Smart phones Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Smart phones - Research Paper Example This link provides details about the law suits and the overall situation that is going on between Apple Inc, and other major players namely Nokia first, and now Samsung secondly. It gives an alarming note to Apple that the time and energy consumed in law suits is having a negative impact on the overall performance and standing of the company thereby it needs to get its act right in time. Assessment: this book provides an insight into the visionary man Steve jobs and his efforts how he changed the overall dynamics of operating systems and mobile interfaces in particular. He is the pioneer behind the newly introduced version of mobile phones in form of touch screens that were introduced in early part of 21st century. 6- Koetsier, John. http://venturebeat.com/2013/04/01/android-up-13-ios-down-7-blackberry-down-81-and-windows-phone-up-a-massive-52/. 1 April 2013. 8 May 2013 . Assessment: This article again provides a descriptive assessment of the findings from market standings and the current situation of the mobile phones. It provides the points gained in terms of popularity and the points lost in terms of market share by Samsung and Apple respectively. Assessment: This book takes into account the design, the relevant considerations in lieu of design, the methods incorporated, the tools that are used to facilitate the users of smart phones and other practices that are in common usage for purpose of communication establishment. Assessment: The study of this source is of high importance since it allows clear understanding of the concepts of Android Operating systems, the open source applications, the O.H.A, and the users who contribute towards making Android O.S more effective. The book provides a holistic over view of the entire set of operations that are in

The Impact of Discipline in the Behavior of Middle School Students Essay Example for Free

The Impact of Discipline in the Behavior of Middle School Students Essay Abstract: While the impact of discipline on middle school students can vary, it is important to investigate into practices and discipline strategies that have been proposed used and for middle school environments. It is becoming increasingly clear that problem behaviors need to be addressed not only by school staff but by the community. The following review outlines the fundamentals of middle school discipline, the strategies used and the effectiveness of each, as well as how to gauge effective methods. Middle school discipline has been a growing concern among school administration, families of the students and communities for over the past ten years. Many articles have stated that middle school students display the most aggressive behavior of all levels of education as well as having the highest bullying rate and discipline problems. Researchers agree that middle school is a breeding ground for negative behavior due to students desiring to find themselves and a place to fit in. Different methods have been implemented with varying results. Some experts have argued that many methods have not been given ample time frames in order to accurately depict success. However all relevant methods concern prevention, and in many cases intervention, when building a successful disciplinary system and improved behavior among students. Literature found on this subject is innumerable; the present review has two purposes: (a) review a sample of literature for its significance in understanding the discipline process as well as the effects it has on students and (b) reviewing and analyzing methods supported by the authors of said literature. The most prominent authors were George Sugai PhD., Robert H. Homer and Jeffrey Sprague; these authors contributed more several articles on disciplinary methods, some of which will be found in this review. The guidelines used when reviewing articles were if the methods of discipline discussed by the authors provided evidence, statistics and viability. The majority of the reviewed articles were found to be significant contributions for the implementation of disciplinary methods in middle school settings. When reviewing the chosen ten articles, the most commonly agreed theory was the need for improving upon the use of general solutions when dealing with negative behavior; such as, suspension and expulsion. The most significant articles explained the need for proactive programs to deter poor behavior as well as the inclusion of tested and approved methods. The following includes brief reviews of ten chosen articles from scholarly journals, the similarities found as well as opposing points of view and the conclusion of the most relevant findings. School-wide Approach to Discipline   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When evaluating a middle school in terms of its discipline procedures and their effectiveness, many times the particular school will find the need for method when dealing with poor behavior. The authors of all the chosen articles agree that a general approach to discipline does not work.   In A Schoolwide Approach to Student Discipline (Homer, Sugai and Horner, 2000) the authors express the theory of â€Å"a culture of competence† which they explain the importance of being proactive where the school as a whole would foster positive behavior and the expectations of the students to act accordingly. In support of this method several studies such as the High Five Program were discussed, revealing the effectiveness of such programs. Two other theories are expressed, in order to â€Å"address the needs of students at risk of disruptive behavior† the authors suggest that the schools create rapid response methods to support these students and prevent future discipline problems. The third theory is to focus on the students with â€Å"high-intensity problem behaviors†. While I agree with the first two theories, I think it is poor practice to focus on the students with disciplinary problems; while they need support, singling out any student as a problem child could cause further damage. The authors’ goal in writing this article was to persuade readers of the necessity of school-wide methods, where all students and administration are involved in the creation of a safe learning environment. The most informative article was found in Impact journal, the authors of School-wide Positive Behavior Support: Investing in Student Success (Horner, Sugai and Vincent, 2005) were thorough in their research and supporting data. The authors report the increase of problem behaviors among students and the need for building a much needed positive social culture. An extension of the school-wide method the School-wide positive behavior support (SW-PBS) method â€Å"is an approach that begins with a school-wide prevention effort† which â€Å"adds intensive individualized support for those students with more extreme needs†. Building from the theory represented in Sungai and Horners first article, where the need to focus on problem students was expressed, this approach provides high risk students with outlets for intervention. The remainder if this program expresses preventative strategies. What was most informative were the â€Å"five core strategies† of the SW-PBS which include: a) focus on prevention b) teaching appropriate social behavior and skills c) acknowledging appropriate behavior d) Gathering and making use of data about student behavior as a guide for behavior support decisions, and finally, e) investing in the systems that support adults in their implementation of effective practices. This method is becoming prominent, â€Å"2900 schools across 34 states are now implementing or in the process of adopting SW-PBS†, primarily in elementary and middle schools. Translating Research into Effective Practice: The Effects of a Universal Staff and Student Intervention on Indicators of Discipline and School Safety (Sprague, Walker, Golly et al. 2001)The methods examined in this study involve â€Å"†¦a universal intervention package aimed at improving the safety and social behaviors of students in elementary and middle schools. Its goals were to assist schools to provide effective educational services, behavioral supports, and social-behavioral skills teaching to all students in the school†. Like most researchers of modern discipline methods, the authors agree that general and quick solutions have little to no effects on middle school student behavior. By using the Effective Behavioral Support (EBS) Model to evaluate the school’s â€Å"discipline and climate† researchers were able to compare and contrast â€Å"treatment† schools and comparison schools. A very thorough study was performed and the results were consistent with the authors’ objectives, making EBS a viable disciplinary model. A newer method being discussed among schools and education professionals is the family centered approach. Implementing Family-Centered Interventions within the Public Middle School: Linking Service Delivery to Change in Student Problem Behavior (Stormshack, Dishion, Light and Yasui, 2005), discussed the change in preventative discipline from a strictly school setting to a family-centered method. As the authors explain, â€Å"despite the clear link between behavior problems at home and at school, mental health service delivery does not usually cross these settings and provide integrative solutions to problem behaviors.