Ideology and work choices Essay Example for Free

Ideology and work choices Essay Labour laws come from a body of administrative rulings, laws and regulations that are meant to address the legal rights and restrictions of workers and their organizations/ employers. These laws help in improving the relationship between employers, trade unions and employees. Since the 19th century, labour rights have been playing a crucial role in the development of the industrial revolution both socially and economically. These labour laws arose due to the inequality that existed between employees and employees especially when it came to workers’ demands for better conditions like health, safety and wages and employers’ demands for reduced labour costs. Therefore, labour laws are meant to e fair to both parties (employers and employees) thus, they are both a product and a component of different struggles between different interests in society. (Plowman, and Preston, 2005) Overview On 7th December 2005, the Australian Government under Prime Minister John Howard secured passage through the Australian parliament of Workplace Relations Amendment Act 2005. This legislation will greatly affect the conduct of Australian industrial relations. It will also greatly influence the way that the rules that regulate employment relationship in Australia are made and implemented. However, a complete analysis of these reforms has not been made. (Bray et al 2005) The reason why these reforms had to be made was to ensure that the loopholes and strategies that unions had developed since the Workplace Relations Act 1996 were closed off. The Australian labor party identified industrial relations gaps between what it and Howard’s government stood for. The labor’s policy platform focused on four major things: encourage family friendly workplaces, improving job security, assist parties to avoid and resolve disputes (ALP 2004) and restore the right to bargain collectively. In the 1970s, the Australian economic capacity was greatly diminished by adverse trade movements and oil price shocks. This forced the successive governments to introduce a range of reforms meant to enhance the competitiveness of Australian industries in international markets. These reforms comprised reduction in tariffs, floatation of the Australian dollar and abolition of most foreign exchange controls which increased Australia’s openness to foreign competition. Significant changes started being introduced to Australia’s workplace relations from the 1990s. These legislative reforms were meant to maintain a strong safety net for workers while at the same time provide a greater flexibility and choice for employers and workers at workplace level. It was until March 2008 that the government of Australia introduced transitional measures that phased out many concrete provisions in the workplace provisions laws (Workplace Relations Act 1996, Workplace Relations Amendment/Work Choices Act 2005 and Workplace Relations Amendment Act 2007). Ideology and work choices. It should be clearly noted that the prime minister and other members of his government have denied that their policies are not ideological. General philosophy Rather than employers and employees being stuck in an adversarial system, the government wants to put up a system that will allow them to determine their own conditions of working by looking into their common interests. (Andrews 2005b, p. 7). Therefore, a contract between an employee and an employer is seen as a meeting of minds between two partners who are equal and an agreement will only occur when both parties agree with the terms of the contract. In contrast to the pluralist perspective, the general philosophy fails to recognize that inequality of power is central feature of employment relationship. Role of employees. With this new act, provided the employees (Workers) are given the right leadership, the right incentives and the right opportunities, they will be in a position to work very closely with the management Impact on the parties and the rule making processes. In this section we shall critically look at the impact of that these reforms will have on the major actors in the Australian industrial relations. Role of the state In the last 20 years, the government of Australia has seen far greater reliance on market forces than state regulation. However, with the national competition policy as a catalyst, both state and federal governments have embraced deregulation of product markets, government owned enterprises have also been privatized and a private-sector management practice is being used in public sector organizations. (Bray et al. 2005) The narrowing of the state regulation can be seen in the shrinking role of awards and the new modest employment protections offered by the Fair Pay of Australia. Rule making process From chapter 8 of Bray et al. (2005), the four main forms of rule making in Australia are: managerial prerogative, individual contracting, collective bargaining and awards. With the Work Choices act, collective bargaining and award making will decline while managerial prerogative and individual contracting will expand significantly. The reforms here favor employers in many ways. Most employers will be able to gain significant capacity to practice improved bargaining power in their dealings with employees and unions and managerial prerogatives (Bray and Waring 2006). The changes in rule making have been encouraged as the government members have confirmed that economic success depends on freeing employers and employees from the restrictions of the old system. Awards This act has reduced the number of matters from 20 to 16 and this has helped in simplifying the awards. The award clauses that have been removed relate to: Jury service, long service leave, superannuation and notice of termination. However some federal awards that provide kind entitlements like leave arrangements will not be removed from the awards as they are deemed as preserved award entitlements. Management The Work Choices act will bring the Australian managerial sector more freedom to manage their businesses as they see fit. This is because there will be less state regulation of the employment relationship and they will not be forced by unions to collectively bargain over wages and working conditions. With this new freedom the Australian managers will be in a position to lead to more efficient enterprises, more jobs and a more competitive national economy. Many companies will also be capable of pursuing innovation/ quality-enhancement and business strategies. Unions. In chapter six of Bray et al. there is a trace of the historical evolution of unions as a form of employee representation in Australia. It was seen that membership and the power of trade unions had greatly declined from the beginning of the 1990s. This decline was brought about by many reasons. One of them was the increasingly hostile role of management and the impact of government policies that were not sympathetic. These harsh circumstances may be conducive to attracting new members and stimulated a new collective strength. However strategic differences over the union response to work Choices show great differences in ideologies within the Australian labour movement and the labour movements of other countries. Only time will tell where the union movement will go and what the real outcomes will be. Conclusion. The measures brought about by the Work Choices reforms are far reaching. This is because they represent a major break from the past in many ways. Firstly, their consequences to the constitution promise to be very big. Secondly, despite the much opposition it has faced, these reforms will help introduce new institutions by spelling an end to those institutions that have dominated Australian industrial institutions for very many years. They will also change the process by which the rules of employment relationships are made in Australia. In addition, market forces, individual contracting and managerial prerogative are going to gain a new ascendancy. According to Howard’s government and business supporters, these reforms are also inevitable as they are necessary in driving productivity and reducing unemployment and will also guarantee competitiveness. It is also important that any conclusions be left speculative and uncertain since public opinion can fail and political climate can drastically change. References: Andrews, K. (200b) ‘Where do we want workplace relations to be in five years time? ’ speech to Committee for Economic Development of Australia, Federation Square, Melbourne, retrieved on 15th March. Bray, M and Waring, P (2006) ‘The rise of managerial prerogative under the Howard government’, Australian Bulletin of Labour (in press). Bray, M. and Walsh, P. (1998), ‘Different paths to neo liberalism Comparing Australia and New Zealand’, Industrial Relations, Vol. 37, No. 3. Pp. 358-87. Bray, M. , Deery, S. , Walsh, J. and Waring, P. (2005) Industrial relations, 3rd edn, McGraw-Hill Irwin, Sydney. Plowman, D. and Preston, A. (2005) ‘The new industrial relations: portents for the lowly paid’, Journal of Australian Political Economy, No. 56, Dec, pp. 224-42

How Do Peer Relationships Effect Social Development Young People Essay

