Physical Punishment and the Child

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There are different methods and ways to punish a child for misbehaving whether inside or outside the house. The need to physically punish a child all depends on the parents and how they have would like to raise the child. The need to discipline a child can vary from parent to parent and it could also depend on how they were raised themselves.

Though this issue a controversial among researchers on how children should get punished whether it be physically or verbally, it allows them to learn from their mistakes and understand it should not happen again. The child will think the parent may be taken an anger issue out on them if they get spanked, too hard or beyond what is needed for the punishment. This will cause the child to be aggressive with the parent (1)***. If the parent is going through an emotional situation then the child will be getting spanked more than what it is needed. When a child gets spanked by one of the parents, it will be shown as aggressiveness towards the child. It could help force the child to become violent in the current stages of human development and as they mature into adulthood (2)***. A second reason children should not be spanked is the ineffectiveness of this punishment. Although spanking is useful, there are other ways to discipline a child (1)***. Isolating a child and putting the child in “time out” is not physically abusing the child. Though may be left alone in the room, it is another way of punishing the child. They should be allowed to think about their actions and behaviors before getting spanked by a parent. Along with this is taking away the personal items and those they enjoy using such as the cell phone or the car that they drive daily. They are not privileged to do certain activities (3)***. A third reason why children should not get spanked is the action and parenting style. Positive parenting allows the parent to sit down with the child to allow them to have the attention that is needed or the attention that they want. Most likely the child wants attention and when they misbehave, they have no sense or idea on how to control their emotions. After the one-on-one session is over, the children should get a better understanding on how they should handle the situation instead of getting out of place. They will also get am understanding of others’ feelings, making moral decisions, and how they are expected to behave (4)***.

Although most people do not believe in physical punishment or never spanked their child before, then they should believe that it can be very useful. If a child get physically punished, then they will learn the how to conduct themselves at school, in public, around family members, and in the general public. Spanking children allows them to be well trained and disciplined. They learn to respect people of higher authority properly. If children are not spanked, sometimes this may be the case, and then teachers will have trouble controlling the child in the classroom. This does take instructional time out from the class and causes the teacher to disciple the child on their own during teaching time (5)***. The next reason why a child should get spanked is to allow them to know they should not misbehave in public, embarrassing the parent. For example, Juanita would not want her child William to be running around and throwing toys around while they are in Wal-Mart. The spanking they will get while in the store will tell let the child be ware that they should not act they way ever again going into any store or elsewhere outside the house (9)***. Lastly, spanking a child will teach them how to obey their parents and teach them how to raise a family of their own. It will always be reasonable to develop moral values and a family oriented child at an early age or when they start to understand the true meaning of family. When an adult discipline a child they are setting an example for them. Children do watch what their parents do and they see how they treat other people. So if a child is misbehaving, they will be set in place on how to behave and stay in a child’s place. It is reality for a parent to respect what the child will do, but they should always have a limit to everything they would like to do (10)***.

Punishing a child physically is often done my many parents. It is an option of punishment or the act of quickly disciple of the children of certain actions. I can not say that I’m against spanking children since it will have to be done by someone whether by school officials or the parents. Spanking teaches children right from wrong. If they misbehave in school, then they need to be the physically punishment. Abusing a child should not ever happen when they are getting spanked. Sometimes a parent does not have to always spank their child of in appropriate conduct (1)***. Positive discipline can be reinforced at the home by having a family meeting once a week and discuss some of the issues the child may be facing that is causing them to suffer the consequences. Instead of always spanking the children, parents should be able to want to teach the child how to be a better respecting person and to help develop good decision making skills. If they are trouble makers, they will gain the sense of being less violent. The child will also understand how to handle challenging situations in a responsible way instead of misbehaving. They should think before they act (6)***. There are always to discipline a child besides getting spanked and having it lead to a case of child abuse.

