Integrated Marketing Communications Essay Example for Free

Integrated Marketing Communications Essay Answer1: The Vocalpoint program launched by PG was a well sought out mean to market the products by using the word of mouth marketing strategy. Inclusion of the mothers from around the country was a cunning decision made by the managers at PG the reason for this being was that mothers are the ones who usually purchase the products for the household or domestic use so convincing them and then make them work in marketing the new offering so an immaculate move by the management of PG. Another benefit which PG gained by devising this Vocalpoint program was that, housewives are hard to target as they do not use technology that often, rather they spend a big part of their leisure time in gossiping with their friends hence the best possible way to market the offerings to them was by this word of mouth publicity. PG earned pretty much short term and long term benefits by applying this strategy; the most outstanding one was that launching this program helped the firm in increasing the sales by a considerable extent which obviously is the sole aim of launching any marketing campaign. In addition to this external clients of PG also earned huge profits by using this program and so as a result PG got its share in the profits, this amount was as higher as 1 million USD. The job of the RD department got less hectic as it was able to get the desired feedback on the latest products; this was helpful for it in making changes to the existing products and also to the ones which are undergoing the process of development. One of the long term benefits which came to PG’s way as a result of this program was that it got a solid loyal customer base on which it can capitalize in the forthcoming years. The ‘connect and develop† program of PG also got immense support as a result of this program and the marketing intelligence of the company overall increased. Better customer relationship management is also one aspect of the Vocalpoint program which was advantageous for the firm because it helped the managers in comprehending the consumer’s mindset and thus forecasting the consumers’ behavior became easily. The customers on the other hand became increasingly brand loyal to the company as they were getting tailor made products for themselves because PG was able to understand their latent and covert needs in an adept manner like no one else was doing. The overall impact of this project on the position of the firm was immaculate as it was a win-win situation for the company; the managers were getting the ins and outs of the target market in no time whatsoever so the overall time consumed in the processes of product development got reduced. This decrease in the overall product development time acted as a competitive advantage for the managers as they were able to deliver the market with the products it wanted in much lesser time than the competitors. Another addition was that the managers at the firm were getting customer generated feedback on the latest products and that too in negligible time so this enabled them to alter their strategies if needed be; the consumer on the other hand were liking this as they were getting tailor-made products for their usage (Sirgy 1998). Answer2: Analyzing from the business perspective one has to say that the programs such as Vocalpoint and Tremor must go on as they are beneficial for the businesses in the longer run and same is the case with PG. Having said that one has to admit that these projects and programs are certainly not the ones, which are based on the ethical principles and norms laid by the society. In my opinion there are various ethical issues which are present in such kind of WoM programs. The first and the foremost being is that the person to whom the offering is being marketed is unaware of the reality he is perceiving the interaction as a social one but in general the other person is acting as a sales person for a specific firm. My objection regarding this is that if a person is being marketed something then he must have prior knowledge of this. For me there is a thin line between marketing and deceiving and this difference has to be understood by the firms and the marketing managers; if there are ample ethical ways of marketing then what is the point in using the deceptive means? Another issue in my opinion is that by hiring or deploying WoM marketers the managers are making the society increasingly materialistic even the sacred relationships like friendship etc are being used just as an asset and even that without the other person being aware of this all. Objectifying the society is one thing which to me is intolerable and as this eventually ruins the whole basic structure of the civilization which really is denting in terms of the future perspectives. Considering the Tremor program I can firmly state that this was one project on which I have serious reservations; the reason for this being is that PG was using minors (children under 18 years ) to market its products; this is one ridiculous way of marketing. The reason for this is that this is the age where the person learns the most, from its society and surroundings and if the society is indulged in inducing the materialistic thoughts in kids then this will be injurious for the entire social setup; this is the stage at which the children must be taught how to honor and value the relationships but such deceptive marketing projects destroys the whole brought up of a child. One legal issue which too arises as a result of the inclusion of minors in the marketing programs is that these kids are underage legally so they cannot be made a part of any marketing project without the prior consent of their guardians (Malachowski 2001); this is one thing which was completely neglected by the managers at PG and hence they violated the rules and regulations laid by the government. In the Tremor programs the minors were not allowed to tell the reality to the person to which they are interacting this is something which is immoral and to me for this the firm has to be penalized; can we teach our younger generations to indulge into immoral activities just for the sake of money? This is a million dollar question which has to be answered by the managers at PG. The Tremor program targeted the minors too which is also an unethical way of making business the reason for this is that the underage people are immature hence they cannot make decisions for themselves (Malachowski 2001); influencing a buyer’s decision by using rational marketing ploys is a justifiable act but making the kids addict by using deceptive means and backdoor channels has to be abandoned as this certainly is not favorable for the social composition. In sum commercialization of human relationships is one thing which must be stopped by the marketing managers if someone is indulging in WoM marketing of a firm then he should disclose his affiliation as this is beneficial for the society; involving money in the activities of daily life will hurt the society in the longer run. In the Vocalpoint program the managers at PG were looking to select the mothers which are more social; the main reason behind this move was that, as mother is the most sacred and trustworthy relationship in this universe so mothers enjoy a unique position in the society; using their social stature for the marketing purposes was an unreasonable attempt. Answer 3:  The value of WoM is immense in the present global marketing scenario, the primary reason for this is that due to the increase in the globalization the nature of the competition has increased exponentially and so to do business and earn profits a firm has to market it’s offering to the target buyers. With the increase in the intensity of competition and technology the media of marketing have too increased and thus in such an overall marketing environment WoM publicity is something which is of great significance (Bothma 2003). Direct marketing and interactive marketing have always been profitable ways of interacting and influencing the consumers the reason behind this is that first of all these means are less expensive than the other marketing tactics (Tuckwell 2004). In addition to this the marketers get to know more about the ins and outs of the buyer’s black box; as known that these are the two methods which are an integral part of the IMC mix hence applying them together makes it easier for the marketers to timely comprehend the latent and covert needs of the buyers and thus they can make the necessary changes to the offerings and strategies. WoM advocacy is beneficial in the present scenario because it enables the marketers to interact with the customers and hence they can obtain the customer generated feedback regarding their products in addition to this, as there is no such middle channel involved in between the marketer and the buyer (as the WoM marketer is a part of the company) so it becomes easier to get the message of the consumer. The firms once get the timely feedback can make suitable adjustments and alterations in the product designs, strategies etc and in this way eventually WoM publicity acts as a source of competitive advantage for the company in this era of fierce competition. After understanding the consumer psyche if need be, then suitable sales promotions can be launched which are an essential component of the overall IMC mix (Blakeman 2009) The holistic marketing concept has to be applied as per the book because consumer centricity is something plays a vital role in the overall growth of the firm. Establishing long term business relations with the buyers is only possible if the market is provided with what is demanded by it. The nature of the relationship between the firm and its related publics should be exceptional, as this affects the performance of the company in the longer run WoM publicity is one thing which helps in building stronger relationships between the publics and the company (Baker 2001).

