The Spirits of the Towers free essay sample

A study of the recent Gerald Manley Hopkins poem, The Spirits of the Towers, which reflects on the September 11 tragedy in New York City. This paper analyzes the poem which reflects on the horror and destruction of the terrorist attack on New Yorks Twin Towers. The paper describes this haiku poems strong imagery of the attack and eloquent use of the symbols of American culture to represent the American spirit. The central theme is a search for meaning within the tragedy of September 11. The spirits of the towers are not only the ghostly remembrances of the buildings themselves, but also the actual spirits of the many people who died there. In a larger sense, the ghosts of the people and of the buildings become part of the American spirit, in the same sense that we use the phrase the spirit of 76.

The Applications of the Theory of Planned Behaviour

The Applications of the Theory of Planned Behaviour Introduction The focus of this paper is on research evidence supporting the applications of the theory of planned behaviour in several ways and in different circumstances. The theoretical and empirical evidence that supports the inclusion of six variables in the theory of planned behaviour is analysed. It is the aim of the paper to approach the model on the premises of two avenues, which are supported by the six variables.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Applications of the Theory of Planned Behaviour specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Theory selected The theory of planned behaviour initially emerged as the theory of reasoned behaviour with an aim of predicting a person’s intention to engage in a particular attitude at a specific place and time. The central component of this model is based on intent. It is important to note that intentions are influenced by the attitude on the probability that the particular attitude will have the anticipated results and the subjective assessment of the benefits and risks of that result. Essentially, the theory outlines how attitudes predict human attitudes (Dainton Zelley, 2010). Indeed, the theory explains that human behaviour is a product of three basic guidelines. The first one is people’s attitude towards the behaviour, which is whether individuals have a negative or positive perception of the particular behaviour. The second guideline regards people’s view of the attitudes and social pressure to act or not to act the behaviour. Finally, the third guideline encapsulates the individuals’ belief on how hard or easy it is to act or perform the behaviour. The model has been utilised successfully to forecast and explain a diverse range of certain health behaviours and intentions such as drinking, smoking, substance abuse, health services utilisation and many more (Feng, 2007). Research Questions Based on the above factors, this pa per attempts to clarify the following research questions whose solutions will help in discerning the true meaning and applicability of the theory of planned behavior: How accurately should prior/past behaviour be modelled in order to raise the predictive strength of the theory of planned behaviour? What roles do past behaviours play in modeling the framework of the theory of planned behaviour? Is the model supported by some strategies that are adopted in analysing data? Could some approaches used in processing data be extended to have features of the behavioural model? Evidence Gathered Numerous tests that have been carried out on the effectiveness of the behaviour platform have presented substantial evidence for the predictive validity of intentions. Numerous meta-analytic reviews such as the applicability of the theory in the context of social or health behaviour have highlighted this relationship.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Furthermore, several meta-analyses have confirmed the applicability of this theory in general, but the question still emerges on whether the demonstrated variations in behaviour are good enough since large percentages (72%) in variances remain unexplained. It would be essential to know the degree of impact of intentions on attitudes of people. Thus, what determines how accurately intentions influence behaviour? This could be approached using two considerable aspects. Firstly, the conditions that generally underlie the predictive power of the theory, and secondly, the concrete determinants of intentions and behaviour beyond the aspects of the standard model (Dainton Zelley, 2010). An example of the application of the theory of planned behaviour is a person harbouring a goal to sell, for example, $50,000 worth of products in one month over a given media platform. If such an individual believes that they can achieve that go al and bear a positive attitude and immense confidence in the effectiveness of the selected media outlet, then they will most likely succeed. If this person does not believe that they can succeed or if they bear a negative attitude on the goal at hand, then his or her behaviour is likely to reflect such perceptions and such individuals will most likely fail to achieve their targets. This differs substantially from the self-perception theory since the latter states that behaviour begets an attitude (Huang and Chuang, 2007). On the other hand, it has been noted that the theory of planned behavior explains that attitude causes the behavior. For example, a person could have negative perceptions towards a part of his or her job, but such a person may still desire to do well and perform their assigned tasks well so that they can keep their job (Feng, 2007). Analysis of the Information Gathered The information above highlights very important aspects with regard to the planned behaviour mod el. It is apparent that persons could be influenced to make decisions on the premises of two mental events. These are the events that are important in high level cognition and low level cognition (Nabi Kremar, 2006). It is important to note the differences between the two methods of processing mental information. These are heuristic and deliberate events. In addition, the results indicate that there could be a correlation between intentions and attitudes with regard past behaviours. It is worth noting that best predictions of behaviour can be made using intentions, which greatly differ among persons (Hartmann, 2012; Loewenstein Lerner, 2003).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Applications of the Theory of Planned Behaviour specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The model of planned behaviour is an improvement of the theory of reasoned action, which has generated a lot of consideration in the field of social psychology . The two approaches of behaviour have important applications in explaining the impact of motivation and past information on people. In addition, they imply that individuals make informed decisions based on the careful considerations that are determined by information. This can be presented diagrammatically as shown in appendix 1. How It Could Be Done Differently It appears necessary to present a clear distinction on the two concepts that have been explained above. The above research argues that the deliberative and the heuristic information processing models characterise the theory of planned behaviour. It would be important to include more research questions in future studies so that more data would be collected and analysed. In addition, future studies could be done differently by focusing on the impact of social norms and attitudes that vary among individuals. Conclusion It is apparent that the planned behavior model has important social implications that have diverse applicatio ns with regard to the study of human behaviour. In fact, the usefulness of the approach is supported by scientific data and results. The limitations that have been noted in the applicability of this theory suggest that there is room for more research on certain key areas such as moral norms, self-identity, belief salience, and affective beliefs. Although the model has diverse applications, it has been shown that it is best applied in situations that are characterised by high levels of opportunities and motivation. Thus, in situations where any of the parameters could be absent, there could be a high likelihood of behaviour being impacted by cognitive functions of individuals.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More References Dainton, M. Zelley, E. (2010) Applying Communication Theory for Professional Life: A Practical Introduction (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Feng, H (2007). An Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior to Support Provision Communication Behaviors across Cultures. Michigan, MI: Pro-Quest Hartmann, T (2012). Media Choice: A Theoretical and Empirical Overview. London, United Kingdom: Routledge Huang, E. and Chuang, M. (2007). Extending the theory of planned Behavior as a Model to explain post-merger employee behavior. Computers in Human Behavior, 23(4), 247-257. Loewenstein, G. Lerner, J. (2003). The role of effect in decision-making. Handbook of Affective Sciences, 621-642. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. Nabi, R. Kremar, M. (2006). Conceptualizing media enjoyment as attitude: Implications for mass media effects research. Communication Theory, 4(14), 294-308. Appendix A flow chart diagram representing the various aspects of the planned behavior mo del.

