Reflection on Nursing Teamwork

Reflection on Nursing Teamwork Implementing an effective teamwork skill is essential in nursing. I would be reflecting on the dynamics of my own personal experience on Enquiry Based-Learning, an important element in my programme of study. Nurses are everywhere, working with different professionals to achieve a common outcome that leads toward a patients wellbeing. For this reasons, my course, in a way focused on enquiry based learning to develop important skills to empower student nurses while in the healthcare sector. Throughout this essay, I would be referring to Gibbs (1998) reflective model to explore how the group worked as well as focusing on my own contribution. Description I undertook a group activity section as part of my learning development which is defined as Enquiry Based Learning. A group composed of 5 members to work together as part of a team on a specific task. My group is to work on a case study working together as a group to produce a piece of PowerPoint presentation to present our findings.   Grounded on my understanding, I have identified a group as collective consisting of one or two people with a common interest whereas a group dynamic is a team of people acting interdependently with excellent communication skills, different knowledge and interact with each other regardless of shared responsibilities (George, 1985).   To this end, I would think of my enquiry based-learning group as a task -focused group, as each individual had a delegated task to carryout.   My enquiry based group was selected casually to work together and to share responsibilities individually which means to be able to produce this piece, we would need to communic ate frequently with each other by building a significant relationship with the members of the group. Feelings Initially I felt confident to be in a smaller group as this gives me the opportunity to communicate in an easy way. however, I got frightened and felt anxious about having to be in a group with people I do know have any kind of a friendly approach with.   Also, I got frightened because, I perceived the group as a task purposed group only. Nevertheless, according to Casey, A. (2011) Communication is central to human interaction. Without it, people cannot relate to those around them, make their needs and concerns known or make sense of what is happening to them.   to this end, with a smile in my face, I took the initiative to introduce myself and ask the members of my enquiry based learning their names. Tuchman (1965) underlined the importance of team development through four stages. However, forming is the first stage members of a team or group go through before moving unto the next phase.   This is an introductory stage where the group become adapted to each other. During the f orming stage, the team members including myself have been very nice to each other but at the same time there are unseen possible conflicts. Firstly, in the forming stage, we got selected randomly as a group to work together to achieve an outcome to meet a deadline. However, we started to get to know each other, to socialise, by becoming acquainted with each other while talking through the task. We all contributed in splitting the task in semi topics to obtain an outcome easily. Additionally, as a task focused group, we talked about the task and started to delegate each member a task to undergo. At this point, everyones opinion was valued, we discussed and planned on how to carry out our research and how to present it. Furthermore, in norming stage, we assessed the task as a group and set out the ground rules, boundaries and standards through communication and interaction (Tuchman, 1965). I was able to communicate interactively with the members of my enquiry based learning group and to convey my ideas. I also decided on which part of the argument I was interested in developing research into.   Additionally, everyone con veyed their ideas along with suggestions made by other members.   Consequently as, the group dynamic begins to lose its structure, conflicts emerge.   Which leads to the storming stage as stated by Tuchman (1965).   In this stage, though, there has not be any disagreements we decided to meet outside university to work together, because this is mainly task focused group, we all participated in a positive way.   Consequently, leading to the performing stage where we were able to achieve our goal (Tuchman, 1965). Evaluation Positively, even though in the norming stage we started to work connectedly and the team performance is elevated thus not as high performing. we all contributed our ideas, discussed about possible meetings, place and the frequency. However, as a member, I was able to establish harmonious relationships with the rest of the group. I wanted the work to be done properly so I maintained a positive relationship throughout the section.   I explored my given topic independently, making sure to keep the interaction between the group going then we met on few occasions to put the work together and to practice on how to present the work.   