NTSB Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

NTSB - Essay Example The transport industry involves key players in the process of carrying out an investigation because of the knowledge they hold on specific issues. The central research process, however, is the responsibility of the National Transportation Safety Board. The party process is the involvement of other parties in the investigation process. Some of the agencies in the party process include the Federal Railroad Administration, the United States Coast Guard, and the Federal Highway Administration. The process aids the National Transportation Safety Board gather the required background data used in creating a report to the Board Members appointed by the President. The members of the board are the only five people given the mandate to determine the cause of an accident conclusively. An independent relationship between the parties limits the agencies in the party process (Mintzer 2012). The parties involved in causing an accident are not involved in the investigation to enhance the credibility of the process. The party process ensures that the research process is done in an effective way exhausting all the probabilities of the cause of the accident. The party process also assists the National Transportation Safety Board in the investigation of accidents by providing the necessary resources like skilled labor and technologic al tools to conduct the

Writing issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Writing issues - Essay Example Even if I understand that a written message should be coherent and properly organized, I have realized that my essays always lack this quality. After a careful evaluation of my written works, I found out that I am not well organized, creative and thoughtful (Chandler 26). My efforts to communicate through my writings do not bear fruit since my messages are not arranged in a flowing, interesting and convincing manner. Most of the times, my points are left hanging without being justified. Besides, I find it difficult to use comma. As one of the punctuation marks, comma should always be properly used. It has a lot of uses that vary from time to time and from article to article. For the message to be delivered to the readers, it needs to be appropriately used. However, because I do not know how to use it, my writings have been confusing. At times, they even lose meaning as they are misinterpreted by the readers. In order to appeal to my audience, I need to be more organized in my writings. Meaning, I should be keen on the way I use words and phrases. A part from using conjunctions to make my work coherent, I need to properly structure my writings. They should always start from the introduction and end with the conclusion (Rogers 40). If this is done, the writings will be readable and understandable to anyone who gets an opportunity to access them. Besides, I need to learn to be thoughtful, imaginative and creative. Writing should not just be done for the sake of it. It should be a means of communicating to others. However, if it bores, no one would waste their time reading them. In this regard, I will have to ensure that I improve on these areas. They can make my writings to get the approval of the readers. Otherwise, I will be writing for myself (Boltz 722). On the other hand, I need to look for ways through which I can improve the use of comma. First, I should spend adequate time at the Writing Centre. Here, I

Write a report that answers questions that explore economic analysis Term Paper

Write a report that answers questions that explore economic analysis and modern problems and the economic way of thinking - Term Paper Example It means the amount of maximum money one can charge for providing a product or service. The price, at which the demand of a product in the market equals its supply, is called an Equilibrium Price. Excess demand or excess supply makes Disequilibrium. By putting a Price Ceiling below the Equilibrium Price creates Disequilibrium which will make the demand in excess of supply as is shown in the graph below:- When the government put price ceiling on Cable TV below the current equilibrium price, the demand for Cable TV will increase. During this time if a new service is introduced, which will cost cheaper to the operator, will be readily accepted due to excess demand. This action will lead not only to increase in sales but also in revenues and profits. Perfectly competitive market is the situation where all the factors except demand and supply that affect market price are equal. In this situation, demand of goods and services reduces with the increase in price and demand increases with the reduction in price. This is called Law of Demand as is shown in the graph below. When the demand for the product falls, the prices in the market will start to come down. In the short run, profits of the company will fall and in the long run the number of firms will decrease due to reducing profits. When the demand for the product rises, the prices in the market will shoot up and go high. In the short run, profits of the company will increase and in the long run the number of firms will increase. New firms will be added to produce more products to meet the increased demand. Some long-run average cost curves are steeper on the downward side than others. This happens to the largest firms who tend to have cost advantage. It indicates that the industry is tending to become a monopoly, and hence is called a natural monopoly. Natural monopolies tend to exist in industries with high capital costs in relation to variable costs, such as

Energy Summary Essay Example for Free

