Reform Laws and Divorce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Reform Laws and Divorce - Essay Example This paper shall argue on the causes of divorce, while pointing out to the reasons for reform laws on marriages and divorce in the process. A marriage is a standard union between two individuals that are committed to one another and they are to live for each other with the two parties developing common interest, which are economically related in some cases. In marriage, the husband and wife are expected to have a lifetime bond and the strength of this bond all depends on how they could effectively manage their relationship and it is the mismanagement of relationships that ultimately lead to divorce. It is a known fact that most of the divorce cases are filed by women and this is due to the fact that the society has made women to play second fiddle in relationships and when they feel they are no longer enjoying the relationship, they sue for divorce. According to the American Law and Economics Review, more than two-thirds of divorce cases in the United States are filed by women (Brini g & Douglas 126, Khun & John 31) A marriage would surely stand on a proper economic foundation and if the necessary things are not done, the foundation on which the marriage was built would collapse. This is to say that a marriage that the husband or the man of the house cannot meet up with the responsibility in the house in terms of matching his income with the finances at home would begin to crumble. A relationship that is marred by lack of finances or proper management of finance cannot stand and the marriage would ultimately fail. In this case, there needs to be some reform laws on the union of two people as it must be clearly stated that people that are not financially capable to start a family should not even make any attempt to get married in the first place. If this is done, divorce cases that arise as a result of the inability of the husband to cater for the financial needs of the family would never arise (Brinig & Douglas 127). There are several divorce situations that the bride accuses her husband of not being financially capable enough to cater for the family and then sues for divorce and after the hearing of the divorce, the two married parties are legally separated with the husband paying some sum of money for the upkeep of his ex-wife and if they have any issue between them, he is also responsible for the upkeep of the children. Thus, if there have been reform laws that have mandated the wife to ensure that she wants to get married to someone that would take care of the finances of herself and the issue that comes after the marriage, these cases of divorce would be to the barest minimum. Parents hold the responsibility of catering for their children and when this obligation is not fulfilled there could be some cracks in the walls in the family system and this could be the effect of an improperly planned marriage system. Divorce follows an improperly managed marriage, thus there should be some reforms law that seeks to monitor the management of m arriages and this would go a long way to teach the couples the consequences of mismanaging their homes. Some of the reasons women sue for divorce is due to the financial and economical incentives they stand to gain from the dissolution of their marriage and the fact that it is the women that gain more from

Evaluating the Key Dimensions of National Culture in the UK

Evaluating the Key Dimensions of National Culture in the UK The following essay is aimed at evaluating the key dimensions of national culture in the UK using the Hofstedes model of national culture. The work is divided into seven sections. The last section presents come conclusion points. Introduction There is not a single unified definition of Culture. Some authors utilize only observable characteristics to construct its definition. Some others claim that culture is not tangible but subjective or implicit. Hofstede, on the other hand, describes culture as mental programming. Generally speaking, the manner in which the things are done. Culture enables an unconscious infrastructure of basic assumptions and beliefs that operate unconsciously (McSweeney, B., 2002). Culture definition, then, raises the question: Do nations have culture? There is a significant literature which supports the argument that each nation has a distinctive, influential, and describable culture. National culture is composed of cultural values, cultural forms, propositions, routines, customs, symbols, rituals, and artefacts (Singh, N., 2004). In this fashion, each nation will develop a particular relation to authority, conception of self (including ego identity) and primary dilemmas of conflict and dealing with them (De Mooij, M., Hofstede, G., 2010). Therefore, evaluating a national culture or defining a reference model for national cultures is a complex task. Researchers have developed sophisticated statistical models to achieve these two objectives. Among them, Hofstedes classification of cultures has broadly adopted due to the large number of countries he measured in his study and the simplicity of his dimensions which are straightforward and appealing to both academic researchers and businessmen (Venaik, S., Brewer, P., 2010). However, Hofstedes study has been