Parents may not want to be too strict when it comes to raising their child; however, they do not want to seem weak and afraid which may lead to them neglecting their son or daughter. Bad parenting skills do exist in this world. Most likely parents would use the authoritative parenting style since they are not overly restricting their child and they are also being nonviolent in his or her life. Parents as the authoritative figure are going to raise a spoiled child, but let them earn their needs and wants on their own (4)***. A parent of this style may have been raised themselves in this manner offering encouragement when it is needed and learning to do things on their own and not have to depend on someone else. If a child is raised in a traditional household they may not be acceptable at school, but they will show how well mannered and studious they are when report cards goes out (7)***. A parent who is able to handle their child in the authoritative style will not find the need to use physical punishment. The parent will be effective in the raising of their own child and mostly like be appreciated when their child have children of their own to raise. When a child knows that he or she has been granted limited freedom to do what they freely would like to do and being able knows they will have to deal with any consequences from any choice they make, then the child’s self-esteem will be high. A parent that stand his or her ground and give orders, allowing the child to have multiple choices, and having a democratic household will impact their child which leads to a good living environment and a strong family (8)***.

In the future of raising a child, I will use the physical punishment whenever my child misbehaves. If the situation is over the limit of my tolerating the ordeal, then the child will really get more than a spanking. In that case, the spanking will only be viewed as warning. I would use spanking and the beating of the child to support the discipline side of raising my child because he or she should understand right from wrong and learn from mistakes like older people should learn from their past. Using physically punishment will not reach the limit of child abuse because that will affect the child in the way of he or she being scared of me. No child should be really terrified of their parents; however, they should be scared if they know what will happen after getting spanked or told not to do this or that and they still are disobeying. Sometimes I would use different methods to punish the child and maybe even offer choices of punishments. I don’t think I could not go a week without beating on my child or a quick pop upside the head. Things happen, but they should also learn to be a big, mature person and know to think before they act because they all ready know the consequences. So, there are different ways I can punish my child. Physical punishment will come into play when it is actually needed for a child to get hit or scold at for misbehaving.

Sources:

  1. http://faculty.biola.edu/paulp/spare_the_rod.htm***
  2. http://www.endcorporalpunishment.org/pages/pdfs/Gershoff-2002.pdf***
  3. http://www.naturalchild.org/james_kimmel/punishment.html***
  4. King, Laura A. The Science of Psychology.***
  5. http://www.adolescenthealth.org/PositionPaper_Corporal_Punishment_in_Schools.pdf***
  6. http://www.stophitting.com/disathome/PositiveDiscipline-WhatItIsandHowToDoIt.pdf***
  7. http://www.brainy-child.com/article/parenting-styles.shtml***
  8. http://www.lifematters.com/parenting_styles.asp***
  9. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=13&entry_id=12948***
  10. http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/H/HE-0678/***
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The Neurotransmitter: Dopamine

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The brain is a very complex organ of the human body system. It is a very interesting subject on how the each part of the brain works in order to coordinate the rest of our body. There are different resources and technology that allows researchers to understand the structure and function of our brain. It is also interesting how neurotransmitters communicate with the brain and neurons. Of all the neurotransmitters presented in the textbook, I have chosen dopamine. This neurotransmitter is important to the body since it helps body movements and the muscles (freely and voluntarily) and controls human behavior like sleep and mood. It also affects a person’s attention and the ability to learn (1)***.

Low levels of dopamine can deal with Parkinson’s disease. This has to do with the body slowly shutting down because the lack of dopamine. Then body will enter a dysfunctional state (2)***. In general, a person with a low level of dopamine will have trouble, and it could become a problem, with concentrating to complete daily tasks and even moving around as the disease starts to spread. Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) will also show a low level of dopamine. Either the child can be focused on doing something for his or her parents and then run off and do something else or not be attentive of listening to the teacher at school. Also, the child could be very hyper with too much energy or have problems sitting still in one place for a certain period of time (3)***. On the other hand, having too much dopamine can lead to the mental disorder called schizophrenia. People over the age of eighteen would most likely have this psychology disorder. People with this mental disorder will start to go crazy and have an overload of thought process which will lead them to thinking that people are trying to kill them for some reason or another. Also, this patient may think people are controlling them and you could even see them (4)***. They are literally going crazy. They are over thinking and have excess dopamine.