† The authors blame lack of â€Å"appropriate interventions†, school staff being trained and operating on an â€Å"individual model of development and service delivery† and shifts in priorities because of public opinion and policy. This particular article is most sensible. These authors believe children’s’ behaviors displayed in school are representative of their home lifestyles. â€Å"Effective family management skills are critical for preventing the developmental difficulties associated with adolescent problem behaviors†. The authors make reference to several studies supportive of their argument for family-centered interventions. The design of the Family Resource Center by the authors was used in studies to provide support. The results reported were positive. James K. Luiselli, Robert F. Putnam and Michael Sunderland were also supporters of school wide intervention and prevention methods. They did however address one problem occurring with the implementation of school-wide practices. It was their opinion that â€Å"effective schoolwide discipline practices have been designed, but in most cases, intervention efficacy has been evaluated in the short term†. That is reasoning behind the report in Journal of Positive Behaviors; Longitudinal Evaluation of Behavior Support Intervention in a Public Middle School (2002). This short term evaluation presented a problem of accuracy in reporting the usefulness of a certain method. â€Å"This report describes a longitudinal (4-year) evaluation of a behavior support program implemented with the entire student population in a public middle school†. This study was unique in three ways: a) it provided a long term rather than short (usually one year) evaluation b) this study, unlike others reported had included the entire population of a middle school; which in this case was in western Massachusetts and possibly the most unique characteristic of this study, c) â€Å"the procedures developed over the four-year period were solely the product of the staff at the school. There were limits (bias) to this study, such as the primary population came from middle to upper-middle class families; a more valid approach would have been to have samples of students from all classes. However, the program created by the staff was successful as reported by the authors. The staff program entailed a reward system for students behaving by the rules and expectations.   While it would not be this reader’s personal choice of programs, it did work successfully for that particular middle school. Staff Challenges   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What challenges does middle school staff face? The most commonly reported behavioral problem stems from bullying. Since the early 90s, schools have opened their eyes to the devastating effects of bullying. In a self-reported study, researched and reported by David W. McConville and Dewey G. Cornell, the researchers found that the link between aggressive attitudes and aggressive behavior were linked. Their research, found in the Journal of Emotional Behavior Disorders (2003) involved 403 middle school students of a suburban central Virginia school, and reporting via survey their personal â€Å"attitudes towards peer aggression†. Based on the students belief systems, students expressed what they though about bullying, what constitutes bullying and if they have ever fell victim to such students. While bullying is an enormous obstacle in learning institutions, especially middle school, this report was insignificant to the understanding of student aggression. To survey middle school students, who are at the peak of discovering their individuality and alliances with other students, is ludicrous, they can not be expected to answer truthfully for fear of being discovered by fellow students.  Ã‚   A more informative and useful report was found in the January 2006 issue of Middle School Journal. Bullying in Middle Schools: Prevention and Intervention is an in-depth look into the problems of bullying in middle schools. The authors believe that â€Å"school personnel must understand the scope of bullying in the United States as well as characteristics of bullies and victims†.     Both bullies and their victims are at risk of negative futures. The authors are in agreement that â€Å"†¦effective programs are comprehensive, targeting students, schools families and the community. With this theory the authors are combining all relative methods reviewed above. Building awareness, social skills and supportive intervention can improve student behaviors. This article was very informative and thorough in its research. One strategy found in the Middle School Journal relates to a method described in an article found in the Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, Volume 46. Four Pennsylvania teachers created a program to teach middle school students socialization skills and tolerance. With use of a popular, age appropriate novel, Crash, by Jerry Spinelli (1996, Random House), students engaged in an interactive learning experience. Students went beyond reading with role play, journal writing, â€Å"Readers Theatre† and several other activities to learn the moral of the story about the effects of bullying. The results were overwhelmingly positive. This study is relevant to a behavior support system, where staff is showing support to kids, giving them strength to stand up against bullying, while giving bullies an outlet and a way to stop problem behaviors. In theory, by creating â€Å"safe† classrooms, thus a safe school environment, the effects of bullying will decrease. The Middle School Journal depicted a similar anti-bully program, Bullybusters. The same strategy as using a novel, students are encouraged to participate in a play depicting the roles of students against bullying as well as demonstrating the effects of bullying. This too has excellent results. How Do We Know If It’s Working?   Regardless of the method used or the programs implemented, unless there is an accurate documenting process is which to base results on, the methods are useless. Long term school discipline needs to be in place for a positive change to occur; the only way of accomplishing this is to research, experiment and document. Most importantly a study or program use must be in place for more than one year to see accurate results. Using Office Discipline Referral Data for Decision Making about Student Behavior in Elementary and Middle Schools: An Empirical Evaluation of Validity (Irvin, Horner, Ingram, Todd, et al.2006) suggests strategies in which to evaluate the effectiveness of school-wide approach to student discipline. The authors believe that data-based decision making can be beneficial to the social climate of the school and behavior of the students. The authors present an â€Å"empirical study of the validity of one systematic approach to collecting and using such information†, including the information of student behavior when using intervention methods in a school-wide atmosphere. One may question the need for such an extensive report; however, because schools are in need of finding new methods to promote positive behavior and preventative disciplinary measures, it is in the school’s best interest to consider current and relevant studies on method effectiveness. The authors of Using Office Discipline†¦ used surveys and information contained in a â€Å"web-based computer application called SWIS which used for entering, organizing, managing, and reporting office discipline referral data, in order gather information of the effects of School Wide Disciplinary methods. The data provided was useful in determining whether to use a school-wide approach. The study was done locally and surveys can be misleading, the authors admit this, but for its basic purpose as a building