Depression Treatments

College Writing II 13 September 2012 Depression Treatments Depression is a mental illness affecting millions of people, not just in the United States, but also the world. According to Marcia Clemmitt, it’s â€Å"loosely defined as a mental and emotional disorder with symptoms of constant sadness, lethargy, irritability and a loss of interest and pleasure† (575). Depression can be linked to stressful life events, such as family issues, sexual assault, or losing a loved one.Liubov Kavaliauskiene, Virginija  Adomaitiene, and Rimantas  Peciura add that depressionâ€Å"disrupts the working capacity of the ill person for a long time, complicates the lives of his/her family members and requires additional money for social care services† (92). If left untreated, depression may lead to irrational violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and suicide. Depression treatment options have become widely available over time, ranging from medicine to Web-based therapy. However, issue s with treatment costs have erupted since many depression patients relapse (Kavaliauskiene et. l. 92). Situations like these make determining the best way to treat depression unclear. The CQ Researcher article â€Å"Treating Depression† was written by Marcia Clemmitt and published on June 26, 2009 as Volume 19, Issue 24. Clemmitt, a former high school teacher, has worked for â€Å"The Scientist† and â€Å"Medicine & Health†. She has earned degrees from St. John's College, Annapolis, and Georgetown University. She currently writes social policy articles on CQ Researcher, such as â€Å"Public Works Projects† and â€Å"Preventing Cancer†.The second article, titled â€Å"Medication Rationality in treating depression†, was found using Academic Search Complete. The study was published by Acta Medica Lituanica as Volume 18, No. 2 in 2011, and written by Liubov Kavaliauskiene, Rimantas  Peciura, and Virginija  Adomaitiene. All three work for the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, but they’re part of different departments. Peciura and Kavaliauskiene are affiliated with the Department of Drug Technology and Social Pharmacy, while Adomaitiene’s affiliated with the Department of Psychiatry. Treating Depression† introduces depression, discussing symptoms, causes and effect on society. It also explains limits depression patients face in finding help for their disorder. In 2008, Congress passed a law resulting in a rise in insurance coverage and access to mental-health services (Clemmitt 573). However, some depression patients haven’t benefited since they lack insurance and rely on scarce public-health care programs. Psychiatric help and reliable antidepressants are also scanty since people are different and take different medications.Despite the fact, Clemmitt insists treatment options have improved since â€Å"most primary-care physicians screen for depression and prescribe medications (581). † It’s great news, but if patients don’t improve after being examined and treated the first time, it’s likely they won’t try another way to improve their condition. The first modern antidepressants, tricyclics, were created in the 1950’s (Clemmitt 588). They supposedly made a patient happier and allowed them to be successfully treated as an outpatient by helping their brain’s chemical balance function properly.However, the drug’s considered controversial due to questionable side effects. Clemmitt notes that safer options, like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and cognitive behavioral therapy are available. The article shows that depression needs to be treated aggressively with quality treatment and the importance of preventing future cases. â€Å"Medication Rationality in treating depression† covers depression treatment methods used by Lithuanian doctors. Costs of treating depression patients have been burdensome s ince many of them have relapsed, as mentioned before.The study has had a goal to â€Å"evaluate the use of anti-depressants according to the opinions of three groups of specialists (family doctors, psychiatrists, and pharmacists)† (Kavaliauskiene et. al. 92). The specialists’ opinions were evidently used to determine several different options for managing depression treatment costs better. This may have been begun like this since family doctors, psychiatrists, and pharmacists all have different professions in the medical field. Therefore, it’s assumed they’ve different thoughts on using anti-depressants.Several findings could be drawn from the study with use of critical data on depression cases and information gathered from interviews with Lithuanian â€Å"specialists†. Kavaliauskiene et. al. noted a combination of individually selected medicines and psychological help is needed to treat depression, not just medicine (96). Also, they suggest that e ven though depression treatments are â€Å"handled differently by different professionals (96),† psychiatrists and family doctors should review causes of depression, work with pharmacists, and learn about new antidepressants (96).Doctors need to be trained to correctly recognize depression and to know when to send patients to a psychiatrist (96). If all of these conditions are properly met, treating depression patients is manageable. Looking at the two articles, quite a few conflicts and commonalities appear between them. Kavaliauskiene et. al. mention that â€Å"relapse rates in depression may range from 20% to as high as 44%†¦ with a maintained use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. In contrast, with tricyclic antidepressants, relapse during the ongoing treatment to maintain remission is relatively rare† (93).This conflicts with Marcia Clemmitt’s suggestion that SSRI’s could be more effective than the tricyclics drugs, because the latter h as questionable side effects, such as â€Å"increased heart rate, blurred vision, and weight gain† and â€Å"could be fatal in overdoses† (590). At the same time, however before mentioning the side effects, Clemmitt mentioned how the tricyclic drug effectively fixed chemical imbalances in the brain to make patients feel better. This indicates an ambiguity with the sources on the topic of treatments.An instance of a commonality between the sources relates to a depression patient’s motivation to get treated. If a depression patient doesn’t improve with the first round of treatment, they will likely never seek another way to be cured, according to Marcia Clemmitt’s data. (581). This is supported with a solution presented by Kavaliauskiene and his colleagues, saying to treat relapsing patients more attentively and to act quickly if no signs of improvement are present. They may have been given the wrong diagnosis or wrong type of medication (96).It seem s from these examples that the sources are more similar than they are different. Though they agree on certain topics, the perfect depression treatment is still unknown. Additional research may help one understand what the best approach to properly treat depression patients is. Works Cited Clemmitt, Marcia. â€Å"Treating Depression. † CQ Researcher 19. 24 (2009): 573-96. CQ Researcher. Web. 6 Sept. 2012. Kavaliauskiene, Liubov, et. al. â€Å"Medication Rationality in treating depression† Acta Medica Lituanica 18. 2 (2011): 92-96. Academic Search Complete. Web. 6 Sept. 2012.

What Is Responsibility of Accounting

According to allbusiness. com, responsibility accounting is defined as a â€Å"collection, summarization, and reporting of financial information about various decision centers (responsibility centers) throughout an organization† (allbusiness. com). The article also explains that responsibility accounting helps an organization trace costs, revenues and profits to the individual managers who are responsible for decision making. Responsibility accounting also measures performance of each manager in regards to how he or she manages these costs, revenues, and profits. I am not sure if my company uses responsibility accounting; however, I will assume the company does due to its many departments. Our company has a research department that I would assume is a cost center. The company also has a cost center for each region to keep track of all costs related to the spending of office materials, travel expenses, and administrative costs. The profit centers within our company is our sales departments and brand team departments. Each brand team deals with different categories of medications. Examples of the different brand team departments are, cardiovascular brand team, the respiratory brand team, the oncology brand team, and the CNS brand team. The different brand teams have different managers who are responsible for the budgets, calculating ROI and implementing appropriate costing systems. As mentioned in an article in MAAW online, the advantages to responsibility accounting within the company I am employed by fit the reasons explained below. â€Å"Provides a way to manage an organization that would otherwise be unmanageable. † * â€Å"Assigning responsibility to lower level managers allows higher level managers to pursue other activities such as long term planning and policy making. † * â€Å"Provides a way to motivate lower level managers and workers. Managers and workers in an individualistic system tend to be motivated by measurements that emphasize their individual performances† (MAAW, 2010).

The temperature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The temperature - Essay Example Energy can transform from one form to another and it can also be transferred between different mediums. When a man floats in cold water whose temperature is significantly lower than his own body temperature, the energy flows from his body into the water. Consequentially, the man starts to become colder while the water around his body starts to rise in temperature. When this happens, its not heat that is transferred, rather it is the man’s internal energy. â€Å"...heat and internal energy are two quite different things; the energy associated with microscopic motions and forces is internal energy, not heat† (Reynolds and Perkins cited in Watson, 2010). The term renewable fuel is used for natural resources which reform faster than they are consumed. Various physical and biogeochemical processes are involved in the replenishment of natural resources (Think Quest, n.d.). According to this definition of renewable fuels, almost all types of resources are renewable resources. Humans need to adopt ways that would allow those resources to replenish faster than the rate at which they consume them. Nevertheless, this is not always possible, particularly with resources such as oil and coal which take too long to replenish. Alternate renewable resources include water, solar power, air and

Business Integration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business Integration - Essay Example On his part, Otley visits the performance management framework and stresses the need for management to be distinguished from strategic planning and operational control. This is because, in performance management, the actual essence of functionality is focused on a combination of management planning and control systems. Performance management framework looks at overall future success, strategies for achieving the said success, level of performance expected of staff to realize successful implementation, rewards to be gained by achieving the goals, and finally the information flow to the used in the implementation process. Reading through the case of Emirates Airlines, it can be generally said that the company, and for that matter, its management made sufficient effort in utilizing the performance management framework. However, this was not done to its logical conclusion. For example, future successes were clearly identified with accompanying strategies to achieve them, bringing about a n organizational culture focused primarily on expansion and growth. The global brand that was developed, acquisition of New Zealand as Emirates’ most easterly destination, and brand building that went on within the company is all factors to prove the success with the organizational culture that was created. However, in terms of performance management, there was a level of deficiency that was recorded with aspects of the performance management framework such as rewards to be gained through achieving goals and emphasis on information flow.... anagement framework looks at overall future success, strategies for achieving the said success, level of performance expected of staff to realize successful implementation, rewards to be gained by achieving the goals, and finally the information flow to the used in the implementation process. Reading through the case of Emirates Airlines, it can be generally said that the company, and for that matter its management made sufficient effort in utilizing the performance management framework. However, this was not done to its logical conclusion. For example future successes were clearly identified with accompanying strategies to achieve them, bringing about an organizational culture focused primarily on expansion and growth (Otley, 1999). The global brand that was developed, acquisition of New Zealand as Emirates’ most easterly destination, and brand building that went on within the company is all factors to prove the success with the organizational culture that was created. Howeve r in terms of performance management, there was a level of deficiency that was recorded with aspects of the performance management framework such as rewards to be gained though achieving goals and emphasis on information flow. Knowledge management strategy Hansen et al (1999) based a lot of their framework on knowledge management strategy where they outlined the need for companies to appreciate the kind of knowledge they have and the worth of each of these knowledge. Generally, it is said that knowledge exists within the human resource but through a comprehensive human capital development, it is possible to transform and translate the knowledge into aspects of organizational management such as competitive strategy (Kaplan and Norton, 1992). But for a company like Emirates Airlines to make good

