Photosynthesis Essay Example Essay Example

Photosynthesis Essay Example Paper Photosynthesis Essay Introduction Photosynthesis is the combination of sugar from light, carbon dioxide and water with oxygen being a waste product. This process is possibly the most important biochemical path known. Nearly everything in our everyday lives depends on this process, we would not be alive right now if it weren’t for this cycle, this is due to the fact that us humans breath in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide, with plants it is the opposite; they take in carbon dioxide and take out oxygen, which we breathe in making it extremely important for us to have plants in order to respire.The process of photosynthesis is a very complex process.Here is a picture of an ordinary leaf. The leaf plays a major part in the process of photosynthesis, as it takes in the light which is later on made to glucosePhotosynthesis uses the energy of light to make glucose which keeps the plant alive. Just like we eat food to keep us alive and healthy, plants use the energy of the sun and water in order to stay alive an d healthy. Plants use the energy of light to make glucose to stay alive. Below is the general equation for the process of photosynthesis:6 CO2 + 6 H2O + light à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ C6H12O6 + 6 O2Carbon Dioxide + Water + Light energy à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Glucose + OxygenThe rate of photosynthesis depends on four factors: carbon dioxide, light intensity, chlorophyll and water (or other photosynthetic pigments). In order to find out the importance of these factors for photosynthesis, some experiments are carried out.Aim: My main purpose or aim of this coursework is to find out whether photosynthesis relies on all factors or whether the process can function without the use of sunlight or carbon dioxide or water etc.Factors that may affect photosynthesisThere are five main factors that may affect the rate of photosynthesis they are:1. Light intensity2. Co2 concentration3. Effect of chlorophyll4. The effect of temperature (main chosen coursework factor)The experiments and how to undergo them1. Light Inten sityThe aim of this experiment is to find out whether or not the intensity of light would affect the rate of photosynthesis in a plant. To do this, I used a piece of foil which had a triangular shape in the middle of it and masked it on a plant where their was an exposed region and a shaded region.After three hours the leaf was picked, observed and tested with iodine solution, following is the result.ResultWe can clearly see that the masked area has turned brown whilst the unmasked area has turned dark blue.EvaluationThe masked part had given us a negative result to the iodine test which proves that there is no photosynthesis occurring if their is no light. Starch is available in the exposed region. This proves to us that photosynthesis can be carried out in the presence of light.ConclusionDuring this experiment we have concluded that photosynthesis almost mainly depends on the presence of light. If there is no light resource available photosynthesis will not occur forcing the plant to die.2. Carbon dioxide concentrationThe aim or purpose of this experiment is to prove that photosynthesis cannot function without carbon dioxide. The experiment will be as follows.Two pots of the same type of plants are prepared inside plastic bags, both are kept in the same temperature with the same light intensity, the only difference is that soda lime has been added to plant A whilst there is no soda lime in plant B.Plant APlant BAfter three hours, the leaves where picked up, observed and tested with iodine solution. Below are the results.Plant APlant BResultPlant A remains brown whilst plant b has turned to dark blue.EvaluationIn plant A the soda lime has absorbed most of the carbon dioxide. In the absence of carbon dioxide the iodine test is negative. Starch is not produced throughout the experiment which proves that photosynthesis cannot take place without carbon dioxide. This means that carbon dioxide is one of the factors that are needed for photosynthesis. However in pla nt b, carbon dioxide is present in the plastic bag. The plant can produce starch which the iodine test has proved to us as it scored a positive score.3. Effect of ChlorophyllMy aim here is to find out whether chlorophyll affects the rate of photosynthesis or not. To do this I will carry out the following experiment.A pot of variegated plant is destarched by putting into a dark environment for one to two days before the experiment. A variegated leaf is used for testing because part of the leaf contains chlorophyll (or other photosynthetic pigments) while the rest does not. One of the variegated leaves is selected and exposed to light.After three hours the leaf is picked up, observed and tested with iodine solution, the result is shown in the following diagram.ResultThe non-green region of the leaf has remained brown, whilst the green region of the leaf has turned dark blue.EvaluationStarch is present in the green region. This proves that photosynthesis can be carried out in the prese nce of chlorophyll. While the non-green region gives a negative result to the iodine test. This experiment has proved to us that chlorophyll does affect the rate of photosynthesis.4. The effect of temperatureThis is my main chosen point of interest throughout the coursework.AimOur main aim is to find out whether temperature affects the rate of photosynthesis in a Canadian pondweed (this is a picture of Canadian pondweed).ApparatusTo undergo the experiment we needed the following items and apparatus:1. Sprigs of pondweed2. Boiling tubes filled with water3. Lamp4. Thermometer5. Ice6. Supply of constant hot water7. Tissues8. Ruler9. Beaker10. Bubble counter11. Scissors12. Tweezers13. TimerSafetyAlthough this experiment may seem harmless we must take full precautions at all times to avoid any injury possible, below are some things we should bare in mind whilst performing the experiment to avoid serious damage or injury: Hot water can cause serious injury therefore we must be very wary a nd attentive to where we pour it. Scissors can also cause injury hence we should only stick to the task of cutting the pond weed not your partner’s hair. The lamp is supplied by electricity and we are dealing with water in this experiment, splashing water around could cause an electric shock.Following these safety tips will lead to a happy learning injury free environment.PredictionAccording to my knowledge and understanding of this experiment I strongly believe that temperature affects the rate of photosynthesis.I also predict that 30à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C should be the best temperature for the pondweed to photosynthesize, this is because I believe that this temperature is neither to hot nor too cold for the pondweed, hence it produces more bubbles, which represent oxygen.ResultsTemp. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½CExperiment 1Experiment 2Experiment 3Average125845.6672018161516.333034363836401491111.33501000.333AnalysisAccording to our results in we can clearly see that 30à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C is the best tem perature for photosynthesis to take place. We know this because out of all the other four temperatures, 30à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C is the most temperature that has produced the most bubbles. This is due to the fact that this temperature is neither too hot nor too cold it is the ideal temperature for photosynthesis to take place. Both 20à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C and 40à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C half produced approximately half the bubbles that 30à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C has produced, both temperatures have produced a decent number of bubbles but both are not as effective as 30à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C this is because 20à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C is slightly cold which makes it more difficult for the pondweed to produce bubbles. 40à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C was not as effective as 30à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C because the temperature 40à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C is somewhat hot and is not ideal for photosynthesis to take place in as the results have proven.The results have proven that 12à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C is a temperature that negatively affects the rate of photosynthesis. It has been proven in the results to have released a low amount of bubbles during all 3 experiments; this is because this temperature is very low, too low for the pondweed to produce bubbles because it is too cold it may even die because of the cold temperature.We can clearly see from the result that out of all the five different temperatures 50à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C was the least temperature to produce bubbles. This is because this temperature is very hot, too hot for the pondweed to produce bubbles. These temperatures may be to hot for the pondweed to take, resulting in the pondweed dyeing hence it produces little or no bubbles.ConclusionAfter analyzing, looking and observing our results we have concluded that 30à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C is the best temperature for photosynthesis to take place in plants. This is because this temperature is not too hot nor too cold for the plant to photosynthesize.We have also concluded that temperature does affect the rate of photosynthesis in a plant. As we have tested the rate of photosynthe sis at different temperatures and have come to realize that it plays an impact on the rate of photosynthesis which is represented in bubbles in this experiment.VariablesThere are some factors we must keep the same during the experiment to make it as fair as possible in order to get fair and accurate results, these factors are: Type of plant (we have used pondweed throughout the test). Volume of water. Lamp distance (the lamp was always 30cm away). All the experiments must be timed (5 minutes per experiment).Whilst there are factors we must change as part of the experiment to make it as fair as possible, they are: Surrounding temperature. Change the weed from the last experiment. You may think this factor is weird, but it is vital to change the pondweed in every experiment, this is just incase your pondweed has died because the last or present temperature is too hot or too cold. Therefore it is advised that you change the pondweed in every experiment.MethodThe method we used in order to undergo the experiment was basic and straight forward. We placed a standard pondweed in a testube filled with water, after diagonally cutting the end part of the weed in order to score sufficient and fair results.We placed this testube inside a beaker; this beaker was filled with water which varied in temperature according to what temperature we needed. We placed a lamp 30cm away from the plant, and after ensuring we had used the right temperature of water by using a thermometer, we began the timer and began to look closely for bubbles. After a period of five minutes we stopped counting the bubbles, the results are available in the results section of the coursework. Here is a diagram of the experiment.EvaluationI believe the experiment went well just as planned and worked out very well. I am confident about this because the results I got where the pretty much the same as the professional scientific results.I also believe that my results where accurate enough to prove that my pre diction was correct. As I predicted that 30à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C would be the most suitable temperature for photosynthesis to take place. We can see that this prediction is correct by looking at the graph.The method I used in order to carry out the experiment in my opinion was as fair as possible. I changed the pondweed every time in order to get a fair result, I also used the same volume of water each time to make sure that it does not effect the rate of bubbles released.If I had the opportunity to repeat the experiment I would try to measure the rate of photosynthesis at more temperatures, this would give me a clearer result and will indicate to me perfectly which temperature is most suitable for the most amount of bubbles given of from the Elodea. Photosynthesis Essay Thank you for reading this Sample!

