The gospel according to Black Elk Essay Example For Students

The gospel according to Black Elk Essay My friend, I am going to tell you the story of my life, as you wish; and if it were only the story of my life I think I would not tell it; for what is one man that he should make much of his winters, even when they bend him like a heavy snow? So many other men have lived and shall live that story, to be grass upon the hills. It is the story of all life that is holy and is good to tell, and of us two-leggeds sharing in it with the four-leggeds and the wings of the air and all green things; for these are children of one mother and their father is one Spirit Now that I can see it all from a lonely hilltop, I know it was the story of a mighty vision given to a man too weak to use it; of a holy tree that should have flourished in a peoples heart with flowers and singing birds, and now is withered; and of a peoples dream that died in bloody snow. We will write a custom essay on The gospel according to Black Elk specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now But if the vision was true and mighty, as I know, it is true and mighty yet; for such things are of the spirit, and it is in the darkness of their eyes that men get lost. From Black Elk Speaks In 1876 a young man named Black Elk witnessed the battle for Little Big Horn in which Custer bit the dust and the Seventh Cavalry was wiped out. Later, he experienced the aftermath of the unprovoked massacre of innocent Indian women, children and men at Wounded Knee in 1890they had been dancing a ghost dance, trying to fulfill a vision of Indian renaissance in which all whites would disappear. Black Elk was an Oglala Sioux holy man who decided to tell an Anglo poet his peoples modern history as a living testament to his Lakota society. John G. Neihardt went to the barren hills of South Dakota in 1930 to gather information for The Song of the Messiah, the final narrative poem of his Cycle of the West. I had gone for the purpose of finding some old medicine man who had been active in the Messiah Movement and who might somehow be induced to talk to me about the deeper spiritual significance of the matter, the poet writes in his preface to the book that eventually emerged from his experi ences in South Dakota, Black Elk Speaks. Neihardt reports that, on the day of their first meeting, Black Elkwho was not only active in the Messianic or ghost dance movement, but also a second cousin of the warrior Crazy Horsesaid to him, What I know was given to me for men and it is true and it is beautiful. Soon I shall be under the grass and it will be lost. You were sent to save it, and you must come back so that I can teach you. When he returned the following summer, Neihardts talks with Black Elk were interpreted by the old mans son and then taken down in stenography by Neihardts daughter, Enid. Her notes and transcripts are preserved at the University of Missouri, Columbia. It is the secondhand nature of the book that has produced some controversy. Present debates center on the question of Neihardts literary intrusions into Black Elks system of beliefs, and some scholars have said the book reflects more of Neihardt than it does of Black Elk, explains Vine Deloria Jr. in the introduction to the current University of Nebraska Press edition of the book. Despite these concerns, Black Elk Speaks has become a classic among oral historiesa paean to a suppressed culture and an alternative history of the end of a very long war. This fall, Black Elks story of the true and beautiful had another incarnation with the premiere of a stage version of Black Elk Speaks at the Denver Center Theatre Company. The entire run of the play sold out with the strongest ticket response the Denver company has ever had, and enthusiastic multi-ethnic audiences consistently gave the production emotional ovations. Given the guilt-producing subject of the playthe ruthless subjugation of native peoples from Columbus to Wounded Kneethis reaction might seem odd. But the piece is far from polemicalits witty, entertaining and profoundly moving theatre. And it offers a stem, strong, unsentimental vision of hope. The play departs from the books timeline, giving an overview of the conquest of Native peoples from 1492 to the 20th century, but remains true to the spirit of the original. Playwright Christopher Sergel began working on a theatrical version of Black Elk Speaks in 1974. But it was only last year that he approached Donovan Marley, artistic director of the Denver Center Theatre, with his draft of the play and the original text. The two started to collaborate on the piece, but Sergel died before the first act was completed. Marley and Sergels widow, Gayle Sergel, worked together to finish the play with the help of Aleut actress and choreographer Jane Lind, and Haudenosaunee composer Dennis Yerry. .u6fac380ef23de1373ca5adc2daf7e085 , .u6fac380ef23de1373ca5adc2daf7e085 .postImageUrl , .u6fac380ef23de1373ca5adc2daf7e085 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u6fac380ef23de1373ca5adc2daf7e085 , .u6fac380ef23de1373ca5adc2daf7e085:hover , .u6fac380ef23de1373ca5adc2daf7e085:visited , .u6fac380ef23de1373ca5adc2daf7e085:active { border:0!important; } .u6fac380ef23de1373ca5adc2daf7e085 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u6fac380ef23de1373ca5adc2daf7e085 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u6fac380ef23de1373ca5adc2daf7e085:active , .u6fac380ef23de1373ca5adc2daf7e085:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u6fac380ef23de1373ca5adc2daf7e085 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u6fac380ef23de1373ca5adc2daf7e085 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u6fac380ef23de1373ca5adc2daf7e085 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u6fac380ef23de1373ca5adc2daf7e085 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u6fac380ef23de1373ca5adc2daf7e085:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u6fac380ef23de1373ca5adc2daf7e085 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u6fac380ef23de1373ca5adc2daf7e085 .u6fac380ef23de1373ca5adc2daf7e085-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u6fac380ef23de1373ca5adc2daf7e085:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Welcome to Alabama Essay The playthe end result of 12 drafts labored over between May and September of this yearcombines elements of Sioux storytelling with American theatre performance traditions. It is not Native American art, but neither is it merely a European derivative. One important element is the Oglala winter telling style of storytelling. The people sit in a circle and someone starts to tell a familiar story. Anyone can dive in when