Assessment Methods Essay Example for Free

Assessment Methods EssayDiagnostic quantifyment is a pre assessment that determines a difficulty for the schoolchild in a precise argona. This type of assessment provides teachers with information of the students previous awareness of the topic, their interest and attitude to begin with instructing a lesson (McMillan 2011, p 6). Diagnostic assessment information can be collected from Summative assessments of the previous lesson. It is important to note the expectation of what the students should know, understand and be able to do at the end of the lesson as this is an integral detonate of an powerful lesson (McMillan 2011, p 8). Formative assessment occurs during instructions, giving feedback to students on their work to assess their level and determine the next level of work activities (McMillan 2011, p 6). This type of assessment takes place during learning and helps to improve the lesson as the learning is monitored and the progress of the student is noted (McMillan 2011, p 8). The student has the opportunity to improve learning during the lesson through the feedback and send them in the right direction of learning.Learning problems are able to be distinguished during the lesson and actioned accordingly, and instructional adjustments can be made (McMillan 2011, p 8). Summative assessment takes place at the completion of the lesson to determine the students level of understanding, their knowledge and can physically do (McMillan 2011, p 6). This is the aim of the lesson to decide if the teaching has been positive and that the students have achieved at the anticipated level of learning. Students are graded, teachers and lessons are evaluated to assess the effectiveness of the plan (McMillan 2011, p 8).The three assessment types that form the assessment cycle are an integral part of a primary classroom learning structure. Students with learning disabilities need to be assessed in the early stages of their learning to determine the techniques of tailored learning to be applied. Using Diagnostic assessment effective teachers were found to have tailored instruction to students unique needs and interests, finding just the right materials to reach their students Robinson, G. (2008).Teaching numeracy skills a Formative assessment is and then used to improve learning throughout the lesson. A summative assessment is then required to determine the students numeracy capabilities. Assessment is an important part of the education curriculum, to enable an effective learning environment for the students. It also allows the teacher to ensure the lesson is tailored to the students learning disabilities and there needs to achieve the learning conduce desired. References McMillan, J. H. (2011).

Ralph and Jack in The Lord of the Flies Essay Example for Free

Ralph and Jack in The Lord of the Flies EssayQuestion 1There are a number of differences and a few similarities between Jack and Ralph. First of all the main similarity is the item that both boys are roughly the same age. indeed furthermore, in that location is the fact that both pf them are boys. In addition their share the quality of leadership, or in other words both of them have the abilities to be a leader. Then on the other hand at that place are the numerous differences they in clued different style of leadership, different believes, maturity, and the symbol that they represent. Jack and Ralph have a truly different style of leading.Ralph has a democratic leadership and Jack is more of a dictator figure. Then furthermore, there is the difference of believes, Jack believes that the main bearing on the island is to hunt and Ralph believes that it is to be saved. Then there is the maturity, Ralph is more advanced that Jack. And the last difference in the symbols that these characters represent, Jack represents the bad side of human reputation and Ralph represents the good side or democracy.Question 2Piggy represents intelligence and thinking. This idea is proven through out the whole book, until his death. Fist of all there is the fact that because of Piggy the boys were able to create the fire. The secondary, idea is the fact that Piggy acts very mature through out the book. He is even more mature than Ralph. Piggy comes up with ideas that not a single other boy had though of. For example there is the fact that Piggy though of the sundial. Furthermore there is the idea that Piggy constantly reminds Ralph of their objective to the island, and which is to be saved.

Same-Sex Marriage Essay Example for Free

Same-Sex mating Es utterIt is unbelievable that the United States of America, the land of the free, still has laws that dispose the conjugal union of homosexual couples. Many states within the United States have been debating over this issue for years. Massachusetts was the first state to legalize gay marriage in may of 2004. As of nary(prenominal)ember 7, 2012, eight more states made gay marriage legal in the United States. I saw with so many of the gay couples, they were so devoted to an separate(prenominal). I saw so much love. When this hearing was over, I was a changed person in regard to this issue. I felt that I silent what same-sex couples were looking for (Kach). Homosexuality occurs in over 450 species. Homophobia only exists in one. Which seems unnatural now? When it comes down to it, we be all(a) people with emotions and feelings regardless of our sexual orientation. We should present homosexuals the business to have marriage without putting labels on it, li ke a civil union or gay marriage. Legalizing homosexual marriage bequeath stop discrimination, wont have a negative impact on heterosexual marriages, and will not cause others to ask for outrageous requests to be legal. A marriage is between a spouse and a spouse not a gender and a gender.To deny homosexuals the full to energise unify is like the United States going back to the times of segregation. As our founding fathers stated in the Declaration of Independence, We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men argon created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. (Declaration of Independence). If a mans happiness is to be with another man that he loves, who are we to say it is wrong? Many think that homosexuals should not be allowed to marry because they raftnot produce children. However, if having children were to be the case of get hold ofting married, wherefore are infertile couples allowed to get married and stay together or why do some couples just not have children at all? Getting married means much more than just having children. It takes devotion and true love for a couple to get married.Not giving homosexuals the right to get married is a form of discrimination and gives people the mindset that it is perfectly fine to strong-armer people that are different from them. Every solar day I went into school I knew that something new was going to happen. Goodness knows how many times I put a knife to my wrist (Daniel Shepphard). Is it fine for a 13 year old boy to cut himself for being the way he is? No one should feel so out of place and be so bullied that they would want to harm themselves or try to end their life. Almost two-thirds of Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) students are scared to go to school because they are bullied. School is a place to learn and be the best that you can be, not a place to battle and stand up for a right that straight people are just given. If we make laws that make homosexual marriage legal, more people will realize that it is not very well to bully someone because of their sexual preference. If the laws of our country stand up for something, so will the people of the country.There is the argument that homosexual marriage does not follow the root of traditional marriages. In reality, there really are not traditional marriages anymore. In ancient time, traditional marriage consisted of polygamy, communal child-rearing, use of concubines and mistresses, and commonality of prostitution. How can we say that an attraction between two people of the same gender is considered a sin, when all of the things listed about are considered as part of traditional marriage. Marriage in the United States is a dynamic institution and has gone through many changes. Women now have rights in a marriage and there are interracial marriages. Why is it that Kim Kardashians marriage that lasted for a bout 72 days is legal, but Neil Patrick Harris, who has been with his partner for more than 11 years, is still fighting for his right to get married to someone who he has been truly devoted to? It is unfair that straight people take marriage as an advantage, and are getting divorced go forth and right, while homosexuals would do anything to have the same rights as heterosexual couples.Some people believe that gay marriage is a slippery slope. They say that if people want homosexuals to have marriage rights, then soon people will be asking for polygamous, incestuous, bestial, and other nontraditional rights. If we legalize gay marriage, why not polygamy? (Savage). First of all, marriage requires consent, and animals, children, and people in comas, cant give consent. As for polygamy, in many parts of the world today, it is completely okay to have more than one spouse. Also, there is a lot of cheating in relationships and marriages in the United States. Marriage and homosexual marriag e is the same thing, except for the gender of the spouses. With gay marriage not legal, there are already so many cases of rape. Are we to ban and blame heterosexual marriage for that? No. Homosexual marriage has no negative impact on society. If someone does not want a gay marriage, they are not forced to get one. Making it legal will teach society to not discriminate others that are different than us, which is a very positive impact on our world.The ban of homosexual marriage should be lifted off of the 41 states that have not yet made it legal. It is time for our nation to accept each other despite our differences. Homosexuals do not protest against heterosexual marriages, and they understand why some are against them, but if others do not agree with gay marriage, they are not forced to get one. Gay marriage is now very widely accepted in the United States. 41% of people strongly favour gay marriage. In the past two decades, public support for gay marriage has increased 1% annu ally. Everyone has people in their lives that are gay, lesbian or transgender or bisexual. They may not want to admit it, but I guarantee they know somebody (King). Gay marriage should be legalized and labels like gay, lesbian, bisexual, straight, etc., should be taken off because in the end, we are all just people.