However, I didnt like the formation of the group because, even though we were good and very task focused, we did not have a specific role to adhere to. Everyone was doing everything and this was very disorganised. There was a point where we kept sending the working to the group and the members making changes independently whereas, as a supportive and inter active team, we could have meet  Ã‚   and discuss around any changes. The reason for this is because, even though we are really interactive wen we see each other, this, however, is different when we send messages around concerning or regarding the presentation. Members do not pay attention to messages.  Ã‚   Consequently as, the group dynamic begins to lose its structure, the group therefore struggles and dysfunctions as a group. This stage negatively impact on the whole process through a realisation that, we did not really have a lasting group dynamic as members started to create small groups within the group unintentionally because of obvious preferences. They are more interested in getting their work done based on been the best. Personally, when this happened, people stop communicating, message and purpose become unclarified. So, people do things wrongly on their own terms. Relating to this, the group still functions as a group but there is no interaction or relationship based-communication. Referring to the Mindtools document (Belbins reflective cycle), when a team is acting at its best, you will usually find that all the members has clear responsibilities.   Belbin (1993) said, Team role is a tendency to behaviour, contribution and interrelation with others. It is a pattern of behaviour that characterizes one persons behaviour in a team process. It is thus, vital to classify the roles members possess to improve the teams effectiveness. Teams having a balance of personality types perform better than those with duplicated personalities (Belbin,1993). Belbin came up with the roles of individual team members which states that every member is unique and possesses unique behaviour which might affect the performance of the activity. He also used self-perception inventory questionnaire in his research in order to identify team roles and he found nine different roles with unique characteristics. These inclusive; Following Belbins (1981) individual role in the team, the role that best describes me in the team was Implementers as I am mainly in charge of getting things done by elaborating in a systematic and an organized way on the teams ideas and approaches into reasonable actions and plans. Also, I played the role of Completer-Finisher as I am always anxious about deadlines and want to make sure the work is completed and done before then.   On my personal point of view, I would say our group was acting very close to a team but there is still distance from a high performing team and If I had to change something about it next time, I would ask the lecturers to change the members. Analysis Conclusion In conclusion, reflecting on this account, in a group or teamwork, all members are important. As stated in Tuchmans (1965) reflective model it is important that individuals are delegated a task within in the group to focus on. However, firstly, there was no leadership, according the Kings Fund (2015) leadership is a tool to a successful and effective group task. For this reason, there was no formality of order in the group. Everyone was doing everything not sticking to the group dynamics. Secondly, though we were communicating and focusing on the task yet we were somehow disorganised and initial standards was not well observed.   Thirdly, our communication was a task-focused on not based on interrelations because, as soon as we depart from each other there is no more communication Bach (2015). If I have been given the opportunity next time, I would have recommended that the group delegate a leader to oversee the project only this way, would things be well organised and encourage mo re group meeting and to pay attention to messages thus giving a feedback and discussing it as a group. Action plan To encourage the participation and collaboration as a group, I will empower the group to elect a leader who can oversee managing affairs of the group. I would also encourage members to participate in providing feedbacks to any message that is communicate in other to understand what changes might occur. References: Bach, s. (2009) communication and interpersonal skills :Learning Matters LTD   available at http://sgh.org.sa/Portals/0/Articles/Communication%20and%20Interpersonal%20Skills%20for%20Nurses.pdf (19/02/17) Belbin, M. (1993) : Team roles: Mindtools available at mindtools.com/Belbin team roles Casey, A. (2011) Effective communication: Principle of Nursing Practice E: RCN :v 25 (32) available at https://www2.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/380795/Nursing_Standard_Principle_E_April11_563KB.pdf (accessed 19/02/17). George, N. (1985). Importance of teamwork at work. Availablie at http://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-teamwork-work-11196.html Gibbs (1998): Reflective cycle : available at mindtools.com/gibbs reflective cycle Maggs, D. (2015) The Kings Fund: Leadership and Leadership Development: London available at https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/sites/files/kf/field/field_publication_file/leadership-leadership-development-health-care-feb-2015.pdf (accessed 19/02/17).

