Counter Terrorism in Comparative Perspective Essay

Counter Terrorism in Comparative Perspective - Essay Example Terrorism has over the years become one of the most pressing and complex issues facing various governments. Despite the attempts made to solve the problem, terrorism still remains a crucial threat to national and global security. The objectives of counterterrorism are to neutralize terrorist cells and operatives and minimize the probability of a terrorist attack. The analysis of the threat of exposure and response to terrorism acts is a collaboration between different institutions of the state such as investigative, prosecutorial, and law enforcement institutions (Setty 2010, p.152). This paper puts UK’s and Spain’s counterterrorism policies into perspective. The comparative analysis spotlights controversial aspects in counterterrorism such as detention devoid of trial, excessive surveillance, and deportation of suspected terrorists. The analysis borrows from intertwining axes of legal norms (emanating from international as well as national perspectives) and the associa ted political tenets. However, the success of counterterrorism efforts is not clear cut as they can thrive in a certain country and fail in another. Amnesty, conciliation, repression, legal reform, and restriction, are some of the counterterrorism strategies that states can adopt. United Kingdom Counterterrorism Strategy The UK has a long and chaotic history of fighting domestic and foreign terrorization such as conflicts between Irish Republican Army (IRA), which had escalated in the 1970’s, but largely resolved in 1998. However, the UK has recently been grappling with home grown Islamist extremists. UK counterterrorism strategy can be traced back to the legislation of the Prevention of Violence Act 1939. The Terrorism Act 2000 substituted the earlier counter terrorism policies with a bold policy (Sidel 2007, p. 170). This policy was followed by the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001, which featured after 9/11 attacks. The prevention of Terrorism Act 2005 was drafte d post 7 July 2005 London bombings. The Terrorist Act handed the government enhanced powers for suppressing terrorists and their sympathisers. It also instilled coherence in the country’s anti-terrorist legislation (Orttung & Makarychev 2006, p. 4). Counterterrorism laws in UK elevate the rule of law, as well as the call for preservation of civil rights and liberties for terrorist detainees pursuant to criminal prosecution. The judicial scrutiny encompasses whether reasonable grounds exist to charge the detainee with a terrorist offense. The terrorism Act 2000 initially instituted a seven-day period but subsequent amendment accommodated a maximum of 14-day detention without trial in the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Sidel 2007, p. 166). In 2006, the UK government sought to extend the pre-charge detention to 90 days but was scaled down to 28-day limit as established in the Terrorism Act 2006. The UK government has continued to register its preference to extend the pre-charge peri od. Nevertheless, the constitutionality and the efficacy of the extension have come under heavy attack from human rights activists. The pre-charge detention has produced mixed results with lingering questions on efficacy, safeguarding of rights and contribution to national security, observance of rule of law, and institutional legitimacy. Ever since the July 2005 terrorist attacks, the

Estimating the Damping in a Single Degree of Freedom System Lab Report

Estimating the Damping in a Single Degree of Freedom System - Lab Report Example The movements include free response and forced response. Free response is made as a result of initial conditions while forced response is made as a result of outgoing input to the system. Free response in this context consists of oscillations at a particular frequency which is natural. When there is no dumping in the situation, the oscillation continues in the system indefinitely. When there is dumping, the 1 Degree of Freedom undergoes decaying oscillations. Forced response in 1 Degree of Freedom consists of vibrations that occur at a frequency which is majorly dictated by the input of force. Force response increases when there is also an increase in input. When there occur an initial transient portion of response, the steady state response contains an oscillation which is at the same frequency as the input. The amplitude and phase in this situation depend on the frequency of input. The main requirements in the experiment include an oscilloscope, a potentiometer, a variable dumping unit, a digital weighing scale, a helical spring and signal amplifier, Experiment can be carried out for a free a free vibration and forced vibration. For this laboratory, a mechanical strip-chart recorder is to be used to capture the free vibration motion of a simple single-degree-of-freedom system. The strip-chart recorder consists of a marking pen a fixed to amass carriage, which is movable in the vertical direction, and a continuous strip of paper which, when driven by a rotating drum, moves in a horizontal direction past the pen. A drawing of the single-degree-of-freedom system, with the strip-chart record The forced vibration will be provided by a shaker, which is driven by a sine wave function generator. The system is attached to the shaker plate and then forced into motion. The motion is sensed using two accelerometers, one attached to the base and one attached to the upper portion of the system.