the narrative arrives at his or her favorite part. Dialogue, when called for, and crowd reactions are also supplied by the participants. Taking a cue from this tradition, Marley arranged his 20-member castmade up entirely of Native American actorsaround a circle or hoop at the beginning of the play. The actors came and went, taking on various roles, participating in a series of vignettes and returning at the end of Act 2 to the circle. Black Elk tells his story to his grandson, a teenager raised in government schools who has been taught to scorn his heritage. As the old man unfolds the story of the native nations, he directs the action. He chooses a young man to play Columbus, warning him to try and figure out how Columbus thought and felt. The same young man then plays a Navajo leader named Manuelito. The scene is intended to convey the Lakota idea of a Navajo warrior, not a Navajo ideal. The distinction is critical and telling. It speaks not only to ethnic diversitytribal particularitiesbut also to the universality of fundamental Indian beliefs. The Sioux warrior is meant to identify with the Navajo warrior. Pan-Indianism, however politically incorrect, is about solidarity when it countsin the defense of native cultures and in the legislation protecting Indian rights. Black Elk points out more than once that when the Indians united against their enemies, they were victorious in battle. He is addressing contemporary Indianswhen they unite today, they win in the courtrooms and in the legislatures. The Native American cast represents many cultures, and when disputes arose in rehearsal over ethnographic details, Marley always resolved them by choosing the Oglala tradition. Black Elks granddaughters and great-grandsons traveled to Denver to help with language, and when Indian language is used in the play it is most often Lakota. Stephen C. Dubray, the Oglala Keeper of Songs who performs in this production, composed some of the pieces distinctly Sioux songs and chose others from the tribes existing repertoire. Rattles, drums and other small objects were contributed by various tribes and are almost ever-present. When battles are fought or people slaughtered, the drums provide chilling sound effects for the stylized movement. Marley has spared no effort to touch as many Indian nations as possible. When an Aleut drum wails mysteriously, it embraces Alaskan natives into this history. Research for the play has been extensive and the drama is rich in irrefutable factual and ethnographic detail. At the Western History Museum in Denver, Marley found a wealth of detail. The Museums collection contains U.S. Army records from the period, including those of Colonel John Chivingtona psychopath who ordered the massacre of a peaceful encampment of Indians at Sand Creek. His men dismembered the bodies of the women and children and displayed the pieces in Denver. Disgusted, his own officers saw to it that he was driven out of the army, though many citizens tried to make him a hero. Although we dont hear specifically about the display of small limbs of the victims in the play, when an Indian woman (Jane Lind) recounts the terror and horror of the massacre at Sand Creek and at Washita River, there is holocaust behind her words. As soon as the firing began, the warriors put the families together trying to protect them. But there were so few young men, and soon they had been killed. The women were desperate, Linds character Yellow Woman says. A few of them ran out to let the soldiers see they were womenand they begged for mercy. Their bodies were mutilated in such a way I cannot say the words. .u8633f3aebabf16cfc8c70388e415abad , .u8633f3aebabf16cfc8c70388e415abad .postImageUrl , .u8633f3aebabf16cfc8c70388e415abad .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8633f3aebabf16cfc8c70388e415abad , .u8633f3aebabf16cfc8c70388e415abad:hover , .u8633f3aebabf16cfc8c70388e415abad:visited , .u8633f3aebabf16cfc8c70388e415abad:active { border:0!important; } .u8633f3aebabf16cfc8c70388e415abad .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8633f3aebabf16cfc8c70388e415abad { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8633f3aebabf16cfc8c70388e415abad:active , .u8633f3aebabf16cfc8c70388e415abad:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8633f3aebabf16cfc8c70388e415abad .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8633f3aebabf16cfc8c70388e415abad .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8633f3aebabf16cfc8c70388e415abad .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8633f3aebabf16cfc8c70388e415abad .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8633f3aebabf16cfc8c70388e415abad:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8633f3aebabf16cfc8c70388e415abad .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8633f3aebabf16cfc8c70388e415abad .u8633f3aebabf16cfc8c70388e415abad-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8633f3aebabf16cfc8c70388e415abad:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Absurdist acting style EssayAssembling such a large cast proved difficult. The Indian tradition does not include performing for an audience. When Indian people dance and sing, Marley said in a recent interview, it is an event that will have religious significance (or daily life significance), but it is participatory. He needed trained actors who could handle, sustain and make interesting the tremendous amount of language in the play. He also had to cast musicians and dancers. He auditioned players in five cities, traveling with Gayle Sergel, Lind and Dennis Yerry. In the end, it cost more to cast Black Elk Speaks than any entire season at the DCTC in the past 10 years. The role of Black Elk went to Ned Romero, a character actor who started out in opera, moved to musical theatre, and then went on to play a variety of Indian film and television roles (Northern Exposure is a recent credit). At 66, he is the same age Black Elk was when he spoke the book. When Romero first saw the script, he turned it down. Im semi-retired, he says, I couldnt believe the amount of work this would entail. But he has found it one of the most inspiring roles of his entire career. Im very humbled by this role, he says. Im not sure how to articulate it. From a purely technical standpoint, it was very difficult. Just repeating some of the words Black Elk spoke. Romero points out that the play reflects the complexity of human nature and history. In fact, the play is not entirely balanced; it generally fails to recognize Indian atrocities and simplifies the causes of Westward expansionwhich were not only about greed or Manifest Destiny, as the play implies. There are good people and bad people in every society