The Constitutionality of the New Health Care Bill Essay

The Constitutionality of the New Health Care Bill - Essay Example This seems like such a noble course that any administration would want to take up. The contention that has arisen is the question that the panels of legal experts at the judiciary committee hearings is whether any arm of the government, in this case, whether Congress has any powers under section 8, Article I, of the Constitution, to force people to take up a health policy. There are those who think that Congress has legitimate authority to do this on one side, while on the other, there are those who are convinced that this move is not constitutional or lacks the constitutional mandate to be supported. One clear opposition for the health care bill comes for Senator Grassley of Iowa. According to him the overhaul of the healthcare system would cause major problems, among them being the question of an individual’s mandate. Up until now, there are four district court judges who have made rulings as to the merits of the overhaul of health care. Two judges appointed by Republican pr esidents have struck down the entire law, including the mandated provisions on one hand, on the other; two judges appointed by Democratic presidents have upheld the law as being constitutional. The question remains is it really unconstitutional. The Constitutionality Question This paper endeavors to reveal the unconstitutionality of the bill. The fundamental reason that this paper presents this position is based on the fact that the individual mandate of the law is within the legal bounds of the powers of Congress under the clause of commerce. This is based on the argument that insurance of a person’s health would generally qualify as a rule of commerce. Under the constitutions’ commerce clause, Congress has the power to set rules that would govern commercial activities. There is a proposition that has been put forward by those claiming that the bill is unconstitutional because individual mandate can be objected. It is based on this argument that opposition to the heal th care bill has been found. It is argued that there is no way Congress should have the power to regulate how an individual makes the decision to purchase or not to purchase health care policies. However, the provisions of the Constitution do not prevent or limit the powers and mandates of Congress. There is no law constitutional or otherwise that in text or common law or any other doctrine that limits the extent to which Congress can regulate any activity. This fact that Congress can require every American citizen to purchase insurance for health from a private company, more so penalize those who do not do this. Under the commerce clause that has been raised above, Congress has the power to regulate commerce in several states. It should be noted that the legislative branch of the government has the duty to make the laws of the country. Up until now, it remains the only arm of the United States government that existed, albeit in a different form, before the constitution was enacted. It was the view of those who framed the constitution that Congress will be a strong arm of government as compared to the judicial and the executive branches. It is for this reason that the powers of Congress were spelled out in very considerable details. To check Congress, the powers of this arm of government were also checked and limits put upon it to ensure there was a balance in its weight as against the

Compare and contrast the views of Smith and Ricardo on the Essay

Compare and contrast the views of Smith and Ricardo on the determination and possible evolution over time of the natural rates of wages, profit and rent - Essay Example It is worth mentioning that the â€Å"natural prices† of the aforementioned criteria, i.e. profits, wages and rents are further examined to fluctuate in accordance with the varied circumstances in the job market scenario. According to the viewpoints of various economists, it has been noted that the â€Å"natural rates† of rent, profit and wages are likely to be continuously changing due to the presence of a huge number of buyers as well as sellers and also because of the increasing market competition. Subsequently, various theories have been developed in order to examine the determinants of production function in an economy which is further believed to steer the overall growth rate in that particular nation1. Among the commonly applied theories, the most influential and certainly the most debated theories have been the growth theory of Adam Smith and David Ricardo. In this paper, the views of two economists i.e. Adam Smith and David Ricardo upon the subject matter of the determination as well as the possible evolution over time of the â€Å"natural rates† of rents, wages and profits will be analysed and compared. Adam Smith, the world renowned economist and philosophist of the 1770s, stated that the conception of â€Å"natural rate† is principally described as the price which is offered to any particular commodity in order to yield a significant portion of revenue. As per the growth theory of Adam Smith, governments play an imperative role in the determination as well the possible evolution of the â€Å"natural rates† of wages, profit and rent over time. In this similar context, Smith strongly believed that the government of any particular nation must enforce effective contracts and simultaneously grant copyrights as well as patents for the purpose of promoting new inventions and innovative ideas which can assist in greater capital accumulation within the nation, resulting in the increased wealth of the economy and therefore influencing the

Prepare a business and marketing plan for a tourism,hospitality or Essay

Prepare a business and marketing plan for a tourism,hospitality or events organisation of your choice - Essay Example Chakula Restaurant target the central business district that gets crowded during lunch hours with high income individuals. Chakula Restaurant will operate in a sector where individuals with refined tastes spend approximately 500 GBP on a full course dinner items with beverages. The sector however has experienced a slow and sluggish growth majorly due to the rich tourists and business people, coming to the town majorly for business reasons. According to Mintel (2011), the recession has grossly affected the industry and sales have declined by 30%. There has been a reduction in business travel and dining out has also witnessed a decline due to the high costs. The smoking ban in public places has also prevented people from the fine dining sector. This business plan seeks to maximize profits through a fast food enterprise. Chakula Restaurant is likely to succeed due to the experience that the owner has as mentioned earlier. Chakula Restaurant is committed to its fast food business. Throug h this experience, the owner will be able to raise good funds, attract customers, and increase the confidence of both the interested investors and customers. Corporate strategy and mission The corporate strategy of the Chakula Restaurant

Structuralism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Structuralism - Essay Example The famous structuralists, like, Roman Jakobson, Roland Barthes, Claude Levi Strauss and Ferdinand De Saussure have made their contributions in justifying the fact that "a language speaks us". All of these structuralists have tried to develop the semiology or semiotics. These structuralists always took a language as a sign that reflects the thoughts of human being. The philosophies of structuralism were emerged prominently in the 20th century. The concepts that are provided by the structuralism hold more scope for making criticism. The most of the theories given by the structuralism include a margin of objectivity is the reason of the criticism. This objection is termed as the scientific objection. The structuralists tried to prove that we do not speak a language instead language speaks us. The fact is based on the thoughts that everything is produced as a result of some force or power, but the efforts of humans are not enough to produce anything. This statement has been made as a re sult of giving more attention towards the structures, patterns and the systems. (West, 170, 1996) The theories of structuralists are quite contradictory if they are compared with the theories developed by the humanists. Now, we are going to argue on the models developed for a language by the humanists as well as by the structuralists. The model that was presupposed and developed by the humanists states that the human minds are capable of understanding the real world. The human minds are rational and can get to everything that is seen. In the same manner, the rational human mind is able to portray and define the real world precisely up to some extent. This definition is given by making a use of some languages. The approach developed by the humanists relies on the fact that some of the languages are necessarily used for illustrating the real world. According to humanists, a language is the generation of the human minds. A language is totally generated by the will of human beings and no external force is involved in it. This theory suggests that an individual has the ability to decide what he wants to say. It clearly notifies the fact that we speak a language. It also defines the fact that the human minds are able to think and what to say. The human minds are also capable of understanding the meaning of the matter that has been uttered. No other external force is used by the human minds to speak. At this point, the theory of humanists regarding a language clearly denies the theory of structuralists. Every individual makes the use of a language for explaining the self essence or feelings. The individual here gets more value as in this case an individual represents the subject as well. The way of representing ideas and thoughts is also depending totally on an individual himself. Hence, the model considers the individual as the main element. All the meanings and concepts of a language are the generation of an individual's mind, and he is not being forced by any power to speak. So this theory suggests that we speak a language. (Martinez, 1, 1999) On the other hand, if the argument is made on the structuralists' model of a language that suggests

David Cole Interviews Dr. Franciscek Piper Essay

David Cole Interviews Dr. Franciscek Piper - Essay Example Franciszek Piper regarding the changes made in the gas chambers, signaled him some mysteries behind the Auschwitz camp that are yet waiting to be unlocked. Due to these inconsistencies, he concluded this video through a â€Å"revisionalistic† claim that the holocaust did not happen; that no one was ever gassed in the gas chambers. In my opinion, it was not wrong for David Cole to make his own assertions regarding the Holocaust. After all, he is entitled to his own opinion and to his own quest for the truth. However, what made this very controversial, especially for the Jews and for the Jewish Defence League led by Irv Rubin, is that Cole’s work was made so powerful by showing real interview footages with the considered experts, who are supposed to tell a detailed, honest, and accurate information to the public. Even more, he is Jewish by birth. Nonetheless, this type of work serves as an eye-opener that things that are claimed to be â€Å"truths† should also be examined for us to have a more credible and accurate

