Influence of Nature and Nurture Developmental Research Essay Example for Free

Influence of Nature and Nurture Developmental Research Essay How many bald, six-foot-six, 250-pound volunteer firefighters in New Jersey wear droopy mustaches, aviator-style eyeglasses, and a the influence of nature versus key ring on the right side of the belt? nurture. The answer is two: Gerald Levey and Mark Newman. They are twins who were separated at birth. Each twin did not even know 25. 2 Describe developmental the other existed until they were reunited—in a fire station—by a research techniques. fellow firefighter. . . The lives of the twins, although separate, took remarkably similar 25. Discuss prenatal paths. Levey went to college, studying forestry; Newman planned to development. study forestry in college but instead took a job trimming trees. . . . Both men are unmarried and find the same kind of woman attractive: â€Å"tall, slender, long hair. † They share similar hobbies, enjoying hunting, fishing, going to the beach, and watching old John Wayne movies and professional wrestling. Both like Chinese food and drink the same brand of beer. learning outcomes 25. 1 Compare and contrast The remarkable range of similarities we see in many pairs of identical twins raises one of the fundamental questions posed by developmental psychology, the study of the patterns of growth and change that occur throughout life. The question is this: How can we distinguish between the environmental causes of behavior (the influence of parents, siblings, family, friends, schooling, nutrition, and all the other experiences to which a child is exposed) and hereditary causes (those based on the genetic makeup of an individual that influence growth and development throughout life)? This question embodies the nature–nurture issue. In this context, nature refers to hereditary factors, and nurture to environmental influences. Although the question was first posed as a nature-versus-nurture issue, developmental psychologists today agree that both nature Gerald Levey and Mark Newman 282 Chapter 8 development and nurture interact to produce specific developmental patterns and outDevelopmental psychology The comes. Consequently, the question has evolved into How and to what degree branch of psychology that studies the do environment and heredity both produce their effects? No one grows up patterns of growth and change that free of environmental influences, nor does anyone develop without being occur throughout life. affected by his or her inherited genetic makeup. However, the debate over Nature–nurture issue The issue of the comparative influence of the two factors remains active, with different the degree to which environment and approaches and different theories of development emphasizing the environ- heredity influence behavior. ment or heredity to a greater or lesser degree (Pinker, 2002; Gottesman Hanson, 2005; Rutter, 2006). For example, some developmental theories rely on basic psychological principles of learning and stress the role learning plays in producing changes in The nature–nurture issue behavior in a developing child. Such theories emphasize the role of the enviis a key question that is ronment in development. In contrast, other developmental theories emphasize pervasive throughout the the influence of one’s physiological makeup and functioning on development. field of psychology, asking Such theories stress the role of heredity and aturation—the unfolding of biohow and to what degree logically predetermined patterns of behavior—in producing developmental environment and heredity change. Maturation can be seen, for instance, in the development of sex characproduce their joint effects. teristics (such as breasts and body hair) that occurs at the start of adolescence. Despite their differences over theory, developmental psychologists concur on some points. They agree that genetic factors not only provide the potential for specific behaviors or traits to emerge, but also place limitations on the emergence of such behavior or traits. For instance, heredity defines people’s general level of intelligence, setting an upper limit that—regardless of the quality of the environment—people cannot exceed. Heredity also places limits on physical abilities; humans simply cannot run at a speed of 60 miles an hour, nor will they grow as tall as 10 feet, no matter what the quality of their environment (Dodge, 2004; Pinker, 2004). Figure 1 lists some of the characteristics most affected by heredity. As you consider these items, it is important to keep in mind that these characteristics are not entirely determined by heredity, for environmental factors also play a role. Developmental psychologists also agree that in most instances environmental factors play a critical role in enabling people to reach the potential capabilities that their genetic background makes possible. If Albert Einstein had received no intellectual stimulation as a child and had not been sent to s tudy aler t Height Weight Obesity Tone of voice Physical Characteristics Blood pressure Tooth decay Athletic ability Firmness of handshake Age of death Activity level Intellectual Characteristics

