Arab Marriage and Family Formation

Arab Marriage and Family Formation Introduction Arab societies are undergoing major changes as new patterns of marriage and family formation emerge across the region. For long decades, early marriage was the common pattern in the Arab world. However, it is no longer the only pattern. The average age of marriage is rising and more Arab women are staying single for a long time and sometimes they dont get married at all. These new marriage trends in the Arab World are part of a world global phenomenon. The changes of marriage trends in the Arab world reflect the social and economic changes taking place in the region. Arab economies moved away from agrarian based systems which supported both early marriage and extended family numbers [Hoda R.and Magued O., 2005]. The majority of the Arab populations live in cities working in industrial or service sectors. Today, Arab women are more educated and more likely to work outside their homes for personal and financial independence. These changes create a new image of woman and change her past traditional role as a mother and household member. The objective of this research is the studying of marriage issue in the Arab world because marriage is one of the key important factors that determine the social and economic present and future in the Arab countries. Both problems of early marriage and increase of average age of marriage of marriage are explained. Finally, a recommended solutions and actions are proposed in order to naturalize the two problems for decreasing the negative impacts and creation of better Arab societies. Importance of Marriage in Arab Society Family is the main concern in Arab societies. Family is considered the main social security system for young and elder people in Arab countries. In Arab culture, parents are responsible for children well into those childrens adult lives, and children reciprocate by taking responsibility for the care of their aging parents—responsibilities that Arabs generally take on with great pride. Marriage for Arabs is thus both an individual and a family matter. In Arab societies, marriage is considered the turning point that defines prestige, recognition, and societal approval on both partners, particularly the bride. Marriage in Arab societies is considered the social and economic contract between two families. Marriage is also considered the right form of socially, culturally, and legally acceptable sexual relationship [1]. Early marriage in Arab World Early marriage is any form of marriage that takes place at age of 18 years. Early marriages are often associated with enforcement. Forced marriage is the marriage conducted without full consent of both parties and sometimes with a threat [2].From human rights point of view, early marriage is considered a violation of human rights conventions. In Arab societies- especially developing countries- early marriage, is considered a means of securing young girls future and protecting them. Wars and social problems may leads also to early marriage as in Palestine, where the intifada has led to earlier marriage. Many countries in the world have declared 18 as the minimum legal age of marriage. However, more than millions of young girls are expected to marry in the next decade according to the international statistics. [2]. Early marriage has decreased in many world countries in the last decades. However, it is still common in rural areas and among poor people. Poor parents believe that early marriage will protect their daughters and save their future. Young girls are forced into marriage by their families while they are still children because they think that marriage benefits them and secure their financial and social future. Early marriage violates children rights because it decreases their human development, leaving them socially isolated with little education, skills and opportunities for employment and self-realization. These conditions ultimately make married girls vulnerable to poverty .Early marriage is a health and human rights violation because it takes place within the context of poverty and gender inequality with social, cultural and economic dimensions [3]. Reasons of early marriage in Arab World There different reasons of early marriage in Arab countries, some of these reasons are referred to cultural reasons, others are referred to economic reasons. Some of these reasons are: High poverty rates, birth rates and death rates, greater incidence of conflict and civil wars, lower levels of overall development, including schooling, employment, health care and believes that early marriage is a means of securing young girls future and protecting them [4]. Traditional values surrounding girls virginity and family honour play a major role in Arab families decisions to marry off their daughters at young ages [1]. Effects of early marriage Although the trend of early marriage is decreasing in the Arab world, the number of young girls in Arab countries teenagers who are married is still high. Early marriage is generally associated with early childbearing and high fertility, both of which pose health risks for women and their children [5]. Young mothers are at greater risk than older mothers of dying from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. And the younger a bride is, the more significant the age gap with her husband tends to be—which exacerbates her disadvantage in negotiating with her husband on matters such as her own health care needs [6]. Young wives are required to do a many hard domestic duties, including new roles and responsibilities as wives and mothers. The young brides status in the family is dependent on her demonstrating her fertility within the first year of marriage when she is not physiologically and emotionally prepared [7]. Young wives are forced to be responsible for the care and