block for further studies, it was informative. Terrance M. Scott and Susan B. Barrett suggest using the time spent as staff and student alike when engaged in disciplinary action as a source of evaluation. In Using Staff and Student Time Engaged in Disciplinary Procedures to Evaluate the Impact of School-Wide PBS (2004), the authors describe positive behavior support (PBS) as â€Å"the application of positive behavioral interventions and systems to achieve social change†. Tracking time and money spent on disciplinary actions is a useful technique in evaluating the effectiveness of a program, this is displayed in studies and statistical data provided by the authors; the results were, for the most part, positive, however the overall evaluation process is in itself time consuming. Conclusion The methods for middle school discipline are numerous, as research has shown, regardless of the method chosen, to have the best effect on the students a school must approach discipline as a school-wide process. After analyzing the above literature, it is clear that a disciplinary model must be used long-term and be followed with an appropriate evaluation. The most appropriate methods, in my opinion, were ones in which used interactive tools, such as a book or play, to engage students in positive behavior. It is clear that the old methods of general discipline have become obsolete. Communities, school staff and researchers have realized the need for a change in the school environment, especially middle schools, which are the highest rated institute for behavioral and disciplinary problems. References Barone, B., Kearns, J., Quinn, K., Stackhouse, S., Zimmerman, M., (2003). Using a Novel Unit to Help Understand and Prevent Bullying in Schools: Bullying Affects Most Children. Reading Activities Helped Middle School Students Become More Aware of This Serious Issue. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 46, 582+. Retrieved October 13, 2006 from Questia database. Boland, J., Horner, R., Ingram, K., Irvin, L., Sampson, N., Sugai, G., Todd, A., (2006). Using Office Discipline Referral Data for Decision Making about Student Behavior in Elementary and Middle Schools: An empirical Evaluation of Validity. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 8, 10+. Retrieved October 10, 2006 from Questia database. Homer, H., Horner, R., Sugai, G., (2000). A Schoolwide Approach to Student Discipline. School Administrator, 57, 20. Retrieved October 12, 2006 from Questia database. Horner, R., Sugai, G., Vincent, C., (2005). School-wide Positive Behavior Support: Investing in Student Success. Impact, Retrieved October 9, 2006 from http://ici.umn.edu/products/impact/182/over2.html Luiselli, J., Putnam, R., Sunderland, M., (2002). Longitudinal Evaluation of Behavioral Support Intervention in a Public Middle School. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 4, 182+. Retrieved October 13, 2006 from Questia database. McConville, D.W., Cornell, D., (2003). Aggressive Attitudes Predict Aggressive Behavior in Middle School Students. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 11, Iss. 3, 1. Retrieved October 10, 2006 from Questia database. Milson, A., Gallo, L., (2006) Bullying in Middle Schools: Prevention and Intervention. Middle School Journal, 37, 12-19. Retrieved October 12, 2006 from http://www.nmsa.org/Publications/MiddleSchoolJournal/Articles/January2006/Article2/tabid/693/Default.aspx Scott, T., Barrett, S., (2004). Using Staff and Student Time Engaged in Disciplinary Procedures to Evaluate the Impact of School-Wide PBS. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 6, 21+. Retrieved October 9, 2006 from Questia database. Sprague, J., Walker, H., Golly, A., White, K., Myers, D., Shannon, T., (2001). Translating Research into Effective Practice: The Effects of a Universal Staff and Student Intervention on Indicators of Discipline and School Safety. Education Treatment of Children, 24, 495+. Retrieved October 10, 2006 from Questia database. Stormshak, E., Dishion, T., Light, J., Yasui, M., (2005). Implementing Family-Centered Interventions Within the Public Middle School: Linking Service Delivery to Change in Student Problem Behavior. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 33, 723+. Retrieved October 15, 2006 from Questia database.

Sources of stress in elite football players

Sources of stress in elite football players Sources of stress in elite football players. Abstract In this piece we shall look at stress, its definition, and its potential occurrence in the world of the professional football player. We will examine the possible sources and use current literature sources to support our assertions. Having done that we shall examine in detail the case of Mr Vasey, a youngster who embarked on a professional football career but did not make it onto the elite circuit. We shall examine his personal account for evidence to support or refute our assessment. If you read some of the tabloid newspapers, you could be forgiven for thinking that an elite footballer’s life is little more than huge amounts of money, fast cars, a succession of pretty women and endless adulation from mindlessly adoring fans when performing on the football pitch. Some of the more disreputable papers may also dwell on a slightly different (but generally equally false) aspect of their life, the drink, drugs, sordid sex romps in hotel rooms and gambling. The truth of the matter, in the vast majority of cases, is that the elite footballer is a finely honed athlete at the peak of his training. He is required to perform daily in training routines and in the gym, less frequently on the pitch, and put himself at risk of career threatening injuries on a regular basis. All this is done in the full knowledge that he has worked his way up a professional ladder to a comparatively short window of elite performance and that there are always many more hopefuls who are climbing up behind him either waiting to push him off or to watch him as he falls. You may regard the introduction as rather melodramatic, but it is intended to illustrate the very different perceptions that are commonly held about the lifestyles of the elite footballer. In this piece we are going to review the stresses and pressures that are commonly experienced by this elite group and also how they (generally) manage to cope with them. We also intend to illustrate the theoretical problems faced by the elite footballer with a real case study of a young man, Mr Peter Vasey who has gone a long way to becoming one of the elite group and then, for various reasons, which we shall discuss, decided not to pursue it further. Stress and Stress management We all think that we know what stress is and that we can easily recognise it. It actually proves to be a very hard item to define as firstly, it is important to distinguish between physical (biological) stress and psychological stress. The two are clearly related but fundamentally different. Secondly, stress is a multitude of different responses to a multitude of different potential causes. In this piece we are going to consider the various causes of psychological stress on elite footballers. In this context we can look for a definition of stress in a particularly informative article by Crampton et al. (1995) . She reviews the various definitions of stress. â€Å"Hans Selye (1956), a pioneer in stress research, has defined stress as the non-specific response of the body to any demands made upon it (Kreitner Kinicki, 1992, p. 597). It is considered to be an internal state or reaction to anything we consciously or unconsciously perceive as a threat, either real or imagined (Clarke, 1988). Stress can evoke feelings of frustration, fear, conflict, pressure, hurt, anger, sadness, inadequacy, guilt, loneliness, or confusion (Cavanagh, 1988). Individuals feel stressed when they are fired or lose a loved one (negative stress) as well as when they are promoted or go on a vacation (positive stress). While many individuals believe they must avoid stress to live longer, Freese (1976) argues that it is the salt and spice of life and that to have no stress we would have to be dead.