Potassium Lithium Hydrogen Phthalate Mixed Crystals

Potassium Lithium Hydrogen Phthalate Mixed Crystals3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONSECTION 3.1Synthesis, growth, structure and characterization of special K lithium hydrogen phthalate mixed watch glasss*In the arrange work, we report the growth and structure of a new mixed watch glass C16H16KLiO11 (PLHP), which crystallizes in a non-centrosymmetric post group P21 and SHG-active. The adult crystals were subjected to various characterization studies which ar briefly described below. Here it is established that by synthesising the mixed crystal in a varied route with a controlled slow-wittedness of additive, one corporation sustain nonlinearity at the macro level by allowing the specimen to crystallise in a wintry space group. The main objective of the investigation is to design a noncentrosymmetric structure by attempting a divergent route of synthesis, leading to NLO activity. Steering to noncentrosymmetry from centrosymmetry is made practical by changing the growth conditions.3. 1.1. Crystal growthThe mixed crystal PLHP was synthesized from an aqueous solution containing equimolar quantities of AR grade chiliad hydrogen phthalate (KHP) and lithium change (Li2CO3) in s vaguelyacidic conditions using de-ionized water. After successive recrystallization, the mixed crystals were grown by the slow evaporation solution growth technique. The crystallization took name within 20-25 d and the crystals were harvested. Photographs of as- grown crystals are shown in Fig. 3.1.1.Fig. 3.1.1. Photographs of mixed crystal PLHP 3.1.2. FT-IRThe FT-IR spectrum of the as-grown specimen is shown in Fig.3.1.2. An absorption band in the region 500-900 cm-1 corresponds to the C-H out of unconditional deformations of aromatic ring. The C=O stretching frequency appeared at 1670 cm-1. The characteristic vibrational patterns of KHP104, lithium hydrogen phthalate (LiHP) 22 and PLHP are given in turn off 3.1.2. A slight shift of some of the characteristic vibrational frequencies could be due to the stress development because of Li incorporation. Fig. 3.1.2. FTIR spectrum of mixed crystal PLHP slacken 3.1.2. FT-IR frequencies of some acid phthalate crystals (cm-1)aRef 105 bRef 22 c Present study3.1.3. TGA/DTAThermal studies reveal the purity of the material. The TGA curve shows a single tip weight loss at 150o C due to loss of water touch. In DTA, the broad end early(a)mic peak at 420C, is dueto decomposition. The residual gage observed from thermogram at 600C is 50%. (Fig. 3.1.3).3.1.4. SEM / EDSThe SEM micrographs give information about the go on morphology and it is used to check the imperfections105. The SEM pictures of PLHP at different magnifications are shown in Fig. 3.1.4.1. It shows highest surface roughness in a plate like structure, due to defect centers and crystal voids. The presence of Li and K in the PLHP crystal lattice is confirmed by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) (Fig. 3.1.4.2).Fig. 3.1.4.2. EDS spectrum of PLHP3.1.5. AAS and CHN ana lysisAtomic absorption spectroscopic studies were carried out to quantify Li (20.6 ppm) and K (21. ppm ) in the consume. Also, CHN elemental analysis was per organise to estimate the quantity of carbon and hydrogen present in PLHP. The elemental composition found was C 42.93%, H 3.29%. The measured composition was C 44.63%, H 3.7%.3.1.6. UV- palpableThe UV-visible spectrum of the mixed crystal PLHP reveals high transmittance in the visible region and the lower cut-off wave length is observed at 300 nm. Incorporation of foreign metal ion into the KHP crystal lattice does not destroy the optical transmission of potassium hydrogen phthalate. The concentration of an absorbing species can be determined using the Kubelka-Munk equation106 correlating reflectance and concentration,F(R) = (1-R)2 / 2R = / s=Ac / swhere F(R) is Kubelka-Munk function, R is the reflectance of the crystal, is absorption coefficient, s is scattering coefficient, A is absorbance and c is concentration of the ab sorbing species. The direct band-gap energy of the specimen is estimated as 4.05 eV, from the Tauc plot F(R)h2 versus h (eV) (Fig. 3.1.6).Fig. 3.1.6. Tauc plot (Direct Band gap energy)3.1.7 X-ray diffraction analysisThe powder XRD pattern of PLHP shows that the try on is of a single phase without a detectable impurity. Narrow peaks indicate the good crystallinity of the material. At room temperature all the observed reflections were indexed. The indexed powder XRD pattern is shown in Fig. 3.1.7.1. Peak positions in powder XRD match with simulated XRD patterns from single crystal X-ray diffraction. The relative intensity variations could be due to the preferred orientation of the sample used for diffractogram measurement. Also, the mosaic spread of powder and single crystal patterns may differ, resulting in intensity variations. The structure of PLHP is elucidated and the ORTEP is given as Fig. 3.1.7.2. Three-dimensional view of intramolecular hydrogen bonding interactions is displa yed in Fig. 3.1.7.3. The chemical formula C16H16KLiO11 confirms the presence of K and Li in the crystalline matrix, well supported by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). The specimen crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system with the noncentrosymmetric space group P21. The crystallographic parameters of PLHP, KHP, LiKP and LiHP are listed in duck 3.1.7.1.Fig.3.1.7.1. Experimental (red) and simulated (blue) powder XRD patterns Fig.3.1.7.2. ORTEP of PLHPFig.3.1.7.3. Three dimensional view of intramolecular hydrogen bonding interactions (OHO)Table 3.1.7.1. Crystal data of LiHP, KHP, LiKP and PLHP crystalsThe alkali ions are conjugate to each other by OHO hydrogen bonds through the carboxylate oxygen. The O atoms of the carboxylate group (in phthalate ions) namely O(1)-O(8) are committed to K1, while the lithium ions are connected with central metal ion via O(5)-O(6), O atoms of the water molecules. The K-O bond distances range fro m 2.8311 (19) to 3.207 (8) , which is higher than bond distances observed in potassium hydrogen phthalate monohydrate 2.305 (1) 2.597 (1) . The LiO bond distances lie in the range 1.956 (3)1.968 (3) . The aromatic C-C bond distances fall in the range 1.377 (3) 1.485 (2) . The four carboxy C-O distances are nearly same and the values are close to that observed for potassium hydrogen phthalate monohydrate107 and sodium acid phthalate108. In LiKP, O(4)K(1) bond distance lies at 2.7491 whereas in our present study, the O(4)K(1) bond distance is 2.7671 . The selected bond angles and bond lengths are given in Table 3.1.7.2.Crystal packing with hydrogen bonding interactions along the b-axis is given in Fig. 3.1.7.4. Strong intramolecular hydrogen bonding interactions are O(2)-H(2)O(11) and O(5)-H(5B)O(3) assembled with distances of 1.77 and 1.86 respectively (Fig. 3.1.7.5). Weak intermolecular interactions are observed for O(7)-H(7B)O(10), O(7)-H(7B)O(11) and O(5)-H(5B)O(1), with bond d istances of 2.41 (2), 2.46 (3) and 3.25 (4) respectively (Table 3.1.7.3.).Table 3.1.7.2. Selected bond lengths () and angles (o) of PLHPTable 3.1.7.3. Hydrogen bonds geometry for PLHP , oFig. 3.1.7.5. Three dimensional image of polyhedron withO-HO interactions3.1.8. SHG efficiencyIn order to confirm the influence of incorporation of lithium on the NLO properties of KHP the pure and mixed crystals were subjected to SHG test with an input radiation of 6.5 mJ/pulse. The outputs give the relative SHG efficiencies of the measured specimens. As seen, the SHG activity of the mixed crystal is comparable with that of KHP (Fig. 3.1.8) and it is quite likely due to the silver charge transfer, not disturbed by Li-incorporation. Although many materials have been identified that have higher molecular nonlinearities, the attainment of second-order effects requires favourable alignment of the molecule within the crystal109. It has been reported that the SHG can be greatly enhanced by altering th e molecular alignment through inclusion complexation110. The mixed crystal PLHP grown from an aqueous solution containing equimolar quantities of reactants crystallize in a noncentrosymmetric space group P21 and SHG-active, whereas when Li is taken in excess in the growth medium the formed mixed crystal LiKP crystallizes in a centrosymmetric space group P1 and hence SHG-inactive29. It is interesting to observe that the mixed crystal of KHP synthesized by a different route crystallises in a polar space group. By changing the growth conditions it is possible to attain noncentrosymmetry in preference to centrosymmetry, a required characteristic of an NLO material.Fig. 3.1.8. The comparative SHG oscilloscope traces of the powder samples of KHP (red) and PLHP (blue)3.1.9. Hirshfeld surface analysisThe Hirshfeld surfaces of PLHP have been demonstrated in Fig. 3.1.9.1 by showing dnorm, shape index, de and di. The Hirshfeld surface111-113 surrounding a molecule is be by points where the co ntribution to the electron density from the molecule under consideration is equal to the contribution from all the other molecules. For each point on that isosurface, twain distances are determined one is de representing