ACT Score Comparison for SUNY Campuses

ACT Score Comparison for SUNY Campuses If youre wondering if you have the ACT scores youll need to get into one of the four-year SUNY colleges and universities, heres a side-by-side comparison of scores for the middle 50% of enrolled students. If your scores fall within or above these ranges, youre on target for admission to one of these public universities in New York State. SUNY ACT Score Comparison (mid 50%) School Composite25% Composite75% English25% English75% Math25% Math75% Albany 22 27 - - - - Alfred State 19 25 18 24 19 26 Binghamton 28 32 - - - - Brockport 20 25 18 24 18 25 Buffalo 24 30 - - - - Buffalo State - - - - - - Cobleskill - - - - - - Cortland 22 25 20 24 20 25 Env. Science/Forestry 23 29 22 27 22 29 Farmingdale 20 24 - - - - Fashion Institute - - - - - - Fredonia 21 27 - - - - Geneseo 24 28 - - - - Maritime College 22 27 - - - - Morrisville 16 20 - - - - New Paltz 24 29 22 27 23 30 Old Westbury - - - - - - Oneonta 21 26 20 25 19 25 Oswego 21 26 - - - - Plattsburgh 21 25 19 25 20 24 Polytechnic 20 28 23 30 25 30 Potsdam - - - - - - Purchase 21 28 22 32 19 26 Stony Brook 26 31 24 33 26 31 Keep in mind that the SAT tends to be much more popular than the ACT in New York State. Nevertheless, either exam is perfectly acceptable. Youll be at no disadvantage using the ACT, and you should use scores from the exam that you prefer. If your ACT scores are below the lower number in the table above, all hope is not lost. 25% of applicants who attend the SUNY school also had numbers in the bottom 25th percentile. Being admitted will be more challenging with a sub-par score, but it is not impossible. Also note that the admissions standards vary considerably from one campus to another. Binghamton University, for example, is highly selective and nearly all admitted students have both grades and standardized test scores that are well above average. Binghamton is one of the top colleges in New York State. Other campuses such as Morrisville and Cobleskill are far less selective. Your Academic Record Matters More than the ACT Realize that ACT scores are just one part of the application. The most important part of your SUNY application will be your academic record. Be sure you have adequate coursework in key academic areas such as a foreign language and math. Its also important to show that you have challenged yourself, so Advanced Placement (AP) classes, IB classes, Honors classes, and dual enrollment classes are all important for helping to demonstrate your college preparedness.   Holistic Admissions The SUNY admissions folks will also be looking at non-numeric measures, for the four-year colleges and universities in the SUNY network all have holistic admissions. A strong essay and meaningful extracurricular activities  can play an important role in the admissions process. At some campuses, special talents in areas such as sports or music can also help make up for standardized test scores that are less than ideal. Data Source: National Center for Education  Statistics

Canterbury Tales Analysis Essay Example for Free

Canterbury Tales Analysis Essay Physically the two characters appear extremely different. The knight is dressed in a fustian tunic, â€Å"Stained and dark with smudges where his armour had left mark† (Chaucer 5). Although he is a distinguished man, he dresses humbly and does not give the appearance of arrogance. It is also apparent that he carries a sword, which would match his profession as a knight because he is able to fight. The Sea Captain’s attire matches his occupation. He wears a â€Å"Woollen gown that [reaches] his knee† (Chaucer 15); he is tan and has a large beard. He carries a dagger, implying that he knows how to fight and defend himself like the Knight. Considering their occupations, one can find many similarities. They are both very proficient at their jobs. The Sea Captain is described as having no competition: â€Å"None from Hull to Carthage was his match† (Chaucer 16). He is experienced and knows the seas better than any captain. He is known for his skill at commanding his ship, the Maudelayne. He frequently travels the sea. Similarly, the knight is a traveler, except on land. He is an experienced fighter, as he has been in many battles. He was present at the battle where Alexandria was taken in 1365 by the King of Cyprus. In fifteen mortal battles he had been† (Chaucer 5). According to the examples of battles given in the text, the knight rarely loses a battle. He owns fine horses and is skilled at riding horseback. However, behavior is what really sets these two characters apart. The knight is a chivalrous man. He believes in truth, honor, and generosity. People look up to him; he is â€Å"Ever honoured for his noble graces† (Chaucer 4). A Christian and a virtuous man, he is even more humbled by his position as a knight. His many victories did not permit him to lose his modesty; instead, they led him to be wise and honorable. The Sea Captain, in contrast, is a fearsome character. When dealing with prisoners, â€Å"The nicer rules of conscience he ignored† (Chaucer 16); they walked the plank. Not a virtuous man by any means, he has a reputation of stealing goods from traders while they sleep. Those who fight him fear him. He does not have a high position in society, but his brutality and prudence make him successful in battle. He is revered for his skill and success, but people do not look up to him. In summary, the use of foil by Chaucer enables the reader to notice differences and similarities between the Knight and the Sea Captain. They have similar occupations, but different roles in society as well as nearly opposite personalities. The foil emphasizes their characteristics to make them even more prominent to the reader. For example, the knight’s Christian values make the Sea Captain seem extremely harsh and lowly in comparison. The reader will be able to gain more out of the story these characters tell because of how detailed their character sketches are. Specifically, the characters are given more depth by their similarities and differences to other characters in the tale. Canterbury Tales Analysis. (2018, Oct 17).

Interview question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Interview question - Essay Example Areas that have improvements over the national average will be highlighted along with weaknesses from observation as compared to the achievement scores. Development of goals begins with the production of a time management plan that consists of the required curriculum elements and how best to incorporate psychological principles of learning (such as social learning theory) into the classroom environment. Proper planning for social and cognitive learning must be developed into a goal-attainment plan. 2. Three month goals include an introduction of youth psychology into the learning plan that includes role modeling of teacher and high performing students so as to incorporate them into the classroom teaching structure. Previous primary research studies that found success in motivating youths in the concrete operational stage of development will be used as the foundation for teaching style in the first three months. The goal is to promote more group learning for the younger children to re duce egocentric behaviors common to this stage of development to improve the social environment and motivate retention. Students will be delivered a survey or questionnaire instrument with language developed appropriate for youths of these age brackets to identify key needs.

Week 7 Discussion Question 1 Effect of a Meger Assignment

Week 7 Discussion Question 1 Effect of a Meger - Assignment Example Progress Energy Company faced these challenges because it had failed for annual based revenue increase of 12% with North Carolinas Utilities Commission (Munson, 2011). Through the merger, shareholders will enjoy earnings accretion, based on adjusted diluted earnings per share. I believe the value will be realized on the stakeholders because of the growth of the corporation after the merger. Wald (2012) reveals that the new corporation has over seven million retail customers and owns about sixty seven gigawatts of generating capacity; this indicates a great growth in the corporation hence shareholders are going to benefit from the merged corporation due to increased profits than before merging. During merging, the less important company loses its identity and becomes part of the more important company, in terms of management the important company runs almost everything in the corporation (Duke Energy, 2012). In the merger between Duke Energy and Progress Energy, progress energy has been absorbed and become a subsidiary of duke energy. The headquarter of the corporation remains in Charlotte. The accounting approach used in the merger is aimed at upholding the corporations name; they retain the name of the corporation. By taking total control and absorbing the other company, the corporation is able to run well without opposition from the other company. Duke Energy. (2012). Mergers & Other Corporate Actions: Duke Energy/Progress Energy Merger Information. Retrieved 20 Nov. 2012 from http://www.duke-energy.com/investors/individual-investors/merger-spinoff-documents.asp. Wald, M. (2012). Duke and Progress Energy Become Largest U.S. Utility. The New York Times. Retrieved 21 Nov. 2012 from