How Do Peer Relationships Effect Social Development Young People Essay The purpose of this essay is to evaluate how friendships and social interactions with peers, influence the social development of children. Furthermore, to consider the links between family relationships societal influences and the effects that these have on childrens social development in early life. In addition to understand the complexities of an adults role when supporting childrens social development, in the nursery setting. Research suggests that friendships are fundamental in providing future relationships, which help children cope with the stresses of life; learning to make and keep friends is one of the most important influences in the social development of children Early Excellence for Childhood Development (2009). Establishing relationships with peers is one of the major development tasks of early childhood, and how well they fare at this time, matters not only to the children themselves, but also to their future Shonkoff and Phillips (2000:163). This is in line with Phal (2000) it is not friendships per se that is important but the trust security feelings of self-esteem and of love are important (:148). Childrens friendships with others build upon two individual interactions based on trust respect and security Shaffer (1996:324). Shaffer further suggests that sociability plays a key part in the social development of children and that this depends on the skills children acquire during the first yea rs of life (:325). By the age of two years, children begin enjoy playing with peers, laughing, talking, yet with trial and error; they learn to carry out their social skills (Development Milestones 2006), talking helps children make sense of things, and this puts things into perspective. However, children become protective of their possessions, which results in them not sharing, nevertheless, childrens interactions grow out of egocentric modes of thinking and by being confronted with peers points of view and through peer interactions (Piaget 1932). Even so, children learn ways in which, their cooperation is welcomed, and how they can take part for what they want (Elkin and Handel, 1978). Furthermore, they start imitating their peers at early ages, spending lots of time watching what they do, even though, children between the ages of two to three years, are more likely to be self-centred and are not interested in others feelings. Piaget also states as children get older they learn how to share and take turns, and start to make friends with peers within their social groups, and in social situations (1932:47), such as swimming clubs, dance or football lessons. Equally as children become aware of the world around them, in particular how everything in it relates to them, they learn to make friends, and start communicating with their peers, both within their own age group and older. Children move in peer environments offering opportunities for support, and develop an understanding of others (Piaget 1932:42). Such as befriending younger peers, as some children need help in bridging their differences, in finding ways to learn from and enjoy the company of one another. Additionally, once children learn to empathise with their peers, they will learn how much fun it is to have friendships, and that these may turn into long-lasting relationships. Equally, childrens acceptance by their peers are influenced by factors suc h as, relationships at home including relationships with siblings, childrens own behaviour, relationships with parents and parents own relationships with each other. Families give children their social networks and social support, but children, who construct themselves in relationships with peers and friends, as well as parents, identify the rule of reciprocity and understand that personal and shared resources can have mutual benefits. Research suggests that this is especially true when making friendships. Therefore, children who show negative behaviour towards their peers will find it difficult to make friends. Peer difficulties in the early years are predictors of future problems, such as, feelings of loneliness, aggression anxiety and depression (Shaffer 1996: 326). However, some children differ in their social behaviour such as, individual personalitys temperaments extended family relationships, and cultural environments, which affect their social behaviour, (Rothbart Bates, 1998; Kagan1992). What is right, or effective social behaviour in one culture, may not be in another. Such as eating food with fingers, this is acceptable in some eastern society; however, this is not acceptable in that of western society. Evidence suggests, children enter society at the mercy of others, from the time they are born children have innate responses, these influence their social development outcomes, which will then continue and change throughout their lifespan. Family influences start from the time of conception with genetic makeup provided by parents, such as the colour of hair and eyes, height bone structure and temperament Shaffer (1996:163). However, the mother is the primary caregiver, providing an environment to which the child will grow and mature; she provides the child with nourishment, a safe environment, and the necessary health care for her and her child (Elkin and Handle 1978). Consequently, the mother provides the child with the first smile sound touch taste, and attachment. According to Bowlby (1944) for children to form relationships, they must first learn to develop an attachment with others this will lead children to form bonds and secure attachments with others later in life (:62). Chil dren become dependent on their family to provide clothing food shelter a clean safe environment, support, access to necessary health care and education. Children come to feel loved, valued, and learn to believe in a shared set of values and beliefs The Family Paediatrics Report (2003). Children also receive; care for their dependency and attention for their sociability, however, the kind of care and attention children receive during their early years will affect their management of important issues in later life, such as trust and distrust, Shonkoff and Phillips (2000:265). Therefore, the kind of parenting styles influence childrens social development and childrens characteristics according to Baumrind (1971) children who have authoritative parents tend to be self-reliant self-controlled cooperative socially responsible and keen to achieve, because parents have the power control, and how they direct their children. Children with permissive parents tend to lack confidence in voicing their opinions, are not interested in success and have no direction, as parents have limited control over them, over indulgence and inconsistencies regarding discipline. However, these parents are very loving and affectionate. Authoritarian parents on the other hand, tend to be in control over their children, giving them strict rules but in ways that encourages communication and mutual respect. Whereas Authoritarian parents are more involved, are more responsive sensitive and attentive to their childrens individual needs. However, children whose parents use this parenting style have children that are more likely to be impolite, rebellious and especially in boys socially incompetent. Rejecting-Neglecting parents however, shows an emotionally detached style of parenting with little effort of providing food and clothes for their children, they are uncaring do not watch or support their childrens activities they do not provide structure for the social rules or an understanding of the wo rld they live in, and actively reject their responsibilities to rearing of their children. In addition, they have a combination of low approval and low involvement with little interest in the control of general indifferences to issues autonomy. Therefore, their children tend to be immature in cognitive and social development. However, personality may also influence and affect parents responses to some behaviours showing that parents may not in nature adopt these styles but be forced into them (Johnson and Nohamond-Williams). Although family is an important factor in influencing the social development of children, research suggests that normal family is forever changing Shonkoff and Phillips (2000:263) with increases in divorce, one-parent families stepparents, cohabitation as well as civil partnerships and the growing diversity of values, beliefs ground rules culture, social and economic status. Shonkoff and Phillips (2000:264). However, the fundamentals of family life are to provid e their children with a stable environment for children to learn through the process of socialisation to become acceptable members of society, besides social status recreation, and leisure pursuits. The family has also seen changes in terms of social values, attitudes and structure, such as that within the British Royal family and their conformity to social trends, with three out of the four children now divorced. Studies also show that children of divorced parents are at greater risk of emotional and behavioural problems, including depression The Family paediatrics Report (2003). Such children tend to have social difficulties and more problem relationships with one or, both parents, however, childrens inability to cope without the social support of their families can stem from social strains such as parental mental illness, substance abuse, violence, and divorce, Family Paediatrics Report, (2003). Studies show that parental abusive behaviour results from parents negative interpreta tions of a childs behaviour, poor social skills, and how they cope with stress Goldsmith, (2001:184). Goldsmith (2001) further suggested, stress leads to problems of parents feelings of depression helplessness anger, exhaustion and marital tension. Nevertheless parents who develop better management skills will find it easy to form tactics, solve problems, and amend to change, therefore will have a sense of being in control Goldsmith, (2000:186). However, if the needs within family cannot be fulfilled the fulfilment of those needs can be sought after in the community, by dishonesty such as theft. Research suggests that unemployment and poverty can also affect the social development of children, with unemployment increasing the financial strain on family; this may compromise parent-child relationship by inducing hostility as well as reducing support and love in the home. Therefore, having an impact on the social environment to which the child develops, relating to Brofenbrenners ecolo gical system theory, referring to the multiplicity of social influences that influence on childrens development.