If a person has a low level of dopamine such as Parkinson’s disease, the neurotransmitter is not doing its job to get released and allow the brain and body to get the right about of this chemical substance in order to function correctly. The neurotransmitter has to process through the frontal lube of the brain. In the process of the flow, dopamine can either be released as too little chemical or too much. Too little dopamine cut off most of what frontal lube needs in order to properly function. If there is too much and not equal in the limbic system and not enough in the cortex, then not be successful in understanding what the brain should do in order to allow us to think or use any mental skills (5)***. The frontal lube controls what the dopamine neurotransmitter should allow us to such as thinking, using the muscles, human personality, and our emotions (1)***.

In order to treat any mental illness or disease we must use drugs either legal or illegal. Dopamine receptors are activated by drugs that will make us feel high and sometimes they leave us feeling dreading daily activities and tired. They are to stimulant the brain and allow researchers to conduct various experiments from the effects of using such drugs. Drugs can either be agonist that copies or produce more of what a neurotransmitter does or antagonist that will cause the drug to be blocked and take no effect of the neurotransmitter (1)***.

People with a low level of dopamine or most likely have Parkinson’s disease can be treated with L-DOPA or levodopa. This will help increase the lack of dopamine a person may be receiving. However, the combination of Levodopa-Carbidopa is what will be actually given out as treatment. Levodopa is a central nervous system agent that will convert to dopamine so it will be admitted to the brain and carbidopa will then make sure that the levodopa will not break down as it enters the brain (6)***. This medicine is an agonist since it acts serve as the neurotransmitter. This is also used to treat people who have dystonia that causes the muscles to get out of control and involuntarily be controlling body part (7)***. Some of the side effects that a person could face include, but not limited to vomiting, constipation, a person could also a change of taste for food or the way the food tastes like, difficult swallowing, depression/suicide thoughts, and red blood stools.

There are several drugs that could be given as choices to those who may have schizophrenia or any of the relative symptoms. There are numerous amounts of drugs a person can choose from when they show sign or have schizophrenia. However, they should first check with the doctor to see which drug is best for them and their condition that they may have. There are two main categories of drugs of schizophrenia- first general antipsychotic and second generation antipsychotics and there could also be given a combination of drugs as well. Randomly choosing a drug from the Yahoo Health list, I chose Abilify (aripiprazole) (8)***. Adults and adolescents between 13 and 17 can be treated with this medicine; however, they should be aware of any effects or aftermath once they are in the habit of taking the pill or liquid. Abilify helps to bring the high level of “overdosed” dopamine to a controllable manner. In other words, this drug is to ensure that the unbalanced chemical substance can be brought back down to proper condition (9)***. People who may be hearing voices, depressed, having hallucinations, and thoughts of others are going to kill them can take this drug that will benefit them as an actor of the dopamine neurotransmitter. Possible side effects are serious risk of having a stroke (especially for the elderly), movements of the body that the person is having that they can not control, a dramatic change of the heart rate, and problems with diabetes (10)***.

By looking that all of the side effects and special notes that are listed on the website about Abilify, this medicine could help some and for others it could put their life at risk. I believe I can say from reading and doing a lot of researching that a person can not have either too little or too much of the chemical substance dopamine.

Sources:

  1. Laura, King A. Psychology.
  2. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/parkinsons_disease/parkinsons_disease.htm***
  3. http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/adhd.html***
  4. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/schizophrenia/what-is-schizophrenia.shtml***
  5. http://ivy_league0.tripod.com/rhyme_of_the_ancient_wanderer/id51.html***
  6. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a601068.html***
  7. http://www.dystonia-foundation.org/pages/what_is_dystonia_/26.php***
  8. http://health.yahoo.com/other-other/schizophrenia-treatment-overview/healthwise--aa47103.html***
  9. http://health.yahoo.com/other-other/second-generation-antipsychotics-for-treating-schizophrenia/healthwise--aa47298.html***
  10. http://www.abilify.com/abilify/channels/sch_content.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&channelId=-11797***
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Synchroblog: College Style! - "This Really Bugs Me" Roundtable

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The topic This Really Bugs Me did not seem like a hard one at all. I'm sure that everyone was needing to let the world know what really bugs them. What really bugs you? This week each blogger offered a different style and perspective on what irritates them in one way or another. Thank you everyone who decided to step up and participate. Hopefully everyone found this to be fun or at least different. Let's have a week in review of those who have written on what bugs them...