Ap Psychology Review Packet Essay Example for Free

Ap Psychology Review Packet Essay Absolute Threshold:  the minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time. 2. Accommodation:  the process by which the eyes lens changes shape to focus near or far images on the retina. 3. Acetylcholine:  neurotransmitter that enables muscle action, learning and memory. 4. Achievement Motivation:  desire for accomplishment. 5. Achievement Test:  an exam designed to test what a person has earned. 6. Acoustic Encoding:  encoding of sound, especially words. 7. Acquisition:  the initial stage when one links a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus. 8. Action Potential:  a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon. 9. Activation Synthesis:  theory that REM sleep triggers neural firing that evokes random images, which our sleep brain weaves into stories. 10. Adaptation Level Phenomenon:  tendency to form judgements relative to a neutral level defined by our prior experience. 11. Adrenal Glands:  a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones that help arouse the body in times of stress. 12. Algorithm:  a methodical, logical rule that guarantees solving a particular problem. 3. Alpha Waves:  the relatively slow brain waves of an awake, relaxed state. 14. Amnesia:  loss of memory. 15. Amphetamines:  drugs that stimulate neural activity, causing speeded-up body functions and associated energy and mood changes. 16. Amygdala:  two lima bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion. 17. Aphasia:  impairment of language caused by left hemisp here damage to Brocas area, impairing speaking, or Wernickes area, impairing understanding. 18. Applied Research:  scientific study that aims to solve practical problems 19. Aptitude Test:  designed to predict a persons future performance. 20. Association Areas:  areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary or sensory functions but in higher mental functions. 21. Associative Learning:  learning that certain events occur together. 22. Automatic Processing:  unconscious encoding of incidental information. 23. Autonomic Nervous System:  the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs. 24. Availability Heuristic:  estimating the likelihood of events based on their availability in memory. 5. Axon:  the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles and glands. 26. B. F. Skinner:  a leading behaviorist; rejected introspection and studied how consequences shape behavior. 27. Babbling Stage:  begins at 4 months; stage of speech development in which infant spontaneously utters various sounds. 28. Barb ituates:  drugs that depress the activity of the central nervous system,  reducing anxiety  but impairing memory and judgement. 29. Basal Metabolic Rate:  bodys resting rate of energy expenditure. 30. Basic Research:  pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base 31. Behavior Genetics:  the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior. 32. Behavioral Medicine:  integrates behavioral and medical knowledge to apply to health and disease. 33. Behaviorism:  the view that psychology should be an objective science that studies behavior without reference to mental process. 34. Belief Perseverance:  clinging to ones initial conceptions after the basis has been discredited. 35. Binocular Cues:  depth cues such as retinal disparity that depend on using two eyes. 36. Bio-Feedback:  electronically recording, amplifying and feeding back information regarding a subtle physiological state. 37. Biological Psychology:  a branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior. 38. Biopsychosocial Approach:  an integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis. 39. Blind Spot:  the point at which the optic nerve leaves the eye, creating a blind spot because no receptor cells are located there. 40. Bottom-Up Processing:  analysis that starts with the sensory receptors and works up to the brains integration of sensory information. 1. Brocas Area:  controls language expression; area of the frontal lobe of the left hemisphere. 42. Cannon-Baird Theory:  emotion arousing stimulus triggers physiological response and subjective experience of emotion. 43. Case Study:  an observational technique in which one person id studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal princi ples. 44. Central Nervous System:  the brain and spinal cord. 45. Cerebellum:  the little brain at the rear of the brainstem; processes sensory input and coordinates movement output and balance. 46. Cerebral Cortex:  the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the bodys ultimate control and information-processing center. 47. Change Blindness:  failing to notice changes in the environment 48. Charles Darwin:  argued that natural selection shapes behaviors as well as bodies. 49. Chunking:  organizing items into familiar, manageable units; often occurs automatically. 50. Circadian Rhythm:  the biological clock; regular bodily rhythms that occur on a 24-hour cycle 51. Classical Conditioning:  one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate future events. 2. Clinical Psychology:  a branch of psychology that studies, assesses, and treats psychological disorders. 53. Cochlea:  a coiled, bony, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear through which sound waves trigger neural impulses. 54. Cochlear Implant:  device for converting sounds into electrical signals and stimulating the auditory nerve through electrodes threaded throug h the cochlea. 55. Cognition:  Mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering and communicating. 56. Cognitive Map:  mental representation of the layout of ones environment. 57. Cognitive Neuroscience:  the interdisciplinary study of brain activity linked with cognition. 58. Cognitive Perspective:  how we encode, process, store, and retrieve information. 59. Color Constancy:  perceiving familiar objects as having consistent color either if changing illumination alters the wavelengths reflected by the object. 60. Complementary Alternative Medicine:  unproven healthcare treatments intended to supplement conventional medicine. 61. Conditioned Reinforcer:  a stimulus that gains reinforcing power through its association with the primary reinforcer. 62. Conditioned Response:  the learned response to a previously neutral stimulus. 63. Conditioned Stimulus:  an originally irrelevant stimulus that, after association with US, triggers a response. 64. Conduction Hearing Loss:  hearing loss caused by damage to the mechanical system that conducts sound waves to the cochlea. 65. Cones:  retinal receptor cells that are concentrated near the center of the retina and function in daylight of well-lit conditions. 66. Confirmation Bias:  a tendency to search for information that backs ones own beliefs. 67. Consciousness:  our awareness of ourselves and our environment. 68. Content Validity:  extent to which a test samples the behavior that is of interest, 69. Continuous Reinforcement:  reinforcing a desired response every time it occurs. 70. Control Group:  the group that is not exposed to the treatment in an experiment. 71. Coping:  alleviating stress using emotional, cognitive, or behavioral methods. 72. Corpus Callosum:  axon fibers connecting the two cerebral hemispheres. 73. Correlation:  a measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other. 74. Correlation Coefficient:  a statistical index of the relationship between two things (from -1 to +1) 75. Counseling Psychology:  a branch of psychology that assists people with problems in living and in achieving greater well-being. 76. Critical Thinking:  thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions. 77. Culture:  the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one culture to the next. 78. Delta Waves:  the large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep. 79. Dendrite:  the bushy, branchy extensions of a neuron that receive message and conduct impulses towards the cell body. 0. Dependent Variable:  the outcome factor; the variable that may change in response to the manipulation of the independent variable. 81. Depressants:  drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functions. 82. Difference Threshold:  the minimum difference between stimuli required for detection 50% of the time. 83. Discrimination:  learned ability to distinguish between CS and stimuli that do not signal a US. 84. D issociation:  a split in consciousness, which allows some thoughts and behaviors to occur simultaneously with others. 85. Dopamine:  neurotransmitter that influences movement, learning, attention and emotion. 86. Double-Blind Procedure:  an experimental procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant as to whether the group has received a treatment or a placebo. 87. Drive-Reduction Theory:  physiological need; creates an aroused tension state, a drive, that motivates an organism to satisfy the need. 88. Dual Processing:  the principle that information is simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks 89. Echoic Memory:  momentary sensory memory of an auditory stimuli. 0. Ecstasy (MDMA):  a synthetic stimulant and a mild hallucinogen. Produces Euphoria and social intimacy, but with short-term health risks and longer-term harm to serotonin-producing neurans and to mood and cognition. 91. Edward Titchener:  father of structuralism. 92. Effortful Processing:  encoding that requires attention and conscious effort. 93. Electroencepha logram (EEG):  an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brains surface. 94. Emotion:  response of the whole organism involving psychological arousal, expressive behavior and conscious experience. 95. Emotion-Focused Coping:  Attempting to alleviate stress by avoiding or ignoring a stressor and attending to emotional needs relating to ones stress. 96. Encoding:  the processing of information into the memory system by extracting meaning. 97. Endocrine System:  the bodys slow chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream. 98. Endorphins:  morphine within natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure. 99. Environment:  every non-genetic influence. 100. ESP:  claim that perception can occur apart from sensory input. 101. Estrogen:  the primary female sex hormone. 102. Evolutionary Psychology:  the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection. 103. Experiment:  a research method in which an investigator manipulates one of more factors to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process. 104. Experimental Group:  the group that is exposed to the treatment in an experiment. 105. Explicit Memory:  memory of facts and experiences that one can consciously know and declare; stored in hippocampus. 106. Extinction:  diminishing of CR; occurs in classical conditions when US does not follow CS. 07. Extrinsic Motivation:  desire to perform to receive rewards or avoid punishment. 108. Factor Analysis:  a statistical procedure that identifies clusters of related items, called factors, on a test. 109. Feature Detectors:  nerve cells in the brain that respond to specific features of the stimulus, such as shape, angle or movement. 110. Feel-Good Do-Good Phenomena:  tendency to be helpful when already in a good mood. 111. Figure-Ground:  organization of visual field into objects that stand out from their surroundings. 112. Fixation:  inability to see a problem from a new perspective. 113. Fixed-Interval Schedule:  reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified amount of time has elapsed. 114. Fixed-Ratio Schedule:  reinforcement schedule that reinforces only after specified number of responses. 115. Flashbulb Memory:  a clear memory of an emotionally significant moment or event. 116. Flow:  a completely involved, focused state of consciousness resulting from optimal engagements of ones skills. 117. fMRI:  a technique for revealing bloodflow and, therefore, brain activity shows brain function. 118. Fovea:  the central focal point in the retina, around which the eyes cones cluster. 19. Framing:  the way an issue is posed. 120. Fraternal Twins:  twins who develop from separate fertilized eggs. They are genetically no closer than a brother or sister. 121. Frequency:  the number of complete wavelengths that pass a point in a given time. 122. Frequency Theory:  in hearing, the theory that the rate of neural impulses traveling u p the auditory nerve matches the frequency of a tone, thus enabling us to sense its pitch. 123. Freuds Wish-fulfillment:  theory that dreams provide a psychic safety valve for expressing otherwise unacceptable feelings. 124. Frontal Lobes:  portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking, muscles movement, making plans and judgement. 125. Functional Fixedness:  the tendency to think of things only in their usual function. 126. Functionalism:  a school of psychology that focused on how our mental and behavioral processes function how they enable us to adapt, survive and flourish. 127. GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid):  a major inhibitory neurotransmitter. 128. Gate-Control Theory:  theory that spinal cord contains a neurological gate that blocks pain signals or allows them to pass to the brain. 29. Gender Identity:  our sense of being male or female. 130. Gender Role:  a set of expectations for either males or females. 131. Gender Typing:  the acquisition of a traditional male or female role. 132. General Adaptation Syndrome:  Selyes concept of bodys adaptive response to stress; alarm, resistance, exhaustion. 133. General Intelligence:  general intell igence factor, according to Spearman, underlies specific mental abilities and is measured by every task on an intelligence test. 134. Generalization:  tendency after response has been conditioned for similar stimuli to elicit similar responses. 135. Genome:  the complete instructions for making an organism. 136. Gestault:  organized whole; tendency to integrate pieces of information into meaningful wholes. 137. Glial Cells:  cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons. 138. Glutamate:  a major excitatory neurotransmitter involved in memory. 139. Grouping:  perceptual tendency to organize stimuli into coherent groups based on proximity, similarity, continuity and connectedness. 140. Hallucinations:  false sensory experiences. 141. Hallucinogens:  drugs taht distort perception and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input. 142. Health Psychology:  sub-field of psychology; provides psychologys contribution to behavioral medicine. 143. Heritability:  the proportion of variation among individuals that we can attribute to genes. 