Eating Disorders: A Psychological Perspective

Eating Disorders: A Psychological Perspective Historically, eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa were misunderstood to be a consequence of an individuals desire to be thin. However, it is now known that they are in fact distinct, self-maintaining psychological disorders with multiple causes. The purpose of this essay was to describe the various psychological causes, effects and treatments of eating disorders although it was also felt to be appropriate to acknowledge the physical, biological and social aspects of such disorders. Its purpose was also to raise the awareness of male eating disorders and demonstrate that such cases have been seen to increase. In order to gather appropriate and non-biased information a range of resources have been used. These include: factual literature, journals, studies, newspaper articles, sufferers personal accounts and notes taken from professional lectures. The extensive research confirmed that eating disorders are in fact psychological disorders and evidenced the fact t hat not only do males suffer too, the prevalence of reported cases has been seen to be increasing. Eating Disorders: A Psychological Perspective For some people, their lives are a constant battle between their diet, their appearance and their emotions; with each pound lost, I was becoming more acceptable to the world (Harvey, 2007). Eating disorders are often mentioned within the media but scarcely spoken about in great detail, which has resulted in stereotypes and misperceptions being made about what eating disorders are as well as what they mean for the individual. One such stereotype is that sufferers are predominantly women who have the desire to be skinny. However, it is becoming increasingly recognised that eating disorders can develop in anyone and are often coping strategies for dealing with difficult emotions through gaining control over an aspect of an individuals life. Consequently, this essay aims to enhance peoples understanding of eating disorders by presenting a psychological account of their development, impact and treatment within individuals. This will be achieved by focussing on two eating disorders in particular, Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa, although other eating disorders will be considered where appropriate. Firstly, a history of these eating disorders will be presented leading to how they are conceptualised and defined today within the current diagnostic system. Secondly, this essay will discuss the potential causes of eating disorders in order to gain an understanding of the common underlying issues, which are potential contributing factors to the development of an eating disorder. Thirdly, the consequences of an eating disorder for both the sufferer and their family will be discussed before exploring an emerging awareness of eating disorders amongst men. Lastly this essay will present the treatments used today in the manageme nt of an eating disorder. It is hoped that this discussion of eating disorders from a psychological perspective will equip the reader with the knowledge and understanding required to challenge any previously held stereotypes and misconceptions of eating disorders. Historically, the behaviours associated with todays eating disorders were not uncommon, or pathologised. For example, there are numerous records of wilful, ritual fasting, which served specific purposes such as to receive some trance-like state that was a medium for sacred visions. Fasting was also used as a means of penance or purification (Bemporad, 1996). Purging was also present during the time of the Ancient Romans. Within this time it was not uncommon for the Ancient Romans to excuse themselves from a banquet, to purge and then return to continue feasting. It is also understood through Egyptian hieroglyphics that the Egyptians used purging as a safety measure against illness and would therefore purge monthly (Engel et al, 2007). Therefore it can be seen that historically, behaviours such as fasting and purging were a part of society and therefore normalised by the social and cultural context that existed then. However society along with its cultural norms has changed rapidly. Accompanying these changes were changing views about peoples behaviour. For example, during the reformation era, women who starved themselves were thought to be possessed by the devil, later they were thought to be frauds seeking notoriety and lastly they were seen as being physically and mentally ill (Brumberg, 1988). Accordingly, the first diagnosis of Anorexia Nervosa was in the case of a wealthy Roman female who starved herself for the sake of spiritual beliefs. However, the first official medical diagnosis was seen in England during the 1680s in the case of a twenty-year-old female where it was said that sadness was the cause of her starvation (Engel et al, 2007). In 1874, Anorexia Nervosa (nervous loss of appetite) was given its name by physician Sir William Gull (Ogden, 2010, p211). He was the first to recognise that such conditions should be considered a mental illness (Engel et al, 2007). However it wasnt until the 1930s that other professionals came to agree that eating disorders were often a result of an emotional or psychological struggle rather than being driven by the desire to be physically thin (Engel et al, 2007). Today, there are a range of known eating disorders including: Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified and exercise disorders such as, Bigorexia and Compulsive Exercising (Anorexia Athletica and Obligatory Exercise) (Nemours, 2013). These eating disorders each have their own set of diagnostic criteria, which are outlined within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). This framework is commonly used by professionals to diagnose and treat individuals with different types of eating disorders. Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder based upon the control of the way an individual looks and the foods they eat. It is thought that sufferers of this disorder strive to be thin because it results in a sense of self-worth and acceptance (MFMER, 2012a); this belief is potentially a result of the medias portrayal of the average person in society today. A sufferer of Anorexia Nervosa tends to be extremely cautious about the amount of calories they consume and their diets are often restricted. This is believed to provide the sufferer with a sense of control and provides a focus for their thoughts; distracting them from difficult emotions they may be trying to avoid. In terms of the official diagnosis of Anorexia Nervosa, the DSM states that there must be: the refusal to maintain a normal weight for the individuals height and age, an intense fear of weight gain even though the individual is already underweight, distorted body image and the absence of a minimum of three consecutive mens trual cycles (APA, 1987, p.67). Women with a BMI lower than 17.5 and displaying