and in every walk of life, responds Romero. The Indians did some bad things also. If we were all perfect, we would be in paradise. I like the idea that this was essentially a play about healing wounds rather than about picking sores, Marley elaborates. Theres a wonderful irony about Indians playing white people after a lifetime of watching films in which whites played Indians. I think every artistic project has to validate itself artistically, the director adds. Theres so much pressure now on people who are doing theatre to lower artistic aspirations and standards in order to be inclusive. Both Romero and Marley believe that the chief concern of the play is modern mans disconnection from things that are important. Marley uses the metaphor of the broken hoop as the metaphor for the broken community. Its not only Indian hoops that are broken. Right now we live in a society in which our family hoops are broken, says Marley. We cant go out at night because we are afraidbecause our community hoops are broken. Our national hoops are broken. And everyone who came to this country came because their hoops were broken. And so the power of the piece may have to do with that. Stephen Dubray, who is an Oglala, thought of refusing to participate, but Black Elks family asked him to help tell Grandpas story. So I asked my father and some elders if it would be all right to use some of the songs, he says. I made sure that I did not do anything that would make them feel bad, or make me feel bad. Kiowa/Navajo activist, columnist, actor and television personality John Belindo found his participation in Black Elk Speaks a singular experience. This has taken all of us by surprise, he says. During the whole of the 500-years war, he continues, during the saga of Indian liberation that continues today, American history has had a pro-European bias. The frontiersmen and soldiers are seen as heroes, the settlers as peaceful, and Indians as the villains. But the play offers us a sense of wonder about our culture and a sense of outrage over their destruction. The book is a testament to survival and to the continuation of Native American people, adds Belindo, who plays several white generals as well as Indians in the play. If you look at the sum total of all its parts, Black Elk says that despite the ravages of war, the spirit and the traditions live on. And that is something no force can destroy or obliterate from the face of the earth.

Jenkins, David. From Unwritten to Written Transformation in the British Common

Jenkins, David. From Unwritten to Written Transformation in the British Common The written constitution has government principles found in legal documents which have been enacted as laws. The clauses in the written constitution are well planned; clearly stated and standard. Unwritten constitution is the opposite of written one; the government principles are not found in legal documents and the enactment of laws does not exist. The clauses do not follow a certain pattern, plan or standard. Written constitution is more compatible with the liberal democratic tradition.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Jenkins, David. From Unwritten to Written: Transformation in the British Common-Law specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Written constitution has principles that limit or restrain parliament through a judicial review. This means that, the parliament has the authority to enact laws of the land but they must be reviewed by the judiciary of a nation. Such control of parliament’s limitless power ensure s that there is no misuse of power. In addition, a balance between legislature and judiciary is created therefore reducing excess political influence on a nation. Written constitution ensures duly enacted laws serve the public welfare. As a result, the parliament is responsible towards the citizens. Moreover, the principles of the natural law are bound by morality and ethics of humanity. Hence, all laws governing the land are determined by the public good. Written constitution ensures the parliament delivers ultimate obedience to its subjects. Despite its supremacy in the land, parliament remains morally answerable to the welfare of its citizens. Written law is not easily manipulated to suit an individual’s interests. For example, if a medical practitioner runs a business without permit from the government or license, he or she can easily manipulate the unwritten law to fit his circumstance. Written constitution is precise and statements written are not controversial. In addi tion, all laws regarding practice and professional ethics governing different professions are enacted. Incase such scenarios arise it is efficient to quote the written law. Written constitution ensures an effective implementation of the rule of law in parliament and other government bodies. Rule of law includes judicial aspects, where the courts are charged with responsibility of protecting the interests of the public from unlawful acts. Such acts may originate from parliament and court has the responsibility of interpreting the law appropriately to ensure public good. The balance between legislature and judiciary helps in implementation of respect of law. A written constitution has important sections especially ‘Bills of Rights’. In developed nations, unwritten constitution protects its citizens. Incase of minority harassment, no justice can be found. Written constitution provides clauses on human rights, which cover all citizens regardless of race or tribe. Written co nstitution acts as a reference point for all citizens in a given nation, hence the protection of public good is enhanced. Written constitution offers a document for reference where the main bodies of government are listed together with their responsibilities. Without a written constitution, there exists a vacuum for a legal doctrine. Cabinet, judiciary and parliament are the major government bodies and their roles need to be clearly listed. A written constitution would provide that legal document for future references. A written constitution provides a clear distinction between constitutional and ordinary laws.Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The article is relevant to this thesis because it provides the reasons which led to the adoption of a written constitution in Britain. The journal supports the thesis; written constitution supports liberal democracy and growth. This journal provides the gaps which existed in unwritten constitution of Britain. In addition, it addresses the need to include clauses on human rights in the constitution. Moreover, it addresses the need for public welfare in governance as well as the need to implement rule of law.