Aspergers Syndrome and Autism Stereotypes and life

Aspergers Syndrome and Autism Stereotypes and life According to the Center for Disease Control, Autism (or a closely related disorder such as Aspergers Syndrome) affects 1 in 150 children in the United States. (Overview Autism, DD, NCBDDD, CDC) The first thing that you think of when you hear of Aspergers Syndrome or Autism; are the age old stereotypes that one with Aspergers Syndrome or Autism are labeled with, such as: that they cant feel emotions, they lack empathy, and most of all they are all like the guy from Rain Man. What about the positive side of having Aspergers Syndrome/Autism. Most of all, living with Aspergers Syndrome or Autism may come as a struggle, but with the right support anything is possible. Even though this is the twenty-first century; a lot of people still label people on the Autistic Spectrum with the age old stereotypes, but not all individuals on the spectrum abide by those stereotypes: The fact that individuals on the autism spectrum have no emotion is not true. The emotion is there; but the individual might have a hard time expressing those emotions, or the way the emotion is triggered is different then everyone elses. The myth about individuals on the spectrum not having a sense of humor is false. The individual on the spectrum might find different to be funny such as satire. It said that there is no capacity for improvement for those on the spectrum, and that is false. If the individual is given the right support and a positive environment, they will be able to improve. The age old stereotype within the autism spectrum is that they are all good at math, music or science, but that is a hit and miss situation. Sometimes an individual is bad at math but good at other things such as recognizing faces. (Carley 19-21) According to Reitman, Most stereotypes of persons with autism are that they are odd, aloof, strange, or loners. Those who are labeled with Aspergers tend to be thought of as nerds or brains but as people who lack basic social graces, lack manners, and do not have friends. Those characterizations are rarely the truth though and those with these labels often struggle to free themselves of them. (Reitman) What Reitman means; when an individual on the spectrum is labeled with these stereotypes it is a challenge for them to prove their community and the world wrong, and that they can achieve anything that they put their mind to. From Frys personal stand point, People on the spectrum tend to be labeled as: geeky nerdy people with no social skills, lack of empathy, sometimes as someone with a mental health issue rather than neurological condition, and as someone who may be learning disabled. (Fry) Not all people on the spectrum can calculate dates and generate calendars in their heads like Rain Man can. Only those with a form of Savant Syndrome have those kinds of abilities. According to Jackson, being talented at math is either a hit or miss: I am no genius in this area but a lot of AS kids are. It seems to be one thing that you either excel at or you dont. A lot of kids with AS love Latin, German, and definitely information technology (IT). There may be some subjects which are better suited to an AS persons brain but, generally speaking, we are not clones and have our own strengths and weaknesses. Despite the film Rain Man, we dont all have these amazing mathematical skills. (Jackson 123) The positives of having Aspergers Syndrome or Autism are, having an extraordinary memory and being honest. Lisa Rudy from About.com has listed the top 10 terrific traits of Autistic people, and just to name a few of them: Autistics rarely judge other people, they are less materialistic, play fewer head games, and they have fewer hidden agendas. (Rudy) Pyles stated: Many people with Aspergers Syndrome tend to have normal or high levels of intelligence, and test in the high IQ ranges. Individuals with Aspergers Syndrome tend to have phenomenal memories, especially for things they are interested in. Most individuals with Aspergers Syndrome tend be very honest and they rarely tell lies. Lies dont work for them anyways. Also people with Aspergers Syndrome are law-abiding citizens. (Pyles 67-69) So if someone thinks an individual on the spectrum is lying and insist thats true; then that are wrong, because people on the Autistic Spectrum dont have a reason to tell lies, because of most the time when they do tell lies; they are bad at it and then they feel guilty for lying. Imagine that a person can remember almost everything that happened to them; in this cause that is true for individuals on the Autistic Spectrum. They can remember almost anything such as: exact details, places, events and sometimes exact date and time. According to Kanners research on Autism: Many of Kanners children had superb rote memory. They were able to remember and mechanically repeat large amounts of information. Some of the children were capable of memorizing and repeating long and unusual words. Others repeated the questions and answers of the Presbyterian Catechism, list of animals, nursery rhymes, a roster of the U.S. presidents, and lullabies in French. (Rodriguez 31) People on the Autistic Spectrum deal with everyday life the best way that they can; most of the time a person on the spectrum can lead an almost normal life with a little bit of help. For example, they would have to learn coping skills to deal with everyday dramas and to make the right decision during tough times, and social skills to help them get along in society. Society isnt made for those on the spectrum, and is actually made for a NeuroTypical. NeuroTypical is defined as: An informal term used by the online autism community to denote those whose neurological development and function is within the normal range. (A World Apart Definitions) That is no excuse though for a person on the spectrum to give up on society and live a stereotypical life. For those living on the spectrum, it is hard to pick up on social cues or figure out what is the right behavior for each social situation. Today, there are therapies and other resources out there such as, speech therapy, occupational therapy and social skills training. There are even specialists trained in working with people on the Autistic Spectrum. For example: Reitman works with individuals as young as 18 months and on into adulthood as well. With the younger individuals, Reitman addresses communication and social skills deficits through role-play, creation of rules and discussions of difficulties being encountered. For adolescents and adults, the struggles with miscommunication are frequent ones, as is the managing of ever-shifting priorities and responsibilities. Organization, self-esteem, initiation, and inattention are common issues that are addressed in therapy. (Reitman) Even though there are all these therapies and other resources out there, but not all of them is for every individual. I believe that there is no one treatment that works for everyone and that each individual is unique. The work we do is collaborative and aimed at helping the person to develop self-awareness, empathy, and perspective-taking skills. (Reitman) Then there is the view of the individual on the spectrum and how they view their everyday life. Fry takes it as it comes when it comes to life, he tries to build a network of friends and family who are autistic aware, tries to avoid situations were would not feel comfortable for example: social events or places where there would be too much sensory inputs and he takes time out to refocus. (Fry) What do sensory inputs mean? Sensory inputs are actually sensory issues. As worded by Zaks, sensory issues may be thought of as difficulties interacting or dealing with the environment posed by the way the autistic brain handles sensory information. (Zaks 7) But what sensory issues do those on the spectrum deal with in everyday life though? The sensory issues that an individual on the spectrum deals with on the day-to-day basis varies at times; sometimes it is either noises such as, loud music, scratching the chalk board, or the vacuum cleaner. Then there are also smells and lights. If an individual is in an area where the sound is getting to them to the point where it gets too much for them, Zaks said: The most obvious answer is to get away from the noise. But that is not always possible. Sometimes down out the din. Other chose to wear ear plugs. If an