welfare of their families and future generations while they are still children themselves. They have no decision making powers, restricted mobility and limited economic resources. Early marriage is a direct cause of woman poverty and wide age gaps between younger married girls and their spouses create unequal power relations between the young bride and her older and more experienced husband, resulting in husbands having total control over sexual relations and decision-making [5]. Young wives are often unable to make wise plans for their families and may be forced to select between one of two hard choices: either to tolerate husbands violence or to make crimes (killing them). AIDS epidemic increases in young women due to the combination socioeconomic, cultural and political factors that put young women at greater risk of HIV infection due to the lack of sexual knowledge and limited access to information and resources. Younger women may face unsuccessful marriages and divorce could happen as a result of lack of maturity, incomplete independence, limited time to get prepared for marriage and having kids, dealing with education/career building and family formation at the same time. Relative Marriage in Arab World Marriage between relatives is a significant feature in Arab societies. High rate of marriage between relatives is known as  consanguinity. Marriage between relatives is clear in Arab countries such as Libya and Sudan. Sometimes, consanguineous marriage is arranged marriages that reflects the wishes of the marrying relatives. But marriage between close relatives can jeopardize the health of their offspring, as can marriage among families with a history of genetic diseases [1]. New trends in Marriage in Arab world In the last decade, early marriage has declined in many Arab countries such as Kuwait and Emirates. For example , in Emirates, the pace of decline is very significant where the percentage of women ages 15 to 19 who were married dropped from 57 percent in 1975 to 8 percent by 1995 [1]. The general feature of marriage pattern in the for the region as a whole, women are marrying later in late of 20th  or 30th  and some women are not marrying at all. As shown in table (1), In Tunisia, Algeria, and Lebanon, only 1 percent to 4 percent of women ages 15 to 19 are married, and the percentage of women ages 35 to 39 who have never married in these countries now ranges from 15 percent to 21 percent. The percentage of women ages 35 to 39 who have never married is a good indicator for measuring changes in the universality of marriage, because the likelihood of a single woman marrying after age 40 is quite low [8] Source: Pan-Arab Project for Child Development: Arab Mother and Child Health; Council of Health Ministers of GCC States, Gulf Family Health Surveys; and Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics special tabulations of the 2004 Palestinian Demographic and Health Survey . Palestinians have different marriage pattern where early is the most type that takes place. The main reason is the war and occupation where families wishes to increase the generation for freeing their countries and help them to face hard life in the region. As shown in figure (), most of Palatines marry in the age of 14 to 24 year old [1]. SOURCES: Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, special tabulation, 2004 Palestinian Demographic and Health Survey. The marriage-age gap is particularly pronounced in Arab societies. One-quarter of recent marriages in Egypt and Lebanon had women at least 10 years younger than their husbands [9]. Marriage problem in Egypt The main problem of marriage in Egypt is its high costs especially because of dowry, Shabka, Housing, Furniture and appliances and gihaz. Regardless of the economic situations of marrying couples and their families, the gihaz and other goods purchased to set up the newlyweds home have to be new, not used. The rising cost of marriage is in part attributed to the rising expectations and consumerism that have accompanied the opening of the Egyptian economy, which began in the 1970s. The countrys high cost of housing and furnishings have had a number of unintended consequences for marriage patterns, such as youth entering into  urfi  (common-law marriages that are unregistered and generally secretive) as well as men marrying women who are older and financially secured [10]. Nonconventional Forms of Marriage The high costs of Arab marriage as well as high unemployment and economic difficulties are blamed for the spread of so-called â€Å"urfi† (or common law) marriages among young urban adults in some countries in the region. Generally hidden from the participants families, urfi marriages are undertaken to avoid the difficulties of a standard marriage and give a sexual relationship some degree of legitimacy. The secrecy surrounding urfi marriages puts young women at a particular disadvantage because these women are not able to negotiate the terms of their marriage a role usually played by families in conventional marriages. There are thousands of urfi marriages cases in Egypt among university students [11]. Traditionally,  urfi  marriages have been religiously condoned as proper if the couples parents approve of the marriage and there is a public announcement of the ban. Some families in rural villages opt for  urfi  marriages when the bride is too young to be legally married, deferring the official registration of the marriages to a future date. But the public, the religious establishment, and the legal system have generally perceived urban  urfi  marriages as a pretext and cover for premarital sex. Another form of unconventional marriage in the Arab World is the  mutaa  and  messyar.  