physical or psychological aspects stated within the diagnostic criteria will be diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.28) and subsequently referred for treatment or therapy. Anorexia Nervosa is split into two types, purging and non-purging/restricting (Ogden, 2010, p.212). Non-purging anorexics solely restrict their diets whereas purging anorexics will restrict their diets and also binge on food and proceed to purge. It is thought that up to 50% of Anorexia Nervosa sufferers engage in binging and purging behaviours (Franco, ND). Common physical symptoms experienced by sufferers of Anorexia Nervosa include: severe weight loss, the growth of fine hair over the body, dizziness, low blood pressure, constipation, and loss of periods and a sense of tiredness but the inability to sleep (Beat, 2010). Psychologically, sufferers often develop inflexible and negative ways of thinking ab out themselves, believing that they are overweight or fat when in fact they are underweight. Behavioural symptoms may include secrecy and self-exclusion during meal times, quietness and withdrawal from social situations. As well as restricting their eating, sufferers may also become obsessive in checking the calorie content of food and their weight. The development of Bulimia Nervosa is also recognised as a response to stressful life events (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.191) and difficult emotions but conversely, the individual is believed to hold fewer concerns about their physical appearance and the desire to be accepted via thinness. When suffering from Bulimia Nervosa it is thought that an individual engages in binge eating when they feel a build up of tension or stress, as it is believed to relieve them of these sensations (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.196). Although Bulimia Nervosa sufferers binge eat, they are also believed to understand that this type of disordered eating will result in weight gain. Sufferers therefore take measures to ensure that they avoid gaining weight and the most common measure taken is purging during or after a binge. This is done to prevent the absorption of energy and fats from food into the sufferers body (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.197). In addition to this strategy, between 7 5 and 90 percent of Bulimia Nervosa sufferers abuse the use of laxatives during and in between purges to assure themselves that the food consumed will not be absorbed as fat (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.197). It is also understood that many Bulimia sufferers choose to carry out a strict dieting regime between binges to avoid weight gain (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001 p.197); as they understand the consequences of binge-eating regularly. The diagnostic criteria for Bulimia Nervosa stated by the DSM includes: recurrent binge eating episodes (a minimum of 2 episodes per week for a minimum of 3 months), a sense of a lack of control during binge eating and frequent engagement in self-induced vomiting (APA, 1987, p.68). Although binge eating is recognised as a behaviour of Bulimia sufferers; sufferers who solely binge-eat without purging are classified as suffering from Binge Eating Disorder. As stated by the NHS (ND) the predominant symptom of Binge Eating Disorder is weight gain, which can lead to serious health problems (to be discussed further on in this essay). Sufferers of Binge Eating Disorder and Bulimia commonly experience cravings for sugary foods, headaches and pain within the stomach (NHS, ND). Psychologically, Binge Eating Disorder and Bulimia Nervosa sufferers may appear to be anxious or depressed and often display signs of a sense of guilt after eating which in the case of Bulimia, results in purges. It is important to recognise that exercise disorders often come hand in hand with other eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa and although they will not be explored in great detail it is important to have an understanding of these disorders. Some symptoms of exercise disorders include: an increase in the amount of exercise carried out due to the belief that a gap in training will result in weight gain, compulsive setting of goals and targets, dissatisfaction after exercising and participating in exercise out of a need rather than for enjoyment. Exercise Disorders, as an accompaniment of other eating disorders (Gavin, 2010) are thought to arise from an individuals desire to gain control within their lives and as a coping strategy for difficult emotions such as depression or anger; it is thought that exercise provides a release for these emotions (Gavin, 2010). Many sufferers will go out of their way to find an excuse to be active, for example it is known that some sufferers use stairways which they ascend and descend in order to obsessively burn calories (Beumont, 2002, p.162). In order to make a diagnosis of an eating disorder, an individuals body mass index (BMI) is calculated and compared to a standard BMI chart (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.28) and the individual is assessed against a set of diagnostic criteria specific to the suspected eating disorder type. For women, if their BMI is calculated to be below 17.5 and 18.5 then the individual is declared as being underweight; however, if they display signs of the diagnostic criteria then it is probable that the individual is suffering from an eating disorder of some kind (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.28). Although BMI assessment is often effective, it is important to note that BMI charts fail to consider muscle weight or other individual differences such as age (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.28); therefore, the results of the BMI match may be misleading. Previously eating disorders were thought to be the consequence of behavioural aspects such as the avoidance of food (Ogden, 2010, p211). However, it is now widely understood that these disorders often emerge as a coping strategy during times of emotional difficulty such as stress, anxiety, depression, anger and loneliness (Beat, 2010). This is thought to be because physical pain is much easier to deal with than emotional pain (Harvey, 2007). Sufferers obtain a sense of control during difficult times of their lives by using food as a way of coping with these difficult emotions (Ogden, 2010, p.212). However, by doing so, they suppress their issues, burying them deeper and in time, making them more difficult to face. Although eating disorders are now commonly recognised as coping strategies for psychological struggles, it is important to recognise that other factors can contribute to the onset of eating disorders. In some cases it is thought that social factors can trigger the arousal o f body dissatisfaction which commonly leads to dieting and under-eating (Ogden, 2004, p.153). For example, the media will commonly use thin females and toned males in advertising which lulls members