† Selve defines the basic â€Å"biological† interpretation of stress while the Kreitner definition starts to incorporate the possible psychological elements that generate the biological responses. Clarke adds to our understanding by considering the psychological responses that can be produced by various stresses and Cavanagh modifies the definition further by introducing the concept of positive and negative stress. Freese makes the very perceptive comment that stress is an integral and inevitable feature of life itself. This particular insight can be taken rather further insofar as there are some individuals who find stress hard to cope with (non-copers) and others who appear to positively thrive in stressful situations (copers) In terms of our footballers under consideration, we must accept that stress can, and does affect performance as we shall discuss (see on). Basic psychological   theory shows us that individuals who are less than optimally stressed may not make enough effort to achieve their designated goal whereas those who are overstressed may not be able to concentrate on the task in hand and perform to their maximum capacity. In either eventuality it is clear that optimal performance is impaired. Equally it follows that there is an optimal amount of stress to achieve optimum performance. In practical terms, that â€Å"optimal amount† is only really possible to quantify in retrospect, and that is why many would describe the work of the team manager, coach and trainer as an art rather than a science. Haspels (2004) looked specifically at the levels of stress in pre- and post-match footballers. Unsurprisingly, he found that the highest levels of stress were found pre-match in an International game. One of the standard measures of stress in the resting subject is the cortisol level. Unfortunately physical activity also puts up cortisol levels so one of the major predictors of stress was rendered useless in this study. Haspels also found that the players performed best when their stress levels were controlled before the game   Work by Anshel (2001) looked at the causes of acute stress on the playing field and came to the rather surprising conclusion that the major causes of stress in that particular situation was consistently found to be receiving what was perceived to be a bad call from the referee and making a major physical error (missed kick etc.) When these eventualities occurred, the athletes concerned tended to make negative cognitive appraisals followed by an avoidance coping strategy. The same study also found that approach coping was most commonly seen after positive appraisals. These observations clearly support the transactional coping model. The use of appraisals and coping strategy was directly dependent on the perceived nature of the stressful event. Stress is an inherent part of football. It may, in part, be added to by the unrealistic expectations of the coaches, managers and the fans. Every team in the league is told that â€Å"this year the cup will be ours† at the beginning of the season and all the training, playing and motivation will be directed towards winning it. The reality, of course, is that only one team will win it. Continued stress has been cited as the main reason for many of the younger players (including our study subject) for their lack of enjoyment and subsequently leaving the game. It is interesting to note that many sources cite youth as one of the causes of acute stress on the grounds that the youngster may not yet have developed the physical sports skills and coping strategies that the older, more experienced players have. We will not consider this element further as our concern in this piece is primarily the elite footballer who, by definition, has already mastered his game. In broad terms, according to Lazarus (1999), coping with stress consists of a person’s conscious attempt at managing the demands and intensity of events perceived as stressful or improving ones personal resources (e.g., positive affect, confidence, self-control) in attempting to reduce or manage ones perceived stress intensity. He also observes that one of the critical factors in an athlete’s adoption of a particular coping strategy is their cognitive appraisal of the stressful event or situation. Lazarus sums up his appreciation of the coping response as an athlete’s ability to accurately appraise the situation and the subsequent use of an appropriate coping strategy as the critical factor in explaining an athlete’s physiological and psychological adaptation to stress in sport.  Ã‚   Method Our method of investigation falls into two parts. In terms of the stresses faced by elite footballers and their coping mechanisms, we have consulted, appraised and quoted authoritative literature on the subject. In terms of the real problems faced by Mr. Vasey, we have interviewed him and the results of the interview are appended to this piece as appendix I Sources of potential stress Clearly there are a great many sources of potential stress that our hypothetical elite footballer may face. Broadly speaking they can be categorised into:- Sport related stress.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Performance anxiety  Ã‚  Ã‚   Alpha male problems in a team game  Ã‚  Ã‚   Age  Ã‚  Ã‚   Competition stress   Ã‚  Ã‚   Constant motivation  Ã‚  Ã‚   Exercise dependence   Ã‚  Ã‚   Constant levels of fitness  Ã‚  Ã‚   Injury concerns   Ã‚  Ã‚   Dietary concerns  Ã‚  Ã‚   Drug monitoring concerns  Ã‚  Ã‚   Premature retirement Financial  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Living up to a perceived lifestyle  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Transient nature of   income  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Income dependent on continued performance Publicity related  Ã‚   Media attention  Ã‚   Family intrusion  Ã‚   Privacy intrusion Direct stress-related problems  Ã‚   Drink  Ã‚   Drugs  Ã‚   Relationship problems   Ã‚   Cognitive functioning   Let us consider each one of these potential stresses in turn Sports related stresses Performance anxiety In a well written and comprehensive article, Poczwardowski and Conroy (2002) discuss the stresses and coping mechanisms of elite performers. They categorise the various coping mechanisms into 36 sub-categories on the basis of direct interviews. The standard categorisations of problem-focused, emotion-focused, appraisal-focused, and avoidance-focused etc. were amplified and extended to cover a greater rang of detected strategies. For example   greater motivational changes after failure was reported by one athlete as a stimulus to train harder so as not to fail a second time. Stress can affect different sportsmen in different ways. Some appear to thrive and perform well, others find that it is a bar to optimum performance. Those elite footballers in the first category do not need any intervention as far as their performance in the game is concerned but an interesting study by Solberg et al. (2000)   looked at the use of different relaxation techniques pre- and post performance in elite athletes. They found that athletes who practised meditation-related relaxation techniques had their blood lactate levels returning to normal quicker than their non-relaxed counterparts. Contrary to expectation however, they found no significant difference in their levels of pre-exercise anxiety. Alpha-male problems in a team game This is an anecdotally reported phenomenon which does not appear to have been investigated from a scientific perspective. The typical alpha-male personality type is over represented in the elite footballer community. Aggression, speed, firmness of decision making, independence and rapid responses are all prized attributes of the elite footballer. These are seldom attributes that are seen in the personality types that are happy playing as an integral part of a team. Football, by its very nature, is played by a team of eleven on the pitch and off the pitch, a very much larger team is involved. Prima Donna behaviour, typical of the alpha-male, cannot be easily accommodated in such circumstances. It may be tolerated as long as the player concerned is delivering the results, but it can be an enormous cause of stress when the results stop being delivered. Age Footballers get older. In terms of their professional use, they age perhaps faster than professionals in other fields. There is a very narrow   â€Å"window of opportunity† for them to be at the top of their chosen field. To play at elite level for more than a decade is considered to be quite unusual. Part of the reason for this is the natural ageing process which is present in every other individual, but also there is the ever-present problem of both career threatening injury and also the huge wear and tear on the joints (see on) which can give rise to significant health impairment in later life. Turner et al. (2000)   examined this problem in some detail and their results make impressive reading. Their cohort were all professional footballers. 