criticised because it was applied to a small set of people which worked for the same company, IBM, and considered only cultural values (Verbeke, W., 2000). Even though, Hoefsteds national culture model is broadly studied and employed by marketers, scholars, and business in general (Javidan, M., et al, 2006). This document is aimed at discussing and evaluating the key dimensions of national culture in the UK using the Hofstedes model of national culture. The first section provides a general overview of Hofstedes approach to national culture. The second part provides an insight in the individualism/collectivism dimension of the UKs national culture. The third division discusses the masculinity/femininity dimension. The forth parcel comments the power of distance dimension. The fifth piece argues the uncertainty avoidance dimension. The sixth portion reviews the long-/short term orientation dimension. Finally, the seventh segment concludes. Hofstedes approach to national culture Gerard H. Hofstede developed a model to approach national culture in early 1980s. Hofstede defined culture as the collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from another (Hofstede and Hofstede 2005 in Migliore, L.A., 2011). His definition was aligned to the classic theory of personality structure and culture. Under the umbrella of this theory, members of a specific culture will internalize communal characteristics and develop a corresponding personality structure. Nevertheless, classic theory also assumes that culture shapes personality. Thus, individuals vary according to cultures (Kirkman, B.L., et al, 2006). In this manner, Hofstede underpins his study in two concepts of national cultural: Common individual national culture and statistical average. Common individual national culture refers to the common characteristics that individuals share in a particular nation. Thus, a unique national culture is assumed to be individually carried by everyone in a nation. The statistical average, on the other hand, presupposes that the share of national culture is as not necessarily carried by individuals per se, but as a statistical average based on individuals, that is, a national norm or an average tendency (Blodgett, et al, 2008). Hofstede stated that societies are different along four major dimensions: individualism, masculinity, power distance, and uncertainty-avoidance (Vitell, S.J., et al, 1993). Some years latter (1991) Hofstede and Bond added a fifth dimension, labelled the Confucian dynamism or short-term versus long-term orientation (Chiang, F., 2005). The model provides scales from 0 to 100 for 76 countries for each dimension, and each country has a position on each scale or index, relative to other countries. In general terms, Hofstedes work is based on mental programs. Due to the process of socialization, these mental programs are developed in the family in early childhood and reinforced in schools and organizations, and other areas throughout the lifetime, experiences, and upbringings. Hofstedes work has been the benchmark for cultural analysis for the last three decades (Orr, L. M., Hauser, W. J., 2008). However, Hofstedes model has also been highly criticised. Its constraints can be summed in four points: 1. Lengthy data collection period. 2 The IBM sample (Since all respondents shared a common corporate culture which may distinguish them from the broader national population). 3 Inefficiency of the instrument (the use of attitude-survey questionnaires might not be a valid base from which to infer values). 4 Limited dimensions/Limitation of the instrument and Western bias (the values sampled were not comprehensive; thus the dimensions identified may not be exhaustive (Latifi, F., 2006). The results of Hofstedes study are presented in a table. Each dimension is displayed in a column. Results can be read in the following manner: Individualism/Collectivism: From collectivist (0) to individualist (100), Masculinity/Femininity: From feminine (0) to masculine (100), Power distance: From low (0) to high (100), Uncertainty avoidance: From weak (0) to strong (100), and Long-/Short Term Orientation: From short (0) to long (100). Hofstedes model may not be a perfect, but it is a good way to approach national culture analysis and understand nations in terms of these five dimensions. Its simplicity has underpinned its popularity. Modelling social processes is a hard task, but continual improvement will help researches to find out more accurate and simple models which transmit in an easy manner the reality (Redding, G., et al, 2008). Individualism/Collectivism Individualism/Collectivism measures the strength of the ties people have to others within the community. A high score indicates a loose connection with people. In countries with a high score there is a lack of interpersonal connection and little sharing of responsibility, beyond family and perhaps a few close friends. A society with a low Individualism/Collectivism score would have strong group cohesion, and there would be a large amount of loyalty and respect for members of the group. The group itself is also larger and people take more responsibility for each others well being (Hofstede, G., 2003). According to Hofstedes analysis, the UK has a mark of 89 in this dimension and is the number 3 in the global rank (Hofstede, G., 2003). Thus, UK society tends to have high valuation on peoples time and their need for freedom. It also has an enjoyment of challenges, and an expectation of rewards for hard work and a high respect for privacy. The UKs individualism can be observed in the number of single-occupancy property number. According to UKs government, the number has increased a 13% during the last 30 years (BBC, 2004). Individualism has also created a culture which is highly oriented to reward the hard work. As an example, the banking sector in the UK is well known for motivating its employees by granting bonuses according to objective accomplishment. Bonuses are, somehow, a way to pay tribute to peoples time. Government faced a strong resistance after the global financial crisis when conservative faction legislated to finish this practice. Financial institution claimed that reward mechanism was necessary to motivate people to invest their time to achieve firms objectives (BBC, 2009). Another expression of UKs individualism is the personal-information respect. UKs data protection laws protects information of any individual regardless his legal or social status. Leakages in private information are seen as major faults (BBC, 2010). The emphasis on the individual rather than the society has also roomed a debate culture which is spread across UKs society. The typical example is the parliament where each representative is allowed debating his ideas with any other member. Additionally, almost all major legislations are open to debate (BBC, 2010a). Thus, debate culture is easily identified in UKs people. From the authors point of view, individualism is a well known characteristic of Britons. This is perceptible, for instance, when comparing evaluation results. International student tend to share their grades since they want to assess how well they are doing it. But, British students consider this as a rude practice. Britons are very well known for their verbal skills which allow them to debate and argument in a solid manner. Generally speaking, the author agrees with Hofstedes results in this dimension, since individualism is almost a stereotyped characteristic of the British people. Masculinity/Femininity Masculinity/Femininity determines to how much a society sticks with, and values, traditional male and female roles. High scores are found in countries where men are expected to be tough, to be the provider, to be assertive and to be strong. If women work outside the home, they have separate professions from men. Low scores do not reverse the gender roles. In a society with a low Masculinity/Femininity score, the roles are simply blurred. You see women and men working together equally across many professions. Men are allowed to be sensitive and women can work hard for professional success (Hofstede, G., 2003). The mark in this dimension for the UK is 66 and the ninth position worldwide (Hofstede, G., 2003).This mark can be considered as even. In this manner, UK people have a well defined distinction between mens work and womens work, a woman can do anything a man can do, and powerful and successful women are admired and respected. Women rights evolution can be tracked since 1860 in the UK. They have acquired relevant positions in the government and private sector. For instance, the UKs head of the state, the queen Elizabeth II, has been on charge since 1952 (59 years). There are also another politicians and business women who are well known and admired (BBC, 2010b). However, there are still some activities which are considered as women duties. For example, housekeeping and children care (The economist, 2010). According to authors opinion, the UK offers equal opportunities to men and women. This is assured by the equality laws and the Government equalities office. Even though, within the families women still play a traditional role. They receive the same education than boys, but they are also trained to look after their children in the future. Thus, education in girls is seen as a complement of their main duties. In one hand, women are given the same opportunities than men, but in the other hand women have not been detached to the maternity role. Women, at work, are more independent and highly compromised with business objectives, thus, they are seen as trustworthy collaborators. Nevertheless, UKs public and private sector should work more to ensure women the same status as men (BBC, 2006). The combination of all these conditions explains why UKs mark is in the middle of the scale. Masculinity dimension rank may decrease, but it will require the involvement of all society actors, education al programs, and time. Power Distance Power Distance measures the degree of inequality that exists, and is accepted, among people with and without power. A high score indicates that society accepts an unequal distribution of power and people understand their function in the system. Low score means that power is shared and well dispersed. It also means that society members view themselves as equals (Hofstede, G., 2003). UK scores 35, thus its global position is the 44 (Hofstede, G., 2003). This mark implies that UKs organizations have almost flat structures, thus, bureaucracy has been reduced to optimum levels. Supervisors and employees are considered almost as