Mutaa is a  temporary marriage, which is practiced by the Shiites in southern Lebanon and other areas, couples specify in their marriage contract the date upon which the marriage ends. On ther hand,  Messyar  marriage is common in the Gulf region. In this type of marriage, there is an arrangement that man marries without any of the housing and financial responsibility that a standard Arab marriage generally requires of him. In general, Messyar and Mutaa are practiced mostly by men who are marrying a second wife where they tend to give legitimacy to sexual relationships and reduce the number of never married women in society, they introduce other social complications, such as the upbringing of children from such marriages [1]. Womens rights regarding marriage According to the international human rights conventions, woman has the rights when entering, during and at the end of the marriage. When entering marriage, woman has the same right as a man to enter marriage only with full consent. A woman married under minimum age shouldnt be considered legally married. Marriage must be registered in an official registry. If a woman marries someone with another nationality, she will not have her nationality automatically changed to that of her husband unless she chooses that [12]. During marriage, woman has the same rights and responsibilities as man. She has the right to equal access to health services, the right of protection from violence within the family. She also has the same rights as a man to decide freely about the number and spacing of children and to have access to information, education and means to exercise these rights [12]. Woman has the same rights and responsibilities as her husband towards children regardless of her marital status and family benefits. Change in womans husband nationality during marriage doesnt imply that her nationality must be change. If woman is employed she must not be discriminated against on the grounds of marriage and maternity. At the end of marriage, woman has the same rights as man when a marriage ends. Neither woman nationality nor that of her children shall automatically be affected by the ending of a marriage. Woman has the same rights and responsibilities as a man towards her children regardless of her marital status [12]. How to solve the problem? There is an urgent need to for a better understanding of the social and economic environment surrounding Arab marriage. Policies and governmental programs should meet the youth need to marry and make families. Understanding of marriage patterns changes and their social and economic implications need to be addressed. Successful implementation including right decisions and accurate schedules are needed to address and meet the requirements and needs of young people who want to marry or remain single [1]. The recommended solutions for improving marriage situation in Arab World are: Using International pressure specially regarding woman rights stated in human rights conventions on Arab countries to follow the Womens Conventions. Following poverty reduction strategies Making the required reforms of marriage and family laws to meet the human rights standards and monitoring the impacts of these laws on Arab societies. Providing safety employment opportunities for youth specially girls and women affected or at risk of early marriage. Ensuring the right to education and information for girls, including married girls. Providing incentives to encourage families to educate their children. Encouraging activities that change the attitudes and behaviour of community and religious leaders – especially regarding early marriage, girls education and employment. Developing rules that redefine acceptable ages of marriage and offer social and economic supports that allow parents and girls to delay marriage until suitable age. Raising consciousness about child marriage consequences and impacts of increase of average age of marriage as well. Promoting legal, and chosen forms of marriage Supporting married young girls Work cited Hoda R. and Magued, O,, Marriage in the Arab World , Population Reference Bureau, September 2005. Stephen H. , Early Marriage – Child Spouses , Innocenti Digest no. 7, UNICEF , March 2007. UNIFEM, Forced and Early Marriage, URL:http://www.stopvaw.org/Forced_and_Early_Marriage.htmlMinnesota, Advocates for Human Rights, August 2007. Forum on Marriage and the Rights of Women and Girls, Early Marriage and Poverty Exploring links for policy and program development ,2003. UNFPA, The Promise of Inequality: Gender Inequality and Reproductive Health, URL:http://www.unfpa.org/swp/2003/english/ch2/index.htm, 2005. World Health Organization, â€Å"WHO/UNFPA/Population Council Technical Consultation on Married Adolescents† ,Geneva: WHO, 2003. United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office, A Choice by Right: Working Group on Forced Marriages Child Marriage Fact Sheet, 2000. League of Arab States, Pan-Arab Project for Child Development: Arab Mother and Child Health Surveys , Pan-Arab Project for Family Health; Council of Health Ministers of GCC States, Gulf Family Health Surveys; ORC Macro, Demographic and Health Surveys; and Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics special tabulations of 2004 Palestinian Demographic and Health Survey. Social Research Center at the American University in Cairo using the Egypt Demographic and Health Survey (2003) and the Lebanon Maternal and Child Health Survey (1996). Diane S. and Barbara I., â€Å"The Cost of Marriage in Egypt: A Hidden Variable in the New Arab Demography,† in the New Arab Family, Cairo Papers in Social Science 24 (2001): 80-116; and World Bank, â€Å"Building Institutions for Markets,† World Bank Report 2002 (Washington DC: World Bank, 2002): table 1. Gihan S., â€Å"The Double Bind,† Al Ahram Weekly On-line 397 (Oct. 1-7, 1998). The International Womens Tribune Centre Rights of Women, A Guide to the Most Important United Nations Treaties on Womens Human Rights, New York 1998.