Not everyone enjoys hearing people eat and crunch their food, and sometimes it can be very bothersome. To see exactly why Joshua does not like to hear you or anyone chew, you should ahead over to Relatively Journalizing to read for yourself.....

And I thought my pet peeves were a big deal, but Martin at TheUniversityBlog is amusing, happily ranting about has his rage against being overloaded with too much information as well as students not getting their education in critical thinking before college.....

Torie (torriemichelle.com) feels that the people behind the counters have poor customer services skills. I do agree with what she says because it has happen to me and plenty of others. Go see what else she has to say and leave a comment.....

The Chemist at My Chemical Journey has facts and ideas on the popular coffee chain Starbucks and the overall atmosphere it has while you are in one of them. It was very interesting to read what he had to say. I think this is a very good post you should go read for yourself.....

Lisa  [Allisa] who is the owner of Thunked and Befuddled listed among others, something in particular: "When someone sees you in real life [and you don't see them] and they don't bother to say hi, but later leave a myspace/facebook comment or message saying that they saw you." Go visit her post to what else is on the list of what bugs her.....

Aaron of ..::mentalTHREESIXTY::.. is a blogger I discovered while reading through some comments. He didn't join this event, but his post on the anatomy of a class in a learning environment that appears to be the same in every class such as the student on the cell phone texting or the girl that will ask a million questions, even the dreadful first day of class introductions. Go check his blog out and see what else you can relate with him.....

Sometimes an object that we couldn't imagine would bother someone and be a bit nerve wrecking. I don not think Nathan (This Side of Tomorrow) would have an issue with people who may have an issue with clearing the timer on the microwave. I admitted I just open it up, close the door, and walk out the kitchen. Can you imagine a problem that small could do so much?.....

Nick who owns Don't Stop Believin' caught my attention with the banner and sleek blog look. Creating a list is easier to read and the quickest want to mention when people do not take responsibility, Internet Explorer 7 crashes, and more! Go visit his blog.....

Lastly, but not least, Tim who owns AnotherGuy's Weblog believes that everyone should be appreciated no matter what they are told to do. Protocol is very important when it comes to handling important business such as school funding. He tells the truth about women that want to date a mature man, actually dates a jerk.....

This is a view from the bird's nest. If there is anyone that may have been left out, please get in contact with me. Also future topics, ideas, and suggestions, are welcome. So get at me!

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The Human Genome Project

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The Human Genome Project allows doctors and scientists to look for any flaws in the human genes and DNA in order to find out if people will have any future diseases or conditions that could affect them. It will be possible for mothers of new born babies to find out the risks of diseases or conditions as they get older (1). With the help of this project, doctors can prescribe medication to prevent these causes from happening. An intelligent t and self-driven scientist named James Watson, along with his colleague, started this project in 1951 (2). This project is a joint project between the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health.

The HGP started in 1990 with the effort of trying to sequence all of the human DNA strands. It took about thirteen years to complete this project in 2003. Without the use of advanced technology, this effort of scientific research could have been a fifteen year project. Everyone was very successfully at getting the research done that they were two years ahead of schedule and exactly under budget (4, 5). After all of the hard work these doctors and scientists went through to research biological material, their main purpose was to have the goal of understanding how the human genes are affected in order to provide better strategies and ideas in order to diagnose patients, prevent major diseases and any future conditions, and to treat them medicine and anything else with medical problems (5).

From this project, society will be affected in the way of producing better foods and a more useful environment. Food could be genetically modified from combing genes of two ore more different organisms to produce another product. This could help meet some of the challenges we are facing today. All of this could affect society in one way or another. No matter who we are or what we are doing some of these aspects of food modification are good and bad whether we want it to happen or not. Technology will increase nutrients tolerance, better ways of farming and growing crops. It could also help productivity of common food such as milk, eggs, and meat. On the environment side, chemicals such as bioherbicides and bioinsecticidse could be less harmful, and not scare people away from eating crops that get spread for protection from insects and environment factors (8). While this may help society, it could also harm, or hurt, us in the way of creating a much better source of health risks and unknown factors could harm human health. Major companies could dominate each other once they find a way to improve their materials and products. This can be easily done and we see this happening through several documents about these small harmful industries companies. This project could also lead to foreign exploitation of natural resources in and out of the country. Another aspect of the genome project affecting society is the use of gene therapy. There are different ways doctors could replace a nonfunctional gene with a new one to prevent disease development. However, because of the failed trails during clinical experiments, the Food and Drug Administration has not yet set this product on sale (8).