32% of whom reported having surgery on at least one occasion. Of those, over half had knee surgery and a quarter of those had complete joint replacements. 15% reported having hip surgery with another 9% awaiting surgery. Others in the group were having non-invasive treatments. Nearly half had physiotherapy in one form or another for injuries sustained during their career and over a quarter were having some form of analgesia or anti-inflammatory drugs for pain associated with football injuries. Osteoarthritis (OA) was diagnosed in at least one site in nearly half of the respondents and the vast majority of those were hips and knees. Significantly nearly 10% were registered as disabled due to OA and, very significantly, 72% of all respondents agreed with the statement   I am concerned with how OA may affect my body in the future, clearly a major source of potential stress.(Barlow et al. 2000) Although joint problems were, predictably, seen as the most common pathology, other morbidity was found. Neuropsychological problems were not uncommon, presumably related to episodes of concussion or repeated trauma such as heading the football. 10 of the group reported problems such as memory complaints, dizziness and headaches. Sport related problems included early retirement, enforced reduction in working hours or even a change to a sedentary occupation. Not only can all of this be viewed as a major source of stress to those who are suffering because of it, but also it must be stressful for the still-active player who may know what may be in store for him. Competition stress This is an area that has been extensively studied. Competition stress can be an enhancer for some players but equally it can be an inhibitor for others. There is a distinction to be made between the trait of anxiety and the state of anxiety which is quite significant and, to a large extent, is a reflection of the ability of the individual to cope with and handle the stress levels. Sanderson and Reilly (1983)   did the classic study in this field. Their target group were elite athletes. They found that the group of athletes who had the anxiety trait correlated highly with those who had high pre-race anxiety states and this correlated highly with the actual race performance. Very significantly, the greatest reduction in post-race anxiety levels was seen in those runners who performed well in their races. Constant motivation In order to maintain elite footballer status a player must find a source of constant motivation. Initially, in his adolescent training days, the motivation may be personal glory and the goal orientated drive that comes with wishing to achieve professional status. Having achieved that goal however, the player must then find other motivational drives to maintain his progress. For some, it drive comes from considerations of status and wealth, for others it could be the need for adulation and fame, others may have personal goals of achieving the pinnacle of their chosen profession, these are the achievement-junkies that are seen in any professional walk of life. Whatever the motivation, success invariable comes at a cost. Decisions, and therefore usually sacrifices, have to be made along the route of attainment and achievement. In this piece we are considering specifically the elite footballer who, by definition, has managed to achieve the peak of his career. We should perhaps also consider the   other athletes who by virtue of circumstance, situation, lack of motivation or perhaps even random differences in pre-natal myelination patterns, do not actually achieve the top of their profession. We shall discuss one such case in the case-study at the end of this piece. For every elite footballer, there are many who do not make the top echelon of players. There are arguably even more stress factors in this group who what to achieve but for one reason or another, cannot. As far as motivation is concerned, this is a major concern of every coach and manager in the country for reasons that we have set out above. Most premier teams will have psychologists who are motivational   specialists. Motivational theory is evolving at a rapid rate and reversal theory is the current â€Å"idea of the moment†. A particularly good book on the subject is edited by Apter (2001) . It deals with not only the current thinking on the subject but also the actual evolution of the reversal theory from its conception in the 70’s through to the applications of the present day. Significantly it also deals with the specific subject of stress engendered by the motivational process. It is a highly technical book and therefore we do not propose to enter into detail about its contents, but it highlights the psychological issues of burn-out, apathy and depression that are commonly seen in constantly ( and inappropriately) motivated players. In the context of elite footballers, there is a fascinating and short article by McNair (1996)   which looked at the effect of verbal encouragement on maximal effort output.   The game of football is anecdotally renowned for the aggressive verbal abuse beloved by many trainers, coaches and managers. One may argue that it is only a manifestation of their own frustrations and stresses that causes them to behave in this way and it is certainly a cause of stress to the players (clearly it is intended to be). McNair’s paper produces a cast-iron rationale for this â€Å"encouragement† as he found, by means of a very simply designed study, that verbal encouragement does increase the maximal output of skeletal muscle. Interestingly, while measuring the actual power output, he also measured the EMG tracings of the afferent nerves supplying the relevant muscles and found that verbal encouragement did not change the EMG readings, so the actual cause of the improvement was not ascertained but it was nonetheless real. Constant levels of fitness Constant levels of fitness are clearly a pre-requisite for an elite footballer. There may well be periods of injury where the fitness levels fall, but they must be quickly re-established in order to achieve optimum performance levels. Fitness, in general terms equates with earning power and job security for a elite footballer, so the overriding goal must be to achieve peak fitness at all times. This, in certain circumstances, can become an obsession (See on – exercise dependence) Exercise dependence Many studies have shown the exercise can give rise to demonstrable health benefits – both chronic and acute. There are some people for whom exercise actually becomes an obsession (Hurst et al. 2000). This is a real disease entity resulting in behaviour patterns that compel an individual to exercise despite the presence of obstacles. It also can produce both psychological and physical symptoms of withdrawal, if exercise cannot be taken (Pierce, 1994) ( Veale, 1995) (Thaxton 1982). These patterns are commoner in women and often associated with eating disorders but they are also seen in male athletes. Bamber et al. (2000)   has authored a paper which   produced a qualitative analysis of the whole issue. She found that elements of an eating disorder were always present to a greater or lesser degree, but that this was hard to quantify as many athletes will pursue closely monitored dietary regimes in any event. This syndrome is commonest in women, but does occur in men, particularly   it seems in those who have low self-esteem or a poor self-image. It may be thought that such traits are unusual in the context of elite footballers but perceived body image does not always reflect the true physique. Any experienced healthcare professional will tell you about the anorexic or muscle dysmorphic who perceives something quite different when they look in the mirror. It is commonly believed that such conditions are a result of compensation syndromes. People may have a need to try to excel in one area if they feel that they are in some way failing in another.