All about jack in the lord of the flies :: Free Essay Writer

All about jack in the lord of the flies The opening chapter begins with two boys, Piggy and Ralph, making their way through the jungle. We learn, through their dialogue, that they had been travelling in an airplane with a group of British school children. The plane had presumably been shot down and crashed on a an island in the Pacific. It is hinted that the rest of the world is at war, and that most of it has been destroyed by nuclear attacks--possibly explaining that the children were being evacuated. A storm has come and gone, washing the wreckage away. Ralph and Piggy meet and revel at the prospect that they are alone on a tropical island with no adults. They make their way to the beach where they find a large conch shell. Using the shell as a horn, Ralph summons any other children that may be on the island. They begin to come from the jungle and Piggy tries to take names. Along the beach two marching files of black-clad children approach. This is the first we see of Jack Merridew (who, oddly enough is the only child, besides Percival, whose last name we will learn). Piggy is immediately singled out by the group and made fun of. The children do not like him and never will. Being children, and at first thinking that survival is a game to be played and that rescue is inevitable, they decide to vote for a chief "to decide things." It is obvious the only two contenders are Jack and Ralph. Ralph is voted in; he had possession of the conch--already magical in quality to those present--and seemed the most able. Jack's black-clad choir are designated as hunters upon Jack's insistence--already revealing his need to hunt and kill. Ralph's first decision as chief is to send a party out to investigate whether or not they are really on an island. Himself, Jack, and Simon leave to scale the mountain. As they climb the pink granite, they take time to have fun and roll a large boulder off the edge to watch it be destroyed "like a bomb." This need to destroy begins with this innocent rock-rolling and will eventually culminate with the killing of a sow, Simon, Piggy and the hunting of Ralph later in the story. They reach the summit and indeed discovery they are on an island, apparently uninhabited. A new friendship developes between Ralph and Jack. They savor the "right of domination," and Jack comments about how they will have fun and hunt "until they fetch us." Jack believes rescue is inevitable and these thoughts will contribute to his