Energy Summary Essay There are many energy sources that have been described in the recent past as being clean but the truth is that no energy source is clean as many claim. The variation of the energy sources is in their advantages and disadvantages (Raven, 2010). Whereas the disadvantages of energy source include cost, hazard potential and environmental damage, the advantages include energy safety, availability, versatility and density. Examples of energy sources include fossil fuels, solar energy, nuclear, hydropower and hydrogen fuel among others. Fossil fuels according to Raven (2009, p. 233) which is defined as â€Å"Combustible deposits in the Earth’s crust, composed of the remnants (fossil) of prehistoric organisms that existed millions of years ago†, comprise of natural gas, petroleum (oil) and coal. Of the all the energy sources used in the North America 80% is fossil fuels namely oil natural gas and coal. The energy source is nonrenewable in limited supply which is depleted by use. The natural processes responsible for the formation of fossil fuels are still in progress but it takes million of years to get substantial quantity of the energy which do not keep pace with its use. In addition the fossil fuel is only found in two continents: South America and Africa and it are only a few countries in the continents which have the fossil fuel resources. Due to the fact that most of the fossil fuels are found in developing countries, there is lack of capital to extract the resources. Hence there is need to switch to other forms of energy to provide the needed energy that has been on rise. Coal is the most abundant fossil fuel worldwide and it is found mainly in Russia, India, United States, South Africa, Germany, Australia and China which are on the northern hemisphere (Raven, 2010). The mining of coal has serious environmental impact on the environment. Environmental impact associated with the mining of coal include large open trenches and pits; exposed high cliffs of rocks; toxic and acid drainage; pollution of water bodies as well as soil erosion. Such impacts pose serious risk to human and biodiversity lives as they can lead to landslide, intoxication, habitat destruction among others. Burning of coal also affects the water and air quality which leads to sooty fallout, ocean acidification and climate change. Burning of coal which contains mercury releases the substance into the atmosphere and then to water and land thereby harm both man and wildlife. Oil and natural gas which has increasingly become important since 1930s provides about 70% of the world’s energy. It is more preferable than coal because it is cleaner, more versatile and easier to transport than coal. The environmental problems associated with the natural gas and oil is with regard to their combustion, production and transportation. Combustion of the fossil fuels emits carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which insulates the planet which prevents radiation of the heat back into the space hence global warming. Their transportation has also led to oil spill which affected economies of the many regions. The spill like the recent Gulf coast oil spill also threatens wildlife (Raven, 2010). Nuclear is another source of energy that produces 100000 times more energy per atom in nuclear reaction, than the energy available in a chemical bond between two atoms. The energy is mainly derived from uranium which is a non renewable source. Nuclear energy does not direct impact on the environment as other energy sources do but it generates radioactive waste like spent fuel (Raven, 2010). Other wastes include gases in the reactor and radioactive coolant fluids. The radioactive wastes and the spent fuel are dangerous because they are highly radioactive there by posing serious heal and environmental risks to man and the environment in general. Proper storage and measures of disposal are very fundamental to reduce such dangers. Nuclear energy also contributes to environmental pollution indirectly (Raven, 2010). From the time uranium is mined, processed and disposed, good quantity of both diesel and gasoline is used which contribute pollute the environment directly. Some wastes which result from nuclear reactions like strontium-90, krypton-85 and cesium-137 have half-life of between 30 to 90 years and will take between 300 to 600 years before they decay to a level where they are safe. On the other hand there are high-level radioactive liquid wastes which are unstable and not easy to monitor thereby making them very dangerous. Such wastes are first converted to solid state before being stored (Raven, 2010). Nuclear and utility executives have come up with a plan to promote nuclear energy and to put in place a strategy that will address the economic and safety issues associated with nuclear power. This includes a plan to build nuclear reactors that will be 10 times safer than the ones currently in use. There other energy sources which are renewable and they include solar energy, biomass energy, wind energy, hydropower, geothermal energy and tidal energy. Solar energy is derived from the sun and is perpetually available as opposed to other energy sources like uranium deposits, oil and coal which are found some particular areas (Raven, 2010). We can only run short of the solar energy when the nuclear fire of the sun burns out. Solar energy is derived when the sun’s energy is absorbed by collection device such as a plate of black metal or a panel. The unique property of the sun light, whereby it passes through transparent objects but once it hits an object it releases invisible waves of heat called infrared radiation which cannot penetrate glass, allows solar energy to heat water bodies, building and other objects. Systems have been developed and used in the industrial and building