(Bamber 2003) Injury concerns Injury is the footballer’s constant fear. Football is a fast and occasionally violent game with frequent body contact being an intrinsic part of the game plan. Injury can vary from trivial to catastrophic or even life-threatening. Most injuries will have an impact on the elite footballer either at the time of the injury or, as we have seen above, at a later stage in his life. We have referred earlier to the comparatively short earning window of the elite footballer and clearly there will be considerable stresses involved if that window is cut short for any reason. Because of the huge investment that the average elite footballer represents to any club, a huge amount of energy and resources are employed to get an injured player back onto the field of play. It has to be said that the vast majority of professional clubs act responsibly in allowing injuries to heal properly before returning the player to training, but there will be the inevitable pressure on the less-than-scrupulous coach to get the player back on the field before full recovery has taken place. This has costs to the player in terms of impaired performance and also in terms of long term problems arising from an incompletely healed injury. Ekstrand et al. (2004)   looked at the problem as a result of the 2002 World Cup. They cite one of the major reasons for injury as being the frequency of the matches in a packed calendar for the top players. Injuries which would normally be regarded as comparatively minor did not get the usual chance to heal completely before the next game was due to be played. This resulted in a rising accumulative total of injuries above what might otherwise be expected over a comparatively short period. The study found that, over the ten months of the World Cup games the average player played 36 matches. The top players form each team played, on average, 46 matches over the same period. The survey showed that the players who played in the World Cup matches sustained 29% more injuries than players from the same teams who did not play. 32% underperformed when compared to their normal standard. These players had played statistically more matches than those who were felt to have played better than expected. One major finding was that 60% of the players who had played more than one match in the week before a World Cup match were either injured or underperformed during the World Cup game. The clear inference from this study is that tiredness and physical burnout affects performance in elite footballers. At the highest levels, players, clubs and coaches should be aware that this is a real phenomenon. And, at the very least, is a considerable cause of stress to the players. Orchard and Seward (2002)   Took this concept a stage further and looked at the injuries sustained by the entire Australian Football League over seasons from 1997-2000. Their findings are a major source of concern to the elite footballer world. In a season each team of 40 players would expect to receive 39 separate injuries. Clearly some players would be injured more than once (The major predisposing factor for injury is a pre-existing injury). The injury prevalence of players missing through injury in a week was 16% with a recurrence rate of 17%. They found that the commonest injury was to the hamstrings, followed by ACL strains and then groin injuries. For an elite footballer who depends upon his ability to play for his income, these figures represent a great cause of potential stress. Before leaving this area, we should consider one other area of injury which we touched upon earlier, and that is the sequelae of concussion. Bloom et al (2004) looked at this particular problem in great detail with particular reference to the psychological changes that were observed to occur after the injury. After suffering a concussive injury, the elite footballer was found to suffer from a greater incidence of symptoms of isolation, pain,anxiety, and disruption of daily life as a result of the injury. The investigators found that a source of added stress was, unexpectedly, from other team members who appeared to be giving support but were subliminally putting pressure on the injured athlete to return to play. The investigators found a worrying number of unexpected psychological symptoms including anger, denial, depression, distress, bargaining, and shock. Clearly this needs to be both recognised and addressed if the impact of the injury is not to be a further source of stress to the injured footballer Dietary concerns The elite footballer must always be at peak fitness and as a result his diet must always be under scrutiny. Fitness generally needs a BMI in the region of 20-23. Significant weight gains beyond this range not only reduce performance levels but also increase the wear and tear on the joints. We have already discussed the extent to which the knee joint is stressed during football training and playing. Adding weight to this joint is clearly only going to add to the degenerative changes that occur. An elite footballer needs to be able to accelerate his body mass rapidly in a given direction. It follows that the greater the body weight, the greater effort is needed. He will know this both at a cerebral level and also at an instinctive level. He will know that if his weight goes up significantly then it becomes harder for him to run as fast and to turn as efficiently. The average elite footballer is therefore very careful with regard to his diet. The average man in the population can afford to go out for an occasional extravagant meal or the odd evening or two at the pub without worrying too much about the consequences. The consequences for the elite footballer are that, in doing such things he would have to reduce his calorie intake over the next few days in order to maintain the status quo. This again can become a major source of stress for many. As the years go by, the average male tends to become slower and to put on weight as a natural process. This insidious reduction in the body’s efficiency is obviously a concern to a footballer who will often try to combat this trend with ever more aggressive training programmes and dietary regimes – again another source of stress. Drug monitoring concerns A number of elite footballers have hit the headlines lately as a result of random drug tests, either through failing or missing them. Doping and drug-enhanced training is a fact of professional football life in the current climate. It follows that the regulatory powers have to be ruthless in their quest for a drug-free sport. The fact that some players do gamble against the odds and take performance enhancing medications and drugs is a reflection of the stress and pressure that they feel under to constantly perform. It equally follows that they must feel that their performance is not good enough if they need to resort to such measures. The problems do not stop at performance enhancing drugs. Stress and other factors may tempt a player to use drugs of a different sort. Recreational drugs are common in elite footballer circles. In support of this statement we would consider the paper by Turner (2003)   In which he states that a recently retired elite footballer claimed that 80% of elite footballers in Australia had either been offered or used recreational drugs. This statement was extensively reported in the Press and other sources quoted the figure as being nearer 30%. The truth of the matter will clearly never be known but it can be contrasted with the figure from the UK which shows that over 18% of all the positive drugs screening tests done on athletes are currently for recreational drugs. This can be put in perspective against the 35% positive findings for stimulants and 25% for anabolic agents Premature retirement Retirement is a fact of life for all workers.   As we have discussed earlier, retirement from active playing – and therefore from a high earning capacity tends to come at a much earlier age for a footballer. It is therefore a major incentive to keep playing at a high level for as long as possible. Retirement through the natural ageing process is something that the elite footballer obviously has to come to terms with. It is comparatively unusual for a top rank footballer to be playing into his forties. He may have the experience to play well, but he is always judged on his results, and the fact of the matter is that there will always be younger players who will generally be faster and filled with raw enthusiasm ready to jump into any vacant slot at the top. The elite footballer therefore knows that his playing days are always numbered. We have discussed earlier the problems faced by the elite footballer in respect of the ever-present danger of injury. Clearly a career-ending injury can come at any time. It can be career-ending because of a dramatic incident such as a major fracture of a major bone or it can be a more subtle process, a bad tackle gives rise to an ankle injury which, in turn gives rise to an unstable ankle that does not allow the pivoting action necessary for efficient play. It becomes obvious that the player is not performing as well as another player in the squad and therefore he is replaced with greater frequency and then he becomes dispirited and eventually dropped from the team. The end process is just the same in either eventuality – cessation of an active playing career and the concurrent loss of high earning capacity. The result can be devastating for a man who, in order to achieve elite footballer status, may well have devoted a substantial proportion of his adolescent and adult life to improving and perfecting his football skills. He finds himself effectively out of a job at an age where most men are still looking forward to at least twenty more years of productive work. The immediate openings for him are limited to training, coaching or managing, all of which are highly competitive as they have been filled by his footballing predecessors and generally, they are not as well paid as his previous career. The stresses and psychological traumas are all too easy to see if the elite footballer has not been particularly level-headed in his approach to the profession. The unlikely body of Windsor Insurance Brokers Ltd. published a study of an investigation into the career-ending incidents of professional footballers in the UK (1997)   which makes interesting reading. They did not analyse the actual levels of stress that we are concerned about in this piece, but their findings make sobering reading to the current generation of elite footballers.   