equals, thus, accountability is evenly distributed. In this manner, public and private bodies can be flexible, dynamic, and resilient. Teamwork is also considered a valuable competency. Alongside, the decision making process is highly inclusive since it involves as many people as possible. An example of this distribution of power can be found in the government dependencies which are spread across the country (BBC, 2009a). Teamwork is taught since early education stages. The objective is to combine individuals capacities in order to create a comprehensive body which can deal with a broad range of scenarios and challenges. Team sports are a clear example of the emphasis on teamwork. Team sports are part of the educational system and are intensively promoted in the UKs schools (BBC, 2008).Talking about decision-making process, participation is encouraged in private and public institutions. In private sector, employees are managed to express their opinions about firms strategies via corporative communication tools (BBC, 2009b). In the public sector, people have several communication channels to get involved in the decision making process. Major changes in legislation, for instance, are open to involved parties in order to gather as much information as possible. Based upon feedback, representatives amend, reject, or approve laws (BBC, 2010a). In authors opinion, UKs people present a mixture of centralized and decentralized characteristics. Some parts of the government, for instance, are capable to take action without any central permission, but there are some others which have necessarily to ask to central branches authorization to proceed. In the same manner, not all legislations are open to consult, thus, not all decisions are collectively made. It is worth to say that these comments do not undermine Hofstedes results. The aim of this opinion is to point out that UKs characteristics cannot be clearly classified since the whole system is a combination of central and distributed power. In conclusion, the author endorses Hofstedes result in this dimension. Uncertainty Avoidance Uncertainty Avoidance evaluates the degree of anxiety society members feel when in uncertain or unknown situations. High scoring nations try to avoid ambiguous situations whenever possible. They are governed by rules and order and they seek a collective truth. Low scores indicate the society enjoys novel events and values differences. There are very few rules and people are encouraged to discover their own verity (Hofstede, G., 2003). In this dimension UK was rated 35 and its place in the study is the 48th (Hofstede, G., 2003). Thus, people in the UK have an informal business attitude, that is, they pay more attention to the essence rather than the form of the business. In this manner, a business objective can be achieved in relaxed business environment. UKs society is more concern with long term strategy than what is happening on a daily basis. Another of their characteristics is the change and risk acceptance. UKs people face the change and propose options to change their current scenarios with the implied risks. An interesting feature is that they need and expect a structure or framework in order to identify their field of action. Plans, then, should be clear and concise about expectations and parameters. A clear example of long term vision can be identified in governmental programs which propose actions to cope with national problems. For instance, legislations and development plans. Well fare and banking reform are examples of these strategies (BBC, 2011). UKs interest in frameworks is evident in the creation of standards to standardize products and service activities. British standards are well known worldwide; some of them have become de facto standards for some industries (BSI, 2011). Finally, UKs change acceptance and resilience can be found in the bail-out strategies that government put in place to cope the Global Financial Crisis of 2008. UK was one the most affected countries. However, regulatory bodies analyzed the situation and proposed a series of measures to minimize the crisis effects and avoid future ones (Carmassi, J., et al, 2009). The author agrees Hofstedes results. British planning culture is palpable in daily life from bus stops to school schedules. UKs orientation to strategy can be seen as a result of the Individualism dimension since the respect for others time manages all society actors to coordinate activities. On the other hand, work environments are relaxed because people are objective oriented. That does not mean that firms are anarchically managed, but authority is exercised in a way that allow everyone to accomplish their objectives. Finally, UKs procedural vocation has aligned and standardised several industries worldwide, thus, it is clear that Hofstedes evaluation clearly reflects the UKs Uncertainty Avoidance dimension. Long-/Short Term Orientation Long-/Short term orientation estimates how much society values long-term, as opposed to short term, traditions, and values. This dimension was added by Hofstede in the 1990s after finding that Asian countries with a strong link to Confucian philosophy acted differently from western cultures. In countries with a high score, delivering on social obligations and avoiding loss of face are considered very important (Hofstede, G., 2003). UKs index value is 25 and its place in the analyzed countries is the 29th (Hofstede, G., 2003). Societies with a low index of Long-/short term orientation promote equality, high creativity, and individualism. This implies that they are not very attached to customs and traditions. People treat others as equals and self-actualization is sought. Society members are respectful of others and do not hesitate to introduce necessary changes, in other words, they are very dynamic. UKs society is plenty of examples if this constant innovation and change. UKs music industry is well known for producing not only new popular bands, but also for introducing new musical styles. Entrepreneurship has allowed the country to improve and invent machinery, sports, devices and services which have impacted the world history. Promotion of equality has fuelled reforms which have been adopted by the rest of the countries. Customs and traditions change from generation to generation allowing the invention or introduction of new ones (BBC, 2011a). The author agrees with Hofstedes evaluation. UKs continual improvement is tangible in all aspects of daily life. For instance, entrepreneurship is seen as an important quality, since it is the perfect way to be creative and independent at the same time. As a result, innovation in technology, literature, finance, and regulation is a present in a constant basis. However, the change in traditions has roomed questions about national identity. British identity is difficult to track since each generation is altering the status quo. Thus, British national identity is always evolving and cannot be isolated as a static body of ritual, rules, and artefacts. Finally, the respect of others is an appreciated value in UKs society, which from the authors standpoint, has been the foundation stone of the whole society and has shaped its current state. Conclusions Hofstedes model provides a simple manner to compare two different societies. The five dimensions outline general characteristics of the analyzed countries. Even though, some authors claim that the study was based on biased information. Detractors have criticized the statistical methods, but they have not challenged the approach. It is possible to evaluate more dimensions, but information analysis would become complex and diffuse. Social researchers argue that cultures cannot be compared. However, these studies are required by globalization. Hofstedes results should be understood as generalizations of societies and have not to be used to encourage stereotype creation. Finally, the ultimate goal of Hofstedes analysis was to understand each other a little more and, in this manner, contribute to the construction of a better and durable nation relationships.

Central Themes in The Graduate Essay -- Papers Film Movie Essays

Central Themes in The Graduate The themes of loneliness, isolation and entrapment are central to the narrative of the 1967 film The Graduate. Throughout the film, many devices are used in order to communicate this to the audience. This list of devices includes the use of water and glass for example, which is seen in many scenes and emphasizes the isolation and entrapment of the not particularly remarkable but worthy kid who drowns amongst many objects and things throughout this film. The first scene we are going to look at is the party at the beginning of the film; I find this a perfect example to look at Ben’s reactions and his need or desire to be alone all the time, he doesn’t like to be around that many people for too much time, or in fact no time at all. There’s a part at the beginning of this scene when we see Ben sitting alone with the lights off, but we don’t realize they’re off until his father comes in and switches them on, interrupting the silence and making Ben uncomfortable since he obviously wants to be alone. Then there are a few shots where we can get a glimpse of the fish tank, but more importantly, we see the scooba diver inside it. When you come to think of it, the scooba diver is always there, in the middle of the depth of the water inside the fishtank, having water and glass putting him into total isolation, trapped but always exhibited, looked at, he is subject to people’s examination. This whole thing may signify Ben’s both loneliness and entrapment apart from isolation that we already mentioned. Close-ups on Ben’s face and his gestures suggest drastically that he wants to be left alone, but his parents insist... ...normous glass which separates the bottom part of the church from the upper floor, where the choir usually is. How often is this seen in a church? Practically never. It’s also very ironic how Ben uses the Christian cross to keep the distance between him and Elaine and the rest of the people, and also how he uses it to lock them inside the church to buy them time to run away. Now it’s all the people who are locked behind glass, which doesn’t change much since Ben (and also Elaine now) is still as isolated as before. All throughout the film we see constant use of conventional codes which reflect many different things which most times have a subconscious effect on the audience. All these devices added up together have a very strong effect, clearly emphasizing all throughout the piece loneliness, isolation and entrapment.