An ethical issue that relates to the Human Genome Project is the act of keeping confidentiality and privacy with important documents and records. The risk of a patient and outside parities is a safety concern and an issue of who to own and control such information. In other words, there are questions about sharing information on patients to schools, in courts, and even in the military. Psychological concerns includes to changes of one’s belief and identity. By going through these different tests a person change their perceptions about another individual which is a big difference than what was normal before going through the test. This also include minorities and outcasts in society; unacceptable people as well of any gender and ethnic background. In the clinical world the HGP deals with the standard procedures to do genetic therapy with a patient with little to no federal regulation. Also, preparing new professionals to deal with new genetics is an issue and knowing how to promote genetic therapy and surgeries to the general public. Knowing how to approach someone and letting them aware of something that can benefit them but also have the after effects is a risk. There could be a possibility of a health agency getting sued or losing any credentials (9).

Sources:

  1. Laura, King A. Psychology
  2. http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/wat0bio-1
  3. http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/faq/faqs1.shtml#HGP
  4. http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/project/about.shtml
  5. http://www.nih.gov/about/researchresultsforthepublic/HumanGenomeProject.pdf
  6. http://www.accessexcellence.org/RC/AB/IE/Intro_The_Human_Genome.php
  7. http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/gmfood.shtml
  8. http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/medicine/genetherapy.shtml#5
  9. http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/elsi.shtml
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Synchroblog: This Really Bugs Me

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This shouldn't be too hard since it is easy to say what ticks me and what really bothers me. I'm sure this may happen around other campuses or just in the general public. I will do this in the format of a bullet list!

1. Cell phone users: I really abhor those people that like to TEXT and walk directly in front of me. Come on folks! Park your butt and text sitting down. Ugh! It just blows the steam out of my ears. I can be walking around campus and a girl can just be using using her phone and just be walking and just slowly take her time. I just wanted to push her out the darn way. It is not those people that walk fast and use their cell, but those who are taking their time. This also happens in the mall. I do not like it when people are strolling and talking on their phones. Slow people are walking and chit chatting gosh. Go sit down and use the phone.

2. The "I'm all that": Do you get ticked off when people think that are THE STUFF? Wow. It does not take much to get attention, but please be yourself. I hate it when people are loud and they want to be seen and think they are better than anyone else. This reminds me of P Diddy and  his TV show. Who would want to work for him? I sure would not. I've seen people locally that are out there and think they are cool. Peer pressure. Get over it. You're like anyone else when you are not around your friends. I'm not jealous or being a hater, but it gets tiresome seeing the same people creating a scene. You know them when you see them.

3. Homework: I can't forget to add this to the list. I do not like the amount of homework I have to do each week. It does not make any sense at all. I'm always doing some professor's assignment outside the classroom. I guess they don't understand that a day of no homework is a relief. I do have other classes. I guess they really don't know how I feel. Writing so much is draining me. If I wanted to, I could change my major, but I may not do it. Homework is just too much. I get a crap load of work to do and only so many hours. UGH!! This really bugs me because I would like to go a day without doing homework. Five classes plus homework equals an nightmare.

There. Three top issues that bug the heck out of me. It may seem like I vented and which I did, but these are the things that really, really bug me.

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Synchroblog: College Style!

13 comments

The topic This Really Bugs Me. Note: There was a big error in the publishing the posts. The list and original post is lost. However, there is enough information to know what this is all about and contact information listed as well on the blog.