Effects of Yoga on Life Satisfaction and Stress

Effects of Yoga on Life Satisfaction and Stress Literature Review and  Results Chapters Contents (Jump to) Literature Review Results Discussion Conclusion Literature Review Carlson, Goodey, Patel and Speca (2003) studied the effects of mindful-based stress reduction on quality of life, mood and stress in those with breast and prostate cancer. The MBSR programme was found to be associated with enhanced quality of life and decreased stress with low cortisol levels (Carlson, Goodey, Patel and Speca, 2003). From the above study it was inferred that practice of yoga increased life satisfaction and reduced stress. Culpepper, Davis, Eisenberg, Phillips and Saper (2004) conducted the first U.S. national yoga survey on 15 million Americans who had practiced yoga at least once in their lifetime, in order to identify the relationship between yoga practice and life satisfaction. 3.8% of this population were in the age range of 18 to 55 years and had practiced yoga for over one year. These individuals were found to score higher on life satisfaction than those who had tried yoga only once (Culpepper, Davis, Eisenberg, Phillips and Saper, 2004). From the above study it was inferred that individuals who had practiced yoga for over a period of one year were significantly more satisfied with life than those who had practiced yoga only once. Lee (2004) studied the relationship between Hatha Yoga practice and subjective well-being between beginners who practiced yoga from one to ten months and advanced Hatha yoga practitioners who practiced yoga for at least two years. 107 adult Hatha yoga practitioners participated in the study that practiced yoga consistently, at least twice a week for an hour. Advanced Hatha yoga practitioners were found to have higher levels of subjective well-being on the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) and the Spiritual Well-Being Scale than the beginners (Lee, 2004). From the above study it was inferred that regular practice of yoga led to higher life satisfaction, positive affect and spiritual well-being. Bijlani (2005) studied the effect of a yoga intervention on 98 subjects with chronic illnesses and high risk for cardiovascular diseases who practiced yoga for 3 to 4 hours for 8 days and were later tested on subjective well-being and anxiety scales. It was found that subjective well-being increased and anxiety decreased significantly after the practice of yoga (Bijlani, 2005 cited in Carson, King and Koenig, 2012). From the above study it was inferred that yoga practice increased life satisfaction and reduced anxiety. Daubenmier, Hirschman and Impett (2006) conducted a study to examine the potential of yoga to promote embodiment and well-being (life satisfaction) on 89 participants pursuing a 2 years yoga course. After the course and on completing a short survey assessing life satisfaction in many domains, it was found that women objectified their bodies less after participating in the programme. Also, men and women had increased body awareness, positive affect and higher satisfaction with life as well as decrease negative affect with more frequent yoga practice (Daubenmier, Hirschman Impett, 2006). From the above study it was inferred that the practice of yoga increased satisfaction with life along with an increase in positive affect and increased body awareness. Dehen, Flegal, Haas, Kishiyam, Okena and Zajdel (2006) in U.S.A. studied the effects of six months of Hatha Yoga intervention on cognition and quality of life of 135 healthy older people, aged 65 to 85 years who were randomly assigned to the yoga intervention group and the wait-listed control group. Results indicated that the yoga group had significant improvements on cognitive and quality of life measures than the wait-listed control group (Dehen, Flegal, Haas, Kishiyam, Okena and Zajdel, 2006). From the above study it was inferred that yoga practice increased quality of life as well as cognition functioning. Geher, Otte and West (2006) researched the effects of Hatha Yoga on stress and life satisfaction on a U.S. population of 168 individuals in the age range of 20 to 40 years. 94 yoga practitioners who had practiced yoga for more than a year were significantly more satisfied with life and had lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels than the 74 individuals had completed only three sessions of Hatha Yoga (Geher, Otte and West, 2006). From the above study it was inferred that long-term yoga practitioners were more satisfied with life on and had lower stress levels than beginners of yoga. Kirstein (2006) studied the effects of 10 weeks yoga intervention on postural control, spasticity, mobility and quality of life of 12 patients with Multiple Sclerosis aged 30–76 years who practiced yoga twice a week for 70 minutes. Significant differences between the pre and post intervention scores suggested that yoga was a valuable alternative to other exercises for Multiple Sclerosis patients because of the improved scores on all scales (Kirstein, 2006). From the above study it was inferred that yoga intervention increased postural control, mobility, quality of life and decreased spasticity. Vito (2007) evaluated the effects of Hatha Yoga in relieving the psychological and physical symptoms of 25 female breast cancer patients aged 25–60 years, who were alternatively assigned to a twice weekly, 8 week yoga group and a wait-list control group. Questionnaires were administered before and after the yoga intervention. The yoga participants showed significant improvements in all outcome measures with a decrease in fatigue and negative mood as compared to the wait-listed control group (Vito, 2007). From the above study it was inferred that yoga increased quality of life simultaneously decreasing symptoms of cancer. Bijlani, Gupta and Sharma (2008) studied the effect of an 8-day intensive yoga intervention on 77 subjects’ subjective well-being who were randomly assigned to the yoga group and the control group. Using the Subjective Well-Being Inventory (SUBI), the yoga group reported significant improvements in the areas of general well-being, expectation and achievement, confidence in coping, and mental mastery along with less worry and better abilities to cope with stress, and thus scored higher on subjective well-being than the control group (Bijlani, Gupta and Sharma, 2008). From the above study it was inferred that a yogic lifestyle increased subjective well-being. Duncan, Leis and Taylor-Brown (2008) evaluated the