoisie promotes and creates maquiladoras on the northern border of Mexico for cheap labor in the creation of products that they will profit from. However, the American public opinion opposes these factories because the factory jobs from the United States are abolished and relocated to Mexico. The bourgeoisie controls the means of production or the things that are needed for production to take place (including tools, machinery, raw materials, and factories).[8] In sum, the bourgeoisie promotion of factories in Mexico is in conflict with the workers and public opinion. IV. Laws That Have Led to Modern Day Slave Labor The Bracero program was implemented as a solution to the labor shortage during the war. Consequently, the Mexicans who filled in the gap did not receive the same amount of pay as United State citizens.[9] An instance of modern slavery is being paid a wage that is not enough to survive on. The program was used to exploit the workers and Mexico doubted that a legitimate labor scarcity existed and viewed the Bracero program as a way for the U.S. to obtain cheap labor.[10] Indeed, it seems that the bourgeoisie used this opportunity to pay the Mexicans a lower subsistence wage[11] than their American counterparts. Marxs theory of value claims that all value comes from labor and is therefore traceable, in capitalism, to the worker,[12] which is evident by the exploitation of the workers surplus value. Once the American workers came back from war, a campaign by the people was created to deport the Mexican workers. The campaign was successful and Operation Wetback was created in conjunction to sanctions on immigration. Consequently, once these laws were created, the term illegal alien became widely used. These so called illegal aliens came to the United States in defiance to newly created laws and were given an even lower wage. In sum, these new policies created an underclass of workers that the bourgeoisie exploited. Other policies such as NAFTA created a work scarcity in Mexico that has led to more illegal migration into the United States that the bourgeoisie is eager to exploit. Indeed, since the wages of many Mexican immigrants is not enough to survive on, policies have lead to this exploitation which can be labeled as modern day slave labor. V. Confronting the Problem It seems that neither the American nor the Mexican workers are aware of the exploitation that the bourgeoisie uses for monetary growth. Marx claimed that even the bourgeoisie may not be aware of this exploitation. He claims, The capitalists think that they are being rewarded, not because of their exploitation of the workers, but for their cleverness, their capital investment, their manipulation of the market, and so on. The capitalists are too busy making more money, in money grubbing, ever to get a true understanding of the exploitative nature if their relationship with workers.[13] Marx termed this as false consciousness, and he believed that the workers were capable of being aware of this exploitation through class consciousness. Therefore, a solution to this inequality first requires that the worker be aware of the inequality and then take action to overcome the issue of exploitation, otherwise known as praxis.[14] Consequently, this may be a difficult task, due to the fact that the different workers are in a constant clash with themselves and the bourgeoisie. VI. Conclusion In regard to illegal immigration in the United States, there is a contradiction between the law, business, and public opinion. The border between the United States and Mexico remained open to migration until the early nineteenth century. However, when in a labor shortage, the United States would open its borders to Mexican workers. Once workers returned, the borders were closed, and laws and programs were created to halt or slow down migration. These new policies did not completely stop migration and in some cases may have increased it. Subsequently, these new illegal immigrants were taken advantage of by the bourgeoisie with a salary that was below a subsistent wage, which can be labeled as modern day slavery. Without consciousness, it seems that the workers will be stuck in a revolving Sisyphean conflict between each other and the capitalists. [1] In addition, derogatory terms were used by the public and politicians. [2] http://www.labor.ucla.edu/what-we-do/labor-studies/research-tools/the-bracero-program/ [3] https://origins.osu.edu/milestones/may-2014-immigrant-deportations-today-and-continuing-legacy-operation-wetback [4] Book pg 25 [5] Define surplus value [6] Define lumpenprol [7] Define alienation [8] Pg 25 [9] http://www.unco.edu/cohmlp/pdfs/bracero_program_powerpoint.pdf [10] ibid [11] Define subsistence [12] Pg26 [13] Pg27 [14] Define praxis

Organizational Culture at Wal-Mart Essay

Explain how viable employee relations’ practices have contributed to Wal-Mart’s success as an employer When you think of the world’s largest retailer, Wal-Mart is usually the first name that comes to mind in its industry. With over 2 million employees, one must ask them-selves, why is Wal-Mart so successful and popular among employees? As a corporation, Wal-Mart focuses closely on its corporate culture and behaviors throughout the organization; paying close attention to satisfying both its customers and its employees. The company engages its employees to be happy to serve its customers, which is the reason they are employed. In an article titled, A culture of corporate at Wal-Mart, the author interviews a Wal-Mart management employee and writes, [â€Å"I think they’re very excited about us being here,† Copeland said, in reference to her staffers. â€Å"Just having to adjust [to the fact] that this is kind of like, corporate. That’s what we are. It’s not a typical ‘oh, I’m just coming to work.’ †¦ It’s not just being a cashier forever. Once they learned the benefits, the culture, it all started at the hiring center, it all started with the interviews. The expectations and what we wanted. They just carried that on from there. It’s like a fever everybody’s caught. This is just what it is. This is how our stores operate.†] (Yates, C.). Wal-Mart’s motto when it comes to employees is â€Å"our people make a difference† (Walmart). The company believes that its employees are the heart of its business and build an environment that is based upon integrity, respect, open-communication, and innovation. In fact, Wal-Mart has created four beliefs that it stands by to meet its purpose. Those beliefs are, â€Å"service to our customers, respect for the individual, strive for excellence, and act with integrity† (Walmart). Associates and corporate employees are reminded of those beliefs and strive to act on them every day. Even with bad publicity and criticism, Wal-Mart is still making plans to move forward to improve its employment practices and boost employment in the nation. In 2013, the company announced it would have plans to hire at least one hundred thousand veterans, purchase $50 billion dollars in American made products to help create various new jobs, and promote part-time workers to full-time. These types of employee relations’ practices help to relieve some of the bad criticism Wal-Mart has received and  contribute to retention among its employees in the corporation. Determine how the benefits may contribute to the success of Wal-Mart’s employment practice In today’s world, having great benefits are a deal breaker for many employees when choosing a company to work for. With the high cost of individual healthcare, workers want to ensure they are receiving the best benefits amongst competitors in their prospective industries. Wal-Mart focuses on offering affordable benefits to its employees that include health benefits such as health, dental, and vision with four dollar co-pays for generic medicines, financial benefits such retirement plans, employee stock purchase, employee discounts at Wal-Mart stores and subsidiaries, and discounts wireless services. The company offers great benefits that for sure contribute to best employment practices and the retention employees. These employee benefits are also contributing factors of why there aren’t many unions within the corporation; because many employees are satisfied. Describe how the organizational culture and the use of performance criteria could affect the introduction of a union Unionization is described as â€Å"the process of organizing the employees of a company into a labor union which will act as an intermediary between the employees and company management† (BusinessDictionary). In most cases, when management does not effectively communicate with employees on issues and concerns within the company, employees seek to form a union to act as the liaison on issues they would like resolved. Wal-Mart as a company is highly concerned about addressing issues with its employees. In fact, the company has created a open door policy that states [â€Å"We believe open communication is critical to understanding our associates’ and our customers’ needs. Associates can trust and rely on our open door policy. You are encouraged to raise your questions, concerns and ideas to your management team. This is how we get better.†] (Walmart). Wal-Mart is very much aware of criticized issues and continues to use the employee relation’s process to come up with best practice solutions to rectify these issues for  a more satisfied employee. Discuss why you believe Wal-Mart has not been effectively unionized over the years I believe that unionization has not been effective over the years because of the open door policy that Wal-Mart creates with its employees. Employees may realize the pros and cons of a union and either back out or I believe once Wal-Mart realizes employees feel their concerns are not being handled effectively, as organization they quickly organize a plan of action. In an article titled, Walmart: We Aren’t Unionized Because Workers Don’t Want Unions, the Director of Communications Steve Restivo states, â€Å"We have a clear and open line of communication with our associates. Our associates recognize that they appreciate that, and they know that the wages and benefits they receive are extremely competitive in the industry.† (DePillis, L.). â€Æ'References and Citations Walmart Corporate – Working at Walmart. (n.d.). Walmart Corporate – Working at Walmart. Retrieved May 4, 2014, from http://corporate.walmart.com/our-story/working-at-walmart/ Yates, C. (2013, December 4). A culture of corporate at Wal-Mart. Washington Post. Retrieved May 4, 2014, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/local/wp/2013/12/04/a-culture-of-corporate-at-wal-mart/?tid=pm_local_pop Working At Walmart. (n.d.). Walmart Careers. Retrieved May 4, 2014, from http://careers.walmart.com/about-us/working-at-walmart/#benefits-accordion Vranjes, T. (2013, February 9). Walmart Promises Bold Moves to Boost Employment  « Revive My Career. Revive My Career Walmart Promises Bold Moves to Boost Employment Comments. Retrieved May 4, 2014, from http://www.revivemycareer.com/2013/02/19/walmart-promises-bold-moves-to-boost-employment/ DePillis, L. (2011, May 19). Walmart: We Aren’t Unionized Because Workers Don’t Want Unions. Housing Complex RSS. Retrieved May 4, 2014, from http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/housingcomplex/2011/05/19/walmart-we-arent-unionized-because-workers-dont-want-unions/ What is unionization?