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Psychology: Procrastinators Most Likely to Make Poor Grades

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The research topic “procrastinators are most likely to produce poor grades” is relevant since most college students put tasks aside until the last minute. Procrastination can be a habit or could be a psychological aspect of human nature. Besides producing poor grades, procrastination can lead to an unhealthy meal plan, reaching to the level of anxieties and panic attacks, and distracting. Most important is putting aside what is needed to be done such as homework assignments and other priorities. It is easier to get distracted by playing a computer or surf the Internet for leisure. Being unhealthy and overwhelmed is not good for accomplishing goals. Those who put aside “today’s work for tomorrow” are likely to make a lower grade than expected because there will be a lower confidence level in what the student is suppose to be doing to complete any given task. If the college student realizes that the task is not urgent or highly important, then he or she will end up procrastinating and do something else doing that time period. It is much easier to do the task later rather than now. If the student lacks the energy or effort to complete the task, then that is another excuse to procrastinate on a given task that is needed to be completed (2). It is important for college student to realize how much they procrastinate and what level they are on the spectrum of being a procrastinator. Overcoming it and finding ways around this issue will be very helpful and beneficial.

The best way to find data or information on in finding out if college students procrastinates and make poor grades is to use the descriptive research. This type of research method deals with obtaining different information, or input from, surveys given to the public to help gather public opinions to help make better choices on a certain issue or to get general information. Also standardized tests can be another method of the descriptive research. You are getting results from similar people of the same group with different scores in order to find the differences from the people who may have taken a test. The results from the tests can be interpreted from different people among several cultures. Here, you will get different outcomes and opinion from the results (5). Observing under controlled variables and analyzing the outcomes is possible to describe an experiment. Along with observations and surveys is the case study about an individual who may be diagnosed with a certain condition which could lead to further research. With these case studies, a psychology can compare two or more people to gather empirical information about a particular event or unique aspects (3). Observation research deals with observing people in a controlled or natural environment to discover answers to human behaviors or some scientific research. A scientist will be able to find data that may not be provided, in this case, by surveys or focus groups, but my first hand account. The data uncovers human behavior and the evidence can be easily verified by documentation or reviewing the video that may have been used to record the observation (4).

The subtype of descriptive research is survey since it is quick, but it allows a set of questions for everyone that will be unbiased. The questions allow every person to be able to fill the paper out without having any guilt and can be any topic the experimenter wants to make the survey. A researcher can also leave space for additional comments related to the topic of the survey. The surveys can be present over the telephone, Internet, or in person as people walk past you. This is randomly getting people to give input on any research topic (5). With the use of the survey, the data of finding multiple answers is possible and will be unbiased and mixed among all those who have filled one out. The results can be supported with the use of looking back over the survey in order to validate a well rounded research in order to get what researchers are looking for (6).

I choose this method of descriptive research since it could be easier to collect the data if what answering my research question dealing with procrastination producing poor grades and how it affect students. Though most will answer verbally and they may be the typical excuses, it would better to get the results from the survey as students are walking around campus. However, it could also work if surveys where done in different classes so that the data will be different according to the age, gender, and classification. Then, my research question would be answered since we have so many students to a certain amount that have filled out the surveys. When the surveys are sorted, then the data can be present into a graph, chart, or some organized form. Some of the questions I would ask on the survey would be (given the choices of “almost,” “never,” “sometimes,” and “most of the time): I have motivation to complete plans on time, once I wake up, I fall back to sleep easily, there are times when I struggle to complete a task, I work under pressure to beat the clock, when I get ready for school I drag and get half prepared for class (7). Also, they could be given a list of what would be consider procrastinating what is not and let them choose from the different activities or things they would typical do to avoid homework or anything that is needed to be done before the day is over with (8). The survey could be done in different ways besides the ones I would approach.

Sources:

  1. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2007-01-12-procrastination-study_x.htm
  2. http://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/20070201/why-procrastinate
  3. http://www.okstate.edu/ag/agedcm4h/academic/aged5980a/5980/newpage110.htm
  4. http://www.funderstanding.com/types.cfm
  5. King, Laura A.
  6. http://caret.iste.org/RatingStudy.html
  7. http://clearinghouse.missouriwestern.edu/manuscripts/431.asp
  8. http://blogs.psychologytoday.com/blog/dont-delay/200805/procrastination-is-0
  9. http://edweb.sdsu.edu/Courses/ED690DR/Class01/ResearchTypes.html
  10. http://clcpages.clcillinois.edu/home/soc455/psycweb/research/descriptive.htm
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Does Altruism Exist in Humans?