impact and outcomes of Iyengar Yoga in a Cancer Centre on 24 participants aged 38 to 57 years on measures of quality of life, spiritual well-being and mood disturbance. They were taught yoga and practiced it for 90 minutes per day for ten weeks. On comparing the World Health Organization Quality of Life scale (WHOQOL) before and after intervention scores, quality of life and spiritual well-being significantly improved with a reduction in mood disturbance (Duncan, Leis and Taylor-Brown, 2008). From the above study it was inferred that the practice of yoga increased quality of life and spiritual well-being, and regulated mood. Thomas (2008) examined the relationship between adopting a yogic lifestyle and subjective well-being on 152 Australian yoga students aged 30 to 50 years. Those who undertook an intensive Satyanand Yogic training (incorporation of Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga and Hatha Yoga) for two years scored higher on the Satisfaction With Life Scale and the Personal Wellbeing Index than those who only attended a weekly programme (Thomas, 2008). From the above study it was inferred that practice of yoga increased satisfaction with life. Havalappanavar and Jadhav (2009) studied the effect of yoga on subjective well-being and anxiety on 50 first year students from Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences Course aged 20 years and above. The Spielberger’s State Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Subjective Well-being Inventory were administered before and after one academic year with the practice of yoga. A significant decrease was found in both state and trait anxiety levels and positive changes in subjective well-being with an impressive ascend in life satisfaction scores after the yoga intervention (Havalappanavar and Jadhav, 2009). From the above study it was inferred that the yoga intervention reduced anxiety levels with an increase in life satisfaction. Maharana, Nagendra, Raghuram, Rakhshani and Venkatram (2010) studied the yoga effects on quality of life and interpersonal relationships on 102 pregnant women who were randomly assigned to two groups; 51 each to the integrated yoga group and the antenatal exercises (relief from back pain) (control) group, both for one hour, thrice a week. Results indicated that there were significant improvements in quality of life and interpersonal relationships in the integrated yoga group compared to the antenatal exercise group (Maharana, Nagendra, Raghuram, Rakhshani and Venkatram, 2010). From the above study it was inferred that integrated yoga effectively improved quality of life and interpersonal relationships. Moliver (2010) studied yogic effects on subjective wellness ad well as physical and psychological wellness in 393 women, including 211 yoginis (female yoga practitioners) who had more yogic experience than the rest aged 45 to 80 years. It was found those with more yoga experience scored higher on physical wellness, subjective vitality and life satisfaction scales than those with lesser yoga experience (Moliver, 2010). From the above study it was inferred that life satisfaction, physical well-being and subjective vitality increased with greater yoga experience. Ulger (2010) studied the effects of 8 hourly sessions of yoga on the quality of life in 22 breast cancer patients aged 30 to 50 years. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-I and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-II to measure anxiety and its permanence respectively, and Visual Analog Scale to measure life satisfaction were administered before and after yoga training. Patients’ quality of life after yoga was found to be higher with decrease in stress than before training (Ulger, 2010). From the above study it was inferred that yoga training can diminish stress and increase quality of life. Choudhary and Rathore (2011) studied the impact of 6 months of yoga on emotional intelligence and life satisfaction on 60 individuals who were given the Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS) and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) before and after the completion of the yoga training. Results revealed that yoga increased life satisfaction and emotional intelligence before and after yoga intervention. Also, females had higher scores on both tests than males after practice of yoga (Choudhary and Rathore, 2011). From the above study it was inferred that consistent practice of yoga increased life satisfaction. Reis (2011) studied the effect of a 6-week prenatal yoga intervention in late pregnancy and its changes in optimism, power and well-being on 21 women. Tests were administered in the first week and after the yoga intervention. Optimism, power and well-being had significantly increased from the first to the sixth week of the yoga practice (Reis, 2011). From the above study it was inferred that practice of yoga promoted optimism and well-being. Woodyard (2011) explored the therapeutic effects of yoga to increase quality of life on 404 individuals aged 20 to 40 years who had newly enrolled for six months of yoga. Results showed that yoga enhanced individuals’ muscular strength and body flexibility, promoted and improved respiratory and cardiovascular function, promoted recovery from and treatment of addiction, reduced stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, improved sleep patterns, and enhanced overall well-being and satisfaction with life than they previously experienced (Woodyard, 2011). From the above study it was inferred that satisfaction with life along with overall well-being increased with the practice of yoga. Seldin (2012) studied the effects of yoga on female body experience on factors such as self-objectification and self-acceptance on 7 American women aged 25-49 years who had consistently practiced yoga 4 times a week for 2-12 years. The self-objectification theory stated that expectations of physical and sexual body appeal resulted in poor body image. In 2004, Myers and Sinclair’s study established a link between poor body image and lower life satisfaction in adulthood among women. Using a semi-structured interview format, most women acknowledged decrease in body dissatisfaction and self-objectification after several years of yoga practice which was also directly related to higher marital, familial, occupational and other life satisfaction variables (Seldin, 2012). From the above study it was inferred that the practice of yoga increased self-acceptance and satisfaction with life with a reduced dissatisfaction