A critical evaluation on two theories of aggression

A critical evaluation on two theories of aggression Aggression is as a form of anti social behaviour, showing a lack of emotional concern for the welfare of others, as described by Baron and Richardson (1994). It is a cultural, cognitive process as well as a biological response, affecting every human being. Furthermore, it appears in many forms, verbal, physical, symbolic or injurious with the environment, personal beliefs and individuals society mediating its nature. In society, you will find some people more aggressive compared to others, with the levels varying when in different social situations. Some environments provoke aggression in people much more regularly, than others do. Yet such situations do not give rise to the same degree of aggressive behaviour in every person. There are two main social psychological theories that proposed to explain the nature and application of aggression, the Social Learning Theory and the Deindividuation Theory. The social learning theory of Bandura emphasizes the importance of observing and modelling the behaviours, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others. The theory suggests that for an individual to learn new behaviours this can only occur through direct experience. In the book, Social Learning Theory, Bandura (1977) states: Learning would be exceedingly laborious, not to mention hazardous, if people had to rely solely on the effects of their own actions to inform them what to do. Fortunately, most human behaviour is learned observationally through modelling: from observing others, one forms an idea of how new behaviours are performed, and on later occasions this coded information serves as a guide for action. Bandura argued that individuals, most likely children, learn aggressive responses from observing others in different social influences, i.e. role models in real life situations, their surroundings and the media. He also mentioned, individuals believing aggression produces reinforcements. Siegel (1992) who suggested that these reinforcements could be gaining financial rewards, a rise in self-esteem or receiving praise from other people supports this. Skinner (1953) proposed that learning occurs through reinforcement. Vicarious reinforcement occurs when an individual observes the consequences of aggressive behaviour as being rewarding, for example a person achieving what they want through aggressive behaviour. If a child is to see this happening in a school playground, whereby a bully gets their way for instance, the child may become to think of such behaviour as appropriate and therefore worth repeating. Bandura (1986) went on to suggest that for social learning to take place, the child had to form mental representations of certain events from their social environment to see possible rewards or punishments for the aggressive behaviour, alongside observational learning. The Bobo doll studies by Bandura, demonstrated how children learn and imitate aggressive behaviours they have witnessed in other people. The young participants observed an adult acting violently towards a Bobo doll and when the children received permission to play in a room with the Bobo doll, they began to imitate the aggression they had previously observed. Bandura identified three basic models of observational learning. The first model involves an actual individual demonstrating a particular behaviour. The second model includes descriptions and explanations of any certain behaviour. The third model involves real or fake role models acting out behaviours in books, films, TV programs or web media. Observational learning, also known as modelling consists of four phases, influenced by the observers behaviour (Bandura, 1977). The first is where the individual pays attention and perceives the most important aspects of the models behaviour by observation. Therefore, a child would need to attend to the role models actions or sayings (Allen Santrock, 1993). For example, children exposed to aggressive behaviour within the home and by watching the consequences, slowly associate such behaviour as effective conduct. Hence, children learn aggressive responses largely through observation. The second stage of observational learning is the coding of this behaviour into memory, also known as retention, for the information to be retrievable when an appropriate situation arises. This is where mental representations form, including events from the individuals social environment. The child must be able to distinguish possible rewards or punishments expected in future outcomes, which is vital in observational learning. In the Bobo doll experiment, the children aggressively beat the doll because this information was stored in their memory. The third process is rehearsing this acquired modelled behaviour, in conjunction with possessing the physical capabilities of the behaviour observed. If a child gains rewards i.e. appraisal, for their aggressive behaviour, they are more likely to repeat that same behaviour regularly. This is direct reinforcement and allows for the improvement of the behaviour. Moreover, individuals are more likely to repeat a modelled behaviour if the model is a role model or similar to them. Examples include parents or people of the same age group or race. Bandura (1976) proposed that members of the family were most influential in reinforcing aggressive behaviour in children, as they are likely to imitate them when they are older. The final stage involves the individual being motivated to successfully repeat and reinforce this modelled behaviour with the expectation of receiving rewards. Additionally, the individual will gradually gain confidence in their will to carry out aggressive behaviours, thu s self -efficacy expectancies are developed. The second theory of deindividuation, originates from Gustave Le Bons crowd theory (1895). In the book The Crowd, he describes how an individual within the crowd is psychologically altered. He state, Within the crowd, the collective mind of the group takes possession of the individual. As a result, a member of the crowd then becomes irrational. The individual submerged in the crowd loses self-control and becomes a mindless puppet, sometimes controlled by the crowds leader. Hence, they are capable of performing any impulsive and emotionally charged act, however undesirable or regressive to society. Festinger, Pepitone and Newcomb (1952) defined deindividuation as a state of affairs in a group where members do not pay attention to other individuals qua individuals and, correspondingly, the members do not feel they are being singled out by others. Festinger believed that when one becomes deindividuated, he or she merges their identity with that of the group and therefore becomes anonymo us. As a result of being unidentifiable in a large group, this has the psychological outcome of reducing individuals inner restraints, and increasing deviant behaviour that is normally avoided. The causes of deindividuation were extended from anonymity in groups to other factors, such as reduction in responsibility, arousal