Thomas Aquinas Impact On Western Thought Through Time Philosophy Essay

Thomas Aquinas Impact On Western Thought Through Time Philosophy Essay St. Thomas Aquinas was an Italian philosopher and theologian living between 1225 -1274 of the medieval period. Aquinas began his education at Montecassino, a monastery which became his first battle site. Thomas was later transferred to the University of Naples in France; this is where he came into contact with a newly found mendicant order of Preachers or Dominicans, and Aristotles philosophy. Aquinas became a Dominican, against the will of his family and eventually went to Paris to study, before going to Cologne with Albert the Great, a philosopher whose interest in Aristotle reinforced Aquinass own predilections  [1]  . Aquinas was a classical proponent of the natural theology at the onset of European Scholasticism, and is regarded as the founder of the Thomism school of philosophy and theology. Aquinass philosophy significantly influenced subsequent Christian theology, particularly that of the Roman Catholic Church, as well as Western philosophy in general. Thomass most signif icant and enduring works include the Summa Theologica  [2]  , an article that systematically expounds his mysticism of the quinquae viae and the Summa Contra Gentiles. Aquinas was well known for his contribution to Christian theology, but he was also a classical Aristotelian as well as an Empiricist, and he significantly influenced these two ideas of Western thought. Aquinas believed that truth is well revealed through both natural revelation and supernatural revelation-through faith as in the scripture, for these two elements, Aquinas was careful enough to separate them in a complementary rather than contradictory manner. He argued that, although Gods existence and His attributes may be easily deduced, specific aspects such as the Trinity and Incarnation may only be revealed through special revelation. As mentioned above, His two outstanding works are the Summa Contra Gentiles translated and published in English as the On the Truth of the Catholic Faith, and the Summa Theologica known as the Compendium of Theology. The former piece was broadly intended for non-Christians; while the latter significantly addresses Christians and is more of a philoso phical work on Christian theology. Aquinas utilized scriptures and traditions of the Catholic Church as the raw material data of his theology. He believed that these materials were produced by Gods revelation to humans throughout history. In addition, faith and reason are the two fundamental tools, which are necessary for processing and interpreting this raw data of theology with an aim of obtaining the true knowledge of God. Aquinas blends Aristotelian philosophy with Christian theology to argue that God reveals himself to humans through nature. This implies that Gods nature can be studied through rational thinking as well as though the study of nature  [3]  . Aquinas proposed five statements regarding Gods divine qualities from his classical consideration of what God is not. This include: God is simple, He is devoid of matter or form or even body and soul; God is perfect, deficient of nothing; God is infinite, He is unlimited as He created all things, but humans are limited being, physically, rationally, and emotionally; God is immutable, inept of change with regard to His in nature and character; and God is one, His essence is the same as His existence. Aquinas also pioneered the Principle of Double Effect when it comes to ethical decisions. According to this principle, when an otherwise justifiable act such as self-defense is likely to cause an effect, then one may basically be obliged to avoid it for example if it results to the death of another  [4]  . Modern philosophy is a reaction in favor or against Aquinass views As outlined above, Thomas Aquinas has shaped modern worlds philosophy especially when it comes to theology and ethical philosophy. At large, modern worlds philosophy began in the sixteenth century; but nobodys system of philosophy has entirely corresponded to everybodys perception of certainty; bit to what, if set aside for mens perception, common men may not agree on what is common sense. Against all this, St. Thomass philosophy distinctively stands based on the universal common conviction that supports brotherhood of men, in their common consciousness that, all things attested by the ability of the senses originate from God  [5]  . Rene Descartess argument Rene Descartes is regarded as the Father of Modern Philosophy. Descartess system of thought depicts a major break away from all previous philosophical systems, mainly, away from Aristotle and Aquinas philosophy. For example, unlike Aquinas, a proponent for the tabula rasa model of the human mind (At birth, the human mind resembles a blank recording device and as one grows it records data from sensory experience), Descartes posited that human beings are born with innate thoughts and ideas, these ideas exist in their minds even at birth  [6]  . Further, Thomas Aquinas argued that if humans had innate ideas of Gods existence, then proof of His existence would be inappropriate and faith would be irrelevant as human beings would have direct knowledge and experience of Gods essence and nature. Thus, Descartes was trying to offer the world a philosophy which he thought was compatible with both the new world of science and the convention of Christian faith. However, his philosophy was hi deous to the Church. As a result, in the same way the Roman Catholic Church had condemned Galileo in 1633, thirty years later, it added Descartes work on its Index of proscribed reading material. John Lockes argument John Locke, an advanced philosopher of the