144. Heuristic:  a simple thinking strategy that often allows us to make strategies and solve problems quickly. 145. Hierarchy of Needs:  Mazlows pyramid of human needs; begins with physiological needs which must be met before higher goals can be attained. 146. Higher-Order Conditioning:  procedure where conditioned stimulus in one experience is paired with a new, neutral stimulus, creating a new Conditioned Stimulus. 47. Hindsight Bias:  the tendency to believe that, after learning the outcome, one would have foreseen it. 148. Hippocampus:  a neural center that is located in the limbic system and helps process explicit memories for storage. 149. Homeostasis:  tendency to maintain a state of balance. 150. Hormones:  chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endo crine glands. 151. Hue:  the dimension of color that is determined by the wavelength of the light. 152. Humanistic Psychology:  historically significant perspective that emphasized the growth potential of healthy people and the individuals potential for personal growth. 53. Hypothalamus:  a neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities, helps govern the endocrine system, and is linked to emotion and reward. 154. Hypothesis:  a testable prediction. 155. Iconic Memory:  a momentary sensory memory of a visual stimuli; a photographic memory lasting no more than a few tenths of a second. 156. Identical Twins:  twins who develop from a single fertilized egg that splits into two, creating two genetically identical organisms. 157. Illusory correlation:  the perception of a relationship where none exists. 158. Implicit Memory:  retention independent of conscious recollection; stored in cerebellum. 159. Inattentional Blindness:  failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere 160. Incentive:  a positive or negative environmental stimulus. 161. Independent Variable:  the experimental factor which is directly manipulated. 162. Industrial Organizational Psychology:  using psychological concepts to optimize behavior in work places. 163. Information Processing:  theory that dreams help us sort out the days events and consolidate our memories. 164. Infradian Rhythm:  long-term cycle; greater than a day 65. Inner Ear:  the inner most part of the ear, containing the cochlea, semicircular canals, and vestibular sacs. 166. Insight:  sudden and novel realization of the solution to a problem. 167. Insomnia:  recurring problems in falling or staying asleep. 168. Instinct:  a complex behavior rigidly patterned throughout the species and is unlearned. 169. Int ensity:  the amount of energy in a light or sound wave, which we can perceive as brightness or loudness, as determined by the waves amplitude. 170. Interaction:  the interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor depends on another. 171. Interneurons:  neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and the motor outputs. 172. Intrinsic Motivation:  desire to perform for its own sake. 173. Intuition:  effortless, immediate feeling or thought. 174. Iris:  a ring of muscle tissue that forms the colored portion of the eye around the pupil and controls the size of the pupil opening. 175. James-Lange Theory:  emotion is awareness of physiological responses to emotion-arousing stimuli. 176. Kinesthesis:  system for sensing the position and movement of individual body movements. 77. Latent Content:  according to Freud, the underlying meaning of a dream. 178. Latent Learning:  learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it. 179. Law of Effect:  Thorndikes principle that behavior followed by favorable consequences become more likely and behaviors followed by negative consequences become less likely. 180. Len s:  the transparent structure behind the pupil that changes shape to help focus images on the retina. 181. Lesion:  destruction of the brain tissue. 182. Levels of Analysis:  the differing complementary views for analyzing any iven phenomenon. 183. Limbic System:  neural system located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives. 184. Lingusitic Determinism:  Whorfs hypothesis that language determines the way we think. 185. Long-Term Memory:  relatively permanent and limitless storehouse of the memory system. 186. Long-Term Potentiation (LTP):  increase in synapse-s firing potential after rapid stimulation; the neural basis for learning and memory. 187. LSD:  a powerful hallucinogenic drug; alsdo known as acid. 188. Lymphocytes:  the two types of white blood cells that are part of the immune system. 189. Manifest Content:  according to Freud, the remembered story line of a dream. 190. Mean:  the arithmetic average of a distribution. 191. Median:  the middle score in a distribution. 192. Medulla:  the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing. 193. Mental Age:  measure of test performance devised by Binet; chronological age that typically correlates with a given age. 194. Mental Set:  tendency to approach a problem in a particular way, often one that has been successful. 195. Methamphetamine:  a powerfully addictive drug that stimulates the central nervous system and appears to drop base dopamine levels over time. 96. Middle Ear:  the chamber between the eardrum and the cochlea containing three tiny bones (hammer, anvil and stirrup) that concentrate the vibrations of the eardrum on the cochleas oval window. 197. Mirror Neurons:  frontal lobe neurons that fire when performing certain actions or when performing another doing so; this may enable imitation or empathy. 198. Misinformation Effect:  incorporating misleading information into ones memory. 199. Mnemonics:  memory aids. 200. Mode:  the most frequently occurring score(s) in a distribution. 201. Modeling:  observing and imitating a specific behavior. 202. Monocular Cues:  depth cues available to either eye alone. Includes relative height, relative size, interposition, linear perspective, light and shadow, and relative motion. 203. Mood Congruent Memory:  tendency to recall experiences that are consistent with ones current mood. 204. Morpheme:  the smallest unit that carries meaning. 205. Motivation:  a need or desire that energizes and directs behavior. 206. Motor Cortex:  an area at the rear if the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements. 207. Motor Neurons:  neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands. 208. MRI:  a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue. 209. Mutation:  a random error in gene replication that leads to a change. 210. Myelin Sheath:  a layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibers of many neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed. 211. Narcolepsy:  a sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks. The sufferer may lapse directly into REM sleep, often at inopportune times. 212. Natural Selection:  inherited trait variations contributing to survival and reproduction will be passed on to succeeding generations. 13. Naturalistic Observation:  observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate or control the situation. 214. Nature-Nurture issue:  controversy over contributions of genes vs. experience 215. Near-death Experience:  an altered state of consciousness reported after a close brush with death; often similar to dru g-induced hallucinations. 216. Negative Reinforcement:  increasing behaviors by stopping a negative stimuli. 217. Neo-Freudian Theory:  theory that dreams can be used as a coping mechanism to deal with past events. 218. Nerves:  bundled axons that form neural cables connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs. 219. Nervous system:  the bodys speedy, electrochemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems. 220. Neurogenesis:  the formation of new neurons. 221. Neuron:  a nerve cell; the basic building block of he nervous system. 222. Neurotransmitters:  chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons. 223. Night Terrors:  a sleep disorder characterized by high arousal and an appearance of being terrified. 24. Norepinephrine:  neurotransmitter that helps control alertness and arousal. 225. Normal Curve:  a symmetrical, bell-shaped curve that describes the distribution of many types of data. 226. Observational Learning:  learning by observing others. 227. Occipital Lobes:  portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive informatio n from the visual fields 228. One-Word Stage:  from age 1 to 2; when a child speaks in single words. 229. Operant Behavior:  Behavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences. 230. Operant Chamber:  a chamber / Skinner Box containing a bar that an animal can manipulate to obtain water or food. 231. Operant Conditioning:  type of learning in which behavior is strengthened followed by a reinforcer or diminished followed by a punisher. 232. Operational Definition:  a statement of the procedures used to define research variables. 233. Opiates:  opium and its derivatives, such as morphine and heroin; they depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety. 234. Opponent-Process Theory:  the theory that opposing retinal processes (red-green, yellow-blue, white-black) enable color vision. 35. Optic Nerve:  the nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain. 236. Organizational Psychology:  part of IO Psychology; examines psychological influences o worker satisfaction and productivity. 237. Overconfidence:  tendency to be more confident than correct. 238. Parallel Processing:  the processing of many aspects of a problem simu ltaneously. 239. Parapsychology:  study of paranormal phenomena. 240. Parasympathetic Nervous System:  the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy. 241. Parathyroids:  help regulate the level of calcium in the blood 242. Parietal Lobes:  portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top/rear of the head; receives sensory input for touch and body position. 243. Partial/Intermittent Reinforcement:  Reinforcing a response only part of the time. 244. Perception:  the process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events. 245. Perceptual Adaptation:  in vision, the ability to adjust to an artificially displaced or inverted visual field. 246. Perceptual Set:  mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another. 247. Peripheral Nervous System:  the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body. 248. Personnel Psychology:  focuses on recruitment, selection and placement of employees. 249. PET Scan:  a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task. 250. Phoneme:  the smallest distinctive sound unit. 251. Physical Dependence:  a physiological need for a drug, marked by unpleasant withdrawal symptoms when the drug is discontinued 252. Pitch:  a tones experienced highness or lowness; depends on frequency. 53. Pituitary Gland:  the endocrine gland systems most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands. 254. Place Theory:  in hearing, the theory that links the pitch we hear with the place where the cochleas membrane is stimulated. 255. Placebo Effect:  experimental results caused b y expectation alone. 256. Plasticity:  the brains ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage of by building new pathways based on experience 257. Polygraph:  lie detector machine; measures responses to emotion. 58. Pons:  part of the brainstem that helps coordinate movements. 259. Population:  all the cases in a group being studied, from which samples can be drawn. 260. Positive Reinforcement:  increasing behaviors by presenting positive stimuli. 261. Posthypnotic Suggestion:  a suggestion, made during a hypnotic session, to be carried out after the subject is no longer hypnotized. 262. Predictive Validity:  the success with which a test predicts the behavior it is designed to predict. 263. Primary Reinforcer:  an innately reinforcing stimulus, such as one that satisfies a biological need. 264. Priming:  the activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus predisposing ones perception, memory, or response. 265. Pro-Social Behavior:  positive, constructive behavior. 266. Proactive Interference:  the disruptive effect of prior learning on the recall of new information. 267. Problem-Focused Coping:  attempting to alleviate stress by changing the stressor or how we interact with that stressor. 268. Prototype:  a mental image or best example of a category. 269. Pshchological Dependence:  a psychological need to use a drug, such as to relieve negative emotions. 270. Psychiatry:  a branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders. 271. Psychoactive Drug:  a chemical substance that alters perceptions and moods. 272. Psychodynamic Perspective:  how behavior springs from unconscious drives and conflicts 273. Psychology:  the study of behavior and mental processes. 274. Psychoneuroeimmunology:  study of how psychological, neural, and endocrine processes affect the immune system. 275. Psychophysics:  the study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli, such as their intensity, and our psychological experience of them. 276. Psychophysiological Illness:  mind-body illness; any stress-related physical illness, including hypertension. 277. Pupil:  the adjustable opening in the center of the eye through which light enters. 278. Random Assignment:  assigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance, thus minimizing pre-existing differences between the two groups. 279. Random Sample:  a sample that fairly represents a given population. 280. Range:  The difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution. 281. Recall:  measure of memory in which the person must retrieve information learned earlier. 82. Recognition:  measure of memory in which the person only identifies items previously learned. 283. Reflex:  a simple, autonomic response to a sensory stimulus. 284. Rehearsal:  conscious repetition of information, either for maintenance or encoding. 285. Reinforcer:  an event that strengthens behavior. 286. Relative Deprivation:  perception that one is worse off relative to those you compare yourself to. 287. Relearning:  a measure of memory that assesses the amount of time saved when learning material for a second time. 288. Reliability:  extent to which a test yields consistent results. 89. REM Rebound:  the tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation. 290. REM sleep:  rapid eye movement sleep, a recurring sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly occur. 291. Replication:  repeating the essence of a research study to see whether the basic findings extend to other participants and circumstances. 