intolerable noise suddenly occurs, an autistic person may need to bolt from the scene until measures are taken to reduce or eliminate the source of distress. (Zaks 16) Sometimes individuals can be sensitive to smells. From personal experiences this all known too well. Some smells can make an individual psychical ill and sometimes sick, smells such as, a stinky diaper, strong perfume, and canned salmon. There are also other smells that would irritate almost anyone regardless of being on the spectrum or not, but it irritate and bothers those on the spectrum even more than it does to those that are not on the spectrum. Zaks suggests, If scents are unavoidable and make you sick, try wearing a special filtration mask such as those used by cyclists to eliminate car fume smells when they ride in traffic. (Zaks 12) Often times, people on the spectrum are sensitive to light. Lights that do not cause other people stress can sting or hurt the eyes of a person on the spectrum, and cause them severe headaches or induce nausea. Some individuals cant tolerate the flashing lights of the television or movies. Even though their vision may measure within the normal range at the eye doctors, yet they will still have a problem with painful eyes. (Zaks 13) However there are some suggestions though, the individual could get transitions lenses if they need prescription glasses, or wear lightly tented sun glasses if they do not need prescription glasses. Even though the first thing you think of when you hear of Aspergers Syndrome or Autism are the age old stereotypes. There still positive sides of being on the spectrum. While growing up with having Aspergers syndrome or Autism may be rough, but there is better help out there and more information then there was years ago. Years ago, the Autistic Spectrum was just being researched on and not much was known about it, but today there is more information out there for individuals on the spectrum to find and better oneself and become a more productive citizen of society. Instead of being a living stereotype like the world wants them to be.

Essay --

Chapter 3: Method and Methodology 3.1 Methodology This chapter will provide knowledge and understanding of the research process that was carried out, before revealing the results. Methodology is the foundation on which a researcher bases their work. This process is fundamental to the research project as a whole as illustrated in Ryan et al (2002): ‘the process of research is as important as the output’ (p.2). The manner in which research is conducted involves particular techniques. Tomkins and Groves (1983) highlight that the ‘selection of the most appropriate research methodology is dependent on the nature of the phenomenon being researched’ (Ryan et al, 2002, p.35). Methodology is essentially the process through which this research is conducted and consists of two dimensions: ontology and epistemology (Hopper and Powell, 1985, p.431). Burrell and Morgan’s (1979) Classification Matrix for the Analysis of Social Theory is constructed by two separate dimensions that are based upon assumptions of the nature of society and of social science. Within this framework, there are four paradigms; ontology, epistemology, human nature and methodology. For the purpose of this research project, the two paradigms which are of concern are ontology and epistemology. Ontology is concerned with the ‘nature of reality’ (Hopper and Powell, 1985 p.431) and epistemology the ‘nature of knowledge’ (ibid). Together these two elements define methodology. 3.1.1 Ontology Ontology, as described by Hopper and Powell (1985) is concerned with the ‘nature of ‘reality’’ (p.431). This indicates that ontology is ‘the study of existence and in this context is concerned with what we discern to be ‘real’’ (Ryan et al, 2002, p.13). There are two contrasting beliefs on t... ...uestionnaires were distributed to forty participants in total, 20 honours accounting students and twenty people from a range of occupations and professions. Upon analysis of the data, the researcher noted that there were more female respondents in comparison to their male counterparts. There were twenty-four women to sixteen men giving a ratio of 3:2. Most respondents were aged between 18 and 29 although this was to be expected as most students are within this age range. However the range of ages in the other respondent group, were much more varied, ranging from 18 to over 60. The response rate was 100% for the accounting students as the researcher handed them out in person and not via email or electronic survey. This ensured a quicker response time and a higher response rate. The response rate from the other 20 participants was significantly lower, at 63% (20/32).

The Road Not Taken And Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening - Analysis

Robert Lee Frost (born in San Francisco, March 26, 1874 and died in Boston, January 29, 1963) was one of America's leading 20th-century poets and a four-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize. Although his verse forms are traditional, he was a pioneer in the interplay of rhythm and meter and in the poetic use of the vocabulary and inflections of everyday speech. His poetry is thus both traditional and experimental. After Frost’s father died in 1885, the family left California and settled in Massachusetts. From 1897 to 1899 he attended Harvard College as a special student, but left without a degree. Over the next ten years he wrote (but rarely published) poems, operated a farm in Derry, New Hampshire (purchased for him by his grandfather), and supplemented his income by teaching. In 1912 he sold the farm and used the proceeds to take his family to England, where he could devote himself entirely to writing. His efforts to establish himself and his work were almost immediately successful. A Boy's Will was accepted by a London publisher and brought out in 1913, followed a year later by North of Boston. In 1924 he received a Pulitzer Prize in poetry for New Hampshire (1923). He received it again for Collected Poems (1930), A Further Range (1936), and A Witness Tree (1942). Over the years he received an unprecedented number and range of literary, academic, and public honors. 1 The Road Not Taken Although I must admit that I am not a poetry fan, many of the poems of Robert Frost appeal to me, and this would have to be the one that appeals the most, in other words, it is my favorite poem. When I first read this poem, I liked it because of its free verse style (which I like) and its apparent simplicity, but, after much study, its true meaning became apparent. The obvious basic meaning is that the poem is about a person’s choices in life. The narrator describes coming to a problem with the fork in the road. He must go down one but feels he will not be able to take back his decision. He looks to see the pros and cons of each choice, and then takes the one that he says the least had traveled. He leaves the outcome up to the reader and the sigh at the end can be taken as good or bad. This leaves the reader the choice of deciding whether it is better to conform with society or rebel like Frost did and take up a less stable trade. However, there are many places to which... ..., he is far away from the city, and the city is like a synonym for life – and one of the opposites of life is death. Another closely related example of symbolism is â€Å"Between the woods and the frozen lake†. The woods are now a symbol of life – a change from the previous example – and the frozen lake, devoid of life, is a symbol of death. The final example of symbolism is an obvious one in which death is compared to sleep. Frost’s â€Å"difference† (The Road not Taken ln20) was always in him. This can be seen long before he starts his actual writing career. While he learned to read at a very late age of 14, he had already sold a poem at the age of 15. The road that Frost took was not only the â€Å"different† road and the right road for him, but also the only road that he could possibly have taken. The Road Not Taken and the often-studied Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening â€Å"exemplify Frost's ability to join the pastoral and philosophical modes in lyrics of unforgettable beauty†1. Frost's poetic and political conservatism caused him to lose favor with some literary critics, but his reputation as a major poet is secure. He unquestionably succeeded in realizing his life's ambition: to write.