the distance from the point to the nearest nucleus external to the surface and second one is di, representing the distance to the nearest nucleus upcountry to the surface. The normalized contact distance (dnorm) is based on both de and di. The surfaces are shown as transparent to allow visualization of the molecule around which they were calculated. The circular depressions (deep red) which are visible on the Hirshfeld surface are an indicator of hydrogen bonding contacts and other visible spots in Fig. 3.1.9.1a are due to OLi (3.6%), HO (14.5%), OH (15.9%), KO (2.0%) and LiO (3.5%) interactions. The short interactions represented by deep red spots in de surface (Fig.3.1.9.1c) are OLi contacts (3.6%). The dominant OH (14.5%), LiO (3.5%) and HH (31.7%) interactions are viewed in di surface plots by the effulgent red area in Fig. 3.1.9.1d. The shape index indicates the shape of the electron density surface around the molecular interactions. The small range of area and light color on the surface represent a weaker and longer contact other than hydrogen bonds. The two-dimensional fingerprint plots114 of PLHP exemplify the strong evidence for the intermolecular interactions pattern. In the fingerprint region (Fig. 3.1.9.3), OH (15.9%) interactions are represented by a bar in the bottom area whereas the HO (14.5%) interactions are represented by a spike in the top left region. Hydrogen-hydrogen interactions HH (31.7%) are very high while compared to the other bonding interactions. Sharp curved spike at the bottom left area indicates the OLi (3.6%) and top left corner with curved spike indicates the LiO (3.5%). The finger print at the bottom right area represents CH (11.7%) interactions and top right area represents HC (8.7%) interactions. The nu mber of interactions in terms of percentage are represented in a pie chart in Fig. 3.1.9.2.Fig.3.1.9.1. Hirshfeld surface analysis of PLHP (a) dnorm(b) shape index (c) de (d) diFig. 3.1.9.2. congener contribution of various intermolecular interactions in PLHP Fig. 3.1.9.3. Fingerprint plots of PLHP1

DBD-NTP Reactor Test for Degradation of Methylene Blue

DBD-NTP Reactor Test for Degradation of Methylene BlueAbstractElectrical fall behinds amazed at water- attack port in a nonthermal blood plasma (NTP) reactor were utilized for the humiliation and mineralization of a model aqueous essential pollutant methylene blue. NTP based ripe oxidation processes (AOPs) have presented a great potential to remove contaminants from wastewater. The abjection of pollutions will greatly depend on the active species generated in NTP process. It was observe that both(prenominal) degradation efficiency and mineralization of the pollutant change magnitude on humanitarian of metal oxide accelerator, total heat peroxide and Fe+2 to plasma reactor. It has been observed that methylene blue degradation followed first- smart set kinetics and degree of mineralization increased as a function of duration.1. IntroductionThe presence of aqueous organiccompounds in water whitethorn have adverse wellness effects on humans and aquatic organisms1-4. Wastew ater, especially from paper, textile and pharmaceutical industries whitethorn contain highly hazardous and toxic compounds5, 6. Typical organic pollutants the equals of pharmaceuticals, dyes, etc atomic number 18 toxic and may contain some non-degradable intermediates that may havea potential carcinogenicity and mutagenicity7, 8. One ofthe best practiced methods for remediation of these pollutants, adsorption, at best, may tranfer the pollutant to another phase, whereas, biodegradation may be time consuming 6, 9. Ingeneral, mineralization of these pollutants is more(prenominal) desired. To achieve mineralization, advacned oxidation processes (AOPs) like photo-Fenton, photocatalytic, ultrasonic degradation and sonolysis combined with ozonolysis have been proposed7, 10-14. Yet another addition to AOPs is nonthermal plasmas (NTP) generated by electric provokes.Non-thermal plasmas (cold plasma) are consultationized by high electron temperatures (Te) and clod heavy particle temper ature (Th). Due to the high electron temperature, the average gas temperature is much lower than that of the electron temperature. NTP based AOPs are gaining attention for remediation of gas and water bound pollutants and especially electric political campaigns at the water gas interface offers specific advantages like times high zip fastener electrons that may embark on the reaction, multiple oxidants for mineralization, mild operating conditions and possibility of scale up, etc.Oxidation of pollutant in AOPs proceeds via generation of one of the powerful oxidants, hydroxyl radical (OH, 2.8 V)that can mineralize a majority of the organic pollutants 15-18.Plasma technologies have agreat potential and are widely used in a large number of technical applications like abatement of air pollutants, surface modification, lasers, etc19. The application of plasmas in environmental application has been growing at an exponential function rate. Electrical discharges generated at gas-water i nterface may induce divers(prenominal) physical and chemical effects like high electric areas, UV radiation, overpressure shock waves, and the makeup of chemically active species 16, 19-22. The interaction of the high energy electrons created by the discharge with the water molecules produces variant reactive species, namely ions (H+, H3O+, O+, H, O, OH), molecular species (H2, O2, H2O2) and radicals (such as O, H, OH) 6, 23-26.In addition, the hot electrons may have higher energy than the dissociation energy of water (5.16 eV) 6, 25,27. However, even though the presence of UV faint-hearted has been confirmed, acquit photo oxidation of pollutant in water is very limited and among the active species hydroxyl radical, atomic type O, ozone and hydrogen peroxide are the most important ones 28, 29.Thus electrical discharges may provide a capsule of oxidizing species with varying oxidation potentials. For example, OH radical, one of the most important oxidants, has a very short life time and is chiefly generated from the direct dissociation of water molecules in the plasma region 30-32. The presence of multiple oxidizing species provides various avenues to combine with catalysts. For example, once the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is confirmed, addition of Fe-catalysts may facilitate Fenton type reactions. In a similar manner, in-situ decomposition reaction of ozone on a suitable catalyst may lead to the arrangement of atomic oxygen, which has still higher oxidation potential than H2O2 and ozone. For the effective utilization of these short lived species, generally, metal oxide catalysts like Al2O3, Fe2O3, SiO2, TiO2, ZnO, etc are often integrated with NTP. These catalysts facilitate the in-situ decomposition of ozone, steer to the formation of atomic oxygen, which is a stronger oxidant to ozone.In general, nonthermal plasma reactors may be classified as the sub-atmospheric discharge reactors that acquire a reduced pressure (radio frequency, micro wave discharge,etc) and that are capable of operating at atmospheric pressure (Corona, dielectric restriction discharge, glow discharge etc). However, as the formation of these active species may depend on the reactor human body6, 33-35 it is worth mentioning the widely tested plasma rector models like corona discharge, dielectric barrier discharge (DBD), glow discharge, plasma jet, and gliding arc, etc.1.1. Dielectric barrier dischargeDielectric barrier discharge (DBD) configuration is characterized by at least(prenominal) one insulating dielectric layers, which is placed between the electrodes. Its use in environmentalapplications can be tracked back to middle 18th century, when Siemens (1857) used it to generate ozone. The classical DBD configuration is illustrated in Figure 2. The advantage of DBD over the other dischargeslies inhaving the option to workwith NTP atatmosphericpressureandcomparatively straight forward scale-upto large dimensions.1.2. Corona dischargeCorona disc harge is featured by relatively non-uniform electric field distribution, when compared to DBD, caused by the sharp edge or sharp point of its electrode. In general, one of the electrodes of corona discharge reactors is a needle or a thin wire that may provide a point to plate type discharge propagation. The electric field near the electrodes would be sufficiently higher than the rest of the discharge volume. The typical electrode configurations of corona discharge are illustrated in Figure 3.1.3. Gliding Arc dischargeThe gliding arc (GA) is anunique non-thermal plasma that has relatively high plasma density, power and operating pressure in comparison with other non-equilibrium discharges. It has a dual character of thermal and nonthermal plasma, and can involve relatively high electric powers compared to the corona discharge. It is generated between two metal electrodes with a high velocity gas or gasliquid fluid flowing between the electrodes.However, for environmental applications like decontamination of air and water pollutants, either corona or DBD is widely tested.DBD configuration has been reported as a promising technique for the removal of air pollutants 3336-42. 