292. Representativeness Heuristic:  judging the likelihood of things in terms of how well they seem to represent particular prototypes. 293. Respondent Behavior:  occurs as automatic response to some stimulus. 294. Reticular Formation:  a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal. 295. Retina:  the light-sensitive inner surface of the eye. 296. Retinal Disparity:  a binocular cue for perceiving depth by comparing the images of the retinas from the two eyes. 297. Retrieval:  process of getting information out of storage. 298. Retroactive Interference:  the disruptive effect of new learning on the recall of old information. 299. Reuptake:  a neurotransmitters reabsorption by the sending neuron. 300. Rods:  retinal receptors that detect black, white and gray. 301. Savant Syndrome:  condition in which a person is limited in mental ability but has exceptional specific skill. 302. Scatterplots:  a graphed cluster of dots, the slope of which helps predict the direction of the relationship between the two variables. 303. Selective Attention:  the focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimuli 304. Semantic Encoding:  encoding of meaning. 305. Semantics:  set of rules by which we derive meaning from morphemes, words and sentences. 306. Sensation:  the process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment. 07. Sensorineural Hearing Loss:  hearing loss caused by damage to the cochleas receptor cells or to the auditory nerves. Also called nerve deafness. 308. Sensory Adaptation:  diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation. 309. Sensory Cortex:  area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensa tions. 310. Sensory Interaction:  principle that one sense may influence another; smell of food influences its taste. 311. Sensory Memory:  immediate, very brief recording of sensory information in the memory. 12. Sensory Neurons:  neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord. 313. Serial Position Effect:  the tendency to recall best the last and first items in a list. 314. Serotonin:  neurotransmitter that affects mood, hunger, sleep and arousal. 315. Set Point:  the point where someones weight thermostat. 316. Shaping:  an operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior closer and closer to the desired behavior. 317. Short-Term Memory:  activated memory that holds a few items briefly. 318. Sigmund Freud:  Austrian neurologists who founded psychoanalysis. 319. Signal Detection Theory:  a theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus (signal) amid background noise. Assumes there is no single absolute threshold and that detection depends partly on a persons experience, expectations, motivation and level of fatigue. 320. Sleep Apnea:  a sleep disorder characterized by temporary cessations of breathing during sleep and repeated momentary awakenings. 321. Social Leadership:  group oriented leadership that builds teamwork and offers support. 322. Social Learning Theory:  the theory that we learn social behavior by observing and imitating and by being rewarded and punished. 323. Social-cultural Perspective:  how behavior and thinking vary across situations and cultures 324. Somatic Nervous System:  the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the bodys skeletal muscles. 325. Source Amnesia:  attributing the wrong source to an event we have experienced; at the heart of many false memories. 326. Spacing Effect:  tendency for distributed study or practice to yield better retention that massed study or practice. 327. Split Brain:  a condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brains two hemispheres by cutting the fibers connecting them. 328. Spontaneous Recovery:  Reappearance after a pause of an extinguished CR. 329. Standard Deviation:  a computed measure of how much the scores vary around the mean score. 330. Stanford-Binet:  widely used American revision of Binets original intelligence test. 331. Statistical Significance:  a statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance. 332. Stereotype Threat:  self-confirming concern that one will be evaluated based on negative stereotypes. 333. Stimulants:  drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions. 334. Storage:  retention of encoded information. 335. Stress:  how we perceive and respond to stressors that we appraise as threatening or challenging. 336. Structuralism:  an early school of psychology that used introspection to explore the structural elements of the human mind. 337. Structured Interviews:  asking the same questions of all applicants and rating on the standard scale. 338. Subjective Well-Being:  self-perceived happiness or satisfaction with life. 339. Subliminal:  below ones absolute threshold for conscious awareness. 340. Survey:  a technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes of behaviors of a group. 341. Sympathetic Nervous System:  the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations. 342. Synapse:  the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron. 343. Syntax:  rules for combining words into sensible sentences. 344. Task Leadership:  goal oriented leadership that sets standards, organizes leadership and focuses on goals. 345. Telegraphic Speech:  early speech stage where child speaks like a telegram; uses nouns and verbs. 46. Temporal Lobes:  portion of the cerebral cortex lying above the ears; receives auditory information 347. Testosterone:  the most important of male sex hormones. Both males and females have it, but the additional testosterone in males stimulates the growth of the male sex organs in the fetus and the development of the male sex char acteristics during puberty. 348. Thalamus:  the brains sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem. 349. THC:  the major active ingredient in marijuana; triggers a variety of effects, including mild hallucinations. 350. Theory:  an explanation that organizes behavior and predicts future outcomes. 351. Threshold:  the level of stimulation necessary to trigger a neural impulse. 352. Thyroid Gland:  affects metabolism, among other things 353. Tolerance:  the diminishing effect with regular use of the same dose of a drug, requiring the user to take larger and larger doses of the drug before experiencing the drugs effects. 354. Top-Down Processing:  information processing guided by higher level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations. 55. Transduction:  conversion of one form of energy into another. 356. Two_Word Stage:  beginning at age 2; child speaks in 2 word statements. 357. Two-Factor Theory:  called Schachter-Singer Theory; to experience emotion, one must be physically aroused and cognitively label the arousal. 358. Type A:  competitive, hard-driving, impatient. 359. Type B:  easy-going, relaxed people. 360. Ultradian Rhythm :  short-term cycle; less than a day 361. Unconditioned Response:  the unlearned naturally occurring response to the unconditioned stimulus. 362. Unconditioned Stimulus:  a stimulus that unconditionally triggers a response. 363. Validity:  extent to which a test measures what its supposed to measure. 364. Variable-Interval Schedule:  reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after random number of responses. 365. Variable-Ratio Schedule:  reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses. 366. Vestibular Sense:  sense of body movement and position including balance. 367. Visual Cliff:  lab device for testing depth perception in infants and young animals. 368. Visual Encoding:  encoding of picture images. 369. Watson and Rayner:  famous for their Little Albert experiment. 370. Wavelength:  the distance from the peak of one light or sound wave to the peak of the next. 371. Webers Law:  the principle that, to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage. 372. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale:  most widely used intelligence test; contains verbal and non-verbal sub-tests. 373. Wernickes Area:  controls language reception; a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression in left temporal lobe. 74. Wilhelm Wundt:  known as father of experimental psychology; established the first psychology laboratory. 375. Withdrawal:  the discomfort and distress that follow discontinuing the use of an addictive drug. 376. Working Memory:  a newer understanding of short-term memory that focuses on conscious, active processing of incoming auditory and visual spatial information and of informa tion retrieved from long-term memory. 377. X-Chromosome:  the sex chromosome found in both men and women. 378. Y-Chromosome:  the sex chromosome found only in men. 379. Young-Helmholtz Trichromatic Theory:  the theory that the retina contains three different color receptors red, green and blue. absolute threshold:   The minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50 percent of the time. 2. accommodation:   The process by which the eyes lens changes shape to focus near or far objects on the retina. 3. accommodations:   Adapting ones current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information. 4. acetylcholine:   A neurotransmitter that, among its functions, triggers muscle contraction. 5. acoustic encoding:   The encoding of sounds, especially the sound of words. . acquisition:   The initial stage in classical conditioning; the phase associating a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus comes to elicit a conditioned response. In operant conditioning, the strengthening of a reinforced response. 7. action potential:   A neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down a n axon. The action potential is generated by the movement of positively charged atoms in and out of channels in the axons membrane. 8. activation synthesis hypothesis:   Theory to describe dreaming that explains dreaming as being random neural activity hat the brain tries to make sense of. 9. acuity:   The Sharpness of vision. 10. addictions:  dependency to drugs comes about from potentially one use of the substance were the body can build up dependence to the substance. 11. adolescence:   The transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence. 12. adrenal glands:   A pair of endocrine glands just above the kidneys. The adrenals secrete the hormones epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (nonadrenaline), which help to arouse the body in times of stress. 13. ll or nothing law:   Increasing the stimulus above the threshold will not increase the action potential intensity. The neurons action is an all or nothing response; it either wi ll fire or it will not. The strength of the stimulus does not effect action potentials speed. 14. alpha waves:   The relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state. 15. alzheimers disease:   A progressive and irreversible brain disorder characterized by gradual deterioration of memory, reasoning, language, and, finally physical functioning. 16. amnesia:   The loss of memory 17. mygdala:   Two almond-shaped neural clusters that are components of the limbic system and are linked to emotion. 18. assimilation:   Interpreting ones new experience in terms of ones existing schemas. 19. association areas:   Areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking. 20. associative learning:   Learning that certain events occur together. The events may be two stimuli (as in classical conditioning) or a response and its consequences (a s in operant conditioning). 1. attachment:   An emotional tie with another person; shown in young children by their seeking closeness to the caregiver and showing distress on separation. 22. audition:   The sense of hearing 23. automatic nervous system:   The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart). Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms. 24. automatic processing:   Unconscious encoding of incidental information, such as space, time, and frequency, and of well-learned information, such as word meanings. 25. xon:   The extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands. 26. barbiturates:   Drugs that depress the activity of the central nervous system, reducing anxiety but impairing memory and judgement. 27. basiler membrane:  within the cochlea of the inner ear is a stiff structural element that separates two liquid-filled tubes that run along the coil of the cochlea, the scala media and the scala tympani. 28. behavioral genetics:   The study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior. 29. Behavioral Psychology:  a branch of psychology that focuses on how we learn from observable responses. An individuals response to different environment stimuli shapes our behaviors. 30. Behaviorism:  The view that psychology should be an objective science that studies behavior without reference to mental processes. Most research psychologists today agree that psychology should be an objective science but do not think that it should be without reference to mental processes. 31. behaviorism:   The view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes. For example, intelligence may be operationally defined as what an intelligence test measures. 193. opiates:   Opium and its derivatives, such as morphine and heroin; they depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety. 194. opponent-process theory:   The theory that opposing retinal processes (red-green, yellow-blue, white-black) enable color vision. For example, some cells are stimulated by green and inhibited by red; others are stimulated by red and inhibited by green 195. optic nerve:   The nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain. 96. parallel processing:   The processing of several aspects of a problem simultaneously; the brains natural mode of information processing for many functions, including vision. Contrasts with the step-by-step (serial) processing of most computers and of conscious problem solving. 197. parallel processing:   The processing of several aspects of a problem simultaneously; the brains natural mode of informatio n processing for many functions, including vision. Contrasts with the step-by-step (serial) processing of most computers and of conscience problem solving. 198. Parasympathetic nervous system:   The division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy. 199. parietal lobes:   The portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; includes the sensory cortex. 200. Peripheral nervous system:   The sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system (CNS) to the rest of the body. 201. PET:   A visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task. 202. Phenotype:   An organisms physical characteristics is its phenotype.