and altered consciousness influenced by drugs or alcohol (Zimbardo, 1969). In todays society especially, this is evident, as aggression seems to be the result of reduced inhibitions amongst individuals due to binge drinking, with excessive alcohol intake arousing aggressive acts such as fighting in a nightclub. Later versions of the theory focus on the psychological process of reduced private self-awareness as the key element of deindividuation, i.e. the individuals attitudes and norms (Prentice-Dunn and Rogers, 1982). In their study, they induced a sense of reduced self-awareness by continuously instructing participants to focus their attention outwards. Conditions for external attention cues included sitting in a dimly lit room with loud music playing, verbal interaction and stimulating video games to play, to increase deindividuation amongst the participants. In the controlled condition, participants were required to focus on internal attention, through no interaction and sitting in silence. The findings showed that when required to administer electric shocks to confederates, deindividuated participants that focused on external attention cues, produced higher aggressive behaviour by delivering shocks that were more painful, than the control group. This is because the experimental group w as made to ignore their own beliefs and self-identity, when their attention focussed on other aspects such as loud music and video games. In turn, this supports the idea that becoming less self aware, rather than just anonymity in a group, leads to deindividuation having the effect of producing aggression. Empirical support for the deindividuation theory is minimal. Zimbardo (1969) conducted a study to demonstrate the effects of deindividuation on aggression. Some of the female participants used wore oversized lab coats and hoods, and sat in a dimly lit room; increasing anonymity. In contrast, those in the control group wore normal clothes, nametags and were placed in a bright room, making them easily identifiable. The participants task was to shock a confederate and findings suggested that anonymous participants shocked longer and therefore more painfully than identifiable participants did. This gives support to the theory, as the study suggests that deindividuation or anonymity played a huge role, because when one is appearing as anonymous, they are likely to act in an aggressive approach than they would if their identity was easily available. Other research to support the deindividuation theory (Deiner et al., 1976) showed that American children who wore halloween costumes that hid their identities stole more sweets and money than those who wore costumes where they remained identifiable. The Stanford Prison Experiment by Haney et al. (1973) illustrated how college students assigned to act out the role of guards in a mock prison, behaved very aggressively in the cruelty they showed towards those assigned to the role of prisoners. This is largely due to the guards wearing mirrored glasses, thus rendering them anonymous, as their eyes were not visible to the prisoners. The brutality posed by the guards can be explained in terms of social norms. The guards only did what they thought was expected of them, although the state of deindividuation did cause them to ignore personal beliefs and perform the expected aggressive behaviour. This is one criticism of the study, as it did not show how real guards actually behave. Hence, the findings may have no real-life validity with the possibility of demand characteristics coming into play. In contrast, Bandura et al., (1961) were successful in showing that children learn aggressive behaviour through observation, which is reinforced by rewards and avoided by punishment (1962). A major strength of the Bobo doll studies is high control achieved by the use of laboratories, which produced sufficient applicable results. However, a problem with this is that the studies hold no ecological validity because of where and the manner in which they were carried out. In addition, it is possible to argue that the children also reacted aggressively to the Bobo doll as they were responding to demand characteristics. The children may have known what they had to do for the experiment. Another limitation is that the Bobo doll is fictional as was unable to fight back which a real person would have done; hence, this could also have influenced the childrens behaviour. Although the Bobo doll experiment shows that for an individual to express aggressive behaviours, observational learning has to take place, individuals may not always display such behaviour due to social constraints, or fear of receiving punishment. This means that even if an individual has learnt of an aggressive behaviour, he or she will not necessarily act it out, especially if perceived to be socially undesirable. Nonetheless, if the opportunity arises where they can demonstrate the behaviour without being punished for it, such as when they are deindividuated, then it is possible that they will behave aggressively. The social learning theory places great emphasis on individuals, especially children, imitating observed behaviour from watching others individually, the environment, and the mass media. However, the biological approach would argue that a persons state of biology is not taken into account within the Social Learning Theory. Moreover, it ignores individual genetic differences (Jeffery, 1985). For example, if an individual were to observe a brutal killing, they will respond differently when compared to someone else. Biological theorists would suggest that, heart rate and blood pressure would possibly rise, as a response made by the autonomic nervous system when in this particular circumstance. Hence, the response or behaviour acquired is genetically inherited to some extent. In addition, other research has shown increased aggressive behaviour to be associated with testosterone (Kalat, 1998). This hormone is higher in males, which may explain higher aggression in males than in females. There is still some doubt in establishing the effects of violent television on childrens aggression. Although, some studies have reported that there is no link between the two, and that aggression viewed on television is not always related to aggressive behaviour. For instance, one study had findings to suggest that juvenile boys, who regularly watched non-violent television shows, were more likely to express aggressive behaviour than those who witnessed the violent programs. This is because watching violent shows enabled the viewer to use the media as a way of relieving their own inner inhibitions or aggressive thoughts and ideas (Feshback Singer, 1971). As a result, the individual is less likely to be aggressive than if they had watched non-violent television. In addition to this, there is a theory that suggests; a way to reduce aggressive behaviour is by viewing violent television programs, known as the Catharsis effect (Gerbner.G, Gross.L, and Melody.W.H). As television is highl y influential, then positive and non-aggressive programs can aid in reducing aggression