processes where solar energy is concentrated to heat liquids. Direct solar energy has been used to generate electricity by use of photovoltaic solar cells which produce electricity to the tune of 13000 MW globally. In other places well structured systems are used to generate solar thermal electric generation electricity. Energy is also derived from the sun indirectly for instance, burning of the biomass which includes organic matter like wood releases energy stored in plants during photosynthesis (Raven, 2010). Wind energy got from the wind by the use of wind turbines or windmills to generate electricity or mechanical energy is also a type of renewable energy. Streams and rivers are also dammed in order to generate hydroelectricity. The energy exists in the water because it is the energy from the sun that drives the hydrological cycles. Biomass as a source of energy is very important because it lowers the rate at which we depend on the fossil fuel and since the energy is also derived from wastes it reduces the problem of waste disposal (Raven, 2010). However, when the balance shift from food production to biomass energy production, then the food prices is likely to go up which is disadvantageous. Other sources of renewable energy are tidal energy and geothermal energy derived from changes in water level and naturally occurring heat respectively. In conclusion, the requirement of energy increases day by day therefore effort need to be put in energy conservation and development of technologies of alternative energy sources which requires less energy. It should also be the responsibility of every person and every household to economically use the available energy sources responsible so as to enhance energy savings (Light, 2003). References Light, A. (2003). Environmental Ethics: An Anthology, 1e. Retrieved 19 May 2010 from: https://ecampus. phoenix. edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/DownloadList. aspx? assetMetaId=871324e1-b1c6-4d2d-85d0-de1f7aaf570eassetDataId=d5e53d69-8288-4946-9a9b-69a18044be6a Raven, P. (2010). Environment 7e. Retrieved 19 May 2010 from: https://ecampus. phoenix. edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/DownloadList. aspx? assetMetaId=568808a6-a4f4-4b79-ac9c-845c0188b75aassetDataId=68c16029-cca8-4bdd-8119-68f43458e29e

Development of Modernity from Enlightenment

Development of Modernity from Enlightenment Dare-to-know is the motto that Kant gave to the Enlightenment. In this essay I am going to demonstrate how this motto relates to modernity. My starting point will be the definition of the Middle-Ages and description of events that characterized it, because it is where evolution to modernity initiated. Immediately after the Middle Ages follows the Renaissance, which I will also be explicating, and it is also followed by Enlightenment or the Modern Age. These three time periods are also inter-linked by historical events that marked them. They have a cause-and-effect relationship, meaning the existence of one is the effect of the existence of another. The Enlightenment was wholly based on reason, and its effect was the historical landmarks such as the French Revolution and the American Revolution. These landmarks, particularly the French Revolution, ensured the society’s exit from medieval tutelage and made a radical transition to the Modern-Age. Based on the Weber’s ideal type bureaucracy, I will also be demonstrating how they have influenced the modern institutions and how they operate, particularly the state, which is the biggest idea or effect of Enlightenment. Freedom also emerged after the establishment of the state, and strive to separate religion from the state, or secularism, was undertaken. Therefore, this rationalization led to the various forms of the modern state being devised. The â€Å"Middle Ages† is the phrase used to describe western countries after the fall of the Roman Empire and the dawn of the Renaissance in the 14th century. It is often called the medieval period. During this period the person’s identity was determined by God. (Dreyfus Kelly, 2011). Everything was determined and created by God. Therefore people never dared to question the phenomena or what made sense to them. Everything was taken for granted. Even kings and queens ruled by divine right in the Great Chain of Being. By divine right it meant they were chosen by God to rule and lead the society. The Great Chain of Being is a divine order or what can be called a social structure in the modern society. It consisted of God at the top, then kings above noblemen and other people in general, and the animals would be ranked below all the people. In the wake of the fall of the Roman Empire, there was a need for an alternative form of rule, the structure, or the government that would unite all the people of Europe. This duty was assumed by the Catholic Church which became a very powerful rule of the Middle-Ages. It also became a source of power for medieval kings and queens as a result of their alliance with it. The church also afforded protection to these monarchs. Rural life was based on feudalism. In this form of existence, the king would give land, or fiefs to noblemen. The peasants, or serfs would work on the land in exchange for protection and to live on the land. However, technological innovations in agriculture resulted in significant evolution in feudalism. Heavy plough and three-field crop rotation efficiently increased production, as well as the supply of food. As a result, less human resource was needed to work on farms. Ultimately, more people flocked to towns and cities. It was by virtue of these cities’ dynamism that gave rise to the Renaissance period in the fourteenth to the sixteenth centuries. The word Renaissance