seventeenth-century, effectively presents his argument against Descartes innate ideas, in a manner that is similar to that of Aquinas. Locke criticize Descartes claim that God must exist based on Descartes idea of God in his mind even though he (Descartes) has disconnected his mind from his senses. Locke argued that, holding such a claim is the same as believing that millions of gods must exist just because millions of different minds have ideas of millions of different gods. However, Locke used Descartes argument that in order to have a clear and distinctive idea of something one must have a clear understanding of that which they are having an idea about. Locke uses scripture to argue that in the Bible, no other belief clearly distinguishes a believer from an unbeliever except the belief that, Jesus is the Messiah, and He (Jesus), is able to save everyone who formed this belief with no requirement of other beliefs whatsoever  [7]  . Immanuel Kant argument From research, it is clear that St. Thomas Aquinas and Immanuel Kant were born almost half a millennium apart and, on the exterior, the styles of argumentation of the two philosopher and their broad approaches to philosophy emerge as being equally distinct from each other; nevertheless, both philosophers aimed to congeal the essential knowledge of God. Kants metaphysics legitimately attempted to develop a kind of critical science that would guarantee the truth of knowledge. Similarly, Aquinas succeeded in arguing that some of the worlds most closely held beliefs can be justified in the course of rational thinking; exclusively, he tried to generate a wide-ranging argument in favor of the Gods existence, which supports the most central doctrines of the Catholic Church. Comparing Thomas Aquinas to Kent, one can argue that Thomas was more ensconced in the conventional hierarchy of the Catholic Church and interpretations of Gods existence than Immanuel Kant. Thomas main focus was placed u pon the issues and concerns regarding the relationship between God and man, in as well as the relationship between God and the natural world. Basically, he aimed at investigating the various aspects of the world that casts doubt to the existence of God, and as a result, why Gods existence is questioned so often. Ultimately, Aquinas writings would then be adopted as the accepted books of theology for the Catholic Church, and consequently, would strongly possess a kind of stigma for either those who were not Christians or not Catholics, especially after the protestant reorganization. Indisputably, in as much as, Aquinas arguments were definitely rational. This implies that, he purposed to draw an abstract of claims regarding the nature of God and mankind by examining physical anomalies. This distinguished him strongly from most of the modern philosophers, particularly with regard to the fact that he supposed that true faith required rational investigation; however, it made him similar to Immanuel Kant, who also believed that faith in God and salvation require critical analysis. Aquinass impact on the Catholic Churchs philosophy Aquinas believed that Gods existence is neither patently obvious nor is it beyond proof. In the Summa Theologica, Aquinas outlines five rational proofs (quinquae viae) for the existence of God, these include: God is an unmoved mover (ex motu), as everything that is moved is moved by God, the source of all motion. God is the cause of all things; this is argued though the argument of the first cause (ex causa), where everything that is caused is caused by God. Through the argument from contingency, Aquinas argues that Gods existence is not contingent of any other being. But the universe contains contingent beings as something cannot come of nothing. God is the pinnacle of perfection; it is from this lesser degrees of perfection derive their meaning. This is outlined in the argument from degree. The final argument is the teleological argument, also known as the argument from design (ex fine). According to this argument, all natural bodies in the world are in themselves unintelligent, and are guided by God to act towards ends rationally. Aquinas understood that Jesus Christ was ultimately divine and He (Jesus Christ) is not simply a human being or merely God in humanly inhabiting the body of Christ. Nonetheless, Aquinas posited that Christ also had a justly cogent human soul, resulting in a duality of natures that endured even after Incarnation. In essence, these two natures existed concurrently yet distinctively in a single existent human body. Aquinas is also credited for defining the four cardinal virtues: prudence, temperance, justice and fortitude. For these values, Aquinas held that they are revealed by nature and are and necessary for everyone. Further, he highlighted three theological virtues; faith, hope and charity, which are the chiefest, supernatural and distinctive from other virtues as their object is God. Furthermore, Aquinas distinguished four kinds of law: natural law-discovered by reason, eternal law- Gods decree that governs all creation), human law-natural law as applied by governments and institutions and divine law-this is specifically revealed in the scriptures  [8]  . According to St. Thomas Aquinas, the ultimate goal of human existence is to find eternal union and fellowship with God. He believes in life after death for those who have experienced Christs salvation and redemption while living on earth. The Incarnation is an adorable vision which will be granted to Christians as a perfect and everlasting happiness through understanding of the very quintessence of God. Thus, during an individuals existence on the earth, their life must be inclined toward right things such as peace, holiness and charity.