Assignment2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Assignment2 - Essay Example Similarly, bonus banking is introduced as the latest and most powerful weapon of long-term incentives. The first part of this paper will critically scrutinise the merits and demerits of the long-term incentives system in building long-lasting relationships with customers in banking industry. The second part will deal with different issues that a sales manager would face when managing and incentivising an effective team of sales people. I Why a new Incentive system? The weakness and deficiencies of old executive compensation system led to the origin of long-term incentive system. In the old scheme, the executives were compensated regardless their performance even after banks received bailout money. Retaining them in the organization was important as they were the skippers who would lead the day to day activities. The AP review reported that banks’ top executives earned an average of $2.6 million in ‘salary, bonuses and benefits’ (The Washington Times). Majority ban ks feared about the resignation of their top executives if they were paid in accordance with business fluctuations. It is suggested that banks must give more priority to their survival than to their top executives’ retention. ... Scholars have recommended that provision of bonuses as a percentage of bank’s profit would enhance banking operations as it ensured financial flexibility of banks. Melissa Murray, a spokeswoman for Wells Fargo suggested that it was good to adopt â€Å"pay-for-performance† culture where executives are treated on the basis of their performance (Freifeld, 2009). As a response to all critics, long-term incentives system has been established. Long-term incentives Under this system, the total compensation of employees includes base pay, short-term incentives, and long-term incentives. Base pay constitutes the fixed salary given to an employee for the specified job. Similarly, short-term incentives include all types of annual incentives and ordinary commissions those earned by an employee. Coleman and Fortier (2002) opine that unlike the base pay and short-term incentives methods, the long-term incentives aim the â€Å"improvement of overall performance of the organization by linking employees’ long-term rewards to the organization’s long-term results†. It mainly includes stock options, performance units, and restricted stock. Advantages of long-term incentives The appropriate selection of long-term incentive programs assists organisation to meet its long-term objectives. In addition, the introduction of suitable long-term incentives system in banking industries will add value to the shareholders as well as banks’ customers. The major advantages of long-term incentives are described below. 1. Employee participation Berger and Berger (324) suggest that this programme facilitates the banks to share the success with its executives; and it would

Psychological theory of development phase Essay Example for Free

Psychological theory of development phase Essay Juniad is ten, he is currently experiencing constant developmental phase through his life experience, the nature of his current developed behavior problems are: aggressiveness, defiantness, disobedient and incompetence in class activities. His challenges are reading disorder, school insufficient resources, failure, bullying and dysfunctional parenting. Using the Erik Erikson psychological theory of developmental phase I will be looking at Junaid’s current developmental stage, and I will also be analyzing the factors playing a role in junaid’s developmental stage and also how efficient he will be able to handle the current crisis he is experiencing. Furthermore I will be suggesting options available to facilitate a successful resolution of Junaid’s current developmental stage bolstering his chances of exiting this stage with confidence and competence. With the Erik Erikson psychological theory of development phase Juniad is currently in Industry vs Inferiority. Junaid is ten this stage begins at the age of 6 to puberty, the challenge is mastering of certain basic skills required for success in adult life while avoiding feelings of inferiority. In this stage children develops ability to work with others, success becomes very important to the child the Synthesis when this psychological crisis is resolved successfully. Children develop a sense of competency at useful skills and tasks. More and new demands are imposed upon children and children in turn are generally ready to meet these demands. The danger at this stage, is, inferiority this is reflected in sad pessimism of children who have little have little confidence in their ability to do things well. This sense of inadequacy may develop when parental attitudes are negative towards the child’s developing competency, when family life has not prepared children for school life or when experiences with teachers and peers are so negative that they destroy children’s feeling of competence and mastery (Louw Louw, 2007). Junaid is not successfully resolving the crisis faced by him, because factors like reading disorder, school insufficient resources, failure, bullyi ng and dysfunctional parenting are challenges that are interfering with his current stage in Erikson’s psychological theory of development. All this factors leads to his developed behaviour problems of aggressiveness, defiantness, disobedient and incompetence in class activities; this is an interpretation that he couldn’t acquire the basic  skills in life for the next developmental stage, his incompetence around this areas lead to behavioral problems, because this is the best way he knows how through his life experiences and the factors around him. Problems like aggressiveness looking into Instrumental aggression; it refers to aggression as a means to an end (Louw Louw, 2007). Junaid could be aggressive just to pass a message to the parent or the social environment, that is emotional needs are not meet. According to Louw and Louw (2007) Erikson’s basic trust vs. mistrust; from Basic trust infants develops the necessary self-confidence, mistrusting infants are usually subjected to erratic or harsh care and cannot depend on the goodness and compassion of others. They therefore tend to protect themselves by withdrawing from others around them and it is carried into later relationship. Juaid lacks self-confidence in himself and his abilities, his non-participation in class activities shows he is unable to meet up with the teacher’s expectation. Looking into self-confidence in terms of Erik’s basic trust vs mistrust, it is necessary to develop self-confidence this only shows that Junaid’s was subjected to harsh care and he is trying to protect himself from his parents’ behaviour towards him and the social environment. He feels there is no goodness or compassion and these basic mistrust issues can also be added with the crisis he faces in his current live as he lacks self- confidence in everything he does. Children developmental stages is a process that still relies on pass encounters or experience to predict or understand present behaviour. Children development is a continues process, the behavior of every individual’s is unique, children generally have these unique way in which they cognitively and emotionally interpret and proces s their experiences this plays a significant influence on their development. Looking into developmental areas; aggressiveness, defiantness, disobedient and incompetent with class activities are all related to â€Å"social development â€Å" It is the development of an individual’s interaction and relationships with other people. Furthermore it also refers to the influence of society and significant other persons on the individuals, one importance aspect of social development is â€Å"moral development† (Louw Louw, 2007). Being aggressive, defiant, disobedient and incompetent with class activities shows there is also a problem in the moral development. Going back into social development, society and significant other person’s plays an important role  in the individual’s life. Some of Juniad’s challenges like Bullying and dysfunctional parenting style, Reading disorder and failure, we could clearly see how social factors have an effect on his current developed behavior problems. Bullying it is destructive form of peer interaction in which children become frequent targets of verbal and physical attacks or other forms of abuse (Louw Louw, 2007). Bullying has influence on the child’s psychical, emotional, social and educational wellbeing. Reading disorder which leads to failure can be associated as a result of bullying since Juan’s first grade. Parent and educators have an important role to play in eradicating bullying. Dysfunctional parenting style and aggression, social factors of aggressive behavior parents play a vital role in their children’s aggressive behavior, the type of nurturance a child receives and the disciplinary strategies that parents follow. Children whose parents are cold, negative, hostile and rejecting towards them tend to be more aggressive. Parents negative behavior may cause frustration in the children because their emotional needs are not being meet; they react with aggressive behaviour (Louw Louw, 2007). Juniad’s father wants him to be involved in sport. As a result of his lack of competency in sports due to physical nature his father criticized him. Recalling back to social factors of aggressive behaviour and parents, we could actually see one or more reasons why junaid is aggressive how the negative behaviour of his dad causes frustration in his life. Parents need to know children developmental phrase and the developmental stages each developmental characterizes and crisis, the opposing poles according to which individuals must orientate. The positive and negative poles of a crisis in children development and also find the necessary solution to remedy the current crisis, because the earlier stage of psychological development provide the foundation for the later stage (Louw Louw, 2007). Parents should take the development of their children seriously by acquiring the right information from the right source like local medical practitioner, psychologist. Etc. If they can’t make time they can watch related narrative videos online; on how to raise children into successful adult. Mankind has developed through ages and currentl y in the era of information technology (Elliott Jacebson 1991). Internet can be as a source for helpful information which is uploaded out there, parent can make internet research and also view helpful videos  like; About Child Development, Child Development Stages, Infant Developmental Milestones (Youtube 2014). Parent should understand what developmental miles stone stands for and what they should expect from their children at certain ages, just an insight to understand that children are fragile and they shouldn’t be forced in development. Parent should know what to expect from their children when they know more about developmental miles stones. They should be informed on things to do so they don’t hurt their child emotionally and psychically. According to UniCef South Africa (2008) parents/family have roles to play in the life of their kids, they are supporting guards giving to assist parent to know their roles and how to assist their children. Aggressive behaviour sometimes is as a result of low self-esteem treatment to improve low self-esteem emphasis on encouraging the patient to examine their beliefs and the evidence to support them and to acknowledge their positive qualities and also method to enhance self-esteem which is focused on eliciting statement about positive qualities that the patient may have and then investigating evidence to support these positive statements. (Pauline Nicholas 2003). People with low self-esteem need positive activities to strengthen the already positive form of action helping them to get through their behavioral problems. They need to realize well power. Phonologically driven instructional Treatment can be of help with patient suffering from dyslexia, a phonological driven instructional treatment has to do with motivation of the patients with general phenomenon that they engage in or interact with that makes them happy like stories, cartoons, depending on the age of the patients and what generally appease or interest them. Understanding dyslexia involves a lot of combinations like, the current patient’s situation with the characters of the stories or the cartoons or the hero, making them understand they can be more. This encourages or convinces dyslexia patient that despite a slow start in learning to read, they could finish the race as skilled readers. The using of a systems approach in which instruction will be aimed at all levels of lan guage (subword, word, and text). Create instructional session, where by each session begins with a sound games to remediate the deficits in phonologic processing. Present polysyllabic words from texts present them orally, allow Junaid to count the number of syllables in the spoken word and use colored counters to represent each phoneme in the syllables. Only after  he analyzed the phonologic structure of each word will he see the same words in written form. Teach him how to decode the words by using syllabic patterns of written english and correspondences between one and two-letter spelling units and phonemes. Be Patient give him more time in analyzing and utilizing the complexity of syllabic patterns and spelling-phoneme of English. Present reading materials for reading then, enlighten Junaid more about the brain and functions of the brain. Repeat treatment from time to time. Phonologically driven treatment suggests that the brain is not only an independent variable that can cause a language disorder, such as dyslexia, but is also a dependent variable that can be modified by instructional intervention from the environment (Richards Corinaa Serafinia Steurya, Echelarda Dagera Berningera 2000). In conclusion: A child development is a gradual process, social factors plays an important role in children’s development. It is important to note that developmental stages in children are important, unsuccessful developmental stage can be a problem in the next stage of development creating behavioral problems. Parents should understand children behaviour is unique, in a sense that pass experience creates present situation in behaviour. Parents should lookup data in this technology era that will assist them in raising their children. Aggressive behaviour or other unable acceptable social behaviour is mostly driving by unmeet emotional needs. Dyslexia patient sometimes end up using â€Å"drugs† one of the most common results of the limitation is the response of aggression (Hall Tarrier 2003). It is important remedy behavioral problems in time. Reference List.Elliott, R. K., Jacebson, P. D. (1991). ACCOUNTING A NATIONAL EMERGENCY. Journal of Accountancy, 55. Chicago Hall, P. L., Tarrier, N. (2003). The cognitive-behavioural treatment of low self-esteem in psychotic patients: a pilot study. Behaviour research and therapy, 41(3), 317-332. Chicago Louw, D., Louw, A. (2007). Child and adolescent development. South Africa. Richards, T. L., Corina, D., Serafini, S., Steury, K., Echelard, D. R., Dager, S. R., Berninger, V. W. (2000). Effects of a phonologically driven treatment for dyslexia on lactate levels measured by proton MR spectroscopic imaging. American Journal of Neuroradiology, 21(5), 916-922. Unicef South Africa. (2008). Nation Building From The Start Early Childhood Development. Unicef, August 26. [On-line].Available: http://www.unicef.org/southafrica/SAF_resources_kbsreport.pdfYoutube. (2014). Child Development Stages. Child development, August 26. [On-line]. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7f5TggIVLgYoutube. (2014). Infant Developmental Milestones [UndergroundMed]. UndergroudMed, August 26. [On-line]. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0fnBTUuRIAYoutube. (2014). About Child Development. Child development, August 26. [On-line]. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0fnBTUuRIA