of society into a false belief that all members of society are thin or toned (Ogden, 2004, p.148). In turn, this causes people to feel self-conscious about their differences to these idealistic body types displayed across the media, therefore creating insecurities. The family is also thought to be a social factor influencing body dissatisfaction; in particular within mother and daughter relationships whereby mothers are dissatisfied with their own bodies and trigger similar feelings in the daughter concerning her own body (Ogden, 2004, p.150). Aside from these contributing factors, studies carried out in the form of personality questionnaires have shown that sufferers of Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa present signs of low self-esteem and depressive or obsessive personality types; o ften combined with neurotic tendencies (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.50). These personality traits result in unstable foundations of a persons personality and are thought to contribute to causing the individual to be more susceptible to disorders. A study carried out in American, involving 300 students, has suggested that conformists are also more susceptible to eating disorders (UNSW, ND). The study involved the completion of questionnaires containing questions specifically designed to assess the students individual dietary tendencies, conformity levels and body-image related concerns (UNSW, ND). It was concluded that participants whose responses indicated a sense of isolation and rejection from social groups were more likely to conform (UNSW, ND) and therefore it could be suggested that they may be more likely to attempt to fit into the norms surrounding them. This links back to the influence the media is thought to have upon the prevalence of eating disorders. It is thought that significant life events such as childhood sexual abuse and parental loss can play a part in the cause of eating disorders, this is sometimes be down to a lack of, or poor quality of support given after a person experiences such events (Nauert, 2012). Studies have shown that approximately 30 percent of eating disorder sufferers had experienced childhood sexual abuse. Significant events such as these are thought to affect the individuals ability to cope with difficult situations and issues during their adult life (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, pp.68 -69). This struggle to cope during adult life is thought to be due to the fact that unmanaged emotions and memories frequently resurface, triggered by sounds or particular situations (VictimSupport, ND). These life events are also thought to cause the victim to feel a loss of control (VictimSupport, ND) which some victims then regain through the control of their eating. Although studies have shown that approximately 30 percent of eating disorder sufferers had been abused during their childhood, as stated by Connors and Morse (1993) Child sex abuse is neither necessary nor sufficient for the development of an eating disorder (cited in Ogden, 2010, p.251). Therefore, childhood sexual abuse is not considered a cause but a potential risk factor for the development of an eating disorder (Ogden, 2010, p.251). While the Significant Events Theory has strength in the fact that it addresses past events experienced by the eating disorder sufferer, the theory fails to explain why many victims of childhood sexual abuse do not develop an eating disorder, nor can the theory explain the increase in the amount of eating disorders cases today (Ogden, 2010, p.252). Through the discussion of potential causes of eating disorders the question arises as to whether such disorders are caused by nature or nurture? Evident from the causes discussed, although it can be suggested that different personality types can cause people to be susceptible to an eating disorder, it is also dependent on the environment in which the individual lives or has previous experience of. For example, it is unlikely that without the presence of other contributing factors such as the medias portrayal of the ideal body or a significant life event that the individual will engage in disordered eating. The effects of an eating disorder are specific to the individual and can come in a range of forms including psychological, biological, physical and social. Psychologically, sufferers of an eating disorder can sometimes develop symptoms indicating depression and anxiety; it is thought that sufferers are also at risk for self harm and in some cases, suicidal behaviour (McCallum, ND). This is evident in an article from The Guardian written by Louisa Harvey, a recovering eating disorder sufferer. Louisa claims that she suffered from depression as a result of her disorder and thought about suicide daily (Harvey, 2007). Depression, as a consequence of Anorexia Nervosa and other eating disorders, could potentially be caused by the underlying difficult emotions suppressed by the disorder. However, the anxiety and depression experienced by Bulimia Nervosa sufferers is thought to be caused by the guilt believed to be felt as a result of the eating binges. Although, as previously mentioned, dep ression is recognised as a possible cause of eating disorders it is in fact suggested that depression is more commonly seen as an effect of these disorders, rather than the cause (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.192). Similarities can be drawn between the effects of famine and Anorexia Nervosa in that starvation of any kind results in the brain shrinking. This is understood to be caused by dehydration and under-nutrition and is believed to cause changes in an individuals personality (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.150). These personality changes may include increased irritability, low moods, perfectionism and obsessive-compulsive behaviours (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.150). Sufferers commonly find it hard to relax and become hyperactive; for some sufferers this results in the individual suffering from insomnia which, if prolonged, causes exhaustion. Poor consumption of food and nutrition are also thought to be the cause of the poor concentration evident in some eating di sorder sufferers (Garner, 2002, p.143) which can affect their lives socially as well as mentally. Sufferers commonly display signs of social withdraw which is possibly as a result of social anxiety experienced by the sufferers (Garner, 2002, p.143). This withdrawal from social situations is likely to impact upon their relationships with other people such as friends and the sufferer may end up being excluded from such relationships. It is believed that many sufferers of eating disorders have an external locus of control. The locus of control concept refers to a persons perception as to where the control of a situation comes from and was developed by Rotter in 1966 (Hayes, 1994, p.452). The concept claims that people with an external locus of control believe that