A Connectionist Model of Poetic Meter :: Poetry Writing Essays

A Connectionist Model of Poetic Meter Abstract. Traditional analyses of meter are hampered by their inability to image the interaction of various elements which affect the stress patterns of a line of poetry or provide a system of notation fully amenable to computational analysis. To solve these problems, the connectionist models of James McClelland and David Rumelhart in Explorations in Parallel Distributed Processing (1988) are applied to the analysis of English poetic meter. The model graphically illustrates the dynamics of a poetic line and incorporates a number of features associated with the actual oral performance of a poetic text, while providing a notational system that allows mathematical analyses of poetic meter. One of the salient features of poetry is its metrical structure. Many poets use regular patterns of stress to achieve specific aesthetic effects; readers expect such patterns and foreground them in their oral interpretations of the poems, whether they be read aloud or subvocally. Consider the opening line to Wordsworth's "Tintern Abbey": "Five years have past; five summers, with the length . . ." According to traditional "rules" of scansion, this iambic pentameter line would receive a heightened stress on the alternate even numbered syllables years, past, sum-, with, and length. Yet the repetition of the adjective five calls for some degree of emphasis upon each occurrence of the word, even though it is found in an unstressed position. But how much emphasis? More than the "stressed" with? More than years? Is the stress equal in both uses of five? And where does the stress or emphasis come from--from our act of interpretation or from an intonation pattern generat ed by the syntax?

Bell Jar summary :: essays papers

Bell Jar summary Many have paralleled Sylvia Plath’s novel, The Bell Jar, to her very own life. Plath is known for her tormented life of constant depression and disappointments, causing her to end her life early at the young age of 30. The time frame in which the book is in matches the times when she is enlisted in many mental institutes and ultimately her suicide. The story of Esther Greenwood also tells the feelings and emotions of Sylvia Plath. Other characters in the novel are said to be in relation to characters in the author’s life. The novel begins where Esther is just about halfway through her job as Mademoiselle, a fashion magazine. She and many other girls received this opportunity because of their exceptional writing abilities. Even though this she had waited for this chance for a year, she is actually disappointed because she had expected more from the other prizewinners. â€Å"These girls looked awfully bored to me. I saw them on the roof yawning and painting their nails and trying to keep their Bermuda tans, and they seemed bored as hell... Girls like that make me sick.† (Pg. 4) A couple other unfortunate events also led her to be depressed at her stay in the hotel. At a dinner gathering, Esther ate a lot of crabmeat that happened to be poisoned. She passes out and awakes in her room. Her recovery is slow and agonizing. Another social event causes yet again another mishap. Doreen, Esther best friend there, sets Esther up with a friend of Doreen’s boyfriend to go to a party. There, the bli nd date attempts to sexually assault, but Esther resists and walks away with her dignity. After returning to the hotel, Esther takes no care of the assault and just carries on. Later, she finds out that her on and off boyfriend, Buddy Willard, is actually not a virgin. â€Å"At first I thought he must have slept with the waitress only that once, but when I asked how many times, just to make sure, he said he couldn’t remember but a couple of times a week for the rest for the summer.† Knowing this, she thought it to be okay if she were to have an affair also. On a date with Constantin, he invites her to his room, but to her dismay, nothing happens.

Tommy Pearson :: Essays Papers

Tommy Pearson Pearson. Churchill. MacDonald. Trudeau. This list is composed of some of the greatest and most respected men to shape the history of Canada and who meld the country we live in into its current state. One notable but equally influential Canadian politician missing from this list is Tommy Douglas. Tommy Douglas’s government lasted from 1944 to 1960. During these sixteen years, he accomplished many great achievements, and brought in many important political changes to improve the health and living conditions of people all over the country. What exactly did Tommy Douglas accomplish that made him so great? Tommy Douglas was born in Falkirk, Scotland, on October 12, 1904. In 1910, his family immigrated to Winnipeg, Canada. When the first World War struck, the Douglas family moved back temporarily to Glascow. There, he worked at a whiskey factory until the War ended. He then moved back to Winnipeg, where he worked as an apprentice printer at the Winnipeg Free Press and Grain Trade News. There, he learned first hand the needs and views of the common citizen. By 19, he had successfully earned his Journeymans as a printer. By then, however, he had earned a good reputation as a Baptist Preacher. There he met JS Woodsworth, a Methodist Preacher and political party CCF leader. He finished his schooling at McMaster University, earning an MA. In 1934, Tommy Douglas began his political career. He ran unsuccessfully for provincial candidate of the Farmer-Labour party of Saskatchewan. The next year, he won as the CCF candidate for the federal constituency of Weyburn. By 1941, he was selected as th e provincial leader of the Saskatchewan Provincial party in George Williams absence, who hd gone overseas to follow the war. He later resigned his federal position to lead the Saskatchewan CCF, and won the election with 47 seats of 53. During his five terms as premier, Douglas introduced many reforms, mostly geared towards public hospitals and medical care. These reforms moved Saskatchewan to a more forward and prosperous state. In his first year alone, he introduced 72 bills that were aimed at social or economic changes. After only two years, he had reduced provincial deficit by $20 million. Some of Tommy Douglas’s greatest accomplishments were pensioner benefits and universal hospitilization. In 1944, he introduced pensioners to free medical, dental, and hospital services, as well as free treatment of cancer, mental illness, tuberculosis, and venereal diseases.