It would appear that few elite footballers actually reach retirement age without a significant injury. That injury is responsible (either directly or indirectly) for the eventual d

Catcher In The Rye: Everybodys A Phony :: essays research papers

Everybody’s A Phony J. D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, is a very well known piece of the twentieth century. It’s a story about a seventeen-year-old boy, Holden Caufield, who experiences some interesting things and people upon his being expelled from Pencey Prep. School. From having breakfast with a couple of nuns on a bus, to spending an evening with a far from seraphic prostitute, Holden handles each situation the best way he can. However, most of the people Holden encounters, he deems innately phony; Holden thinks almost everyone is a phony. Holden discusses how phony his headmaster at Elkton Hills, Mr. Haas, was when he was there: [Mr. Haas] was the phoniest bastard I ever met in my life . . .. On Sundays, for instance, old Haas went around shaking hands with everybody’s parents when they drove up to school. He’d be charming as hell and all. Except if some boy had little old funny-looking parents. . . . I mean if a boy’s mother was sort of fat or corny-looking or something, and if somebody’s father was one of those guys that wear those suits with big shoulders and corny black-and-white shoes, then old Haas would just shake hands with them and give half and hour with somebody else’s parents (13-14). To Holden, it was blatantly clear that Mr. Haas was just putting on act to please the parents who showed up. He thought that everyone should be himself and not wear stupid facades.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Holden Caulfield lived in the Ossenburger Memorial Wing in his dormitory. That hall was only for juniors and seniors. The dorms were named after this person named Ossenburger who also went to Pencey Prep. School a long time ago. After Ossenburger got out of Pencey, he made a lot of money in the undertaking business, and he gave a pittance to the school. That pittance is why the hall was named after him. Then the next morning, Ossenburger gave a speech to the students of Pencey Prep. about how he was never ashamed when he was in some kind of trouble, but he would get right down on his knees and pray to God, and that you should always talk to God wherever you are. Ossenburger said to think of God as your friend. Caulfield got a kick out of this speech thinking how he could â€Å"Just see this phony bastard .

The White Pages Website in Context of an Information System

Examine the White Pages Website in context of an information system Submitted by: Ivan Tabal Submitted to: Mr. Chris Kalodikis Information Processes and Technology Year 11 Marist College Kogarah Introduction The White Pages website’s purpose, like other telephone directories, is to allow the telephone number of a subscriber identified by name and address to be found. Subscriber names are generally listed in alphabetical order, together with their postal or street address and telephone number. The general purpose of the website is to allow people to easily find others through search features, such as quick search and reverse lookups.This report will examine the purpose and its importance of the White Pages website, the information processes involved and the people who use it and also the participants who’s contributed towards its development. It will then go on to outline the appropriate data needed to run the website and also the information technology involved in order to produce the website. The final part of the report will discuss the influences made by the environment during the website’s development and the social and ethical issues raised during the website’s development. The Purpose * Who is the white pages for?The Purpose of the white pages is to provide information of peoples, name address, phone number. It also provides information on businesses, and governments organisations. It was originally designed to help people find quick information about others for travelling purposes. But today it is slowly becoming obsolete due to some ethical and social issues. * Why is it an important source of information? It was an important source of information because it contained important details about people, which could be accessed to help friends or family members easily find their location or call them.The White pages provide information on suitable shops that people would want to attend to and for different types of problems. This includes the taxation companies, it companies The Information Processes Involved * How is the data collected? Data is collected through a number of ways into the white pages. Each year it must print out white pages about businesses and residence. It can collect its information by people who have provided them with information about either residential or Business or The white pages reuses information from older contacts that have been given before. * How is data organized?Data is organized into three categories: 1st Category is the residential. It contains addresses and phone numbers of people who have registered in the white page and provide their information to be easily found. 2nd Category is for Businesses, which use the website to mostly advertise to the public which can hopefully give them an edge over other businesses. But today businesses mostly use the internet to advertise and the TV or billboards. 3rd Category is the Government category which shows laws in the states, educ ation, provides information on immigration, health and other social factors that can affect a person.But the information is very limited and contains nothing for most of the links clicked except education. The data is then sub organised into different section, e. g. for Businesses it provides different categories for IT, Taxation, Health, Banking, Beauty and etc. This is made to easily locate the business which the consumer is looking for. * How is the data analysed? The data from the people of businesses or of residents is firstly stored on the website as data. It is then transformed according to what information it contains into 3 categories. Data is searched, selected and sorted.We as users of the website are able to Search and Select the data which is provided through the white pages. But before we are able to do this it must be entered and classified by the Analysts and People working in White Pages * How is the data stored? Data can be stored in different ways on the White Pag es. Most likely on Rational Database which is stored and kept on a server. This allows for the White pages website to keep the information in one particular spot without moving the hardware. The data is retrieved by people by first clicking on the object we want to see.The request then goes to the hardware server and the request is searched and goes back to the user with the information so he can see. * How is the data processed? Data is processed through a number of ways. Existing records of the white pages are renewed each year. They are asked about any changed that have occurred to see if the company has changed or close down and then update the white pages. The same process is done with residents, and updated, but if the residents do not want their information held in the white pages they can take it down. * How is the