they have little control over situations and believe that most situations are controlled by luck or fate. Aside from the psychological and social consequences of eating disorders, there are also many physical and biological disturbances caused. Changes in a sufferers hormone levels is understood to have significant biological effects on the individual, in particular, a reduced heart rate; this is understood to be caused by the reduced functioning of the thyroid gland (Abraham Llewellyn-Jones, 2001, p.150). Biological effects caused by Anorexia Nervosa include: gum disease, tooth decay, loss of periods and growth of fine hair over the body (GHFED, 2013). These effects are thought to be predominantly caused by malnutrition and the shutting down of body systems, which is done in order to preserve energy in Anorexia Nervosa sufferers. Biological effects specific to Bulimia Nervosa firstly include the fluctuation in weight, which is understood to be caused by eating binges and purging. Purges result in a range of biological effects such as damage to the oesophagus and rotting of the teeth ca used by the stomach acids and burst blood vessels in the eyes and cheeks caused by the frequent purging. Other biological effects, which are specific to Bulimia Nervosa are internal bleeding and complications within the digestive system including ulcers and constipation (GHFED, 2013). The effects of an eating disorder, although predominantly experienced by the sufferer, can also be evident amongst friends and family members of the sufferer. Firstly the family, in particular the parents, may feel a sense of confusion surrounding the reasons behind why their child has developed an eating disorder, especially if the sufferer is unwilling to talk about their disorder. Parents may also feel a sense of anger which may arise from being unable to comprehend the reasons why their child is harming their own body and for putting the family through the worry and stress which comes with an eating disorder. Guilt is thought to be a common emotion felt by the family of a sufferer and this is believed to come from the fact that they feel that they should have been aware of the disorder sooner (Thompson, 2011). Aside from the emotions felt by a sufferers family, it is possible that eating disorders have an impact on a family routine, in particular, meal times; this is because suff erers often withdraw themselves from meal times, making it especially difficult if there are other children in the family. Other siblings of a sufferer may feel neglected as a result of an eating disorder due to the fact that the sufferer will require more attention and special care; it is therefore important for the parents to recognise how the other children may feel and ensure that they are still given the attention that all children need. It is believed that male eating disorder sufferers have been reported since 1689 (Andersen, 2002, p.189). However, throughout literature and the media, eating disorders amongst males are less widely recognised when compared to the recognition of female sufferers. Although studies show that eating disorders are less prevalent amongst men, it is still important that they receive recognition and a fair chance of diagnosis. Studies taken from within communities and clinics show a difference in the ratio of male to female sufferers with 1 males case to every 6 females cases recorded within a community study and a much smaller 10-20 percent of cases being male in clinic studies (Andersen, 2002, p.189). This difference suggests that males are less likely to approach the health services for help or an official diagnosis. This resistance to help could be due to the way men are portrayed in society through stereotypical assumptions such as men are able to cope with emotions. Because of this, m any men may feel like they should be able to cope and may feel embarrassed to approach healthcare services for help. In terms of diagnosis and treatment of male sufferers, Andersen (2002, p.189) states that gender has little influence upon diagnosis and the effectiveness of treatment. However, Lock (2009) argues that males are poorly accommodated in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders. Lock (2009) recognises that there is a lack of research into whether or not males and females respond differently to treatments and acknowledges that much of the criteria and the methods used for assessment and treatment of an eating disorder are based upon females and their body structure. A study carried out in The New York Hospital by Braun et al (1999) was predominantly carried out to compare the disorder diagnosis, age at admission, age at onset and duration of the eating disorder. Admissions of 51 males and 693 females were recorded between 1984 and 1987 and data from these cases showed that the onset of eating disorders within males commonly occurred at later stage when compared to fema les; approximately 21 years of age for males and 17 years of age for females (Braun et al, 1999). The results of the study also showed that many of the male sufferers were participants in sports where performance was influenced by body shape (Braun et al, 1999). The study also addressed the admission rates of males with eating disorders between 1984 and 1996 and the data showed a significant increase in male admissions from 0 percent 1984 to 11 percent of eating disorder cases being male in 1993 (Braun et al, 1999). It could be suggested that if the number of male eating disorder cases continues to rise, as suggested by Lock (2009), more research into the diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders amongst males should be carried out. The type of and way in which treatment is delivered to a sufferer of an eating disorder will be specific to the individual and type of eating disorder. The general outcome desired through treatment of Anorexia Nervosa is weight gain, for Bulimia Nervosa the aim of treatment is to reduce the desire or need to binge-eat (MFMER, 2012b). Although there are a variety of psychological treatments including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Interpersonal Psychotherapy and Family Therapy it is understood that Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is the most widely used treatment for eating disorders (Fairburn, 2002, p.308); commonly referred to as CBT-E (Enhanced CBT) in these cases. This type of therapy is popular as it is thought to be perfectly matched for treating these disorders, because CBT-E strives to implement cognitive change and eating disorders are believed to be disorders of cognitive functioning (Fairburn, 2008, p.23). CBT-E is also thought to be an appropriate therapy for eating di sorders because it can easily be adapted to treat different eating disorder types (Fairburn, 2013). This adaptable quality is important as it is widely understood that eating disorder sufferers do not suffer from just one type, but instead shift between different behaviours associated