Teaching And Learning Problem Solving

Teaching And Learning Problem Solving Education nowadays has been criticized by different area and educators try to reform the ways of teaching and learning (Kirkley, 2003). Problem Solving defines as step to reaching the goal or desire state from where we are now ( Medin, Ross Markman, 2004). Kirkly (2003) stated that learner nowadays are short of basic literacy skill and higher order thinking. Basic literary skill is important to learn problem solving largely depend on basic literary skill ( Kirkly). If a learner cannot master basic literacy skill, things that able to represent will be less. As the rising of technology, higher problem solving skill on mathematics and science are needed. They found that students who not able to master literacy skills and cannot not learn and develop higher ordering skills and problem solving ( Kirkly, 2003). Problem solving that mainly can be found while study mathematics. However, Baron (2012) found that a lot of students face the difficulty to pass the test math no matter how much of tutoring, extra classes had given. In addition, not only college students face this kind of problem, children also face similar problem. Types of math problem that face by children is word math problem. Word math problem is type of math that uses English word to explain the question instead of using the equation to explain the questions that need students to be solved. As a teacher, they ways those mathematics teachers teach the next generation also one of the problem that need to discuss. In the old days, teacher only can provide few ways to teach student to solve the math problem. However, not all students have the skill to absorb teaching style on providing information, guideline to solve the question. Moreover, teacher style on teaching students in the few past decade may not be efficient or work on current generation. When a person learn how to solve a particular modal, it will become as a short cut as the person only need to remember the process of solving the problem from the beginning, it only apply on the similar problem that solve before( Kirkly,2003). One of the model that explain problem solving process is when individual doing a problem solving, their cognitive will start by representing the problem then do a solution search, finally implement the solution (Gick, 1986 as cited in Kirkly,2003). If a person successfully find a solution, their cognitive will stop there, conversely, they will redo the step searching solution and representing the problem if they fail to find the solution (Kirkly).When a similar problem is presented, it become short cut as a person cognitive will be able to recall and implement the solution by remembering how they solved similar problem before. Problem solving require a lot of abstract representation that the reason we need to master basic literacy skill. For example, when a learner trying solved a word math problem, learner need to understand the meaning of the word such as increase, product of, less than, equally pieces and others. Then they need to transfer into mathematics symbol and form an equation form to solve the problem. However, human cognitive not able to hold too much representation at the same time and human only able to remember three to seven items ( Medin et al., 2004). Different types of mathematics problem use different types of problem solving method. Types of problem solving method can categorized at algorithm and heuristics. Heuristic have three ways which is using hill climbing, mean ends analysis and working (Medin et al., 2004). For example, a mathematics question that asks how much plus three will be ten? A younger child might use algorithm technique test all the number in order to find the correct answer. As for older child, the will likely use working backward method to find the answer. There are a lot of solution that can be found in educations field. For example, teachers will let provide a lot of similar problem to let their learner or students to solve and in the end createshort cut thinking. By this students will notice the similarity of each problem and able to transfer their skills. This solution can be found in teaching mathematics skill. Students math textbook present a lot of solution to student as an example to solve the similar problem but broader schema that expert are actually use is not available to student (McAllister, 1995). Student dont know which and how is the appropriate first step to do when they faced a problem (McAllister,).Teacher who use explicit translation strategy (ETS ) found to be effective in solving math word problem (INQUIRE, 2008). Explicit translation strategy is to teach students how to translate concrete problem into mathematical equation(INQUIRE, 2008). Research also found that students who teach using the ETS and receive extra learning lesson are able to perform better than other group in the math problem solving that held two weeks later (Darch, Carnine Gersten, 1984). As stated above, students who want to develop problem solving skills need to master basic literacy skills well (Kirkly, 2003). Therefore students need to keep practice different types mathematics problem regularly. Then, students should be teaches by teacher who are expect, more important teachers should be able to provide different method to solve a problem and more complicate example when students able to solve basic mathematical problem. Extra learning material should be given to help students to learn the ability to transform the skill that students learn from other problem. Severin(2007) found students who be given change to learn different type of problem solving strategies able to help student to solve others problem. Technology item also can be use to helps teacher and student improves their problem solving a ability. Teacher can create a learning site and provide different types of fun, stories problem solving question to attract their interest and provide them change to do trial and error while they playing problem solving game while learning. This is because how much a student put effort while doing a math problem will have an effect on their success rate (Severin, 2007). In addition we also can use computer technology to help us in teaching because technology make easier for students to access more information. In the days that computer still not able to own by every family, information on solving a math problem only depend on the knowledge of the teacher. Now, students can asses and absorb more and more idea to solve a math problem. Conclusion, problem solving can be use in different field. By knowing how to teach and learn are the key to teach students and children to develop their problem solving better in the future.