data transmitted?The data is transmitted through the internet to users. From the White pages server through the internet of the person’s computer and then displays the requested information to the person. * How is the data displayed? It can be displayed through a number of ways which can include Screens and Printers. Screens – Displays the text and information through a screen of a computer. Printer – Displays the text in a book which can be written and printed. The Participants Involved When the white pages were created, they were created by a company which collected information about people.Workers of the white pages may have included system analysts, printer, directors, overseers, editors and people who collected the information from customers either by going from door to door or registering them in the local post office. People who used the white pages were every day citizens. They needed the white pages before to find each other when needed. Now the citizens of the new generation are stopping to use the white pages even though by law they must be printed. The Appropriate Data * Residents who register into the white pages can provide: * Their first and last name Suburb * Address * Phone number * Businesses who register can provide: * Their name * Owners name * Phone number * Suburb they are located * Brief description about them * Government who register have to provide * Name of Business of Government * Phone * Address The Methods of Information Technology Required * Hardware involved in producing the White Pages Website * Internet-ready PC * Domain * Fibre optics (wired internet) * Software required to produce the White Pages Website * HTTPD e. g. Apache * Internet * Computer methods required to output information Audio; speakers, headphones, earphones, headsets, microphones * Hardcopy; printing, photocopying * Internet services The Influences Made Towards the Environment During the Website’s Development Like many other telephone directory companies, running phone books on websites has made positive impacts towards the reduction of cutting down trees and also the disposal of phone book s in landfills which is a major contributor towards pollution. A survey shows that almost 75% costumers are completely unaware of the environmental and financial impact in printing, delivering and recycling these books.Online access to white pages, yellow pages etc. is becoming more and more popular and a much better choice as it is easier to find others whilst also making positive contributions to the reduction of phone book wastes. It is also cheaper and easier to run for companies due to the ease of access and flexibility it provides for their employees, whereas phone book publishers go through a series of process in order to make and deliver their phone books, every year. As for the website, it only requires minimal effort to keep it running, at a lower cost and in a less tedious manner.The THREE Social and THREE Ethical Issues Raised in the Development of the Website Social and ethical issues associated with: 1. Planning, design and implementation * Machine-centred systems simp lify what computers do at the expense of participants * Human-centred systems as those that make participants’ work as effective and satisfying as possible * How the relationships between participants change as a result of the new system * Ensuring the new system provides participants with a safe work environment * Awareness of the impact the system may have on the participants: * Opportunities to use their skills Meaningful work * Need for change * Opportunities for involvement and commitment 2. Information systems and database * Acknowledgment of data sources * The freedom of information act * Privacy principles * Accuracy of data and the reliability of data sources * Access to data, ownership and control of data * New trends in the organisation, processing, storage and retrieval of data such as data warehousing and data-mining 3. Communication systems * The use of communication systems to share knowledge, not just data * Issues related to messaging systems Ideas delivered by this means appear less forceful and caring than ideas delivered personally * Danger of being misinterpreted * Power relationships * Privacy and confidentiality * Electronic junk mail * Information overload * Implications of Internet trading including: * Local taxation laws * Employment ramifications * Nature of business * Trading over the Internet and its commercial implications * The difficulties of censoring content on the Internet * Issues arising from Internet banking, including: Security of banking details * Changing nature of work * Branch closure and job loss * The removal of physical boundaries by enabling: * Work from home * Virtual organisations, ie organisations structured around the communication system * Removal of national and international barriers to trade * How participants are supported: * Individuals by providing a means for communication * Participant teams by enabling the exchange of ideas and data * The emerging trend of accessing media such as radio and vid eo across the Internet

Discrimination †Thought Essay

1. What do you consider to be the most valuable information you got from this class? Why do you consider this most valuable? I think that the most valuable thing that I took from this class is the fact that racism is still very much a major part of our society. Growing up in rural Iowa I always new that there were racist people, but I never knew how the racism actually affected our society and how strongly it influences such things as government funding for education and housing developments. Racism and prejudice always seemed secondary to me. I always knew that this country had issues with racism, but I never imagined that it affected serious issues so heavily. Minorities in this country are put at a greater disadvantage then whites. Many minorities especially those that do not speak English as their primary language have to deal with inadequate housing, under funded school districts and the everyday struggle of discrimination for their differences and beliefs. 2. To what extent, if any, has your thought process about race relations change as a result of this class? Explain your answer. I wouldn’t say that my personal beliefs have changed due to this class, because I feel that I have always been open-minded and treated everyone with equal respect. I would however say that my thought process has changed slightly. My thought process has been altered because I always looked at racism as a problem, but not my problem. I was never directly involved in racism, and I thought that there was nothing that I could do to change the views of others. After this class I have realized that if you are not part of the solution then you are ultimately part of the problem. Many people turn their head when they are around a situation of discrimination, saying nothing. People have the misconception that just because you didn’t say anything negative or directly discriminate against another person that there is nothing else that they can do to fix the problem. The only way for racism and discrimination to disappear in this country is for us to admit that they exist and they are a major problem. 3. What will you do differently as a result of what you learned? After taking this course it opened my eyes and really made me think in a different light. Since the course began in August I have accepted new concepts and have decided for myself which ones that I choose to follow and which ones I have chosen to ignore. I feel that my mindset involving racism has changed and because of that I will attempt to get more involved and stop ignoring racist comments and gestures. I have never been a person to treat people differently based on their beliefs, race and/or ethic backgrounds, but that doesn’t mean that I have done anything to help get rid of the problem. I believe that people can make very small steps to correct racism and it will indeed make a huge difference. Some people feel that their individual efforts will make little, if any, difference in the overall scheme of things. If only one person from each group friends changes their mindset about racism then they can begin to reverse the situation. If that one person educates themselves about the issues involving racism and practices their beliefs then they will ultimately begin to change the minds of many of their friends. Obviously this will not work to change everyone’s mindset, as some people are set in their ways and due to ignorance will never change or even attempt to broaden their views and beliefs.