Neuropsychology of Language

The neuropsychological approaches are gradually leading to important discoveries about many aspects of brain function, and language is no exception. Progress has certainly been made in identifying the structure and form of language(s), its universal features, its acquisition and so on, but, until recently, this work has tended to ignore pathologies of language. More recently, neuropsychologists have begun to draw parallels between aphasic disorders and disruption to specific linguistic processes. This work provides evidence of a double dissociation between semantic and syntactic processes, and illustrates clearly that no single brain ‘language centre’ exists. The development of research tools such as the Wada test, and, more recently, structural and functional imaging procedures, has enabled researchers to examine language function in the brains of normal individuals. This work considers the various ways that scientists have examined lateralisation, and the conclusions that they have drawn from their research. The work supports the view that language is mediated by a series of interconnected cortical regions in the left hemisphere, much as the 19th century neurologists proposed. In addition, this work considers recent explorations of language functions in the brain using neurophysiological techniques. At first glance, the two cortical hemispheres look rather like mirror images of each other. The brain, like other components of the nervous system, is superficially symmetrical along the midline, but closer inspection reveals many differences in structure, and behavioural studies suggest differences in function too. The reason for these so-called asymmetries is unclear, although they are widely assumed to depend on the action of genes. Some writers have suggested that they are particularly linked to the development in humans of a sophisticated language system (Crow, 1998). Others have argued that the asymmetries predated the appearance of language and are related to tool use and hand preference. Scientific interest in language dates back to the earliest attempts by researchers to study the brain in a systematic way, with the work of Dax, Broca and Wernicke in the 19th century. Since then, interest in all aspects of language has intensified to the point where its psychological study (psycholinguistics) is now recognised as a discipline in its own right. In 1874 Karl Wernicke described two patients who had a quite different type of language disorder. Their speech was fluent but incomprehensible and they also had profound difficulties understanding spoken language. Wernicke later examined the brain of one of these patients and found damage in the posterior part of the superior temporal gyrus on the left. At the same time as characterising this second form of language disorder, which we now call Wernicke's aphasia, Wernicke developed a theory of how the various brain regions with responsibility for receptive and expressive language function interact. His ideas were taken up and developed by Lichtheim and later, by Geschwind. In Broca's aphasia, as with most neurological conditions, impairment is a matter of degree, but the core feature is a marked difficulty in producing coherent speech (hence the alternative names of ‘expressive' or ‘non-fluent' aphasia). Broca's aphasics can use well-practised expressions without obvious difficulty, and they may also be able to sing a well-known song faultlessly. These abilities demonstrate that the problem is not related to ‘the mechanics' of moving the muscles that are concerned with speech. Wernicke's first patient had difficulty in understanding speech yet could speak fluently, although what he said usually did not make much sense. This form of aphasia clearly differed in several respects from that described by Broca. The problems for Wernicke's patient were related to comprehension and meaningful output rather than the agrammatical and telegraphic output seen in Broca's patients. Broca's and Wernicke's work generated considerable interest among fellow researchers. In 1885, Lichtheim proposed what has come to be known as the ‘connectionist model of language' to explain the various forms of aphasia (seven in all) that had, by then, been characterised. Incidentally, the term ‘connectionist' implies that different brain centres are interconnected, and that impaired language function may result either from damage to one of the centres or to the path-In Lichtheim's model, Broca's and Wernicke's areas formed two points of a triangle (Franklin 2003). The third point represented a ‘concept' centre where word meanings were stored and where auditory comprehension thus occurred. Each point was interconnected, so that damage, either to one of the centres (points), or to any of the pathways connecting them would induce some form of aphasia. Lichtheim's model explained many of the peculiarities of different forms of aphasia, and became, for a time, the dominant model of how the brain manages language comprehension and production. Three new lines of inquiry – the cognitive neuropsychology approach, the functional neuro-imaging research of Petersen, Raichle and colleagues, and the neuroanatomical work of Dronkers and colleagues – have prompted new ideas about the networks of brain regions that mediate language. Researchers in the newly emerging field of developmental cognitive neuroscience seek to understand how postnatal brain development relates to changes in perceptual, cognitive, and social abilities in infants and children (Johnson 2005). The cognitive neuropsychological approach has underlined the subtle differences in cognitive processes that may give rise to specific language disorders. The functional imaging research has identified a wider set of left brain (and some right brain) regions that are clearly active as subjects undertake language tasks. The emerging view from these diverse