Athens in the Time of Pericles †Religion Death and Burial Essay

Pericles lived from 495-429 BC. During this time, religion was inextricably linked with Athenian society. It contributed to a lot of Athenian culture and the many aspects of religion were depicted through buildings, artworks, festivals and every day rituals. Gods and Goddesses In Greek mythology there were 12 main gods, that were prayed to and worshipped by the Athenians. It was said they lived on top of Mount Olympus. They resembled human form and through their stories of love, war and passion they were also viewed to have human feelings. The Greeks believed that the gods were immortal. The gods were associated with three main domains, Heaven, sea and earth. The 12 gods were: God/Goddess name Aphrodite Apollo Ares Artemis Demeter Hephaestus Hera (Queen of heaven and wife of Zeus) Hermes (Messenger of the Gods) Hestia Poseidon Zeus (Lord of the Gods, Spiritual father of the Gods and the people) Heaven Heaven Heaven Heaven Earth Heaven Heaven Heaven Heaven Sea Heaven Domain Specialty Love, romance and beauty Sun, light, medicine, poetry and music War Hunting, the forest, wildlife, childbirth and the moon Agriculture Fire Marriage and magic Business Home and Homelife The sea, horses and earthquakes The sky. Dio Crysostomos (97 A.D) declared the image of Zeus so powerful that, â€Å"If a man, with a heavy heart from grief and sorrow in life, will stand in front of the statue, he will forget all these.† Athena (Patron goddess of Athens and daughter of Zeus) Heaven War, wisdom and crafts. Evidence of Athena being the patron goddess is the Athenian silver tetradrachm from 454-404 BC. Like on the coin, she’s generally depicted wearing a helmet and shown with an owl or olive tree as they were sacred to her. According to mythology, she gifted the olive tree to the city of Athens. Tara Heaslip Wednesday, 19 June 2013 6:12:56 PM Australian Eastern Standard Time Attica. Athens, c. 454-404 BC. Silver â€Å"old-style† tetradrachm. Head of Athena right, wearing crested helmet ornamented with olive leaves / Owl standing right, olive sprig and crescent moon behind. Apart from the main 12 gods and goddesses there were many others that were just as popular and worshipped just as much, for example, Dionysus. There is much evidence of the belief in these gods such as paintings, artworks and inscriptions, for example, a vase that has been dated back to 470-460 BC which depicts Zeus. Amphora, 470-460 B.C. This vase depicts Zeus aiming a lightening bolt at a giant with an eagle perched on his hand. Beliefs, practices and organisations Religion was a fundamental aspect of Greek life and the Athenian people incorporated it into their everyday lives as they believed their lives were dependent on the gods. It was believed that gods could interfere in the lives of men, so prayer was used by the people, so the gods would take favour and act kindly towards them. Xenophon said â€Å"The gods know everything and they give forewarnings to anyone they choose through sacriï ¬ ces, omens, voices and dreams.† The Athenians used sacriï ¬ ces, temples and prayers to honor particular gods and goddesses. They believed in the three ‘Fates,’ Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. Clotho was the youngest, she spun the thread of destiny with a distaff and determined the time of birth of an individual. Lachesis measured the thread length to determine the length of life and Atropos cut the thread of life, determining the time of death. Worship of the gods consisted of rituals and ceremonies. The relationship between human beings and deities was based on the concept of exchange; Gods and goddesses were expected to answer prayers and humans were expected to give gifts and sacriï ¬ ces. Tara Heaslip Wednesday, 19 June 2013 6:12:56 PM Australian Eastern Standard Time Evidence of the sacriï ¬ ces made by the Athenians came from Lysias (around 400 BC) who stated, â€Å"By performing the proper sacriï ¬ ces, our ancestors left our city the most powerful and prosperous in Greece. It is therefore right that we offer the same sacriï ¬ ces as they did, if only for the sake of the good fortune which has resulted.† Sacriï ¬ ces were the central ritual act performed by Athenians. Animals sacriï ¬ ced had to be willing, therefore they would sprinkle water on it so it’ll lift it’s head and ‘nod’. The richer families gave a blood sacriï ¬ ce almost everyday, however the poor couldn’t afford it. Treasuries were built at Olympia and Delphi to store generous offerings. Evidence of this is part of a female face with inlaid eyes which has been dated back to 4th cent. BC. Ancient Greek Votive offering, 4th cent. BC, set in a niche of a pillar in the sanctuary of Asclepios in Athens Athenian religion was characterised by a diversity of cults. People joined cults because they wanted a closer connection with one particular god. Although everyone believed and worshipped all 12 Olympian gods there were cults to speciï ¬ c gods, especially those not apart of the Pantheon. Evidence of the cults was the Votive plaque which dates back to the mid-4th Century BC and depicts elements of the Eleusinian Mysteries, which was a cult which celebrated Demeter and Persephone. Tara Heaslip Wednesday, 