Individual Differences

http://www. flatworldknowledge. com/pub/1. 0/organizational-behavior/34685#web-34687 Why Individual Differences Are Important: * Individual differences have a direct effect on behavior * People who perceive things differently behave differently * People with different attitudes respond differently to directives * People with different personalities interact differently with bosses, coworkers, subordinates, and customers * Individual differences help explain: Why some people embrace change and others are fearful of it * Why some employees will be productive only if they are closely supervised, while others will be productive if they are not * Why some workers learn new tasks more effectively than others Attraction-Selection-Attrition (ASA) Cycle * Different people are attracted to different careers and organizations as a function of their own: * abilities * interests * personalities * Organizations select employees on the basis of the needs the organization has * skills and abilities individual attributes such as values and personality * Attrition occurs when: * individuals discover they do not like being part of the organization and elect to resign, or * the organization determines an individual is not succeeding and elects to terminate * Each phase of the ASA cycle is significantly influenced by the individual differences of each person The Basis for Understanding Work Behavior: * To understand individual differences a manager must: 1. observe and recognize the differences and . study relationships between variables that influence behavior Individual Differences Influencing Work Behavior: 1. Hereditary and Diversity Factors 2. Personality 3. Ability and Skills 4. Perception 5. Attitudes Diversity Factors Primary Dimensions (stable) * Age * Ethnicity * Gender * Physical attributes * Race * Sexual / affectional orientation Secondary Dimensions (changeable) * Educational background * Marital status * Religious beliefs * Health * Work experience Abilities and Skil ls Ability – a person’s talent to perform a mental or physical task * Skill – a learned talent that a person has acquired to perform a task KEY ABILITIES: 1. Mental Ability 2. Emotional Intelligence 3. Tacit Knowledge Attitudes * Are determinates of behavior because they are linked with perception, personality, feelings, and motivation * Attitude – a mental state of readiness * learned and organized through experience * exerting a specific response to people, objects, and situations with which it is related Attitudes: Implications for the Manager . Attitudes are learned 2. Attitudes define one’s predispositions toward given aspects of the world 3. Attitudes provide the emotional basis of one’s interpersonal relations and identification with others 4. Attitudes are organized and are close to the core of personality The Three (3) Components of Attitude: 1. Cognition (Beliefs and Values) – My supervisor is unfair. 2. Affect (Feelings and emotions) – I don’t like my supervisor. 3. Behavior (Intended behavior) – I’ve submitted a formal request to transfer. Cognition * What individuals know about themselves and their environment * Implies a conscious process of acquiring knowledge * Evaluative beliefs – favorable or unfavorable impressions that a person holds toward an object or person Affect * The emotional component of an attitude * Often learned from * parents * teachers * peer group members * The part of an attitude that is associated with â€Å"feeling† a certain way about a person, group, or situation Cognitive Dissonance * A discrepancy between attitudes and behaviors A mental state of anxiety * Occurs when there is a conflict among an individual’s various cognitions after a decision has been made Personality * A relatively stable set of feelings and behaviors that have been significantly formed by genetic and environmental factors * The relationship between behavior and personality is one of the most complex matters that managers have to understand * Set of characteristics that underlie a relatively stable p attern of behavior in response to ideas, objects, or people in the environment * Some Major Forces influencing Personality 1. Cultural forces 2. Social class/group membership forces 3. Hereditary forces 4. Family relationship forces PERSONALITY AND BEHAVIOR IN ORGANIZATIONS The Big Five Personality Dimensions 1. Extroversion 2. Agreeableness 3. Conscientiousness 4. Emotional Stability 5. Openness to Experience How to Identify the Big Five Personality Traits * Extraversion * An extravert is talkative, comfortable, and confident in interpersonal relationships; an introvert is more private, withdrawn and reserved. * Agreeableness An agreeable person is trusting, courteous and helpful, getting along well with others; a disagreeable person is self-serving, skeptical and tough, creating discomfort for others. * Conscientiousness * A conscientious person is dependable, organized, and focused on getting things done; a person who lacks conscientiousness is careless, impulsive, and not achievement oriented. * Emotional Stability * A person who is emotionally stable is secu re, calm, steady, and self-confident; a person lacking emotional stability is excitable, anxious, nervous, and tense. Openness to Experience * A person open to experience is broad-minded, imaginative, and open to new ideas; a person who lacks openness is narrow-minded, has few interests, and resists change. * Authoritarianism * the degree to which a person defers to authority and accepts status differences. * Machiavellianism * the degree to which someone uses power manipulatively. * Locus of control * the extent to which one believes that what happens is within one’s control. * Self-monitoring * the degree to which someone is able to adjust behavior in response to xternal factors. Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Basic Components * Self-awareness: basis for all other components, being aware of what you are feeling * Self-management: control disruptive or harmful emotions and balance one’s moods so they do not cloud thinking * Social awareness: understand others and practic e empathy * Relationship awareness: connect to others, build positive relationships, respond to emotions of others, and influence others Locus of Control * Locus of control of individuals – Determines the degree to which they believe their behaviors influence what happens to them * Internals – believe they are masters of their own fate * Externals – believe they are helpless pawns of fate, success is due to luck or ease of task * Tendency to place primary responsibility for one’s success or failure either within oneself (internally) or on outside forces (externally) * Internal locus of control- your actions influence what happens to you * External locus of control- represents pawns of fate Self-Efficacy Feelings of self-efficacy have managerial and organizational implications: * Selection decisions * Training programs * Goal setting and performance Behaviors Influenced by Personality Authoritarianism = belief that power and status differences should exist within the organization * Machiavellianism = tendency to direct much of one’s behavior toward the acquisition of power and the manipulation of other people for personal gain Individual Differences: Values and Personality ————————————————- LEARNING OBJECTIVES . Understand what values are. 2. Describe the link between values and individual behavior. 3. Identify the major personality traits that are relevant to organizational behavior. 4. Explain the link between personality, work behavior, and work attitudes. 5. Explain the potential pitfalls of personality testing. Values Values  refer to stable life goals that people have, reflecting what is most important to them. Values are established throughout one’s life as a result of the accumulating life experiences and tend to be relatively stable. 138]  The values that are important to people tend to affect the types of decisions they make, how they perceive their environment, and their actual behaviors. Moreover, people are more likely to accept job offers when the company possesses the values people care about. [139]  Value attainment is one reason why people stay in a company, and when an organization does not help them attain their values, they are more likely to decide to leave if they are dissatisfied with the job itself. [140] What are the values people care about? There are many typologies of values. One of the most established surveys to assess individual values is the Rokeach Value Survey. [141]  This survey lists 18 terminal and 18 instrumental values in alphabetical order. Terminal values  refer to end states people desire in life, such as leading a prosperous life and a world at peace. Instrumental values  deal with views on acceptable modes of conduct, such as being honest and ethical, and being ambitious. According to Rokeach, values are arranged in hierarchical fashion. In other words, an accurate way of assessing someone’s values is to ask them to rank the 36 values in order of importance. By comparing these values, people develop a sense of which value can be sacrificed to achieve the other, and the individual priority of each value emerges. Where do values come from? Research indicates that they are shaped early in life and show stability over the course of a lifetime. Early family experiences are important influences over the dominant values. People who were raised in families with low socioeconomic status and those who experienced restrictive parenting often display conformity values when they are adults, while those who were raised by parents who were cold toward their children would likely alue and desire security. [142] Values of a generation also change and evolve in response to the historical context that the generation grows up in. Research comparing the values of different generations resulted in interesting findings. For example, Generation Xers (those born between the mid-1960s and 1980s) are more individualistic and are interested in working toward organi zational goals so long as they coincide with their personal goals. This group, compared to the baby boomers (born between the 1940s and 1960s), is also less likely to see work as central to their life and more likely to desire a quick promotion. 