Impede and Impinge

Impede and Impinge Impede and Impinge Impede and Impinge By Maeve Maddox A reader questions the use of the preposition on after impede in a newspaper headline: I don’t think â€Å"on† is needed or correct [in this headline]: â€Å"Washington’s weeklong power outage impeding on Thanksgiving.† I’d love to hear your thoughts. The reader is correct. Impede does not take a preposition. Here are examples of correct usage: Flamingo Road  construction will impede  traffic through 2016 Natural selection, key to evolution, also  can impede  formation of new species. Do emotions  impede  logic or do emotions contribute to being rational? Five Negative Thoughts that  Impede  Weight Loss In each example, impede is a transitive verb followed by a direct object. Impede combines the Latin negative prefix im- with the Latin word for foot. The meaning of Latin impedire is â€Å"to shackle the feet.† The English transitive verb impede means, â€Å"to retard in progress or action by putting obstacles in the way; to obstruct; to hinder; to stand in the way of.† The person who wrote â€Å"Washington’s weeklong power outage impeding on Thanksgiving† may have been reaching for impinging. Latin impingere means â€Å"to push, strike, drive [something] at or into something else. A common meaning of the English verb impinge is â€Å"to encroach or infringe on or upon.† When that’s the meaning, impinge is followed by the preposition on (or upon): But at what point does  my  freedom to act  impinge on  your freedom? I don’t care what they do in their private lives just as long as they  dont impinge on my rights.   Is it acceptable to  impinge on  certain civil liberties for  the sake of national security? Is it possible to set up quiet areas without  impinging on playground  space? Dido Sued for Impinging on an Astronaut’s Persona The noise from next door was impinging upon my  concentration. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Apply to, Apply for, and Apply with"Owing to" vs "Due to"3 Types of Essays Are Models for Professional Writing Forms

The Implementation of the Critical Success Factors Case Study

The Implementation of the Critical Success Factors - Case Study Example After original implementation, a stabilization stage happens when implementation challenges are predetermined and organizational performance gets better. Ross comments that nearly all organizations stay in the stabilization stage for many months and occasionally years. The constant improvement of the procedure follows and lastly major process transformation is facilitated. Few organizations get to the transformation stage even though most prepare to. Ross observes that big ERP system implementations might engage different series through the procedure model for every separate unit in the ERP system. In another case study, Markus and Tanis designed a four-stage ERP implementation procedure model. The stages are chartering, plan, shakedown, and onward and upward. The chartering stage comprises expansion of the business case, the assortment of the ERP package, classification of a project executive, and endorsement of the financial plan and to-do list. The project and shakedown stages are very alike to the implementation and stabilization stage in the Ross model above. The onward and upward stage entails the continuous business development and transformation consequent to the very last two stages of Ross’s model. Environmental and cultural issues play a significant part in the ERP implementation achievement.Without a doubt, ERPs have also shown challenging to put into practice, even in Western organizations, frequently due to an underrated requirement for change management and the relocation of roles and their significance for actors. Most organizational practices are subjective not only by societal features but as well as by the reflections suitable within an organizational sector, public or private. Private organizations are different from public organizations at three separate levels.

Social Learning Theory (one of the communication theories) Assignment

Social Learning Theory (one of the communication theories) - Assignment Example For instance, when the behaviour model displayed violent words and actions towards the Bobo doll, the children did the same. The method involved 36 boys and 36 girls. The children were from 3 to 6 years of age. The first group of participants (24 boys and girls) were made to observe a model who exhibited aggressive actions and words towards the Bobo doll. Meanwhile, the second group of the same population were made to watch a non-aggressive model. Finally, the last group was treated as the control batch and had no exposure to any models. The conclusions indicated that the children who were made to observe an aggressive model tended to exhibit more similarly violent behaviors. Interestingly, gender had a significant influence. If the role model was male, the girls showed more physical aggression. On the other hand, if the role model was female, the girls displayed more verbal hostility. However, there is no significant difference between girls’ and boys’ levels of verbal aggression. In addition, boys emulated role models of the same sex more as compared to girls. Bandura furthered that observational learning involves a live, verbal, or symbolic models. This means that exemplars may be live people or animals, auditory directions, or characters that may be seen in different kinds of media such as movies and books. The process starts with attention which entails interest on the part of the observer. After significant amount of attention is paid to the stimulus, retention ensues. This implies that the learner encodes observed information in his memory. Reproduction then happens when the observed behaviour gets replicated by the learner. Motivation comes into play when the observer experiences reinforcement after the reproduction. A learner may repeat the observed behaviour after a reward. Secondly, an individual’s mental condition is essential. Aside from external rewards, internal reinforcement enhances a person’s motivation to pay atten tion to the model. When one can feel and think satisfied as a result of observing, the social learning will be more successful. Thirdly, observational learning does not always lead to a change in behaviour. Novel knowledge can be earned without palpable alterations in one’s actions. â€Å"Social learning theory began as an attempt by Robert Sears and others to meld psychoanalytic and stimulus-response learning theory into a comprehensive explanation of human behaviour, drawing on the clinical richness of the former and the rigor of the latter† (Grusec, 1992, p.776). Though Bandura is most opulently related to this theory, it actually originated from Sears. The history dates back to the time of Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis. In 1935, there was a major movement that sought to unify learning and psychoanalytic theories. This resulted to Sears’ focus on socialization as significant aspect of the research. Particularly, he found out that children were being a ffected by the milieu that he encounters day by day. Children adapt the values and attitudes that their parents portray. Bandura agreed with some assertions of Sears but went against some. â€Å"Bandura is clearly the intellectual heir of Sears, influenced by but also reacting against the tradition that Sears represented† (Grusec, 1992, p.776). Together, the two experts utilize learning concepts in explaining how humans develop socially. Sears was more of the