among viewers. Cooke (1993) believed that positive and kind-hearted television shows should encourage viewers to be more courteous to one another, if aggression in people is triggered by violent television. Therefore, the media can serve as a prevention method if individuals focus solely on the positive aspects, or use violent media to channel their own personal aggressive inhibitions. In comparison, one likely reason for the minimal support for the deindividuation concept is that the theory, which is based on Le Bons analysis of the crowd, is too simplified. According to Le Bon, collective behaviour is always irrational i.e. the individual in the crowd loses cognitive control. Researchers argue that deindividuation settings do not account for a loss of self-identity. Instead, they alter a person from an individual identity to a collective identity as a member of the group. Therefore, deindividuation leads to individuals conforming to the group norms. A meta-analysis of sixty studies on deindividuation conducted gave no results suggesting that deindividuation is the cause for increased anti-normative and disinhibited behaviour. Instead, individuals under anonymity complied more rather than less strongly with situational norms (Postmes and Spears, 1998). Overall, aggression is extremely difficult to define as well as investigate as not one theory can be used to explain it fully, even though it affects our every day-to-day life, either personally or through observation. The difficulty is when trying to measure and control this behaviour because it is quite impossible to reproduce aggression in a laboratory to bring about results and findings that fully apply to real life situations. However, these two theories by Bandura and Zimbardo have tried in their attempt to explain aggression. One advantage with the Social learning theory is that not only can it be applied to explaining childrens behaviour, adults too. Philips (1896) found that the daily rate of homicide in the US usually rose a week after a major boxing match. This suggests that the culprits may have been viewers imitating the aggressive behaviour they watched. Hence, social learning is evident in adults. In contrast, the deindividuation theory does not clearly state whether deindividuation occurs amongst young children as well. Instead, it focuses on mainly adults, which maybe another reason for the minimal empirical research to support the theory. Although the social learning theory was initially an explanation for aggression, it has recently been extended to explain other behaviours such as anorexia. Furthermore, the theory can explain differences between and within individuals, in terms of cultural v ariation, with one study showing the US to be highly violent compared to societies in Central Africa, which manage to live in harmony (Aronson, 1999). Differences within individuals are due to selective reinforcement; with people reacting differently as each individual will observe that aggression is rewarded in some cases and not others. Hence, people learn about behaviours differently along with the circumstances in which they are applicable, and so these differences should be a result of social learning. However, Banduras theory has its limitations because it does not suggest what leads people to aggress once they have witnessed aggressive behaviour. Thus, it does not explain the possibility of acting out a modelled behaviour for example, if an individual has been angered. Nevertheless, Dollard et al. (1939) who proposed the frustration -aggression theory, explored this. The theory suggests that frustration always leads to aggression and aggression is only a cause of frustration. When looking at the deindividuation theory, one study that both supports as well as criticises the theory, suggests that anonymity increases the possibility of an individual conforming to the social group norms. Participants were made anonymous by either wearing overalls and hoods similar to those of the racist Ku Klux Klan, or wearing nurses uniforms. Results showed that participants to deliver more shocks when dressed as the racist group, and fewer, as nurses (Johnson and Downing, 1979). Hence, this also showed that anonymity does not always lead to aggressive behaviour, instead individuals may simply be responding to the norms of the group and doing what is expected. One realistic approach to aggression is one that covers a number of explanations, from neuro-physiological and evolutionary ones to social-psychological theories. In conclusion, the social learning theory supported by extensive research compared to the deindividuation theory, has shown to conclusively illustrate that the acquisition and behavioural expression of aggression is socially influenced, and is therefore more successful in explaining this behaviour.

kiss the sky :: essays research papers

Ten people sit, waiting to embark On a journey to a place called Jurassic Park. They sit impatient, they can’t wait to leave Too see something none of them have ever seen. They’ve seen it in movies and on TV But never in real life like they are about to see. Although it will be exciting to be there, It’s as well a dangerous atmosphere; For they all tried to run when they heard the roar But they all got eaten by a dinosaur. So all we know is who they were; Nothing from after or from before But I will tell you what I can guess About all these people, I’ll do my best. There was a man who played on the stage And for each film he made, earned a hefty wage. He was an actor in huge demand Any sum of money would be placed in his hand. He could make you think he was anyone He could even convince his father he wasn’t his son. Although in his head he wasn’t too bright His personality was more than all right. The other nine like him, and that’s no surprise He was especially easy on the eyes. The man who with the actor bonded best Was a man with a million dollar wrist. On the cover of every sports magazine And being him was every boy’s dream. He was a bit short-tempered, but liked to joke They all thought he was funny, even the old folks. Although he could play many sports He was also a gentleman of many sorts. He was quite a charmer, pure to the core No girl could ever ask for anything more. Next on the list was a man who sang And when he did, on every word you would hang. For he could set the mood of any situation And make something small into a big sensation. Although he was not much to look at His words were rich like butter is fat. He was a college man but not very bright He never studied during the day, but he sang at night. He was rather shy and kept to himself Until he was on stage, then his songs he would belt. Then there was a man with utmost control Boss of the country was his role. Every decision was of his own He could change anything by making a call on the phone. But that’s okay, he was quite trusted And so neat about everything, even his ironing board was dusted. Everything he wore looked brand new It’s like everything he wore, he had two. He had great posture, even when he sat He stepped very lightly, just like a cat.