with different eating disorders once they are locked in to the thought cycle of eating disorders (Fairburn, 2013). There are four stages of CBT-E and the frequency of treatment sessions declines throughout these stages (Fairburn, 2008, p.24). Stage one involves engaging and educating the client about the eating disorder in order to broaden their understanding in preparation for treatment and implementing regular eating patterns (Fairburn, 2002, p.305). It is during stage one that a formulation is created; this is based on the potential underlying processes causing the eating disorder, which allows the therapist to understand which areas need targeting through therapy (Fairburn, 2008, p.24). During stag e two, the therapist and the client continually review the therapy and adapt to any new problems which may have become apparent; these are added into the formulation and addressed in following sessions (Fairburn, 2008, p.25). Stage three is where the main contributing factors to the eating disorder are addressed. These factors are often the barriers preventing the client from having already recovered and will be specific to the individual; this stage is thought to have the biggest impact within treatment (Fairburn, 2008, p.25). The final stage, four, is focused upon preparing the client for the end of treatment. During this stage the client and therapist work together to set manageable goals for maintaining the cognitive shift achieved and implementing a plan for dealing with potential setbacks in the clients progress (Fairburn, 2002, p.305). There are many strengths of CBT-E including the fact that it can be adapted to treat a range of eating disorders and clients of different ages (Fairburn, 2008, p.23). Another strength of CBT-E is that its dropout rates are low, with just 15-20 percent dropout rates recorded in many healthcare centres (Fairburn, 2002, p.306). This suggests that it is a treatment which continually engages the client and it could also be suggested that the frequent review of sessions enables the therapist to understand the clients specific need and adapt sessions to suit these; resulting in a potentially good relationship between the client and therapist. Another strength of CBT-E comes from the fact that in most cases it aims to address many aspects of an eating disorder (Fairburn, 2002, p.306), dealing with the causes of the disorder rather than just the symptoms, as drugs are commonly recognised for. This holistic approach to treatment provided by CBT-E supplies a more long term treatment in comparison to drug treatments but may not be suited to individuals who struggle to remain motivated and engaged with the therapy. The success rate of recovery is also high for CBT-E and as discussed by Fairburn (2013), this is shown through a study carried out in Copenhagen by Poulsen et al (Fairburn, 2013). This study showed that CBT-E had a 60 percent success rate which was reviewed and recorded for 24 months and sustained its success during this time (Fairburn, 2013). Occupational therapy (OT) is a management strategy used with sufferers of eating disorders and is often used within eating disorder services. An occupational therapist usually works as part of a multidisciplinary team and aims to provide and encourage a balance between the eating disorder and other meaningful occupations such as socialising, hobbies or other interests in the daily life of sufferers (Clemmer, 2009). An occupational therapist will collaborate with a client in order to set realistic goals of the therapy to suit the individuals needs. Following this, a treatment plan is then created which may involve planning meals and snacks, developing or learning new skills or arranging participation in a range of activities which interest the client. The fact that OT addresses all aspects of an individual and their surrounding environment and works with these, means that the therapy is very client focused and adaptable to meet individual requirements (COT, 2011); this potentially res ults in a more effective outcome when compared to more standardised and less personalised treatments. To conclude, although eating disorders are often mentioned within the media, they are frequently unexplained and therefore misunderstood by many members of the public. Eating disorders come in a range of forms from Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, binge eating, unspecified eating disorders and exercise disorders. Eating disorders are believed to commonly be triggered by an individual experiencing a situation or emotion which is difficult to deal with psychologically and t

Apathy in Ithaca :: Ithaca Essays

Apathy in Ithaca      Ã‚   In Ithaca, the depth of Joyce's irony is displayed.   The denouement of this odyssey is perfect for this story, while at the same time leaving us with the exact opposite of the resolution in the tale the book proclaims to emulate.   Odysseus' public apotheosis parallels Bloom's private shame.   The concise question and answer format which Ithaca adopts, found no where else in the book, is refereed to by many critics as reminiscent of a catechism.   The description is well deserved given the overt religious themes in Ulysses.   The almost mathematical precision of the text in juxtaposed with gut wrenching emotion surrounding infidelity.   The parallels that one can draw between the characters of Ulysses and the Odyssey are perhaps the deepest in Ithaca while the themes and undertones of the work drift further apart.        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The attempt at a father-son relationship between Bloom and Dedalus is never more apparent as they converse, and fail to converse.   Bloom plays the role of a cuckold almost too well, objectifying in Stephen that which he himself lacks.   Of Dedalus, Bloom notes "Confidence in himself, an equal and opposite power of abandonment and recuperation." (Joyce, Ulysses 550)   This is a far cry from the Dedalus depicted anywhere in the novel.   Bloom is looking to Dedalus as a father who dreams his son will accomplish more than he ever could, and in as much he is disillusioned.   The depiction of the scene in Ithaca is one of mathematical precision, and it should strike as odd the amount of opinion and emotion underlying many of Bloom's assumptions.   He assumes Dedalus' refusal to wash is the "incompatibility of aquacity with the erratic originality of genius, (550) and that his silence implies that me must be composing poetry to himself.        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These two men typify the thematic essence of father and son, and in doing so, they destroy the preconceived notions left in the wake of Telemachus and Odysseus.   No longer is the bond of father and son to be understood as a bloodthirsty quest for familial vengeance.   No, it is replaced with a pair so opposite that they have nothing to discuss but the weather.   Not even the violation of Bloom's marriage bed could bring these two to arms.