143] Values will affect the choices people make. For example, someone who has a strong stimulation orientation may pursue extreme sports and be drawn to risky business ventures with a high potential for payoff. The values a person holds will affect his or her employment. For example, someone who has an orientation toward strong stimulation may pursue extreme sports and select an occupation that involves fast action and high risk, such as fire fighter, police officer, or emergency medical doctor. Someone who has a drive for achievement may more readily act as an entrepreneur. Moreover, whether individuals will be satisfied at a given job may depend on whether the job provides a way to satisfy their dominant values. Therefore, understanding employees at work requires understanding the value orientations of employees. Personality Personality  encompasses the relatively stable feelings, thoughts, and behavioral patterns a person has. Our personality differentiates us from other people, and understanding someone’s personality gives us clues about how that person is likely to act and feel in a variety of situations. In order to effectively manage organizational behavior, an understanding of different employees’ personalities is helpful. Having this knowledge is also useful for placing people in jobs and organizations. If personality is stable, does this mean that it does not change? You probably remember how you have changed and evolved as a result of your own life experiences, attention you received in early childhood, the style of parenting you were exposed to, successes and failures you had in high school, and other life events. In fact, our personality changes over long periods of time. For example, we tend to become more socially dominant, more conscientious (organized and dependable), and more emotionally stable between the ages of 20 and 40, whereas openness to new experiences may begin to decline during this same time. [144]  In other words, even though we treat personality as relatively stable, changes occur. Moreover, even in childhood, our personality shapes who we are and has lasting consequences for us. For example, studies show that part of our career success and job satisfaction later in life can be explained by our childhood personality. 145] Is our behavior in organizations dependent on our personality? To some extent, yes, and to some extent, no. While we will discuss the effects of personality for employee behavior, you must remember that the relationships we describe are modest correlations. For example, having a sociable and outgoing personality may encourage people to seek friends and prefer social situations. This does not mean that their person ality will immediately affect their work behavior. At work, we have a job to do and a role to perform. Therefore, our behavior may be more strongly affected by what is expected of us, as opposed to how we want to behave. When people have a lot of freedom at work, their personality will become a stronger influence over their behavior. [146] Big Five Personality Traits How many personality traits are there? How do we even know? In every language, there are many words describing a person’s personality. In fact, in the English language, more than 15,000 words describing personality have been identified. When researchers analyzed the terms describing personality characteristics, they realized that there were many words that were pointing to each dimension of personality. When these words were grouped, five dimensions seemed to emerge that explain a lot of the variation in our personalities. [147]  Keep in mind that these five are not necessarily the only traits out there. There are other, specific traits that represent dimensions not captured by the Big Five. Still, understanding the main five traits gives us a good start for describing personality. A summary of the Big Five traits is presented in  Figure  3. , â€Å"Big Five Personality Traits†. Openness  is the degree to which a person is curious, original, intellectual, creative, and open to new ideas. People high in openness seem to thrive in situations that require being flexible and learning new things. They are highly motivated to learn new skills, and they do well in training settings. [148]  They also have a n advantage when they enter into a new organization. Their open-mindedness leads them to seek a lot of information and feedback about how they are doing and to build relationships, which leads to quicker adjustment to the new job. 149]When supported, they tend to be creative. [150]  Open people are highly adaptable to change, and teams that experience unforeseen changes in their tasks do well if they are populated with people high in openness. [151]  Compared to people low in openness, they are also more likely to start their own business. [152] Conscientiousness  refers to the degree to which a person is organized, systematic, punctual, achievement oriented, and dependable. Conscientiousness is the one personality trait that uniformly predicts how high a person’s performance will be, across a variety of occupations and jobs. 153]  In fact, conscientiousness is the trait most desired by recruiters and results in the most success in interviews. [154]  This is not a s urprise, because in addition to their high performance, conscientious people have higher levels of motivation to perform, lower levels of turnover, lower levels of absenteeism, and higher levels of safety performance at work. [155]One’s conscientiousness is related to career success and being satisfied with one’s career over time. [156]  Finally, it seems that conscientiousness is a good trait to have for entrepreneurs. Highly conscientious people are more likely to start their own business compared to those who are not conscientious, and their firms have longer survival rates. [157] Extraversion  is the degree to which a person is outgoing, talkative, and sociable, and enjoys being in social situations. One of the established findings is that they tend to be effective in jobs involving sales. [158]  Moreover, they tend to be effective as managers and they demonstrate inspirational leadership behaviors. [159]  Extraverts do well in social situations, and as a result they tend to be effective in job interviews. Part of their success comes from how they prepare for the job interview, as they are likely to use their social network. [160]  Extraverts have an easier time than introverts when adjusting to a new job. They actively seek information and feedback, and build effective relationships, which helps with their adjustment. [161]Interestingly, extraverts are also found to be happier at work, which may be because of the relationships they build with the people around them and their relative ease in adjusting to a new job. 162]  However, they do not necessarily perform well in all jobs, and jobs depriving them of social interaction may be a poor fit. Moreover, they are not necessarily model employees. For example, they tend to have higher levels of absenteeism at work, potentially because they may miss work to hang out with or attend to the needs of their friends. [163] Agreeableness  is the degree to which a person is nice, tolerant, sensitive, trusting, kind, and warm. In other words, people who are high in agreeableness are likeable people who get along with others. Not surprisingly, agreeable people help others at work consistently, and this helping behavior is not dependent on being in a good mood. [164]  They are also less likely to retaliate when other people treat them unfairly. [165]  This may reflect their ability to show empathy and give people the benefit of the doubt. Agreeable people may be a valuable addition to their teams and may be effective leaders because they create a fair environment when they are in leadership positions. [166]  At the other end of the spectrum, people low in agreeableness are less likely to show these positive behaviors. Moreover, people who are not agreeable are shown to quit their jobs unexpectedly, perhaps in response to a conflict they engage with a boss or a peer. [167]  If agreeable people are so nice, does this mean that we should only look for agreeable people when hiring? Some jobs may actually be a better fit for someone with a low level of agreeableness. Think about it: When hiring a lawyer, would you prefer a kind and gentle person, or a pit bull? Also, high agreeableness has a downside: Agreeable people are less likely to engage in constructive and change-oriented communication. 