Why Do I Volunteer? :: Contribution to My Community Service

Some people volunteer to gain career experience, to build their resume. Develop skills or learn new ones. In addition volunteer work enables others to make contacts with people in their chosen career. Some people volunteer to build self-esteem, to make themselves feel better. To feel needed, to feel that they have a place in this world. To truly feel like they are making a contribution to society. Some people volunteer for the social aspect, to climb the social ladder while helping those less fortunate. Some people volunteer as a result of the instilled set of values they have a set of values that compel them to act on deeply held beliefs about the importance of helping others. Some people volunteer because they have felt the cruel sting that life may have afflicted them or a loved one with. For example someone might volunteer for the American Cancer Society because a family member died of cancer. And some people do it because they want a better understanding about different people or the organization they serve, "bridging the gap," so to speak, in order to better understand their community and themselves. However, I volunteer to give back to my community. I am grateful for the help I received from others. When I was in high school I participated in the Upward Bound program. There I was influenced by the academic success of my tutors. I was challenged by them to exceed all of their expectations, and to broaden my horizons of thinking. Through Upward Bound I was able to acquire skills and opportunities that have helped me become the person that I am today. So I give back to enable kids to have the same chances at life that I have had. Volunteering is the ultimate payback to those who helped me on the road to success. I remember asking a counselor when I was in Upward Bound how I could repay him. He smiled and said "You can help me by helping another." A statement so simple, yet so deep in its meaning. The feeling that I can shape someone's life for the better is unexplainable. When I got my first volunteer position as a junior counselor at my local Boys and Girls club, I was eager to be a great role model for the kids. But things did not work out as I initially thought. Why Do I Volunteer? :: Contribution to My Community Service Some people volunteer to gain career experience, to build their resume. Develop skills or learn new ones. In addition volunteer work enables others to make contacts with people in their chosen career. Some people volunteer to build self-esteem, to make themselves feel better. To feel needed, to feel that they have a place in this world. To truly feel like they are making a contribution to society. Some people volunteer for the social aspect, to climb the social ladder while helping those less fortunate. Some people volunteer as a result of the instilled set of values they have a set of values that compel them to act on deeply held beliefs about the importance of helping others. Some people volunteer because they have felt the cruel sting that life may have afflicted them or a loved one with. For example someone might volunteer for the American Cancer Society because a family member died of cancer. And some people do it because they want a better understanding about different people or the organization they serve, "bridging the gap," so to speak, in order to better understand their community and themselves. However, I volunteer to give back to my community. I am grateful for the help I received from others. When I was in high school I participated in the Upward Bound program. There I was influenced by the academic success of my tutors. I was challenged by them to exceed all of their expectations, and to broaden my horizons of thinking. Through Upward Bound I was able to acquire skills and opportunities that have helped me become the person that I am today. So I give back to enable kids to have the same chances at life that I have had. Volunteering is the ultimate payback to those who helped me on the road to success. I remember asking a counselor when I was in Upward Bound how I could repay him. He smiled and said "You can help me by helping another." A statement so simple, yet so deep in its meaning. The feeling that I can shape someone's life for the better is unexplainable. When I got my first volunteer position as a junior counselor at my local Boys and Girls club, I was eager to be a great role model for the kids. But things did not work out as I initially thought.

Never Ending War is Never Ending Power :: Patriot Act, The Bush Administration

The executive branch and president Bush had expanded their authority and power beyond what the framers could have envisioned. In doing so the checks and balances that had existed no longer function as designed and has created a loop of power and control in the executive branch under the theory of the unitary executive. Many of the powers that the executive branch wield come from Congress giving the Bush administration extraordinary powers following 9/11 with the Patriot Act. The Patriot Act that takes away the protection of habeas corpus, due process, privacy, reversal of innocent until proven guilty (p. 272, 274). It also grants the use of sneak and peak searches allowing for looking first and getting a warrant later which violates the 1st and 4th amendment (p. 271). National security letters requiring providing information for records and then not allowing that person to tell anyone but a lawyer (p. 271). All of these powers were given under the idea of â€Å"war powers†, typically war time is a limited amount of time that accept more extreme security measures, but with the prospect raised by the Bush administration of a new era of never ending conflict means these powers might not end. Another tipping of the scales towards the executive branch and president is the use of signing statements. The signing statements allow legislation passed by congress to be applied how the executive branch sees fit which directly contradicts the legislative role is creating laws ("Aba: Blue-ribbon task," 2006). In the passage of the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 the administration tried to disallow federal district courts from hearing challenges by Guantanamo detainees (p. 156). While seemingly allowing for the banning of mistreatment, it also prevented filing by detainees against the government for acts of mistreatment, making it unenforceable (p. 157). The allegations of torture against terrorist suspects violates not only the Geneva Convention but also human rights. Torture is not an effect method to gain information it only works to get those tortured to do admit to anything to make the pain stop (Gibney, 2007) . Some powers the administration took for themselves including NSA wiretaps which are not always used against terrorists (p. 112, Farren & Gibb, 2007) . The Bush administration bypassed the FISA court which could be considered weak oversight enacted by congress and operates in secret. The FISA court was specifically setup for the purposes of warrants in exactly the types of cases that were bypassed.