is French and means rebirth. It is the period in which the society started moving away from the medieval values and norms, from God as the determinant of everything, and thus significantly reducing the power and rule of the church, the Catholic Church. Most importantly it was the time that was marked by a massive change in economy and intellect, particularly in art, literature, science and philosophy. New ideas were created and disseminated across all spheres of life. Artistic work became more accurate and had a viewpoint, literature focused more on the characteristics and behaviors of the people, and printing eased access to information and education by society. In science great improvements were made in various fields, particularly in astronomy and physics. This is evident in Galileo’s successful invention of the telesc ope. Philosophy changed the way people thought about themselves and the universe. It focused on humanism. Humanism is broadly understood as involving a positive approach to human existence and an appreciation of human endeavor. The broad influence of Renaissance humanism in turn filtered back to philosophical and political thought, where various ideas of human reason became the main focus of theoretical speculation. John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, had an optimistic notion of human nature, believing that rationality was a key feature in the way in which human beings organized themselves, with or without state intervention. Locke promoted the idea that unjustly treated subjects had a â€Å"right to rebel† if their reason was being insulted. (Bevir, 2010). These philosophical changes culminated in another change in human thought. This was the dawn of the Modern Age which came to be famously known as The Enlightenment. The Enlightenment is largely defined and popularly known as the age of reason, mainly for its commitment to the use of reason for the promotion of happiness via the amelioration and improvement of the practical conditions of human life (Bevir, 2010). The German philosopher, Immanuel Kant, was also keen to stress the importance of rational critique to the Enlightenment, calling on his readers to dispense with â€Å"immaturity† and take up the challenge daring to know for oneself. (Bevier, 2010). He defined the Enlightenment as the man’s exit from his self-incurred minority (Wood, 2001). He described minority as being unable to use intelligence without guidance, and it is self-incurred if it caused by lack of determination and courage to use intelligence without guidance. Therefore, he called Sapere Aude, meaning having the courage to use one’s intelligence, the motto of the Enlightenment (Wood, 2001). This was an attitude towards modernity because it was founded o n the principle rationalism. Rationalism is the belief that the world has a rational structure, and that this can be disclosed through the exercise of human reason and critical enquiry. As a philosophical theory, rationalism is the belief that knowledge flows from reason rather than experience, and thus contrasts with empiricism. As a general principle, however, rationalism places a heavy emphasis on the capacity of human beings to understand and explain their world, and to find solutions to problems. It is associated with an emphasis on principle and reason-governed behavior, as opposed to reliance on custom or tradition, or non-rational drives and impulses. (Heywood, 1992). It was the successful revolution in science of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries that gave birth to the Enlightenment. Science undermined the ancient geocentric conception of the cosmos, and the constraining presuppositions that guided philosophical inquiry. It is the period that was marked by dramatic revolutions in science, philosophy, society and politics. The Enlightenment thought also culminated in the historical French and American Revolution, in which the traditional ancient hierarchical political and social orders (the French monarchy, the privileges of the French nobility, the political power and authority of the Catholic Church) were violently destroyed and replaced by a political and social order informed by the Enlightenment ideals of freedom and equality for all, founded, ostensibly, upon principles of human reason (Bristow, 2011). These revolutions served as a society’s transit from the medieval perspective to a modern world-view. In politics, the Enlighten ment make present again a course of action to encourage values characteristic of liberal modernity, which are freedom, progress, opulence, and humanitarianism. More specifically, political theorists have found in the Enlightenment the origins of several institutions that define our political landscape today, from liberal individualism and global capitalism to constitutional democracy, value pluralism, human rights recognition, and religious toleration (Bevir, 2010). The starting point in analyzing these modern institutions and political landscape is Weber’s bureaucracy. According to Marsh, et al., (1996) bureaucratic organizational structure seems to be fixed and permanent, and indispensable feature of the modern society. Most important is the nature of these bureaucracies. They are impersonal with clearly defined rules that also separate work and private life. Their form of reporting is hierarchical and break job into smaller task for increased quality, effectiveness, efficiency, and economies of scale. Candidates are also appointed based on their qualifications and experience. Therefore, Weber’s bureaucracy serves as a guideline in forming a modern organization, and played a crucial role in the development of the modern state. The biggest idea that grew out of the Enlightenment is that