The Disdainful Use of Names in Pynchon’s The Crying of Lot 49 :: Crying Lot 49 Essays

The Disdainful Use of Names in Pynchon’s The Crying of Lot 49 While reading Pynchon’s, The Crying of Lot 49, I found myself fascinated with the names of the characters. I tried to analyze them and make them mean something, but it seems that Pynchon did not mean for the names to have a specific meaning. This deduction made me think about the satirical nature of the naming of the characters. Which led me to muse on the chaotic nature of the naming. The apparent disdain for the characters by their naming seems to imply that the author is poking fun at the reader and society through the characters. The first character is Oedipa Maas and the reader cannot help but immediately think of Oedipus the King and the implications of that naming. As I read, I was on the alert for the characteristics of the Oedipus story. Although Oedipa does have a mystery to solve in the novel, I found I really could not relate her to Oedipus in any other way. And what does ‘Maas’ mean? Mass, as in a solid mass? Mass, as in the Catholic rite? Is Oedipa perhaps performing a rite of some kind? These questions plagued me as I read and by the conclusion of the story, I was no wiser. Then there is Oedipa’s husband, Mucho Maas. What kind of a name is Mucho? It implies, to me at least, that Mucho is somehow superior to his wife. But as the story progresses, Mucho seems to become less and less. Perhaps a comment by Pynchon on the declining status of a husband in American society? Perhaps a satirical jab at the rising state of women’s rights as equal instead of subordinate in a marriage? Whatever it means, the name Mucho didn’t seem to fit the character. Next we encounter Oedipa’s therapist. His character was bizarre from beginning to end. His name, Dr. Hilarious, worked for me. His name was fitting in many ways. That he goes berserk in the end was a fitting touch in depicting a shrink. His character was ‘hilarious’ in a way. I mean, come on, what therapist actually believes in telepathy? The absent character in the book, Pierce Inverarity, is a puzzle. The closest definition for Inverarity that I could find in the dictionary was a definition for ‘inveracity’. Inveracity means untruthfulness, which is fitting for the absent Pierce, since we never do discover if the man is actually dead or not.

Motivation in the Workplace at SAS Institute Essay

When it comes to motivation in the workplace, SAS Institute seems to have it masters. No one wants to come to work every day and spend time away from their families all the time on a daily basis, but something makes us do this each and every day that we go to work. Work motivation is the factor that makes behave the way we do in order to get up and go to work every day. It determines the level of effort we are going to put into our work and our behavior about work (George & Jones, 2012). A company’s most valuable asset is its creative capital and it takes a unique company to think outside the box to find creative ways to motivate those creative employees. SAS Institute has developed a solid employee management plan that has sustained their work force and has continued to make it grow stronger. The company has been ranked the 6th in the â€Å"Best Companies to Work For† by Fortune Magazine for several years in a row and calling SAS Institute â€Å"the closest thing to a worker’s utopia in America† (Harvey, 2000). So what makes this company so great with their employee management? SAS Institute creates an environment where employees can development new and innovative products, they have a performance based reward system that includes not only financial benefits but overall benefits to health as well, and they establishing their strong core values to their employees. INTRINSIC MOTIVATION According to the text, intrinsic motivation is the kind of behavior that people have when they enjoy what they do and put in the extra time and effort on their own without any incentive other than the sense of accomplish and achievement (George & Jones, 2012). SAS Institute prides itself on the many ways that it inspires employees to want to work hard and make those kinds of achievements. The company’s values are employee-centered and from all the research over the years, that philosophy has believed to have worked  for them and others who are starting to copy their methods. They make the work interesting by provides ways for their programmers to create their own products. Instead of acquiring other companies that might have a particular product already created, they invest in the research and development that it would take for their employees to create those products. This keeps the employees interested in their work and keeps things challenging for them. SAS invests twenty percent of their revenue each year into research and development (George & Jones, 2012). By using this investment, SAS believes and has proven they can diminish the possibly of economic downturns that most technology companies experience (George & Jones, 2012). It is up to the managers to keep the employees motivated in their creativity. SAS has created ways of motivation that exceed money or fear of being reprimanded (Hall, 2014). Everyone that works at SAS is treated the same no matter what. From the head of the company to the person that takes out the trash, all employees get the same benefits. They also eliminate the need for a hierarchy structure in order to make things work within an organization. Because of this level of motivation, SAS Institute’s turnover rate is one of the lowest in the country. This creates a cost savings of an â€Å"estimated $85 million a year† (Hall, 2014). The company believes in an open door policy that gives their employees the freedom to give management feedback and have the company response in a positive way to that feedback. Basically, SAS allows their work force to manage their selves. They realize that allowing people to create their own schedule opens up the doors for their creativity to flow. SAS’s theory of performance is about giving the people the tools they need to get the job done and then get out of the way. SAS also encourages employees to change jobs within the company to broaden their horizons by providing different types of training and positive reinforcement from management. EXTRINSIC MOTIVATION Extrinsic motivation is motivation that is performed by providing material or social rewards or a reason to avoid being punished (George & Jones, 2012). SAS Institute goes to great lengths to offer their employees the best there  is in benefits. Their vision is the more a company can maximize their employees’ creative ability, the more those employees will produce not just good work but great work. SAS provides their work force with a flexible work program that allows them to be able to come up with creative and innovative ideas any time whether it is on their 9 to 5 schedule or any other time. This allows employees to feel free to be more creative because they are not confined to a conventional way of thinking of ideas only happen during work hours. The company understands that employees need time for their families and time to relax. So, SAS provides their campuses with individual private offices, child care centers, summer camps, health care physicians on site, fitness an d recreation center, and access to all kinds of services that the employee would have to go to outside of work (George & Jones, 2012). The company is rich with resources for their work force. Employees are not hassled about needing specific tools in order to make their job more conductive. They also provide free food in their cafeterias. SAS even stocks all their break rooms with large canisters of M&Ms for everyone (Harvey, 2000). So, why does SAS do so much for their employees? A major of an average employee’s life is spent at work, so wouldn’t it be a better environment that would make you want to come to day in and day out if it was centered on combining home life with office life. This is what SAS has create, a work environment that surrounds their work force with the comforts of home at work. They discourage working more than 35 hours a week (Harvey, 2000). People want to work for a company that cares about them and where they want to go in their careers. SAS doesn’t just say they are going to do these things they show people and in return their work force performs to their peak potential which in turn creates huge profit for the company. CONCLUSION SAS Institute is one of those companies that embrace the new age of workers and understands that sometimes that conventional ways of doing things might not be a good fit for today’s technology saavy workers. In order to get the most out of their creative work force, they try to nurture as many of their needs as possible and have been very successful at it.  By providing their employees with their physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, esteem  motivators, and self actualization, they have created a â€Å"workplace utopia† (Harvey, 2000).  They SAS uses intrinsic motivation more than extrinsic motivation which is a different way of getting the most performance out of a work force and in turn create maximum productivity and loyalty to the company. Employees are more satisfied with their contributions and want to work hard at their jobs. REFERENCES Harvey, F. (2000, Jul 26). Of chocolates and profit sharing: MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEE PERKS: In an industry where staff loyalty is a rare commodity, SAS institute holds on to its programmers. fiona harvey. _Financial Times_ Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/248916235?accountid=458. Hall, T. (2014, Jun 09). Managing and Motivating Creative Employees. _Workplace 101: A Profiles Global Business Blog._ Retrieved from http://info.profilesinternational.com/profiles-employee-assessment-blog/bid/206603/Managing-and-Motivating-Creative-Employees