with body image. Chartrand, Haussmann, Khalsa, Mika and Moliver (2013) studied the effect of yoga practice as a predictor of psychological well-being on 211 female yoga practitioners between 35 and 60 years of age. Some who had practiced yoga for 10 years had higher life satisfaction and positive health outcomes compared to those who had practiced for only 2 months. Increased yoga experience predicted increased psychological well-being for those who intended to practice yoga throughout their lifetime (Chartrand, Haussmann, Khalsa, Mika and Moliver, 2013). Subjective well-being reduces in midlife years and rise in old age. However, the practice of yoga has shown to increase emotional well-being and life satisfaction in both midlife years as well as old age despite material and social losses (George, 2010). From the above studies it was inferred that yoga increased life satisfaction with age due to prolonged practice. Lucia (2013) studied the effects of yoga on psychological and physical wellness, and subjective well-being on 372 individuals aged 18-85 years. The participants were divided into yoga practitioners group and the control group who engaged in non-yoga exercises. Results indicated that yoga participants had higher psychological wellness and subjective well-being than the control group with no significant differences in physical wellness (Lucia, 2013). From the above study it was inferred that yoga participants experienced higher levels of psychological wellness and subjective well-being than non-yoga participants. Margaret (2013) studied yogic effects on the quality of life and functional performance of older adults. 135 individuals aged 60 years and above participated with 71 subjects in the intervention group and 64 in the control group. After 12 weeks of intervention, significant improvements were found in the quality of life and functional performance of the yoga participants. According to observations made in the study, the high attendance rate implied that yoga was preferred to medications (Margaret, 2013). From the above study it was inferred that aging individuals preferred yoga to medication, not only to increase functional performance and physical ability, but also to increase quality of life. Rai, Ramesham, Sathian and Sinu (2013) conducted a study on 280 married individuals, aged 30 to 55 years of which 164 individuals were Raja Yoga practitioners and 116 were non-yoga practitioners, to assess the effects of yoga on life satisfaction and happiness. It was found that yoga practitioners were happier and more satisfied with life than non-yoga practitioners. Also Rajayoga Meditation significantly increased life satisfaction and happiness in life further enhancing positive thinking (Rai, Ramesham, Sathian and Sinu, 2013). From the above study it was inferred that practice of yoga increased life satisfaction and enhanced positive thinking. Ivtzan and Papantoniou (2014) studied the effect of yoga on three dimensions of psychological wellbeing: gratitude, life satisfaction and meaning in life on 124 participants, aged 18 to 40 years, with equal number of individuals with and without yoga experience. The research findings stated yoga practitioners scored higher on all scales (Ivtzan and Papantoniou, 2014). From the above study it was inferred that practice of yoga increased meaningfulness of life, satisfaction with life and gratitude towards life. Sharma (1986) focused on the application of yoga to modify behaviour for achievement of self-actualization. The scheme of yoga fits the Hierarchy of Needs Model by Maslow where self-actualization is the final goal after satisfaction of psychological, safety, love and esteem needs. According to Sir Aurobindo, ego is the source of all conflicts, which if continues, leads to mental ill health and disorders (Sharma, 1986). In 1988, Hoffman stated that self-actualization is a continuous process of becoming satisfied with one’s life. According to Maslow, the desire for fulfilment in all aspects of life caters to becoming actualized. Diener and Tay tested Maslow’s theory in which 60,865 participants representing all continents of the world were surveyed from 2005 to 2010. They answered questions regarding six needs closely resembling those of Maslow’s needs to assess well-being across three measures, namely life evaluation also called life satisfaction, positive feeling s and negative feelings. It was found that satisfaction of the six needs rendered life satisfaction and positive feelings being greater than negative feelings (Diener and Tay, 2011). Positive psychologists Martin Seligman, Christopher Peterson and others have ascertained the fulfilment of these six needs to contribute to higher well-being and life satisfaction. They also stated that those who successfully fulfill these needs are capable of self-actualization (Coon and Mitterer, 2010). The above literature reviews have stated that the practice of yoga had significantly increased satisfaction with life. Greater experience of a yogic lifestyle increased life satisfaction as individuals grew older. CHAPTER 4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 4.1. INTRODUCTION This chapter comprises of the two sections namely, the statistical analysis of the data obtained and the discussion of the results. 4.2. RESULTS This section entails the statistical analysis of the obtained data for the two groups, yoga practitioners and non-yoga practitioners using Descriptive Statistics and Independent Samples T-test. Table 4.1. (a) showing Descriptive Statistics for Yoga Practitioners and Non Yoga Practitioners on the Satisfaction With Life Scale. From Table 4.1. (a) showing the descriptive statistics for the two comparative groups it was observed that the total sample (N) consisted of 200 individuals, 100 yoga practitioners and 100 non-yoga practitioners. For the group of non-yoga practitioners, the Mean was calculated to be 23.71 with a Standard Deviation of 3.19. For the group of yoga practitioners, the Mean was calculated to be 27.75 with a Standard Deviation of 2.98. Table 4.1. (b) showing Independent Sample T-test for the sample of Yoga Practitioners and Non-Yoga Practitioners on Life Satisfaction. Table 4.1. (b) shows the Independence Sample T-test for the two comparative groups, yoga practitioners and non-yoga practitioners on life satisfaction. In the Levenes Test for Equality of Variances, the F value obtained was 0.51 which was significant at the 0.47 level indicating that the homogeneity in the sample was maintained. Thus, equal variances were assumed. In the T-test for Equality of Means, the t value obtained was 9.22 with df value (degree of freedom) of 198 which was significant at the 0.000 level. The mean difference obtained was 4.04. The significant difference obtained between the two comparative groups thus indicated that yoga practitioners showed significantly higher life satisfaction compared to non-yoga practitioners. 