19 June 2013 6:12:56 PM Australian Eastern Standard Time Votive plaque, discovered in the sanctuary at Eleusis (mid-4th century BC) Private worship included family prayers and wine offerings. In the home, there were household shrines and many people offered daily libations to different gods. Private rituals included prayers, meals and storytelling. This god would be chosen depending on the families needs and lifestyle. E.g. Demeter, if they were a agricultural/farming family. They would pay this god special honor but made sure they didn’t exclude any of the others. Worship of the gods also took place publicly. Public meetings opened with recognition of the gods, festivals were dedicated to the gods as were temples, statues and artworks and many sacriï ¬ ces made to the gods were a public event. Mockery of the gods wasn’t regarded as blasphemy and was accepted in athenian life. Evidence of this is Aristophanes play, The Frogs, which depicts Dionysus as cowardly, gluttonous and morally depraved, was acted at Athens at the Lenaean festival (B.C. 405). Temples and Sanctuaries The Acropolis is the oldest part of Athens, it’s the sacred hill and during the reign of Pericles it became the place of the most famous Athenian temples, shrines and statues dedicated to the Gods. Pericles’ building program further evidences the Athenian’s devotion to the gods in all aspects of daily life. Pericles built many temples in honour of the various gods and goddesses, particularly to Athena, to thank her for Athens’ success in the Persian wars. The Parthenon was a temple built on the Acropolis in 448-432 BC. It was built in dedication to Athena for the salvation of Athens and Greece in the Persian wars. It was also used as a treasury. A statue of Athena was built, by Phidias, inside which stood 10 meters tall, made of ivory and gold. A big part of the Parthenon is the Panathenaic Frieze, which was made to depict the Panathenaic festival. Metopes were sculpted into the Parthenon. On the east side the struggle between the gods and the giants was depicted, on the west side was an Amazonomachy, on the south side the battle between the lapiths and the centaurs was shown and depicted on the north side was the Trojan War. There were also many pedimental sculptures which depicted images such as the contest between Poseidon and Athena. Tara Heaslip Wednesday, 19 June 2013 6:12:56 PM Australian Eastern Standard Time South Metope 31, Lapith and Centaur, 447-432 B.C. The Erechtheum is a temple on the northern side of the Acropolis and was dedicated to Athena and Poseidon. It was built between 421 and 407 BC and was designed to accommodate the Plynteria and the Panathenaia. Within the temple lived the sacred snake, which represented a spirit who was thought to keep the city safe. The snake was fed honey-cakes by the priestesses of Athena Polias. The snake’s occasional refusal to eat the cakes was seen as a bad omen. Festivals The Panathenaia is a festival held annually and is the most important as it was dedicated to Athena. It’s held on the 28th day of Hekatombaion which is believed to be Athena’s birthday. Every four years the festival would be extended with many games and a contests being held, this was known as the Greater Panathenaia, whilst the festival held every other year was known as the lesser Panathenaia. The festival holds great religious signiï ¬ cance however it was used to implement the power and political supremacy of Athens. A large part was the Panathenaic games included solo and group contests. The games began with individual activities such as wrestling, horse drawn chariot races and the pentathlon. The individual contests were open for all greek citizens however the group contests were reserved for Athenian citizens. The group contests consisted of a beauty contest between athletes, military dances and a mock combat. Participants from all over Greece were also invited to participate in musical and poetry competitions. A torch race took place in the evening and was then followed by a night of dancing and singing. Evidence of these competitions was the Panathenaic amphoras, which were given to the winners of competitions as a prize. Panathenaic Amphora, depicting foot races at the games, 530 B.C. Tara Heaslip Wednesday, 19 June 2013 6:12:56 PM Australian Eastern Standard Time Amphora, depicting a musician performing with a music instrument used in festivals, 490 B.C. The next day held one of the most important aspects of the festival which was the Panathenaic procession. During this procession a peplos was given as a gift to Athena. A new one was woven and decorated for her every year. It was an honor to be chosen as one of the Ergastinai to make the peplos. Many offerings were brought on to the life size statue of Athena at the end of the procession. Only citizens were allowed to the Acropolis, everyone else remained at the gateway. The Hecatomb was made at the Acropolis. Upon the altar of Athena meat from sacriï ¬ ced animals such as cows and sheep was used in a ritual meal to end the festival, however only certain people were invited to this. Evidence of the Panathenaia and the procession is the Parthenon frieze depicts many aspects of the festival such as the procession and the games.