3333, 343333, 34However, majority of the literature deals with treatment of air pollutants. Discharge in water is different to that in air due to differences between the characteristics of water and air141435. As stated earlier, plasma generated at air-water interface is known to produce a variety of oxidants that are capable of mineralizing the target organic compounds. Among these oxidants, primary oxidants like ozone, H2O2 are important that may be converted to the secondary oxidants like OH radicals.1.4. H2O2 outturnH2O2formation in NTP reactors was reportedwith a variety of feed gases (Ar,O2,air and N2) and interesting observation is that its formation takes place even in the absence of oxygen bubbling58. H2O2formation in the water for three model gases followed the order N22.Table 2 sum marizes the selected reports that deal with quantitative information on H2O2formation and the corresponding reactions responsible for its formation are summarized below. It may be concluded that the feed gas may affect the formation of oxygen basedreactive species such as OH, O3, O and positive and negative charged ions like O2+,H3O+, O2, O3-.. H2O2 formed by the pursual reaction (Equations 1-6).1.5. Ozone productionOzone is yet another oxidant reported that has major applications during NTP abatement of pollutants. The ozone formation and the corresponding reactions of ozone are summarized in Eq. 7-12. Ozone reacts with organic compounds present in wastewater instanter via molecular and indirectly through radical type chain reactions. Both reactions may occur simultaneously3535. It is known that ozone reacts with unsaturated functional groups present inorganic molecules, leading the conversion of the pollutant 65. Sim35plified reaction mechanism of ozone in aqueous environment is given in Eq. 8-12. Inaddition, NTP is known toproduce ultra-violet (UV) light due to excited nitrogen molecules present in air 1533. Therefore, in aqueous event, UV light induced dissociation of H2O2 molecules may lead to the formation of hydroxyl radicals(Eq. 13) 66, 6735. Eq. 14-17 summarizes the pathway the possibilities in which ozone, H2O2 and UV light may induce the formation of various oxidants that can mineralize the pollutants.Discharges in water may also change the pH of the solution significantly, due to the formation of various inorganic and organic acids6, 16, 21,68. The formation of inorganic acids is a result of a series of reactions involving back ground gas like nitrogen, as shown in eq-18 to 23. It has been observed that pH of the solution decreases rapidly due to the formation of water soluble ions. As a result, conductivity of solution also increases significantly.2. Degradation of a model dye methylene blueA schematic of the reactor used for these experiments are shown in figure X. The electrical discharge was produced in a mate plane type coaxial NTP-DBD reactor by a high-voltage 040 kV AC source transformer (Jayanthi transformers). Quartz is a coarse material used as a dielectric, due to its excellent dielectric properties and its resistance to ozone. The reactor is a transparent quartz cylinder with an inner diam of 19 mm and wall thickness of 1.6 mm. Silver paste painted on the outer surface of the quartz tube acts as the outer electrode, whereas a cylindrical stainless steel rod served as the inner electrode. The discharge length was 20 cm and the discharge fault was around 3.5 mm.2.1. Effect of sign concentration and applied voltageFigure 4 presents the degradation of 100 ppm of a model pollutant methylene blue (MB)as function of time for different voltages at 50 Hz. Increasing voltage favor higher conversion, as conversion of MB improved 91% to 95% on increasing voltage from 14 to 18 kV after 25 min 15. This may be due to the availability of more energetic electrons at 18 kV that may lead to higher degradation. However, degradation decreases with increasing the initial concentration. At14 kV increasing MB concentration from 50 ppm to 100 ppm decreased the conversion from 97% to 91%.A rapid increase in the degradation was observed during the initial stage of plasma treatment followed by a slow increase, probably due to rivalry between pollutant molecules and the intermediate products formed during the degradation.2.2. Effect of discharge gapIt is known that performanceof NTP reactors depend on the distance between the electrodes69. In order to control this observation, during MB degradation, the electrode distance was varied between 1.5 to 4.5mm. As seen from the Fig.5, for 100 ppm MB degradation at 18 kV, in 25 min thedegradation reached 86, 89.5, 93.5 and 92%, respectively for 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5 mm discharge gap, indicating the optimum discharge gap of 3.5 mm. A similar observation was made by Hao et al. who varied the electrode separation between 10 to 20 mm and after 15 min, the conversion of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) decreasedwith increasing the inter-electrode separation. Approximately 78% conversion of 4-CP was obtained with 10 mm inter-electrode separation that decreased to only 45% with 20 mm. With a relatively larger inter-electrode separation, more energy is required for plasma channel formation, whereas optimum separation may also provide plasma-photochemical effects and subsequently a faster degradation of 4-CP.2.3. Effect of feed gasFeed gas may also influence the degradation of the pollutants in NTP reactors. In order to understand this, degradation of 100 ppm of MB was followed at 18 kV by bubbling 200 ml/min of O2, argon and air(Fig. 6). As seen in Fig. 6, the MB degradation was 97.4, 53.2 and 93.4 %, respectively for oxygen, argon and air. The highest degradation of MB with oxygen and air may be due to formation of oxygen based active species like OH, O3, O, H2O2 and positive and negative charged ions like O2+, H3O+, O2, O3.This observation is consistent with report by Du et al., for different feed gases, including air, oxygen, nitrogen and argon during the degradation of a dye AO7. The degradation during the plasma treatment is highest for oxygen and least with nitrogenbubbling 62.2.4. Effect ofNa2SO4As explained earlier, electric discharges produce various reactive species. However, these species may not oxidise the pollutant. For example, the direct interaction of ozone with pollutant is may be ruled out. One of the ways of improving the performance is by adding suitable additives like metal oxides, carbon, ferrous ion and hydrogen peroxide, etc that may facilitate the secondary reactions leading to the formation of strong oxidants.Large gists of sulphate are generally essential in the dye bath for successful dyeing, which results in high concentrations of sulphate discharge in the effluent. To examine the effect of Na2SO4 concentratio n on decolorization efficiency, 50 mg/L of SO4-2 in 100 ppm MB was prepared. The solution was treated at 16 kV applied voltage and the observed degradation was 97.5% against 93.5 % with plasma alone. The excess SO4-2 may react with the hydroxyl radicals to generate SO4-which is more reactive than hydroxyl radicals.2.5. Effect of H2O2 and Fe+2additionMany researchers have reported the formation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and improved performance during the degradation of pollutants in NTP reactors.The expectant reactions with H2O2 may involve the homolytic fission of the OO bond leading to theformation of reactive hydroxyl radicals with high oxidizing power (2.8 V). These hydroxyl radicals may attacks the organic pollutants to initiate the degradation.Hence presence/addition of H2O2 may increase the concentration of active OH and thus accelerate the degradation rate.As the present study confirmed the formation of 80 ppm of H2O2, influence of Fe2+was studied by adding 50 mg of ferro us sulphate. The addition of Fe+2 may facilitate the formation of -OH, -HO2 ,etc, via the Fenton reaction (Eq. (25)as shown below access of Fe2+ shows positive effect on MB degradation (96.5%), where the conversion of 100 ppm MB increased from 96.5% at 16 kV from 93% with plasma border on alone (Fig. 7).2.6. Effect of metal oxide catalystOzone is one of the oxidizing species with high oxidizing power andis one of the important species formed in NTP.However, direct reaction of ozone with pollutant may not be effective and in order to utilize the potentials of ozone, often a catalyst is combined with plasma. In this context, oxygen deficient CeO2 catalysts are beneficial for ozone decomposition due to presence of defect induced vacancies. During the present study, addition of 100 mg of the catalyst to test solution increased the degradation to 99 % from 93.5 % without catalyst at 16 kV. It is reported that the improvement in the degradation efficiency with catalytic plasma approach i s due to in situ formation of atomic oxygen that is capable of mineralizing pollutant due to higher oxidation potential (2.42 V) than ozone (2.07 V) 22. It is known that many of the excited species produced in NTP are short-lived and addition of catalysts may either promote the life time of short-lived species or/and facilitate the formation of secondary oxidants. The catalytic decomposition of ozone may be explained as given in the following equations 15, 26.2.7. Mineralization of Aqueous Organic PollutantThe degradation of the dyes was followed by TOC (total organic carbon), which is an index of the pollutant concentration in the solution. TOC indicates the degree of mineralization of the target compound. The plasma treatment of dye solutions decreased the TOC with time and Table 1 presents the data on the decrease of TOC under different flow rates and voltages. The decreasing TOC with increasing treatment time indicated that the degraded organic carbon may be converted into CO, CO2 and H2O 26, 5132. 