4.3. DISCUSSION The present study is a comparative study of yoga practitioners and non-yoga practitioners on life satisfaction. From the above section, the t value of 9.22 was significant at the 0.000 level. Thus the hypothesis stating that ‘the scores on life satisfaction will be significantly higher for yoga practitioners than non-yoga practitioners’ was accepted because the statistical analysis of the obtained data showed a significant difference between the two groups. In congruence to the above findings, previous researches done on the practice of yoga and satisfaction with life are listed below. Gharote (1982) studied the psychophysiological effects of meditation (Pranayama) and yogasanas on personality and use of yoga in therapy over a period of one year on several individuals who enrolled at the College of Yoga and Cultural Synthesis at Kaivalyadhyama, Lonavala. On various testing grounds, meditation and yogasanas decreased neuroticism, increased extroversion and self-control, self-actualization, happiness and psychological well-being (Gharote, 1982). From the above study it was inferred that practice of yoga increased happiness and life satisfaction. Bhushan (1998) studied the effect of a 14 month yoga course on measures of psychological well-being. The Satisfaction With Life Scale and Spielberger’s State Trait Anxiety Inventory were administered before and after the yoga course to 139 employed individuals. When the pre and post intervention scores obtained for the two variables, life satisfaction and anxiety were compared, an interesting finding was seen. There was a significant decrease for those with initial high levels of anxiety, and life satisfaction had increased after the yoga course (Bhushan, 1998 cited in Thomas, 2008) From the above study it was inferred that yoga increased life satisfaction and reduced anxiety. Jhansi (2007) studied the impact of yoga training on self-ideal disparity (incongruence between real self and ideal self) and psychological well-being on an experimental sample of 19 adults who had completed a yoga training course for six months and a control sample of 19 adults who had newly enrolled for the same. The experimental sample was tested after their yoga course and the control sample was tested before it on self-ideal disparity and on a scale of psychological well-being. Results revealed that the experimental group showed higher congruence between real self and ideal self and higher psychological well-being than the control group (Jhansi, 2007). From the above study it was inferred that practice of yoga increased life satisfaction and reduced self-ideal disparity. Bakshi and Kumari (2009) studied the effect of practicing yoga on subjective well-being (SWB) and academic performance on 100 adolescents aged 14 to 16 years. After a year of yoga practice, the students had high scores on subjective well-being and showed a gradual increase in academic performance in school (Bakshi and Kumari, 2009). From the above study it was inferred that practice of yoga increased subjective well-being and ultimately improved their academic performance. Monk-Turner and Turner (2010) conducted a study on an adult sample of yoga practitioners and non-yoga practitioners to assess life satisfaction along with body, mind, spirit and happiness differences. It was found that yoga practitioners significantly reported more mental wellness, strong morals, healthy values, ability to express their feelings and consider those of others, a positive outlook towards life and high well-being with higher scores on life satisfaction as compared to non-yoga practitioners. Yoga practitioners were also more likely to experience happiness within themselves (Monk-Turner and Turner, 2010). From the above study it was inferred that satisfaction with life along with mental wellness, positive outlook and happiness increased with the practice of yoga. Malhotra and Nangia (2012) studied the influence of regular practice of yoga on cognitive skills and well-being on 19 regular yoga practitioners who were tested on outcome measures of attention, remote memory, mental balance, immediate and free recall, verbal and visual retention, and on a measure of well-being. Results indicated that the practitioners obtained high scores on all cognitive measures and well-being (Malhotra and Nangia, 2012). From the above study it was inferred that practice of yoga not only enhanced well-being but it also sharpened cognitive skills. Dubey (2012) studied the role of perceived control (a belief that individuals are capable of influencing the events in their lives to deal with stressors and their inner states) in continuing yoga for six months every day, and its effect on health and well-being on regular, irregular and non-yoga practitioners aged 22 to 60 years. Various tests were administered before the course and six months after it. Perceived control was a good predictor of life satisfaction and health in the regular yoga group and thus they were more satisfied with life and had better health scores than the irregular yoga and the non-yoga practitioners (Dubey, 2012). From the above study it was inferred that yoga practice increased life satisfaction and promoted better health outcomes. Bankar, Chaudhari and Chaudhari (2013) studied the impact of long-term yoga on sleep quality and quality of life on 65 adults aged 60 years and above. Scores of yoga practitioners on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Quality Of Life Leiden-Padua (LEIPAD) Scale were compared with a non-yoga group of the same age. The yoga group was found to have higher life satisfaction with better sleep quality than the control group (Bankar, Chaudhari and Chaudhari, 2013). From the above study it was inferred that regular yoga exercises helped to improve sleep quality as well as quality of life. Basavaraddi, Gangadhar, Hariprasad, Koparde, Sivakumar, Thirthalli, Varambally and Varghese (2013) studied the effect on yoga on sleep, life satisfaction and quality of life on 220 individuals aged 40 to 55 years. 133 subjects in the yoga group attended a yoga intervention twice a week for six months. 87 individuals formed the non-yoga practitioner group. After the yoga group had completed the course, both groups were administered with tests. The yoga group had scored significantly higher on all the domains of quality of life, had higher satisfaction with life and better sleep quality after the intervention (Basavaraddi, Gangadhar, Hariprasad, Koparde, Sivakumar, Thirthalli, Varambally and Varghese, 2013). From the above study it was inferred that the practice of yoga increased life satisfaction as well as quality of sleep. Cramer, Dobos, Langhorst, Lauche and Paul (2013) conducted a comparative study on the quality of life, mental health and life satisfaction between yoga practitioners and non-yoga practitioners on 2486 individuals who were married and employed. Yoga practitio