Impact That Mental Health Of Individuals Psychology Essay

Impact That Mental Health Of Individuals Psychology Essay A mental illness is a health problem that significantly affects how a person feels, thinks, behaves, and interacts with other people, the term mental disorder is also used to refer to these health problems. Mental health problems also interfere with how a person thinks, feels, and behaves, but to a lesser extent than mental illness. Mental health problems are more common and include the mental ill health that can be experienced temporarily as a reaction to the stresses of life. Mental health problems are less severe than mental illnesses, but may develop into a mental illness if they are not effectively dealt with. This study examines the impact mental illness has on family members. When people first knew about mental illness they thought it was demon possession, but today research has shown the effects that psychology has on treatment and recovery. This qualitative research was done in the area of La Brea, with questionnaires being randomly given out to 25 families. Before they answered the questionnaire they will be questioned on mental illness and given some information about the different types. After filling out the questionnaire they are going to have a choice to drop it into my mail box or personally hand it in. The results show that many people are affected by mental illness especially young adults which can have many effects on the family, like financial stress, emotional and feelings of guilt. Mental illness can affect any one at all ages, gender, cultures, educational and income levels. What is important is the support the individual and family gets, therefore by supporting the family members it becomes easier for them to care for the sick person. Mental health awareness should be done in communities to increase peoples understanding towards a greater mental health society so there can be less stigmatization. Introduction Background of the Problem Mental illness has its earliest history of the healing arts; there has been an evolution of theories regarding the root causes of mental illness. Early writings from such ancient civilizations as those of Greece, Rome, India, and Egypt focused on demonic possession as the cause; this concept eventually disappeared only to resurface again in the Middle Ages in Europe, along with inadequate treatment of the mentally ill. Demons or foul spirits were believed to attach themselves to individuals and make them depressed (poor-spirited) or mad. The word  mad  became an early synonym for  psychosis. Unfortunately, the possessed included people with seizure disorders as well as others were suffering from what are now known to be medical disorders. Few genuinely helpful treatments were available to relieve the suffering of the mentally ill. By the eighteenth century they began to look at mental illness differently. It was during this time period that madness began to be seen as an illness beyond the control of the person rather than the act of a demon, and due to this, thousands of people were confined to dungeons of daily torture and were released to asylums where medical forms of treatment began to be investigated. Toward the end of the nineteenth century, several European neurologists began actively investigating the causes of mental illness. Chief among them, and destined to change forever the understanding of mental illness, was Sigmund Freud. Although psychology and psychiatry have advanced considerably since Freud, his explorations were revolutionary. Freud introduced the concepts of the unconscious and the ego to modern thought, and reintroduced the ancient art of dream interpretation, but from a psychological standpoint. Freud also regarded human psychological states as an energy system in which blockages in the flow of thought would result in disease or illness, expressed as mental or emotional loss of balance. He introduced the notion of a talking cure; through the use of  talk therapy alone, and this showed many improvements to patients. Today, the medical model continues to be a driving force in the diagnosing and treatment of mental illness, although research has shown the powerful effects that psychology has on a persons recovery. Statement of the Problem What is the impact that mental health of individuals has on the lives of family members? Purpose of the Study The intent of this study is to understand how families cope with a member which suffers with mental illness. This study also seeks to explore how mental illness affects them and the person as they interact with other in society. Scope of the Study This study will assist me the student in my studies to gain an understanding and knowledge about mental illness. The result of this study will encourage people to know that mental illness is not a life sentence and that people who suffer from mental illness can recover where they can live normal lives. Definition of Terms Mental Illness- mental illness is a health problem that significantly affects how a person feels, thinks, behaves, and interacts with other people, the term mental disorder is also used to refer to these health problems. Diminished to make smaller or less or to cause to appear so. Depression may be described as feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, or down in the dumps. True clinical depression is a mood disorder in which feelings of sadness, loss, anger, or frustration interfere with everyday life for weeks or longer. Schizophrenia schizophrenia is a mental disorder that makes it  hard to, tell the difference between what is real and not real, think clearly, have normal emotional responses and act  normal in social situations. Bipolar Disorder bipolar disorder is a condition in which people go back and forth between periods of a very good or irritable mood and  depression. The mood swings between mania and depression can be very quick. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) obsessive-compulsive disorder is an anxiety disorder in which people have unwanted and repeated thoughts, feelings, ideas, sensations (obsessions), or behaviours that make them feel driven to do something (compulsions). Panic Disorder panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder in which you have repeated attacks of intense fear that something bad will happen. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) post-traumatic stress disorder is a type of anxiety disorder. It can occur after youve seen or experienced a traumatic event that involved the threat of injury or death. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapeutic treatment that helps patients understand the thoughts and feelings that influence behaviours. CBT is commonly used to treat a wide range of disorders, including  phobias, addiction, depression and anxiety. Interpersonal Therapy Interpersonal  therapy  focuses on the interpersonal relationships of the depressed person. The idea of interpersonal therapy is that  depression can be treated by improving the communication patterns and how people relate to others. Psychosis psychosis is a loss of contact with reality that usually includes: false beliefs about what is taking place or who one is (delusions) and seeing or hearing things that arent there (hallucinations). Stigmatization stigma is a perceived negative attribute that causes someone to devalue or think less of the whole person. People tend to distance themselves from individuals in stigmatized groups, to blame individuals in these groups for the perceived negative attributes, and to discriminate against and diminish the stigmatized individuals. LITERATURE REVEW What is the impact of mental health of individuals on the lives of family members? Mental illness has been an area under discussion and was bounded with mystery and fear, but at present, there have been remarkable improvement in our understanding and, especially in our ability to offer effective treatments. However, questions about mental illness often go unanswered and stand in the way of people receiving help. Mental illnesses are medical conditions that disrupt a persons thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning, mental illnesses are medical conditions that often result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life. Mental health  refers to our cognitive, and/or emotional wellbeing it is all about how we think, feel and behave. Mental health, if somebody has it, can also mean an absence of a mental disorder. Approximately 25% of people in the UK have a mental health problem during their lives. The USA is said to have the highest incidence of people diagnosed with mental health problems in the developed world. Your mental health can affect your daily life, relationships and even your physical health. Mental health also includes a persons ability to enjoy life to attain a balance between life activities and efforts to achieve psychological resilience. Serious mental illnesses include major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder; post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with mental illness recovery is possible. Mental illnesses affect people of any age, race, religion, or income. Mental illnesses are not the result of personal weakness, lack of character or poor upbringing. Most people diagnosed with a serious mental illness can experience relief from their symptoms by actively participating in an individual treatment plan. Mental illness can be treated with the use of psychosocial treatment such as cognitive behavioural therapy, interpersonal therapy, peer support groups and other community services can also be components of a treatment plan and that assist with recovery. It cannot be overcome through will power and are not related to a persons character or intelligence. Mental illness usually strike individuals in the prime of their lives, often during adolescence and young adulthood. All ages are susceptible, but the young and the old are especially vulnerable. Without treatment the consequences of mental illness for the individual and society are staggering: unnecessary disability, unemployment, substance abuse, homelessness, inappropriate incarceration, suicide and wasted lives. It is very critical and of vital importance that mental illness is identified for effective recovery to be accelerated and the further harm related to the course of illness is minimized. The exact causes of mental disorders are unknown, but an explosive growth of research has brought us closer to the answers. We can say that certain inherited dispositions interact with triggering environmental factors. Poverty and stress are well-known to be bad for your health-this is true for mental health and physical health. In fact, the distinction between mental illness and physical illness can be misleading. Like physical illnesses, mental disorders can have a biological nature. Many physical illnesses can also have a strong emotional component. According to WHO (World Health Organization), mental health is  a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community. WHO stresses that mental health is not just the absence of mental disorder. The NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health, USA) mental disorders are common in the USA and internationally. Approximately 57.7 million Americans suffer from a mental disorder in a given year that is approximately 26.2% of adults. However, the main burden of illness is concentrated in about 1 in 17 people (6%) who suffer from a serious mental illness. Approximately half of all people who suffer from a mental disorder probably suffer from another mental disorder at the same time, experts say. Scientists, psychiatrists, and other health care professionals know that the brain is made up in large part of essential fatty acids, water and other nutrients. The evidence is growing and becoming more compelling that diet can play a significant role in the care and treatment of people with mental health problems, including depression,  ADHD  (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) to name but a few. According to a Swedish study, half of the family members have had to give up their own recreational pursuits. The burdens of caring for a patient at home are considerable. They often affect the caring relatives social and leisure activities, and financial problems arise frequently. Relatives have difficulties in understanding and coming to terms with illness-related behaviour. Negative symptoms are often a particular problem. Despite their burden, relatives do not complain much, although they receive little support, advice or information from the professionals engaged in treating the patient; much is now known about the difficulties relatives face, but we still need to know how they can best be helped. Todays model of psychiatric care recognizes the importance of families as part of the treatment team. Enlightened interventions which help families struggling with child abuse and neglect, domestic and community violence, substance abuse, or school failure increasingly integrate psychiatric consultation into their programs. Any or all of these interventions may be used in tailoring a treatment plan for patients. Methodology Mental illness affects many individuals in society, some known and others unknown. People who is affected by mental illness needs the support from family members in the process of their recovery, therefore it is extremely important that they have this which will make a major difference to their well being. This study is a qualitative research and will be done with the use of questionnaires which will be given out to 25 families in the area of La Brea. They are going to be informed that a study is being done, in the highest of confidence and it is part of my course of study. The respondents will just have to fill out the questionnaire without their names or addresses, after it is filled out they can drop it into my mail box or they can personally hand it in. The results of these questionnaires are going to be organized by tallying each question to understand how many people said what, and it will be presented through the use of either charts, tables and graphs. This study on mental illness aims at investigating, How many people suffer from mental illness within their family? What did they do to assist? How they felt when their family member got sick? Were they hospitalized or they got private treatment? What support factors were there? Was there any stigmatization from anyone? This study is going to have some unavoidable limitations, which can be the time limit of eight weeks, this research is being conducted in one limited area and the group chosen may not represent the majority suffering from mental illness. Data Sample The participants for this research were selected based on their availability, their willingness to participate due to the understanding that this is just for research purposes and their knowledge that mental illness is a matter people work with everyday. A selection of 25 participants will take part in the study in the area of La Brea. In terms of ethnic background (20) 75% African and (5) 25%East Indian background, with about 20 female and 5 male ranging from the ages 15 to 65. The participants focused on in this study have had or have family members with mental health issues. Results Figure 1 Figure one shows that in the district of La Brea, 60% of the homes are of African descent, 20% are of East Indian, there is no Spanish, 12%are of Mixed Ethnicity and 8% are of another descent. Figure 2 Figure two shows that in La Brea, there are 40% of nuclear families, 40% of extended families and 20% of single parent families. Figure 3 Figure 3 shows that 80% said yes that their family suffered from mental illness are 80% and 20% said no. Figure 4 Mentally ill people are of different ages therefore; figure 4 shows that the highest age range is persons in the age group twenty years at 32% which indicates that younger people suffer from mental illness, then thirty five years at 28%, twenty five years at 16%, thirty eight years at 12%, and eighteen years at 4%. Figure 5 Figure 5 shows that more males than females suffer from mental illness as 60% of males and 40% of females has at some time in their life suffered from this sickness. Figure 6 Treatment can range be medication, counselling, change of diet or other which is a combination of two or all three. Medication was the highest being 60%, counselling and other had 20% each. Figure 7 Mental illness can have many effects on family members as 40% were stressed, 20% each became scared and confused while 12% were sad as too the fact that their family is suffering from this and 8% were helpless because they did not know how to deal with it. Discussion This study looked at the impact of mental illness of individuals on the lives of family members which can be described as a painful and sometimes traumatic experience. The majority of persons said that they had a family member who suffered from mental illness which became a bit difficult for them to go through, as some felt isolated while others needed help and support for themselves. Some family members also felt guilty and shame because they thought that they were to blame for the illness and not knowing how to handle this type of crisis. Referring to the literature todays model of psychiatric care recognizes the importance of families as part of the treatment process. Scientists and psychiatrists clames that diet can play a significant role in the care and treatment process. It also states that more males than females suffer from mental illness and people between the ages of 20-35 years are highly vulnerable to this illness. Therefore, this study indicates that mental illness is real, it is treatable by medication, therapy and other modalities, as psychiatrists help patients to understand their illness. My recommendations after doing this research on mental illness many people were not aware that there are different types and help is available. I would recommend that lectures, flyers and having activities where the community can interact with each other to increase awareness on mental illness. Conclusion Mental illness can have a devastating effect on an individual, his or her family, friends, and on the community in many ways.   How it affects the individual is obvious, reduced ability to care for themselves, strong negative emotions, distorted thoughts, inappropriate behaviour, and reduced ability to maintain a relationship are only a few possible outcomes.   On friends and family, it can be a major responsibility to care for someone suffering from a mental illness, the emotional and behavioural components of some illnesses can be very difficult at times to understand and to deal with.   Mental illness also affects the community due to the high incidence of homelessness and unemployment in some serious disorders such as schizophrenia. We as a society are starting to see that depression doesnt mean weakness, that anxiety doesnt mean fear, and that schizophrenia doesnt mean violence.   We finally understand that needing help for mental or emotional reasons does not represent a character flaw. Weve got a long way to go, but compared to the time when this was seen as demonic possession, and even compared to a few years ago, weve already come a great distance. References About Interpersonal Therapy | Psych Central. (n.d.). Psych Central Trusted mental health, depression, bipolar, ADHD and psychology information .. Retrieved October 28, 2012, from http://psychcentral.com/lib/2006/about-interpersonal-therapy/ Bipolar disorder PubMed Health. (n.d.). National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved October 28, 2012, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001924/ Cherry, K. (n.d.). What Is Cognitive Behavior Therapy?. Psychology Complete Guide to Psychology for Students, Educators Enthusiasts. Retrieved October 28, 2012, from http://psychology.about.com/od/psychotherapy/a/cbt.htm Effects of Mental Illness on the Family. (n.d.). Psychology Free Online Medical Advice, Mental Health, Anxiety, Relationship Advice. Retrieved October 28, 2012, from http://web4health.info/en/answers/life-family-mental-illness.htm NAMI | About Mental Illness. (n.d.). NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness Mental Health Support, Education and Advocacy. Retrieved October 28, 2012, from http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?section=about_mental_illness Obsessive-compulsive disorder PubMed Health. (n.d.). National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved October 28, 2012, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001926/ Origin of mental illnesses children, causes, effects, therapy, paranoia, adults, withdrawal, drug. (n.d.). Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders. Retrieved October 28, 2012, from http://www.minddisorders.com/Ob-Ps/Origin-of-mental-illnesses.html#b Panic disorder PubMed Health. (n.d.). National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved October 28, 2012, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001922/ Post-traumatic stress disorder PubMed Health. (n.d.). National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved October 28, 2012, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001923/ Psychosis PubMed Health. (n.d.). National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved October 28, 2012, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002520/ Schizophrenia PubMed Health. (n.d.). National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved October 28, 2012, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001925/ Therapy Providers in Psychology 101 at AllPsych Online. (n.d.). Psychology Classroom at AllPsych Online. Retrieved October 28, 2012, from http://allpsych.com/psychology101/therapists.html What Is Mental Health? What Is Mental Disorder?. (n.d.). Medical News Today: Health News. Retrieved October 28, 2012, from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/154543.php What is Mental Illness? | Canadian Mental Health Association. (n.d.). Canadian Mental Health Association | Mental Health for All. Retrieved October 28, 2012, from http://www.cmha.ca/mental_health/what-is-mental-illness/#.UIyCMsVfCSo Top of Form