Cyclones and Earthquakes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cyclones and Earthquakes - Essay Example We cannot completely reduce the material damage done by these natural calamities but the number of human lives that are lost during these disasters can be considerably reduced. We can also lessen the after effects of the calamity like the emotional trauma of loosing near and dear ones. A number of psychological disorders like post traumatic disorder which can hamper an individual's normal life can be vanquished. The poor people are worst victims of a natural calamity. Lot of resources time and money is spent in trying to rehabilitate the individual who have suffered from these calamities. As far as the aftermath of a calamity is concerned cyclone and earthquakes produce similar effects. All these natural phenomena's are a threat to the health and well being of an individual. We cannot avert a natural disaster but we can properly manage it and reduce the damage to human property and mind. Forecast of These natural phenomena is the only thing that can be done and can be utilized to red uce the risk to human life and property. These natural phenomena are a result of the careless utilization of the bounties of nature. The director Salvano Briceno of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction has vey rightly said that "Not only is the world globally facing more potential disasters but increasing numbers of people are becoming vulnerable to hazards," There are people who believe that it is global warming which is increasing the number and severity of the of these natural phenomena. There is no conclusive proof to the fact that global warming is a contributing factor in the occurrence of these natural disasters. Gradually over a period of time the temperature of the earth has increased as a result of human activity. This leads to the trapping of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere consequently raising the temperature of the earth. There is an increase in the number of hurricanes and cyclones in the world and this has been attributed to warmer sea surface and altered wind patterns .Global warming is seen as the cause of the warming up of the sea surface. In a sample study we can see that the nu mber of cyclones in the Atlantic have increased from six in 1900 to 1930 to 15 in 1995 to2005 (Science Daily, n.p) There is no direct relation of earthquakes with global warming but it has been predicted that the melting of the glaciers in the Alaskan region can amount to greater activity of the mobile earth crust i.e tectonic plates. The weight of the glaciers of the Alaskan region is acting as a deterrent for the movement of the tectonic plates. According to Sauber a leading researcher "Historically, when big ice masses started to retreat, the number of earthquakes increased. More than 10,000 years ago, at the end of the great ice age, big earthquakes occurred in Scandinavia as the large glaciers began to melt".( Science Daily, 2004) Therefore it can be deduced that global warming can lead to melting of ice in the Polar Regions and it turn can lead to heightened earthquake activity. Earthquakes and cyclones share similarities as far as the affect of them on human life is concerned. They differ in the causes and different methods of prediction of these calamities. There are different ways in which we can protect ourselves from these natural dis