Internet Identity Experiences in Turkles Article Essays -- Web Cybers

Internet Identity Experiences in Turkle's Article In Turkle's article "Identity in the Age of the Internet," she questions "Why grant such superior status to the self that has the body, when the selves that don't have bodies are able to have different kinds of experiences?" Turkle gives many great details and examples of the things that can happen when people are allowed to express themselves as any character that they wish which enables them to have experiences that may be different then the ones from their everyday life. In addition Dale Spender examines in her article "Gender Bending," how men and women are viewed differently online as well as offline. These articles arises the thought of how might Spender answer the question brought on by Turkle. So I came up with an idea of what Spender's answer to this might be. When Turkle questions the fact that online experiences can be so much more rewarding then offline experiences, she is talking about several different examples. One example of an experience relates to "Living in the Mud ," and the possibilities of role playing on the internet through online games such as, Trek MUSE, and LambdaMOO. In these games you can chose to be anyone you wish whether it be male, female, a thing or even a graphical icon such as Barbie, or the Mighty Morphon Power Ranger. No one can know who you are or what your true identity is. What is so interesting about these games is that you can be a character who resembles you very similarly, or someone whom is not like you in any way shape or form. Possibilities can vary to as many ways as you can think up. Sherry Turkle feels that the computer is more then just a tool, that it is a "second self". She also states that the, "Internet, links millions... ...rd horror stories about people meeting others on the net whom they thought were one way that they described themselves to be but in actuality were nothing of the sort. I find that to be very disturbing and in some cases life threatening. I do agree with the fact that there are opportunities to have new experiences on line, but I do feel that if this is going to be made possible and continue on that their does need to be more screening than there is currently. I as well as others would feel much more safe and open if users knew more true information then is being given out at the current time. Works Cited Turkle, Sherry, "Identity in the Age of the Internet." Composing Cyberspace. ed. Richard Holeton. San Francisco: McGraw Hill, 1998, 5-11. Spender, Dale, "Gender Bending." Composing Cyberspace. ed. Richard Holeton. San Francisco: McGraw Hill, 1998, 69-75.

Evaluate and Reflect Upon Practice in Early Years Settings in Supporting Children’s Social Development

This rationale will discuss the issues around gender and whether or not as parents, teachers or practitioners we influence children into their gender identity or whether it is inherent within our genetic makeup. I will be evaluating the complexities of my role as a practitioner in supporting children’s social development and reflecting upon how I could improve and modify my practice. There are differing views when it comes to defining gender. Some use gender to focus on biological differences such as sex, physical differences or hormones (Guarian 2002: 20).Others refer to ‘gender’ as the social constructions of masculinity and femininity (ATL 2004: 9 and Francis et al 2005: 73) meaning boys’ and girls’ behaviours and attitudes, which are not necessarily fixed by their biological make up. There is therefore a need to realise that ‘gender’ can be and often is regularly an interchangeable term that can be suited to both of these definitions . Kohlberg (1966) in (Harris and Butterworth 2002) suggests that there are three stages of gender identity beginning around the age of two to three years.The first stage is Gender Identity, where children become aware of sex. A child will say ‘I am a boy’ for example but not necessarily know what being a boy means. The second stage is Gender Stability which happens around the ages of three and a half to four and a half years old. In this stage children will develop awareness and understanding of the durability of their own gender and of others, this is generally focused on the physical appearance and a child may think that a person who dresses in typically opposite gender clothing has also changed sex (Emmerich et al 1977 in Harris and Butterworth 2002).The third of Kohlberg’s stages is Gender Consistency. This usually happens around the age of four and a half and upwards and this is when children begin to realise that regardless of their appearance people remain male or female. When looking at gender within education, there is a need to consider what effect it has on a child’s achievement. The DfES (2007: 1) states that there is a gender gap within English, Maths and Science from Foundation Stage through to Key Stage Three, where girls are outperforming boys.The attention on gender and children’s achievement has been present both within the media and schools for many years. Recently this emphasis has been geared towards the underachievement of boys. Siraj-Blactchford (2001: 72) in (Sharp et al 2006) states: Recently we have heard a good deal in education debates about (working class) boys’ underachievement. The results from the school league- tables suggest some boys do underachieve in basic literacy. This is portrayed by the media as ‘failing’ and suggests that girls are outperforming boys in education.It may not necessarily be that boys have a low achievement rate, rather it could be that they are simply not yet reaching their full potential (Warrington et al 2006: 39). I feel therefore the media has over inflated