Causal Information as Reward for Children

Causal Information as Reward for Children Loredana Lenghel Life-span Developmental Psychology 1. Details of the applicant: Loredana Lenghel 2. Title of the proposal: Keeping Children Engaged – Causal Information as Reward 3. Summary of the proposed research This study proposes research on the effects of causal information as reward on the intrinsic motivation of children. Causal information has been shown to maintain task engagement in children better than tangible rewards because it touches children’s innate interest in the world. A repeated measures experimental design with children aged 8 to 10 will be used to establish if indeed the intrinsic motivation of children is not undermined by causal information as reward. The results have implications in areas such as education and learning. 4. Keywords Intrinsic motivation, causal information, reward, education 5a. Research topic Motivation to fulfill personal needs is what drives people to act. Being defined as â€Å"the reasons underlying behavior† (Guay et al., 2010, p. 712), it is understandable why it is important to establish the building blocks of motivation and how these can be manipulated in order to preserve people’s sense of fulfillment. Motivation has been a topic widely investigated within the social sciences, there being several theories that attempt to explain this process. The most common distinction encountered in the literature is between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation (Ryan Deci, 2000). Intrinsic motivation is seen as inherently volitional; it is the force that drives actions and sustains activities due to personal desires as it is associated to personal enjoyment, interest, pleasure or high engagement. In contrast, extrinsic motivation is seen as governed by reinforcement factors; this type of motivation implies doing activities due to reasons that are external to the ta sk, such as receiving a reward (Lai, 2011). The differences between these types of motivations can be associated with the quality of task outcomes. For instance, task outcomes such as spelling, writing or vocabulary development represent only a narrow range in which the relevance of these motivation forms can be observed. Thus, an important area where intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation needs to be taken into account is education and learning. The relevance and importance of this proposed study can be understood when looking at how children’s motivation develops. Research on children’s intrinsic motivation shows that it is not a stable construct. Intrinsic motivation tends to decrease with age, ninth graders exhibiting less motivation than third graders (Lepper, Sethi, Dialdin, Drake, 1997) (Lai, 2011). However, some evidence shows that after the age of 15, there is again an increase in this type of motivation (Gillet, Vallerand, Lafreniere, 2012). One study argues that academic intrinsic motivation stabilize s as one advances in age. They found that between the ages of 9 and 17, motivation can be seen as having cumulative effects. Information about motivation at one age can be used to predict further motivation. Moreover, they argued that academic motivation is relevant for the school curriculum, showing a decline for sciences and reading. Another point touched upon was that children with low motivation at the beginning of schooling are at risk and lack future interest in learning (Gottfried, Fleming, Gottfried, 2001). What is more, studies suggest that before starting school, children are generally intrinsically motivated, eager and excited about learning. This effect then diminishes and some children show reluctance towards studying. This is why having an efficient method to nurture children’s motivation can have a positive effect on their future motivation. It also shows that a method is necessary to help maintain academic interest in subjects for which children’s intr insic motivation to learn declines. Notwithstanding these findings, society has taken a problematic approach to maintaining children’s motivation. Several studies have shown that rewarding someone for doing a certain task can diminish their intrinsic motivation. (Lai, 2011) (Hagger Chatzisarantis, 2011) (Lepper, Sethi, Dialdin, Drake, 1997). Deci et al. (2001) have investigated the effect of different kinds of rewards on the motivation of children. They argue that rewards are composed of two aspects: the informational and the controlling aspects. The informational aspect of a reward conveys self-determined competence and can enhance intrinsic motivation whereas the controlling aspect is what determines the external perception of locus of control and can decrease intrinsic motivation. The authors looked at verbal and tangible rewards to establish which one is more likely to be seen as informational or controlling. Their results showed that tangible, task-contingent rewards undermined the intrinsic motivation of children. Verbal rewards, on the other hand, increased intrinsic motivation and were more likely to be seen as informational. Another important result of this study showed that whereas verbal rewards are beneficial for college students, they have a lower effect on children. However, the undermining of intrinsic motivation by tangible rewards was more accentuated in children than in students. This shows that children are more sensitive to extrinsic rewards and that measures to resolve the issue of intrinsic motivation decrease caused by extrinsic rewards need to be taken. Children’s inherent curiosity and interest in the surrounding world also plays a role in the development of motivation. Constructivist theorists argued that children are â€Å"active builders of knowledge – little scientists who are constantly creating and testing their own theories of the world† (Ravitch, 2001, p.442). In their study, Deci et al. (2001) also investigated children’s interest and discovered that offering verbal rewards results in enhanced self-reports of interest, whereas all tangible rewards resulted in lower interest. Chen and Xiang (2005) studied the interaction effect between intrinsic motivators and extrinsic rewards on behaviors. They argued that interest is a construct embedded in intrinsic motivation and that it is the most important predictor of future motivation for engaging in an activity. Their study showed that activities based on interest could have a stronger and prolonged effect in a learning situation. Embedded in this idea , studies have tried to investigate whether children’s curiosity could be utilized as a way to reinforce their learning. It has been showed that children understand and are interested in causal information and derive satisfaction from answering with causal factors (Lai, 2011). A recent study (Alvarez Booth, 2014) utilized children’s interest in the world to establish whether it can be used as reward for task engagement. They used causal information to reward children for engaging in a boring activity and discovered that youngsters showed more engagement when presented with strong causal information than when rewarded with something tangible. This