Persuasive Essay on Adoption

Homosexual Couples Should Be Allowed to Adopt New Jersey’s statewide parenting legislation espouses a progressive stance on the matters of same-sex parenting and child care in the processes of adoption and foster parenting. The Garden State allows for same-sex adoption; allows single homosexuals to adopt; and allows second parent same-sex adoption (â€Å"Same-Sex Adoption Laws,† n. d. ). New Jersey has passed progressive laws and policies that prohibit discrimination charged against gay individuals in the adoption process (Sudol, 2010).New Jersey state law also bans discrimination against gay individuals in the foster parent process (2010). New Jersey Statutes Annotated 9:3-43 enables for any person to adopt permitted the said person(s) pass a background investigation and meet adoption criteria for eligibility(N. J. S. A. 9:3-43). Unmarried joint adoptive parents petitioning to adopt a child can do so because of N. J. S. A. 9:3-43. In re Adoption of two Children by H. N . R. , 666 A. 2d 535 (N. J. Super. 995) permits second parent adoption; this statute exercises the possibility for an individual to petition for shared rights of custody with a parent who already possesses legal parental custody of a child. Several states prohibit joint adoption due to unmarried status. This statute is favorable for unmarried parents seeking to adopt in New Jersey. This New Jersey statute provides for an overall tolerant atmosphere for queer individuals and couples looking to adopt or become foster parents. In summary, laws and policies regarding same-sex adoption vary from state to state.The three common forms of adoptive guardianship are individual (single) parent adoption, joint adoption, and second parent adoption. Firstly, the most traditional type of adoptive parents is the single parent adoption. This is where an unmarried individual adopts a child that has been put up for adoption by the birth parent or by the state. Secondly, joint adoption is when an unmar ried couple can petition the court to adopt a child. Lastly, in the case of a second parent adoption, one parent has legal guardianship over a child and a second parent petitions the court to become a legally recognized co-parent.Bans on gay marriage vary state by state, as a consequence, gay couples cannot petition for adoption as a married couple but, as single individuals. This creates the opportunity for gay couples to become legal parents of foster children since most states prevent unmarried couples from adopting. As a result of state to state differences in the question of gay adoptive parents, second-parent adoptions are either permitted or the laws are unclear (Montana, 2009). Montana (2009) argues that ambiguity in court decisions are prevalent regarding gay second parent adoption petitions.Montana (2009) asserts how a state’s unclear and ambiguous position on second parent adoption places the decision on the judge to rule according to his or her personal beliefs co ncerning homosexuality rather than the letter of the law. The courts of twenty-one states including Washington, D. C. have granted second-parent adoption availability to several individuals applying to become legal second parents or co-parents of former foster children (Public Broadcasting Service, 2006).Mississippi law bars same-sex couples from all possibilities of adoption but, allows the viability for single gays and lesbians to adopt (Public Broadcasting Service, 2006). In Utah and New Hampshire, all unmarried couples, regardless of sexual orientation are allowed to adopt (Public Broadcasting Service, 2006). The following states allow adoption by openly gay and lesbian couples: Florida, California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Washington, D. C. Social movements and countercultures during the 1960’s and 1970’s emerged and challenged institutionalized oppression.The Civil Rights movement addressed the pli ght of African Americans in a viciously racist society. Gay rights and the feminist movement actively subverted traditional gender norms through political activism. The American public’s disapproval of the Vietnam War served as the political platform to advance anti-war, civil rights, feminist, and queer political agendas in the increasing struggle for equal rights in a discriminatory inequitable society. The social movements of the 60’s and 70’s impacted the traditional views of adoption in the United States.The trend of challenging the dominant society’s oppressive social structures that best represent the interests of the dominant group, influenced society to question adoption laws during the 1970’s (Montana, 2009). Much like today, openly gay applicants were barred from adoption. The majorities of the cases was and still are second-parent adoptions, in which the biological parent is the legal guardian and their life partner petitions the state court to adopt (Montana, 2009). Adopting a child that is unrelated to either partner is still difficult in contemporary society; however, it is o longer illegal in most states (Montana, 2009). The seventies birthed professional organizations designed to advocate for disenfranchised oppressed groups. One of the most renowned organizations that continues to engage in public education and legal activism is Lambda Legal. Lambda Legal’s mission is to achieve full equality and secure the legal protection of the LGBT community. Throughout the 1970s, Lambda Legal was instrumental in winning some of the nation's first court cases on behalf of gay and lesbian parents and same-sex couples (Lambda Legal, n. . ). Since its inception in the seventies, Lambda Legal has battled to institute policy change, social change through political and legal activism, and to shape new positive attitudes about the LGBT community through educational awareness. For instance, a landmark court case, Finstuen v. Edmondson, was a paramount victory for LGBT individuals and same-sex parents everywhere. In 2004, the Oklahoma legislature exacted a punitive law that rendered children orphans if adopted in other states by same-sex couples.Thus, when their families returned, moved to or traveled through Oklahoma, the parents’ legal custody over the newly adopted children is not recognized by the state of Oklahoma. The three families in this case were headed by same-sex couples with children adopted in Washington, New Jersey and California respectively. Two of the families moved to Oklahoma. In the legal defense of the three families, Lambda Legal argued that the law is unconstitutional under the Fourteenth Amendment violating the Equal Protection and Due Process clauses. All legal parents have a fundamental right to care for and raise their children, which is protected by the Fourteenth Amendment to the U. S. Constitution (Lambda Legal, n. d. ). Lambda Legal remains active in challenging discriminatory laws and policies on the local and state level that work to invalidate the legal adoptions of children by same-sex parents. Lambda Legal secured pivotal wins for the LGBT community’s adoptive parents in its most recent trials; these trials are similar to the Oklahoma court case where the rights of same-sex couples and their adopted children were denied. The Evan B.Donaldson Adoption Institute is another notable organization that partnered with the Illinois chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) to produce a legal document to ensure ethical practice and policy to secure the well-being of same-sex adoptive families. The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute and the NASW Illinois chapter are dedicated to promote the best interests of children by engaging in research regarding adoption. The adequate education and training of child welfare professionals encourages fundamentally sound and ethical practice when interacting with the gay community. In an effort to fight for ethical public policies and laws for same-sex adoption, the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute immerses itself in political activism to apply pressure to local and state political officials to consider issues that inhibit the likelihood of same-sex parents for homeless foster children. The number of children in need of homes is steadily increasing; organizations like the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute and Lambda Legal are instrumental in changing the willingness of adoption agencies to accept same-sex parents. Organizational response creates room for social change.Although the debate about same-sex adoptive parents continues to gain national attention, state, local courts and adoption agencies will continue to arbitrarily deny or accept same-sex petitions for adoption if the federal government does not intervene to standardize this issue by implementing an overriding national policy. Ryan Nishimoto, author of â€Å"Marriage Makes Cents: How Law ;um p; Economics Justifies Same-Sex Marriage,† suggests that society’s objections against same-sex marriage and same-sex adoptive parents are rooted in homophobic sentiments, religious views, and denigrating stereotypes (Nishimoto, 2003).The Supreme Court has historically undermined the gay rights question in contemporary American law (Nishimoto, 2003). The Supreme Court shares the general public’s sentiments about homosexuality’s immoral nature which deems same-sex couples unfit for marriage and parenting (Nishimoto, 2003). The prohibitions on same-sex marriage intimately impact the legal and economic dimensions of homosexual relationships. Marital benefits heterosexual couples receive do not apply to same-sex couples looking to adopt.Nishimoto (2003) lists how same-sex partners are excluded from insurance awards, social security benefits, public pensions, worker's compensation, income tax benefits, and estate tax benefits. Being that gays are not able to mar ry, their partners are not considered spouses. As a result, same-sex â€Å"unions† and â€Å"partnerships† are not legally recognized to qualify for the aforementioned benefits that heterosexual couples reap. This reality complicates adoption and custody cases for LGBT same-sex couples. Same sex couples must file for a second parent adoption so that both artners have legal custody over the adopted child. This process is emotionally draining and financially costly; a petitioning gay or lesbian parent faces extensive social work assessment to establish suitability (Nishimoto, 2003). State laws can prohibit same-sex second-parent adoption nullifying the possibility of a couple possessing joint custody of a child. Once again, second-parent adoption may be unclear in state legislations. This leaves the decision to appeal a petition on the court judge. A couple’s opportunity to gain joint custody relies on the judge’s personal views on homosexuality (Nishimoto, 2003).Nishimoto (2003) concludes the discussion of adoption and custody battles for LGBT couples by stating, â€Å"Thus, even if the parents overcome the lengthy, costly obstacles in their path, a judge may simply choose not to authorize the adoption. † Recommendation/Conclusion Interventions at the practice level can have far reaching benefits for same-sex parents and their children. Same-sex friendly foster agencies must engage in practice that does not further oppress the LGBT population with uninformed and unethical practice, policy, and unprofessional behavior.According to Sudol (2010) foster care agencies must cultivate a culture of inclusive practice integrated at the agency and case levels. At the agency level, staff training must have a comprehensive coverage of LGBT issues and topics; paperwork documentation, informational materials must use inclusive language, advertisements should portray a diverse representation of LGBT families, and inclusive recruitment effort s. Inclusive practice suggests that a practitioner uses culturally competent language as preferred by individual/family, avoids â€Å"outing† people, and includes other LGBT people/groups in family engagement/kin search (Sudol, 2010).In addition, Sudol (2010) adds that child welfare professionals and social workers alike, need to avoid focusing on the sexual identity of the individual/family by seeing the human not the identity. We strongly agree that the federal government must negotiate the contemporary question of same-sex parenting. It makes no sense for the federal government to give a blind eye and a deaf ear to same-sex parenting. Same-sex marriage coupled with this debate is gaining increasing attention as homosexuality gains legitimacy within the broader dominant society.The overview of current adoption law concerning lesbian, gay, and bisexual parents by the National Center for Lesbian Rights perfectly considers contemporary evidence justifying why LGBT parents are fit for adoption and why the Supreme Court must address this ensuing issue as opposed to leaving it for individual states to reconcile. One, a growing number of children lives in families with two same-sex parents. University of Maryland, Family Policy Impact Seminar, conducted research juxtaposing the rates of adoption in â€Å"gay-friendly† states in comparison to states with â€Å"anti-gay† policies.Studies showed that â€Å"gay-friendly† states adopted children and found permanent residencies as twice as much as â€Å"anti-gay† states. Two, sexual orientation is not relevant to parental ability. Discourse on the capabilities of same-sex parents to be adequate parents is governed principally by harmful stereotypes and moral judgments condemning homosexuality. â€Å"Not a single study has found children of gay or lesbian parents to be disadvantaged in any significant respect relative to children of heterosexual parents.Indeed, the evidence to date sugg ests that home environments provided by gay and lesbian parents are as likely as those provided by heterosexual parents to support and enable children’s psychosocial growth. † (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2002). Three, the need for adoptive homes and the increasing visibility of lesbian, gay, and bisexual parent families has contributed to a dramatic decrease in anti-gay discriminatory policies and practices on the part of adoption agencies and courts.Four, adoption provides legal protection to children of LGBT parents. The United States guarantees financial support, inheritance rights, social security benefits, retirement benefits, and state worker’s compensation benefits for children of heterosexual parents. The downfall to this is that current law is bias against LGBT couples. Children are not eligible for these benefits if the co-parent in a same-sex partnership is not legally recognized as a guardian.For example, if the child is sick and needs to be hosp italized, the second parent cannot give medical consent for treatment to his/her child. These incentives/benefits must apply to all children regardless of the parent’s marital status and sexual orientation. The LGBT community has made progressive strides for legal rights in the area of family law (NCLR, 2011). To strengthen and preserve the emotional health of a family in a same-sex parented household, society must change their traditional views of what constitutes a family.LGBT organizations remain fierce and persistent in advocating for equality and legal rights of the gay community. Custody, visitation rights, domestic partnership benefits, sick-leave benefits, marriage, and adoption are all arenas which the gay community continues to transform for their benefit (NCLR, 2011). Legal recognition of family relationships for same-sex families further enables courts, social welfare policies, and child welfare institutions to adopt LGBT inclusive protections. Mass media mirrors our society’s values and social attitudes.The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) encourages media outlets to recognize the highly increasing numbers of families with gay, lesbian and bi-sexual parents by incorporating their stories and experiences into the coverage of all issues related to families. The diversity of images in popular media aids in the reconstruction of the idea of the â€Å"ideal† family. It is more important than ever for literature, publication, television, cinema, advertisements, and music to be change agents in today’s society.Structural change may be slow; however, as a society we must realize that thousands of loving individuals and couples are being denied the chance of giving orphans a loving home. The numbers of orphans increasing in foster care services are disproportionate to the number of foster parents willing to adopt them. This fact alone without a shadow of a doubt calls to question the involvement federal govern ment to revise law and policy to integrate the needs of same-sex parents and the growing orphan problem in the United States.The investigation of same-sex parents continues to produce evidence suggesting that children growing up in same-sex households report feeling more tolerant of other groups. The quality of parenting and family functioning are not inhibited by the parent’s sexual orientation. Lastly, children raised by same-sex parents do not exhibit psychosocial and emotionally disruptive behaviors (Children Welfare Information Gateway, 2011). | |