The Problem Definition Stage

â€Å"The problem definition stage is perhaps more critical in the research process than the problem solution stage†. Discuss this statement. Answer: †¢ Finding the right solution to an incorrectly identified problem helps no one because the original concerns will still continue to exist. Hence, pinpointing where exactly the gap lies, for which a solution is needed, is critical. (5 marks) b. In your company’s management development program, there was a heated discussion between some people who claimed, â€Å"Theory is impractical and thus no good,† and others who claimed, â€Å"Good theory is the most practical approach to problems. What position would you take and why? Answer †¢ The statement that â€Å"theory is impractical and thus no good† illustrates a misconception of the true meaning of theory. †¢ The second quotation is more to the point: there is nothing so practical as a good theory (Kurt Lewin) because of the power it gives us to explain and predict the target phenomenon. †¢ We use theory constantly as we explain why certain events occur or why one procedure succeeds and another does not. †¢ Theory represents an identification of key causal relationships, which explain outcomes in a variety of situations.It is an effort to extract the essence of relationships, ignoring less important contextual factors. †¢ The adequacy of a theory comes from its capacity to explain phenomenon in a variety of contexts and situations and this is referred to as its capacity to â€Å"travel. † †¢ Often, theories are too simplistic, and therefore lack explanatory power across situations. †¢ The solution lies in improving the theory, possibly introducing more variables, rather than rejecting the central concept. . (10 marks) c. Sometimes business research may be unnecessary. Explain when this could occur.Answer: Business research may be unnecessary in several situations. †¢ If the value of add ressing the problem is less than the cost of the research, research is unnecessary. †¢ If the organization suffers from constraints of time, money, or skill, the research may not be appropriate. †¢ If the necessary information cannot be collected in a manner that is applicable to the research, it may not be necessary. †¢ Finally, if the decision is of low-risk anyway, research is unnecessary. (5 marks) d. Explain the meaning of deduction and induction. Provide an argument that exemplifies each form.Answer: †¢ Deduction is a form of argument that suggests a conclusion from the reasons given. The reasons imply the conclusion. A deduction is valid if it is impossible for the conclusion to be false if the premises are true. Consider the following example. o AXY employees receive a discount on all clothing purchases made at any AXY store. Sarah is an employee at the AXY store in city X. Sarah will receive a discount at any AXY store. †¢ Induction is different fro m deduction in that it draws a conclusion from one or more facts. However, other conclusions could be drawn from the facts.For example, Burger King was featured on an episode of the Apprentice. Sales figures increased in the two weeks immediately following the episode. The conclusion is that the brand placement resulted in the increase in sales. While this conclusion is possible, other explanations have not been eliminated. (10 marks) Question 2 A teacher observes that the performance of students in the class varies depending on the workload, the complexity of the tests, the extent of ambiguity in the assignments, and the stress experienced by them. She assigns to you the task of doing a research project on this and wants you to do the following: a.Give the project a suitable title; To investigate factors that affect students’ performance. b. Briefly establish why it is important to research the topic; It is important to research this topic since we would like to know how wor kload, complexity of the test, extent of ambiguity in the assignment and the stress experience do affect students’ level of understanding and thus affects their performance. c. Clearly and precisely write the problem statement; To what extent the factors such as workload, complexity of the test, extent of ambiguity in the assignment and the stress experience influence performance. . Develop a theoretical framework using the variables mentioned above, clearly delineating the network of associations among the variables Workload complexity of the test extent of ambiguity stress experience Performance ind. Var intervening var. dep. Var e. Introduce a moderating and an intervening variable in the framework, explaining how they moderate and intervene. Intervening variable = stress ecperience f. Develop three hypotheses Hypotheses 1The more workload given, higher complexity of the test and higher level of ambiguity will reduce students’ performance. Hypotheses 2 The more work load given, higher complexity of the test and higher level of ambiguity will increase more stress to the students Hypotheses 3 The higher the level of stress will lead to lower performance of students (20marks) Question 3 The new president of an old, established company is facing a problem. The company is currently unprofitable and is, in the president’s opinion, operating inefficiently.The company sells a wide line of equipment and supplies to the dairy industry. Some items it manufacturers, and many it wholesales to dairies, creameries, and similar plants. Because the industry is changing in several ways, survival will be more difficult in the future. In particular, many equipment companies are bypassing the wholesalers and selling directly to dairies. In addition, many of the independent dairies are being taken over by large food chains. How might business research help the new president make the right decisions? Sample answer: Many different studies might be helpful in th is situation.The most likely lines of investigation should be on: 1. the firm’s operating inefficiencies, and 2. its future prospects in the changing dairy industry. In the first case, the president might want to determine whether the inefficiency is caused by internal production problems, poor organization, ineffective cost controls, weak sales management, and so on. This might take the form of a company audit of internal processes. The examination of the industry and the firm’s future in it would likely be directed at discovering possible trends in consumption patterns and distribution systems.It might also entail polling the end user of the products to see if anything other than price is prompting them to buy directly from manufacturers. Having this information would allow the researcher to either support the president’s contention that inefficiency is the root problem, or rule it out. Further, it would allow him to determine such things as whether any overlo oked opportunities (markets) exist, if his company is the only one experiencing problems, if the trend is likely to reverse, and so on. (20 marks) Question 4 Evaluate the statement of the business problem in the following situations: a.A manufacturer of fishing boats: The problem is to determine sales trends over the past five years by product category and to determine the seasonality of unit boat sales by quarters by regions of the country. Answer: This is a relatively straight forward set of descriptive objectives for a secondary data study. The time period is indicated. Sales volume in units is indicated to be the variable of interest. By indicating unit boat sales, quarters as the time periods, regions of the country as the geographical units, the definition is specific. b. The marketer of a new spreadsheet software package: The purpose of this research is (1).To identify the market potential for the product, (2). To identify what desirable features the product should possess, a nd (3) To determine possible advertising strategies/channel strategies for the product. Answer: Although this is not a poor statement of the problem, it is too ambitious and it could be more specific. A major disadvantage of this problem statement is that it is too much for a single research study. Determining advertising and channel strategies, product features, and market potential indicate several distinct problems for a program strategy rather than a single project strategy. (10 marks)