the idea that boys are underachieving. Instead of focusing on the failure, the emphasis on underachievement here should be looking at which boys (or girls) are not reaching their full potential. From my experience I have seen that teachers and practitioners also act in ways that maintain and maybe even extend the gender roles that are taught at home.It seems they often emphasise gender distinction with labelling that promotes gender stereotyping. It seems that boys do get more attention than girls, whether it is good or bad, as teachers generally seem to think that because a girl is quiet they do not need their attention. Francis et al (2005: 92) reiterates the idea that boys’ underachievement is due to feminisation and female teachers however within my setting there are five male teachers and two male teaching assistants.I feel that this has a good impact on some of the children. In today’s society there is not always a mother and father within the family environment. There is an increase of fathers being absent within the child’s life. Having so many male teachers within my setting has encouraged children to see that it is acceptable to participate in what children perceive as stereotypical activities and even enjoy them without being teased by their peers.Stetsenko et al (2000) states that male and female brains differ from each other suggesting that boys generally excel in spatial tasks such as sport and girls are generally better academically. According to Blum et al, (1989: 16) boys’ brains have more cortical areas dedicated to the spatial mechanical functioning and they use on average only half the brain that females use for verbal – emotive functioning which essentially means that females are predominately seen as better talkers and listeners and males are doers.Having worked for nearly ten years in childca re and education and being a parent myself I have also realised that boys and girls do behave in different ways Mothers and Fathers are responsible for the initial gender socialisation of their children. As suggested by Bowlby (1969) in (Johnston and Nahmad- Williams 2009) family is the first and most important influence on a child’s social development. Many of a child’s early family experiences shape their initial motivations, values and beliefs.Bandura’s social learning theory (1963) suggests that boys learn how to behave from observing and imitating masculine behaviours especially from their fathers and girls learn from imitating their mothers. When children imitate same sex behaviours they are rewarded but imitating the opposite sex may result in threat or even punishment (Bandura 1963). This behaviour is mainly displayed by fathers when they come to pick up their sons and find them playing dress up or pushing a pram.This is a barrier that is still on-going within my setting but only with the fathers. Mothers do not seem to have a problem with this type of behaviour. I explain that the boys are only expressing themselves and generally not acting in a stereotypical way but having fun with the situation whereas when a girl dresses up she tends to pretend to be a mother figure. What the fathers do not tend to see is that although the boy is playing with the pram he is using it in a way that would not usually be displayed by a female.Even before a child is born and when parents know the sex of their child there is a tendency to buy and receive toys and clothes in either pink for a girl or blue for a boy. This is reinforced when the child is born and the hospital attaches either a blue or a pink wristband depending on the sex of the child. Research shows differences in the ways that boys and girls are treated by caregivers from the moment of birth. According to Archer and Lloyd (1982) baby boys are handled less gently by their caregivers be ing bounced and roughhoused, whereas baby girls are generally talked and sung to.It is suggested by Gervai et al (1995) and Woods et al (2001) that fathers more than mothers encourage â€Å"gender-appropriate† behaviour, and they place more pressure to achieve on sons than on daughters. In the early years parents are more likely to undertake activities such as drawing, reading books and singing with girls than boys (Siraj-Blatchford and Sammons 2004). I feel that only having a son I cannot make a fully informed judgement on this statement however I do feel that within my setting I allow girls to engage in rough and tumble play as much as the boys do.I feel that this is an important part of their social development. I also encourage all children to participate in more creative activities such as painting, cooking and making things. Through the growing process of a child, the toys that are given to them begin to define whether or not they are going to be typically and strongly masculine or feminine. Girls will generally play with dolls while boys choose cars and trucks (Kanazawa 2008) which suggests that maybe boys’ and girls’ toy preferences may have a biological origin.Studies with Vervet monkeys in 2002 showed the same sex typical preference as humans yet there was no influence from humans and they had not seen the toys before. What was even more remarkable was that the monkeys knew how to play with the toys in the same way a child would. Kanazawa (2008) states: It is becoming less and less likely that â€Å"gender socialisation† is the reason why boys and girls prefer different toys, and more and more likely that there are some genetic, hormonal, and other biological reasons for the observed sex differences in toy preference.The media also plays a role in gender socialisation and impacts on children’s play from an early age (Burke 2006). Parents of a girl would be more likely to put on programmes such as â€Å"My Little Po ny† and ‘Dora the Explorer’, whereas parents of a boy might show their child ‘Bob the Builder’ or ‘Postman Pat’. When a child is sitting in front of the television, they often see commercials with ladies either cooking or shopping and men working, driving or lifting. I feel that this portrays a universal image of what society thinks is right for males and females to do.Discussions with children have led me to believe that within their family environment it seems to be that mothers are now working longer hours than was the norm and fathers are spending more and more time taking care of their children and also carrying out tasks typically known as female roles by preparing food and going shopping. Through observation in my setting this seems to be the case. Sweden is unique in the value it