32This accounts for a degradation process of the solute and consequently for the detoxication level of water. The CO, CO2 released during the reaction confirms that some amount of degraded dye was mineralized. However, during the present study, COX analyzer was utilized only for qualitative analysis.Pollutant + plasma (Active species) CO + CO2 + H2O (35)2.8. Energy efficiencyThe degradation efficiency may be better illustrated by the amount of pollutant decomposed per unit of energy (represented as energy yield). The energy yield of the degradation was calculated by using the following relation15, 17,18,where C is initial pollutant concentration, V is the volume of the solution, degradation (%) is % degradation at time t, P is power and t is time. It was observed that as a function of time the energy yield decreases and percent degradation increases. Increasing applied voltage increases the power and decreases the energy yield. Energy Efficiencies reported for plasma discharge processes are given in Table 1. For MB degradation, in presence of CeO2 catalyst and H2O2 the energy yield increased to 46.2 and 51.3 respectively, whereas, for plasma alone the grade is 43.1 g/kWh for 100 ppm initial concentration at 16 kV. Feed gases also change the reactor efficiency as well as the energy yield, as with oxygen it is increased to 45.4, whereas, with argon it is only 14.41 g/kWh.2.9. Degradation KineticsDuring the plasma treatment of aqueous organic pollutants it has been observed that concentration of pollutants in solution decreases with time and the degradation followed first order kinetics. The rate constant was calculated based on Eq-745, 68, 70,71.ln(Ct / C0) = k1t (24)where Ct, C0, and k1, are the concentration of Aqueous Organic Pollutant for a given reaction time, initial concentration, and first-order rate constant (min-1), respectively.3. ConclusionsA DBD-NTP reactor was tested for the degradation of 100 ppm methylene blue. It was obser ved that the optimum discharge gap was 3.5 mm and addition of hydrogenperoxide improved the performance of the reactor, probably due to the formation of hydroxyl radical via Fenton reactions. Increasing voltage leads to higher conversion, and catalyst addition increased both conversion and mineralization of the dye.

Theories of Compulsive Buying Behaviour

Theories of Compulsive Buying BehaviourAbove all, it should be noned that obtain is big business. Shopping centers employ approximately 8% of the US crapforce. These portion of the workforce helps drive the machine that creates ab turn up of from each one states tax revenues and at that place be currently much malls and shopping centers that US high schools (Farrell, J. 2003, pp. xi-xii).Seemingly powering this juggernaut of commerce is ever increasing and app bently unsaticapable appetite of the modern consumer. Behind the 4x growth in the number of shopping centers and the over 3x growth in retail squ ar footage during the 30-year period of 1970 2000, is the fact that Ameri raises (and credibly different civilized consumers) ar consuming goods at twice (2x) the rate as they did in 1950 and ten-time(10x) as just over viity years past (Farrell, J. 2003, pp. xii-xiii). It is also worth noting that this increase in consumption is evidenced across all income levels thoug h not necessarily equally across all segments (Gini, A. 2003, p. 85). In fact, more(prenominal) severe cases argon prodigiously correlated to a lower the level of income, a greater exchangeableliness of having below-average income and spending a lower fate of income on sale decimal points, suggesting overall an inability to handle financial issues well (Black, D. 2001, p. 23)As a counter-statistic, Americans give birth a level of harvestingion that is currently at approximately 2x that of the same period (1950). This implies that, we could consume the same amount as in 1950 and work one-half as a lot or, as reality has it, work even more to consume over twice as much (Gini, A. 2003 p. 82). Similarly, in a predictably correlational fashion, the not only has the number of shoppers and shopping centers increased but on that point has been a sharp increase in the number of newproducts, particularly in the advertised must have category as wellas the emergence of the entirely ne w disposable category (Pooler, J.2003, p. 9).As shoppers and products have changed, the relationship that existed between them has also morphed into something new. With the proliferation of retail venues that profer an ever-increasing number of products and categories, the arrival of the disposable product should not go unnoticed. though without question, legion(predicate) if not intimately products are very high quality and manufactured to very exacting standards, many products are less durable or are designed for obsolesce. Durability was the characteristic that was promoted while the products of today push a message of convenience. In a society rampant with much(prenominal)(prenominal) explicit and implicit messages, it is no wonder that the emotional connections to most any product are decreasing (Pooler, J. 2003, p. 10). Products such as cameras or contact lenses were highly contemplated purchasesthat were expected to last a significant period of time. Likely more important than simple the volume of shopping is its impregnationshopping means more than it did in the past. Previously,the great unwashed shopped for items that they expected. Now, such shopping still occurs but it occupies a small fraction of the process. Studies estimate that as much as 2/3 of consumer purchases are unnecessary(Pooler, J. 2003 p.2). This excess is bought from a want rather than need. As an additional sign of the times, consumer research has even indicated that over half of all gift purchases are actually gifts forme (Pooler, J. 2003, p. 11).Shopping used to be a more utilitarian and logical task in which purchases were planned and for the most part, the consumer-focused on postulate. Contrasted with the modern shopper for whom it has been estimated that only about 1/3 of purchases are necessary, it is clear that unfulfilled lust must play a very much larger role (Pooler, J.2003, pp. 2, 6). For example, as Pooler states, people have a need for a new pair of pants but a d esire to purchase designer-label pants is a want (Pooler, J. 2003, p. 22). Today, brands are power, disposablecontacts are the norm and OTUC, one-time use camera, are almost always within accouterments reach. It is important to note these products arenot inferiorin many ways, they are functionally far superior toyesterdays products, rather, only illustrative of a pervasive head that merits acknowledgement and consideration. Understandingthe mentality that these wants, in the minds of individual consumers,are probably felt to be needfully. The eye of the would-be beholder isparticularly applicable. By utilizing the Hierarchy of Needs, it is possible to shed significant insight into how some of these psychological shifts are occurring. Developed by noted psychologist Abraham Maslow over 75years ago, this pyramid of hierarchically modulateed of necessity is fundamental to many issues with psychological affect. At the base of the pyramid are raw material unavoidably such as foo d, shelter and clothing. Above the basic,physiological level are needs that could be class as safety and would include anything that can declare oneself psychological security and stability. Above this are social needs such as the need for friends and companionship. Nearing the altitude of the pyramid are needs under thelabel of self-esteem in which feeling such as pride and respectbecome important. Finally, the highest level of needs is characterizedas be self-actualization needs in which a mortal has the desire tomake the most of themselves and to be more. A key component of Maslows influence is his belief that higher needs can not be addressed until lower needs are satisfied. This is especially salient as most people living in modern civilized countries have all the more basic needs met. Consequently and with few exceptions, most can spend their days in pursuit of the satisfaction of higher needs such as self-esteem and self-actualization.As America or any modern society has evolved, psychologist and philosopher Eric Fromm indicates that society and its members have also evolved to a point at which universe is confused with having (Gini,A. 2003, p. 84). Such as materialist possessive mindset will leavevacant the needs at the top of the pyramid and individuals will exhibitfeelings associated