research approaches is that language is a far more complex and sophisticated skill than was once thought. A universal design feature of languages is that their meaning-bearing forms are divided into two different subsystems, the open-class, or lexical, and the closed-class, or grammatical (Johnson 1997). Open classes have many members and can readily add many more. They commonly include (the roots of) nouns, verbs, and adjectives. Closed classes have relatively few members and are difficult to augment. They include such bound forms as inflections (say, those appearing on a verb) and such free forms as prepositions, conjunctions, and determiners. In addition to such overt closed classes, there are implicit closed classes such as the set of grammatical categories that appear in a language (say, nounhood, verbhood, etc., per se), and the set of grammatical relations that appear in a language (say, subject status, direct object status, etc.). The work supports a model of hemispheric specialisation in humans. While it would be an oversimplification to call the left hemisphere the language hemisphere and the right hemisphere the spatial (or non-language) hemisphere, it is easy to see why earlier researchers jumped to this conclusion. Whether this is because the left hemisphere is preordained for language, or because it is innately better at analytic and sequential processing, is currently a matter of debate. The classic neurological approach to understanding the role of the brain in language relied on case studies of people with localised damage, usually to the left hemisphere. Broca and Wernicke described differing forms of aphasia, the prominent features of the former being non-fluent agrammatical speech, and those of the latter being fluent but usually unintelligible speech. Their work led to the development of Lichtheim's ‘connectionist' model of language, which emphasised both localisation of function and the connections between functional areas. Bibliography Brook, A. & Atkins K. (2005). Cognition and the brain: the philosophy and neuroscience movement. Cambridge, NY: Cambridge University Press. Crain, W. (1992). Theories of Development: Concepts and applications. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall. Crow, T.J. (1998). â€Å"Nuclear schizophrenic symptoms as a window on the relationship between thought and speech.† British Journal of Psychiatry, 173, 303-309. Franklin, Ronald D. (2003). Prediction in Forensic and Neuropsychology: Sound Statistical Practices. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: Mahwah, NJ. Johnson, M. H. (1997). Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers Ltd. Johnson, M. H. (2005) Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. Blackwell, Oxford, 2nd Ed. Kolb, B., & Whishaw, I.Q. (1996). Fundamentals of human neuropsychology, 4th edition, New York: Freeman and Co. Maruish, Mark and E. Moses, Jr. (1997). Clinical Neuropsychology: Theoretical Foundations for Practitioners. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: Mahwah, NJ. Loring, D.W. (1999). INS Dictionary of Neuropsychology. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Stirling, J. (2002). Introducing Neuropsychology. Psychology Press: New York.   

I Disagree with School Uniforms Essay

I think school uniforms are a bad decision for S. S Seward. S. S Seward students should not be required to wear an official school uniform because it doesn’t give the students a chance to express themselves and make them feel happy and make them feel like they belong. I’m also disagreeing because it causes financial problems and bullying. Financial difficulties seem to be a problem with the school uniforms. Schools claim that school uniforms are less expensive for parents; however, school uniforms generally mean an additional cost for parents, who now have to purchase different types of clothing for their children to wear in and out of school. Additionally, since uniforms involve specific requirements, parents may not be able to find uniform options in discount or thrift stores as they could if they had more freedom to choose their children’s wardrobes. Most schools with uniform requirements do, however, provide free uniforms to needy families. Bullying and Violence seem to be another problem with the school uniforms. Some school administrators believe that enforcing a uniform policy will eliminate the problems of discrimination and bullying. But kids will find a way to hurt one another, regardless of what they wear. If they wear uniforms, some children will bully each other over hairstyles or jewelry or shoe choices. They will mock each other for their parents’ professions or their socioeconomic status, no matter what they wear to school. A uniform isn’t an absolute solution to problems of school bullying and negative behavior. It also seems that there is not individual expression involved with the school uniforms. Students in school need to learn to express themselves, and their wardrobe choices are one way of doing this. When every child is forced to dress just like all his peers, he loses his freedom to choose how he wants to represent himself through his clothing. Additionally, some uniforms may conflict with a student’s religious beliefs and practices regarding proper attire. Teachers, on the other hand, may appreciate restrictions of personal expression through clothing, because students dress inappropriately at times. Many people feel that uniforms are a method of reining in the creativity and freedom of expression of teens and kids, and passing on the message that conformity is important. Contrary to popular belief, even with uniforms on, certain children will get picked on by others. Cliques will still be formed and students will find ways such as weight, complexion, and financial status to pass judgment upon their peers. School uniforms are very often unflattering, and it can damage a child’s self-image.