168]  Disagreeing with the status quo may create conflict and agreeable people will likely avoid creating such conflict, missing an opportunity for constructive change. Neuroticism  refers to the degree to which a person is anxious, irritable, aggressive, temperamental, and moody. These people have a tendency to have emotional adjustment problems and experience stress and depression on a habitual basis. Peo ple very high in neuroticism experience a number of problems at work. For example, they are less likely to be someone people go to for advice and friendship. 169]  In other words, they may experience relationship difficulties. They tend to be habitually unhappy in their jobs and report high intentions to leave, but they do not necessarily actually leave their jobs. [170]  Being high in neuroticism seems to be harmful to one’s career, as they have lower levels of career success (measured with income and occupational status achieved in one’s career). Finally, if they achieve managerial jobs, they tend to create an unfair climate at work. [171] Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Aside from the Big Five personality traits, perhaps the most well-known and most often used personality assessment is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Unlike the Big Five, which assesses traits, MBTI measures types. Assessments of the Big Five do not classify people as neurotic or extravert: It is all a matter of degrees. MBTI on the other hand, classifies people as one of 16 types. [172]  In MBTI, people are grouped using four dimensions. Based on how a person is classified on these four dimensions, it is possible to talk about 16 unique personality types, such as ESTJ and ISTP. MBTI was developed in 1943 by a mother–daughter team, Isabel Myers and Katherine Cook Briggs. Its objective at the time was to aid World War II veterans in identifying the occupation that would suit their personalities. Since that time, MBTI has become immensely popular, and according to one estimate, around 2. 5 million people take the test annually. The survey is criticized because it relies on types as opposed to traits, but organizations who use the survey find it very useful for training and team-building purposes. More than eighty of the  Fortune  100 companies used Myers-Briggs tests in some form. One distinguishing characteristic of this test is that it is explicitly designed for learning, not for employee selection purposes. In fact, the Myers & Briggs Foundation has strict guidelines against the use of the test for employee selection. Instead, the test is used to provide mutual understanding within the team and to gain a better understanding of the working styles of team members. [173] Positive and Negative Affectivity You may have noticed that behavior is also a function of moods. When people are in a good mood, they may be more cooperative, smile more, and act friendly. When these same people are in a bad mood, they may have a tendency to be picky, irritable, and less tolerant of different opinions. Yet, some people seem to be in a good mood most of the time, and others seem to be in a bad mood most of the time regardless of what is actually going on in their lives. This distinction is manifested by positive and negative affectivity traits. Positive affective people  experience positive moods more frequently, whereas  negative affective peopleexperience negative moods with greater frequency. Negative affective people focus on the â€Å"glass half empty† and experience more anxiety and nervousness. [174]  Positive affective people tend to be happier at work,[175]  and their happiness spreads to the rest of the work environment. As may be expected, this personality trait sets the tone in the work atmosphere. When a team comprises mostly negative affective people, there tend to be fewer instances of helping and cooperation. Teams dominated by positive affective people experience lower levels of absenteeism. 176]  When people with a lot of power are also high in positive affectivity, the work environment is affected in a positive manner and can lead to greater levels of cooperation and finding mutually agreeable solutions to problems. [177] Self-Monitoring Self-monitoring  refers to the extent to which a person is capable of monitoring his or her actions and appearance in social situations. In other words, people who are social monitors are social chameleons w ho understand what the situation demands and act accordingly, while low social monitors tend to act the way they feel. 178]  High social monitors are sensitive to the types of behaviors the social environment expects from them. Their greater ability to modify their behavior according to the demands of the situation and to manage their impressions effectively is a great advantage for them. [179]  In general, they tend to be more successful in their careers. They are more likely to get cross-company promotions, and even when they stay with one company, they are more likely to advance. [180]  Social monitors also become the â€Å"go to† person in their company and they enjoy central positions in their social networks. 181]  They are rated as higher performers, and emerge as leaders. [182]  While they are effective in influencing other people and get things done by managing their impressions, this personality trait has some challenges that need to be addressed. First, w hen evaluating the performance of other employees, they tend to be less accurate. It seems that while trying to manage their impressions, they may avoid giving accurate feedback to their subordinates to avoid confrontations. [183]  This tendency may create problems for them if they are managers. Second, high social monitors tend to experience higher levels of tress, probably caused by behaving in ways that conflict with their true feelings. In situations that demand positive emotions, they may act happy although they are not feeling happy, which puts an emotional burden on them. Finally, high social monitors tend to be less committed to their companies. They may see their jobs as a stepping-stone for greater things, which may prevent them from forming strong attachments and loyalty to their current employer. [184] Proactive Personality Proactive personality  refers to a person’s inclination to fix what is perceived as wrong, change the status quo, and use initiative to so lve problems. Instead of waiting to be told what to do, proactive people take action to initiate meaningful change and remove the obstacles they face along the way. In general, having a proactive personality has a number of advantages for these people. For example, they tend to be more successful in their job searches. [185]  They are also more successful over the course of their careers, because they use initiative and acquire greater understanding of the politics within the organization. [186]  Proactive people are valuable assets to their companies because they may have higher levels of performance. 187]They adjust to their new jobs quickly because they understand the political environment better and often make friends more quickly. [188]  Proactive people are eager to learn and engage in many developmental activities to improve their skills. [189]  Despite all their potential, under some circumstances a proactive personality may be a liability for an individual or an organization. Imag ine a person who is proactive but is perceived as being too pushy, trying to change things other people are not willing to let go, or using their initiative to make decisions that do not serve a company’s best interests. Research shows that the success of proactive people depends on their understanding of a company’s core values, their ability and skills to perform their jobs, and their ability to assess situational demands correctly. [190] Self-Esteem Self-esteem  is the degree to which a person has overall positive feelings about his or herself. People with high self-esteem view themselves in a positive light, are confident, and respect themselves. On the other hand, people with low self-esteem experience high levels of self-doubt and uestion their self-worth. High self-esteem is related to higher levels of satisfaction with one’s job and higher levels of performance on the job. [191]  People with low self-esteem are attracted to situations in which they will be relatively invisible, such as large companies. [192]Managing employees with low self-esteem may be challenging at times, because negative feedback given with the intention to improve performance may be viewed as a judgment on their worth as an employee. Therefore, effectively managing employees with relatively low self-esteem requires tact and providing lots of positive feedback when discussing performance incidents. Self-Efficacy Self-efficacy  is a belief that one can perform a specific task successfully. Research shows that the belief that we can do something is a good predictor of whether we can actually do it. Self-efficacy is different from other personality traits in that it is job specific. You may have high self-efficacy in being successful academically, but low self-efficacy in relation to your ability to fix your car. At the same time, people have a certain level of generalized self-efficacy and they have the belief that whatever task or hobby they tackle, they are likely to be successful in it. Research shows that self-efficacy at work is related to job performance. [193]  This relationship is probably a result of people with high self-efficacy setting higher goals for themselves and being more committed to these goals, whereas people with low self-efficacy tend to procrastinate. [194]  Academic self-efficacy is a good predictor of your GPA, whether you persist in your studies, or drop out of college. 