Henrik Ibsen s A Doll s House - 885 Words

When pondering the context of the genre tragedy it is common to think of Shakespeare and the stories of love, betrayal, and death which are so commonly portrayed in his work. The play a â€Å"A Doll s House† by Henrik Ibsen is not much different than the classics as it exemplifies the loss and anguish endured while pursuing a principal. The play is a modern tragedy following the painful path of Nora s self discovery, which comes at the cost of questioning societal norms and family roles. Her tragic plight is masked by the comedic, fun loving behavior she exhibits as a mother,wife, and friend, however, the frustration she feels as an individual grasping for personal knowledge, wins the battle of her consciousness and leads to the somber conclusion of the play: Nora leaves her family. To create a tragedy resounding with modern audiences, Ibsen didn t make changes to the structure of a typical play, however he did take a contrary approach regarding the conflict amongst character s the audience views(Hanssen). Ibsen uses a family dynamic familiar to the viewers, so the audience imagines themselves as people in the play(Hanssen). The familiarity in which the audience feels with Nora, is so strong, the ending scene causes bafflement to viewers who feel â€Å"they cannot see how any other aspect of her character exists† when she leaves her family(Brooks). Ibsen s use of a modern family is effective in evoking thoughts about society and what is acceptable because the audience is ableShow MoreRelatedHenrik Ibsen s A Doll House1563 Words   |  7 Pages In the play, A Doll House by Henrik Ibsen, the title itself symbolizes the dependent and degraded role of the wife within traditional marriages. Ibsen portrayed the generous nature root into women by society, as well as the significant action of this nature, and lastly the need for them to find their own voice in a world ruled by men. Ibsen wrote this play in 1879, this is the era where women were obedient to men, tend the children until their husband came home, and stood by the Cult of DomesticityRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen1717 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"A Doll, a Partner, and a Change† Social movement of women liberation toward equal rights and independence has been a big subject in human history. It happens not only in Europe but also all over the world. Though making progress, this movement has been advancing slowly and encountered backslashes from time to time. Maybe there is something deeply hidden which the society has not figured out yet, even women themselves. What do women want, freedom or good life? Most of the time, they are notRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen1291 Words   |  6 Pages A Doll s House by Henrik Ibsen, is a play that has been written to withstand all time. In this play Ibsen highlights the importance of women’s rights. During the time period of the play these rights were neglected. Ibsen depicts the role of the woman was to stay at home, raise the children and attend to her husband during the 19th century. Nora is the woman in A Doll House who plays is portrayed as a victim. Michael Meyers said of Henrik Ibsen s plays: The common denominator in many of IbsenRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen1288 Words   |  6 Pages Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House is based in the Victorian society of the 19th century. It assesses the many struggles and hardships that women faced because of marriage â€Å"laws† that were crucial during that time period. The society was male- dominated with no equality. Nora is the protagonist in A Doll’s House and the wife of a man named Torvald. This play is about Nora’s voyage to recognizing her self- determination and independence. She transforms from a traditional, reserved woman to a new, independentRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen1298 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"There is beauty in truth, even if it s painful. Those who lie, twist life so that it looks tasty to the lazy, brilliant to the ignorant, and powerful to the weak. But lies only strengthen our defects. They don t teach anything, help anything, fix anything or cure anything. Nor do they develop one s character, one s mind, one s heart or one s soul.† (Josà © N. Harris). Nora Helmer’s choice to lie and deceive is inappropriate and wrong for women to do to her husband during this time period; itRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen1037 Words   |  5 PagesHenrik Ibsen s A Doll s House is a work of literature genius. This three-act play involves many literary technics that are undermined by the average reader such as the fact that the plot shows the main characters Torvald and his wife Nora live the perfect life. An ironic paradox based around the fact that Nora and Torvald’s relationship is the complete opposite of perfect. Also, bringing upon a conflict as well, appearance versus reality. These little hidden meanings within stories are what areRead MoreA Doll s House : Henrik Ibsen962 Words   |  4 PagesDrama Analysis A Doll’s House (Henrik Ibsen) And Trifles (Susan Glaspell) In comparing both dramas, the overwhelming aspect of convergence between both is the open discussion of gender identity. Both dramas make similar points about what it means to be a woman. Modern society in both dramas is constructed with men holding power over women. This is seen in Trifles in how men like George Henderson and Mr. Hale are myopic. The premise of the drama is how women worry over trifles, and the dismissiveRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen1421 Words   |  6 PagesIn A Doll’s House, Henrik Ibsen examines conventional roles of men and women in the nineteenth century. In the play, Nora exemplifies the conventional feminine standard during that period. She seems to be powerless and confines herself through high standard expectations, demonstrating what the role of a women would be as a wife and mother. The protagonist of A Doll’s House is a woman named Nora Helmer. Ibsen shows how Nora’s design of perfect life gradually transforms when her sec ret unravels. InRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen876 Words   |  4 PagesA Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen A Doll’s House takes place in the home of Torvald and Nora Helmer. Through conversation with Nora’s good friend Kristine Linde it is revealed that Mr. Helmer was ill around the same time Nora’s father died. Luckily Nora’s father left her enough money that Torvald and Nora could go on a life saving trip to Italy. But the truth comes out when we find out Nora’s father did not leave her a penny. We find out that Nora got a hold of the money through a loan but she signedRead MoreHenrik Ibsen s A Doll House Essay1501 Words   |  7 PagesHenrik Ibsen’s play â€Å"A Doll House† was set in the Victorian era, a time where women were highly respected. Women in this time period did not work, they had nannies to take care of their children and maids to take care of their homes. Many women had no real responsibilities, they spent their time having tea parties and socializing with their friends. Henrik Ibsen dared to show the realism of the Vict orian era while everyone else would only focus on the romantic aspect. In the play, â€Å"A Doll House†