of the modern state. The proximate sources of the modern state were absolutism and the interstate it initiated (Held, 1992). It came as a response to absolutism. A state is that human community which (successfully) lays claim to the monopoly of legitimate physical violence within a certain territory, this territory being another of the defining features of the state (Weber, 1994). This means that all modern states are nation-states, political apparatuses, distinct from both ruler and ruled, with supreme jurisdiction over a demarcated territorial area, backed by a claim to a monopoly of coercive power, and enjoying a minimum level of support or loyalty from their citizens (Held, 1992). Therefore, the modern state is fixed within exact territorial borders, control the means of violence by the army and police, it is sovereign, and it is the only form of rule that regards its people as citizens. Governments come and go but the s tate remains. Therefore, the control of state machinery is contested and won by a political party in elections, which makes it democratic and legitimate because it reflect and/or represent the needs of its citizens. The state also uses a system of checks and balances to ensure that no one of its institutions, which are the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary, exerts or exercise too much power over another. Out of the idea of the modern state other concepts and/or ideas emerged, too. Liberalism emerged as the product of two intertwined developments in early modern Europe. The first was the creation of modern states with the concomitant emergence of semi-autonomous civil societies. The second and roughly contemporaneous development was the invention and spread of a set of values and priorities that broke with the religious traditions that had prevailed in feudal and clerical practice in medieval Europe (Bevir, 2010). Liberalism comes from the word liberty, meaning freedom. In politics, the term is recognized as a unique set of ideas or ideology. The central theme of liberal ideology is a commitment to the individual and the desire to construct a society in which people can satisfy their interests and achieve fulfillment (Heywood, 1992). Liberals believe that human beings are, first and foremost, individuals, endowed with reason (Heywood, 1992). This implies that each individual should enjoy the maximum possible freedom consistent with a like freedom for all (Heywo od, 1992). However, although individuals are entitled to equal legal and political rights, they should be rewarded in line with their talents and willingness to work (Heywood, 1992). Secularism is one of the sub-concepts of liberalism, meaning the next step after individual liberties have been achieved is to strive for the separation of religion from the state. The philosophes’ opposition to traditional religious authority stressed the need for secular knowledge free of religious orthodoxies (Hamilton, 1992). It is an ethic that is perceived as the most radical anti-clerical movement. The aim of the early modern political thought is to establish a secular political order capable of settling the wars of religion, stopping the persecution of religious minorities and heretics, and guaranteeing the natural rights and liberties of every man and citizen (Bevir, 2010). Liberalism also influenced the varying forms of the modern state. Constitutionalism or the constitutional state is the form of state in which political or state decision-making is procedurally or substantively limited. This limits can be either implicit or explicit. Here the practice of the state is restricted and constrained for the maximization of freedom of all citizens. In the liberal state private affairs are separated from public affairs by a concern. This is the form of state in which civil society is freed from unnecessary political intervention and the authority of the state is delimited. Representative democracy is a form of rule in which officers are elected by the citizens themselves to represent their interests within the rule of law. Decisions about social issues are not taken by the society itself, but by the elected officers, the representatives. Lastly, there is also a form of a modern state called a one-party state. Its definition is in its name, a state in which there is only one legitimate political party. Here voters have the o pportunity to affirm the party’s choice of candidate, or occasionally to choose from among different party candidates (although some may doubt whether this constitutes an opportunity for the exercise of choice at all) (Held, 1992). In conclusion, in the Middle-Ages everything was determined by God and existed in the Great Chain of Being. The fall of the Roman Empire ushered in the Renaissance. It was marked by great revolutions in science, philosophy, and astronomy, which then led to the Enlightenment or the Age of reason. This age of reason culminates in the overthrowing of the French monarchy and leads to the establishment the modern democratic state. It also makes Sapere Aude an attitude of modernity, because dare-to-know simply means have courage to find reason. That reason was found and it liberated the society from the shackles of the Middle-Ages. It is also because of that reason the modern state, its various forms and institutions were found. Rationalism thus freed mankind from the self-incurred minority. 1

The Fight Or Flight Syndrome