body of literature offers the foundations for the investigation of the effect of causal information as reward on intrinsic motivation, which is the aim of the current study. Causal information as reward is fundamentally an extrinsic factor that can be used to motivate children; however, because it touches upon children’s inherent curiosity and can be seen as having an informational aspect, its effect should not be as detrimental. If this type of information increases task persistence, children’s engagement could increase as well, promoting better learning. Thus, the key objective of this study is to establish whether causal information as reward undermines intrinsic motivation in children between the ages of 8 and 10. It is hypothesized that children who will be rewarded with causal information will not show a decrease in their intrinsic motivation, as opposed to the children who will receive tangible rewards. The innovative aspect of the study is to be found in the manner it uses previous research which found that causal information engages children just as much as tangible rewards and tries to determine its effect on intrinsic motivation. There is no prior research that has taken this approach, making it the first study that might offer some insight into this issue. This insight could bring about numerous implications for children’s education and learning. Moreover, further research in this area could investigate the method in which the presentation of causally rich information could increase learning. One mechanism that we propose to play a role in this process is that of attention. Catching children’s attention with causal information that appeals to their interest can result in more task engagement and thus an increase in their learning process. 5b. Approach In order to establish the effect of causal information as reward on the intrinsic motivation of children, a repeated measures experimental design will be used. Based on the discussed literature, it is hypothesized that offering children causal information as reward will not undermine their intrinsic motivation. The experiment will consist of 120 children aged 8 to 10 doing a boring, repetitive task. Local schools will be contacted in order to gather the necessary participants. The age range was chosen because it represents the ages at which children in most countries are already in school[1] and poses some basic educational knowledge, such as counting or writing. Moreover, the previously mentioned studies showed that the intrinsic motivation of children tends to decrease with the advancement in age (Lepper, Sethi, Dialdin, Drake, 1997) (Lai, 2011). A boring, repetitive task of moderate difficulty is likely to keep children somewhat engaged while not making them abandon the task due to its difficulty. The task will be divided into trials and will consist of children counting how many animals of a certain type appear on a screen. After each trial, they will be rewarded according to the group they are in. Each child is required to do 10 trials. To compare the intrinsic motivation of children, three different groups will be made; each group having a minimum of 40 participants. The first group will receive as reward causal information about the animal they were required to count. The second group of children will receive a tangible reward in order to determine whether there is a significant difference between tangible and causal information as rewards. A third group will be the control group, not receiving anything for doing the tasks; thus being used as a base category to which the other two will be compared. Therefore, the type of reward will constitute the independent variable (IV) of the study. The three different groups will represent the three levels of the ID. In order to establish the intrinsic motivation of children, measurement of it will be done before and after the tasks. Intrinsic motivation will be measured by offering them the chance to do the task before and after the study. In the before and after measurements of intrinsic motivation, the â€Å"free choice† (Thakor, 1994) measure combined with a self-report questionnaire will be used. The children will be told they can do the task for as long as they want, without receiving any rewards. The time spent on the task will be indicative of their intrinsic motivation because it is assumed that their engagement with the task comes from personal interest, as no other reinforcements are offered. If there is no difference in the group receiving causal information as reward in the before and after measurement of intrinsic motivation, it would show that this type of reward has no effect on the intrinsic motivation of children. A self-report questionnaire will be used alongside the â€Å"free choice† method to strengthen the measurements. The questionnaire will consist of items which measure interest, enjoyment and attention paid to the task. The answer categories will be based on an enjoyment scale that will show smileys depicting faces from sad to happy and organized on a 5-point Likert scale. This method intends to make the self-report of children more suitable for their understanding. The measurement of intrinsic motivation will constitute the dependent variable of the study. The innovative aspect of this methodology can be seen in the combination of self-report questionnaires and the previously used method of measuring intrinsic motivation, namely the â€Å"free choice† method. Moreover, the self-report method has been designed with the intention to facilitate children’s’ understanding of the answers they choose. One valuable addition to this method needs to be mentioned. When assessing the intrinsic motivation of children, problems with the accuracy of responses might be encountered even though measures to control for this issue have been taken. It is not guaranteed that children are able to provide unbiased assessments of their interests or motives. However, a more clear image of the results will be gather in this way rather than utilizing only the â€Å"free choice† method, as done in previous research. 5c. Word count (sections 5a-5b) 5d. Time plan The timetable proposed for this research project is divided according to the tasks needed to be accomplished. First, two weeks are dedicated to the writing of the introduction and determining an exact research design. Next, one month is needed to conduct the experiment, which entails finding enough participants and the actual experimental sessions. Another month would be required for the coding, analysis and reporting of data. A final week would be dedicated to finalize the research report. Thus, the total time required to for this research amounts to two months and three weeks. 5f. Social significance (max. 200 words) It is often said that children are the future of society. They are the ones that will take oven when the current generations fade away. It is important, thus, to provide them with all the resources and quality care available. Motivation plays an important role in the shaping of individuals and as it has been shows, motivation is not a fixed concept. Discovering methods in which we can shape the motivation of children in such way that they maintain their innate excitement and curiosity towards learning and knowledge has major implications for their development. A generation of people who retained an intrinsic motivation as the one of children can give rise to a great number or innovations and societal improvement, bringing about higher life satisfaction (Martin-Albo, Nunez, Domingues, 2012). 