My Childhood Memories in Ramadhan Essay

Everyone have a childhood memories in their life and are special for everyone. I was born and brought up in a happy family and Alhamdulillah about that. I want to share to all my readers about my childhood memories in Ramadhan. Every time when Ramadhan came the first thing that will come to my mind is Hari Raya. I feel very excited to celebrate Hari Raya. There are a lot of memories in Ramadhan still fresh in my mind among these is walk around the village while holding the lantern after breaking fast, lit the candles around the gate of house with sister, helping my mom making cookies for Hari Raya. The first memories that I was remember, when finish breaking fast I and my sister playing with friend. Then, we are together with friend walk around the village while holding the lantern. During that time, I walk while holding the lantern, suddenly candle in the lantern accidentally erased. I was so afraid and then run to my sister because the road was dark. After arrived at home, my mother advise to me and sister not follow our friend walking around the village after breaking fast because road to dark and hazard. Second memories that I still remember is light wax around gate. I black out in house balcony and start light wax around house fence . Apart from that, I play fireworks with my sister. That delightful because my house like in the middle of circle light. I and my sister do not like light up kerosene lamp because of that complicate for a girl. Memories of childhood during Ramadhan last that I want share with all of you is we help my mother making biscuits for food Hari Raya. Each year, my mother do not miss to make our family favourite cookies. Name of biscuit that my mother do is Mazola groundnut cookies and also cornflakes honey. I help my mother baked a biscuits and cleaning kitchen when we have been completed. Yet today, my mother have died and I do not will forget the memory because it a memory that is most beautiful with my mother. I am so dear my mother and also miss to her In summary, everyone have memories of childhood days in their life. Past memories make us have much experience to are surviving on that full challenge. When remembering matter that after, I smile. Many my lesson can from incident which occurred. Remember we must be hearing parents’ instruction because they know what best for us. I hope me always remember memories of childhood days in Ramadhan because of that is memory that is lovely and delightful.

Preoccupation with Death in Hamlet Essay

â€Å"Hamlet† is a play permeated with death. Right from the opening scene of the play death is introduced, where the ghost of Hamlet’s father introduces the idea of death and its consequences. Preoccupation with death is a major theme in this play as shown in the numerous deaths of the main characters of Hamlet, Polonius, Gertrude, Ophelia, Claudius and Laertes. Taken off the web accurate definitions of â€Å"preoccupation† are the following: 1)a state in which you think about something so much that you do not think about other things; 2)something that you think about and want to do because it is important. This is exactly what the main characters are preoccupied by-death. An example would be that Hamlet is preoccupied by death throughout the story. It is apparent that Hamlet is haunted by his father’s death. When Hamlet encounters the ghost of his father, their conversation raises all kinds of unthinkable questions, for example murder by a brother, an unfaithful mother, that triggers Hamlet’s obsession. He feels compelled to determine the reliability of the ghost’s statements so that he can determine how he must act. Ultimately, it is his obsession with death that leads to Hamlet avenging the death of his father by killing Claudius. Although Hamlet’s preoccupation is deeply rooted in his character’s fascination with death, it could be a product of his grief. Hamlet’s most potent consideration of death comes in Act 4, Scene 3. His almost gruesome fixation with the idea of death is revealed by his mockery and such when asked by Claudius where he has hidden Polonius’ body. Hamlet’s answers seem to reveal an extremely morbid state of mind. Hamlet exclaimed how once the body dies, it goes through a cycle where it is eaten by worms, these worms are used to get food for another person therefore, that person digests the dead body. Finally, the graveyard scene shows how Hamlet views death and that he fears how no matter who you were or what you did that someday you too, will be at one with the earth and dirt only to become decayed, fed upon and then nothing. â€Å"No, faith, not a jot; but to follow him thither with modesty enough and likelihood to lead it; as thus: Alexander died, Alexander was uried, Alexander returned into dust; the dust is earth; of earth we make loam: and why of that loam, whereto he was converted, might they not stop at a beer-barrel? † (Act 5, Scene 1 Lines 201-206) As Hamlet continuously postponed the death of Claudius he became more preoccupied with the various ways he could have his revenge. Hamlet has completed his transformation from an unhappy young man to a hardened killer. He has no hope and despite Horatio’s praise, by this time he would not have made a good king.