The Fight Or Flight Syndrome The fight or flight response was coined by Cannon and refers to the physiological reactions that prepare us for a strenuous efforts required by fighting or running away, (Martin, Carlson Buskit, 2010, p 750). There is evidence for and against the modern man/women being ill because of the fight or flight syndrome. For example if the stress is short-term then there will be no adverse effects but if the stress is prolonged that individual could be vulnerable to illnesses; both psychological issues (depression) and physiological problems (heart disease). However, this is dependent on several factors that may act as a buffer against stress such as their self-esteem, coping strategies and other individual differences like personality. Lazarus and Launier (1978) regarded stress as a transaction between stress and the environment, (cited in Ogden, 2012, p 290). There are several physiological responses to stress such as heart rate increase, blood pressure rise, blood sugar level rise, digestion stopping and adrenaline release. These help the body to be alert and ready, therefore whether they flee or fight. Normally after the body is stable, but if the stress is prolonged then it has negative effects. For example, the digestion stopping may cause stomach ulcers; consistent blood sugar rise can cause diabetes and heart rate differences can cause coronary heart disease. This shows how much a person has changed from prehistoric times, where the only response was to fight or run away, to now where modern stressors are complex so this response is no longer appropriate and Cannon saw that it could make a modern person ill, (Martin, Carlson Buskit, 2010). The responses to stress link with Selyes General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), which has three stages; the first stage is the alarm stage which involves the autonomic nervous system. Then the resistance stage is reached and then the exhaustion stage, where the person/animal loses their ability to adapt and leaves them vulnerable to illnesses (Martin, Carlson Buskit, 2010). This shows that the stress response will be advantageous in the short-term but if the exhaustion stage is reached it can have detrimental effects on that person. However, Selyes theory might not be valid due to generalisation problems; he carried out his study on animals, whose processes and responses are be different to humans (Martin, Carlson Buskit, 2010). There are two main groups of physiological changes. The first is sympathetic activation where a stressor triggers the nervous system in this region to produce adrenaline so this produces the fight or flight response. This activates hypothalamic pituitary adrenocortical (HPA) activity, this is similar to GAS, and this changes the carbohydrate stores and releases endorphins that act as pain relief ready to fight, (Ogden, 2012). This shows how the fight or flight responses in the body can be beneficial short-term. There is evidence for and against the fight or flight response causing the modern man to be ill but the outcome is dependent on factors that could modify the effects. One example is personality; if they have a hardy personality (Kobasa, 1977, cited in Sanders Suls, 1982) or if they strive when stressed it acts as a buffer against stress, (George, Everly Lating, 2002). People with a type A personality (see stress as positive) are motivated by stress and succeed when in this state, (Friedman and Rosenman, 1959, cited in Hayes, 2000). Nevertheless, if the persons personality is opposite then theyre more likely to get ill from stress, therefore helping to prove the statement true. Additionally, their self-esteem can effect this too; a person who has low self-esteem and low global self-esteem (negative evaluation of oneself turns to self-doubt and self-rejection) are more likely to get stressed then a person with high self-esteem, (Schrami, Perski, Grossi Simonsson-Sarnecki, 2010). The se factors make a person less susceptible and therefore helps disprove whether fight or flight responses make people ill. However, some data for this was collected by questionnaire so the findings may not be valid due to social desirability bias. Another factor that can act as modifier against stress is coping strategies. Selk (1973) stated that what makes us ill now is different to what made us ill before, for example more psychological problems occur now e.g. mental disorders (Esch, Stefano, Fricchione Benson, 2002) then physical ones and it depends on how that person deals with their environment, (Klirts Moos, 1974, cited in George, Everly Lating, 2002). A lot of research has stated the importance of social support to act as a buffer against stress, and can help prevent burnout, (Etzion, 1984). For example, good communication with your partner can decrease marital problems and stress. Social support works by motivating the individual and adding need-fulfilment. Women have better interpersonal skills so seek social support and therefore are less prone to stress in this particular way. Norris and Murrel (1990) suggest that low social support and a stressful life event e.g. death of a loved one is more likely to cause long -term stress. However, they state the complexity of the term social support as there are many different varieties and of differing levels. Another coping strategy is to gain a new activity; this gets you out, having fun and keeping that persons mind off the stressor(s) (Norris and Murrel, 1990). This shows that social support is important and lack of it can help to cause the negative effects of stress, (even more so when faced with a stressful life event). Therefore, suggesting that the fight or flight response can make someone ill in the wrong circumstances. However, other things must be taken into account individual differences e.g. what strategy suits them best and if they have a new hobby. Findings from studies show that both cognitive diathesis and the stress component (more environmental causes) go together to help suggest why people get stressed. Research