with not having these innate needs unfulfilled. Fromm further indicates that much of the symptoms of this empty questare typical of a western mindset and ultimately declaration in a mentalityof to be much is to have much (Gini, A. 2003, p. 82).To have a high standard of life means to enjoy a pleasure intensely and tire of it quickly. Simon Patten (Hine, T. 2002 p. 17)The fact that people, in general, are consuming more, that thither are more products and more places to buy them go a long way in describing in somewhat imprecise save accurate toll that context of modern society. Maslows hierarchy of needs also provides significant insight into the circumstances o f the continuing patterns of increasing consumption that indicated a struggle to satisfy a need that cannot be satiated through the mechanism of acquiring things. At this point, a further differentiation between needs and wants can be drawn a need is often physical and should be satisfied externally a want is most likely a psychological, internally manifested desire. In the same way that you could not satisfy a real, physical hunger with psychological fish and chips, attempts to quench a psychological desire with a tangible object are likely scam-lived and misguided and willend in psychological frustration.This misguided attempts to assuage ones highest psychological needs is not un conceivable given the mixed messages in society of which there is a clear emphasis placed upon highly superficial qualities. Shopping is simply the process whereby one attempts to execute these omnipresent messages. As a cultural phenomenon, shopping is the procedural execution of economic decision- mak e. This decision-making takes places in a sea of in which image and emotion are peradventure more likely to take precedence of narrowly placed economic and functional utility. The price tag on an item reflects a sealed value but the real value is in the eye of the consumer and is the item worth that much to me. Using economic terms such as opportunity cost and opportunity benefit are especially relevant as a purchase decision hangs in the symmetricalness what will my friends think?, does it make me more attractive?, does it make me happy? are examples of what goes through the new consumer mind. The fact that a product will do the crinkle is, at best, necessary but not sufficient and, at worst, totally irrelevant.As noted above, the process of shopping along with the acquired resultant moolah are a reflection of a changing culture and value system. Shopping is part of a manner by which a mortal defines who they are. What is bought, where it came from and the motives define a p erson for themselves and, probably in large measure, to others aswell. Just as important as what, where and why that someone bought something are the facts of omission that they did not buy it at a certain store, etc. is as relevant as the facts of commission. Consider the following telling examples of self-expressionthe shopper purchases prominently labeled Pampered Chef cookware in lieu of functionally equivalent store merchandise,the man who purchases a Polo sweater with its plainive logo over the perhaps even pricier/better nondescript brand,the person who chooses name-brand drinks when company is expected over the undistinguishable other brand.While the rationale for purchases are intriguing issues, it is interesting to note that everyone thinks they are good at it (Pooler,J. 2003, p. 4). This is all the more interesting in light of how one qualification possibly define good or success. Certainly, in the mind of the above average or even good consumer, it would be a short-liv ed experience as the satisfaction of a successful hunt only fuels the thirst for additional quarry. That this present activity is seldom relegated to existence considered just a functional activity in whichfunctional products are the goal is consistent with the fact that itis now something of a recreational pursuit in which objects of deep psychological desire are hunted with a relish most often associated with sports participation.As most activities in which there is the reward, shopping can go tofar. For many the allure of shopping can be a bit withal much. The attraction of shiny products, titillating packaging, tempting displays, glamorous advertisements, ever-so-helpful service staff and the extreme ease by which one can proffer patch upment, it is no wonder that someover-succumb to the retail sirens. precondition a society that is mannerally and cognitively conditioned respond to the stimulus of retail, it is no surprise that some spend beyond their means. Others whit ethorn have the means to financially afford the habit but are continue to seek fulfillment in a venue that cannot provide anything else than transitory happiness until the cycle begins again.The mentation of more, of ever increasing wealth, has become the center of our identity and our security, and we are caught by it as an testicle by his drugs. Paul Wachtel (Gini, A. 2003 p. 81)The idea that shopping can tug out of hand does not escape the attention of either popular press such as Essence or more scholarly tomes such as the Journal of Consumer Research or CNS Drugs CentralNervous System. Behind the urge to splure reads Essence, is often a person who some period, find that they cannot help themselves. For some, a certain purchase is simply merchandise, even if a bit pricey and fashionable. For others, it whitethorn represent a conscious or unconscious sense of entitlement or it may be a form of self-medication that is termed in some circles to be retail therapy(Bridgeforth, G. 2004, p. 156). This so-called therapy is likely caused by the psychological frustration from the lack of measure fulfillment of pasting attempts to achieve self-actualization via shopping as a compensation mechanism. While a problem in itself,shopping for psychological satisfaction may be masking serious issues such as a clinically-qualifying depression or just regular issues for which shopping is simply a surrogate means to discover a bit of self-esteem through good shopping.Though many in the popular press refer to someone as being a shopping addict, it is important to note that there are different types of addiction. Commonly, when one refers to someone as an addict, the mind conjures up the person who is addicted to cocaine, methamphetamines or even alcohol. These types of addictions are undoubtedly very real and, because of their nature, are referred to as physiological addictions. The chemicals in the abused substanceshyper-stimulate certain receptors in the important nerv ous system and their prolonged use created a deficit in the bodys production of endogenous analog. Such a deficit is augment by a strong desire for such chemical stimulation as well as certain psychological needs or perhaps more accurately, compunctions. If it were the case that shopping was habit-forming in the same way that drugs are, we might expect to find that purchases of various persons showed little trends in that the same types or categories of items did not construe a consistent purchase incidence. In actuality, items that tend to be moreemotional in nature have a distinct tendency for a greater purchase frequency that items with than items with less potential for attachment(Pooler, J. 2003, pp. 24-25). For example, duct tape or milk are items that would not be likely to be on a shopping addicts list whereas items such as jewelry, fashion items or elegant undergarments are strong contenders.Though not quite like a drug addiction, shopping for certain individuals can be mal adaptive or pathological in nature. Though it can not be deemed a physiological addiction, as we will discuss in more detail later, there are physiological consequences and manifestations of what is otherwise a psychological presentation. For these individuals, the entire shopping experience is different to someone who has not experienced it, it would seem almost inconceivable that a person could be out of dominate to the extent that those suffering from controlling spending disorder report as being. As Black reports,compulsive shoppers often describe their experiences as being enhanced by color, lighting or the odor of stores, as well as the textures of clothing with some even describing the experience as being sexually exciting (Black, D. 2001, p. 23). According to these same reports, 83% of compulsive shoppers report that it makes them feelhappy while 71% indicate a powerful feeling. This feeling play in the face of the guilt and consequences following their purchases which, i n many cases, are either returned or given away and not retained (Black, D. 2001, p. 23).In find if someone should be fitted with the label laypersons terms being of a shopping addict or a shop-a-holic, a key modifier gene is the expression of consumer demand that could be considered to beirrational. Such classification must be considered in the context of the consumers lifestyle and income. With this in mind, it is not the object of demand so much as an extreme emotional or otherwise inappropriate level of demand within a reasonable framework of acceptability (Pooler, J. 2003, p. 26). For example, the strong desire