195] Is there a way of increasing employees’ self-efficacy? Hiring people who are capable of performing their tasks and training people to increase their self-efficacy may be effective. Some people may also respond well to verbal encouragement. By showing that you believe they can be successful and effectively playing the role of a cheerleader, you may be able to increase self-efficacy. G iving people opportunities to test their skills so that they can see what they are capable of doing (or empowering them) is also a good way of increasing self-efficacy. 196] Locus of Control Locus of control deals with the degree to which people feel accountable for their own behaviors. Individuals with high  internal locus of control  believe that they control their own destiny and what happens to them is their own doing, while those with high  external locus of control  feel that things happen to them because of other people, luck, or a powerful being. Internals feel greater control over their own lives and therefore they act in ways that will increase their chances of success. For example, they take the initiative to start mentor-protege relationships. They are more involved with their jobs. They demonstrate higher levels of motivation and have more positive experiences at work. [197]  Interestingly, internal locus is also related to one’s subjective well-being and happiness in life, while being high in external locus is related to a higher rate of depression. [198]  The connection between internal locus of control and health is interesting, but perhaps not surprising. In fact, one study showed that having internal locus of control at the age of ten was related to a number of health outcomes, such as lower obesity and lower blood pressure later in life. [199]  It is possible that internals take more responsibility for their health and adopt healthier habits, while externals may see less of a connection between how they live and their health. Internals thrive in contexts in which they have the ability to influence their own behavior. Successful entrepreneurs tend to have high levels of internal locus of control. [200] Key point: Values and personality traits are two dimensions on which people differ. Values are stable life goals. When seeking jobs, employees are more likely to accept a job that provides opportunities for value attainment, and they are more likely to remain in situations that satisfy their values. Personality comprises the stable feelings, thoughts, and behavioral patterns people have. The Big Five personality traits (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism) are important traits that seem to be stable and can be generalized to other cultures. Other important traits for work behavior include self-efficacy, self-esteem, social monitoring, proactive personality, positive and negative affectivity, and locus of control. It is important to remember that a person’s behavior depends on the match between the person and the situation. While personality is a strong influence on job attitudes, its relation to job performance is weaker. Some companies use personality testing to screen out candidates. This method has certain limitations, and companies using personality tests

Explain religious teaching about what it means to be a human Essay

– Human has a embodied spirit who thinks, act, speaks and desires. Religious teachings say that humans are created in the image of god. They are different from animals because humans have the ability to love, be moral and have free will. Humans life is a gift from god. We must value life. God created us as intelligent beings with the ability to control our actions, urges and emotions. Christian teaches that free will is given by God. By free will, we shape our own lives. Bible says Humans are creation of God. God desired humans to exist. God gave us the ability to reason, speak and to live a moral life. Humans are mixture of earth and divine breath. Bible teaches that we are the incarnation of the divine and part of us is drawn from the earth. Everything created by god is perfect and it was intended. Of all the creatures in God’s creation, Humans are the only ones who enter into a dialouge with God which is by prayer. Most christians believe that humans are distinct from the animal word, and that the most important differences between animals and humans have is soul – a divine spark that sets them apart from other living things. This asserts that Christians do not treat animals as their equals, as only humans were made in the image of God. Christians believe in the sanctity of life, that there is something special and holy about life. Christians believe that humans have a soul which lives on after the body has died, this soul will then be judged and then can join God in heaven. God gave humans dominion over the non-human life, E.g. in Genesis ‘Let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air’ suggesting human life has a higher value than non-human life, this shows God has given humans a big responsibility to life which exempliflies the value. God made man ‘in his image’ many christians believe that God gave them the brains and the abilities to find cures for humans by experimenting on animals and not to use these abilities would be denying God’s plan for them. Some christians say that this gives them the right to use animals in  experiments because humans are of more value. As well in Genesis God said to Adam ‘Rule Over’ all living creatures suggesting animal testing is acceptable. However, Some christians may be very much against this, as when God created the world, he saw that all that was in ‘was good’. Some say this means we should not experiment on animals because they are wonderful part of God’s creation. ‘The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Human lives are special because it is a gift from God. Human lives distinct from any other creatures and are in higher positions. Humans have sanctity which relates to their dignity, which has both natural dimension, in terms of rational thought and moral decision-making powers. â€Å"Human beings have complete control over their own life and destiny.† (15 marks) How far might a religious believer agree with this statement? Everyone has a purpose of being in this universe because we all have a special position that is created by God. Humans make their own choices and lead on their life. But, God is always there to show people the right path. Only God has control over peoples lives. He decides when we die and when we born. Everything is in God’s hand as religious believer will say God created the world. God’s choices are always right. He is capable of carrying out any project to a successful conclusion without the possibility of fault or failure. Nothing in His universe happens by chance or accident. For every effect there is a cause. God is in control. We have freedom to choose within the constraints of who we are and the circumstances we find ourselves in. Yet while God controls those circumstances but does not control us. While God is able to control us, and if he wanted to he could override our freedom, he chooses not to. The concept of the control of God over everything is called the â€Å"sovereignty† of God. Nothing gives us strength and confidence like an understanding of the sovereignty of God in our lives. God’s sovereignty is defined as His complete and total independent control over every creature, event, and circumstance at every moment in history. Subject to none, influenced by  none, absolutely independent, God does what He pleases. God is in complete control of every molecule in the universe at every moment, and everything that happens is either caused or allowed by Him for His own perfect purposes. Religious believer might say that God is directing your steps down to the smallest details. He can make things happen that you could never make happen on your own. He is for you, on your side, and what He has purposed for your life will come to pass.