shows that stressful life events trigger the susceptibility to stress; this put with other more biological factors like low self-esteem can make the person more vulnerable. This shows how the diathesis-stress model can help explain that its not just one factor that contributes to the fight or flight response making an individual ill, its a multitude of factors (both environmental and biological) that help explain the negative effects of stress. If its biological causes then some coping strategies used to combat the responses of fight or flight will not work as effectively as treatments that focus on genetic influences e.g. a hereditary hardy personality. However, it might be too early to come to this conclusion because more research needs to be done in this area, but its an effective explanation that takes an eclec tic approach to explain that the fight or flight can have its benefits but with the wrong diathesis and vulnerability to stress can show that a person can be made ill, (Zvolenskya, Kotovb, Antipovac Schmidtd, 2003). Nevertheless, there might be a problem with the fight or flight response itself not the modern day man. It hasnt been updated even though our stress response has changed and ignores research carried out since it was coined by Cannon in the 1920s. It mischaracterised the order in which the responses occur. A new sequence by Gray can explain the responses better for more modern times, it begins with the freeze response so the person/animal remains undetected. Then an attempt to flee and then a chance to fight occurs. Another model is the stop, look, listen approach which might be more valid today and is used in many military operations, which also relates to the freeze response. Additionally, the fright response (tonic immobility) or in other words playing dead is reached. This updates the fight or flight response to be freeze, flight, fight or fright. This revelation shows that there is a problem with the fight or flight response, that its responsible for illness in the modern day ma n/women encountering stress and that it needs adapting to new scenarios that could be encountered now, (Does fight or flight need updating?). The evidence suggests that the fight or flight response can be beneficial, but with the wrong circumstances and if the stress is prolonged then it can make an individual ill. Nevertheless, this can be affected by certain modifying effects for example, if the person has suitable/effective coping strategies. Other aspects of the argument, like whether the fight or flight response needs updating is important to take into account. Its still unclear what causes stress is it biology or environmental causes? Therefore, more research needs to be done on the causes so the treatments can be looked at for reliability and validity. Additionally, then more information will be available on whether the fight or flight response does cause illnesses or is it a positive relationship. [Word count: 1340/1320. Citations- 116.]

Gender Role Behaviors: Biology and Society Share Responsibility Essay

There are many different facets to the nature versus nurture argument that has been going on for decades. One of these, the influence of nature and nurture on gender roles and behaviors, is argued well by both Deborah Blum and Aaron Devor, both of whom believe that society plays a large role in determining gender. I, however, have a tendency to agree with Blum that biology and society both share responsibility for these behaviors. The real question is not whether gender expression is a result of nature or nurture, but how much of a role each of these plays. Both Devor and Blum can agree that society plays a large role in establishing gender identity. In his article â€Å"Gender Role Behaviors and Attitudes,† Devor states, â€Å"Gender role characteristics reflect the ideological contentions underlying the dominant gender schema in North American society† (Devor 571). Deborah Blum agrees to an extent in her article â€Å"The Gender Blur: Where Does Biology End and Society Take Over?† As stated in her article by behavioral endocrinologist Mark Breedlove, â€Å"We’re born with predispositions, but it’s society that amplifies them, exaggerates them† (qtd by Blum 574). It is clear, however that the two disagree on the extent of the societal role in determining gender role characteristics. Devor’s statement, and entire article for that matter, point to a clear belief that biology has no effect on gender roles. Instead, he believes that our views of the â€Å"natural† behaviors of males and females are based solely upon the society that we live in, that we have been conditioned to see certain characteristics as â€Å"feminine† and others as â€Å"masculine†. This ideology sparks from the belief that biological factors make males more aggressive and dominant than fem... ...logy or society? Nature or nurture? In this case, I would say that the answer is that both biology and society have great influence on how males and females behave in their roles. The only question now is, to what degree do each of these play a role? For this answer, we may have to wait. The key thing is to know that nature starts the process, and nurture helps that process along.  Works Cited Blum, Deborah. â€Å"The Gender Blur: Where Does Biology End and Society Take Over?† Signs of Life in the USA: Readings on Popular Culture for Writers. 6th Edition. Sonia Maasik and Jack Solomon. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2009. 573-580. Print. Devor, Aaron. â€Å"Gender Role Behaviors and Attitudes.† Signs of Life in the USA: Readings on Popular Culture for Writers. 6th Edition. Sonia Maasik and Jack Solomon. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2009. 567-572. Print.