Bio Warfare Essay -- essays research papers

Biological warfare is war waged with deadly chemicals, biological agents, or radioactive materials (CBR). They can be used to kill large amounts of people, destroy food, or just temporarily stun them for a matter of time so troops can come in and torture them or do whatever troops led by an manipulative tyrant who destroys everything. Using CBR, allowed you to kill everything and leave the buildings standing instead of nuclear weapons which destroy everything, put fallout in the air, and have radioactive materials wash into the ground and streams. Using deadly chemicals in war has been going on since the early 1900’s during World War I (1914-1918). Chemicals such as tear gas, chlorine gas, phosgene, and mustard gas. The first 3 are things that irritate the lungs, and mustard gas cause burns. After experimenting with these chemicals, they tried flame throwers but they were ineffective because of their short range. But that later led to napalm. Napalms kind of like gas only lon ger burning, more thick and it’s stickier and this is a deadly combination. All of this stuff led to the wide use of fire for World War II (1939-1945). By the end of W.W.I, European powers have integrated gas warfare capabilities into their armies artillery. During W.W.II, Germany was working on many different things. Such as nerve gases, the atomic bomb, and Adolf Hitler had scientists work on something to increase longevity. At the end of W.W.II every country knew about the advantages of deadly gases than conventional shoot outs and destructive bombs. Gases such as tear gas have been used in limited wars since W.W.II, such as in the Vietnam War; tear gas is also employed by civilian police forces to stop riots. The more deadly gases such as mustard gas and nerve gas has generally been condemned by most countries. Such weapons do remain in some arsenals, but treaties have gotten rid of them. There is evidence that Iraq used these weapons in the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s and that allied troops may have been exposed to these gases during the Persian Gulf War of 1991. Various chemicals, such as Agent Orange, that alter the metabolism of plant and cause them to die have been employed in modern jungle warfare to reduce the enemy’s cover and let troops march in without the fear of being ambushed. Later it was found that Agent Orange harmed everything that was near it. It killed plants, went... ...n the skin by those who handle infected hides and carcasses and may be self-limiting, but often gets into the bloodstream, with fever and exhaustion. It is characterized by malignant pustules on exposed skin areas. The inside type is acquired by inhaling anthrax cells, as from animal hair and wool, which take over the lungs and sometimes the intestinal tract to cause lose blood. It is speculated that an intestinal variety may be caused by consuming contaminated meat or milk. Workers exposed to animal products, especially wool, are protected by vaccination. Penicillin is effective in treatment except in rapidly progressing cases. The worst outbreak of anthrax occurred in 1979, when a biological weapons plant in Sverdlovsk, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (present-day Yekaterinburg) released an aerosol form of the anthrax pathogen. The source of this exposure, which killed 66 people, was publicly denied until 1994. In conclusion, biological weaponry are very deadly and can kill 100’s of millions of people without them knowing what’s going on. At least it doesn’t destroy buildings. So when we drop the big one, later intelligent species can dig up entire buildings and dead bodies.

Creating a Roadmap :: Internet Websites Computers Essays

Creating a Roadmap There are a variety of ways a link can be represented on the web. One of the challenges of designing a page is making a site visually appealing to the eye. Visual perception is how we analyze the world around us. Visual perception is â€Å"an active, thinking process of planning for, as well as interpreting, sensory data from the eyes† (Hilligoss 7). The layout and utilization of graphics serve as a roadmap for any website. Therefore, in order for people to effectively navigate a website, they must be able to communicate effectively through photos, icons, and text. The first key idea is the placement of the photos, icons, or text that will serve as buttons. â€Å"As we look around, we find focal points† and it is these points that direct our attention to the important areas of a page. When placing buttons, we do not want to make the size too small or to have a picture obscured behind text. If both text and graphics are used to represent the button, it is visually appeal ing to keep the text and graphics of equal width. This is exemplified on the main page of the WebCT course page where four pictures are used in conjunction with text labels. Each picture does not exceed the size of the text label, keeping the formatting consistent with the text serving as the foundation for the link. Choosing to use photos, icons, or text as buttons is up to the discretion of the author. â€Å"An icon is a graphic intended to convey a single specific message† (Farkas 208). Icons are largely symbolic and do not realistically represent their intended meanings. Authors M. Jimmie Killingsworth and Michael K. Gilbertson say that â€Å"iconic signs present general impressions that allow the observer to view a thing or a concept as a whole† (55). Iconic symbols should be chosen on their fundamentally understood meanings: a finger pointing right represents ‘Next Page’ or a printer represents the action ‘Print’. Killingsworth and Gilbertson call icons â€Å"relational and holistic,† meaning that the interpretation of a chosen symbol is relative to a culture (53). For a more specific meaning, an author may want to try using photos. Killingsworth and Gilbertson make the distinction that â€Å"the photographic image is not an icon, despite its near perfect resemblance to its object† (52). In this case, a photo must accurately represent the button or link.

high academic standards :: essays research papers

An Avenue to High Academic Standards   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In her article â€Å"An Avenue to High Academic Standards,† Lynn Olson argues that â€Å"A prominent misconception surrounding school-to-work is that it downplays intellectual achievement,† and that â€Å"school-to-work can encourage young people to pursue education and training beyond high school.† A school-to-work program enables a student to go to a regular school and attend classes just like any other regular high school student, but they are also required to attend additional training in a â€Å"real world† work environment. School-to-work programs are achievable and attractive to students whose schools are participating and Lynn Olson does a good job of arguing her point.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"High-quality school-to-work programs combine learning in school and in the workplace.† This makes sense, without efficient entrusted employers who are willing to participate in the school-to-work program, the support of the school would be undermined and the system would most likely fail. The school-to-work program enables students to get hands on experience within the workplace while at the same time giving them a reprieve from their textbooks.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lynn Olson argues that there have been studies that suggest â€Å"school-to-work can help address one of the greatest problems in education: motivation.† This makes sense and I believe this to be a very accurate and significant argument. Without motivation students will find it very difficult to get things started and to complete their tasks. This not only happens with academics but in life general. Lynn Olson argues, â€Å"A majority of American teenagers in national surveys describe their education as â€Å"boring.† I can attest to that. Both in high school, and in college I have had to learn about subjects that I can careless about and because of this the motivation factor was extremely low. â€Å"Although they think it’s important to graduate, they don’t think that doing well in school matters.† I tend to agree with this. I believe that graduation is the key factor, and this is the reason why kids go to school. School-to-wor k programs can alleviate some of the boredom that studying out of textbooks can have.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"School-to-work can help young people answer the question, â€Å"Why do I have to learn this?† Lynn Olson claims that research from various corporations, and research companies argue that â€Å"school-to-work activities can slash boredom and re-engage students in schooling.† Once again this makes sense. Give students the option to get out of the classroom and into the workforce as interns, gives them the opportunity to have a better understanding of the â€Å"real world† outside of the textbook and classroom environment.