of a comparatively wealthy person or perhaps the elite harrier who wants the very latest in performance acrobatic footwear is insufficient to earn such a label. On the other hand, the individual who is not, by any stretch of the imagination, remotely athletic and whose income in inconsistent with shoes whose price exceeds ten hours wages would likely be labeled irratio nal. Such information in conjunction with other facts and the overall context would be in musical note with consideration for such a designation.Another consideration in the determination of the appropriateness of anon-clinical label such as a shopping addict is the overall magnitude of the behavior. A common behavior is that people, when they feel they have done a good job with some task will self-reward. This construct is could generally be termed to be a more benign presentation of the self-medicating label often is implemented in regards to a work-related behavior. This psychological pat on the back, whether a alternative compensation mechanism or a pure positive reinforcement of a selected behavior. Regardless, there is an intuitive level of reasonableness in relation to the magnitude of the reward with the degree of difficulty or relative greatness of task achievement. Depending on a number of factors, one employee may seek self- rapture through treating themselves to lunch w hile another could give them a license to splurge and hunting expedition up a disproportionately hefty charge.All in all, though it would be exceeding convenient if there were a blood test to find oneself if one were an addict, it is simply not the case. Despite this, there are certain patterns that do fit the criteria for shopping being an addiction. While there are diagnostic criteria for the determination that an individual is a shopping addict, it is quite likely just as useful to define addictive behavior as occurring when there is strong irrational desire based upon a perceived need for some stimulus despite, in the long run pathological or maladaptive. The addict may likely know that the pursuit of such a stimulus is not in their best interests or they may, through ignorance or extreme desire, be blind to the negative consequences of continued consumption. Defined similarly as beingbehavior triggered by internal psychological tension and accompanied by rest and frustrati on performed repeatedly despite its negative consequences by DeSarbo and Edwards in research conducted to more accurately ascertain related psychological factors, either definition seems to adequately capture the intuitive connotation for such an assessment (DeSarbo, W. and E. Edwards 2004, p. 231).If 10% of the population have a problem and 9 of your friends are OKIs it YOU?While it may not, in fact, be 1 in 10, the incidence of compulsive purchasing disorder has been estimated to be between 2-8% with the overwhelming majority being pistillate and with a comparatively young(Before plunging headlong into the issue of shopping as an addiction, itis important to differentiate between compulsive and freakish spending. The distinguishing feature between them is the origination of the impetus as being internal or external. Internal motivations such as disturbance or the seeking of increased self-esteem or gratification are the motivations for compulsive spending. Impulsive spending is differentiated by the stimulus for purchase is being driven by an external mechanism such as a blinking package, prominent placement such as an endcap or a special (DeSarbo, W. and E. Edwards 2004, p.233). Such as differentiation is important as it is not uncommon for compulsive buyers to also be impulsive buyers yet there are discernable differences in their psychological makeup.Cl primaeval, shopping can be addictive and merits attention and possibly intervention. While there are common sense guidelines to assessing the such behavior as indicated previouly, more standard criteria have been veritable to attention twain a person in determining that they ought to seek professional help as well as aiding mental health professionals in making a confirmatory diagnosis. Developed under the assumption that materialism is a pervasive and global human trait, theDiagnostic Screener for Compulsive Buying Behavior (DSCB) was developed with seven key itemsI made only the minimum payments on my credit cards.I wrote a check when I knew I didnt have tolerable money in the bank.I felt others would be horrified if they knew of my spending habits.If I have any money left at the end of a pay period, I just have to spend it.I bought things even though I couldnt afford them.I bought myself something in order to make myself feel better.I felt anxious(p) on days I didnt go shopping (Kwak, H., G. Zinkman, M. Crask 2003, p. 166).These items had an approximate overall reliability of 0.75 and were significant at the p.05 level. Despite this, in trials with multiple samples from both the US, represented individualized western culture, and South Korea, representing more a community/group-driven eastern culture, the emergence of dimensionality in the data was observed. In US samples, the premise that the seven test items capture adequately the various psychological tensions and anxieties that a person who suffers from compulsive buying issues is supported without modification. How ever, South Korean samples, though supporting the meditation this instrument can reliably detect such issues, revealed bi-dimensionality in two constructs ofFinancial outcomes (items 1,2 and 3),Unfettered spending (items 4,5 and 6) (Kwak, H. 2004, p. 167).Such a finding indicates that, in some cultures, consumers may see that an certain issue has different or distinct angles. For example, either an problem with the financial outcomes of behaviors or the fact that one may not be very restrained in spending is likely seen as the same issue by American consumers. In essence, the answers may be the same and the result the same but the meaning that a certain culture places upon one factor or another is relevant and only reiterates the changing nature and that rendering of such instruments cannot be removed from the culture.Additional research by DeSarbo and Edwards published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology in which advanced statistical controls were utilised provide significant additional insights in the both the nature of the problem of compulsive buying and the discernment of the problem itself. In this research the authors cite numerous old studies in which the behavior of compulsive buying has been linked to a number of psychological personality characteristics such asDependence DenialDepressionLack of impulse controlLow self-esteemApproval-seekingAnxietyEscape coping tendenciesGeneral compulsivenessMaterialismIsolationExcitement-seekingPerfectionism In addition, the factors of family environment, childhood experiences with money and spending, family communication patterns, as well as factors such as the number of credit cards regularly used,degree of credit debt and other compulsive behaviors demonstrated have been identified as potential predictors of compulsive buying activity(DeSarbo, W. and E. Edwards 2004, p. 232).Of all the factors indicated in assessing the issues that predispose an individual to compulsive buying behaviors, the escape from a nxiety is most often labeled as the most influential factor. As multiple studies indicate, compulsive buyers react to stress with higher levels of anxiety than do noncompulsive buyers. When evince out, compulsive shoppers attempt to utilize purchases as a compensation mechanism or as an escape from the anxiety (DeSarbo, W. and E. Edwards2004, pp. 235, 236).Additionally, the following significant alter factors are listed below1. Self-Esteem Cited as the most common deficiency in those who are compulsive shoppers, it is easy to see how the act of purchasing an item can convey a sense of power and entitlement although it is one that is short-lived (DeSarbo, W. and E. Edwards 2004, p. 236). This non-durable pleasure serves to enhance the vicious cycle in which the progressive qualities of the disease are exhibited. This cycle is virtually identical to many physiological addictions in which there is desensitization or habituation to a certain level of stimulus which each engagement, th e person wants/needs a larger dose or a greater frequency of stimulation.2. Perfectionism This trait is frequently associated with invididuals who suffer from addiction and is characterized as being unrealistic expectations whose unfulfillability can result in a variety of issues such as depression, anxiety, and self-doubt. By purchasing, individuals with this trait are seeking to assuage these feelings and, for a short while, they may succeed (DeSarbo, W. and E. Edwards 2004, p. 236).3. Impulsiveness In the scheme of medical or psychological diagnosis, compulsive buying behaviors are close relatives of obsessive-compulsive behavioral disorders. The inability to control impulsive thoughts and/or the related ability to defer gratification are likely important contributors to this behavior (DeSarbo, W. and E. Edwards 2004, pp.236, 237). Also, as indicated earlier, there should be a quality