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Altruism could be defined in one or more definitions. It could also be explained from general knowledge. On the other hand most people would not know exactly the term means. Personally, I have never heard of this word. If humans can be altruistic, which is an adjective that describes someone and their characteristics or personality, is a controversial issue. Not only can it be controversial, could you explain it to a friend? Before going into further research and after reading the text from the textbook, the follow is what I would tell a friend: To just say that altruism is the random act of kindness that is done every day without knowing is so easy. To take it a step further, I believe that altruism is a human behavior and deals with social interaction (1). It also depends on the situation if a person is fully altruistic or if it happens from time to time. They are some scientists, psychologist, and people of every faith that believes that we are altruistic or just being normal people. However, it is very easy to call any one person altruistic. Are they any motives that allow someone to volunteer their time to help someone out if they are about to go into debt? Are there any motives that will allow someone to save people from a burning people? Not everyone is selfish and then there are some who are will not share an item with another person. I would also tell my friend that being an altruistic person could be done through a reciprocal process. What this means is that we could treat everyone the same and expect them to treat us the same way. However that could be possibly done without anyone trying to boost their ego or just be really cold hearted (1).

Since one can’t really prove how true altruism is in a person, it may not exist since people are able to willingly quickly react in a selfless manner. It is a person’s moral sense to not being altruistic because there are no motivations to be altruistic to allow them to be engaged in a selfless act (2). A stable reason why altruism does not exist is the fact that everyone treats each other the same way. When this happen those kind people will get a different reaction from the receivers. No matter what happens those who give are never going to get the correct response back. They must purposely have a choice to act altruistic. In actuality, they care for those who are suffering rather than those who may need a lending hand with an every day ordeal (3). Since it is the human instinct to help others for good, ethical reasons to do so, altruism no longer exists as value to humans as an act of selflessness. One important understanding that every nonbeliever may think may say that people may be altruistic because if the fact that there is no motive that allows people to be kind or go beyond their own means to help their fellow citizen. Everyone is helping others out because they find pleasure in helping people making it through a situation. Therefore, there is no actual reason for altruism to exist. Why would it is exist when everyone is doing the same thing? They are most likely to exercise their personal interest to benefit their own selves rather than others. This allows them to feel good. Altruism is something you can not practice. You are not expected to put on a performance when someone needs your help. You have to use your conscious rather than motivation (4).

Although most scholars may conclude that altruism does not exist in humans, however, it does without direct thinking or from someone else. Altruism does exist because of a person’s religious teachings, genetics, or the way parents raise their children. Altruism exists when someone does a favor for a neighbor or a very helpless person in need of help and they do not expect anything to be given back to them as appreciation. Sometimes it may also deal with the psychology of humanistic behavior and a person recognizing either sympathy or empathy (5). Furthermore, when a person gives to charity or volunteer their time, they are able to return the favor back to others. This is proof that altruism does exist. It could not be in a good way that someone reacts when people are going beyond their strength, but it does exist. Altruism is a disadvantage of your own interest for another’s welfare. Being altruistic brings the positive out of everyone (2).

Personally, I think that true altruism exists in humans. I take this position because there may not be on exact definition that defines an altruistic person. To not have an open mind about this subject, I would be contradicting myself. I think that wouldn’t be possible without saying one thing and going against what I have said. In this country and all over the world, they are altruistic people some where out there whether in a big city or in a rural location. I want to say that altruism could be seen as another positive psychology, but you can’t be completely positive with altruism when it comes from a negative direction. To say altruism in humans does not exist would be saying that there are not any good people that are amongst us. We would be taken as a negative society. Additionally with my thoughts and ideas, they are pros and cons to altruism (with all sorts of information) on whether people are doing random acts of kindness or truly being motivated to take action when the time calls for someone’s help.

Sources:

  1. King, Laura A.
  2. http://members.aol.com/ScottH9999/essays/altruism.htm***
  3. http://www.lewrockwell.com/alston/alston28.html***
  4. http://www.aynrandlexicon.com/lexicon/altruism.html***
  5. http://jrscience.wcp.muohio.edu/Research/HNatureProposalsArticles/Final.ALookintoHumanAltru.html***
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