Pinterest for authors a step-by-step guide

Pinterest for authors a step-by-step guide Pinterest for authors: a step-by-step guide Pinterest is the social media site that has every wannabe chef and bride-to-be totally hooked. It allows users to â€Å"pin their interests† to create virtual scrapbooks filled with hundreds of inspirational images: recipes, vacation destinations, home decor, wedding details, etc. With about 70 million users, the idea behind the platform is to enhance the ingenuity in everyday life through organized interests. To the uninitiated, it might seem like users end up spending hours getting sucked into the different categories and even creating boards for â€Å"what they’ll do when they stop pinning†. But what use is Pinterest for authors?Pinterest gives your eyes a vacation from day-to-day tasks. So why exactly has the rapid growth pressured the publishing world- especially self-publishing authors- to join? Well, with the rise in the platform's popularity, Pinterest is increasingly becoming a place authors turn to not only for genuine inspiration, but to sell books, to o. Here's a good video by Kim Chance on how to build an author platform on Pinterest: But how do you encourage the pinners to become book buyers? Don’t worry, Reedsy has got you covered with a cool infographic, and more advice below!Group boards: The thing with group boards is that you need to be invited and each has different rules to joining the club. Whether it’s shooting the creator an email or simply commenting ‘add me’ on one of their pins, once you’re accepted into the virtual club it instantly maximizes the number of impressions, repins, and clicks you receive because your content will be reaching a much larger audience than just your followers. Go and join one!Pinning on-the-goDon’t have time to sit at a computer and pin all day long? No one does and that’s why there are apps for that. You can use the Pinterest app for your smartphone or line pins on the Buffer application to post automatically. Buffer makes it super easy to share any page you've read or written by queuing it for posting at a later time.The bigg est challenge: hosting a contestHosting a Pinterest contest is like hosting your first party: you want people to show up. But on the whole, Pinterest users are fairly quiet creatures. They’re utilizing the platform to express their interests through images and pinned websites, not necessarily to ‘talk’ with other pinners. Pinterest is great for sharing what inspires you, but it’s even better when you can win things... Once you’ve managed to build a loyal and engaged following through your original content, it’s time to have some fun with your fellow pinners and start a contest! irst and foremost, follow the rules. The Pinterest guidelines are better for both contest hosts and entrants because there’s a ‘no spam’ policy.When it comes to actually creating a contest, it’s important to know your audience and make it feasible to enter. Remember to value quality over quantity and identify what exactly you’re giving away.The easiest contest is the ‘pin it to win it’ contest. You could ask participants to pin their favorite place to read or just a place that gives them inspiration with the use of a clever hashtag on each pin. As the author, you can search the hashtag and pin your favorite images to one of your boards and eventually pin the winners. The prize is up to you!Follow Reedsy on Pinterest and Twitter!Do you use Pinterest as an author? Have you had any success from it? What tips would you add to the ones above? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!