places on gender equality (Berk 2006).They state that both genders are equal in the workforce, childcare and the home environment and men and women have the same rights including paternity leave and pay. According to several indicators the Swedish family model is very successful (Berk 2006). I feel that the United Kingdom is working towards the same model but because of all the old traditions that man has continued over the decades in the U. K. I feel that as a society we are less likely to let go and that it is up to the individual to form their own gender identity.Experience with children, wider reading and lectures in college have led me to develop the opinion that there are numerous influences on children regarding their gender identity and that there is a need for staff to be appropriately trained to enable them to meet the needs of both boys and girls. I feel that practitioners can be gender biased and may be likely to make general assumptions regarding gender issues. These assumptions would be stereotypes in themselves even though they are required to treat each child as an individual (Bignold 2006).Having this knowledge has helped me to develop my setting by having exciting resources which engage and motivate both individuals and gender groups. I feel this can have a positive impact on what children choose to take part in and help children step away from what they have been told is right for boys and girls. The design and layout of my setting is very important. It creates an environment where children can decide what and who they wish to play with by offering complete freedom of choice as far as toys and activities are concerned.This encourages a non-stereotypical environment in which boys and girls can interact comfortably and self-assuredly. It seems that nurseries, schools and the media are putting one gender against the other when it comes to academic levels. This has only highlighted an equality issue with regards to the differing achievement between genders. I feel that this emphasis needs to move away from comparing achievements according to gender but to focus on which children are underachievi ng in terms of both attainment and reaching their full potential.I feel that in order for me as a practitioner to achieve gender equality within my setting I need to make myself and my colleagues aware of any preconceptions I or they may hold. It is also vital that I create an environment and ethos where gender is not an issue. Children regardless of their gender are to be viewed and treated as individuals and given equal opportunities and experiences. Where the opportunities to access all areas of the curriculum are the same and gender stereotypes are challenged and deconstructed, it will become possible to move away from comparing gender gaps and focus on individual achievements instead. .

Over the Hedge Essay

Over the Hedge is an animated film about the difficulties little harmless animals experience when man encroaches on their habitat (Fry, 2006). The film starts with the end of winter and the animals in the forest are coming out of hibernation. A hyperactive and mischievous raccoon named RJ forages on the junk food of the bear; he escapes alive with the promise of returning all of the bear’s food within a week. On the other side, a family of cute little animals awakens with a green wall in the middle of their forest and suddenly fears what lies beyond the hedge. Verve the turtle ventures over the hedge to find out what was on the other side; however he was subjected to the ferocious human machines like the lawn mower, grass sprinkler, bikes and etc. He returns to the forest and warns that no one should ever venture over the hedge as it is dangerous. The group of animals however had another problem, they had no food. Then here comes, the rascal raccoon RJ and convinces the group that humans throw out their food every time and all they needed to do was go out there and gather it. Verve disagreed and warned them against the idea, but as food became scarce Verve finally agreed with RJ. RJ on the other hand was really thinking of how the group could help him gather the food he owed the bear and here the conflict started. The rest of the film tells about friendship, trust, honesty and love of family. The film does this effectively within the context of man’s environmental responsibility to be stewards of Mother Nature. The plot of the story was actually very simple however, since the characters were cute, furry, funny and adorable animals, the film held much interest. The visuals were very good; it was clear, crisp and very alive. Although one would notice that it was not created in the traditional way, in fact the movie’s animation were all computer generated, from the drawing to the filming. The sound was in the standard Dolby format, and it was clear and loud, however some of the characters dialogues were tweaked to resemble that of the animal, sometimes the dialogue got lost in the way it was pronounced but one could still understand the gist of the sentence. I especially liked the three baby possums because they were really cute, and they were very funny. They had this way of saying things in chorus and then either refuting or supporting each other and their thoughts resembled the candidness of children. The vividness of the colors and images really fed my interest in the film, however I was lost in the burping of the squirrel and the farting of the skunk, maybe the director thought it would add to the comedic element of the film, but it did not feel that way to me. The film talks about the importance of living well with our animal friends, and it shows a very real example of how man react to animals when they start invading our homes and community. The film however had the ability to make us realize that man had been the first to invade the animals’ home and since they get their food from their ecosystem, man’s invasion of their habitat also affects their existence (Peabody, 2006). The film is far from serious and boring, it is funny, entertaining and honest, and brutally honest I must say. The film actually appealed to my sense of justice and equality knowing that man and beast should live together in the best possible way. Although, the film was targeted for children of all ages, some of the dialogues were brazen and crude, thus the film landed in the PG rating, but all the same it contains the essential elements of a good story, interesting characters, excellent animation and great actors and this held my interest in the film until its end.