Creating Biofuels from Waste Essay -- Energy Fuel Environment

Biofuels from Waste Purpose Biofuels mark a great step into today’s efforts to slow down global warming. However, when food sources, such as corn and soy are used as derivatives for ethanol, the impact is far worse than using fossil fuels. Biofuels require more energy to do artificial refinery, cultivating, and collecting; whereas, fossil fuels already meet all the prerequisites through millions of years in the earth, and thus use less energy. On the social justice stance, the poor suffer through the sky-rocketed food prices because farmers are using their food to supply the ethanol demand. As technology becomes more efficient, society can rely on a source of energy that deters global warming, uses less energy to process, and betters the world economy. Question Which specific cellulase from fungi breaks down bleached paper waste efficiently? Why? Bleached paper is solely composed of cellulose (20-25%) which it makes it an ideal source for fuel because its lack in lignin makes it more efficient in the refinery process. Fungi serve as vital decomposers in the natural world. By channeling this idea to break down paper waste into sugars, the possibilities are endless. Terms to know †¢ Cellulase are enzymes that break down cellulose. Fungi and bacteria have special enzymes that are designed to decompose material. †¢ His-tag is a tag that helps the identification process by attaching to a protein. A His-tag is a small tag that aids the purification process by binding with a nickel NTA matrix. Materials -Agar plates -Sterile q-tips -Yeast -Incubator -Bleached paper waste -Fungi -PCR -Primers -Blue dye -Plasmid: pTrcHis-Topo -Wash buffer -Elution buffer -LB broth -E.Coli competent cells -Ice -Water -Filter .. ...15 July 2008. Biofuels: for Transport. United Kingdom: German Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection, 2007. Feldstein, Paul. "PCR." COSMOS. Hutchinson Hall, Davis. 10 July 2008. Lindsay, LeAnn. â€Å"Cellulase Assay.† COSMOS. Hutchinson Hall, Davis. 30 July 2008. Nag, Ahindra. Biofuels Refining and Performance. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2008. Pyles, Denver. Use of Biodiesel-Derived Crude Glycerol for the Production of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids by the Microalga Schizochytrium Limacinum. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Blackburg, 2008. 13 July 2008 . Sticklen, Mariam B. "Plant Genetic Engineering for Biofuel Production: Towards Affordable Cellulosic Ethanol." Nature Reviews: Genetic(2008). BIOSIS Previews. 15 July 2008.

Shakespeares Twelfth Night Essays -- Literature William Shakespeare E

Shakespeare's Twelfth Night A study of William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, showing how Shakespeare's choice of form, structure and language shape meaning Wit, and't be thy will, put me into good fooling! Those wits that think they have thee do very oft prove fools; and I that am sure I lack thee may pass for a wise man. For what says Quinapalus? 'Better a witty fool than a foolish wit.' Shakespeare's plays were written to be performed to an audience from different social classes and of varying levels of intellect. Thus they contain down-to-earth characters who appeal to the working classes, side-by-side with complexities of plot which would satisfy the appetites of the aristocrats among the audience. His contemporary status is different, and Shakespeare's plays have become a symbol of culture and education, being widely used as a subject for academic study and literary criticism. A close critical analysis of Twelfth Night can reveal how Shakespeare manipulates the form, structure, and language to contribute to the meaning of his plays. Form Through the form of dialogue Shakespeare conveys the relationship between characters. For example, the friendship and understanding between Olivia, and her servant Feste, the clown, is shown in their dialogue in Act 1, Scene 5. In this scene Shakespeare shows that both characters are intellectuals by constructing their colloquy in prose. Characterising Feste, Shakespeare gives him the aphorism, Better a witty fool than a foolish wit. [Feste. Act 1, scene 5] This line illustrates the clown's acumen; and is a delightful example of the way in which he uses language, as well as form to manifest Feste's character. Far from being a fool, the clown is erudite and sagely ... ...been made a fool of by all of them, and also signifies his isolation from the rest of the cast and how he has become a loose end of the play, as everybody else has found love or companionship with another person in the play. After analysing the way in which Shakespeare uses form, structure and language to shape meaning I have come to the conclusion that we are not consciously aware of these techniques when we are the audience. Directors and actors may take these factors into consideration when performing a play, to assist in conveying meaning to the audience. Different directors may interpret the text in different ways, but the play should be performed in such a way that subtle clues help the audience receive messages and understand the complexity of the developing plot, so that we are not obliged to be continually struggling to interpret the text for ourselves.