Consumer Buying Behavior Essay

Toilet soaps are part of the growing tribe of cleansing and beautifying products available across the country. There are scores of brands and an even greater number of variants making for a bewildering range. The Indian market has over 1100 million people living in more than 4500 towns and cities and in excess of 580,000 villages. Products must cut through several price points and fragrances to satisfy everyone. Toilet soaps are marketed through 5 million retail stores of which 3.75 million are in rural areas, the penetration rate of the toilet soap is around 97 percent in urban areas and 89 percent in rural areas. But, the per capita consumption of toilet / bathing soap in India is very low at 800g whereas it is 6.5kg in the US, 4 kg in China and 2.5 kg in Indonesia. The market size of the Indian soap industry is around Rs.7129 crores. It can be classified into four categories namely premium, popular, economy and carbolic soaps. The â€Å"Premium1 category includes Dove, Mysore Sandal, Pears and some international brands. Brands in the â€Å"Popular’ category include Cinthol, Santoor, Rexona etc. Likewise, Fairglow, Godrej No. 1 etc. come under economy brands. Carbolic brands include Lifebuoy and Nima bath soap. Over the years, the â€Å"popular’ segment has witnessed rapid growth and has been the category driver. Consumers shift from the premium segment as and when they see better value in the popular category. At the same time, consumers upgrade from the economy segment due to increased in tune with the increasing disposable incomes in both urban and rural areas. As a result, the industry has witnessed a fifteen percent growth in premium brands. The market is flooded with several, leading national and global brands and a large number of small brands, which have limited markets. Competition amongst the MNCs has intensified, leading to shrinkage of margins. The leading players in this market are HUL (Dove, Pears, Lux, Lifebuoy, Breeze), Nirma (Nima), Godrej Soaps (Cinthol, FairGlow, Shikakai, Nihar), Wipro (Santoor), and Reckitt and Benckiser (Dettol). The rest of the market is highly fragmented, with companies having strong presence in select segments or regions. In the toilet soap industry, positioning of the product is very important to attract the customers. Review of Literature To have an in depth understanding of Indian consumer, and to analyze the factors influencing his purchase decisions, one has to conduct studies in relation to his environment, his demographic factors, culture, and level of exposure. In this backdrop, some important studies conducted in the areas of consumer behavior and perception in relation to non durable goods and FMCG in India are briefly reviewed. It is seen that positive attitude of consumer towards advertising of a particular brand is very useful in purchasing that brand (Dr Dharam Sukh Dahiya, 1996). Consumers perceived that the information received from WOM sources is reliable and advantageous in making the purchase decisions (Prashant Mishra et al, 1996). At the same time, Indian middle class consumers are willing to pay a premium for better quality products rather than getting satisfied with generic products with inferior quality (Srinivas Shirur, 1999). They tend to define themselves as well as compare with others in terms of symbolic value of their possessions (Shekhar Trivedi et al, 2000). People belonging to different lifestyles have different interests in shopping (D.P.S. Verma et al, 2000). There is a price threshold at which consumers make decisions to stockpile the products for the future (Arindam Banarjee et al, 2001). At the same time, gender of the celebrity significantly influences consumer perception about the product irrespective of consumers’ gender (Prashant Mishra et al, 2001). Similarly, they develop risk reduction strategies to help them act with greater confidence in making product purchase decisions (Debashis Bhattacharya et al, 2002). In the FMCG sector, the major influencing factors in making a purchase decision were quality (D. P. S. Verma et al, 2003), price and availability of products (Dr. Sarwade W. K. 2002), followed by their economic value and attractive packaging (Kuldeep Singh et al, 2003). Rising family income levels permit buyers to exercise more choice in selection of FMCG from the cost perception (Prof. S. A. Telang et al, 2003). However, age and other demographic variables also have their effect on behavioral and cognitive patterns of the consumer (D. P. S. Verma et al, 2003). Urban consumers preferred branded products (P. Antony George, 2007). Brand awareness and brand usage are highly correlated (Dr. A. Vinayaga Moorthy, 2007). Need and Importance of the Study The toilet soaps market is littered over with several, leading national and global brands and a large number of small and local brands. Toilet soaps, despite their divergent brands, are not well differentiated by the consumers. This results in fragmented market and obviously leads to a highly competitive market. In toilet soap market, strong brand equity and a wide distribution network are vital in attracting customers. Brand equities are built over a period of time by technological innovations, consistent high quality, aggressive advertisement and marketing. Availability of the products is another crucial success factor, as products are of small value, frequently purchased daily use items. So, there is always a chance of brand switching due to impulse buying. A deep insight of consumer brand loyalty and satisfaction can help marketers retain the existing customers and entice new ones. In this backdrop, this study is undertaken to examine the consumers’ brand awareness, loyalty, and satisfaction towards toilet soaps. The factors influencing brand selection and brand switching are also assessed. Objectives of the Study The main objective of the paper is to examine the consumers’ buying habits and brand loyalty towards toilet soap products. The following are the specific objectives of the study. * To identify the product attributes that influence the purchasing process * To assess the brand loyalty of consumers with respect to various levels of price increase * To examine the brand switching behavior of respondents * To evaluate the satisfaction level of consumers with regard to their present toilet soap brand * To assess the market share of different toilet soap brands in the market segment taken up for investigation * To offer suggestions to FMCG companies Scope and Limitations of the Study The present study intends to examine the customer satisfaction and perception towards toilet soap and the influence of product attributes on brand preferences and brand loyalty. It also covers customers’ brand loyalty at different levels of price increase/decrease from the present price. The study has the following limitations; * The study is made by taking each attribute as independent of other attributes, hence their interdependence, if any is ignored. * As the study is conducted in only Warangal City of A. P., the findings and suggestions of this empirical study may not be representative of the universe. * There may be a chance of individual’s experience dominating the interpretation of the data. * Some discrepancies may have occurred due to random sample method used. * Respondents may not have given their exact views or hidden some information deliberately. Methodology The study is conducted with the help of primary data collected from 200 respondents; consumers drawn at random in Warangal District (A.P.) The relevant data are collected from the respondents from different demographic and income groups. Appropriate statistical tools such as averages, weighted averages etc. are used in data analysis. For testing the hypotheses, Chi- square test is administered at 5 percent level of significance in order to validate the results of the investigation. Sample Profile Sample profile refers to the demographic characteristics of the respondent consumers covered in the analysis. Demographic factors like age, education, occupation, income, family size have a direct influence on the product/ brand choice. To ascertain the views of both male and female consumers, almost equal numbers of respondents are selected for the study. On the basis of age, the respondents are classified into five categories viz. below 20 years, 21-30 years, 31-40 years, 41-50 years, and above 50 years. Around 39 percent respondents are in the age group of 21-30 years. Another 27 percent are in the age group of 31-40 years. Around 16 percent are in the age group of 41-50 years, followed by above 50 years (13 percent), and below 20 years (5 percent). It is observed that majority of respondents comprising 73 percent are either graduates or post graduates. The remaining 27 percent have below graduation educational background. It is also observed that private employees comprise 38 percent of sample followed by housewives (25 percent), and government employees (18 percent). The remaining are students, businessmen and professionals. It is found that 43 percent respondents are in the middle income group (Rs. 10,001 to 20,000/pm). At the same time, 31 percent belong to low income group (Below Rs. 10,000/ pm). The remaining 26 percent belong to high income category (above Rs. 20,000/pm). It is seen that around 63 percent respondents have 3-4 members in their families. Around 26 percent have more than 4 three members. Another 11 percent have two or less members. It is observed that 62 percent respondents spend below Rs 100/per month on toilet soaps. The remaining 38 percent respondents spend above Rs 100/- per month. This gives occupation wise, income wise, and lifecycle wise distribution of sample consumers of toilet soaps. Data Analysis The behavior of urban respondents towards toilet soaps in terms of influencing factors, buying habits, and brand loyalty is analyzed. For this purpose, a structured questionnaire of five point scale reflecting the attitudes of the sample respondents is used in the investigation. Data collected from the respondents is tabulated, analysed, interpreted and presented in two sections viz. Section A: Buying Habits, Section B: Brand Loyalty. Section–A: Buying Habits Buying habits are analysed in terms of five interrelated variables viz. a. Buying Motives, b. Choice of Retail Store, c. Brand Specification, d. Frequency of Purchase, e. Average Expenditure and consumption. a. Impact of Buying Motives on Purchase Decision Making process Companies advertise their product as a bundle of some attributes. And, customers see the product as a bundle of benefits. They try to assess the benefit of each attribute and assign a level of importance and build perception about the total product. Then, they take the purchase decision. In this backdrop, the study proposes to assess the consumers’ perception on each attribute and importance given to it. In this context, respondents are asked to rank various product attributes in terms of their influence on buying decision. The product attributes such as unique ingredients, impact on skin and complexion, brand name, protection from heat and cold, price, company name, retailer’s advice, advertising, brand ambassador, availability, fragrance, doctor’s advice, TFM of the soap, freshness, protection from pimples etc are identified. The rankings are presented in Table No. 1. It is seen that unique ingredients of a particular soap has been ranked the first major influencing attribute in the purchase process. Impact on skin and complexion and brand name are ranked second and third respectively followed by price and freshness. b. Choice of Retail Store Consumers consider many factors in selecting a particular store to purchase the products. These factors may include availability of a particular brand, availability of information, familiarity and knowledge about the store, proximity of the store, time pressure, store specific promotions, social status etc. By choosing a particular type of store, consumers may get either utilitarian value (obtaining a required product with the least effort) or hedonistic value (the fun and pleasure associated with the buying process). In this context, respondents are asked to name their preferred outlet. Majority of the respondents comprising 40 percent purchased from super bazaars/ organized retail outlets. Another 32 percent bought from wholesale kirana shops. The remaining opted for nearby shops. c. Brand Specification It is observed that Santoor is the most popular brand with 31 percent users, followed by Cinthol with 11 percent users. Approximately 10 percent each are using Mysore Sandal and Pears. Lux is used by 9 percent respondents, while Medimix is used by 7 percent. Dove and Vivel account for 6 percent respondents each. The remaining brands are used by a few respondents. d. Frequency of Purchase Frequency of purchase can be defined as the number of times a consumer purchases during a particular period. It depends on the volume of purchase, economic status, life style, promotion schemes etc. In this study, it is observed that majority of respondents comprising around 45 percent purchase once in a month. Another 33 percent purchase