Behavioral scientists Essay

Gang violence is a social phenomenon that has caught the interests of behavioral scientists, psychologists and other related fields. At the forefront is the fact that gangs are social groups that have exclusive rules and strict codes of brotherhood which can actually provide the need for belongingness and affiliation as well as security in the harsh life in the city streets. Surprisingly, gangs have been associated with violence for the longest time, the term gang is already perceived as negative and that at present, gang is synonymous to violence, criminal acts and substance abuse. People join gangs for various reasons but it has been found that adolescents who have been victims of abuse, have dysfunctional family systems, school drop-outs and those in foster care generally join gangs more than the normal teenager. Thus, the final project is geared towards bringing about behavior change for adolescents at risk of joining gangs and or has a tendency for violence. Before drawing up a concrete behavior change program, it is important to examine how this could be brought about by factors like motivation and cultural awareness. Motivating people to change is not an easy feat, generally, if a person is set in his/her ways, then asking them to change something that they do not perceive to be evil or negative is a futile act. Central to the concept of motivation is that the goal offered to the individual must be meaningful to him/her, one that is personally desired and can be owned as a personal decision. This is where choice comes in, when a person is confronted with a choice; his/her reaction to it depends on their circumstances and present state of mind (Iyengar & Lepper, 1999). In this context, choosing to change their behavior should come from their internal desire to change, to become better and to be removed from their present difficulties. For example, if the behavior that is targeted to be modified is expressions of anger, it makes sense to the person to change this if he/she can realize that his/her actions hurt other people and that it also causes people to avoid them and hence lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness. Gangs are often formed around cultural groups, that is one gang can be comprised of Latinos, others are blacks, and others Asians and or whites. Thus, a program for behavior change should also consider the different cultural underpinnings of the gang and its members, if the gang is made up of black Americans, then asking them to join a program geared towards changing them, might be construed as culturally motivated, they have to be changed because they are blacks. There is much emotionality when it comes to culturally specific gangs and it cannot be denied that emotion may get in the way of participating in a program that is designed to change them (Markus & Kitayama, 1991) Motivation is also said to be affected by culture, one has to be able to correctly identify the cultural background of the gang or the participants of the project so as to provide a more culturally relevant and sensitive program. Lastly, motivation can be defined as extrinsic and intrinsic, it has been generally accepted that intrinsic motivation is more positive, more important and influential than extrinsic motivation thus the behavior change program should appeal to the intrinsic motivation of the participants. Intrinsic motivation is the feelings and behavior that drives the person to act in a certain way or to commit to a behavior change program. Internal means that it is something personal and valued by the person, it can be the desire for self-awareness, confidence and achievement, whereas extrinsic motivations are physical and tangible like prestige, money and awards (Sansone & Harackiewicz, 2000). The behavior change program should be designed to spark the intrinsic motivation of the participants, thus conducting an orientation seminar will introduce the participant to the program and letting them experience how good it is to be able to know who they are, to know that they mattered and someone cared for them would facilitate rapport and trust between the researcher and the participant. If the concepts of choice, culture and motivation will be adequately examined and integrated into the planned program, then surely the project would be a success. References Iyengar, S. & Lepper, M. (1999). Rethinking the role of choice: A cultural perspective on intrinsic motivation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76, 349-366. Markus, H. & Kitayama, S. (1991). Culture and self: Implications for cognition, emotion, and motivation. Psychological Review, 98, 224-253. Sansone, C. & Harackiewicz, J. (2000). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation: The search for optimal motivation and performance. San Diego: Academic Press.