5g. Literature references Works Cited Alvarez, A., Booth, A. (2014). Motivated by Meaning: Testing the effect of Knowledge-Infused Rewards on Preschoolers Persistence. Child Development, 783-791. Deci, E., Koestner, R., Ryan, R. (2001). Extrinsic Rewards and Intrinsic Motivation in Education: Reconsidered Once Again. Review of Educational Research, 1-27. Gillet, N., Vallerand, R., Lafreniere, M.-A. (2012). Intrinsic and Extrinsic School Motivation as a Function of Age: The Mediating Role of Autonomy Support. Soc Psychological Education, 77-95. Gottfried, A., Fleming, J., Gottfried, A. (2001). Continuity of Academic Intrinsic Motivation From Childhood Through Late Adolescence: A Longitudinal Study. Journal Of Educational Psychology, 3-13. Guay, F., Ratelle, C. F., Marsh, H. W., Larose, S., Boivin, M. (2010). Intrinsic, identifie, and controlled types of motivation for school subjects in young elementary school children. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 711-735. Hagger, M., Chatzisarantis, N. (2011). Causality orientations moderate the undermining effect of rewards on intrinsic motivation. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 485-489. Lai, E. (2011). Motivation: A Literature Review. Pearson. Lepper, M., Sethi, S., Dialdin, D., Drake, M. (1997). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation: A developmental perspecive. In S. Iyengar, Developmental Psychopathology: Perspectives on Adjustment, Risk, and Disorder (pp. 23-50). New York: Cambridge University Press. Martin-Albo, J., Nunez, J., Domingues, E. (2012). Relationship between intrinsic motivation, self-concept and satisfaction with life: A longitudinal study. Journal of Sports Sciences, 337-347. Thakor, M. (1994). Innate: Development of a New Intrinsic Motivation Measure Using Confirmatory Factor Analytic Methods. Asia Pacific Advances in Consumer Research, 116-121. Xiang, P., Chen, A., Bruene, A. (2005). Interactive impact of intrinsic motivators and extrinsic rewards on behavior and motivation outcomes. Journal of teaching in physical education, 179-197. [1] http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.PRM.AGES

How the Medical Model of Psychopathology

TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION DEFINITION OF SCHIZOPHRENIA THE MEDICAL MODEL * POSSIBLE MEDICAL CAUSES FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA * SYMPTOMS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA * DISCUSSION OF THE DSM-IV-TR THE FAMILY SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE CONCLUSION INTRODUCTION In this assignment I will show how the medical model of Psychopathology and the family systems model reflect linear and circular causality respectively by referring to the causes of Schizophrenia. SCHIZOPHRENIA Schizophrenia is characterised by a broad spectrum of cognitive and emotional dysfunctions that include delusions and hallucinations, disorganized speech and behaviour and inappropriate emotions.It disrupts social, occupational and recreational functioning and almost every other aspect of daily functioning. It is usually chronic with a high relapse rate and recovery from Schizophrenia is rare. MEDICAL MODEL The DSM-IV-TR is based on the medical model. The basic assumption is that psychological disorders are diseases and are treated as such. In his definition of the medical model, Blaney (1975) stated that mental disorders are in fact organic diseases. He further explained that the visible evidences of disorders are merely manifestations of an underlying condition.According to him, the individual has no responsibility for his/her behaviour. The medical/biological model reflects a linear view of the causes of Psychopathology. Linear causality means that a particular cause (or more than one cause in combination) leads to a specific effect (e. g. a virus causes an illness). Thus, from this perspective, event A causes event B (A -> B) in a linear (unidirectional) fashion. In this linear way of thinking, our reality is considered to be separate from us. We are thus seen as reacting to our reality rather than creating it (Becvar, 2003). Possible medical causes for Schizophrenia: Genetic influences – Inherited tendency (multiple genes) are responsible for making some individuals vulnerable to Schizophrenia * Neurotransmitter imbalances – This refers to brain chemistry such as abnormalities in the dopamine and glutamate systems * Developmental disruptions such as prenatal / birth complications – A viral infection during pregnancy or a birth injury can affect a child’s brain cells. * Brain structure – Research by Eve Johnstone (Johnstone et al, 1976) showed, by using computed tomography (CT), that there is an enlargement of the lateral ventricles in some patients with chronic Schizophrenia. Psychological stressors have also been named as a possible medical cause. Symptoms of Schizophrenia Positive symptoms: Delusions are false personal beliefs that are firmly and consistently held despite disconfirming evidence or logic, for instance: delusions of grandeur or persecution. Perceptual distortions (hallucinations) e. g. hearing voices, seeing people or objects and smelling peculiar odours. It is important to remember when diagnosing a patient that hallucinations aren’t path ognomonic. Disorganized thought and speech as a symptom comes through when communicating with the Schizophrenic person.The individual may jump from topic to topic, talk illogically or reply tangentially to questions. Disorganized motor disturbances such as extreme activity levels, strange gestures and grimaces, catatonic immobility, waxy flexibility and peculiar body movements and posture. More examples of behavioural problems are bad personal hygiene, inappropriate dress and affect. Negative symptoms would be to not show emotional expression (flat affect), avolition (an inability to become goal-orientated or to take action) and alogia (a lack of meaningful speech).DSM-IV-TR DSM-IV-TR recommends that clinicians examine and evaluate the individual’s mental state with regard to five factors (axes). Axes I, II and III addresses the individual’s present mental and medical condition. Axes IV and V provide additional information about the person’s life situation and f unctioning. The DSM-IV-TR is based on a prototypical approach. Axis I – Clinical syndromes and other conditions that may be a focus of clinical attention Axis II – Personality disorders and Mental retardation Axis III – General Medical conditionsAxis IV – Psychosocial and Environmental problems Axis V – Global Assessment of Functioning When using the medical model, the focus is always on the individual. If an individual has a possible psychological disorder, they need to be assessed clinically. This is done by systematically evaluating and measuring the individual’s psychological, biological and social factors. This can be done by interviewing the individual and taking an informal mental status exam of the ‘patient’. This can be followed by psychological tests, personality inventories and neuropsychological testing.Before a diagnosis can be made and before one can classify anything on Axis I, it is