Marriage and Taxes Essay

Marriage and Taxes Introduction: Bill and Mary plan to marry in December of 2012. Bill’s salary is $32,000 and he owns a residence. His itemized deductions total $12,000. Mary’s salary is $39,000. Her itemized deductions total only $1,600 as she does not own a residence. Assume that 2013 tax rates, exemptions, and standard deductions are the same as 2012. Task(s): Answer the following questions: a. What will their tax be if they marry before year-end and file a joint return? The file joint of returns will be $12,000. b. What will their combined taxes be for the year if they delay the marriage until 2013? The combined taxes will be $13,600 if they delay the marriage. $12,000 + 1,600 = 13,600. c. What factors contribute to the difference in taxes? Some of the factors that can result a difference in the taxes would be based on your itemized deductions. Examples a itemized deductions are mortgages that you own, have done any charitable donations, medical expenses, Long-term care services, and relocating for new employment. For a marriage case they can us the marriage penalty, Examples of a marriage penalty: (1) Both of the earns $80,000 a year mas two single individuals, the marginal tax rate will be 25% However, if you are a married couple, the marginal tax rate on a $160,000 annual income is 28%. 2) If you are married you are allowed to write off a total of $3,000 in losses, if filing separately, each only has a $1,500 limit; whereas two single individuals can write off a total of $6,000. (3) When it comes to IRA contributions, they are phased out at income levels between $178,000 – $188,000 for married couples versus a range of $112,000 – $127,000 for single taxpayers. Ingenuity. Empathetic.

Concrete Operations Stage

Concrete operations are the third stage of Piagetian cognitive development, during which children develop logical but not abstract thinking (Papalia p. 351). The concrete operational stage begins around age seven and continues until approximately age eleven. During this time, children gain a better understanding of mental operations. Children begin thinking logically about concrete events, but have difficulty understanding abstract or hypothetical concepts. Piaget determined that children in the concrete operational stage were fairly good at the use of inductive logic. Inductive logic involves going from a specific experience to a general principle. On the other hand, children at this age have difficulty using deductive logic, which involves using a general principle to determine the outcome of a specific event. This stage is also characterized by a loss of egocentric thinking. Egocentrism is Piaget’s term for inability to consider another person’s point of view; a characteristic of young children’s thought (Papalia p. G-3). During this stage, the child has the ability to master most types of conservation experiments, and begins to understand reversibility. Conservation is the realization that quantity or amount does not change when nothing has been added or taken away from an object or a collection of objects, despite changes in form or spatial arrangement. The concrete operational stage is also characterized by the child’s ability to coordinate two dimensions of an object simultaneously, arrange structures in sequence, and transpose differences between items in a series. The child is capable of concrete problem-solving. Categorical labels such as â€Å"number† or â€Å"animal† are now available to the child. The first, and most discussed, of these limitations is egocentrism. The pre-operational child has a â€Å"'self-centred' view of the world† (Smith, Cowie and Blades, 2003, p. 399), meaning that she has difficulty understanding that other people may see things differently, and hence hold a differing point of view. Piaget's classic test for egocentrism is the three mountains task (Piaget and Inhelder, 1956), which concrete operational thinkers can complete successfully. A second limitation which is overcome in the concrete operational stage is the perceptual domination of one aspect of a situation. Before the stage begins, the child's perception of any situation or problem will be dominated by one aspect; this is best illustrated by the failure of pre-operational children to pass Piaget's conservation tasks (Piaget and Inhelder, 1974). Perhaps the most important limitation, yet the most difficult to describe and measure, is that of the turn to logical operators. A pre-operational child will use mostly simple, heuristic strategies in problem solving. Once a child reaches the concrete operational stage, they will be in possession of a completely new set of strategies, allowing problem solving using logical rules. This new ability manifests itself most clearly in children's justifications for their answers. Concrete operational thinkers will explicitly state their use of logical rules in problem solving (Harris and Butterworth, 2002). This area also indicates the way in which the concrete operational stage can be negatively defined; although children can now use logical strategies, these can only be applied to concrete, immediately present objects. Thinking has become logical, but is not yet abstract. These shifts in the child's thinking lead to a number of new abilities which are also major, positively defined characteristics of the concrete operational stage. The most frequently cited ability is conservation. Now that children are no longer perceptually dominated by one aspect of a situation, they can track changes much more easily and recognize that some properties of an object will persevere through change. Conservation is always gained in the same order, firstly with respect to number, followed secondly by weight, and thirdly by volume. A second new ability gained in the concrete operational stage is reversibility. This refers to the ability to mentally trace backwards, and is of enormous help to the child in both their problem solving and the knowledge they have of their own problem solving. For the former this is because they can see that in a conservation task, for example, the change made could be reversed to regain the original properties. With respect to knowledge of their own problem solving, they become able to retrace their mental steps, allowing an entirely new level of reflection. Concrete operational children also gain the ability to structure objects hierarchically, known as classification. This includes the notion of class inclusion, e. g. understanding an object being part of a subset included within a parent set, and is shown on Piaget's inclusion task, asking children to identify, out of a number of brown and white wooden beads, whether there were more brown beads or wooden beads (Piaget, 1965). Seriation is another new ability gained during this stage, and refers to the child's ability to order objects with respect to a common property. A simple example of this would be placing a number of sticks in order of height. An important new ability which develops from the interplay of both seriation and classification is that of numeration. Whilst pre-operational children are obviously capable of counting, it is only during the concrete operational stage that they become able to apply mathematical operators, thanks to their abilities to order things in terms of number (seriation) and to split numbers into sets and subsets (classification), enabling more complex multiplication, division and so on. Finally, and also following the development of seriation, is transitive inference. This is the name given to children's ability to compare two objects via an intermediate object. So for instance, one stick could be deemed to be longer than another by both being individually compared to another (third) stick. Concrete operational stage (Elementary and early adolescence). This stage (characterized by 7 types of conservation: number, length, liquid, mass, weight, area, volume), intelligence is demonstrated through logical and systematic manipulation of symbols related to concrete objects. Operational thinking develops (mental actions that are reversible). Egocentric thought diminishes.