whenever they required the product. Around 15 percent purchased once in a fortnight. The remaining 7 percent purchased weekly once. e. Average Expenditure and Consumption of Toilet Soaps A question was asked with the respondents to know about the average expenditure on toilet soaps and number soaps used in a month. It is observed that 62 percent respondents spend below Rs. 100/- per month on toilet soaps. The remaining 38 percent respondents spend above Rs. 100/- per month. Majority of the respondents have been using around six toilet soaps per month. Section–B: Brand Loyalty Brand loyalty is analysed in terms of seven interrelated variables viz., a. Brand Awareness, b. Brand Image, c. Price Sensitivity, d. Non-availability of Preferred Brand, e. Usage Period of Present Brand, f. Reasons for Brand Switching, g. Brand Performance. a. Brand Awareness Brand knowledge is based on brand awareness and brand image. Brand awareness is defined as Consumers’ recognition of existence and availability of a brand. A consumer’s brand awareness generally depends on his socio-economic background especially on education and income level. Creating brand awareness is an important tool in promoting brands with little differentiation such as toilet soaps. It can play a major role in purchasing decisions. The products with highest brand awareness will usually get more sales. In the urban market segment, it is interesting to note that, higher the level of education level, greater is the brand awareness. About 73 percent of respondent consumers are above graduation. Within this 73 percent, around 32 percent are from professional courses. These 73 percent respondents are aware of more than 7 brands. Majority of them could recall the brand ambassador and punch line of the brands also. The remaining 27 percent of the respondent consumers are with below graduation level of education. Out of which, around 8 percent of the respondent consumers are below the tenth class. These 27 percent of respondent consumers are aware of only 3-5 brands. Majority of them, either they could not recall or are indifferent of brand ambassador and punch line. b. Brand Image Brand image is defined as consumer’s perception of a brand as reflected by the brand associations held in his memory. The strength, favorability and uniqueness of associations help build a superior brand image. A favorable brand image is useful in creating strong brand equity. In this regard, a question was asked with respondents to compare their present brand with other competing brands. Majority of the respondents comprising 64 percent felt that their brand as the best one. Around 25 percent said it gives good value for money. The remaining 11 percent felt it as almost similar with other brands. At the same time, most of the respondents perceived their preferred brand as the market leader in its category. c. Price Sensitivity Price of a product has been a major determinant of a buyer’s choice. Although non price factors have assumed importance of late, price still remains a dominant factor influencing sales of a product. Fluctuation of prices will have an impact on continuity of the same brand, i.e. brand loyalty. In this context, it is proposed to analyse the impact of price changes on brand loyalty income wise. The respondents’ reactions to 10 percent, 20 percent, and 40 percent increase in the price of present soap brand are categorized according to their income levels viz. Low Income, Middle Income and High Income. It is seen that at 10 percent price increase, majority of the respondents across all income levels opted for continuing with the same level of consumption. From among the remaining respondents, many decided to reduce consumption. A few respondents wanted to shift to other brands. Similarly, at 20 percent price increase, 35 percent (Low Income), 35 percent (Middle Income), and 67 percent (High Income) respondents opted for continuing with the same level of consumption. Around 34 percent respondents from low income category chose to reduce their consumption. The corresponding figures for middle income and high income groups are 23 percent and 13 percent respectively. Another 13 percent (Low Income), 30 percent (Middle Income), 10 percent (High Income) respondents decided to shift to other brands, while the remaining preferred to search for other alternatives. At the same time, at 40 percent price increase, 10 percent (Low Income), 23 percent (Middle Income), and 54 percent (High Income) respondents chose to continue with the same level of consumption. Another 1 6 percent (Low Income), 7 percent (Middle Income) and 15 percent (High Income) wanted to reduce their consumption. Further, around 55 percent (Low Income), 51 percent (Middle Income), and 19 percent (High Income) respondents desired to change their brands. The remaining respondents wanted to search for other alternatives. Further, based on the same data, Chi-square test is conducted to identify differences, if any, among the respondents belonging to different income groups in terms of price sensitivity and brand loyalty at various levels of increase in the price of present soap brand. Calculated values are presented in Table II. It is observed from the above table that at 10 percent price increase, the calculated value of chi-square is less than the table value. Hence, it can be concluded that there are no significant differences among the respondents belonging to different income groups at 10 percent price increase of the present toilet soap brand. But, when the price is increased to 20 percent or 40 percent above the current price, respondents belonging to different income groups exhibited altogether different behavior. d. Non-availability of Preferred Brand Store loyalty is regarded as the patronage of customers to a particular outlet.. It is based on the consumers’ positive attitude towards the store. Store loyalty is influenced by the availability of products and brands at the store and the process involved in customers acquiring them. Brand loyalty is also a major factor in shaping the customers opinions towards a particular store. When a preferred brand is not available in a particular store, consumers will have two options; purchasing the same brand in another shop i.e. displaying more brand loyalty than store loyalty, or purchasing another brand in the same shop i.e. exhibiting more store loyalty. In the present study it is seen that 78 percent respondents preferred to purchase the same brand from another shop. The remaining 22 percent purchased other brands available in the same shop. e. Usage Period of Present Brand Brand loyalty also results in using the same brand regularly over a period of time. It is seen that 51 percent respondents have been using the same brand for above 4 years followed by 21 percent for below 1 year. Around 17 percent have been using it for 1-2 years, and the remaining 11 percent for 2-4 years. f. Reasons for Brand Switching Consumers’ satisfaction and brand loyalty can be measured by buyer’s repeat purchase rate over the time. However, sometimes consumers change their regular brands and patronize new brands due to various reasons. In this context, it is proposed to investigate the effect of product attributes, promotion schemes, reference groups’ influence, impact of pricing and advertising on the switching intentions of consumers. For this purpose, respondents are asked to identify the most important reason that for brand switching from earlier brand to present one. It is observed that 54 percent respondents cited better quality of new brand as a major reason for brand switching. Another 13 percent wanted to check the new brand. The relative cheaper price of new brand enticed 10 percent to use the new brand. g. Brand Performance Customer satisfaction is a positive psychological tendency which the customer gets when he is able to meet the perceived need and expectation with the product he experiences. It is a part of customer’s experience. This satisfaction is related to various aspects such as cost, quality, performance and efficiency of the product. Even if the products are identical in competing markets, satisfaction provides high retention rates. Higher the satisfaction level, higher is the sentimental attachment of customers with the specific brand of product. In this backdrop, the study intends to measure the satisfaction level of consumers towards their present soap brands. For this purpose, Respondent consumers are asked to rate the performance of their present brand of toilet soap along some parameters such as price, packaging, durability, color, fragrance, freshness, quality, convenience of usage etc. The responses are classified into three categories namely excellent, above average, and average. It is observed that, respondents are fully satisfied with only premium soaps namely Dove and Pears as they are rated above average or excellent. Cinthol, Mysore Sandal and Superia came next with majority of users rating them excellent or above average, while the remaining rating them average. The remaining brands are rated just average by the respondents. Findings The following are the findings that have emerged from the study. * While making a brand choice decision, respondents gave more importance to unique ingredients of a soap followed by impact on skin and price. * Majority of the respondents purchased toilet soaps from super bazaars/ organized retail outlets followed by wholesale kirana shops. * Santoor is the most preferred brand used by both men and women which comes in the popular category. Cinthol, Mysore Sandal and Pears are the next preferred brands. * It is concluded that that majority of respondents purchased on monthly basis. Another 33 percent purchased when they required the product. * Many respondents are spending Rs 51- 100/- per month on toilet soaps, while a few are spending more. * More than half of the respondents only knew 5-10 brands of toilet soaps. From the remaining ones, approximately equal number of respondents knew less than five and more than ten brands. The education level of the consumers has a positive bearing on the brand awareness. * Most of the consumers have a very positive image and perception about their present brand. They felt that it is the best one and market leader in its category. * In response to a 10 percent price increase of current soap brand, all the respondents across different income groups behaved similarly. Most of them are willing to continue with same level of consumption. The respondents are not bothered with a marginal increase in the price as long as it satisfies their needs. But, when the price is increased to 20 percent or 40 percent above the current price, substantial differences are seen in the behavior of respondents belonging to different areas income groups. The high income group wanted to continue with same level of consumption. The low and middle income groups chose to either reduce consumption or to change the brand. * It is observed that most of the respondents preferred to purchase the same brand from another shop, when it is not available in a particular store. This shows a strong brand loyalty among the respondents. * Most of the respondents have been using the same brand for a longer period of time (more than 5 years) which shows a strong brand loyalty among them. * The reasons cited by respondents for brand switching are mainly better quality and cheaper price of new brand and inferior performance of old brand. Surprisingly, very few respondents are attracted by advertisements of new brands. * Respondents are just satisfied with their present soap as majority of them rated it only average or above average. A few rated it excellent. Conclusion Significant differences were observed among different income groups, especially, when the price of the present brand increases substantially. This can be attributed to the different lifestyles adopted by different income groups. Surprisingly respondents gave least importance to advertisements of toilet soaps. Quality and price of new brands motivated them to brand switching. This has to be carefully studied by the marketers. Another area of concern is that many rated their present soaps as just satisfying although they have been using the same brand for a longer period. In this perspective, FMCG companies need to reformulate their strategies to delight the customers. At the same time, as most of the respondents have been using the same brand for a longer period of time, new entrants have to devise suitable plans to attract the customers of existing brands. Deeper penetration in urban areas also holds the key to unlocking growth potentials especially in the Premium Segment. Thus, product innovation, smart merchandising and distribution will be of key importance for FMCG products to become leaders in the industry. 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Srinivas Shirur, â€Å"Marketing Strategies of Family Business in FMCG Sector†, Paradigm, Vol. 3, No 1, pp 32-34, 1999. M. S. Sarma Professor, Department of Commerce and. Business Management, Kakatiya University, Warangal. V. Rana Pratap Lecturer, Department of Business Management, Lal Bahadur College, Warangal.