imperative to determine that t he above factors (psychological, biological and social factors) meet all the criteria for a specific psychological disorder. The DSM-IV-TR distinguishes 5 types of Schizophrenia – paranoid, disorganised, catatonic, undifferentiated and residual Schizophrenia. The DSM-IV-TR criteria for Schizophrenia needs to be met before one can diagnose an individual as Schizophrenic on Axis I. Taken from Sue et al (2006) the DSM-IV-TR criteria for Schizophrenia are as follows: A.At least two of the following symptoms lasting for at least one month in the active phase: delusions; hallucinations; disorganized speech; grossly disorganized or catatonic behaviour; negative symptoms (exception: only one symptom if it involves bizarre delusions or if hallucinations involve a running commentary on the person or two or more voices talking with each other). B. During the course of the disturbance, functioning in one or more areas such as work, social relations and self-care has deteriorated markedly from premorbid levels. C. Signs of the disorder must be present for at least 6 months. D.Schizoaffective and mood disorders with psychotic features must be ruled out. E. The disturbance is not substance-induced or caused by organic factors. The medical model subscribes to linear causality. It is thus based on a cause-effect relationship as mentioned previously. Schizophrenia as a disorder can be used to illustrate linear causality within the medical model. One or more of the causes of Schizophrenia (i. e. genes) causes the individual to become schizophrenic (cause) and then the individual is diagnosed as Schizophrenic because he/she displays certain symptoms (effect) such as hallucinations, voices talking etc.Thus, cause-effect (A causes B) = linear causality. Let’s say our ‘patient’ meets the DSM-IV-TR criteria to be classified on Axis I as Schizophrenic. As a Schizophrenic, the individual will probably show certain behaviour such as difficulty in maintaining s ocial relationships which could lead to social isolation, experiencing problems with his/her primary support group, education, occupation, housing, health care and economic problems. These problems will be indicated on Axis IV of the DSM-IV-TR as they are psychosocial and environmental problems.These problems will most probably affect the individual’s psychological, social and occupational functioning. The patient will be given a rating for the level of functioning at the time of the evaluation. This rating is displayed on Axis V of the DSM-IV-TR – the Global Assessment of Functioning which is used to report the clinician’s judgement of the individual’s overall level of functioning and carrying out activities of daily living. This information is useful in planning treatment and measuring its impact, and in predicting outcome.A 100-point scale is used for the rating in which 1 indicates severe impairment in functioning and 100 indicates superior functionin g with no symptoms. FAMILY SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE The family systems model is based on cybernetics (circular thinking). Circular causality places emphasis on reciprocity, recursion and shared responsibility. A and B exist in the context of a relationship in which each influences the other and both are equally cause and effect of each others’ behaviour (Becvar et al, 2003).Thus, circular causality means that two or more elements reciprocally cause each other (A causes B and B causes A). So where the medical model makes use of linear causality, the language of systems theory is based on the notion of circularity (A and B mutually influence each other). The contrast between linear and circular causality has to do with the direction of cause. Linear causality = A -> B. Circular causality = A B. Example of circular causality: A teenager (A) with Schizophrenia begins to withdraw socially as she has difficulty forming relationships.Her sister (B) starts mocking her because she has no f riends and isn’t popular. Because her sister (B) mocks her and breaks her self-confidence even more, the teenager (A) withdraws even more and becomes even more isolated (even within her own family system because her sister is ‘against’ her as well). A loop forms (circular causality) where A causes B and B causes A and so on. Thus, the one ‘feeds’ the other. There are a few systems concepts that are important to the systems theory. Boundaries are formed by a system’s rules and it is these rules that distinguish a system from other systems.These boundaries (rules) are invisible but do exist and are inferred from the repeated patterns of behaviour of a system, it is what makes each family unique. It delineates individuals and subsystems and also defines the amount and kind of contact allowable between members of a family. The ideal boundaries for a family to have are clear boundaries as they are firm yet flexible. Feedback occurs in systems theor y and also emphasis the circular causality in the theory. Feedback is the process whereby information about past behaviours is fed back into the system in a circular manner.There is positive and negative feedback, but it must be understood that both processes may refer to something that is good and/ or bad. Positive feedback acknowledges that a change has occurred and has been accepted by the system (error-activated process). Negative feedback indicates that the status quo is being maintained (stability). When working with a Schizophrenic patient, systems theorists see the Schizophrenia as symptomatic of family disturbance. Thus, the symptom of Schizophrenia is not abnormal in a dysfunctional context.Actually, the maintenance of a system is associated with complex reciprocal feedback mechanisms with and between systems (Becvar 2003). So, every symptom has a function in the system. In a Schizophrenic person’s family system, his Schizophrenia (the symptom) helps maintain the sy stem, as all the blame for the dysfunction of the family falls to the Schizophrenic family member. The other members do not look to their own dysfunctions and issues. It is clear then that the dysfunctional pattern the family is carrying out, is maintained by the Schizophrenic family member who is targeted as the only problem or reason for the problems in the system.This way of doing things gives the family a dysfunctional homeostasis, which refers to the tendency of the family to regulate its internal environment. CONCLUSION I believe that both the medical model and the family systems perspective can contribute towards an accurate and successful diagnosis and treatment process for the Schizophrenic individual. REFERENCES * Barlow, D. H. , & Durand, V. M. (2005). Abnormal Psychology: An integrated approach. (4th ed. ). Belmont: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning * Becvar, D. S. & Becvar, R. J. (2003). Family therapy: A systemic integration. (5th ed. ). Boston: Allyn & Bacon. * Blaney, P. H. (1975). Implications of the medical model and its alternatives. American Journal of Psychiatry, 132, p. 911-914. * Johnstone, E. C. , Crow, T. J. , Frith, C. D. , Hurhard, J. & Kreel, L. (1976). Cerebral ventricular size and cognitive impairment in schizophrenia. Lancet, ii, p. 924-926. * Sue, D. , Sue, D. , & Sue, S. (2006). Understanding abnormal behaviour. (8th ed. ). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.