drawn between compulsive and impulsive buying behaviors in which the stimulation for action is internal or external, respectively.4. Locus of Control Much compulsive buying is likely related to a internal struggle to gaincontrol of a confounding and stressful external environment. When a person chooses to make a purchase, feelings of control are present as the person chooses the object, means, timing, location and, in some cases, the cost of their desires. This highly controlled situation could likely be contrasted to the context of the ease of their lives in which they are at the whim of others and exert no control and possibly even little influence upon the events and objects in their day. As such, those who are characterized as being compulsive consumers are likely to view themselves as being controlled externally as they have an inability to see themselves from the perspective that they are able to influence their lives internally(DeSarbo, W. and E. Edwards 2004, p. 238).In addition, addition personality traits such as excitement seeking, approval seeking or dependence issues as well as environmental factors or familial factors are considered to be characteristics that can contribute to or perpetuate cycles of compulsive consumerism. An example of an environmental factors that are potentially relevant are isolation in which the occasion of compulsive buying may provide a social outlet or materialism in which tutelage up with the Jones becomes a compelling rationale for such spending (DeSarbo, W. and E.Edwards 2004, p. 239). With regards to familial factors, there are a great many learned behaviors that are internalized as normal in the context of the home. Additionally, most people first experience with money and managing finances come through the context of chores, an allowance and forms of rationed spending. These early experiences have a significant influence upon adult behaviors as is the case in which children learn that money is a reward or perhaps are not taught that saving is a very important part of earning as well as spending(DeSarbo, W . and E. Edwards 2004, pp. 239,240).One of the ultimate goals of psychology is to understand, predict and influence behavior. To more fully understand the role that these personality traits, environmental and family or sociological issues plays in the expression of compulsive buying behaviors, DeSarbo and Edwards utilized advanced regression techniques to muster outadditional insights that would otherwise be buried in using simpler techniques.The basic idea behind regression analysis is to plot a line which represents the extent to which a certain factor or group of factors can explain the variance of measurable behaviors within a sample group. More basic regression techniques such as linear regression utilize a formula of y=mx+b in which y is the expected behavior and x is the independent variable in which there it is posited there will be a influence y. In its most basic forms, variables are lumped unitedly and one can determine only is a certain combination significantly influe nces the outcome. In more intermediate approaches, differing variables can be accounted for by there relative contribution to the outcome. In the more advanced data manipulations, technology enables the rapid assessment of various combinations or clusters of variables can be examined in order to more fully account for the observed sample variability.It was such an approach, clusterwise constrained and unconstrained step-wise regression analysis, that was employed by DeSarbo and Edwards to predict the maximum likelihood of compulsive buying by grouping specific combinations of these factors which each iteration testing for deviations in outcome as various factors or groups of factors are include or omitted. Results from this manipulation confirm the difference between compulsive buying in which the behavioral stimulation is more due to internal psychological factors and impulsive buying in which key drivers are more externally biased. In this analysis, the study revealed the key pred ictors of compulsive buying to be self-esteem, dependence and anxiety. For impulsive buying, factors tame statistically significant influence were determined to be denial, isolation, approval seeking and coping. Additionally, impulsiveness as a personality trait factor displayed a significant degree of influence over internally- and externally-driven compulsive buying behaviors (DeSarbo, W. and E. Edwards 2004, p. 248).Though the assessment devices that can shed insight on such psychological concepts as are indicated above, when utilized by a trained technician, can provide a more clinical means by which compulsive buying issues can be gauged, many of the same indices are often incorporated in to what might be termed user-friendly field assessment quizzes. Such a screening tool may be especially helpful as a guide to help one self-determine if there is a potential likelihood of an issue that may need merit professional assistance. An example of this type of quiz is given below1. Do you hide purchases from your partner to avoid a fight?2. Are there garments in your closet from seasons past that still have tags on them?3. Do you forget about purchases made and then find yourself without the money to pay for them when the bill arrives at the end of the month?4. Have you consolidated your credit card debt or rolled it into a refinance?5. Do you travel at the beading of a hat and take additional trips before past trips are paid for?6. Do you tap into emergency savings regularly to make ends carry through?7. Are you unable to contribute the maximum to your 401(k) because you need extra dollars to pay your bills?8. Have you withdrawn from or made loans against your 401(k)? (Bridgeforth, G. 2004, p. 158)Though these yes or no questions are relatively unsophisticated, they can provide significant insight into the issues identified by Kwak, et al., such as the emphasis on financial outcomes, unrestrained spending and activities that might be suggestive of behavioral patterns as opposed to single incidents.Grappling with the Gray Area A Continuum Approach to PathologyOne of the key features of this disease is that, like many psychological issue, it typically begins almost unnoticed and gradually progresses. The initial cycle is likely to begin even innocuously yet the behavior of spending is strengthened by the association of the positive feeling that one has shortly after the purchase. Though this seems reasonable, there is a pronounced tendency on behalf of most people if not medical professionals are well to see illness in terms of a dichotomous perspective. While this is a convenient method, it is indeed too convenient to model the reality of a continuum-approach to this issue. Further, there are traits that seem to predispose one to compulsive spending such as personality or familial factor

Roll Of Thunder Hear My Cry :: essays research papers

Roll of Thunder, Hear My CryThere is a wide of the mark variety of criminal records to choose from to enjoy reading and read for a specific reason. One book that I feel would be a good selection is Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry. This book is mainly about the racism and prejudice that went on in 1933 and around that time. It focuses on a family and the hardships they faced everyday of their lives. I believe after finishing this book that I was taught lessons. This book may also lead you to having emotional feelings. After reading the details that be so horrible and seem unimagin satisfactory I become so amazed and have pity on the white people blanket then. Most of all, I would recommend a friend to read this book because the book is so strong in the areas of theme, and showcase development.First of all, a reason I conceptualize a friend would be pleased with this book is the theme. To me it seems as if it is rare to find a book that would admit many disturbing facts about how w hites set blacks around 1933. Most people would try to hide or want to deny such harmful things that actually took place. On the other hand, throughout this book the author presents truthful facts and I believe this would cause the readers to appreciate the theme. For example, the author tells of a time when a black family&8217s house was burned hatful just because the father of the house believed that a store owner was cheating him with his money. Another example of racism shown in the story is the white children being able to attend better schools and take buses to school, while black children walk. The readers may become very interested in what this entire book is about and what it was like back then. People may have always wondered how bad the prejudice and racism was. The theme was one of my two favorite reasons I enjoyed this book so oftentimes and I think a friend would think the same.Another reason why I believe a friend would appreciate this book is because the character development is very appropriate. In this story, there are characters with all different personalities and ages. It shows how every character pulls through all their hard times. There are characters who are very loyal, and there are characters who are very dishonest.